What spells do you keep, custom or standard ones

Mysticism


Restoration


Alteration


Conjuration


Destruction

As an experiment, I have an enchanted item to cast Fortify Restoration 448 (4x100 and 1x48) levels for 5 seconds. This allows me to cast custom spells that Fortify Magicka skill “X” up to 800 levels for 5 seconds. Then I can cast very long duration spells like summon a Golden Saint for 600 seconds or have complete bound armor for 10 minutes, or cast massive damage spells. Other than this experiment, I usually skip casting spells, since everything else can be cast from an enchanted item or from a potion more easily. I do like to cast “invisibility on target for 60 seconds”. This makes those escort missions a lot simpler because your target will not attract any unwanted attention.

As a Telvanni I have made it my job to buy every spell in the game even the ones I couldn't cast at lower levels, I do this pretty much in every TES game for fun and collection. My grimoire is to big to post all of it spells and I tend to not make custom spells unless I wish too.

Well often times I'll buy a cheap version of a spell and make custom ones to suit me (especially restore attribute spells), or just for enchant effects (like taking fire/frost/spark and making one spell with 1pt effects so I can do enchants with them).

Right now my mage has:
Fire/Frost/Spark - Touch (20-30), Wave (15-20, 10m area), spear (20-20 target), Blast (15-20 target, 10m area)
Touch is self explanatory, wave is for when you got a couple mobs on ya, spear is for sniping, blast for taking out groups,

Hellblast, Helltouch, Hellspear, Hellwave - averages out to the same damage but uses all 3 damage types

Healing Song - restore health 15-30, restore fatigue 10-20 on self [upgrade it as needed to new versions]
Healing touch - same but on touch
Restoration - restore each attributte 2pts for 5 seconds on self (may take a few casts, but beats a stack of spells )

Mark, Recall, A/D intervention
Levitate 10pts for 30 sec (though I made a skirt with permant effect, but only 1-2 pts iirc)
Absorbing Blast,Wave (AoE abosrb health, absorb Fatigue, absorb magicka. All too costly to use except when needed)

Now I enchant the following onto little items (usually skirts, pants, shirts, belts... wear a robe so never see them)
Water breathing + Swift Swim (if I can fit them on 1)
Water Walking
Sheild
Sanctuary
Restore Fatigue (6-8pts on a belt, more a quality of life effect than anything. Can run and jump all I want)
Levitate 1-2 pts (more useful than safe fall)


Now I may in the future add in fortify attributte enchants (int/wis, magicka, max magicka) as I get them.

I'll just list some of my favs:

Dark Mantra-Drain Intelligence 100 points on self for 1 second (instant mana regeneration! Just make sure you arent wearing fortify intelligence items!)

Weakling-Damage Strength 20 points for 5 seconds on target

Weatard-Damage Intelligence.....on target

Hover-Levitate 1 point for 10 seconds (very cheap to cast!)

I also like to make spells that summon multiple creatures at once like "Summon the Undead" which brings out a ghost, a skeleton, and a bonewalker for about 20-30 seconds.

singing: These are a few of my favorite spells!

I just purchase as many spells as I can just in case I need them. I have no desire to play a pure mage character, just like to have back up in case my thieves need it.