In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, Destruction can be rather slow to level while you’re out adventuring, especially if you switched to Destruction after the beginning of the game.
Level Destruction on NPC’s That Won’t Die
There are several opportunities in the game to continually hit NPC’s that can’t die.
At the very beginning of the game, choose to follow Hadvar out of Helgen. When you first start following him in the keep, you can cast as many spells on him as you’d like to train Destruction and he’ll never die.
When you first join the Companions in Whiterun, they will take you outside to duel another member. They want you to hit him with a sword, so you can keep shooting him over and over with Destruction spells and he’ll just keep telling you to use a sword.
Level Destruction With Conjuration
One of the best ways to level Destruction without searching out caves and dungeons to fight in is by conjuring a servant to beat up on. Turn the difficulty up as high as you can, and onjure the cheapest servant you can, then proceed to pound them with Destruction spells until they die. Obviously this method is very taxing on magicka, so I suggest equipping as many Magicka Regeneration items as possible, as well as items that reduce the cost of Destruction and Conjuration costs. Once your magicka is depleted, rest for an hour and repeat the process. Don’t forget to turn the difficulty back down, or you may be surprised by the next real enemies you fight.
Level Destruction With Pickpocketing
If you’re ok using a rather “cheap” method to level Destruction extremely fast, then simply find a Destruction skill trainer, buy a skill point, then pickpocket the money back. Faralda in The College of Winterhold, and Wuunferth the Unliving at the Palace of Kings in Windhelm are both Destruction trainers.
This trick is only effective up to 51 skill points unless you have a pickpocketing skill of 100, since after 51 skill points the cost is increased by 1000 gold, making pickpocketing much more difficult.
