[center][font=Trebuchet MS][size=5]This mod is fully compatible with both VR and non-VR[/size]
[size=4]SE/VR Version:[/size][size=3] [url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/26627]https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/26627[/url][/size]
[size=4]XBox Version: [/size][url=https://bethesda.net/en/mods/skyrim/mod-detail/4120913][size=3]https://bethesda.net/en/mods/skyrim/mod-detail/4120913[/size][/url][/font]
[youtube]1jikcRgLNr0[/youtube][youtube]gWVgPaO34zY[/youtube]
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What this mod is aiming for[/font][/size][/color][/b][/center][b][color=#76a5af][size=5][font=Courier New]
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]A focus on combos and chains[/color][/b]. Spellsiphon adds a new system to the game that allows different spells to interact and flow into each other. Repeated dual-casting is not a fun way to fight and should not be the most effective way to do so.
[*][color=#a2c4c9][b]Synergies between weapons and magic[/b][/color]. These two core parts of combat don't need to be entirely separated. By bringing the two together, there are a lot of new gameplay options to discover. Staves and bound weapons in particular are things that should logically synergize with magic but don't.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]No forced pausing[/color][/b]. This mod introduces a new special set of spells and weapons that can be switched around without using menus or the shaky and limited hotkey system. These fulfill your basic necessities like a shield, a ward, a healing spell, a torch and a bow along with a whole lot of other stuff. With that taken care of, your hotkeys are free to be used for other fun things that make your character unique instead. Alternatively, if you're on a platform that doesn't have hotkeys, you'll get reliable access to these essential combat functions without ever opening a menu.
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Few spells, many mechanics[/color][/b]. Magic mods normally add tons of spells, where each one has a single specific purpose. This mod takes a different approach. By focusing on its smaller set of special baseline spells and making each one serve a wide array of different purposes, it strives to provide the same variety in mechanics as a large spell selection without requiring you to constantly re-equip spells manually.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Truly unique abilities[/color][/b]. Everything in this new set should have its own mechanic and reason to be used. An ability should never be made obsolete by learning a newer one.
[*][color=#a2c4c9][b]Complementing vanilla or modded magic[/b][/color]. Instead of being just another selection that you can spend your magicka on, these new spells are designed to work alongside others. They do this by not requiring magicka themselves and through various combos even helps you regenerate it. You can cast your normal favorite spells then use Spellsiphon when out of magicka and recovering, creating a kind of Spender/Builder synergy between them. Damage of the new baseline spells is balanced to reflect a one-handed weapon as they basically act as a replacement for a sword and shield that you would otherwise use when magicka runs dry.
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Significant depth[/color][/b]. Ideally, there should always be more ability interactions and intricacies to discover, even after months of playing.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Balanced mechanics that don't break the game[/color][/b]. E.g. no paralysis, teleports (that can skip entire dungeons) or insta-kill spells.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Making player skill count[/color][/b]. Stats, perks and gear will still help but actually knowing how to fight should be just as important.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Better bound weapons[/color][/b]. These go from overpowered early on to useless in the later levels. It's a shame for such a cool category of spells. By tweaking them and giving them a central role in this new system, they can finally become a balanced and fun component of combat at any stage of the game.
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[font=Verdana][color=#a4c2f4][size=4]Further reading[/size][/color][/font]
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As I think most would agree, Skyrim's combat is overly simple and quickly gets repetitive. Many mods out there try to solve this by introducing hundreds of new spells, perks or items but that doesn't fix the root of the problem. Even with all those options present, the fact remains that the combat system was designed from the start to have you wield a single item or spell in each hand and stay like that throughout the fight. The system for switching weapons and spells in combat is a tacked-on afterthought with all kinds of mechanical, visual, audio and animation issues. To drive the point home, the game comes with a measly 8 hotkeys on PC (3 of which are out of comfortable reach), 2 on consoles and 0 in VR. No actionbar, no button remapping options, nothing.
Even with mods that increase the number of available hotkeys, there are many inherent issues. They tend to be unresponsive, keeping track of many without an actionbar can be difficult if not impossible, binding them is often cumbersome and it is not uncommon for them to crash or temporarily stop working. When you get past all that though, the result simply looks and sounds awful with items popping in and out of view accompanied by clicky menu sounds and looping equip sounds.
This restriction stands at the core of Skyrim's spell and weapon design. They're all built to be used alone, offering no interaction with any others. Spells are even repeating themselves all over the place, providing practically the exact same mechanic, just with a different look or a higher number. The reason is the same, you are only supposed to be using one of them so when you get one with a prettier skin or a higher potency, you throw away the old one.
Well, what if this could be changed? What if a system could be introduced that streamlined the switching of spells and weapons, making it look, sound and feel like it's intended for you to do so? That would open the door to making combat deeper, more involved, more [i]fun. [/i]All the spells and weapons should still be useful on their own, sure. But now they can also be designed to combine with each other to create far more opportunities for the player to explore and experiment with. Concepts like combos, chains, openers and rotations become a real possibility. This mod strives to do both these things; make an immersive switching system and put spells and weapons into that system that are all unique from each other and all interact with each other.
Do note that this is [i]not [/i]made to the exclusion of everything else Skyrim has to offer. Quite the opposite, this mod tries to integrate its system in such a way that it can play together with as many other things as possible. An initial reaction is often that this mod would replace things like Apocalypse and then people either skip over it because they don't want to give up their other spells or they want every other spell in the game integrated into it so it can truly replace everything else. This was never the intention. Instead the mod grants you options that allow the use of any external spells, shouts or powers with minimal hotkeys and hassle, provides integration of any weapon into your elemental combos by imbuing it and benefits from the item bonus and perk systems so you can customize and adapt it to any playstyle.
[size=5][b][font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3]Skill equals Power
[/color][/font][/b][/size]With the vanilla Skyrim system, player power can really only increase through stats. However, with the new system that naturally spans multiple spells and weapons that all interact with each other, there are hundreds of different orders in which you may choose to use your abilities. That means the system can reward you for choosing and properly executing the right ones in the right situations. In other words, your actual skill and knowledge as a player can now influence your power in addition to those simple stat numbers.
This also mostly fixes Skyrim's boring boss-fight problem. Enemies with lots of health are boring to fight because all you do is press one button over and over again while watching a red bar barely move. But if that long fight instead had you consider and execute a chain of abilities, maybe even including lesser nearby enemies as part of the chain, the fight could become the engaging and epic end to the dungeon that it was supposed to be. You will even learn over time, constantly changing your chain both to improve it and to adapt it to the specific boss you're fighting, which is enjoyable in and of itself. As opposed to button-spamming which is something you will master within one second.
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[center][img]https://images.nexusmods.com/mod-headers/1704/26627.jpg[/img][/center][center]Features[/center]
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[font=Verdana][color=#a4c2f4][size=4]Safe and easy to try out
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[*][color=#a2c4c9][b]Doesn't change anything in the base game[/b][/color]. Cleaned in xEdit. Only adds new things. Can be installed mid-save.
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]No requirements[/color][/b]. Not even on SKSE. This mod is entirely stand-alone.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Easily disabled[/color][/b]. Should you decide that you don't like it, there's a one-click menu option to cleanly and completely remove all of its magic, scripts, etc.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Minimal performance impact[/color][/b]. Optimized scripts (see "Performance" below).
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[font=Verdana][color=#a4c2f4][size=4]A deep combat system that promotes variation[/size][/color][/font]
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Switch spells and weapons in a brand new way[/color][/b]. A new Draw spell enables you to siphon energy out of your environment and focus it into special elemental spells and a new Shout can bring special Bound Weapons into existence.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Everything interacts with everything else within the mod[/color][/b]. Perform combos by mixing elemental spells. Attune yourself to an element using a spell and then consume that attunement with a Bound Weapon strike to unleash element-specific effects. Shout to convert your held spell into a new ability unique to that element. Finally, as the capstone of your abilities, shape the elements into physical creatures and then fire your spells at them to release an entire array of special creature detonations. All in all, you're looking at [b]30+ unique effects[/b] that you can trigger when fully unlocked.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Progressively unlock abilities[/color][/b]. The mod will start you off with a basic but still very capable set of fundamental abilities. Each magic-skill threshold (apprentice, adept and expert) will then gradually unlock more and more variation, power and tactical options.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Learn in your own way[/color][/b]. Get guided through how the mod works by an in-game quest and/or read the in-game book, practice and learn on your own terms. You can even just wildly experiment and see what happens. All approaches are supported and equally encouraged. You can turn the guiding quest on and off at any time you wish.
[*][color=#a2c4c9][b]A far better Ward spell[/b][/color].[b] [/b]This serves all your defensive needs in one package. It's a physical shield, a magical ward, a healing spell and a light-emitting torch, complete with stamina-drain mechanics and timed blocking functions.
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[*][color=#a2c4c9][b]Customize your character with perks and items[/b][/color]. The spells, abilities and weapons in this mod will all level their appropriate skill trees and be affected by perks and item effects. The streamlined comboing system means you will be using many more of Skyrim's skill trees in every fight, giving you far more options for your perk points.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Everything available everywhere[/color][/b]. Anyone that has visited a Dwemer ruin has seen half their spells and abilities become useless due to resistances and conditions like "can only be used outside". It makes those (major) parts of the game a drag. The spells in this mod have no conditions on them and they separate their mechanics from their damage. The damage can still be resisted or enhanced by weaknesses as with any other spell but their special mechanics like combos and control effects will always apply, ensuring they remain valuable in any scenario.
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[*][color=#a2c4c9][b]Cooldowns instead of Magicka[/b][/color]. Hiding in a corner for a minute or chugging several entire potion bottles in the space of a millisecond just to get your magicka back isn't fun or immersive. With this mod, magicka is useful but not required, much like a warrior's stamina. Each powerful ability instead has an individual cooldown that changes how it acts if you try to spam it.
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Tested, balanced and polished[/color][/b]. No overpowered spells. The mod aims to provide a difficulty level similar to vanilla, meaning you should get a difficulty level you're used to, even if you run difficulty mods.
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[font=Verdana][color=#a4c2f4][size=4]An immersive experience
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[*][color=#a2c4c9][b][color=#a2c4c9]Never open a menu in combat and remove the need for hotkeys[/color][/b]. [/color]Each and every ability can be performed during a single fight by using only your Attack/Cast and Shout buttons due to how the Draw and combo systems are designed.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Meticulously crafted effects[/color][/b]. All features, from spells to weapons to mechanics, are accompanied by carefully picked and modified sounds and visual effects to make them truly unique and impactful.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Eating books won't make you master these spells[/color][/b]. Feel like a real mage by actually studying and/or experimenting to learn how to use each new ability. You yourself need to figure out (with some optional guidance) how to trigger each effect, how it fits into your larger spell chains and how each ability's unique mechanic can synergize with the rest of your kit to be fully effective.
[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Lore-friendly writing[/color][/b]. Get introduced to the new combat art, read about how your abilities work and configure the mod to your liking by using books and quests that keep you within the Elder Scrolls universe.
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[*][color=#a2c4c9][b]Less immersion-breaking issues when changing equipment[/b][/color]. Visual effects have been added so that weapon/shield models don't just *pop* into thin air (like they do in vanilla) when you cycle between the new spells and weapons. The usual clicky and looping noises when swapping magic are removed and replaced for the new spells. All of the added stuff is thoughtfully synced with existing animations to look fluid and fitting.
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[font=Verdana][color=#a4c2f4][size=4]An expansion, not a replacement[/size][/color][/font]
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Highly compatible[/color][/b]. No conflicts with anything else out there. Can be thrown onto practically any load order (see "Compatibility" below).
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Can be used alongside all your old favorite spells[/color][/b]. Either from vanilla or from other spell packs. You cannot Draw or combo other spells but they are still as useful as they were before in providing utility and additional damage. The included feature called "Refocus" can smoothly weave the casting of these spells into your rotations. Various abilities in the mod will restore your magicka, which will often be wasted if you don't take the chance to spend it on external spells. The mod's balance expects you to make use of this resource, so don't forget about it!
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]Imbue your weapon with the elements[/color][/b]. All your drawn spells can be imbued into a weapon of your choice. Once imbued, that weapon can take part in elemental combos and Power Attacking will bring forth a torrent of energy that parries melee hits and swats spells and arrows out of the air. The imbue effect can be stacked on top of any other enchantment in the game and works with any weapon (even staves and fists).
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[*][b][color=#a2c4c9]It's very flexible[/color][/b]. You can play it as a mage wielding spells in both hands, a spellblade, a traditional mage with a staff in one hand and a spell in the other, a sneaky arcane archer or a berserker wielding a fiery battleaxe, just to name a few. You can even just grab the Ward spell to get a cooler shield and play standard sword & board while ignoring everything else. Your choice!
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[/size][/color][/font][center][font=Courier New][color=#76a5af][size=5][b]Reviews[/b][/size][/color][/font]
[b][size=3]Batch 2:[/size][/b]
[size=2][i]"This was well thought out and ingeniously done. So far appears to be well balanced, plays well with my other mods and once again has me addicted to Skyrim. Discovering this mod on this return to Skyrim has all my other games being neglected." -augustasgreen
"I get goosebumps every fight with this mod, and that is something I haven't felt since I was a kid." -Vrimbued
"Combat in skyrim just doesn't get better or any more fun than this." - michealxlr
"The learning curve might seem difficult at the begining, but dam it is rewarding when you finally get those nasty combos." -oxtoraxo
"I wish I could endorse this mod twice." -DucksAreReal
"11/10. Brilliant work." - kalenmiyan
"Spellsiphon is a masterpiece." - tuifua
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[b][size=3]Batch 1:[/size][/b] [spoiler]
[size=2][i]"Exploring the various systems in place in this mod has been a blast. I don't fully feel comfortable with it yet, but I'm having a ton of fun. I'm very impressed of the depth you managed to get from what is basically only three inputs, and it gives mage characters some much needed interactivity. A lot of work and thought has been put into this and it shows." -OrganicView[/i]
[i]"I was curious so I downloaded and played with it for about half an hour and I think this is the most fun I've had with Skyrim's magic system." -yiunso[/i]
[i]"Very creative, very stable, works well right through my heavily scripted load order. Is super practical and actually useful, and makes magic combat dynamic and fun." -Tristamid[/i]
[i]"This is one of the best, most revolutionary mods to ever come out for Skyrim." -Nickball97[/i]
[i]"This is the mod that got me taking up skyrim VR again after having 110 hours in it(40 of them in vorpx before release), as well as countless in normal skyrim and sse. i regret nothing, but i am sleepdeprived now. one of my new favorite mods of all time!" -Selons[/i]
[i]"This is by far one of the most well thought out mods for Skyrim. It remakes the game - absolutely fantatsic work." -spcarso[/i]
[/size][i][size=2]"Spellsiphon cannot be recommended enough!" -Cangar[/size]
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Getting started[/center]
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First off, note that this mod is intentionally very different from standard magic. It's not just a collection of new spells but also a whole new way to access them in combat. Starting with it against difficult enemies without understanding it will most likely get you both confused and killed. Practicing on easier targets first is highly recommended! That said, the system is designed to be intuitive and logical so the time needed to get a basic grasp of it should not be too long.
The mod comes with an [b]optional[/b] [b]tutorial quest[/b] and an[b] in-game book[/b] that will be in your inventory as you load or start your game. It will tell you everything you need through lore-appropriate text and quick references. Books have always been the main way you learn things in Elder Scrolls games, so it felt appropriate. If for some reason you don't find it in your inventory or you happen to lose it, it is also laying on top of the bar counter at the [b]Sleeping Giant Inn [/b]in [b]Riverwood[/b].
Don't feel forced to read all of it before heading into combat. The guided tutorial will send you into combat early and if you decide to go the unguided route, you should still do the same. The mod is balanced around you slowly learning while levelling.
In addition to (or instead of) the in-game tutorial, you can get a full rundown of all abilities in the mod, how they work, how you perform them, exact numbers, etc. in this [ [url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/18Y3fjwNQ8t0uAIkr4fuH0CLliyindpO3LEResV4I9PM/edit]Guide[/url] ]. [b]If anything feels unclear during/after the tutorial, this will probably help![/b]
Since there are several new sources of power in this mod that are not available to vanilla magic (combo-bonuses, new gear-based bonuses, cooldown-based combo-finishers, new control effects and escapes, etc.) and since this magic is free-of-cost, [b]the base damage of Spellsiphon spells is weaker than normal magic[/b]. The intention is for you to master the system, invent clever ability-chains and adapt your gear to the point where you make up the difference. It's also intended for you to eventually mix in [i]at least[/i] one normal spell to make use of that higher magicka-fueled standard damage [i]in addition[/i] to your Spellsiphon damage to be fully efficient. Another possible approach is to mainly focus on standard spells and only use Spellsiphon magic as a fallback when out of magicka. For details on the new ways that gear, perks and skill-levels affect you, see the "Progression" section below.
[b]NOTE: [/b]Starting from v4.0, the abilities you see in the Trailer, Tutorial and Summary videos will now unlock gradually. The Summary mentions this as it was made during the 4.0 Beta but the earlier videos don't. To use any Discharge, Bind or Summoning effects, you need to unseal and read the related [b]"Elemental" tomes[/b] in your inventory. The in-game tutorial and texts will point you towards them or you can check the details in the "Unlocks" section below.
[font=Courier New][color=#76a5af][size=5][b][center]Details[/center][/b][/size][/color][/font]
The following sections are optional reading material for those that want more details. [b]You don't have to read any of this before you start playing[/b]. The short version is that the mod has no special installation procedures, is compatible with practically everything, can be used alongside any other spells or weapons you wish and gets boosted and altered by items and perks (vanilla and modded both work) in logical ways.
[color=#a4c2f4][size=5]Functionality[/size][/color]
[font=Verdana][size=4][b][color=#a2c4c9]How does it work exactly?[/color][/b][/size][/font]
[spoiler]
All of the following information is also described in-game, through the tutorial quest and book, in lore-appropriate writing. For those that want the info up front or in a more straightforward manner, you can check the [b]TLDR [/b]below, read [url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/18Y3fjwNQ8t0uAIkr4fuH0CLliyindpO3LEResV4I9PM/edit?usp=sharing]the guide[/url] or watch this summary video (both the guide and video are also linked above):
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[font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3][size=5][b]TLDR (very short intro):[/b] [/size][/color][/font]
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[*]Everything starts with the [b]Bind[/b] shout. Using it will equip you with 2 new spells. [b]Draw [/b]in one hand and a heavily modified [b]Ward[/b] in the other (which hand is which can be switched at any time).
[*]Channel Draw's beam over 1 second to determine what Draw will convert into. Aimed at a living target it converts to [b]Life [/b](a shock spell), aimed at a corpse it converts to [b]Death [/b](an ice spell) and aimed at anything else it converts to [b]World [/b](a fire spell). Cast the elemental spell and it will convert back into Draw.
[*]Every released spell "attunes" you to the element. Every time this attunement changes between different elements, you will receive a combo bonus called [b]Woven Power[/b] that increases damage for a short time.
[*]Once Draw or a drawn spell is equipped, using Bind again will produce entirely new "[b]Elemental Binding[/b]" abilities tied to what you are now holding.
[*]One of the Binding abilities is summoning a special [b]Bound Weapon[/b]. This weapon will consume your elemental attunement when you hit something with it, triggering a special "[b]Discharge[/b]" combo that is unique for each element.
[*]Certain Elemental Binding abilities will [b]summon creatures[/b] that you can [b]detonate [/b]with your drawn spells. Each creature has unique abilities before it is detonated and each spell fired at it will produce unique effects.
[*]Discharge, Binding and creature summoning is locked behind a progression system and will unlock at 25, 50 and 75 skill respectively by using the [b]"Elemental"[/b] [b]tomes [/b]in your inventory. You can bypass this system and get everything at lvl 1 through an optional download if you prefer.
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For further information on all these points, check out [url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/18Y3fjwNQ8t0uAIkr4fuH0CLliyindpO3LEResV4I9PM/edit?usp=sharing]the guide[/url].
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[font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3]It's very flexible
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[*]Use the [b]Reverse[/b] power to toggle between Draw and Ward in any hand (this can also be configured to be part of your Shout key).
[*]You can use Draw in one hand and a fist, blade, staff or a spell from another mod in the other and still have full access to everything. Toggling to and from your Bound Weapon will properly re-equip your weapon*.
[*]You are able to use weapon-focused (2- or 1-handed) playstyles where you only rarely use any spells (maybe once per dungeon) while still having access to combos.
[*]Enable [b]Refocus [/b]mode, equip an external spell (e.g. Magelight), cast it and you will automatically re-equip Draw or Ward (whichever you replaced with the external spell). Concentration spells will stay in your hand until you finish casting them. If you want to cast the external spell several times before switching back (e.g. summoning 2 Familiars with Twin Souls) you can just charge the spell again immediately after letting go of it. Refocus will not switch the spell back as long as you're charging it.
[*]A separate Refocus setting exists for Shouts that works in a similar way (re-equipping you with Bind).
[*]The [b]Spellsiphoning Research[/b] book provides a whole array of additional configurations. E.g. changing your Bound Weapon into different forms, allowing you to imbue weapons in combat and auto-casting Powers without changing away from Bind.
[*]See the "[b]Configuration Guide[/b]" below for a rundown of how to configure Spellsiphon for various common playstyles.
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[i]* The only ability that will forcefully replace your equipped weapon is the Weaving Circle (since it focuses on dual casting, more details under Articles). The Dual Swords (if using that Bound Weapon choice) will also replace your equipped weapon if it is in the left hand specifically. Right-hand weapons will switch back properly for any Bound Weapon choice.[/i]
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[color=#a4c2f4][size=5]Progression[/size][/color]
[font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4][b]Stats and Gear[/b][/size][/color][/font]
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[b]Stamina and Magicka[/b]
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[*][i]Stamina [/i]is used for blocking with the Ward, bashing with the Bound Bow or attacking, power attacking, blocking and bashing with bound melee weapons. It is also consumed by any external melee weapons you may be using along with the "Imbue" system (more on that below).
[*][i]Magicka [/i]is used for increasing your damage with all Spellsiphon Bound Weapons and for healing yourself while using your Ward. It will also increase the damage of certain combo effects. If you're using any external spells by e.g. enabling the "Refocus" mode (which is highly recommended), those will require a magicka investment too.
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[b]Magicka-regeneration equipment and potions[/b]
A feature of Spellsiphon is that increased Magicka-regeneration from any source (equipment, potions, buffs, etc.) will also increase your Spellsiphon-spell damage by the same %. Only Spellsiphon spells are affected by this damage-increase and they have been balanced around this aspect so don't worry about this feature overpowering your other spells.
[b]Cost-reduction enchantments and perks[/b]
Nothing in Spellsiphon "costs" Magicka in the normal way so any items and enchantments that reduce costs are only useful for casting external spells (do try to do that if you have any hotkeys to spare). Many cost-reduction enchantments come bundled with Magicka-regeneration though.
[b]Poisons[/b]
Can be applied on your bound weapons and due to all the hotkeys freed up by this mod, you may have some to spare for these.
[b]Special arrows[/b]
There are multiple mods that add various elemental arrows and such to the game (e.g. Ordinator's Trick Arrows perk or the Elemental Arrows mod). All of these can be used with your Bound Bow.
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[font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4][b]Perks[/b][/size][/color][/font]
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[b][font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3][size=5]General rules[/size][/color][/font]
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[*]If a perk affects fire, frost or shock spells, it will affect the equivalent drawn element (fire = World, frost = Death, shock = Life).
[*]If a perk affects destruction spells or spells in general, it will affect all elements and the Draw spell itself.
[*]If a perk increases fire/frost/shock/destruction [b]damage [/b]it will affect the equivalent Spellsiphon drawn spells [i]and[/i] combo effects. This increase stacks multiplicatively with Woven Power (meaning it will make every Woven Power stack stronger).
[*]If a perk adds [b]mechanics [/b]to fire/frost/shock/destruction spells (e.g. Freeze, Fear and Disintegrate) it will only affect the Spellsiphon drawn spells, [i]not [/i]the combo effects.
[*]Bound Weapons are affected by all Conjuration and Weapon perks that relate to them and will scale with magicka [i]and [/i]weapon skill.
[*]Warding does [i]not [/i]count as Blocking.
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[*]Almost any perk that affects reanimation spells and reanimated minions will also affect the Life-reanimated minion. There are two exceptions, listed below.
[*]Perks that increase the number of reanimated minions you can have won't affect it. You may never have more than 1 Life-reanimated minion. Note however that this minion stands outside the summoning limit and can be combined with any other conjurations (even other reanimations).
[*]Perks that prevent minions from disintegrating will not affect the Life-reanimated minion. Due to it being fuel for powerful fusion combos, standing outside the minion limit and being free to cast on anything, having these types of perks affect it was simply broken.
[*]No Conjuration perks will affect the atronachs summoned through the "Elemental Animation" unlock. Destruction [b]damage[/b] perks will however affect their attacks.
[/list][list]
[*]The Ward heal counts as a healing/restoration spell for all perks that affect them (Respite is a special case, see below).
[*]The Ward magicka consumption counts as a drain effect, not as a cost. Meaning it will [i]not [/i]be reduced by cost-reducing effects.
[*]Since nothing in Spellsiphon "costs" Magicka in the normal way, any perks that reduce costs are only useful for casting external spells. You should however strive to use at least 1 external spell regularly to avoid wasting Magicka.
[/list]
Whether you're using vanilla perks, [b]Ordinator [/b]or [b]Vokrii[/b], all of the above rules apply. Spellsiphon is fully compatible with these mods and probably other perk mods too. I haven't tested others personally though.
[font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3][size=5][b]Vanilla perk tree examples[/b][/size][/color][/font]
[b]Archery / 1-Handed / 2-Handed / Sneak[/b]
Work as normal. Bound Weapon damage is scaled by sneak attack bonus, weapon skill and perks in addition to scaling with magicka. This all stacks multiplicatively (so increasing magicka also increases the effect you get from perks).
[b]Block[/b]
Does not affect Ward at all and Ward does not grant block skill. Block can still be used for blocking with the Bound Battleaxe or Sword.
[b]Restoration[/b]
[list]
[*][i]Regeneration [/i]affects both Ward and broken Ward heal over time effects.
[*][i]Respite [/i]grants the broken ward spell 100% increased stamina restoration. It does not grant stamina regen to Ward's heal over time since that would make it nearly unbreakable.
[*][i]Ward Absorb[/i] works.
[*][i]Magicka cost reduction[/i] perks do not affect the magicka-drain effect of Ward.
[/list]
[b]Conjuration[/b]
[list]
[*][i]Bound weapon[/i] perks fully affect the Spellsiphon Bound Weapons.[i] Mystic binding[/i] increases weapon damage by 40%.
[*][i]Reanimation[/i] perks will be applied to corpses reanimated by channeling Life into them.
[*][i]Twin Souls[/i] will allow you to have 2 vanilla minions along with a Life-reanimated one.
[/list]
[b]Destruction[/b]
[list]
[*][i]Augmented flames/frost/shock [/i]all work on their respective elemental equivalents (flames = World, frost = Death, shock = Life).
[*][i]Disintegrate, Intense flames and Deep freeze[/i] all work on the drawn elemental spells. They do not apply to the Bind/Discharge combo effects.
[*][i]Novice/apprentice etc. Destruction[/i] perks have no interaction since there are no magicka costs. They are however used by external spells like normal, and you should strive to include at least one of those to avoid wasting magicka.
[*][i]Rune Master[/i] does increase Death Rune range, but it is already very long by default.
[*][i]Dual Casting[/i] can be used within the Weaving Circle during "Elemental Overload".
[/list]
[/spoiler]
[font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4][b]Unlocks
[/b][/size][/color][/font][spoiler]
A progression system will unlock batches of new abilities at 25, 50 and 75 magic skill (Destruction or Conjuration, your choice). The system works like this: When first activating the mod (reading the main book), you will get 3 smaller tomes in your inventory. Each tome is initially sealed but that seal can be broken using your magic skill (requires 25, 50 or 75 depending on the book). Once the book is unsealed, you can read it to unlock a new batch of abilities. How the abilities work is described within the tome itself but you will also be guided by the tutorial quest if that is active. If you open one of these tomes and feel overwhelmed by the new set of abilities, you are also given the option to keep them locked down until you're ready to make use of them. In the interest of player freedom, there is also an optional download that will bypass this entire system, unlocking as much as you want at level 1.
However, also note that this mod is designed to be a [b]baseline [/b]combat system, [i]not [/i]your entire arsenal. It provides you with the essential tools of dealing damage, staying alive and controlling your enemies but it also heavily encourages you to bring in your other favorite tools from the rest of Skyrim and use them in tandem. Finding new weapons, unlocking new spells, finding word walls and unlocking shouts, learning new powers, it's all still there and can be practically included into your combat style by using the various mod configurations in the in-game Research book (see the[b] Configuration Guide[/b] below if the book confuses you).
[/spoiler]
[b][font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4]How to increase your damage[/size][/color][/font]
[/b][spoiler]
A different form of progression that Spellsiphon also brings to the table is about unraveling the complexity and coming up with new solutions to different combat scenarios. You won't be able to fully utilize the abilities until you've had time to read about, test out, practice with and master them. Contrary to vanilla spells, nothing can be spammed and they all have special mechanics to consider. Some of those special mechanics open up possible interactions with the ever-changing environment and others will heavily benefit certain follow-up attacks. These follow-ups are not necessarily part of the mod either, don't forget all those other tools you've brought with you.
An important thing to mention before we get to the list is that the depth of Spellsiphon is meant to be unraveled[b] at your own pace[/b]. You are not supposed to understand how everything works and every possible combination you can perform before you even start to play. Trying to do so will most likely be overwhelming and will hurt your enjoyment of the mod. I highly recommend taking your time and trying to be creative with each new mechanic you learn about before moving on to the next. Play the game, fight and level up while practicing so the process truly becomes part of your normal character progression.
With that said, here are some general tips to keep in mind when working towards mastering combat with this mod ([b]NOTE: requires some prior understanding of how the mod works[/b]):
[size=4][b]1.[/b] [/size]This first point may be obvious but use your "finishers" as often as possible, meaning Discharges, Overloads, Flamestrike and the Elemental Animation (Fusion) combos. I call them finishers because they scale from your Woven Power and therefore you still need to charge that up using drawn spells before you use them. This ensures drawn spells always stay relevant and part of your rotation (in addition to needing them for triggering the finisher itself), but you should not expect them to be your main damage source, just the wind-up for your big hitters. The one exception to this is during Elemental Overload in the Weaving Circle. When that is active, your drawn spells become your big hitters but you cant build Power with them anymore. Anyway, here's an example: Life Discharge without Woven Power at 100% magicka regen deals 32 dmg. When charged up with an optimal Power rotation (more info on this below) it can do as much as 160 dmg (before gear and perk bonuses).
[b][size=4]2. [/size][/b]So how do you build Woven Power? Just drawing two elements back and forth is good and intended, but there are far more optimal methods once you get into the more advanced stuff. To put some numbers on it:
[list]
[*]A perfectly executed standard Draw -> Release weave over 20s will grant you a +100% damage boost (+150% when using Death).
[*]Perfectly weave using an imbued staff and its +200% (+300% with Death).
[*]Switch that to a melee weapon (more dangerous) and it's around +250% (+350% with Death).
[*]Finally, perform a perfect weave in the Weaving Circle (very hard to do and forced stationary positioning) and you're up to +300% (+400% with Death).
[/list]As you can see it's a constant trade-off between power and safety. Standard weaving is easy and safe but weak. Weapon weaving sacrifices the Ward and can require melee, which is dangerous but powerful. Circle weaving requires standing still and sacrifices the Ward, which really makes you vulnerable but grants you maximum power.
[size=4][b]3.[/b][/size] Woven Power is not the only way to increase your damage. [b]ALL [/b]sources of Magicka regen will increase your damage. Equip some mage robes, enchant some gear and maybe drink a magicka regen potion and you can bump your damage modifier up to 400%+ before you even start combat.
[size=4][b]4.[/b][/size] Use your magicka! It is common and seems reasonable to directly compare Spellsiphon to other spell mods (e.g. Apocalypse and Mysticism) as if they are mutually exclusive. They're not though. Every Woven Power stack you get is increasing your magicka regen and every time you summon your Weapon in order to Discharge, you're recovering all your magicka. Don't let all of that go to waste. Find some favorite external spells and throw them in between your Spellsiphon Weaving, then e.g. have Refocus enabled to auto-return to Draw/Ward without needing additional hotkeys (see Configuration Guide below).
[size=4][b]5.[/b][/size] Perks. The drawn spells may not be powerful on their own, but they still trigger potentially powerful perk effects. Like Ordinator's remove-first-25%-of-enemies-health lightning perk.
[size=4][b]6.[/b][/size] Crowd control. Spellsiphon's combos contain a lot of powerful crowd control. This has to be weighed in when considering its overall power. Throwing people across a room, freezing time, staggering and freezing enemies, making yourself invulnerable, raising corpses to divert agro. The list goes on but you probably get my point. Use these to your advantage, e.g. combo them with wall-spells that benefit from people being knocked down/frozen/occupied with minions.
[/spoiler]
[color=#a4c2f4][size=5]Technical[/size][/color]
[font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4][b]Installation, updating, performance
[/b][/size][/color][/font][spoiler]
[color=#d0e0e3][size=5][b]Installation
[/b][/size][/color]
The intention is for this mod to be as easy to try out as possible. So I opted to:
[list]
[*]Fully support installing/uninstalling it mid-save (see "Uninstallation" below).
[*]Entirely avoid requirements, not even SKSE or SkyUI.
[*]Be as compatible with other mods as possible. So no changes to any vanilla records. This mod only adds new things.
[/list]
That means you can use the mod manager to install or just manually unpack into Skyrim's Data folder and add it to your load order. You don't need any other mods and you don't need to worry about where it is in the load order as it won't conflict with anything (just place it anywhere after the main game and DLCs).
[b]Make sure to check out the various optional files over in the Files section, some may interest you. Also check out the "Complementary Mods" at the bottom of the page.
[/b]
[size=5][font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3][b]Uninstallation[/b][/color][/font]
[/size]
Since this mod doesn't actually edit anything in the base game, you can just decide to ignore it. Generally, it is not recommended to uninstall any mod mid-save due to potential load order issues in remaining mods when a mod in the middle of it disappears. If you absolutely want to remove the mod from your load order on an active save, do the following steps to get the safest and cleanest possible removal:
[list=1]
[*]Open the Spellsiphoning Research book and select "Reject Teachings". This will stop all scripts and dispel all long-term effects (like being attuned and imbued).
[*]Make sure no other Spellsiphon magic is currently affecting enemies or yourself. The longest-lasting effect that wasn't automatically removed in step 1 is less than 2 minutes, so it should just be a matter of getting out of combat and waiting a short time (or use the wait command to wait 1 hour)
[*]Save your game, exit and uninstall with a mod manager (or manually remove .esp and kssc_* script files).
[i]Alternatively:[/i] Throw the Spellsiphoning book down a deep dark pit of your choice where it will never be found again. Since this book is required in order to reactivate the mod, you have effectively now uninstalled it.
[/list]
[size=5][b][font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3]Updating[/color][/font]
[/b][/size]
Just replace the files with the new ones. An automated script will perform the in-game update procedure for you in a clean way and a text will pop up when loading your game, informing you that the mod has been updated. If the mod is inactive (you haven't read the book yet), the text will appear the first time you activate it.
[size=5][b][font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3]Performance
[/color][/font][/b][/size]
For those worried about increased script lag/bloat:
[list]
[*]No persistent polling scripts (nothing is running in regular intervals all the time).
[*]No OnHit scripts being spammed in the background. The only OnHit that exist are when channeling Ward to support timed blocking and on the special Spellsiphon minions to support minion combos.
[*]No global actor or object script attachment (through e.g. invisible massive area cloak spells).
[*]Scripts only run when they absolutely have to, which is at the moment you cast an ability and when that ability hits a target. There's also one script that runs when you equip things since the mod includes some features surrounding that.
[*]All scripts that do have to run are thoroughly optimized.
[*]All scripts can be fully disabled by using the "Spellsiphoning Research" book and selecting "Reject Teachings". If you do this, you can also re-enable the mod at any time in the same way as you enabled it the first time, by reading the "Spellsiphoning" book.
[/list]
The mod is fairly sensitive to script-lag introduced by other mods since it has timed blocking mechanics and some other timed effects. If it feels unresponsive, check your mod list for any likely culprits. As for visual effects, the mod only uses repurposed vanilla assets. Any custom meshes are entirely based on vanilla ones and either simplified or just tweaked, there are no additional vertices, particle systems or such added. If you can run vanilla, you can probably run this.
[/spoiler]
[font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4][b]Compatibility[/b][/size][/color][/font]
[spoiler]
[b]Spell packs[/b]
I highly recommend using external spell packs alongside the mod (like [i]Apocalypse[/i]). Those spells can't be Drawn and you can't combo with them but they do provide a way for you to expend your excess magicka and gives you a lot of additional utility on the side. E.g. minion-summoning spells, buff spells and things like [i]Ghostwalk[/i], [i]Corpse Explosion[/i] and [i]Raise Wall[/i] from [i]Apocalypse [/i]can be cool additions to your arsenal, just to name a few. Just simple damaging spells that quickly burn through your magicka are very nice to have too. To use these in an immersive and menu-free way I would recommend the built-in Refocus mode (enabled through the in-game book).
In a sense, Spellsiphon can be seen as your main weapon. It can be compared to a warrior character that normally carries a sword and shield but occasionally switches off to a bow, battleaxe or maybe a spell. Similarly, a Spellsiphon caster uses Draw and Ward as their basic combat platform but can switch off to external spells or e.g. grab a physical 2-hander when they want to, then return.
[b]Perk overhauls[/b]
Ordinator and Vokrii are both fully compatible out of the box, other perk overhauls may be compatible or may need patches, I havent tested others personally. Check the "Perks" section above for details on how they interact with this new system.
[b]Combat mods[/b]
Like Smilodon and such do completely different things from Spellsiphon. Those mods usually focus on how the enemies act in combat, not how you as a player approach combat. If you want better NPC behavior, go ahead and add one of those mods too. The Ward Timed Block mechanic in this mod will usually not conflict with any Timed Blocking added by other mods. However, Skyrim does not handle multiple simultaneous time-slow effects very well so if you have another mod that applies a time-slow when blocking with a Ward, that may cause issues.
[b]Archery mods[/b]
The Bound Bow arrows link to the vanilla Bound Arrow Projectile class. So any mod that alters things like speed, gravity, etc. will work.
[b]Magic arrow mods[/b]
Special arrows can be used with the bound bow by equipping them after summoning it. If using the Arrow Cooldown add-on, the normal bound arrow will automatically re-equip after each shot, making it easy to fire off 1 special arrow for its effect then go back to bound arrows for normal damage.
[b]Magicka regen mods[/b]
The spell damage scaling is [i]only[/i] using the "MagickaRateMult" actor value. Mods that change base magicka regen (e.g. survival mods) tend to alter the "MagickaRate" actor value which will have no effect on your damage. Some mods also alter the "fCombatMagickaRegenRateMult" global game setting that changes your regeneration when you enter combat. This will, again, have no effect on your damage.
[b]Hotkey mods[/b]
Any invalid spell combinations that these mods may put in your hands (like 2 Draws or 2 Wards) will be detected and corrected automatically.
[b]Graphics / Effects / Sound / Animation mods[/b]
Spellsiphon does not use any self-made visuals or sounds, it's all vanilla assets that have been moved around, tweaked and used in different ways. That means any mods that replace these things will affect the spells, weapons and various visual effects in this mod. In almost all cases this will work just fine and will tweak the experience to your personal preference, but I can't test every combination out there so there may be some that cause audio or visual clipping/popping. Some animation mods may also cause lagging issues when switching spells and casting with both hands as often as you do in this mod.
[b][font=Arial][color=#d0e0e3][size=5]User-reported incompatibilities[/size][/color][/font][/b]
[list]
[*][url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/12633]Quick Light SE[/url] and [url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/19456]Strange Runes[/url] removes the light effect from Ward though both of them grant other light sources that can replace it.
[*][url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1525]Combat Evolved[/url] can apparently cause certain effects like spider poison and power attack stagger to pass through the Ward.
[*]The "[b]Atronach[/b]" stone from [url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/14910]Andromeda [/url]or [url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/33411]Mundus [/url]will decrease your "MagickaRateMult" by 1000% or more, which will lock all Spellsiphon abilities at their basic (weak) level of damage regardless of Woven Power stacks or equipped gear. The "Spellsiphon" Power will still (incorrectly) show your magicka regen as "100%" since that is the minimum that it can show. Don't pick that stone when playing with this mod...
[*][url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/3532]Frozen Electrocuted Combustion[/url] is default-configured to change ALL instant-damage spells to instead gradually apply their damage over 1 second. This will make it a whole lot harder to trigger the Time Rift. You can remove this change in FECs MCM menu.
[/list]
[/spoiler]
[font=Courier New][b][color=#76a5af][size=5][center]Configuration Guide[/center][/size][/color][/b]
[/font]
This part of the page aims to help configure Spellsiphon for various playstyles and to give you an idea of what you can do with the mod aside from the built-in spells and weapons. This is not an exhaustive list of all possibilities but it should cover most of the common playstyles that people tend to use. Just like the Details section, this is optional reading material. You will get an introduction to your options through the tutorial and/or can figure it out yourself in-game if you want (and have the patience). You can also come back here later if you find that the in-game explanations did not answer your questions.
The configuration system is made up of two parts.
[list=1]
[*]The “Spellsiphoning Research” book that gives you options for setting up your character before engaging in combat. You get this book when you open the main "Spellsiphoning" book for the first time.
[*]The 4 toggle Powers that allow for changes in the middle of combat (or out of combat whenever you have use of them). These are learned through the Research book once and are then always available as normal Powers. To use these without requiring menus, check the "Using Powers" section below.
[/list]
The sections below will show you how to use the book and Powers to adapt this mod to your preferred combat style.
[b][font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4]Using only Spellsiphon [/size][/color][/font][/b](recommended when starting out)[b]
[/b][spoiler]
Defaults are fine, just play. This is the recommended playstyle when first starting out with the mod to get familiar with the systems. You should then consider your other options and can transition to other playstyles (like Spellblade) mid-game if you want.
If you want Draw in your left hand and Ward in your right, you need to open the Spellsiphoning Research book:
[list]
[*]Choose “Powers” -> “Learn Powers” -> “End Research”.
[*]Open your Magic -> Powers menu and equip “Reverse”.
[*]Use Reverse once.
[*]Equip Bind again.
[/list][/spoiler]
[b][b][font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4]Using normal weapons
[/size][/color][/font][/b][/b][spoiler]
Once finished here, I recommend also reading up on “[b]The Imbue system[/b]” below if planning on using Spellsiphon along with normal weapons.
[b][size=4]One-handed Melee weapons[/size][/b]
At the most basic level you can just equip a weapon in one of your hands and go ahead and play.
If you replace Draw with a weapon you can play a simple Sword & Board playstyle. The Ward is a far more flexible alternative to a shield (providing you with light, healing and full protection against spells and arrows).
If you replace Ward with a weapon you can play Spellsiphon as a multi-elemental Spellblade. However, it will make you lose access to Ward which leaves you with very few defensive options. So, you probably want to be able to toggle between Draw and Ward in that hand depending on the situation. You can do this by using the “Reverse” power. See how to get access to and use this power under the “Using Powers” section. Alternatively, you can use a hotkey or holster like normal to equip your weapon and then use the "Rebalance" Power to switch back to Draw and Ward. See the "Using Powers" section for that too.
While holding a one-handed weapon and Draw/Ward in the other hand, you can use Bind to toggle to and from Bound Weapons at will. Your one-handed weapon will automatically return to your hand whenever you unsummon your Bound Weapon.
[i][b]Animation issue note: [/b]Having a melee weapon in your left hand in will cause animation issues when switching spells and prevent you from doing killmoves so i suggest using the right hand.
[/i]
[b][size=4]One-handed Ranged weapons[/size][/b]
Vanilla Skyrim only offers the staff as a ranged one-handed weapon. However, using mods, you can also get things like pistols or crossbows in one hand. Whatever you choose to equip, this playstyle follows exactly the same setup as One-handed Melee.[i].[/i]
[b][size=4]Two-handed Weapons[/size][/b]
To mix Spellsiphon with Two-handed weapons (melee or ranged) you will first need to have a way to re-equip your weapon at will, meaning a hotkey. There is no way to toggle between Bound Weapons, Draw/Ward and an external 2-handed weapon otherwise (you can use the Bound Battleaxe without hotkeys though).
Once you got your hotkey or holster you can do one of the following:
[list=1]
[*]Use Bind to switch to Draw/Ward and use your hotkey/holster to switch to the weapon as needed.
[*]Use Bind [i]once [/i]ahead of combat to equip Draw/Ward. Use your hotkey/holster in-combat to take out your weapon. Press the hotkey again to return you to Draw/Ward (works with vanilla hotkeys but not some mods).
[/list]
You can also configure Bind to summon your Bound Weapon directly, without equipping Draw and Ward in-between. You do this by using the Research book:
[list]
[*]Choose: “Bind” -> “Rebalance" -> "Long" -> “Bind without Draw/Ward equips Bound Weapon”
[/list]
“Rebalance" -> "Long” is optional but recommended since this setup most likely also uses the Imbue system (see the section on that) to get access to Discharge Combos. Note that while Bind is configured this way, you can long-press the shout button to still equip Draw and Ward. So whenever you have need of them (e.g. for an Imbue refresh), use that.
[b][size=4]Fists[/size][/b]
Having an empty hand works exactly the same as using any other one-handed weapons. All features that apply to one-handed weapons will apply to using fists. You will get them back after toggling to and from bound weapons, they interact with the imbue system, they can be combined with Draw/Ward in the other hand, etc.
[/spoiler]
[b][b][font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4]Using other spells[/size][/color][/font][/b][/b]
[spoiler]
Once you have some other interesting spells you want to include on the side of Spellsiphon there are several different ways you can conveniently use them:
[b][size=4]1.[/size][/b] Use hotkey mods to create spell sets for both hands.
Use these external spells as long as it is tactical to do so or until your magicka runs out, then use Bind to switch back to Draw/Ward while recovering. During your recovery, use combos to boost your magicka regeneration and Ward to defend yourself.
[b][size=4]2.[/size][/b] Use the Refocus Power.
You only need to use this once to toggle the mode on. Now use whichever method you have for accessing other spells (favorite hotkeys, voice commands, gestures, hotkey mods) to equip your external spell. Cast it and you will automatically switch back to Draw or Ward (whichever you had in that hand). If you want to cast the spell multiple times before switching back then press the casting button down again immediately after releasing it. This will charge the spell in your hand again, which will inform Refocus that it should not switch back yet. You can also use the Refocus Power again to toggle it off if you want to transition entirely into other spells for a while.
[b][size=4]3.[/size][/b] Alternate casting mods.
There are mods these days that allow you to cast spells without putting them in your hand first. You can e.g. cast spells with [b]Smart Cast.[/b]
[b][size=4]4.[/size][/b] Equip them like a one-handed weapon.
If you have some favorite spell that you simply like to attack with like a weapon, just equip it in the opposite hand from Draw and play like the Spellblade style (see "Using normal weapons" section). Consider using the spell via a staff in this case, as that will enable you to also use the Imbue system.
[/spoiler]
[b][b][font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4]Using Powers [/size][/color][/font][/b][/b](without needing menus in combat. Required for many advanced playstyles)
[spoiler]
To play any of the more advanced Spellsiphon playstyles you will almost always need to use at least 1 of the 4 special Spellsiphon Powers so let’s look at how to access them:
Open the Spellsiphoning Research book:
[list]
[*]Choose “Powers” -> “Learn Powers” -> “End Research”
[/list]
This will teach you Reverse, Rebalance, Reshape and Refocus. What each one does is explained in the other sections of this guide where they become relevant or in the Quick Reference at the bottom of this section. Right now though, we just need to know how to use them seamlessly without requiring menus and without stealing the equip slot away from Bind. The mod provides multiple options for this and you may choose whichever works best for you and your platform:
[size=4][b]1.[/b] [/size]You can make your Bind shout cast some of these Powers if you hold down the shout button. With this setting, quickly pressing and releasing the shout button will cast the Bind shout normally but holding it down will cast a Power instead. You configure this by using the Research book again:
[list]
[*]Choose "Bind" -> "Reverse" / “Rebalance" / "Reshape"
[/list]
Note that this will show an additional option afterwards regarding how Bind should behave when not holding Draw/Ward. You can set that however you wish.
[b][size=4]2.[/size][/b] If you have access to hotkeys of any kind (favorite hotkeys, hotkey mods) you can assign a Power to one of those. But this will change away from Bind right? Well, there's a solution for that too. Open the Research book:
[list]
[*]Choose "Focus" -> "Re-equip Bind on Power equip (Power will auto-cast)"
[/list]
This means pressing your hotkey will now immediately cast the Power without you having to also press your Shout/Power button and it means you will still have Bind equipped afterwards without needing to switch back manually. Note that this works on [b]any [/b]Power in the game, so it will simplify the use of other things as well, like racial skills.
[b][size=4]3.[/size][/b] Some mods provide ways to use powers without equipping them first.
[b][size=4]4.[/size][/b] If you only find yourself using a Power rarely (e.g. refreshing your Imbue effect) you can also assign it to your favorites, enable the Focus option from [b]2.[/b] and just quickly open the favorites menu and selecting it there (the Focus option will handle casting it and re-equipping Bind for you). It’s not menu-free but it’s still fairly convenient.
[b][b][font=Arial][size=4]Power Quick Reference
[/size][/font][/b][/b]You can come back later to look through this to remind yourself what the powers do. It's explained in the in-game descriptions too though.
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[*][b][b]Refocus[/b]: [/b]Re-equips you with Draw/Ward after casting external spells. Useful for combining Spellsiphon with other magic (see "Using other spells'").
[*][b]Reverse[/b]: Any hand holding Draw will now hold Ward and vice versa.
[*][b]Rebalance[/b]: Simply equips you with Draw and Ward. Bind can do this too but it is very contextual. Sometimes you will want to equip Draw/Ward when Bind wants to do something else.
[*][b]Reshape[/b]: Toggles your drawn spells between area-effect and single-target variants.
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[i]Reverse[/i], [i]Rebalance [/i]and [i]Reshape [/i]will toggle between two different Bound Weapon choices whenever one is summoned.
[i]Reverse [/i]and [i]Rebalance [/i]can Imbue elements if that is enabled (see "The Imbue System")
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[b][b][font=Verdana][color=#a2c4c9][size=4]The Imbue System [/size][/color][/font][/b][/b](recommended when using normal weapons)
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Whenever you use a weapon on the side of Spellsiphon, imbuing yourself with an element is highly recommended. It is also useful even when not using other weapons but you will then only be using a part of its advantages. This imbue effect is applied to [b]you[/b], not your weapon, so you can switch weapons freely without losing it. Due to its long duration, you will only rarely have to think about refreshing it unless you want to switch elements.
[b][size=4]What does it do?[/size][/b]
Once imbued, you will attune yourself to the element whenever you hit an enemy with any weapon (melee or ranged). This will greatly increase the rate at which you can perform elemental combos and gives you easy access to an element without having to Draw it. E.g. having World imbued removes the need to intentionally miss targets with Draw, having Death imbued removes the need for corpses and having Life imbued can give you easy access to it outside of combat. To Bind the element, you still need to Draw it though.
The imbue effect does not interfere with weapon enchantments, you can use both at the same time.
Hitting with an imbued physical weapon will also grant you Woven Power on hit on top of what you gain from performing combos. This extra effect can only occur once every 3 seconds.
Summoning a Bound Weapon while imbued will temporarily suppress the effect (as you would otherwise get infinite Discharge combos). When the Bound Weapon is put away, the imbue effect will reactivate.
Applying an Imbue effect or refreshing one you have will always attune you to the element immediately. This includes the re-application that occurs when putting away your Bound Weapon, meaning an imbued player will always get instantly re-attuned when returning to their spells or weapons after having used a Discharge Combo. This allows you to quickly perform an additional Discharge Combo by unsummoning and resummoning your weapon (if both your summoning charges arent on cooldown). It also helps you get a headstart in a new elemental combo chain. Finally, it can help you attune to an element in a more subtle and silent way than releasing a spell, which may help you sneaky people out there.
In addition to the above advantages, doing a power attack or bash (melee or bow) while imbued will summon a short-duration Warding effect that can help you defend yourself in a pinch when you dont have Ward equipped. You only need to swing for this to happen, the swing does not need to hit (again: nice to have for silent attunement). The "Weapon-Ward" has almost every feature of the normal one, including timed blocking and defense against melee, arrows and spells. It won't provide healing over time or lighting but you can still get a burst of healing from performing successful timed blocks (just like the normal Ward). Mastery of this mechanic may even allow you to forego using the normal Ward entirely. Do remember that hitting with a bash or power attack on a weak enemy normally staggers them before they can hit you, meaning you won't get the timed block effects.
Speaking of defenses, any imbued element will also grant you 25% increased resistance against it.
[b]Special behavior for staves: [/b]A staff does not actually need to hit to cause attunement. They only need to be fired. This advantage (and the fact that they are quick and ranged) is offset by not granting Woven Power in regular intervals and not being able to summon the Weapon-Ward.
[b]Special behavior for fists: [/b]Power Attacking with fists will cause attunement and summon the Weapon-Ward. However, simply hitting with fists will not grant Woven Power and will not cause attunement. This restriction is due to an engine limitation, it is not a design decision.
[b][size=4]How do I use it?[/size][/b]
To enable and use the imbue system, open the Research book:
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[*]Choose “Imbue” -> "When Reversing/Rebalancing" -> “Interrupt Power”
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Your “Reverse” or "Rebalance" power is the key to imbuing. See the “Using Powers” section for how to access those. Using one of those Powers when you have an element Drawn will now Imbue. If you dont have an element Drawn, you will perform the Power as normal. "Interrupt Power" means you will [i]only[/i] be Imbuing when that is possible, the normal effect of the Power will not apply. The other option will perform the Power's normal function in addition to Imbuing when that is possible.
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[center][size=5][b][color=#76a5af][font=Courier New]Complementary [/font][/color][/b][/size][b][color=#76a5af][font=Courier New][size=5]mods[/size][/font][/color][/b][/center][size=5][b][color=#76a5af]
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[*][url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/68425]Ordinator [/url]barely needs mentioning, it's the most popular perk overhaul out there. But I wanted to put it here to highlight how much it expands on Spellsiphon's possibilities since you are using almost every single perk tree in the game when doing the various combos. If you want to unlock tons of new mechanics as you level and get a unique combat experience on every new character, this mod is for you. A new variation from the same author called [url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/95938]Vokrii [/url]is also a great alternative for those that want a closer-to-vanilla experience with a less overwhelming amount of options.
[*][url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/52648]Individual Shout Cooldowns[/url] makes it possible to use your other Shouts without locking yourself out of a large part of this mod's abilities for the duration of the cooldown.
[*][url=https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/25077/]Followers Don't Draw Weapons[/url] can be nice to have due to the frequent switching of spells/weapons that you will be doing with this mod. Without it, followers will sheath and redraw their weapons every time you Draw or Bind outside of combat. Just note that it [i]may[/i] have some negative effects on AI (according to some mod comments).
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