Flame Cloak

School	Destruction
Level	Adept
Magicka Cost	289
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	For 60 seconds, opponents in melee range take 8 points fire damage per second. Targets on fire take extra damage.
Duration	60 seconds
Perk	Adept Destruction (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Flame Cloak
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Flame Cloak is an Adept Destruction spell that wraps the caster in fire for one minute. Enemies who come within melee range take 8 points of fire damage every second and catch fire. It suits a caster who fights up close. Frost Cloak and Lightning Cloak are the versions for the other two elements.

Flame Cloak belongs to the middle of the game, once Destruction reaches the Adept rank. Faralda at the College of Winterhold and several court wizards sell the tome.

Spell Tome

Flame Cloak is learned by reading Spell Tome: Flame Cloak. Enthir, Faralda, Farengar Secret-Fire, Madena, Wuunferth the Unliving and Talvas Fathryon sell the tome.

Location

One copy of the tome lies on the shore east of Dawnstar, next to the remains of Yisra.

How It Plays

Flame Cloak is a fire and forget spell cast on the caster. Once cast, it burns on its own for a full minute. The caster's hands are free again at once, so a sword, a second spell or a ward can follow. Every enemy who stands close to the caster takes fire damage each second and catches fire.

The cloak is a smart spell. It burns enemies, but it spares followers and friendly people nearby. This makes it safe in a fight alongside a companion.

The cloak shines against groups that crowd around the caster. Bandits, wolves and skeevers that rush in all burn at once, even while the caster focuses on one of them. Draugr resist half of all frost damage but take full damage from fire, which makes the cloak a better pick in barrows than Frost Cloak.

The cloak keeps burning when the caster swims. Slaughterfish that attack in the water take damage, even though the caster cannot fight back while swimming.

Builds and Pairings

Flame Cloak pairs well with the flesh spells from Alteration, such as Ironflesh or Ebonyflesh. The armor spell soaks up blows while the cloak burns every attacker. A mage in robes can then afford to stand in melee range.

Warriors gain from the spell as well. A warrior who casts Flame Cloak before a fight adds steady fire damage to every enemy who closes in. The Adept Destruction perk halves the cost, which brings the spell within reach of a hybrid character.

Fortify Destruction potions raise both the damage and the reach of the cloak. The Ahzidal dragon priest mask from the Dragonborn DLC raises fire damage by 25%.

The fire of the cloak also rides along with the caster's own blows. A battlemage with a sword in one hand adds fire damage to every swing while the cloak burns. That makes Flame Cloak one of the best spells for a hybrid of steel and magic.

Similar Effects

J'zargo's Flame Cloak Scroll comes from the College quest J'zargo's Experiment. That scroll burns undead harder, but it also hurts the caster and can turn followers hostile. Pyromancers and the mage Estormo also wear Flame Cloak in battle.

In Survival Mode, an active Flame Cloak lets the caster swim in freezing water without taking cold damage.

Cost and Limits

Flame Cloak has a base cost of 289 magicka. Frost Cloak costs 316 and Lightning Cloak 370, so the fire version is the cheapest of the three. One cast covers a full minute of fighting, which makes the cloak cheap for the damage it deals in a long brawl.

Fortify Destruction potions and gear raise the cloak's damage and its reach. The Augmented Flames perk is the odd one out, since the base game leaves cloak damage outside its bonus.

Casting any cloak spell dismisses the caster's summoned creatures, a dead thrall included. A conjurer should raise the cloak first and call the summons afterwards.

Faralda and the court wizards put the tome on sale once Destruction reaches 40. Copies also turn up in boss chests and on high level mages.

Gameplay Tips

Dual casting widens the ring of fire around the caster.
The cloak keeps burning underwater, so it can deal with slaughterfish while the caster swims.
Fortify Destruction potions raise both its damage and its reach.

Notes

The Dunmer power Ancestor's Wrath works the same way, but only once a day.

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.