Ward (Skyrim)

Wards are restoration spells in .
==Characteristics==
When activated and held up, wards negate some spell and physical damage, but do not block it completely if it is a powerful attack.
Wards act like magic shields. They provide some defense against magic damage, while also boosting armor by 40–80 points, depending on the type of ward. The cast button needs to be held for this spell to function, meaning it functions like a traditional shield, barring that continuing to hold a ward costs magicka per second while holding up a shield costs nothing. After a ward has been cast, it takes a few seconds for it to recharge.
==List of Ward spells==
*Lesser Ward
*Steadfast Ward
*Greater Ward
===Ward Perks===
*Ward Absorb - upgrades wards to absorb 25% of enemy magicka from spells.
*"Novice Restoration," "Apprentice Restoration," and "Adept Restoration" perks reduce the cost of casting leveled Restoration spells, including wards.
*Combined with the The Atronach Stone or the Breton's Dragonskin power and the Alteration Atronach perk this allows 100% magicka absorption.
==Spell tome locations==
*If Lesser Ward has not been learned before joining the College of Winterhold, Tolfdir provides one free of charge if the Dragonborn participates in his Ward lesson.
*Colette Marence in the Hall of Countenance sells Ward Spell Tomes, depending on the player's Restoration level.
*All Court Wizards sell spell tomes, including ward tomes, up to Steadfast Ward.
*May be found in chests.
*The spell tome for Steadfast Ward is found on a podium in Labyrinthian, just before a room with magic traps.
*General goods merchants may sell ward tomes, most commonly Lesser Ward.
==Strategy==
*For players interested in being pure mage characters, defense and armor are indeed serious concerns.
*Enemy mages frequently use Ward spells. If possible, attempt to break through the ward with large amounts of burst damage. Otherwise, switch to using physical attacks, or defend until they run out of magicka. It is also possible to use shock spells to drain their mana pool.
*Powers and Shouts are types of magic. Wards can even handle Fire Breath, to a certain degree.
*Magic effects without direct damage, such as Disarm and Unrelenting Force, are negated while a ward is active.
*Wards override a soul trap enchantment on a weapon, meaning killing someone with a ward still active nets no soul.
*If a Ward is used while an actual shield is also equipped, the player will block with both at the same time, even if only the ward button is pressed.
*The poison attacks of Frostbite Spiders and Chaurus are classed as spells by the game, allowing wards to block them.
==Trivia==
*The sound of a ward breaking (when hit by a spell too powerful to be blocked, or if hit by a spell just as charging up) is very similar to the sound of glass shattering. This also staggers the caster, whether enemy, follower, or the player character.
*Wards are actually curved (a shallow "U" shape). This can easily be seen be viewing a cast ward from the side.
*Although wards are Restoration spells, a lesson on them is given by Tolfdir who is responsible for Alteration at the College of Winterhold. Colette Marence, responsible for Restoration at the College, offers no lessons on wards but does comment on how wards are overlooked as a field of magical study.
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