The illusion spell tree is considered as one of the weakest, if not the weakest, skill trees in Skyrim. But, as it is with most other skill trees in the game, illusion spells have their place and can be effective.
Sure, you have to combine it with a second skill tree (say one-handed) but believe us when we say that illusion spells can be pretty potent if used correctly.
Let’s run through the 10 best illusion spells in Skyrim.
10. Vision of the Tenth Eye
Skyrim fans will probably wonder why Vision of the Tenth Eye is on this list and, well, we agree with you. It’s practically useless, and sits right at the bottom of the Skyrim illusion spells ladder.
Our recommendation? Probably best to avoid this one, unless you really have to use it.
9. Vampire’s Seduction
As a spell, Vampire’s Seduction is okay, and it can certainly be useful at times.
For instance, if a fight is taking place nearby and you simply have to talk with someone who’s panicking, you’d probably use this one. You might use it if you don’t want to kill animals who attacked you, too.
8. Clairvoyance
Stay with us, Skyrim fans—there’s a reason Clairvoyance isn’t at the bottom. After all, each quest in Skyrim has neat little quest markers. But hear us out.
When you find yourself lost inside a multilevel dungeon filled with corridors that all look the same, Clairvoyance will suddenly become one of the best illusion spells in Skyrim. Instead of hitting your head against the wall trying to find the damn corridor leading to the upper/lower level where the quest is located, simply cast Clairvoyance.
Suddenly, you’ll praise developers for putting a handy tool such as Clairvoyance into the game. At least once you’ve finished bashing them for terrible dungeon designs.
7. Courage/Rally
If you like playing Skyrim with followers, then the Courage and Rally spells can be useful. These two spells, which are basically the same spell from different tiers, give followers (or any other ally) extra health and stamina and prevent them from fleeing from combat.
While Courage comes with very small health and stamina bonuses, Rally can be really helpful as it infuses allies with lots of health and stamina.
They can also be combined with other illusion spells to make enemies tougher. Combine fury spells with courage and you’ll create beefy enemies who’ll kill everyone in their sight.
6. Call to Arms
The ultimate tool for those who play with followers is Call to Arms. With Call to Arms, your allies will not only receive big bonuses to their health and stamina but will also become deadlier in combat.
This can really help you in tougher combat encounters. But, since this spell is one of the master illusion spells in Skyrim, it simply isn’t worth it if this is the only illusion spell you plan on using.
5. Flee/Rout/Hysteria
Flee spells, including the higher-tier Rout and Hysteria, are handy when faced against an overwhelming number of enemies. As the name suggests, you can use them to make characters flee during combat.
The spells are also useful when fighting powerful foes—just make them flee, then heal and swap your gear. Flee spells have their place, but they’re definitely not the best illusion spell available.
It’s a good spell to use during the earlier parts of the game, however. When you’re dealing with poor gear and lousy stats, making your enemies run can sometimes be a better idea than trying to fight them.
4. Muffle
There are a couple of reasons why the Muffle spell is a good option. First of all, this is the spell you can use to quickly level up your illusion spell tree—just walk and cast Muffle and you’ll level up the tree in no time.
That isn’t all it’s useful for, however. With the right build, it can be one of the best illusion spells in Skyrim. Muffle reduces the sound of your footsteps, which can be of great help if you play as a deadly rogue who attacks from the shadows.
Combine this spell with Calm and Backstabbing and you can dispatch entire bandit camps or monster lairs without breaking a sweat. Just remember to dual cast Muffle to double its duration.
3. Fury/Frenzy/Mayhem
Fury is one of the best spells in Skyrim during the early game. Just cast it on multiple enemies, sit back and relax and before you know it, everyone dies—or nearly everyone, at least.
Even later in the game, these spells can help you in softening up bosses.
2. Calm/Pacify/Harmony
Fans of the stealthy approach with love the Calm spell, along with Pacify and Harmony.
This family of spells is deadly when combined with Muffle and Backstabbing. Dual cast it and the Harmony spell (the highest tier spell of the three) will be effective on virtually any enemy sans dragons.
Yes, some say it feels like cheating, but killing everyone without receiving a single hit never gets old.
1. Invisibility
In Skyrim, the Invisibility spell is probably one of the best spells in the game—period. It’s also the best illusion spell in the game by far.
What’s better than making yourself invisible for up to 1 minute, at least when you’re dual casting? Combine it with Muffle and traverse entire enemy camps without being detected, then cast Calm, backstab the boss, loot their room and exit without anyone seeing you.
This is the ultimate tool for those who like the silent and efficient approach to combat.
Are Master Illusion Spells in Skyrim Worth It?
It’s definitely worth debating whether master illusion spells are worth the effort, and the answer is—it depends.
If you’re a stealthy rogue relying on Calm spells, Pacify is definitely worth it. If you use Fear and Fury spells, go for Mayhem. Anything else and it probably isn’t worth it—let us know if you disagree.
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