Ok so we have a problem in Skyrim where the endgame magic skills are underpowered compared to the melee skills.

There is also the problem that sufficient skill in enchanting allows you to cast your spells for free.

This leads poor mage players to despair, wondering "what's the point of investing into magicka?"

Well we can solve both issues in one fell swoop: make it so that each point in the magicka stat improves every spell's effect by a certain percentage (say 2%, this way if you're level 51 and invested purely into magicka you get +100% spell effectiveness).

This way, we solve the problem of illusion having a hard time affecting higher level-enemies, and destruction damaging higher-level enemies. We also give a tangible reward for investing into the magicka stat.

What do you guys think?

bump! I guess no one likes my idea

Do you mean Destruction spells would do more damage? If so, you could just enchant gear with magicka and have spells doing way too much. Level 51 would be 500 magicka plus the starting 100. Enchants would bring this up super high.

I agree Magika in the later rounds seems way under powered, except restoration. I have to shock someone for 10 mins for a kill, while I can kill the same person with one sword hit.

No you'd only get the damage increase from points you invested in the stat. For instance, the fortify stamina enchantment doesn't increase carry weight.

The problem is that destruction spells can't keep up damage-wise. Enchanting only reduces cost, and IMO covering yourself head to toe in destruction enchants does two things: committs enchanting abuse, and also makes you a one-trick destruction school pony.

The spells need to have some manner of damage leveling like weapons. They just can't keep up otherwise.

They could if it was set up like I said in the OP: a pure mage at level 50 would have his +50% damage from whatever perk he specializes in, plus 100% damage from investing in magicka every level.

That would make some sense I guess. It might make some perks in other schools kind of worthless though. Mainly the ones Illusion, I think with all the perks you can use your spells on things around level 70 or something? I'm not really sure though. Sounds okay for destruction.

Level 70 isn't level 82 though, and also I think that cap is only reachable if you're a vampire, due to the 25% bonus to illusion spells (the only illusion-spell boosting effect in the game that I know of, apart from perks)

I thought I read that the highest enemy is level 50 though. People say the game stops scaling when you get to 50. I honestly have no clue other than what I read though. Making the spells last longer would probably be the best solution if that's the case though.

With Kindred Mage and Hypnotic Gaze dual-cast Calm will work on every enemy in the game. If anything, Illusion is overpowered.

the highest level enemy is 53, or so I heard...

Destruction spells would get damage boosts, but what about alteration spells like "Transmutation" and "Water Breathing"? Conjuration spells in general? Other spells that do not do / prevent / heal damage? (Suggestion - if its got a duration and the effect doesn't get boosted, boost duration. If it has neither duration nor effect to boost, decrease casting time.)

Other than the sticky math, it sounds like a fairly good idea. +100% for putting 50 levels into magicka might be a bit low for what it costs ... then again, if you did that, you probably wouldn't need the full enchanted destruction setup, so could boost other stats with enchanted items.

Well the balanced magic mod addresses this nicely. Instead of making spells cheaper with each perk, it makes them do more damage and COST more mana to cast. It all scales up pretty nicely this way and you then need to make sure you develop your magicka pool to be able to cast the higher level spells.

I like it. Makes good sense.

I love this idea, especially with the restriction that only points invested into magicka have this effect, not mana from equipment.

If you post a request for this in the mods section, I'm sure someone will make it happen.