Lightning Cloak

School	Destruction
Level	Adept
Magicka Cost	370
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	For 60 seconds nearby opponents take 8 points of shock damage and half magicka damage.
Duration	60 seconds
Perk	Adept Destruction (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Lightning Cloak
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Lightning Cloak is an Adept Destruction spell that wraps the caster in lightning for one minute. Enemies who come within melee range take 8 points of shock damage every second, and lose half that much magicka. The magicka drain makes it especially hard on enemy mages who close in.

Lightning 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. Flame Cloak and Frost Cloak are its partners in the other two elements.

Spell Tome

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

How It Plays

Lightning Cloak is a fire and forget spell cast on the caster. Once cast, it crackles around the caster for a full minute with no further effort. The caster's hands are free at once for a weapon, a ward or another spell. Every enemy who stands close takes shock damage each second.

The magicka drain matters most against spellcasters who fight up close. A battlemage or a vampire who closes in loses magicka for wards and spells while the cloak works on them. Shock damage also hits almost every enemy at full strength, since very few creatures resist it.

The cloak keeps working while the caster swims. Slaughterfish that attack a swimming caster take damage, even though the caster cannot strike back in the water.

Compared with the Other Cloaks

All three cloaks deal the same base damage for one minute. Flame Cloak costs the least and sets enemies on fire. Frost Cloak drains stamina and suits fights against warriors and beasts. Lightning Cloak costs the most of the three, and it suits enemies who use magic.

Storm Atronachs resist shock, so the cloak does little against them. A conjurer who calls Storm Atronachs is better handled with fire or frost.

Perks and Builds

The Adept Destruction perk halves the cost of Lightning Cloak. The Zahkriisos dragon priest mask from the Dragonborn DLC raises shock damage by 25%.

A flesh spell from Alteration, such as Ironflesh, pairs well with it, since the armor absorbs blows while the cloak works.

Cost and Limits

Lightning Cloak has a base cost of 370 magicka, the highest of the three cloaks. Flame Cloak costs 289 and Frost Cloak 316. One cast still covers a full minute of fighting.

Fortify Destruction potions and gear raise the cloak's damage and its reach. The Augmented Shock perk is the odd one out, since the base game leaves cloak damage outside its bonus. The Disintegrate perk still works through the cloak, and any enemy nearby that drops below 15% health turns to ash.

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.

Builds and Pairings

Lightning Cloak suits a battlemage who fights with a weapon. Both hands stay free for a sword and shield, while the cloak drains every nearby enemy. Enemy mages lose the magicka they need for wards and healing, which leaves them open to steel.

Enemy Casters

Electromancers, the stronger storm mages of the warlock lairs, raise Lightning Cloak in battle. Ondolemar, the Thalmor justiciar in Markarth, uses it as well. Fighting them up close drains the attacker's magicka, so a mage does better to keep distance.

Gameplay Tips

Dual casting widens the ring of lightning around the caster.
With the Disintegrate perk, the cloak can turn badly hurt enemies to ash.
The cloak spares followers, so it is safe to use in a crowded fight.

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.