Oakflesh

School	Alteration
Level	Novice
Magicka Cost	103
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	Improves the caster's armor rating by 40 points for 60 seconds.
Duration	60 seconds
Perk	Novice Alteration (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Oakflesh
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Oakflesh is the first armor spell in Alteration. It raises the caster's armor rating by 40 points for one minute. A mage in robes takes a little less damage from swords and arrows while it lasts. Stoneflesh is the stronger Apprentice version.

Oakflesh is a spell for the first hours of the game. Most court wizards sell the tome, as do the Riverwood Trader and Tolfdir at the College of Winterhold. The in-game description of Alteration names magical protection among the things the skill makes easier to cast.

Spell Tome

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

Location

One copy of the tome can be found in Shroud Hearth Barrow.

How It Plays

Oakflesh is a fire and forget spell cast on the caster. Once cast, it works on its own for a full minute, and both hands are free again at once. The best moment to cast it is just before a fight, since the extra armor then covers the whole battle.

The flesh spells are made for characters who wear no armor. A mage in robes has a very low armor rating, so even 40 points make a clear difference. A warrior in heavy armor gains far less from it.

Perks and Builds

The Mage Armor perk is the key to the flesh spells. Its three ranks multiply the armor bonus by two, two and a half and three. The bonus only applies while the caster wears no armor, and robes or plain clothing keep it in place. A robed mage with all three ranks turns Oakflesh into a solid shield.

The Stability perk makes every Alteration spell last half as long again. Dual casting with the Alteration Dual Casting perk stretches the duration even further. With both, a single cast covers more than three minutes. The Novice Alteration perk halves the cost of Oakflesh.

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

Training Alteration

The flesh spells train Alteration only when an enemy is nearby. Combat is not needed, as long as a hostile creature is close. A common method is to find an enemy that cannot reach the caster, such as a caged wolf or a slaughterfish in a lake, and cast the spell again and again.

Cost and Value

Oakflesh costs 103 magicka at a skill of zero. With the three ranks of Mage Armor, its bonus grows to 80, 100 and then 120 points for a caster in robes. At the top rank, even this first flesh spell gives more armor than many sets of real armor.

Only one armor spell counts at a time, and the strongest one takes over. Casting Oakflesh while Stoneflesh is still running adds nothing, so a mage who learns a stronger flesh spell can retire this one.

Followers Who Cast It

Brelyna Maryon, a student at the College of Winterhold who can become a follower, opens every fight by casting Oakflesh on herself. She then attacks with Flames and Firebolt.

Dravynea the Stoneweaver in Kynesgrove trains Alteration to expert level, and Tolfdir at the College trains it to master level.

Gameplay Tips

The Mage Armor perk doubles the bonus while the caster wears no armor.
The Stability perk and dual casting both make the spell last longer.

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.