Wall of Storms

School	Destruction
Level	Expert
Magicka Cost	145 per second
Casting	Concentration
Delivery	Aimed
Effect	Sprayed on the ground, it creates a wall of lightning that does 50 points of shock damage per second.
Duration	-
Perk	Expert Destruction (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Wall of Storms
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Wall of Storms is an Expert Destruction spell that paints a line of lightning on the ground. Each patch lasts for 30 seconds and deals 50 points of shock damage per second to any enemy who walks through it. The lightning on the ground spares the caster and followers, so it makes a good barrier against a charging enemy.

Wall of Storms belongs to the late game, once Destruction reaches the Expert rank. Faralda at the College of Winterhold, Enthir and Talvas Fathryon on Solstheim sell the tome.

Spell Tome

Wall of Storms is learned by reading Spell Tome: Wall of Storms. Enthir, Faralda and Talvas Fathryon sell the tome.

How It Plays

Wall of Storms is a concentration spell. The caster sprays lightning at the ground, and the lightning crackles where it lands. Every enemy who crosses it takes shock damage. Very few enemies resist shock, so the wall works against almost anything that walks into it.

The spell works like a much stronger version of Sparks. Cast straight at an enemy, it deals about the same damage as the Novice spray. The real damage comes from the crackling patch left at the target's feet.

The lightning spares the caster and followers. A line of lightning in front of a door makes a strong trap for whoever comes through it.

Compared with the Other Walls

All three Expert walls last 30 seconds and deal the same base damage. Wall of Flames sets enemies on fire, and Wall of Frost slows them down. Wall of Storms works against almost every enemy at full strength. It also costs the most of the three.

Storm Atronachs resist shock, so the wall does little against them. A fire or frost wall works better against a conjurer who calls them.

Perks and Staves

The Expert Destruction perk halves the cost of Wall of Storms. The Zahkriisos dragon priest mask from the Dragonborn DLC raises shock damage by 25%.

Several dragon priests carry the Dragon Priest Staff (Wall of Lightning), which creates the same crackling wall. Otar the Mad, Hevnoraak and Nahkriin all wield one. Nahkriin's staff is needed to open the portal to Sovngarde in the main quest, so it has to stay on its pedestal. The Staff of the Storm Wall also casts the effect.

Tactics

Enemies tend to walk straight through the crackling line rather than around it. Alerting a large group and then forcing it through a Wall of Storms is a quick way to clear a room. The spell is especially strong in dungeons full of draugr, since draugr resist frost but take full damage from shock.

The wall also works as a door guard. Covering an entryway with lightning keeps enemies from coming in or getting out without taking damage.

Cost and Limits

Wall of Storms costs 145 magicka per second of spraying at a skill of zero, the most of the three Expert walls. Wall of Flames costs 118 and Wall of Frost 137. A higher Destruction skill only lowers the cost of the spray, while dual casting raises the damage of each patch.

The tome also turns up as random loot at higher levels.

Gameplay Tips

Up to 10 patches can crackle at once. Spraying more makes the oldest patches fade.
Each wall spell keeps its own count, so Wall of Flames and Wall of Frost can be laid alongside it.
The Disintegrate perk turns badly hurt enemies into a pile of ash.

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.