Candlelight

School	Alteration
Level	Novice
Magicka Cost	21
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	Creates a hovering light that lasts for 60 seconds.
Duration	60 seconds
Perk	Novice Alteration (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Candlelight
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Candlelight is a Novice Alteration spell that makes a small ball of light. The light floats beside the caster and follows along for a full minute. It does the job of a torch and leaves both hands free for weapons or spells. Magelight is the next step up, a ball of light that is thrown and sticks where it lands.

Candlelight is useful from the first cave of the game. Most court wizards sell the tome, and so does Tolfdir at the College of Winterhold. The in-game description of Alteration speaks of manipulating the physical world, and this small light is the simplest example.

Spell Tome

Candlelight is learned by reading Spell Tome: Candlelight. Calcelmo, Falion, Farengar Secret-Fire, Madena, Nelacar, Sybille Stentor, Tolfdir, Wuunferth the Unliving and Wylandriah sell the tome.

Location

One copy of the tome can be found inside Fort Snowhawk.

How It Plays

Candlelight is a fire and forget spell cast on the caster. The orb rises above the caster's head and follows every step. It costs only a little magicka and needs a fresh cast once a minute. In a long dungeon, a quick recast at each new room keeps the way lit.

The spell is a better torch in almost every way. It weighs nothing and never runs out, since it is a spell rather than an item. It floats out of the way overhead instead of sitting in the field of view. Both hands stay free for a sword, a bow or two spells.

The orb lasts until its minute runs out, with no way to put it away early. That matters for a sneaking character, because the glow makes the caster easier to spot.

A Scroll of Candlelight gives the same light without learning the spell. Candlelight also appears in Oblivion.

Training Alteration

Candlelight can be cast anywhere at any time for a small amount of Alteration experience. A new mage can cast it while walking between towns. The gain is slow but steady, and it costs very little magicka. Tolfdir trains Alteration to master level, and Dravynea the Stoneweaver in Kynesgrove trains it to expert level.

Reactions

Townsfolk notice the floating light. Some are delighted and say, "Wow! Look at all the colors!" Others are wary and ask the caster to "keep that magic away," or say, "Is that magic? Careful, please..." A few simply remark, "Well hey, that's not something you see everyday."

Cost and Duration

Candlelight costs 21 magicka at a skill of zero, one of the cheapest spells in the game. The Stability perk raises its duration to 90 seconds, and dual casting raises it to 132 seconds. With both, one cast keeps the light up for more than three minutes.

Gameplay Tips

The Stability perk makes the light last half again as long.
Dual casting stretches the light to more than two minutes.
The glow makes the caster easier to spot while sneaking, so Magelight is the better pick for a stealthy character.

Notes

The light protects the caster from the harmful darkness in some of the Black Books, just as a torch does.

Spell Categories

All Alteration Spells

Novice

Novice spells are the first a mage learns and cost the least magicka.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Candlelight	21	Fire and Forget	Creates a hovering light that lasts for 60 seconds.
Oakflesh	103	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 40 points for 60 seconds.
Teleport Pet: Arachnia	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Arachnia the spider.
Teleport Pet: Bone Wolf	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Bone Wolf to your side.
Teleport Pet: Demented Elytra Nymph	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports pet Demented Elytra Nymph.
Teleport Pet: Dwarven Mudcrab	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports pet Dwarven Mudcrab.
Teleport Pet: Hilda	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Hilda.
Teleport Pet: Manic Elytra Nymph	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports pet Manic Elytra Nymph.
Teleport Pet: Nix-Hound	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Nix-Hound.
Teleport Pet: Skritch	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Skritch.
Teleport Pet: Sweet Roll	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Sweet Roll.
Teleport Pet: Thistle	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Thistle.

Apprentice

Apprentice spells need a little practice in the school.

Name	Image	Cost	Casting	Effect
Magelight		84	Fire and Forget	Ball of light that lasts 60 seconds and sticks where it strikes.
Stoneflesh		194	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 60 points for 60 seconds.

Adept

Adept spells are the middle rank and hit noticeably harder.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Detect Life	100 per second	Concentration	Nearby living creatures, but not undead, machines or daedra, can be seen through walls.
Ironflesh	266	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 80 points for 60 seconds.
Telekinesis	170 per second	Concentration	Can pull an object to you from a distance. Add it to your inventory or throw it.
Transmute	100	-	Transmutes one piece of unrefined Iron ore to Silver, or Silver ore to Gold if the caster is carrying any.
Waterbreathing	222	Fire and Forget	Can breathe water for 60 seconds.
Ash Shell	251	Fire and Forget	Targets that fail to resist are immobilized in hardened ash for 30 seconds.
Master Transmute	100	-	Transmutes one piece of unrefined Iron or Silver ore to Gold if the caster is carrying any.
Paralysis Rune	172	Fire and Forget	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes when enemies are nearby, immobilizing them for 8 seconds.

Expert

Expert spells are powerful and expensive to cast.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Detect Dead	148 per second	Concentration	Nearby dead can be seen through walls.
Ebonyflesh	341	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 100 points for 60 seconds.
Paralyze	450	Fire and Forget	Targets that fail to resist are paralyzed for 10 seconds.
Ash Rune	418	Fire and Forget	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes when enemies are nearby, immobilizing them in hardened ash for 30 seconds.

Master

Master spells are the strongest in the school and need the most skill.

Name	Image	Cost	Casting	Effect
Dragonhide		837	Fire and Forget	Caster ignores 80% of all physical damage for 30 seconds.
Mass Paralysis		937	Fire and Forget	All targets in the area that fail to resist are paralyzed for 15 seconds.