Best element and secondary school for pure mage

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Huntagalos

Member
My new High Elf pure mage is only a level 5 and uses mainly destruction so far. What element should I use? Fire? Lightning? Also what should my secondary school of magic be? I have narrowed it down to illusion and conjuration (Besides restoration) but which one of those two should I focus on for now? Eventually I want to get to all the schools but thats not until later.
 

thalmor advisor

A high ranking thalmor agent and advisor
I personally like to use the element of ice. There is no best element, each element has its advantages and disadvantages. Frost is good against enemies who fight with a melee weapon, but it is weak against nords and vampires. Fire is a good all around type and is good against vampires, but it is weak against dark elves. Shock is good against mages because however much damage an enemy takes, you lose half of the damage you took in health to magicka, lowering a mages magicka. Its only disadvantage is that it costs the most magicka. But I like ice and fire but there is the occasional shock spell. Illusion is good because it has invisibility and muffle but you need a skill of 70 for invisibility. You can also use spells to calm enemies, make them run away, or fight each other. Conjuration is good at the because you can summon enemies to fight for you while you can heal, fight, ect. But i would chose conjuration because you can summon weapons and conjure daedra​
 

jsutiv

New Member
With my mage I just made I am going for a sneaky battle mage type. He will be using heavy armor except for a hood just because I think hoods look cool. And he will use destruction in one hand mostly fireballs and frost, lightning for mages and dragons. In the other hand he will carry either a bound sword or daedric sword. He will use both conjuration for double demora lords/storm thralls, and illusionmagic for queit casting and invisibility. I think I will be able to sneak effectivly in heavy armor with the muffle enchantment and the right perks. So strategy would be sneak in cast your demora lords assassinate a few guys then start hurling fireballs at the rest. With no sneak or illusion you pretty much just run in cast your summons then start hurling fireballs (or which ever magic you want).
 

thalmor advisor

A high ranking thalmor agent and advisor
Thats
With my mage I just made I am going for a sneaky battle mage type. He will be using heavy armor except for a hood just because I think hoods look cool. And he will use destruction in one hand mostly fireballs and frost, lightning for mages and dragons. In the other hand he will carry either a bound sword or daedric sword. He will use both conjuration for double demora lords/storm thralls, and illusionmagic for queit casting and invisibility. I think I will be able to sneak effectivly in heavy armor with the muffle enchantment and the right perks. So strategy would be sneak in cast your demora lords assassinate a few guys then start hurling fireballs at the rest. With no sneak or illusion you pretty much just run in cast your summons then start hurling fireballs (or which ever magic you want).
Thats like what i do, might i reccommend the invisibility spell from illusion. You will be so much sneakier
 
I use all 3 Elements, depending on the Build, and the Target.

Fire: Costs the least magicka, and it's secondary effect is more damage. As it's Damage over Time, you can hit them over, and over to stack it up, and kill them faster. Altercasting (What i call it) or charging one spell while you release another is extremely effective with Firebolts, because it's literally Rapid Fire. I use this more than Impact to finish fights quickly without running myself dry.

Frost: Drains Stamina as a secondary effect, so not only can't Warriors Power Attack, but Trolls (Even Frost Trolls, which are resistant) can't attack at all. Also, Ice Storm can hit the most mobs per casting, so you can spread the love furster, and get decent Magicka efficiency with enough enemies. All Frost also has a Tertiary effect, which Slows enemies so they're easier to hit, and stay away from. Wall of Frost is the best way I know to defeat Dragons once they're grounded, because you can hose their entire footprint, and they can't take off 9Even Frost Dragons) without Stamina. You have 2 hands, so you can also double your DPS with Fire, or Shock Walls.

Ligtning Drains Stamina, and is a Hit-Scan, meaning it doesn't have a travel lag, but draws a line from you hand, and hits whatever's in it's way instantly. This means you don't have to lead moving targets. It's the rarest Resistance in the game, so if you want a beat-all element, this comes closest. With Disintegrate, you lower the target's Resistance, Health, and Armor, which is great to combo with Critical Charge, or other attacks. And finally Lightning Storm is the most powerful spell in the game, if you have the time, and Magicka to cast it.

As for Secondary Schools:

Conjuration takes over when Destruction reaches it's low damage cap (Compared to weapons.) Flaming Familiar is a complete replacement for Fireball, it's cheaper, self guided, and has a duration so you can recover the magicka from casting it. With it's the nastiest combo I know in pure spells. Summons take the heat off of you by tanking attackers, the Flame Atronach kites enemies around, and you can even Lightning Bolt her to explode (With a brief Lag.)

Alteration is adequate defense (If you don't mistake yourself for a tank and charge in like a berserker.) It's also got a lot of utility spells that help out. If you're looking for just 1 other school, this is probably it. Detect Life is nice to see the Sabercats before they Ambush you from behind, and Paralysis can give you a breather, or incapacitate enemies while you hose them down with Wall of Flames.

Illusion is fun for messing with people's heads. I have one that just uses this with Conjuration to get them fighting each other, send in summons to pound them, and break out the popcorn from the safety of Invisibility.

Restoration provides healing, and Wards to block Dragon Breath. Great perks for managing your stat recovery too (Magicka, Stamina, and Health.)

Hope that helps.
 

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