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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Hints
Spellmaking Tips
1 of 13: In order to make new spells, you'll have to gain access to a spellmaking altar.
2 of 13: What effects you can put in a spell depend on what spell types you know (from spells, powers, and birthsign effects that you have), which of those spell types can be put in new spells (all but Damage Magicka can), and if your related magic skills are high enough.
3 of 13: See the Spell Finding list to learn where you can get the cheapest spells of every type and exactly what skill level is required to use those spells in spellmaking.
4 of 13: You can increase low magic skills very quickly by making the cheapest spell possible that's related to that skill and casting it over and over just for practice (see the Magic Skills Practice Tips).
5 of 13: Some very useful utility spells that you should make right away are ones that restore your attributes. Make each of them restore one attribute on self by 3 points for 1 second. You can then cast those spells however many times are necessary to restore your damaged attributes, which is much more convenient than lugging around restorative potions or visiting chapel altars all the time. (Note that you have to have a Restoration skill of 25 to use these spells, but that should be no problem if you use the above practicing tips.)
6 of 13: Another great spell to get ASAP is the Charm spell. Check the Spell Finding list to see where you can buy a cheap Charm spell that just about anyone can cast, then cast it on anyone you're bartering with or trying to friendly up right before you talk to them. As soon as you have access to the spellmaking altars, make a Charm spell that works on touch with a magnitude of 100 and a duration of one second. Cast that on someone and immediately talk to him to guarantee that his disposition will be very high (usually 100) throughout the conversation. (Note that this pretty much removes the need for playing the disposition mini-game, giving bribes, and having a high Speechcraft skill.)
7 of 13: You can also make Fortify Skill spells that add 100 to a skill for 1 second. This is very useful for the Mercantile and Security skills, since they're used when the game is paused. (Some other skills are, too, but this type of spell doesn't seem to help any with them). For instance, cast a spell that fortifies your Security skill by 100 points for 1 second right before you try to pick hard locks. You won't get the no-tumblers-fall skill perk, but the locks will be much easier to open using "auto attempt."
8 of 13: Using the above two tips, you can make a combo spell that charms 100 points on touch for 1 second *and* fortifies your Mercantile skill by 100 points for 1 second. Casting that on a merchant right before talking to him would ensure that you get the very best prices. (Don't forget to use the "haggle" setting to see how high a discount your pumped-up Mercantile skill will get you.) Also, this spell will usually let you invest 500 gold in shops so they'll have more to give for high-dollar items you sell them.
9 of 13: Fortify Attribute spells can also be handy, especially given the fact that no spell can wear off during fast travel (only after you arrive at your destination). Make a spell that fortifies Speed by 100 points for 1 second, then cast it right before accessing the world map and choosing to fast travel somewhere. (But note that riding a horse is still faster for some reason.) A spell that briefly adds 100 to your Strength would allow you to carry huge amounts of loot via fast traveling.
10 of 13: A spell that adds 100 to your Luck for a second or two might be of some use, but extensive testing has shown that it's no really big help. You could cast it right before entering a shop or dungeon for the very first time (or the first time after it respawns) in hopes that your increased Luck will get you better treasure or shop inventory items, but you may not notice much of an improvement. The same goes for casting it right before trying to pickpocket someone.
11 of 13: Since the Armorer skill has such useful perks for Journeyman and Expert skill levels, practicing it up should be an early goal, especially if you didn't make it a major skill. One thing that can help with that is to create a Disintegrate Armor on self spell. See the Spell Finding list to find where you can buy the cheapest version of that spell, and what skill level you'll need in order to use it. Make a cheap version of the spell that works on self, then cast it over and over to corrode your equipped armor so that you can use repair hammers to bang it back into shape. (As a bonus, casting the spell helps practice your Destruction skill.)
12 of 13: Also, you can make a Frenzy spell that can be very fun and useful.
