Which one do you prefer?

I used to always use fireball but I decided to test out ice storm for a while. Ive noticed that ice storm doesn't really go where you aim. It kind of curves.

My mage specialized early on in fire magic, so he's almost exclusively that, with the occasional dabbling in the other elements when certain situations required it. I do like Ice Storm though. Because it's a damage per second spell, and enemies can be stuck within in it for a few seconds, I've noticed it can be a very deadly spell -- more so than Fireball can be.

I never use ice magic at least in this game so you know

It does curve sometimes.. Weird, I thought it was just me. I like frost a lot, but it's veeerrryyyy slow. Lightning is my fav. N fire next. Frost is very helpful tho, just not as fast, which makes it tough for me at times.

Btw I've fully perked all three, so I'm not really biased, just would say I like fireball because of the speed and non curving lol.

Edit: to elaborate a little more, fireball + ice storm is very effective, try it out

The curve gets annoying sometimes though. I fully perked the tree too. For me it would have to be flames-ice storm-lighting storm (I just listed my main ones. No ice spike, incinerate, etc).

I know, it's weird tho because it only does I sometimes. But ya, I get along just fine with those adept spells plus the wall ones, I wish they had higher level chain lightning like spells tho. Oh well..

Fireball definitely seems better. Chain Lightning is the best of the three though. Lightning really edges out most of the magic. It is more expensive, but it is worth the expensive. Especially when you get disintegration which dominates against boss enemies.

I've been finding Ice Spike to be seriously powerful lately with an augment. I normally use the augmented Firebolt but Ice Spike was great. Next I want to focus on the augmented Shock spell. I hope it doesn't have a large spread when I use it so I don't hit Lydia too.

:tes:

Fireball is better when the enemy are grouped together, ice storm is better when they're in a line. Ice storm essentially is good for clearing corridors and tight spaces where enemy can't really surround you, also ice storm is best aimed towards the knees or feet or the further away enemy since if it touches the ground it may not necessarily disappear but instead leave ice effects on the ground which slow enemy down. Fireball always explodes on first contact tho so is best used when enemy aren't in a lovely line for you.

All ranged spells curve if you are strafing when you release the spell.

Lol my Mage has perks in Fire and Lightning but I've been using Ice Storm the most lately. Fireball and CL seem more situational, especially with She-Man (Lydia) getting in the way.

I like fireball because of the AOE damage. And it is very effective if you get the fire magic perks.

How is instant velocity, aim correction (if you miss, the chain lightning will arc off the ground to a target, and then operate as if you had hit your target dead on), and incredible radius "situational"? Also, very few enemies have shock resistance.

As a destruction wizard, if you're using a companion, you're probably doing it wrong.

I'd just like to say that my Battlemage/Healer likes having Lydia along also because she won't attack me when I use Healing Hands on her. I hate it when I try to heal someone else and they act like I'm attacking them.

:tes:

I wanted to use ice magic, but the two most common enemies in the game are nords and drauger and both are very resistant to frost.

Fire if you want more damage and low magicka cost, lightning if you want instant hit and fewest enemies with resistances.

Ice storm has the most potential damage since it is a 40 per second damage and not a flat 40. Foes who are not moving can get hit for more than one tick of damage. As pointed out since it keeps going it is the best spell for corridors.