Ironflesh

School	Alteration
Level	Adept
Magicka Cost	266
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	Improves the caster's armor rating by 80 points for 60 seconds.
Duration	60 seconds
Perk	Adept Alteration (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Ironflesh
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Ironflesh is the Adept armor spell in Alteration. It raises the caster's armor rating by 80 points for one minute. It sits between Stoneflesh and Ebonyflesh in strength.

Ironflesh belongs to the middle of the game, once Alteration reaches the Adept rank. Tolfdir at the College of Winterhold and Wylandriah, the court wizard of Riften, sell the tome.

Spell Tome

Ironflesh is learned by reading Spell Tome: Ironflesh. Tolfdir and Wylandriah sell the tome.

How It Plays

Ironflesh is a fire and forget spell cast on the caster. Once cast, it lasts a full minute, and the hands are free right away. The extra armor is best raised just before a fight, so it covers the whole battle.

The flesh spells are made for characters in robes. Their armor rating is low, so 80 extra points make a large difference against swords, axes and arrows. A character in heavy armor gains much less.

Perks and Builds

The Mage Armor perk multiplies the bonus while the caster wears no armor. The first rank doubles it to 160 points, and the higher ranks raise it to two and a half and three times. Robes and plain clothing keep the bonus in place.

The Stability perk makes the spell last half as long again, and Alteration Dual Casting stretches it further. With both perks, a single cast lasts more than three minutes. The Adept Alteration perk halves the cost.

Ironflesh is a classic partner for a cloak spell. A mage who casts Ironflesh and Lightning Cloak or Flame Cloak can stand in melee range, take little damage and burn or shock every enemy nearby.

A vampire with the Necromage perk in Restoration gets a stronger and longer Ironflesh, since spells cast on an undead caster grow stronger.

Training Alteration

Ironflesh trains Alteration only when an enemy is nearby, though combat is not needed. Casting it over and over beside an enemy that cannot reach the caster raises the skill quickly.

Cost and Value

Ironflesh costs 266 magicka at a skill of zero. With the three ranks of Mage Armor, its bonus grows to 160, 200 and then 240 points for a caster in robes. The Adept Alteration perk halves the cost and opens the way to Stability and Expert Alteration.

Only one armor spell counts at a time, and the strongest one takes over. Once Ebonyflesh is learned, Ironflesh only matters as a cheaper option when magicka runs low.

Pairing Ironflesh with the Magic Resistance perk covers both sides of a fight. The spell blunts blades and arrows, while the perk cuts the damage of enemy spells.

Gameplay Tips

The first rank of the Mage Armor perk doubles the bonus to 160 points while the caster wears no armor.
The Stability perk makes the spell last half again as long.

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.