Im curios what do you guys use as a defense mechanism?What spells or wards or do you enchant heavy armor?

On my first pure mage I was using alteration for the stoneflesh spells. But then I made another on Master and the protection wasn't helping too much and consumed my Magicka.so I ended up using hit and run tactics to live.

I use robes too.

So basically the best tactic is to kite, for defence. Hit and run. Because if you get hit you will probably die. Depending on difficulty and such I guess.

But playing on Master while wearing robes, the hit and run tactic is the only tactic to survive hehe.

Flesh spells, wards, resist magic potions/gear. Later on cloak spells as well. Sometimes runes.
And I run a lot to avoid getting hit - especially by those big guys with warhammers...

Only robes/clothes for my mage since he has mage armor perks. A combo of clothes/robes and low level light armor for my witch.

No defence. Instead, my mages take a follower and summon an atronach. Enemies usually go to attack them, while my character runs like crazy

As a mage all I ever wear is robes, and most of those are already enchanted with +magicka and all that stuff. As a defense, I always keep my attack spell in 1 hand and a ward in the other. Sometimes, I quickly switch the ward to summon/heal, but otherwise, it's the ward I always keep by default, I mean hell, it can block out whole dragon attacks.

You have to go with Dragonhide master alteration spell and be sure to max out the entire perk tree - especially dual casting, 3/3 Mage Armor and Stability. This is what I use on my mage. She wears only Vernina robes, Tavern dress, or Master robes. Almost nothing gets through my protection with this setup.