About this mod
Years in the making, Arcanum is a massive spell mod that aims to combine unique gameplay with visual effects of a quality never attempted before in Skyrim. With 200 spells complete, 300+ spells planned, and inspired by everything from Dragon's Dogma to Planescape, Arcanum may be the most ambitious magic mod ever made.
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Conjuration Update 4.0.1
Introduces a new school of magic, Conjuration. Manipulate your summons in ways never before thought possible, and unleash a number of new and creative builds.
Introduction
Have you ever downloaded an exciting spell mod full of creative and interesting spells - only to find yourself spamming fireballs over and over again anyways? Or wished that all the amazing visuals from a mod like Colorful magic were actually incorporated into something lore-friendly and balanced?
Too often in Skyrim, magic turns into a chore. A finger-tapping exercise of using the same spells over and over again, with no room for creative combos or adaptation. Arcanum seeks to change that. Rather than being just a collection of overpowered lightning bolts, Arcanum is designed to be a journey of magical experimentation. Different schools of magic, and different styles within those schools, have been given unique identities and gameplay mechanics, that lend way to creative combos and synergy. As a mage player myself, the mod is made with full awareness of other popular magic mods in mind, and intended to be a lynchpin that can breathe new life into older spell mods, too.
And, after years of experimentation, practice, and communication with some of the most prolific and talented artists and NIF wizards out there, Arcanum has some of the most unique and advanced visual effects of any Skyrim mod out there. Fully animated spinning tornadoes, giant crashing meteors and the ability to summon stars at will are only a handful of the powers at your disposal. Of course, powerful magic isn't easy - and many of these spells require arcane rituals or other setup to use effectively. It's up to you to figure out how to make the most of these spells.
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Destruction
When designing the destruction spells, I split the school into three distinct styles along the elements. Each has a different playstyle, strengths, weaknesses, and players may choose either to focus and go all in on one element, or use the others to help mitigate their element's weaknesses. All playstyles will be rewarded with unique combos and payoffs.
- Fire
- Frost
Frost magic has traditionally gotten the short end of the stick. Stamina drain isn't very useful, and most enemies in Skyrim are Nords, with natural frost resistance. Frost in Arcanum is focused on area control and debuffs. Cover the ground with cheap spells like Icy Vortex and Gelid Gale, slowing enemies and reducing their resistances. Weaken them with Crippling Chill and Icy Cannonade. Finish them with Frozen Maelstrom and Crystal Spear, difficult to aim spells that take advantage of slow, weakened enemies.
- Shock
Shock magic has the ability to deal unmitigated percent health damage, which the other elements cannot. Shock spells also have various unique utilities, the ability to boost power at the cost of health, and spells that can trigger one another in loops. In exchange, however, shock spells cost more magicka, and lack as many good area of effect options as Fire and Frost. However, it does have access to one of the best enablers for other area spells in Twisting Tempest.
Combine Fire and Frost, and hold them in place with Gelid Gales while hitting them with fireballs.
Combine Frost and Shock, and use frost's ability to reduce resistances to further increase shock damage.
Combine Fire and Shock, and use fire's healing to offset shock's health loss while hitting them with giant balls of fire and lightning.
The options are endless.
Restoration
How many spell mods have had restoration spells as just a bunch of uninventive heals and plague spells? Arcanum's take on restoration is different. You won't find any overpowered "Fast Healings" in here. God knows there's enough out there - and the vanilla spells aren't bad for healing yourself. No, Restoration in Arcanum takes a different approach. Turn your allies into gods as a battle cleric, protect the weak by sacrificing your own life, or become a dark doctor that turns healing itself into harm. To help guide my design, I divided Restoration into three sub-categories
- Regeneration
My take on generic healing is instead all about the manipulation of your life force. Spells like Martyrdom and Transfusion ask you to give up your life for bonus effects, while Spells like Avenging Blaze and Vital Surge have bonus effects when the caster is at low health. Your health itself is as much a resource as magicka. How low are you willing to go? Are you confident you can survive to amp up your damage? Are you willing to hurt yourself to help your allies?
- Reinforcement
It's not about strengthening yourself, the art of restoration is bolstering your allies and functioning as a team. Whether that's putting buffs like Daybreak Coronet and Guardian Shield on allies, turning them into unstoppable crusaders, or with spells like Unbreakable Formation and Aedric Wind, which reward you for sticking close to your friends and dishing out the pain together. Some of these spells can be a little tricky. Is Detention Sphere a tool to save your allies, or a way to control your enemies? You decide.
- Malfeasance
But through your careful study of healing magics, you've come to learn just how fragile life really is. And now you can turn that to your advantage. Malfeasance is a collection of spells that twist the meaning of healing. That pervert the idea of restoration, and have both offensive and defensive applications. Pretend you're their friend through Torrid Therapy and False Promise, then make them pay for their ignorance with Malpractice and Mortify. Give them hope, then laugh while you steal their life away through Abrogate. Unleash devastating diseases that can single-handedly collapse entire armies.
The options are endless.
Illusion
Illusion always gets the short end of the stick in Vanilla, doesn't it? Fear, Frenzy, and Calm spells simply don't scale all that well, do very little against bosses or dragons or difficult enemies, and it's almost always something you ignore, or take for the occasional utility. Spell mods like Apocalypse go out of their way to ignore vanilla mechanics, and perk mods like Ordinator turn it into a mishmash of random stuff. I say, no more. There's real potential in Illusion. Arcanum gives renewed purpose to vanilla illusion spells with special synergies, and really lets you fulfill that fantasy of playing as a deadly, deceitful, mind mage. There's also plenty of spells that support spellthief, spellsword, and even magicka archer playstyles, and some mage characters might even find it more useful to spec into illusion than restoration, since it provides a lot of support functions and a teeny amount of healing.
- Psychosis
These are spells that play with Vanilla mechanics of fear, frenzy, and calm. Spells like Mental Vapors and Psychosomatic Manifestation give strong early-game payoffs for applying influence spells to enemies, while Grisly Spectacle, Fervid Visions, and Unbroken Focus let you affect enemies that are stronger than you and break the game's caps of Illusion level. This section also includes powerful debuffs like Hymn of Anguish that further augment the playstyle, and Ceaseless Torment is scarily effective if you can manage to frenzy enemies.
- Mentalism
Illusion, as a school, might lack the raw power of Destruction and Conjuration, but being master of the mind has its perks. You're unparalleled when it comes to fighting other mages, counteracting their spells while augmenting your own. Early on, spells like Spell Pierce and Damping Matrix can really hamper opposing spellcasters, while Ignite Memories makes short work of anyone trying to cast their own spells. Later on, you can use your massive brain to spark fireworks. Spells like Clash of Wills, Overwhelming Intellect, and Spark of the Master flaunt your intelligence in the form of devastating, magicka-based damage.
- Deception
But pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Why fight out in the open when you remain hidden, and strike when the enemy's guard is down? Deception is all about incapacitating the target, and attacking from the unseen. Spells like Attrition and Shroud of Shadow bolster an assassin's arsenal, even at low levels of Illusion, While Delusive Smokescreen and Flash Step let you jump in and out of invisibility mid-combat. If you prefer to strike from afar, Spellshot Repeater and Spotter's Strix test your accuracy, and reward skilled snipers with chunky headshot damage.
The options are endless.
Conjuration
With the conjuration update, I aimed to tackle a few features I thought were really bad about Conjuration in the base game, and in a lot of other mods I saw. Necromancy is historically underpowered, summons are quite boring and tend to involve little to no activity from the player, and bound weapons and soul trapping seem isolated in their own corner, without anything linking them to the rest of the school. With a bevy of powerful summons in the base game AND other mods, instead, Arcanum Conjuration aims to offer more utility and incentivizes the player not to hide in a corner while their summon does the work.
- Atromancy
These are the summons, unique summons with unique abilities. I think the core idea going in for me was to make these summons situationally powerful, or very powerful only in certain spots, or with great costs. They encourage players to play around them and build around them. Conjure Putrid Imp summons a weak imp that increases the damage you deal to a target. Death's shadow gets stronger the lower health you have, and prevents you from healing altogether. Soulforge Sculptor copies your right-hand weapon, and beats your enemies in concert with you. Howlpack Alpha summons a wolf for every nearby enemy when you conjure it, allowing you to instantly turn the tides of a fight. Then there are a multitude of spells that allow you to enhance or manipulate your summons, using them in more strategic ways. Oblivion Rift teleports your summons back to you, providing much needed utility. Ritualist's Circle allows you to inscribe a magic glyph into the earth, enhancing your summons within. Finally, the most experienced of Atromancers might find themselves with the power to meld two generic elemental atronachs into something much much more, or open a portal to Oblivion itself and watch the chaos ensue.
- Necromancy
Necromancy has always been traditionally underpowered, so I sought out more ways to reward players for going through the arduous task of finding available dead bodies. Arcanum provides a slew of ways to empower your zombies, making them far more damaging than daedric summons. Essence Extraction allows you to transfer the Racial powers of one corpse to a zombie. Vigor Mortis heals and empowers an undead unit at the cost of your own health, and Army of Darkness can exponentially increase the size of your undead horde.
- Soulbinding
I wanted to create more creative options for bound weapons, so this was perhaps the most experimental school. Bound Tomahawk creates a one handed bound axe that can be thrown as a ranged weapon. Kynreeve Swordstorm summons sentient bound swords that strike down enemies around you. Bound Demonblade grants you both a dashing attack and massive magical damage, at the cost of your own health - it cannot be sheathed until it has tasted blood. Finally, with full control over the vast armory of bound weapons, why even bother to wield them when you can hurl them at your enemies as projectiles?
The options are endless.
Spell List
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Restoration
NOVICE
Atonement: You lose 30% of your current health and your armor is increased by 40 for 30 seconds. During that time, whenever an enemy strikes you, they take damage over time based on your missing health.(Magnitude: 100, Time: 30, Cost: 12)
Divine Pardon: For 60 seconds, you are healed for 2 points per second. If you fall below 30% max Health while wearing an amulet of the Divines, you are healed 60 points and Divine Pardon dispels. (Magnitude: 60, Time: 60, Cost: 83)
False Promise: Heals the target 4 points per second for 10 seconds, then deals 40 magical damage to them. (Magnitude: 40, Time: N/A, Cost: 33)
Funerary Rite: Consecrates a dead body, cremating it into nothingness. Your restoration spells cost 10% less for 60 seconds. (Magnitude: 30, Time: N/A, Cost: 8)
Immolating Glare: A flash of righteous light that reduces enemy damage by 25% and deals 15 damage to targets who are swinginw ith a weapon. Undead take double damage. (Magnitude: 15, Time: 1, Cost: 20)
Unbreakable Formation: Places an aura on you and a target for 60 seconds. As long as the two of you are within 12 feet of one another, both of you deal 20% bonus damage and gradually regain health. (Magnitude: 12, Time: 60, Cost: 50)
Vital Surge: Heals the target 5 points per second and grants 20% bonus movement speed for 10 seconds. If you have less than 50% health, Vital Surge is cast on you as well. (Magnitude: 20, Time: 10, Cost: 41)
APPRENTICE
Abrogate: A ball of energy that deals 15 poison damage to a target. If it is under a healing effect, that effect is dispelled and you are healed for 15. (Magnitude: 15, Time: N/A, Cost: 45)
Alabaster Accord: Blesses a target for 60 seconds. During that time, whenever they attack, they are healed 5 points. If you have less than 50% health, you are also healed 5 points. (Magnitude: 5, Time: 60, Cost: 112)
Consecrated Blade: Blesses your right hand, unenchanted weapon, causing it to deal between 10 and 40 bonus physical damage based on level and set the undead on fire for 60 seconds. While this effect is active, you gain 50% bonus health regeneration. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 100)
Hallowed Sanctuary: Blesses the ground within 30 feet of you for 30 seconds, causing living units withint o heal for 10 points per second while dealing 10 magic damage per second to undead units within the area. Your restoration spells are 25% more effective against units affected by Hallowed Sanctuary. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 30, Cost: 212)
Redeemer's Shield: For 40 seconds, you gain 30% magic resistance and 150 armor. This effect dispels upon taking 2 hits, plus 1 additional hit for each 100 points of health you have as you cast this spell. If the shield does not break, it deals 60 magic damage in a 25 foot area upon expiring. (Magnitude: 150, Time: 40, Cost: 229)
Solemn Penance: You lose 80% of your current health (Max 320). Your restoration spells are 15% stronger for 40 seconds. (Magnitude: 15, Time: 40, Cost: 146)
Torrid Therapy: Heals the target for 11 health per second for 30 seconds while reducing their armor by 150 and magic resistance by 45%. (Magnitude: 150, Time: 30, Cost: 50)
Transfusion: Drains 50% of your current health to heal the target for 30 plus double that amount (Max 300). (Magnitude: 30, Time: N/A, Cost: 104)
ADEPT
Anima Blast: A heavy blast of life energy that deals 25 damage to all enemies in a 15 foot area and heals all allies hit for 25. (Magnitude: 25, Time: N/A, Cost: 83)
Battlefield Suture: Heals the target to full health. For 10 seconds, if the target takes any amount of damage, they lose all the health healed by Battlefield Suture, falling back to their original health. (Magnitude: 10, Time: 15, Cost: 62)
Gnosis: Swaps your current health percentage with your current magicka percentage (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 93)
Malpractice: Absorb 60 points of health per second from the target if they're under the effects of a healing spell or effect. (Magnitude: 60, Time: 1, Cost: 37/s)
Resplendence: For 60 seconds, falling below or rising about 50% health causes you to send out a wave of light that deals 50 damage to enemies and heals allies for 50. (Magnitude: 50, Time: 60, Cost: 288)
Righteous Authority: For 60 seconds, all allies within 15 feet are healed for 5 points per second. While active, you build up Righteousness whenever you attack, cast a healing spell, or sprint. Once full, all of it is expended to release a radiant burst that deals 25 magical damage to enemies within 15 feet. If you have less than 50% Health, this damage is doubled. (Magnitude: 15, Time: 60, Cost: 187)
Warstorm Ward: Increases armor rating by 60 points and negates up to 60 points of spell damage or effects. Enemies around you take 25 points of magic damage per second. (Magnitude: 60, Time: N/A, Cost: 60)
EXPERT
Aedric Wind: Places a cloak on you and a target for 60 seconds that deals 6 damage per second to nearby enemies. If a unit is hit by both cloaks at once, it takes double damage from each. Heals the target 3 points per second for 60 seconds. (Magnitude: 15, Time: 60, Cost: 313)
Brand of Condemnation: Deals 5 magic damage per second to the target for 30 seconds. During this time, they are Branded, and all effects that would restore health to them are reduced by 100 points. (Magnitude: 5, Time: 30, Cost: 187)
Daybreak Coronet: Grants the target 200 bonus maximum health and 60% bonus damage for 60 seconds. These effects only apply if the target is under a healing effect or spell. (Magnitude: 200, Time: 60, Cost: 187)
Luminous Edict: Illuminates the target with a powerful light for 8 seconds. Every second, a random unit within 20 feet of the target takes 30 magical damage if they're an enemy, and regains 30 health if they're an ally. (Magnitude: 30, Time: 10, Cost: 354)
Metastasize: A blast of virulence that deals 30 disease damage in a 5 foot area and reduce disease resistance by 50% for 15 seconds. Units under a healing effect take 5 disease damage per second for 15 seconds. (Magnitude: 50, Time: 15, Cost: 354)
Sacred Fire: A ball of divine flame that deals 7 fire damage per second for 7 seconds, doubled against the undead. Units burned have their damage reduced by 50% for the duration. (Magnitude: 7, Time: 7, Cost: 231)
MASTER
Avowed Sword: Bestows a holy sword of fire upon the target for 15 seconds in exchange for 40% of your current health. If you have less than 50% health, a holy sword is bestowed upon you as well. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 30, Cost: 513)
Martyrdom: You lose 50% of your current health (Max 300). All allies within 30 feet have their max health increased by 150, armor increased by 200, and damage increased by 100% for 30 seconds. (Magnitude: 200, Time: 30, Cost: 713)
Psalms of Retribution: Concentrate to drain your health for 5 points per second. Release to send out a wave of energy that deals magic damage based on the amount of health you lost while concentrating, up to 320. (Magnitude: 320, Time: 1, Cost: 50/s)
Reckoning: A ray of holy energy that deals 100 magical damage per second to enemies and heals allies for 100 per second. (Magnitude: 100, Time: 1, Cost: 179)
Scourge of Thras: A plague that deals 70 disease damage per second for 7 seconds. Then the target bursts, taking damage equal to 15% of their missing health, becoming immune for 7 seconds, and spreading the plague to nearby units. (Magnitude: 70, Time: 7, Cost: 939)
Second Chance: For 60 seconds, you gain 50% bonus health and stamina regeneration. If you would die during thsi time, instead you are revived with full health, and Second Chance is dispelled. (Magnitude: 50, Time: 60, Cost: 555)
Sutra of Perseverance: For 60 seconds, falling below 25% of your max health causes you to heal for 150 health and increases the power of your restoration spells by 25% for 5 seconds. Sutra of Perseverence cannot trigger while this bonus is active. (Magnitude: 150, Time: 60, Cost: 799)
Exalted Armament: Grants you 200 armor and 40% magic resist against 6 hits. Upon expiring, if the shield is not broken, you gain 50% attack damage for 20 seconds, and your next 6 attacks send out holy swords that deal 150 damage. (Magnitude: 200, Time: 20, Cost: 2212)
Illusion
NOVICE
Fervid Visions: Increases the target's magicka regeneration by 100% and reduces their armor by 60 for 30 seconds. Upon casting 8 spells, this effect is dispelled and the target is frenzied for 20 seconds. (Magnitude: 100, Time: 30, Cost: 65)
Grisly Spectacle: Creatures and people within 25 feet up to level 50 flee from combat for 30 seconds. You lose 40% of your current health (Max 200). (Magnitude: 50, Time: 30, Cost: 48)
Harsh Lesson: For 10 seconds, whenever the target casts a spell, they take between 5-30 magical damage, based on their level. (Magnitude: 8, Time: 10, Cost: 43)
Hysterical Blindness: Blinds all units in a 15 foot area and reduces their attack damage by 10% for 15 seconds. Blinded units have a significantly harder time detecting you while out of combat. This effect does not alert enemies, or draw their attention. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 15, Cost: 39)
Ponder: Increases your magicka regeneration by 10% for 40 seconds and grants you one of three powerful effects at random. Ponder cannot be recast until this effect wears off. (Magnitude: 10, Time: 40, Cost: 30)
Primal Taunt: Frenzies an enemy up to level 30 for 20 seconds and forces them to attack you, increasing their attack damage by 30% for 20 seconds and reducing their armor by 80. (Magnitude: 80, Time: 20, Cost: 78)
Psychosomatic Manifestation: Deals 5 magic damage per second for 10 seconds. If the target is afraid, their armor is reduced by 250 for the duration. If they're frenzied, they gain 25% critical strike chance for the duration. If they're calm, they heal for 30 per second. (Magnitude: 250, Time: 10, Cost: 55)
Rapturous Trance: Continuously concentrate on a unit to enrapture them, Calming them for 60 seconds regardless of level after a channel time. The amount of time required is equal to 25% of the target's level plus 5 seconds. (Magnitude: 10, Time: 60, Cost: 6)
APPRENTICE
Damping Matrix: A cloak that reduces the magicka regeneration of all units within 45 feet by 50% for 60 seconds. Whenever a unit casts a spell, you regain 25 magicka plus 5% of your max magicka. (Magnitude: 45, Time: 60, Cost: 87)
Deep Analysis: Reveals crucial information about the target. The amount of information revealed increases with your Illusion level. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 21)
Infiltration Charm: For 60 seconds, you move more quietly and recover stamina 50% faster while sneaking. (Magnitude: 50, Time: 60, Cost: 170)
Pain Magnification: Overloads the target's nerves, causing them to take 10 bonus magical damage from the next 6 hits for 20 seconds. If they are hit 6 times within the first 10 seconds of the spell, Pain Magnification is automatically recast on the target. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 20, Cost: 39)
Shroud of Shadow: You and all allies within 20 feet become invisible and gain 60% movement speed for 12 seconds. Activating an object, being hit, or attacking will break the spell. (Magnitude: 60, Time: 12, Cost: 166)
Spellshot Repeater: For 30 seconds, firing a bow sends out 1-4 illusory arrows, based on your illusion level, that deal 10 physical damage each. (Magnitude: 10, Time: 30, Cost: 85)
ADEPT
Countermand: For 2 seconds, negates up to 100 points of spell damage or effects. If at least one spell hits you while Countermand is active, you regain 100 magicka. Otherwise, Countermand has no effect for 25 seconds. (Magnitude: 100, Time: 2, Cost: 197/s)
Delusive Smokescreen: Conjures a smokescreen that lasts for 20 seconds. You are invisible and gain 40% movement speed while inside. Other units are slowed by 40%. (Magnitude: 1, Time: N/A, Cost: 184)
Flash Step: Teleports you behind a target up to 50 feet away. If you are undetected by the target casting, you also become briefly invisible.(Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 219)
Intrepid Heroism: Target won't flee for 60 seconds and gets some extra health and stamina. All its enemies within 20 feet lose armor and magic resistance. (Magnitude: 100, Time: 60, Cost: 136)
Mind Twist: Dispels all Fear, Calm, Frenzy, Armor, Healing, Elemental, Paralysis, and Cloak spells from the target. For each type of spell dispelled this way, they take 12 magical damage per second for 7 seconds. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 157)
Spiteful Mirage: For 15 seconds, creates an illusory copy of the target to attack the target for the duration, dealing 40% damage and with 25% health. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 15, Cost: 232)
Unbroken Focus: Concentrate to generate a stack of Focus every 2 seconds, increasing the power of your illusion spells by 5% for 10 seconds. Being hit dispels all Focus stacks. (Magnitude: 5, Time: 10, Cost: 36)
EXPERT
Cryptic Command: Interrupts the target if they're casting a spell, shattering wards, causing positive effects to be applied to you and negative ones to be cast on the target. If they're power attacking, staggers them instead and deals 100 magical damage. Multiple casts on the same target within 4 seconds deals 10% of the target's current health as magic damage (Max 100). (Magnitude: 9999, Time: N/A, Cost: 214)
Expropriate: Extorts a feared unit for all their gold plus a bonus based on their level, with a chance to fail based on their level, relieving them of their fear. You may only Expropriate a unit once per week. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 451)
Hymn of Anguish: Hexes the target for 15 seconds. If the target is hit by 4 different spells in that time, they are cursed for 15 seconds, losing 50% magic resistance. (Magnitude: 50, Time: 15, Cost: 284)
Mesmeric Orb: A blast of mesmeric energy that randomly applies Feaer, Frenzy, or Calm to all units in a 20 foot area up to level 50 for 20 seconds. (Magnitude: 50, Time: 20, Cost: 460)
Relentless Precision: For 10 seconds, your next 3 bow shots fire out additional spectral arrows that deal 30 magical damage. If all three shots strike a target, Relentless Precision is recast on yourself, you regain 30 stamina, and Relentless Precision deals double damage for 10 seconds. (Magnitude: 30, Time: 10, Cost: 347)
Scapegoat: Marks the target for 15 seconds, causing nearby units to become frenzied and focus their attacks on the marked target. It additionally takes 3 magical damage per second for 3 seconds whenever it's hit. Only one unit may be scapegoated at a time. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 15, Cost: 460)
Thought Reflection: Melds your mind with that of your target, reducing the power of your spells by 25% for 25 seconds. During that time, any spells you cast are cast from the target as well. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 460)
MASTER
Ageless Insight: Increases the power of all your spells by 15% for 60 seconds. While active, casting 5 spells causes an additional, random master spell to be cast. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 810)
Ceaseless Torment: Inflicts horrific pain on all units in a 15 foot radius, dealing 40 damage per second for 4 seconds. This duration doesn't run out so long as the target's under the effects of a Fear, Frenzy, or Calm spell. (Magnitude: 40, Time: 4, Cost: 872)
Force of Will: Costs 2% of your max health and reduces your max magicka by 15 per second. Concentrate to reflect incoming spells back at their casters. (Magnitude: 99999, Time: 1, Cost: 0)
Mind's Desire: For 60 seconds, your Fear, Calm, and Frenzy spells have no level restrictions, but last only 25% as long. (Magnitude: 25, Time: 60, Cost: 872)
Mystic Marksmanship: For 60 seconds, your bows deal 25% more damage. Every fifth bow shot fires out a beacon that rains spectral arrows where it lands, dealing 75 damage per second for 8 seconds and reducing armor by 200. (Magnitude: 25, Time: 60, Cost: 664)
Vow of Silence: All units within 60 feet are silenced for 20 seconds, rendered unable to cast spells. You are silenced for 20 seconds. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 20, Cost: 1008)
Tendrils of Agony: Concentrate to summon writhing tentacles that deal 40 poison damage per second and slow targets by 40%. Every 3 seconds, targets up to level 40 are feared and the target is inflicted with Eldritch Corruption for 5 seconds, then takes 20 poison damage and you recover 10 health and magicka, doubling with each trigger, up to 1600%. (Magnitude: 40, Time: 1, Cost: 144)
Conjuration
NOVICE
Bile Blight: Target undead unit takes 30 magical damage. It sprays caustic bile to enemies within 25 feet. Living units hit take 12 poison damage per second and lose 80 armor for 5 seconds. (Magnitude: 30, Time: N/A, Cost: 48)
Bound Tomahawk: Creates a magic throwing axe for 60 seconds. Its attacks burn units hit for 2 magical damage for 3 seconds. Forward power attacks throw the axe, striking enemies in front of you and applying bound weapon perks. Sheathe it to dispel. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 39)
Conjure Putrid Imp: Summons a Putrid Imp for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing. Its Putrid Fire deals 3 fire damage per second for 10 seconds. Whenever an enemy burning from Putrid Fire takes damage not from the Imp, its attacker loses 10 magicka damage and the target takes 10 fire damage. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 39)
Conjure Riekling Tribesire: Summons the geist of a Riekling Tribesire for 30 seconds wherever the caster is pointing. Its blade deals heavy frost damage, but restores stamina and magicka to its target with every hit. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 30, Cost: 66)
Morbid Obsession: Delve for secrets in the flesh of the dead. Your gruesome haruspicy reduces a corpse to bloody shreds, but your max magicka is increased by 60 and you regain 3 magicka per second for 30 seconds.(Magnitude: N/A, Time: 30, Cost: 52)
Oblivion Rift: Opens a volatile portal to Oblivion that teleports target summoned or reanimated unit to your location. The portal lingers for 3 seconds afterward, dealing 10 magical damage per second to all neraby enemies. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 30)
Ritualist's Circle: Summons a ritual magic circle at your location for 60 seconds. Summoned and reanimated units within the circle gain 30 bonus health for 60 seconds. You may offer certain items upon casting to change your circle's effects. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 39)
APPRENTICE
Altar's Reap: Instantly kills an allied reanimated unit or banishes an allied summoned unit. you regain 10 magicka per second and your conjuration spells cost 25% less for 10 seconds. (Magnitude: 9999, Time: 10, Cost: 44)
Betrayal of Flesh: Curses a lviing target with necrotic enery, causing their flesh to decay and dealing 12 magical damage per second for 5 seconds. If the target dies while cused, they gain 70 bonus health when reanimated. (Magnitude: 12, Time: 5, Cost: 57)
Bound Ceremonial Dagger: Creates a magic ceremonial dagger for 40 seconds. It deals 20 bonus damage to enemies below 20% health. Killing an enemy with the dagger has a 20% chance to summon a Dremora based on your level. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 40, Cost: 145)
Conjure Death's Shadow: Summons a Death's Shadow for 60 seconds at the caster's location. It gains power and new abilities for each 10% of your missing health. While the Shadow is summoned, you cannot heal past the amount of health you had when you cast this spell. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 88)
Conjure Sorrowblade: Summons a soldier of sorrow for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing. When it dies, it revives and becomes frenzied. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 154/s)
Daedric Resonance: For 15 seconds, the target loses 10% magic resist and takes 5 magical damage whenever they are struck. If their attacker is a daedra, this damage is tripled and Daedric Resonance's duration is reset. If they die during this duration, fills a soul gem. (Magnitude: 10, Time: 15, Cost: 14)
Vigor Mortis: Concentrate to drain 10% of your current health per second and heal the target undead unit for that amount plus 15 health per second. Maintaining Vigor Mortis for 6 seconds grants the target Unholy Strength, increasing their attack damage by 50% and their Health, Stamina, and Magicka by 50 points for 30 seconds. (Magnitude: 15, Time: 1, Cost: 26)
ADEPT
Bound Dagon's Crescent: Creates a magic daedric crescent for 120 seconds. Every third attack sends out a spinning projectile that deals 3 magic damage per second and reduces armor and magic resistance for 10 seconds, while applying bound weapon perks. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 120, Cost: 330)
Conjure Mindwrack Spider: Summons a daedric Mindwrack Spider for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing. Its attacks absorb magicka, and if it attacks a target that's casting a spell, the target takes 50 bonus magical damage, and the positive effects of that spell are cast on the spider while negative effects rebound on the target. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 198/s)
Conjure Soulforge Sculptor: Summons a Soulforge Sculptor for 60 seconds at your location. After 1 second, the nearest Soulforge Sculptor equips a copy of the weapon in your right hand. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 275)
Crystallize Soul: If the target dies within 15 seconds, they have a chance to spawn an empty soul gem on their corpse, based on your conjuration level. The type of soul gem spawned is based on the target's level. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 15, Cost: 92)
Dark Bargain: For 60 seconds, the durations of all your conjuration spells are halved, and you may have one additional summoned or reanimated minion. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 308)
Essence Extraction: Absorbs the essence of target corpse, granting you their racial abilities for 60 seconds and disintegrating the body to ash. You may cast Essence Extraction on a summoned or undead unit to bestow this essence upon them for 60 seconds. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 57)
Necrotic Ooze: Creates a 15 foot radius pool of noxious slime for 30 seconds. All living units within the ooze are slowed and take 15 poison damage per second, while undead units regain 15 health per second and move faster. Whenever any unit covered in ooze dies, another pool of Necrotic Ooze is formed around their corpse. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 154)
EXPERT
Atronach Binding: Binds the spirit of an elemental atronach into a bound weapon. It becomes either a Burning Edge, a Frozen Maul, or a Storm Bow spell that you may cast for free. Atronach Binding has a 75% chance to fail on enemy atronachs. (Magnitude: 15, Time: N/A, Cost: 374)
Chorus of Woe: Sends out a pulse of catalytic darkness. Undead units hit emit a 20 foot spectral shriek, dealing 5 magic damage per second for 5 seconds to living units. (Magnitude: 5, Time: 5, Cost: 220)
Conjure Howlpack Alpha: Summons a Howlpack Alpha for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing. When it's summoned, it summons a spirit wolf familiar for 60 seconds for each non-wolf unit within 30 feet. The Howlpack Alpha's attacks have a chance to summon additional spirit wolves.(Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 401/s)
Conjure Lord of the Pit: Summons a greater eidolon of Peryite for 60 seconds at the caster's location. Enemies around it lose armor and magic resistance. While the Lord of the Pit is summoned, you lose 70 health every 7 seconds. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 295)
Fires of Undeath: Concentrate to unleash foul flames, burning units hit for 20 fire damage per second for 4 seconds. Whenever a unit under the effect of Fires of Undeath dies, they are reanimated under your control for 60 seconds. (Magnitude: 20, Time: 4, Cost: 110)
Kynreeve Swordstorm: Concentrate to summon bound swords that deal 6 physical damage per second and apply bound weapon perks in a 20 foot area around you. You gain another sword every 2 seconds, up to 6. At max stacks, the blades will persist for 60 seconds. (Magnitude: 42, Time: 1, Cost: 35)
Song of the Damned: For 60 seconds, whenever you cast a spell, you lose 10% of your current magicka, and summon a Skeleton warrior or archer at random for 15 seconds. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 220)
MASTER
Aberrent Opus: Absorb the power of a corpse, disintegrating it to ash and granting yourself Dark Favor, increasing your magicka regen by 25% for 60 seconds. If you have 4 stacks of Death's Favor, casting Aberrent Opus on a corpse will consume all your stacks and reanimate it for 60 seconds and permanently grant the corpse 200 bonus health, stamina, and magicka, as well as 50% bonus damage, up to 1000 and 400%, respectively. This reanimated corpse does not disintegrate into ash. (Magnitude: 9999, Time: 60, Cost: 312)
Army of Darkness: Reanimates all dead bodies up to level 50 within 100 feet to fight for you for 60 seconds. Allied undead units within 100 feet summon a skeleton warrior or archer under their control for 60 seconds. (Magnitude: 50, Time: 60, Cost: 1080)
Bound Demonblade: Creates a cursed Akaviri katana for 120 seconds. Your forward power attacks cause you to dash forward, slashing enemies in your path. While equipped, you take 15 magic damage per second and attempting to sheathe the blade will deal heavy damage to you. Slaying any enemy with the blade rapidly restores your health for a short duration, and allows you to safely sheath the blade. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 120, Cost: 577)
Conjure Oblivion Gate: Channel in place to summon the memory of a shattered oblivion gate for 7 plus 1% of your max magicka per second. An endless number of Dremora pour out of the gate to your call, but ending the channel instantly banishes them back to oblivion. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: N/A, Cost: 0)
Unleash Archon: Melds two allied atronachs of the same element, transforming them into either an Incandescent Archon, a Brumal Archon, or a Tempestuous Archon for 60 seconds. You may only possess one Archon at a time. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 60, Cost: 304)
Vault of the Valkynaz: Bend reality to conjure an endless stream of bound weapons. Concentrate to spawn portals around you and fire a barrage of bound weapons, dealing variable amounts of damage and applying bound weapon perks. (Magnitude: N/A, Time: 1, Cost: 216)
How to Obtain
Most of the spells contained in this mod can be bought from vendors, and are seamlessly integrated into the leveled lists of magic merchants.
Some spells can only be obtained through mini-quests and custom dungeons. I like leaving those a little secret, and I prefer you to go through blind but I'll upload a walkthrough on my Patreon.
Reformulated Spells and Spell Crafting
Reformulated spells are a form of spell crafting I mostly envisioned to make more use out of the assets I developed, but quickly grew into something unique, and one of the most beloved features of Arcanum. It's a form of combining spell effects and visuals to create spells that are a fusion of other spells. This number is gradually growing, but can be considered a school in and of itself. Recent patches have made it more accessible at lower levels, so don't be afraid to buy some extra tomes and reformulate!
There are multiple stations spread out through skyrim, in Winterhold, in Whiterun, etc. Some locations may conflict with city overhaul mods and require a patch.
Compatibility
Arcanum should play nice with all other spell mods, perk overhauls, etc. Its specifically designed to work with things like spell charging, chaining, etc, or any other magic modifications you have installed. I might make my own perk mod one day, but that's off in the distance and would be a separate mod.
Note that you shouldn't use mods to add spells directly from the mod. Add the spell tomes instead if you want to cheat. Not every spell is castable and 90% of the spells in the mod files aren't used, they're placeholders or designed to trigger some backend stuff that makes the real spells function.
Special Thanks
To billyro, to mikhail, and so many others for their help with resources.
To Enaisaion for advice, and elysses for help with brainstorming nif structure
To Trainwiz, for his always relevant advice and scripting help.
To po3, for his excellent Rune meshes, and obsidian dawn for his textures
To Ricky from discord, who's been a great help with these screenshots.
And numerous others.