I've usually felt Resist Magic possibly more useful, myself. Right now tho' I'm not sure.

My Dark Elf, skilled in light armour, has been wearing the Magehunter's Helmet which is chain and is Resist Magic 11%, nice. He's also been using the Ring of Nihilism, with Resist Magic 13%, also very nice. Both items have taken him a long way. However, he's in a higher armour level now.

He's recently aquired the Ring of Sunfire through the quest, which is Resist Disease 25% + Reflect Spell which fits in nicely with Namiras Ring:Reflect Damage 12% + Reflect Spell 10%.

To progress armour wise he must abandon the chain helmet, and also the Sunfire ring may pip the Ring of Nihilism. What he is effectively ending up with is swapping items of Resist Magic for Reflect Spell. What would you do, stay with what he's been using or use the new stuff? Which brings the question back to do you prefer Resist Magic or Reflect Spell?

My own preference is always resist magic, but it really depends on what you want to do and how you want to play. Here are some 'mechanics' you should probably know to help you decide:

Resist magic 10% will resist 10% of all incoming magic attacks. That is, 100% of the time it will reduce 10% of the damage in this example. It always works, but only reduces the damage by the percentage you have effective.

Reflect spell and absorb spell work differently, in that they are 'all or nothing'. Having 10% of either of those in effect, for example, means that 10% of the time, a hostile spell will be fully and completely reflected/absorbed and you will be unharmed. 90% of the time, you will receive full damage from the magic attack.

If you have gear equipped that gives you bits and pieces of all three effects, this is how they interact when a magical attack hits you: The game checks your reflect spell first. If that fails, the game then checks your absorb spell ability. If that fails, the game then applies any resist magic ability you have. Reflect, Absorb, Resist is the order.

There's a difference between the way the two effects work. Reflect (and Absorb) are percentage chances that a spell will be acted upon rather than hitting. So if an enemy sends a 10 Damage spell at you, you'll either get hit by the full amount, or it will all be reflected back. The higher the percentage, the greater chance the spell is reflected back.

Resist works differently. It alters the damage the spell does, by the percentage of Resist you have. So if you have 50% Resistance, and get hit with that 10 Damage spell, your damage will be reduced by half. That means that Resist always works, at least to some extent.

One important consideration is that Reflect doesn't work on magic from traps. Even with 100% Reflect, you'd be taking damage from the fire traps in Oblivion, the dark welkynd stones in Ayleid Ruins, etc.

For a Breton, it's usually an easy decision. With a natural 50% resistance to start with, you only need a Mundane Ring (which can be picked up as a guaranteed drop at level 20, in the Main Quest) to get to 100% immunity. (That ring also has 35% Reflect; it's a powerful item.)

My personal opinion is to go for a mix, if possible. Reflect works before Resist; any magic that isn't reflected will then be resisted.

Edit: I see that my slow typing style has resulted in the usual Ninja effect. Well played, Acadian!

If i had to choose, a warrior would tend to choose resist magic, for the static defense.

My mages tend to go with Reflect... nothing more exciting than either insta-killing the enemy..... though, you certainly appreciate how powerful your character really is, when all your love is reflected back at you.

My personal preference is for the resist at less than 100%, but reflect if you can get to full. Reflect at that level becomes an offensive weapon against the creatures that fling spells at you. Since a reflected spell can't be re-reflected, Liches hurt themselves a lot. At less than 100%, you seem to let one through when you can least afford it. The always-effective resist doesn't have that issue.

Thanks for your viewpoints, Acadian. Good to hear someone else likes Resist Magic. I think I do as I prefer a 'sure thing' to a gamble. I had not ever thought about the game check on the order of Reflect-Absorb-Resist, or even that there was an order in the first place. Thanks for info'. I live an learn something about this game after playing for quite awhile.

Hi, Glargg, Thanks for your input. In fact I'm actually stunned by the quality replies I've received from you all. I post rarely, but lurk a lot! Over time I I've got to know which people really know this game through and through and give excellent replies and I have got the jackpot today.

I don't think I'd even thought about the effect of magic re. traps - yep, resist magic wins again. As for using a variety of magic on gear and spells, in early levels you don't have that much choice, do you? You get what you get. My dark elf is on the cusp now of getting the good stuff and being able to enchant, (mods) and having accumulated more gold can buy things-Birthright of Astolan Elven armour for instance. So, now he can take an active choice re.Reflect-Absorb-Resist magicka's. It's a shame you can't enchant using Resist Magicka, I suppose that would be considered 'gamebreaking', particularly for a Breton!

Hi, mpls Big Daddy, Thanks for replying. You know, I tried to answer all in one go and managed to thoroughly muck it up!

Good point on resist magic for a warrier, they need it. All my characters are out an out hybrids with magic being the dominant force, and the longer I play OB the more difficult I make them for myself.

Quote; nothing more exciting than either insta-killing the enemy..... though, you certainly appreciate how powerful your character really is, when all your love is reflected back at you. Unquote. Yes, good one!

Thanks for your kind words. It has been awhile since we've had a discussion of Reflect, Absorb, Resist magic.

Another consideration is the Atronach birthsign. I think a wonderful warrior is a Redguard Atronach. Any challenges keeping his blue topped off are countered by skill with melee. Such a character would certainly want to seek items to boost the Atronach 50% Absorb Magic up to 100%.

Hi, ghastley, Thanks for answering. I know what you mean about reflect being chancy if less than 100%, as you say, it always happens at a critical point - 'ugh! The AI's out to get me, I know it is.- We play against the games AI don't we? Every character I have has to do a check on leaving home: Mandrake leaves; a few strong heal restore magicka and heal potions: loads of poisons:Restore Attribute potions or spells. Take loads of stuff, end up forgetting to use half of it. If you don't take something you need, the AI's got you. Sorry, ghastley, I'm rabbiting on here. All the replies I've received show a preference for Resist Magicka in general, but a mix is good.

BTW, I've never managed to get 100% Reflect.

I enchant all of my attire to "Fortify magicka 24 points". That's nine items (a hood, shirt, pants, shoes, hand irons, amulet, two rings and a shield) for a total of 216 extra points. I use a 2-handed staff so that the shield is only equipped for the enchantment boost but doesn't give me less than 100% magic spell effectivemess. So, with 100 intelligence and willpower I can cast 416 points of magicka every 36 seconds, continuously. Then just cast a spell to give your character 100% magic resistance for however long it normally takes you to smack an opponent into dog food. Good luck!

I suppose that's one way to do it. It doesn't do much for things like traps, unless you're casting it continuously.

Or, you could "build" a Breton, and equip the Mundane Ring, Ring of the Iron Fist, The Necklace of Swords, the Crown of Nenalata, and the Escutcheon of Chorrol, and hardly ever have to lift a finger. That would be 100% Magic Resist, 101% Reflect Damage, and 60% Reflect Spell, by my reckoning. You'd only have to worry about archers and physical traps.

It's all about that one percent.

Resist Magic is more useful, but Reflect Spell is more fun. My wood elf just got an Amulet that reflects 14% of attacks. It's always a good time when a spell meant for her gets bounced back to the enemy, especially if the enemy keels over as a result.

You're a traitor to yourrrr own ... ARRGH!

Damn. I was slowly reading all the posts in this thread thinking of my answer and when I got to the last post, I saw that Renee ninjad me. So, I will just say ditto.

I will also add a couple of other thoughts that I don't think have been mentioned. 100% resist magic provides the only 100% impregnable immunity to magic. Weakness to magic won't work on you because the 100% resist will nullify it before it can affect you.

As Glargg mentioned, 100% reflect spell won't work on magical traps or enchantments from enchanted weapons. Absorb is great because, unlike reflect spell, it works on magical traps and even the enchantment from enchanted weapon strikes, but it won't affect your own spells when they are reflected back on you.

Neither 100% reflect spell nor 100% absorb spell will protect you from your own reflected spells. Resist magic is the only thing that will stop a reflected spell from damaging you.

I preferred a mix of both, Jericho got lucky very early in his career and got an amulet that reflects 10% of magic attacks, I never tried having 100% reflect though.

Anyway, I found resist to be useful, but if I had to pick a choice I would use fire resist for Jericho, seeing that he's weak against fire!

But there is something about reflecting the enemies attack against them. Absorbing is more fun, always keeps your magika topped.