Fire Storm

School	Destruction
Level	Master
Magicka Cost	1426
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	A 100 point fiery explosion centered on the caster. Does more damage to closer targets.
Duration	-
Perk	Master Destruction (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Fire Storm
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Fire Storm is the Master fire spell in Destruction. It sets off a huge explosion centered on the caster. Every target within 100 feet takes fire damage, and those closest take the most, up to 100 points. The blast hits followers as well as enemies, so it works best for a caster who fights alone.

Fire Storm is an end game spell and the reward for the Destruction Ritual Spell quest from Faralda at the College of Winterhold. After the quest, Faralda also sells the other two Master Destruction spells, Blizzard and Lightning Storm.

Spell Tome

Fire Storm is learned by reading Spell Tome: Fire Storm. The spell is also taught during Destruction Ritual Spell.

Fire Storm Map Location

Fire Storm map location:
Faralda starts the quest Destruction Ritual Spell at the College of Winterhold once Destruction reaches 90. She hands over a book called Power of the Elements. Place it on the pedestals at Windward Ruins, North Skybound Watch and Four Skull Lookout, and hit it with a fire, a frost and a shock spell in turn. Reading the finished book teaches Fire Storm.

Map credit by Map Genie.

How It Plays

Fire Storm is a ritual spell that needs both hands. It takes several seconds to charge, and the caster stands still the whole time. Enemies can land free hits during that charge. A good moment to cast it is from cover, or before a group has spotted the caster.

When the charge ends, a wall of flame rolls out in every direction. Enemies close to the caster take the full blast, while those at the edge take less. Every target also catches fire and keeps burning for a few seconds.

The caster takes no damage from the blast. Followers, horses and townsfolk inside the circle do get hurt. The spell is best kept for fights where the caster is alone or where friends stand well back.

Compared with Blizzard and Lightning Storm

Each element has its own Master spell, and each works in a different way. Blizzard raises a frost storm around the caster that lasts 10 seconds. It drains stamina and slows enemies, but it can also hurt the caster. Lightning Storm is a long beam aimed at one target, and it reaches enemies far away.

Fire Storm is the one big instant blast of the three. It suits a crowd that has already closed in around the caster. Blizzard suits a crowd that is still on the way, and Lightning Storm suits a single strong enemy at range, such as a dragon in the sky.

Fire Storm is also one of the most expensive spells in the game. The Master Destruction perk halves that cost, and Fortify Destruction gear can bring it down to nothing.

Perks and Builds

Both ranks of Augmented Flames raise the blast's damage at every distance. Intense Flames makes badly hurt survivors run away. The Ahzidal dragon priest mask from the Dragonborn DLC adds a further 25% to fire damage.

The Black Book: The Winds of Change from the Dragonborn DLC offers the Companion's Insight power. With it, the caster's Destruction spells no longer hurt followers in combat. This makes Fire Storm safe to use with a follower at the caster's side.

Quest Background

Faralda, the Destruction teacher at the College, hands over a book called Power of the Elements. The book is unfinished. Its first page holds only a short riddle in verse, pointing to a stand on the haunted northern coast.

The riddle leads to Windward Ruins near Dawnstar. A pedestal there takes the book, and a fire spell cast at it adds a new page. The new verse points to North Skybound Watch, on the slopes of the Throat of the World, where a frost spell is needed. The last verse points to Four Skull Lookout near Karthwasten in the Reach, where a shock spell completes the book.

Reading the finished book teaches Fire Storm. The last page also reveals a grim message in verse. The voice is that of the ancient archmage Shalidor. The verse tells of a reckless mage who sought to study under him and angered him instead. Shalidor dismisses the elemental magic of his challenger, kills him with a mere blade and claims the tome.

Lore

Fire Storm is one of the oldest spells in the series. It appears in Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion. In Skyrim it is the only Master Destruction spell that comes as a quest reward.

Best Targets

Fire Storm is at its best against creatures of ice and snow. Frost trolls, ice wraiths, Frost Atronachs and every other creature with frost in its nature take extra damage from fire.

Dark Elves resist half of all fire damage, and Flame Atronachs ignore it. Against them, the huge cost of Fire Storm buys far less.

Scroll

A Scroll of Fire Storm casts the blast once without any magicka. Anyone can read it, even a warrior with no points in Destruction. The scroll is used up after a single cast.

Gameplay Tips

The Augmented Flames perk raises the damage by a quarter, and by half at the second rank.
The Intense Flames perk makes badly hurt survivors flee in fear.
Fortify Destruction gear brings the huge magicka cost down.

Notes

Because of a bug in her dialogue, Faralda may only offer the quest once Destruction reaches 100.

Spell Categories

All Destruction Spells

Novice

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

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Flames	14 per second	Concentration	A gout of fire that does 8 points per second. Targets on fire take extra damage.
Frostbite	16 per second	Concentration	A blast of cold that does 8 points of damage per second to Health and Stamina.
Sparks	19 per second	Concentration	Lightning that does 8 points of shock damage to Health and Magicka per second.
Choking Grasp	39	Fire and Forget	Absorb 8 points of health per second from target, for 3 seconds.
Elemental Flare	45	Fire and Forget	An elemental explosion for 15 points of fire damage, 15 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina.

Apprentice

Apprentice spells need a little practice in the school.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Fire Rune	234	Fire and Forget	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes for 50 points of fire damage when enemies come near.
Firebolt	41	Fire and Forget	A blast of fire that does 25 points of damage. Targets on fire take extra damage.
Frost Rune	293	Fire and Forget	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes for 50 points of frost damage when enemies come near.
Ice Spike	48	Fire and Forget	A spike of ice that does 25 points of frost damage to Health and Stamina.
Lightning Bolt	51	Fire and Forget	A bolt of lightning that does 25 points of shock damage to Health and half that to Magicka.
Lightning Rune	323	Fire and Forget	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes for 50 points of shock damage when enemies come near.
Elemental Bolt	62	Fire and Forget	An elemental explosion for 20 points of fire damage, 20 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina.
Strangulation	84	Fire and Forget	Absorb 16 points of health per second from target, for 3 seconds.

Adept

Adept spells are the middle rank and hit noticeably harder.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Chain Lightning	156	Fire and Forget	Lightning bolt that does 40 points of shock damage to Health and half to Magicka, then leaps to a new target.
Fireball	133	Fire and Forget	A fiery explosion for 40 points of damage in a 15 foot radius. Targets on fire take extra damage.
Flame Cloak	289	Fire and Forget	For 60 seconds, opponents in melee range take 8 points fire damage per second. Targets on fire take extra damage.
Frost Cloak	316	Fire and Forget	For 60 seconds, opponents in melee range take 8 points frost damage and Stamina damage per second.
Ice Storm	144	Fire and Forget	A freezing whirlwind that does 40 points of frost damage per second to Health and Stamina.
Lightning Cloak	370	Fire and Forget	For 60 seconds nearby opponents take 8 points of shock damage and half magicka damage.
Whirlwind Cloak	338	Fire and Forget	For 60 seconds, opponents in melee range have a chance of being flung away.
Elemental Burst	96	Fire and Forget	An elemental explosion for 30 points of fire damage, 30 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina.
Hangman's Noose	143	Fire and Forget	Absorb 26 points of health per second from target, for 3 seconds.

Expert

Expert spells are powerful and expensive to cast.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Icy Spear	320	Fire and Forget	A spear of ice that does 60 points of frost damage to Health and Stamina.
Incinerate	298	Fire and Forget	A blast of fire that does 60 points of damage. Targets on fire take extra damage.
Thunderbolt	343	Fire and Forget	A Thunderbolt that does 60 points of shock damage to Health and half that to Magicka.
Wall of Flames	118 per second	Concentration	Sprayed on the ground, it creates a wall of fire that does 50 points of fire damage per second.
Wall of Frost	137 per second	Concentration	Sprayed on the ground, it creates a wall of frost that does 50 points of frost damage per second.
Wall of Storms	145 per second	Concentration	Sprayed on the ground, it creates a wall of lightning that does 50 points of shock damage per second.
Elemental Blast	144	Fire and Forget	An elemental explosion for 40 points of fire damage, 40 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina.
Mara's Wrath	329	Fire and Forget	For 30 seconds, opponents in melee range take 16 points fire damage per second. Undead up to level 26 flee for 30 seconds. Swim unharmed in freezing cold water.
Touch of Death	316	Fire and Forget	Absorb 40 points of health per second from target, for 4 seconds.
Unbounded Flames	78 per second	Concentration	Casts a stream of long-distance fireballs in an arc. Impact creates a wall of fire that does 50 points of fire damage per second.
Unbounded Freezing	69 per second	Concentration	A freezing wind envelops the caster, knocking down nearby enemies and freezing them for 50 points of damage per second to Health and Stamina.
Unbounded Storms	69 per second	Concentration	Targets in melee range take 40 shock damage per second to Health, and half that to Magicka. Random lightning strikes deal an additional 30 damage.

Master

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

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Blizzard	1106	Fire and Forget	Targets take 20 points of frost damage for 10 seconds, plus Stamina damage.
Fire Storm	1426	Fire and Forget	A 100 point fiery explosion centered on the caster. Does more damage to closer targets.
Lightning Storm	138 per second	Concentration	Target takes 75 points of shock damage per second to Health, and half that to Magicka.