The only Elder Scrolls games that I have played other than Skyrim is Oblivion. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on the difference between a spellsword and a battle mage. I checked around and found some conflicting information, so I was hoping to get some clarification.

My current build:

Altmer
Robes
Flesh spells
Bound sword
Necromancy for meat shields
Destruction for ranged attacks until I can get close enough to use the bound sword.

What class: Battle mage? spellsword? Neither?

Thanks!

I remember reading somewhere that a Spellsword is a melee oriented mage, and a Battle-mage is more focused on magic than a spellsword, but both wear armour.

I remember a few battle mages in Oblivion who wore robes. Could have been a fluke, though.

My understanding.

Spellsword= mostly combat, uses magic for support. Wears armor.

Battlemage= more of a mix. Uses mainly magic, but has weapons for back up. Wears armor.

Sorcerer(at least in Morrowind)= Completely magic, but does make use of enchanted armor for protection.

In Oblivion, a battlemage is defined as a character who uses both a blade/blunt weapon and magic, but wears robes. A spellsword wears armor as opposed to robes.

This just my opinion.

A Battlemages is a Berserker Mage. Wears Heavy Armor, opens up with a Fireball or three, Conjures a Battle Axe and charges in. After everybody's dead the Battlemage Heals and looks for something else to blow up/chop in half.

Main Skills:

Heavy Armor
Two-Handed
Destruction
Conjuration
Restoration

A Spellsword is a Bladesman Mage. Wears Light or Medium Armor, casts a Flesh and a Cloak spell, equips a Sword and Shield and engages the opponent. If things get ugly the spellsword steps back and Heals then jumps back in to finish the fight.

Main Skills:

Block
One-Handed
Alteration
Restoration
Destruction

It depends on whether you're an offensive or defensive type. The Battlemage is for the high risk, high reward type of combatant. While the Spellsword is the more conservative of the two it has a higher chance of outlasting the opponent.

I have always considered the Morrowind version of the Battlemage the most accurate one(seeing as both many of the named Battlemages and the Legion Battlemages with that dascription better than the one in Oblivion), and that is essentially a mage that is skilled in some heavily armored melee combat as well as mainly destruction, alteration and conjuration. However, it is more focused on magic than combat.

The spellsword is more about the balance between the the two types. It is similar to the Battlemage because of this, but it is less focused on magic. It haven't been assigned conjuration in the past, but makes up for it with healing.

Your character does fit the Oblivion version of the Battlemage, so you could go with that. It is also closer to the Morrowind Battlemage than the Morrowind Spellsword, essentially only "lacking" heavy armor.