I loved Morrowind, but was a little underwhelmed by Oblivion. Needless to say, I've played both, a lot. Morrowind got years of playback...

My biggest problem in those games was that playing a pure mage seemed, well, not very likely. I always wound up as a hybrid, using enchanted glass armors and mostly focusing on blade with casting augments to assist the DPS.

When I first started looking at Skyrim, I was actually thinking 'hmm, will I have to do the same thing again'?

Nope. Skyrim makes playing a pure mage painless. As long as you aren't an idiot about it. No more 'need' for light armor, and sword/shield to live as a mage.

First off, my spec. I went destruction, full on. Dual casting + impact makes simulcasting firebolts is way OP. You can stunlock a dragon and burn it down without it being able to even touch you.. The combined dual casting is obscene for what it does.

I understand some are having issues as mages. Let me offer this. As soon as you finish the main quest in Whiterun that gets you to kill the dragon, head to winterhold. The college there is a mage's saving grace. By the time the quest line is complete, you will probably be between level 15 and 18 (i'm 17), and have gotten some amazing mage only gear. Including a -17% cost, +50 magika, +100% magika regen robe. A +100% magika regen mask. A vast amount of + majika items (I currently have a +50 majika neck, a +20 ring, a +20 set of gloves. ). And staves... a LOT of staves.

Yes, I have run out of manna in a tough fight, but only against bosses. A simulcast firebolt with the impact perk will almost 1 shot a cold cave bear for almost no mana with the right destruction percs. A ward in 1 hand with a DPS spell in the other let's you counter a lot of damage thrown at you while still being able to send some if you decide to play it balanced instead of full on dps.

Add a bound sword spell, and I never have to carry any weapon beyond staves in this game. Ever. I LOVE the magika regen as employed, and the fact that there isn't a gazillion spells. While it would be a little nice to have spellforging back, I don't miss it. How many variations on fireball or snowball spells do I need? The game has plenty. All we are losing in that realm is a cluttered spellbook.

Add regular use of shouts to your repetoire, and don't mind using the scrolls you pick up as mid fight utility to regain mana for a long boss fight.

Magic is fine, really, in Skyrim. In fact, I think Bethesda finally got going pure caster flat out right this time around and I'm absolutely loving it.