This is actually an ancient issue since RPG with an inventory system that pauses the game when opened exists (and it exists in all TES games). But it is even more glaring in Skyrim.

Frankly, what is the POINT of using healing spells during combat, which drains your magicka, and needs time to cast, if you can instead press "I" to open up inventory and pause the whole game, and then drink DOZENS of healing potions in an INSTANT?

And it's not that healing spells are much more powerful than potions, let's say Fast Healing, it only heals something like two bottles of minor healing pots, and it is sure NOT FAST (compared to instant potion drinking).

And it's also not that healing potions are rare and expensive. They are actually so many around like mead and ale. And pass level 20 they all can heal you at least 75 HP and if you're good at alchemy you can heal even more with custom pots.

So currently healing spells are more or less worthless during combat, because using potions is much more easy, safe, and isn't even remotely expensive. The only good time to use healing spells is out of combat, and then it's completely meaningless because you regenerate health out of combat.

Some may say you can make the game a little more "fair" by never open the inventory during fights, and use potions only by assigning them to a favourite and a hotkey and use them in real time only. Still the issue is here because you drink them INSTANTLY with each key pressing. The only way to play it "fair" is by restricting yourself from using pots during combat and use only healing spells, or play it like the NPC, only drink one or two when your health is really low and you force yourself to run away for a few seconds. BTW, if your magicka is low by casting spells, including, ironically, healing spells, the only way to recover magicka is drinking potions.

IMO, gamesas (or modders...) should have made potions and healing magic more balanced. Potions is an item which can be used universally among all classes, and many non-magic users must rely on them to heal themselves. On the other hand healing spells is a speciality for mages, priests and paladins alike, they should have an advantage at using it. However currently even mages and priests prefer to use healing pots because it's cheap, easy to use, and even more efficient than using their hard learned and practiced healing spells, which is ridiculous.

I agree. I personally think that there should be a potion-drinking animation that your character can be hit during. Some people like to be able to spam potions, though. To me it makes the game too easy. Oh, boy, here come the "well then don't do it" responses.

Once you hit level 60+ the game practically throws ultimate health / stamina potions at you.

The damage restoration does to undead is pretty bad too.. and gets resisted due to leveled undead being higher level than the spell level limit.

Good thing health potions are infinite and require no resource...

Well then dont do it. Seriously. Whats to stop you from saying you can only use one health potion while in combat. Seriously.

I kind of disagree. Potions are finite, you can run out, or find yourself with none, etc. Restoration spells are always there, If anything restoration is kind of a "1 point wonder" type of skill... and whos to say you even need the 1 point. Every race starts with the basic healing spell, and its always handy to have. This single spell can be made much more effective with 2-3 perks (novice restoration, regeneration which improves all healing spells, and respite). Respite is something that can be especially useful, as it makes healing spells also regenerate stamina. Doing that mid-combat is pretty nice.

All of this unfortunately means that most players wont even bother to push restoration past 40 or so. The master spells arent really useful, neither is turn undead IME. Wards are kind of cool, but dont really hold up that well. I wish restoration had some more useful spells, because i would like to play a Healer of some sort, but it just isnt worth it to invest heavily in restoration.

On my warrior I rarely use any potions (or try to atleast). I always had a thing against consumables in rpgs...and try everything without using them.

I love the resto tree...I one hand a dremora mace and one hand healing spell. Take a bunch of power shots then heal to restore health and stamina. Works great.

Just keep 2 potions on you any time you head out after returning home. Works terrific and is quite fun imo.

edit: you do realize there are more spells then what the first guy sells to you right?

If you wanna spoil the fun check out the wiki...i currently use a spell that heals 150hp not 75hp....And there is even better stuff to get!!!

Wonder how long it will take this thread to be flooded by "don't do it then" posts.

POTIONS:

+ Instantaneous
- Can encumber easily
- Limited supply during combat

RESTORATION:

+ No inventory encumbrance
+ Requires only magicka from constantly refilling magicka pool
- Must be cast, won't always save your butt in heated melee combat

So there are advantages to both methods. Potions are probably better for melee players while archers and mages - people who can ideally be out of danger for a few moments because of ranged attacks - may benefit more from spells.

Lol. Is it a sandbox or a game? Games have rules that prevent them from being too easy. In a sandbox I make my own rules. If I'm playing a game I want to play by its rules, not be left to enforce my own rules myself. That's just distracting. "Seriously." Opinion.

Potions also can increase your stat pools, increase regen, increase damage and all that jazz. With the right ingredients all stacked into a single potion.

Magic can't do any of those.

Okay, so instead of creating rules for yourself and having fun with it you abuse the game and enjoy it less, then come on here and complain.

Sounds like a good plan sir, keep it up.

so true, if you dont like it, then dont play that way

Dammit son! You are just asking for fishsticks aren't you!

Or maybe Bethesda could limit potion use like most other games do so people could pay attention to playing instead of babysitting self-imposed rules, which IMO isn't fun. And hey, I'm not complaining (this type of thing is typical in Bethesda games), just agreeing with a point someone is making in a discussion. Even good games have flaws, eh? Why are some people so quick to defend against any and all negative opinions of something? You're allowed to disagree...in fact, that would be preferable to the "stop whining" posts. This is a discussion forum, you know, for discussing things.

It's a sandbox

Potions weigh a lot. Spells weigh nothing.

I agree. Healing only becomes more viable once/if you get a huge magicka pool. Or if you run out of potions. I use Restoration more often to heal my companions, Turn Undead, and use Wards. (Greater Ward can block all spells and all dragon breath on Adept difficulty)

rate at which resources regenerate to buy or create potions/rate you use them in combat >>> rate your magicka regenerates/rate your restoration spells heal you


In other words you can always have potions to heal yourself, but not so much magicka.

Funny, I still use the magic spell over potions.

I use potions to sell off for large amounts.

Healing with even the basic spell is more than enough: Two hands!

I'm not sure that's true since there are a lot of other limiting metrics in the game/sandbox. Seems a little arbitrary to limit health as a game mechanic and then not limit the tools used to restore it. Anyway, I personally find it a little annoying to have to enforce my own game balance in an RPG since that's the purpose of designing game mechanics (and having game mechanics in the first place), but to each their own. Not telling anyone else their opinion is wrong.

That's just preparation being rewarded. Now imagine someone who is ill-prepared and has no potions and no restoration ability.

I find restoration useful against a single strong opponent who I can strafe or hide from while healing, whereas I find potions useful in the heat of battle against things that do high DPS yet are a bit squishy.

pausing to drink healing spells in Skyrim, or any Bethesda game, is ahem....


A Downer...

Ya potions are way over powered as long as you can pause to do it...

very true

i dont think restoration has as big of a promble with scaling that destruction has as it is health i mean im a mage (only have around 300 health) and i can usally heal myself up in 2 heal spell where as potion usally take up about 4 - 6 potion to get back to full