Aight, I haven't played a mage type on Solstheim yet.

Armor class isn't an issue so the masks are all fine and dandy(seen people complain about that) but here's my question(s):

Is it possible to play this through without using alchemy, enchanting and/or smithing? I typically avoid the crafting professions.. but I also typically abandon characters before they hit 30. I hate the crafting professions, they feel mandatory in order to "not svck" and I hate things that feel mandatory. Especially in a world where the mage bonuses are only mana cost reductions and not damage increases. I distinctly remember the other games having "fortify magic" spells you could cast on yourself, but my memory might be doing. /rant

Is there any new worthwhile gear outside the new rings and dragon priest masks? I'm getting a wee bit tired of the archmage's robe. :/ Not only do I find them supremely ugly, I grow weary of wearing the same non impressive looking item most of my gameplay.

I'd like to point out that I typically play on Expert. I also have trouble with the "turn and run" strategy. Always run into something and I have various mouse issues to begin with, but those are a different story. If I turn my mouse sensitivity up so that I can adequately lead a dragon to nuke(like duck hunting, you account for travel time, speed, etc) I have this issue with everything else where it spins too fast and the slightest wobble makes it bounce up and down in the most annoying ways.

I also have trouble with dual casting. I can't get both mouse buttons to depress at exactly the right time most of the time. This also affects trying to bash with my bow if I have Eagle Eye, I end up zooming in rather than dropping my nock and bashing. It's like there's a delay in the depress. Ugh.

Any suggestions, advice, assurances, and gear hints would be appreciated. Thanks ^.^ I'm getting bored of my normal sneakysneak :/