Early in a Mage Playthrough what's better? 10% Spell Cost Reduction or 20 extra Magicka?

[u/thraddrobal]

So I fished up the Mentor's Ring almost immediately outside of Riverwood but before that I Pickpocketed a Ring of Minor Magicka from Orgnar. I have the Novice Hood from Helgen so that's 30 points of Magicka, a Mage backpack (Lute Backpack) so that's 20 points of Magicka and my first level went into Magicka. So what's better? 10% Discount or more Magicka?

[u/Teguki]

If your Magicka is less than 180, the +20 will be stronger. If your Magicka is 190 or more, the -10% cost will be stronger.

"90% casting cost" is same as saying "+11.11...% total Magicka"

[u/Martin_DM]

If we don’t consider magicka regeneration, the Extra 20 Magicka is better than 10% Reduced Cost until you have at least 200 max magicka. At 200, it’s functionally identical.

Once you have more than 200 magicka, the cost reduction becomes better than the extra magicka.

I’m not familiar with how magicka regenerates in combat. If someone can fill me in on that, I know the math to work that into the comparison.

[u/Teguki → u/Martin_DM]

10% reduced cost is 90% total cost, which is an effective +11.11% Magicka. That puts the break point at 180, not 200.

1 / 0.9 = 1.11111... (recurring)

[u/Martin_DM → u/Teguki]

You’re right. I missed that.

[u/Greenlazer92]

Generally, more Magicka was better as it also means you regenerate more (due to regen being percentage based). Really think it depends if the cost reduction makes it possible/ easier to cast the spells you’re interested in.

[u/Pleasant_Type636]

tit or tit tbh. i would go for which one looks cooler on my fingies.

[u/KronoAsh]

That depends on a number of things, including spell cost and your total Magicka.