Exploring the Pros and Cons of a New Magic School

The world of Tamriel, as depicted in The Elder Scrolls series, is teeming with magical possibilities, yet Skyrim felt somewhat restricted with only a handful of magic schools. Given the mystical potential present across Tamriel, introducing a new branch of magic into The Elder Scrolls 6 seems like a natural evolution, especially considering how Skyrim’s magic felt a bit curtailed compared to previous installments.

Skyrim housed its collection of spells, neatly bundled into established schools of magic. But The Elder Scrolls 6 has the unique opportunity to tap into the rich magicka that permeates every nook and cranny of Tamriel. It could define completely new magical disciplines, allowing players to explore new magical frontiers—be they subtle or extraordinarily powerful. On the other hand, the game could breathe new life into existing schools, such as the School of Conjuration, which held vast potential but wasn’t fully capitalized on in Skyrim.

Moving on to The Elder Scrolls 6, each region of Tamriel carries its own history and cultural identity. By exploring fresh territory, the game could weave new magics into its narrative, tailored uniquely to the lore of that location. This would offer a fantastic chance to introduce magic schools distinctive to the game’s new setting.

Skyrim’s magic system followed a streamlined path, and The Elder Scrolls 6 would do well to look for inspiration from its predecessors when considering new branches of magic. The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall and The Elder Scrolls: Battlespire introduced the School of Thaumaturgy, which was later absorbed into Alteration. Systems like Skyrim’s Shouts, racial Powers, alchemy, enchanting, and the mechanics behind soul gems all hold the potential to be expanded into new magical frameworks.

While Skyrim did offer a selection of magic schools, these were trimmed compared to earlier entries in the series. Instead of crafting entirely new disciplines, there’s room to enrich what already exists. The game could build on its established schools with fresh spells, coupled with the return of classic favorites.

Some spells within these established schools haven’t always been accessible to players. The School of Conjuration, in particular, includes necromancy. Yet necromancy as a practice could be expanded significantly across The Elder Scrolls, acting as its own school separate from Conjuration, as seen in other fantasy worlds.

Necromancy involves the use of soul gems and even connects to planes like the Soul Cairn, along with varying cultural perspectives on the practice. Expanding on this could provide The Elder Scrolls 6 with substantial potential for both narrative depth and gameplay, without needing to invent a whole new magic school—just a restructuring of what already exists could suffice.