A few days ago I created an Altmer Mage that specializes in Destruction and Conjuration. This is my second Mage character, my first was a Breton that I retired after about 100 hours. I did a playthrough with my Breton in January. On this character, I've just reached Lv. 23 with about 15 hours into the game, and completed the College of Winterhold questline. Now I feel completely dull. What do I do from here? I basically have all the gear I need - good destruction enchants (80%) and Arniel's Shade. What do I have to look forward to? One more tier of the same exact spells with mildly varying sounds and animations that do slightly more damage and drain much more magicka than what they're worth? Maybe I am suffering from Skyrim Apathy but I honestly don't know what to do from here. I feel like I am not going to enjoy anything else on this character, because I don't see any other decent rewards to acheive from the rest of the game. What do I get out of pursuing the Companions, Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild? Besides a few Daedric quests, I really feel like I might retire my character now and start a more exciting one.

Does anyone else feel the same way about playing a Mage in Skyrim?

Absolutely.

I don't mean to be "Skyrim Apethetic" but the entire game seems dead on mostly any build. :/

I just can't wait till I have the $$$ to make the change to PC, hopefully the addition of modded content will make the game more enjoyable...

i, too, grew bored with skyrim and contemplated starting new with some older games. i decided to give it one last effort.

i planned and am in the process of creating my most powerful character yet: yes, a hybrid, lol. only the most powerful skills and perks. then, whenever i play the game i can play however i'd like and not be restricted, at all.

i've advocated separate builds, but, i still grew bored. this method has rejuvinated my skyrim gaming sessions and the fun is back!

as well, i can strictly rp with my DiD builds.

it worked for me.

You and me both.

Have to agree... tried a mage character once, much against my usual preference, was impressive at first, but as you level up it just becomes a nightmare of menu and potion management. While the mages guild questline promises great power and etc. (amidst all the other verbiage you put up with at the college) the career of a mage seems to end in only carpal-tunnel syndrome.

Unrewarding and fussy.

I'v been eager to try the mage simply because it looks like fun. However i'v heard many things about it either being over powered etc with enchants. I'd have to say the most fun i'v had so far is my Ranger, stealth character. Pretty much only uses the bow it's just so damn satisfying to 1-2 shot an enemy from the distance hidden.

Yes I find it quite boring because destruction is weak.

How did you first mage character last 100 hours, while you're getting bored of this one so quick? Perhaps it would be best to try a different class before returning to a mage character.

My first character when Skyrim first released was a pure Destruction mage. I only had a few points in Alteration for Mage Armor and a bit in Restoration for Magicka Regeneration. I was wearing robes and trying to maximize my Magicka Regeneration. I only use equipment I find or am given from a quest. I stopped playing this character as I felt weak and the regen was so slow during battle even with 400%+ Regen and all my attribute points into Magicka. I didn't know Stunlock was 100% and I thought it was just like how a bow staggers occasionally. I ended up just stunlocking with firebolt until things died. There was no variety of spells that were effective in the destruction tree. I love ice powers out of the three powers in game and unfortunately it's not as effective with all the frost resistance.

I am thinking of making another mage but instead of being pure Destruction, I might add some Conjuration (only elemental atronachs, as I think summoning dead would be evil), and maybe adding other spells from the other mage trees as well. I won't touch Alchemy and I think Enchanting isn't needed since I only use armor I find or am given.

Overall I wish Destruction was better by iteself and there was much more variety.

I've shelved my mage tonight.
I've enjoyed parts of it but i like being in the thick of it with a warrior class.

The college of Winterhold questline is the only one i have finished in this game and i thought it was pants.Far too short and just not that interesting.

The archmages robes look like something one of the village people would wear and theres just such a chronic lack of different robes and hood designs.

I'll be happy when i'm swinging a sword again.

Modded or not, the game is still shallow...Ten miles wide and one foot deep. This is why I have started playing Fallout 3 and Newe Vegas again. It's really sad too, because I got well over 1000 hours of of enjoyment out of Oblivion before I got tired of it. I've barely got over 300 hour in Skyrim and am already sick to death of it. Mods have not helped one iota.

Must be the lack of spell making, because when you use Destruction in Skyrim, all it is is: Apprentice Ice Fire Lightning same damage attacks, Adept Ice Fire Lightning same damage attacks and Expert Ice Fire Lightning same damage attacks. The variation is barely noticeable.

Man, I've got so many ways of fighting with my mage I can't even decide and end up stuck outside of caves wondering just how to handle what's inside. It's a lot more varied than sneakin' or stabbin', that's for sure.

A major game changer for me at least for my mage was race. I tried an altmer mage and got bored quickly, where as on my dunmer mage it's still fun even at level 40+.

Conjuration is fun for a while, and illusion can nicely be coupled with other builds but the others are dead.

Before I create a character, I always think of an endgame. Then when I've achieved that I save that character for when DLC comes out. I'm on my 6th character and there's still loads of content I haven't seen yet.

Maybe that's why my Breton made it past 100 hours.

Actually I feel the opposite. I never could get into being a pure mage in Morrowind and Oblivion even with the spell creation because I would always want to use weapons too. In Skyrim though with the runes and the 'wall of' spells though as well as the normal ones I actually am having fun with 2 pure mage characters. Although I do wish there were more spells in general.

I can't play a mage. I just can't. I'll fall back on Restoration if I'm low on health potions, maybe summon an atronach once in a while, but pure mage? Nah. I tried it once with a Dunmer, but somehow the sight of her holding her hands out while her opponents relentlessly hacked at them... *shudders* I'm not generally a squeamish sort, but I can't imagine why any mage who values her fingers would shove them in the path of a sharp object. Perhaps I'll try a Conjuration-heavy playthrough and just my toon cower in a corner while a zoo of summoned creatures do the dirty work, but I just can't take that defenseless fingers V.S. sword action. Nope.

A Spellsword type character, no but a Pure Mage is definitely boring.


I'm in the same boat as well, even with Vanilla Oblivion I could put Hundreds of hours into that game and it won't get old. I'm close to 400 with Skyrim and I'm not as into it as I was with Oblivion, the only way I can keep the game new and fresh is if I roleplay a character instead of playing the game naturally.

I think that mages on the game would be fun. But because I've seen them before on other elder scrolls games and the potential they have. i.e. More variety of spells, spellmaking etc. I find them kinda boring on Skyrim

I also hate that you can't block if you use spells. I've turned to alchemy for healing as I don't like not having a weapon or shield to put up when enemies are slashing my character.

I play a mix of Warrior and Mage (only Alteration, Restoration and Enchanting, although with some modded spells like Teleportation). Lots of fun with it, and the perfect excuse to do both the Companions and the College questlines, along with any warrior-related or mage-related quests.

while i disagree with your skyrim is dead attitude i can guarantee you that mods will enrich your game immensly hope you do make the change and not only for sky rim
To the OP what difficulty lvl are you playing , i ve been playing a mage for a while now and while i play on a pc and use mods , i still find that there are plenty of situations where my mage gets her ass kicked badly , while doing ithe same dungon/quest with a warrir type it is relative easy

Quite the opposite actually. I find my mage more fun than my warrior! Playing a robes-wearing conjuration/restoration/destruction, 125 hours in. Please don't take me as a fan-boy who desperately defends anything, this is my honest opinion.