Well the only difference from a pure mage would be that you would use armor and a weapon. If you use armor you don't need to pick up alteration for dragonflesh, but the thing is.. I didn't even get dragonflesh on my mage (I was going to) and then I completed the main quest line, point is - you don't even need the protection. (On master)

I didn't use conuration however, so if you are going to do so and you want to use weapons. I wouldn't pick up destruction at all.
You would basicly be a warrior with summons, a shadow knight if you will. But if you don't plan on dualcasting destruction then there is no point in getting it at all.

As my husband mentioned, I'm currently playing a cleric-type spellsword (spellshield?).

Dunmer
Destruction (frost, fire, shock, runes, etc.)
Restoration (turn undead, healing, etc. but I don't bother with the wards)
Heavy Armor
Block
One Handed (mace, though I'm not against using an ax)
Dabble in Enchant and Smithing

I do feel spread a bit thin in places, but overall I'm extremely happy with this build, though honestly I couldn't do it without a follower (currently I have Benor from Morthal, adorable brutish fighter guy who favors two handed weapons).

This character shines in being able to stagger opponents with shouts, shield bashes and power attacks with a mace. Favorite shouts are Unrelenting Force (but of course) and Disarm, which, even if it doesn't disarm some opponents, will still stagger them (not really high level or warded opponents though). I would also suggest Elemental Fury, though admittedly I haven't played with that shout as much as I should.

Conjuration, I imagine would replace the need for having a follower. I almost went that route, but I really wanted to pursue smithing, which is something I haven't played with enough in-game. Though, leveling it up is a slog.

I'm keeping health, and stamina even, with an edge to magicka (10 or 20 point lead). There are drawbacks to be sure, but so far (21 levels into it) I'm loving it.

Just a little bump for the thread, and a general question about armor.

I don't have a lot of experience at higher level play (highest I've gotten is 30 or so), so I don't know if Smithing should be a part of a battlemage build. My thought is, it would be a good way to ensure I have the armor/weapons I want without having to rely on random loot drops. But it is a lot of grinding.

Would I be fine ot just avoid Smithing altogether and use what I find, unimproved? I don't necessarily want to craft legendary gear; I just don't want to be stuck in steel for the whole game.

I don't think I've ever tried a Battlemage once. I guess my Argonian could be one, but he only shoots out fire because he thinks it's funny.

I would forego Smithing before I put any points in an armor tree. I haven't purchased an armor perk in 4 months for 17 out of 20 characters. I get smithing perks for every character because the great armor mods require the crafting skill.

I'm a Nord battlemage, and it is awesome

Great info here.
Just want to say if you are a battlemage you wear heavy armor. If you wear light armor you are something else, like a spell sword or whatever.
I like the oblivion model, HA and a hood.
What pisses me off is I haven't found a hood worth wearing or a decent plain one to enchant.
Anyone found a hood they like for a BM?
I have been enchanting circlets but to me they detract from the bad ass image for a dude.

Isn't that closer to a spellsoword?

A pure battlemage should use melee weapons only as a backup. I would pick heavy armor, block, destruction and restoration maybe conjuration for bound weapons and the occasional conjured creature to distract enemies. Restoration has some very useful perks that benefit both warrior types and pure mages. As for destruction, I think specializing only in one type of elemental damage is the way to go: fire and electricity are probably the best: I've a slight preference for lighting even if the high magika consumption will be an handicap in battles with multiple foes.

Well, first off - it's called a Spellsword. A Battlemage wraps himself in heavy armor but only uses magic for damage.
And I play a Spellsword. Word of advice: unless you plan on switching to another playthrough on around level 30, you need to mod the game heavily to enjoy it. Destruction damage becomes dismal past that point, and the lack of a way of blocking makes it super-hard to stay alive against the strongest opponents. I suggest using my mods (link below) or others that address this.

As for the build itself:
One-Handed - specialized in swords and dual-wielding (that rapid insta-kill power strike comes in handy sometimes)
Light Armor (you can go for heavy; doesn't matter in the end-game)
Block - bash subtree
Destruction - Master, Fire and Lightning, Dual Cast
Alteration - Master, all perks except Mage Armor
Restoration - stop at Adept, perks in Magicka regeneration and healing buffs, as well as Avoid Death
Smithing - Light subtree and Arcane Smith
Enchanting - All perks except Fire Enchanter, Frost Enchanter and Storm Enchanter

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Classes#Battlemage

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Classes#Spellsword

Well I guess in Skyrim's case the distinction is whether you use Conjuration or not.

Ok, since battlemage(spellsword) is essentially the only build i ever make let me give you some info.

My canon character, Breton, level 71, has invested perks into:-

One-handed
Light Armour
Alteration
Destruction
Restoration
Conjuration
Smithing
Enchanting

This seem like a lot to you? If so prepare to be amazed. From large amounts of experimenting i have managed to elimate a number of worthless perks(this game is fuli of them) and optimise my build.

Firstly i specialised in every element, including the special perk for each. Went up to adept destruction and no furthur, i did this for all the magic schools. Reason being by the time you are able to unlock expert perks(skill level 75), your enchating should be maxed by then, so you can put spell cost reduction on your stuff, saving perks.

I use bound weapons and atronachs in conjuration, namely bound sword and bow. Bound sword was more useful for when i was still able to have my weapon disarmed and bound bow because with the respective perk its OP. cont.

For the most part it's the same as mine if you swap Conjuration with Block, and distribute the perks differently.

Like I said, this type of character can vary...a lot. I still see mine in Heavy Armor and Hoods. I see a Spellsword as wearing Light Armor, Sword in one hand and a spell readied in the other. Kind of like a nimble Swashbuckler that throws a fireball ever so often.

Cont...

With the disintergrate perk, atronachs are more useful to me lol, obvious reason is obvious.

Alteration :bow:

Used to increase my magic resist as a Breton, gives me the ability to talk smack against dragons and mages. Paralyse is the real reason though. especially mass paralayse, watch the forsworn just fall down around you. I dont take the atronach though, as an atronach user, it would be nooby of me.

Restoration is self explanotary, i avoid ward absorb, i think its bugged, even at full power it does nothing for me. Oh yes, i avoid rune master perk, so useless except for putting runes next to dragur coffins, but i got atronachs, come at me bro.

Light armour and smithing to get the best out of chillrend and to move faster. I chose frost argumentation perks to increase its damage.

Enchanting, nothing needs to be said.

Also, only take 1/2 if the summoner perks, it would be wasteful otherwise. I have 10 levels and 9 perks left, might put them into archery or something.

I would recommend the Dragon hide alteration spell obtained after reaching level 90 and completing the ritual spell. It ignores 80% of physical damage for 30 seconds. Just use four pieces of armor with fortify alteration enchant ment, allows you to cast alteration free of magicka each piece giving 25 percent discount.

Yeah, that's about what I thought as I constructed my Spellsword.

Or you can just rely on Smithing and Enchanting to get past the Armor cap which is 85% damage reduction anyways.

I found a yellow, unenchanted hood from a thief wandering in the wild. Wish you could find a black hood to match with the master robes besides the apprentice hood. You can just use a hat if you hate circlets

To me a battlemage would be an offensive schooled mage (destruction for example) more suited for direct combat then a classic mage due to wearing armor.

To me a spellsword is like a Herald of Xotli in Age of Conan (maybe somone will know what I'm talking about) that uses robes and swords, in this case a two handed sword and channels his magic thru the sword.

"Wielding demonic hellfire coupled with a mastery of monstrous axes and imposing swords, the Herald is a force to be reckoned with. The Herald can choose to master the flame, the blade, or to master neither but be adept at both."

For example Pillar of Infernal Flame:
Using their sword as their focus, they stab it into the earth at their feet and call forth the fires of hell in a great pillar of flame.

This type of spellsword is probably the most interesting and fun class I have ever come across, a shame no other game have had something similar. I always try to create one, but the right tools are never there to do so.

why go Nord when you get a racial bonus on Restoration and Destruction with an Imperial?

Imperial Battlemage (like the ones at the Arcane University) in full Ebony knight's armor (keeping up the stats) and using destruction and restoration instead of the Imperial soldiers using one-handed and shield

Racial bonuses have little meaning after level 5. Any race is good, but the Altmer is hard to look away from when you see that extra 5 levels of Magicka the can equate to 5 extra levels of Health. That is impressive for any character that uses magic.

Nordic frost resistance is nice, though, especially if you plan to face a lot of draugr or necromancers.

Altmer is obviously a great choice for mages; maybe even for battlemages, who are necessarily torn between attributes on level up. Still, I don't really like Altmers.

My current chracter is a Breton battlemage,TBH if you already had a spellsword characters there isnt much difference between the 2,other then light armor for SS,and heavy fo BM.

Im @ level 22,now,destruction,restoration,enchanting,smithing,heavy armor,one handed.He also dabbles in alteration,just minor spells.He is a tank!

I somewhat miss the old system of Oblivion where the heavier the armor, the lower your spell effectiveness. It never was anything drastic, the lowest I saw it go was 80% or something, but it was still cool IMO. It really encouraged you to wear clothes or a mage robe. That's why I rock a Chainmail Cuirass but a Mythic Dawn hood.
I decided to make a battlemage yesterday in Oblivion and I am absolutely LOVING how I can have a sword in one hand, a shield in the other, but I can STILL cast my Choking spell from Spell Tomes, AND I have heal minor wounds, flare and a shield spell on hotkey so I N-E-V-E-R have to pause the game!

Favorites system be damned, it's the bane of mages everywhere!

FWIW, my vision of a battlemage matches pretty well with what is given in the Prima strategy guide for Skyrim. I would say Heavy Armor and Destruction for sure, with Restoration and One-handed thrown in as well. The battlemage would wear heavy armor but primarily use Destruction magic, switching to melee weapon as Magicka runs dry.

A spellsword in my mind is much like Senor Cinco describes - One-handed (sword) with Destruction, both being used simultaneously. Whereas the battlemage would tend to just tank the damage, a spellsword would be more mobile, dodging in and out while casting and slashing.

Senor Cinco, I'm not sure if I am interpreting your post correctly - do you think a battlemage should use Smithing, or avoid it and use Enchanting instead? I'm still torn. Smithing would allow me to craft exactly what I need, but it really has limited use in a way. Once your Heavy Armor skill gets high enough, having ubercrafted heavy armor doesn't make much difference. Ditto for weapons. But if you don't take Smithing, there's little likelihood of you seeing Daedric weapons or Dragonbone armor.

Enchanting would have more broad applications, allowing a battlemage to decrease casting cost, increase skills, increase resistance to magic... so it seems the more practical choice. But I've never made Dragonbone armor, dammit!