Mages only, warriors... stay out!

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Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
Well in the early levels with my mages I do one of three things: I either sneak a lot, keep a tank follower with me, or summon Atronachs. Most mages are at first going to be a little squishy so you have to find ways around that until they're strong enough to be on their own.
While they're at this stage I will usually pump stat points into health so they can take a few hits if need be. Usually I do like, 2 health-1 magicka in the early stages, then when they have a satisfactory amount of health or a decent arsenal of spells, I'll put everything into magicka, and if necessary use fortify magicka items in the meantime, though that rarely is necessary.
I like to start practicing Enchanting pretty early on, and if I'm playing a mage who uses any type of weaponry or armor, I'll work on Smithing too. It's a lot easier to level them both if you practice from level 1 onward. I do the typical making leather bracers for Smithing and I'll practice Enchanting on the cheap rings and necklaces I pick up while questing. Works pretty well.
The only "tricks" I really know of are to get Vampire Royal armor ASAP - that stuff is awesome for any mage. And to level up Alteration. Alteration IMHO is even more underestimated than Restoration in Skyrim and it really shouldn't be. You get access to all kinds of cool stuff, like Paralyze and it's super easy to level, just constantly cast Flesh spells before entering battle, it'll level up like crazy.
And of course Alchemy is a must on any of my characters but especially my mages. You can make all sorts of potions to go with just about any spell and make it stronger, not to mention you can make your own health potions and make a lot of coin, which is pretty necessary for mages. Spell tomes and robes don't come cheap lol.
That's about all I can think of for the moment. :) Hope it helps.


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I usually do 200 in health and then the rest in magicka for a pure mage, you?

For my spellswords I keep it even between the two.

I've always wondered about upping stamina on such builds. What's the point? On warriors w/power attacks, sure, but mages and spellsword/assassins? Why?
 
I usually do 200 in health and then the rest in magicka for a pure mage, you?

For my spellswords I keep it even between the two.

I've always wondered about upping stamina on such builds. What's the point? On warriors w/power attacks, sure, but mages and spellsword/assassins? Why?

I usually do about the same, give or take. If they start dying too often I will sometimes put a few more into health. My battlemage main has like, 300 health and about 400+ magicka with enchanted gear. But she can solo now no problem. :)
As for stamina, well if you like to sell a lot of stuff and make coin that way like I do, or if you like to bring things back to your house to use or display later on like I also do, it's a good idea to put a few points into it so you can carry more.
Again, my battlemage has an unusual amount of stamina for a mage, but it's so she can switch to the bow and use Eagle Eye with no worries and so she can carry a lot more stuff. Again it makes it easier to solo - no follower needed to act as a pack mule nine times out of ten, and that tenth time only happens if I'm going on a dungeon binge and hitting a few at a time or delving into a Dwarven ruin where I won't see daylight for a while.
So that's my reasoning anyways. :D


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Lady Redpool the Unlifer

Pyro, Spirits Connoisseur, and Soulless Anarchist
Can u tell me if you are wearing armour? I wasnt using staffs tough... nvm
I wasn't using armor. This kind of build really just screamed for robes, no penalty to sneaking, great benefits for a mage on most of them so I didn't have to worry about enchanting early on, plus the fact that this character can't look any better than he does in a black robe with a worn shrouded hood and thalmor gloves/boots(all self enchanted of course, this was his end-game gear!!!)
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
I usually do 200 in health and then the rest in magicka for a pure mage, you?

For my spellswords I keep it even between the two.

I've always wondered about upping stamina on such builds. What's the point? On warriors w/power attacks, sure, but mages and spellsword/assassins? Why?

I usually do about the same, give or take. If they start dying too often I will sometimes put a few more into health. My battlemage main has like, 300 health and about 400+ magicka with enchanted gear. But she can solo now no problem. :)
As for stamina, well if you like to sell a lot of stuff and make coin that way like I do, or if you like to bring things back to your house to use or display later on like I also do, it's a good idea to put a few points into it so you can carry more.
Again, my battlemage has an unusual amount of stamina for a mage, but it's so she can switch to the bow and use Eagle Eye with no worries and so she can carry a lot more stuff. Again it makes it easier to solo - no follower needed to act as a pack mule nine times out of ten, and that tenth time only happens if I'm going on a dungeon binge and hitting a few at a time or delving into a Dwarven ruin where I won't see daylight for a while.
So that's my reasoning anyways. :D


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Interesting. I almost never use stamina at all (don't run away and don't use eagle eye at all, so it's pointless for me). On this build I've gotten the steed stone and the TG bonus so my carry capacity is at 500 anyhow, although I never fill up that much. What with making magic daggers, the only thing I ever collect anymore are gems, jewelry and the occasional very high value item. Besides, there aren't any vendors out there, even with the 2K speech perk, that can keep up with my selling needs, so I just end up with endless crap cluttering up my homes. Besides, on a build like this, by level 10 I'm running at about 20K, by level 20 100K and by level 40 over 1MK, so gold is never an issue for me. It's only an issue on my mages since enchanting is such a slow grind without any weapons and only that piss-poor spell.

Me, I usually quit on health at about 300 and just build magicka after that. 300 is more than sufficient on almost any build for me. On a warrior I might top out at 500 in health and build the rest in to Stamina though, just cause I like 2 handed power attacks. :)
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
Can u tell me if you are wearing armour? I wasnt using staffs tough... nvm
I wasn't using armor. This kind of build really just screamed for robes, no penalty to sneaking, great benefits for a mage on most of them so I didn't have to worry about enchanting early on, plus the fact that this character can't look any better than he does in a black robe with a worn shrouded hood and thalmor gloves/boots(all self enchanted of course, this was his end-game gear!!!)
I hate those robes. Ugly, ugly. So how do you come up with cash for your spell books? Are you using a mule or something? As a mage, you don't have much of a carry capacity. My mage has come to depend on smithing jewelry and using the transmute spell.
 

Papoy

DON'T EXPECT SPOILER WARNINGS FROM ME
Oh, i hate those robes too, but if im gonna be dracula, i gotta look a part, and oh, i completly forgot on thalmor gloves, theyre so coool!!! im wearing classic gloves now, cuz those grey-skinned hands, are just gross. Btw, i reccomend at least 400 hp on mage, draugur deathlors use ebony bows and arrows witch can kill u instatly even with ebonyflesh and 290 hp, im speakin of experience. mages dO have much of carrying carpacity, if u stock all the potions at home and s gems, with all other needed items, it goes like 50 of 300, unless u are wearing armour without that steed stone.. or perk. Kay nek, i think i know what i need to do to make a Dracula now... cant wait to lvl that up!!!
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
Oh, i hate those robes too, but if im gonna be dracula, i gotta look a part, and oh, i completly forgot on thalmor gloves, theyre so coool!!! im wearing classic gloves now, cuz those grey-skinned hands, are just gross. Btw, i reccomend at least 400 hp on mage, draugur deathlors use ebony bows and arrows witch can kill u instatly even with ebonyflesh and 290 hp, im speakin of experience. mages dO have much of carrying carpacity, if u stock all the potions at home and s gems, with all other needed items, it goes like 50 of 300, unless u are wearing armour without that steed stone.. or perk. Kay nek, i think i know what i need to do to make a Dracula now... cant wait to lvl that up!!!
I like using the Thalmor gloves, but not the boots. I can even see the hooded black robes sometimes, but usually go with college robes until I can get mourner's clothes and the dark brotherhood hood (not the mask). That makes a cool look. That way I'm in all black.

I usually end up defaulting to Arch Mage Robes, fur lined boots and regular gloves on my pure mage and Vampire armor, gauntlets and vampire or dark brotherhood hood for my spell swords. Occasionally I'll also use Morokei, but only on male spellswords. It's too big for a females head.
 

Ahrolkah

Dovah Do Brom
I tried playing a full mage once (an argonian, only spell robes and nothing but magic), but alas, I kept getting killed over and over again. Especially since it was an un-modded playthrough.

I eventually caved. Now I'm a spellsword, once again. I keep falling into the spellsword class. I was a spellsword in oblivion, and I was one on my main skyrim playthrough.

I don't know how people go without armor. I know they probably use some real nice alteration spells, but I can't play without armor. I always die. Always. Especially with those vanilla spells. Oakflesh/stoneflesh only lasts 60 seconds in vanilla. Thank god I play PC. Console players who go full mage are hard-core.
 

Janus3003

Skyrim Marriage Counselor
1412046797154.jpg

NICE WAND, MILK DRINKER!
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
I tried playing a full mage once (an argonian, only spell robes and nothing but magic), but alas, I kept getting killed over and over again. Especially since it was an un-modded playthrough.

I eventually caved. Now I'm a spellsword, once again. I keep falling into the spellsword class. I was a spellsword in oblivion, and I was one on my main skyrim playthrough.

I don't know how people go without armor. I know they probably use some real nice alteration spells, but I can't play without armor. I always die. Always. Especially with those vanilla spells. Oakflesh/stoneflesh only lasts 60 seconds in vanilla. Thank god I play PC. Console players who go full mage are hard-core.
You are right that you're kind of squishy, and it isn't easy as a solo (or even with a follower since you'll end up killing them), but the flesh spells seem to last long enough for me, especially with perks. My mages always end up sneaky until I get to master level destruction and I'll admit that I do, occasionally have to pull out my trusty dagger, although I'm loathe to do it. I think the only way to do it right is to be master level Illusionist as well as whatever else you are if you don't like followers or conjured beings and use the pacify and hysteria spells regularly (or course fury and frenzy are fun too, but they can turn on you) to keep groups in control. Since I'm on console, I've gotten used to playing the vanilla version.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
1412046797154.jpg

NICE WAND, MILK DRINKER!
10 seconds later your vehicle blows up and all you and all your compatriots are piles of ash in the middle of the street from being spammed with chain lightning and the disintegrate perk. Nice try weiners, but your little pointy stick just ain't gonna cut it with me. Maybe a good dose of hysteria will get you to crash in to a building and save me the trouble of wasting the energy to kill you myself.
 

Papoy

DON'T EXPECT SPOILER WARNINGS FROM ME
I tried playing a full mage once (an argonian, only spell robes and nothing but magic), but alas, I kept getting killed over and over again. Especially since it was an un-modded playthrough.

I eventually caved. Now I'm a spellsword, once again. I keep falling into the spellsword class. I was a spellsword in oblivion, and I was one on my main skyrim playthrough.

I don't know how people go without armor. I know they probably use some real nice alteration spells, but I can't play without armor. I always die. Always. Especially with those vanilla spells. Oakflesh/stoneflesh only lasts 60 seconds in vanilla. Thank god I play PC. Console players who go full mage are hard-core.

It aint THAT hard, though it is annoying... that constant sapped magica in early lvls, so u can try with lower dificulties simply to catch that "mage tempo" witch requires running like a coward once enemies get close, insted of standing in place pretending to be a super-hero killing ppl while they try to kill him (witch warriors do).
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
I tried playing a full mage once (an argonian, only spell robes and nothing but magic), but alas, I kept getting killed over and over again. Especially since it was an un-modded playthrough.

I eventually caved. Now I'm a spellsword, once again. I keep falling into the spellsword class. I was a spellsword in oblivion, and I was one on my main skyrim playthrough.

I don't know how people go without armor. I know they probably use some real nice alteration spells, but I can't play without armor. I always die. Always. Especially with those vanilla spells. Oakflesh/stoneflesh only lasts 60 seconds in vanilla. Thank god I play PC. Console players who go full mage are hard-core.

It aint THAT hard, though it is annoying... that constant sapped magica in early lvls, so u can try with lower dificulties simply to catch that "mage tempo" witch requires running like a coward once enemies get close, insted of standing in place pretending to be a super-hero killing ppl while they try to kill him (witch warriors do).
Of course that's one of the reasons my pure mages are almost always Altmer (the extra 50 + 30 w/the hood, 80 really helps) and I take the base perks asap to reduce cost by 1/2. Besides, it really doesn't take that much to destroy enemies at low levels (unless, of course you're playing on one of those difficulties where your enemies do inordinately more damage to you than you do to them (not an issue if you pick up a follower right off the bat - like the elf in Riverwood), but it still makes it tough for a mage. That's why, until about level 10, I never play a mage above adept unless I intend to run from every encounter.

Suffice to say... Distance is your friend when playing a mage.
 

Ahrolkah

Dovah Do Brom
I tried playing a full mage once (an argonian, only spell robes and nothing but magic), but alas, I kept getting killed over and over again. Especially since it was an un-modded playthrough.

I eventually caved. Now I'm a spellsword, once again. I keep falling into the spellsword class. I was a spellsword in oblivion, and I was one on my main skyrim playthrough.

I don't know how people go without armor. I know they probably use some real nice alteration spells, but I can't play without armor. I always die. Always. Especially with those vanilla spells. Oakflesh/stoneflesh only lasts 60 seconds in vanilla. Thank god I play PC. Console players who go full mage are hard-core.

It aint THAT hard, though it is annoying... that constant sapped magica in early lvls, so u can try with lower dificulties simply to catch that "mage tempo" witch requires running like a coward once enemies get close, insted of standing in place pretending to be a super-hero killing ppl while they try to kill him (witch warriors do).
I'm already lvl 19-20 right now, and i'm mostly destruction magic, but I have a mod which gives a really kick-ass alteration spell that I'm using constantly, so my Alteration skill might be higher.

I do use dawnbreaker from time to time though. Useful as hell against undead.

And instead of tanking my hits, I'm having Derkeethus do that for me instead. Except he sucks at his job. Lydia kept glitching, so I couldn't have her do my tanking for me.
 

Ahrolkah

Dovah Do Brom
It aint THAT hard, though it is annoying... that constant sapped magica in early lvls, so u can try with lower dificulties simply to catch that "mage tempo" witch requires running like a coward once enemies get close, insted of standing in place pretending to be a super-hero killing ppl while they try to kill him (witch warriors do).
Of course that's one of the reasons my pure mages are almost always Altmer (the extra 50 + 30 w/the hood, 80 really helps) and I take the base perks asap to reduce cost by 1/2. Besides, it really doesn't take that much to destroy enemies at low levels (unless, of course you're playing on one of those difficulties where your enemies do inordinately more damage to you than you do to them (not an issue if you pick up a follower right off the bat - like the elf in Riverwood), but it still makes it tough for a mage. That's why, until about level 10, I never play a mage above adept unless I intend to run from every encounter.

Suffice to say... Distance is your friend when playing a mage.


My main playthrough, who's about Lvl 60 is actually an Altmer. I actually started out as a Sword/shield type (I was really stupid back then and didnt understand racial bonuses/perks) but I started leaning more towards magic until I was a spellsword.

Yeah, I usually do keep my distance when fighting people on my Argonian guy, but dragons... thats a different story. I remember I almost got killed by one and I booked it. Jumped into a river and let he current carry me all the way to windhelm. Hell, i fell down 3-4 waterfalls on my way there. The dragon kept up and kicked my ass, though.

That was when I realized that I wasn't cut out for a mage, and started wearing some armor. Its more like mage armor but i don't think it detracts too much from my mage-ness.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
It aint THAT hard, though it is annoying... that constant sapped magica in early lvls, so u can try with lower dificulties simply to catch that "mage tempo" witch requires running like a coward once enemies get close, insted of standing in place pretending to be a super-hero killing ppl while they try to kill him (witch warriors do).
Of course that's one of the reasons my pure mages are almost always Altmer (the extra 50 + 30 w/the hood, 80 really helps) and I take the base perks asap to reduce cost by 1/2. Besides, it really doesn't take that much to destroy enemies at low levels (unless, of course you're playing on one of those difficulties where your enemies do inordinately more damage to you than you do to them (not an issue if you pick up a follower right off the bat - like the elf in Riverwood), but it still makes it tough for a mage. That's why, until about level 10, I never play a mage above adept unless I intend to run from every encounter.

Suffice to say... Distance is your friend when playing a mage.


My main playthrough, who's about Lvl 60 is actually an Altmer. I actually started out as a Sword/shield type (I was really stupid back then and didnt understand racial bonuses/perks) but I started leaning more towards magic until I was a spellsword.

Yeah, I usually do keep my distance when fighting people on my Argonian guy, but dragons... thats a different story. I remember I almost got killed by one and I booked it. Jumped into a river and let he current carry me all the way to windhelm. Hell, i fell down 3-4 waterfalls on my way there. The dragon kept up and kicked my ass, though.

That was when I realized that I wasn't cut out for a mage, and started wearing some armor. Its more like mage armor but i don't think it detracts too much from my mage-ness.
Yeah, regardless of my race, when I play a spellsword, by level 60 I'm usually almost purely magic. Since I don't use followers, I can never have a tank, although I'll use antronachs (can't stand dremora - just too loud for my taste). As I said in another thread, I do have my pure mage altmer that I'm also playing through, but that dern Orc at the college is trying to send me to Broken Ore at level 27 as a solo mage to retrieve a book so I've set her aside for a few.
I use a lot of flesh spells on my pure mages since the 3X on ebonyflesh really kicks a**, but my spellswords almost always end up in vampire armor (usually the 150% regen one) along with a bunch of skill cost reduction augments. I do still like to pull out a little dragon bone weaponry once in a while though. Nothing better than a throat slit with a paralyze/health drain dagger ya know. :)
 

Ahrolkah

Dovah Do Brom
That vampire armor sure kicks ass. My altmer spellsword is using it 90% of the time.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
That vampire armor sure kicks ass. My altmer spellsword is using it 90% of the time.
I have a lot of trouble finding the really good stuff until above level 40, but, at least I can get the Royal by about level 10 when I make it to the castle. That, at least does 125%.
 

Lady Redpool the Unlifer

Pyro, Spirits Connoisseur, and Soulless Anarchist
Can u tell me if you are wearing armour? I wasnt using staffs tough... nvm
I wasn't using armor. This kind of build really just screamed for robes, no penalty to sneaking, great benefits for a mage on most of them so I didn't have to worry about enchanting early on, plus the fact that this character can't look any better than he does in a black robe with a worn shrouded hood and thalmor gloves/boots(all self enchanted of course, this was his end-game gear!!!)
I hate those robes. Ugly, ugly. So how do you come up with cash for your spell books? Are you using a mule or something? As a mage, you don't have much of a carry capacity. My mage has come to depend on smithing jewelry and using the transmute spell.
Alchemy my friend, I make money by making potions, doesn't even need perks or investment money or high levels to be profitable. Although, the transmute+jewellery trick IS a fantastic method which I have used, I find that I typically don't have the patience(but I will try on this next character) for that method.
 

Lady Redpool the Unlifer

Pyro, Spirits Connoisseur, and Soulless Anarchist
I tried playing a full mage once (an argonian, only spell robes and nothing but magic), but alas, I kept getting killed over and over again. Especially since it was an un-modded playthrough.

I eventually caved. Now I'm a spellsword, once again. I keep falling into the spellsword class. I was a spellsword in oblivion, and I was one on my main skyrim playthrough.

I don't know how people go without armor. I know they probably use some real nice alteration spells, but I can't play without armor. I always die. Always. Especially with those vanilla spells. Oakflesh/stoneflesh only lasts 60 seconds in vanilla. Thank god I play PC. Console players who go full mage are hard-core.
We survive by 1.) Killing them before they kill us and 2.) Running away from fights we can't win.
Mages aren't bullheaded warriors or dishonorable assassins, they are intelligent individuals who know when to make a tactical retreat........usually letting the enemies walk into traps and other enemies.
 

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