I guess im an old fashion AD&D rule player. Im used to mages being cloth users and if you gear them up in anything else they get hampered spell vice.
Now in Skyrim you can use whatever armor you like and still cast spells.

So I dont have a clue how to gear up my mage. Should you go for full heavy armor battle mage? are there any penalties?
or do you stick to normal cloth that you enchant up... seeing that you can enchant up the heavy armor as well.. this really gets confusing.
Are there no penalties?

How do you gear up your mage?

Question regarding mage play style:
Im used to play the mage as a support role. You know, stay in the back and web;entangle;sleep;horror a group of enemies and then shot your biggest aoe spam spell.
How do you play your mage in Skyrim since you are always more or less in front. Dont seem to be able to root down my enemies and i end up spaming destruction spells.. and that does not really work well (it does at low lvl though)

Do you dabble in alchemy at all. Im a high user of healing spells since well im in front and im not really used to that.
I try to lvl up my enchanting.. as I love to be able to maximize my equipment for my own benefit. Then again im not sure on what type of equipment i should use on the mage.

*super confused* - please help a skyrim noob mage out!

Well, I use the Arch-Mage robes from the College of Winterhold. That's pretty much the best there is mage-wise, I think. At least, I haven't found anything better when it comes to cloth. Aside from that it's just enchanted jewelry, boots, and gauntlets.

As for playstyle, I tend to be in front. Mostly because my companion likes to run in front of my spells and get killed. I focus on normal destruction and restoration but wards can be very useful against other mages. The best thing to remember is that you can unlock dual wielding of certain spells to preform more powerful versions of them. x2 Spark, for instance, can tear through a Draugr Wright.

I do Alchemy any time I see an Alchemy table. Health and magicka potions are very useful when your character is the definition of squishy. I don't do enchantment myself, but I have a friend who has enchantment as his highest skill.

Overall I'm able to handle most challenges pretty well. I'm probably going to learn a few conjuration spells, though. Atronarchs help a lot.


Also: Hold on to scrolls you find. They've saved me more times than I can count.

Early Cloth is really good, with up to 75% extra magicka regen rate, which you actually feel in battle. Some early cloth findings also increase effectivness of certain spells. I'd go all cloth

I use a variety of armor on my mage.

I start with equipped armor that boosts my mana. Once I've drained my mana I switch to armor that boosts my mana regen or that decreases the cost of certain spells (destruction or whatever)

I think restoration, destruction, and conjuration are essential to any mage. Having a pet that can distract your enemies is crucial.

I although think alteration is crucial. The spell wards are great. Mana management is key though since alteration and restoration are both defensive.

I highly recommend the perk in restoration that increases mana regen 50 percent btw.

AND BUY AS MANA SPELLS AS YOU CAN!! If you get stuck go searching for new spells and try again

I'm wearing a Cloth hood and robes and Light Armor boots and bracers. I look like a mage and it's working so I'm going to stick with that unless something changes.

Archmage Robes, Morokei Mask, looking for some kind of Magicka boosting gauntlets, a Ring of Greater Magicka, and some quest amulet that gives 30 health/magicka/stamina.

I can't give you a good description of specific items since I havent found many artifacts, but I recomend magica fortify and regen as well as items that reduces the cost of spells from your most used schools.

well the robes from the collage of winter hold are really useful they increase your magic regen by 50% and decrease magic cost from a magic school of your choice by 12% latter you get apprentice level which enhance the same buy its 75% and 15% and then u get adept which is 100% magic regen bonus and 18% cost deduction
the hoods for these robes are 30%, 40%, 50% respectively the arch mages use these they are a great help and you can find the amulet of akatosh which is another 25% magic regen and rings can be enchanted for magic regen or extra max magic
as for potions i dont use the enhance magica because you have to charge it up anyway but you will be using magika potions for an instant boost
just focus on regen and you'll get by

Like LobsterBoy, just using Heavy Armor bracers and boots, which I enchanted to give me another small bonus. Right now I'm also playing around with Alteration Spells. Ogreflesh (or something like that) is quite nice at the moment. Looking forward for using the higher level protection spells in conjunction with that double-effect perk (forgot its name).

In combat I usually summon a trusted Flame Atronach and place a Rune at fitting locations. Else, I go with simple Destruction spells like Flame bolt. And shouts, of course. They realy can save the day.

Thx for all the answers!

I got a better understanding on where i want to take my mage now.

I'm wearing Necromancer Robes at the moment, 75% regen boost. I'm only level 6 though, and haven't really explored much beyond the early stages of the main quest.

Edit: I mean my character, not me. I would get strange looks from my colleagues if I was actually wearing Necromancer robes. It's not even a dress down day at the office

Later on there will be robes that make a specific schools all spells cost 15% less and give 100% increase to magicka regen. I'd find myself a ring that makes destruction cost less, use the robe that makes it cost less, use a necklace that make them cost less (or increase magicka) and use a circlet that makes them cost less.

currently lvl 19, shield with heavy armour,destro and restoration and also a lot of points in sneak. The block mechanic has saved my ass, and ward spells + ice and spark spells are over powered. I'm also a dark elf, so can sneak up close and get the first attack in (pity no crit hits from spells)

Only have about 110hp, but nearly 300 mana means I don't go oom. Haven't lvled up the side proffesions yet because I didn't want to go up lvls too fast. Also a vampire now, which really svcks during the day because of the hp loss and regen slam. But night vison is amazing for dungeons.