- Used to cast spells. Magicka is naturally restored by resting.
Magicka is the energy used to cast spells. Your total Magicka is determined by multiplying your Intelligence by your Magicka multiplier, which is 1 by default. Fortify Maximum Magicka effects from Races or Birthsigns can increase this multiplier additively.
Total MagickaEdit
The blue Magicka bar in the lower left corner of the screen indicates your character's current and maximum magicka.
In mathematical terms, Maximum Magicka = Intelligence × ( 1 + Racial modifier + Birthsign modifier ).
Bretons have a +0.5 modifier, and Altmer +1.5. Other races don't have a bonus. The Mage will add a +0.5 modifier, The Apprentice +1.5, The Atronach +2.0. For example, an Altmer (+1.5) born under the sign of the Atronach (+2.0) will have a total Magicka score equal to (1 + 1.5 + 2) = 4.5 times their Intelligence.
Losing MagickaEdit
Ideally, you lose Magicka only when you cast a spell. Every spell has a casting cost and every time you cast a spell, whether you succeed or fail, the casting cost is deducted from your total Magicka pool.
Unfortunately, there are spell effects like Drain Magicka, which temporarily reduce your Magicka by a certain amount. Even more dangerous is the Damage Magicka effect, which does the same thing but permanently. Enemies may use Absorb Magicka to take Magicka from you and transfer it to themselves. Your Magicka can also be indirectly (and negatively) affected should your Intelligence be drained or, worse, damaged. Thus, spell effects like these are best inflicted on enemy spellcasters instead of yourself.
Replenishing MagickaEdit
You can replenish your Magicka by resting. Each hour of rest replenishes your Magicka by 0.15 × Intelligence points. Note that characters with Stunted Magicka (i.e. those born under the Atronach birthsign) do not gain any Magicka by resting.
Alternatively, you can use a variety of spell effects and the most straightforward one is Restore Magicka, which does exactly that. If you have an active Spell Absorption effect, you can nullify incoming spells (both beneficial as well as harmful) and replenish your Magicka instead. Finally, you can also use Absorb Magicka yourself to steal Magicka from your opponents.
Maximizing MagickaEdit
Bretons and Altmer have racial bonuses to their Magicka pool. Likewise for those born under the birthsigns of the Apprentice, the Atronach and the Mage. After character creation, though, the only way to permanently increase your Magicka is to increase your Intelligence when you level up.
However, Magicka can be temporarily fortified by potions, spells and enchantments. The Fortify Intelligence effect recalculates your maximum Magicka for the duration of the effect while Fortify Magicka effects do the same thing directly.
There are also items whose enchantment constantly increases your Magicka:
- Aesliip's Ring BM and Keening directly boosts your Magicka.
- The Mentor's Ring and the Necromancer's Amulet increases your Intelligence.
- The Mantle of Woe BM increases your Magicka multiplier.