While I'm all in favor of destruction damage scaling (on xbox so no mods for me), given it hasn't been implemented since launch I offer this proposal for improving destruction in a couple of other, limited ways. I hope if any devs should read this they give it some thought:

1. Improving Runes

I *loved* runes until I realized ~lvl 40 there's only one class for runes--apprentice level--at a meager 50 dmg, which doesn't increase with the elemental perks. By the time I'm really able to begin casting those w.o abusing alchemy or enchanting to manage casting cost, runes stop being useful d/t declining dmg w/r/t enemy HP. This seems a serious oversight and could easily be remedied with two changes:

• Make runes benefit from elemental perks like other destruction spells
  
• Introduce expert-class runes, with twice the damage of their apprentice-grade counterparts

I feel certain this would keep runes as a viable option for high-level mages. With relevant perks, an expert-class rune would deal 150 - 330 dmg, if my math is correct, which doesn't seem OP in comparison to the damage melee / archery users dish out with modest smithing at high levels.

2. Improving Staves

Here again, staves feel underpowered for mages over lvl 35 - 40, primarily b/c they can't benefit from stagger or dual casting, which are frequently used/exploited to make up for the reduced damage avail. So that staves can remain a part of the high-level mage's repertoire, I propose increasing the damage staves will do relative to hand-cast versions, maybe with relative values like this:

single cast = 1, staff = 1.7, dual cast = 2.2

They still won't benefit from stagger, but this adjustment alone could make staves attractive even at higher levels (I don't care to use Enchanting to reduce destruction cost to zero, so dual casting still burns a lot of magicka for me).

Of course, it would be particularly good if expert-level staves for Destruction were easier to find--in 500 hours of play & reaching level 65, I've yet to find a single staff of incinerate, or icy spear, or thunderbolt...

So, what say you all? Would this work? Have I overlooked any nasty, unintended consequences here?

Ideally they should add a %destruction damage component to the mastery perks, fix the terrible dual casting inefficiency, give us some damage boosting enchants and/or make the costs reasonable...most people don't play magic to feel gimped/weak/frustrated

If DAM would level up the way 1/2-handed does it would be fine. If they try to put in too many multipliers if you fart while dual casting it will make it too powerful.

At this point we really don't need to worry about the character being able to become OP, there like 100 ways to do it anyway. My only issue is none of these involve destruction. Just silly to worry about shattering the "impenetrable foundation of balance" upon which Skyrim is built when clearly such a thing doesn't exist. There are plenty of playstyles left for masochists...the archtypical wizard needn't be one.