Damage for a mage... Archery as alternative to Destruction?

[DiagorasRadix]

When I am roleplaying a mage I prefer to wear robes and used perked Alternation skin buffs, use conjured allies as buffers, etc... but I find the damage of Destruction spells to be a bit wanting (and due to some ineptitude on my part with controllers, difficult to aim when hurried). I have also heard that Destruction damage does not scale well in later levels. I am thinking of rolling a mage that replaces perks in Destruction entirely with Archery (since that would allow me to avoid the increases to health I would need by going with melee). In order to maintain the feel of being a mage, I would probably try to get a Conjure Bow spell ASAP and use that most frequently. Can anyone think of some downsides to this that I might be overlooking?

 

[Onyx]

Hey,

The only things I can think of are

1. Does Conjured Bow benefit from the Archery Talents? (I am not sure so you might want to test this)
2. Increase your Stamina in order to use bow's effectively (not as much as a melee character would though).

I have heard the same about destruction, but I am playing a Pure Mage atm (lvl 20 only though) and find my damage to be good. I use conjuration (Frost Atronachs atm) and duel cast destruction spells with the 25% dmg increase to all elements (will get 50% increase soon!) and I find my damage is good. So far the game has been much easier than previous chars (Spellsword, Assassin and Tank).

That being said, I can imagine that 100% destruction would have a hard time competing with 100% melee weap + Legendary Weapon (probs around 100+ dmg per hit) but with a combination of high level Conjuration (2 x Dremora Lords/Storm Atronachs) + high level destruction spells I think it is still more than plausable to get by in the game. Might not do as much raw dmg as a melee char but still enough

My thoughts anyways...I will find out how it goes soon enough lol

 

[Warmech]

I would advise using both mage skills and archery they copliment eachother well.

Though focus on leveling up your spells though has they should be your priority when it comes to damage dealing and the archary second has you can get more shots off has the oppenent is trying to close the gap or trying to hit you.

 

[thraashman]

Well, the best thing about Mage spells at later level is dual casting if you take the perk that staggers opponents when dual casting. It interrupts the action of pretty much anyone, and if you're attacking with one of the Adept level area affect spells (Ice Storm and Fireball, and maybe Chain Lightning) you stagger almost everyone. As a result you can spam the area and kill things fast. The downside is that in most cases you'll still run out of mana fast. In my case I'm fortifying Destruction over 100% so all my spells cost 0.

 

[Jaeger]

I have the same ineptitude although with my wood elf ranger I can get off 5 shots with my bow with the slo-mo. Took 1 health to 3 stamina. My bretonian necromancer will hit them with a double charged lightening bolt from stealth and when they rush her, throw the sparks at em. Or hit em with a fear spell and get another lightening bolt in while they're cowering. And the lightening bolt is a cue to my zombie to begin.

 

[The Balance]

Someone mentioned it above. But as a mage, getting a reduction of casting cost (fortification) of destruction is absolutely critical. Free spells = win.

 

[Ebony Knight]

Big thing you need to ensure if you go this route is that you don't neglect your archery skill. How effective a character is with a bound weapon is based off of the actual weapon skill rather than conjuration. Wouldn't do you any good to conjure a super bow that you can't shoot.

 

[Onyx]

Just to confirm, if one fortifies Destruction over 100% spells costs 0?

Any idea where I can find the destruction enchant (or is it the same one on the mage robes, i.e Destro spells cost X amount less to cast?

 

[smokes420]

same one on the mage robes. ive only got novice and apprentice perks and my incinerate costs nothing. ive never seen a draugar deathlord turn heels and run so fast

 

[Onyx]

same one on the mage robes. ive only got novice and apprentice perks and my incinerate costs nothing. ive never seen a draugar deathlord turn heels and run so fast

Excellent!

 

[smokes420]

theres 2 different enchantments. ones a destro/magika regen, and the others just straight destruction

 

[Zedsded]

nice advice on the fortify destro enchants. i'll pursue that later. its also while i specialise archery as well. i generally sneak shot for 3x dmg and critical then dual lightning.
i noted while killing morokai aswell that he was extremly resistant to magic so it was nice to have a physical fall back plan...even if it did mean a bit of a benny hill chase seen around some pillars

 

[Onyx]

nice advice on the fortify destro enchants. i'll pursue that later. its also while i specialise archery as well. i generally sneak shot for 3x dmg and critical then dual lightning.
i noted while killing morokai aswell that he was extremly resistant to magic so it was nice to have a physical fall back plan...even if it did mean a bit of a benny hill chase seen around some pillars

LOL i can just imagine that with the music as well! Hahah CANT....STOP...LAUGHING!

 

[Zedsded]

hah, teah, it was pretty comical tbh. its a tactic thats helped me kill more than one badass i had no right to.

 

[Onyx]

haha the whole time the melody is in my head while picturing the epic fights fast forwarded lol

 

[Agincourt]

When I am roleplaying a mage I prefer to wear robes and used perked Alternation skin buffs, use conjured allies as buffers, etc... but I find the damage of Destruction spells to be a bit wanting (and due to some ineptitude on my part with controllers, difficult to aim when hurried). I have also heard that Destruction damage does not scale well in later levels. I am thinking of rolling a mage that replaces perks in Destruction entirely with Archery (since that would allow me to avoid the increases to health I would need by going with melee). In order to maintain the feel of being a mage, I would probably try to get a Conjure Bow spell ASAP and use that most frequently. Can anyone think of some downsides to this that I might be overlooking?

I've been playing a Desto mage, and finding it fairly frustrating tbh, seemed good for the first 10lvl's but now bandits have started to cook toast and marshmellows on my fire spells before proceeding to decapitate me, this is of course just after i've roasted Lydia alive after the daft bint got in the way of my well aimed fireball!!! might have to reroll as a Battlemage with some heavy armor!!! i think atm

.............saying that could rally roleplay here reload the save marry Lydia then proceed to kill me wife when she decides to shield the bandit.........hmm shame you can't insure your missus in game!

 

[Onyx]

I am currently lvl 21 on my mage and so far, so good. I am finding it "easier" than my melee characters thus far. My current tactic is to conjure a Frost Atronach to take the hits (and resummon as needed) while myself and Lydia pound them from range. Yes, it takes around 3-5 Duel Cast Adept Destro spells to kill them (less if we all target the same target) but that is ok by me. I do not expect to 1 hit Frost Trolls. Also, I am half a point away from getting lvl 60 Destro so I can get the 50% increase in Damage. Also looking to up my enchanting so I can lower the costs of destruction spells so I can start using Duel Cast Fireballs more often

 

[thraashman]

When you enchant stuff to fortify your Destruction I recommend doing the enchant that is only Fortify Destruction, not the one that also increases magic regen. If you get the fortification high enough you don't need the magic regen as you're using so little or perhaps even none. Also you can fortify higher if you're just doing that. I believe the pieces for fortifying Destruction are Ring, Necklace, Armor, Helmet. One of the Dragon Priest masks might be better than your own enchantment there, I can't remember.

And if you don't want do the Alchemy/Enchanting trick, I recommend going to Whiterun, saving outside the potion shop, then walking in and buying a potion from her. Quickload and redo this until she's selling a potion that I believe is Elixir of the Enchanter or possibly Philter of the Enchanter. I don't remember the name, but the best one she sells fortifies Enchanting at 25% for 30 sec, this is the same best I can currently make with 4 pieces of fortify Alchemy at 28% and all but the highest increase to Alchemy Perk. So a +25% fortify Enchanting is VERY good. It'll improve the strength of your fortify Destruction skill you add to your armor.

 

[Onyx]

When you enchant stuff to fortify your Destruction I recommend doing the enchant that is only Fortify Destruction, not the one that also increases magic regen. If you get the fortification high enough you don't need the magic regen as you're using so little or perhaps even none. Also you can fortify higher if you're just doing that. I believe the pieces for fortifying Destruction are Ring, Necklace, Armor, Helmet. One of the Dragon Priest masks might be better than your own enchantment there, I can't remember.

And if you don't want do the Alchemy/Enchanting trick, I recommend going to Whiterun, saving outside the potion shop, then walking in and buying a potion from her. Quickload and redo this until she's selling a potion that I believe is Elixir of the Enchanter or possibly Philter of the Enchanter. I don't remember the name, but the best one she sells fortifies Enchanting at 25% for 30 sec, this is the same best I can currently make with 4 pieces of fortify Alchemy at 28% and all but the highest increase to Alchemy Perk. So a +25% fortify Enchanting is VERY good. It'll improve the strength of your fortify Destruction skill you add to your armor.

Thanks for the tip! I am going to be grinding my enchanting this evening and will stock up on those potions when I am ready to make the enchants.

Thanks again!

 

[L3ftyrighty]

You're no longer a mage if you use a bow.