First off Bethesda thank you for this completely amazing game.

Now off to buisness. I am starting this playthrough as a mage on Master difficulty. After some time I eventually got Stoneflesh the supposidly better version of Oakflesh. During a single attack from the "dwarven rolling tank thing" with oakflesh equiped, I took about 74 hp damage for a single attack melee attack. I decided to test stoneflesh and with a single attack from the same "tank thing" I took 70dmg. Stoneflesh (because of the mages armour ability) has an armor rating of 120 while oak only has 80. I would think a factor of 40 would be quiet substantial. In addition when either spell was not in affect I took 80 dmg, this was with a 0 armor rating. So either the spell is not working effectivly or armour rating means nothing on this difficulty.

Anyone playing with normal armour with simular situations?
Thoughts?

That does seem like not much of a difference. Did you try taking multiple hits? Maybe the 74 dmg attack with oakflesh was a "normal" attack, and the 70 dmg attack with stoneflesh was a power attack?

Since you have the mage armor perk, would you mind doing a quick experiment? I'd like to try to use a shield+spell layout, and didn't know if mage armor would apply. I'm thinking if I dual cast oakflesh, then my shield is not equipped and I should get the bonus. The question is whether when I switch back to my shield/spell layout, if the bonus stays active.

Duel casting does absolutly nothing to the armor bonus, and no I can't take multiple hits really since the second hit kills me XD
I tried the test a few times with bow enemies and nothing changed beyond the different dps.

and for your experinment, yep it appears your loop hole works

Whoa...what's the point of dual casting in alteration then? Only 4 dmg difference seems ridiculous, especially perked. The rolly tank thing might be doing some shock damage as well...but if you see the same thing with archers I'm clueless.

BTW, thx for testing that...makes my spellshield char happy, although now it seems it might not be worth it... :-/

mabey I got to get the mage armor maxed out, but I don't want to risk points on a mabey

Yeah i noticed it too, i am playing on Master difficulty, when i was going to shrine of Azura i encountered ice wolf, he killed me with two bites.
I reload and casted stoneslesh spell, that wolf killed me with 2 bites again. Cant understand why.

have you seen the sabertooths yet, they make dragons look tame

I understand dual casting Alteration affects duration not strength.

My god yes, I run like a little girl when I see them, and equip whirlwind sprint, otherwise they almost catch up.

Doing some math, given that rate of damage reduction, fully perked ebonyflesh with 400pts armor would only yield a 37.5% damage reduction. Sheesh that's terrible. I would expect 90% DR for fully perked ebony flesh.

That is, indeed, a total waste of time

Alteration has some brilliant perks i.e. resistance and absorb, but the spells are kind of hit and miss

The lighting (i.e. candlelight) spells are helpful, as is detect life and waterbreathing, but none of them are game changing.

The Dragonhide spell looks very powerful, but god knows how expensive it will be.

I want the perks though which means I cast the [censored] things whether I want to or not - I've got to reach 100 FFS!!!!

It's a quest reward.

I tested Stoneflesh with mage armor with some bandits at the beginning of bleak falls barrow at level 12 on expert difficulty, and it definately made a big difference. Well I was fighting those first two bandits first with just a shield and no armor, and then reloaded and fought them again with a shield and stoneflesh with one point in the "mage armor" perk. I lasted much longer against the bandits the second time.

I think some foes just bypass your armor - they're that tough. I don't know though, thats just speculation, but think about those giants: 140 armor or 23 armor, they're still going to one or two-shot you...

I can handle the dragons easy enough its the bears and trolls I cant fight as a mage. A dragon solo its easy, but if its a troll or bear I have to run away. Stoneflesh and Oakflesh do not seem to work. Sure they show it in the stats and armour stats but damage is not reduced.
Also dual casting alteration spells only make them last longer.

I am finding it hard to tell if the double oakflesh/stoneflesh strength perk when not wearing armour actually works. It doesn't show up as more powerful in active effects or when you go to cast it.

mage armor perk indeed works, look at your actual armor rating in the inventory screen.

I think depending on difficulty & mob type they get difference amounts of armour penetration (We know this is in game due to there being the mace perk Bone Breaker that ignores 25% of targets armour per point).

Would like to know what diff you guys are playing on.

Also check it works by using it vs a weakling mob a human using a non mace would be best to rule out mob armour penetration bonus.