I started a new file, and I'm level 9 I believe. Right now I can kill things with 2 fireball shots. My descruction skill is at 42 if I remember right. When will I start svcking? What can I do to still be a good Mage? I have a pretty high conjuration. What other skills should I improve? Thanks!

It starts svcking at about level 30 so they say. I'm level 20 right now... doing pretty awesome if I say so myself, I still kill stuff RIDICULOUSLY fast with conjured allies and a companion. Running out of magicka still isn't an issue due to cost reducing enchantments and careful management. It's actually easier right now than playing a warrior was.

Destruction start svcking around level 35-40, the other schools are pretty useful throughout the game. Conjuration being the best among all.

My brother and I play on Adept (default) and I've watched him play his Pure mage all the way to 57 and he's never had any problems with his spells being too weak.

It never does start to svck, really. Just be sure to use level appropriate spells. IE: cast adept spells when your skill level is in adept range, then expert when you can, and so on. Don't expect fireball to be as devastating to level 30 foes as it is to level 10 foes, even if you are level 30 and have 75 destruction skill. You need to use higher level spells to keep up the damage. But pure mage it completely possible.

Invest in the right perks and enchantments and you shouldn't have any troubles. Just make sure you keep updating your spells.

Its starts svcking past level 35-40 when you max out destruction.

I'm getting so tired of people going "Oh, I used the enchantment system to break the game so I have no problems and nothing is wrong"

You apparently never max out destruction.

When does magic start to svck?.... When the wrong people are using it...

Thanks everyone! The ony thing that bothers me about conjuration is just watching everyone else fight while I sit back and hide. Will there be a patch to fix destruction?

Hopefully... maybe.

im sure there will be.. right now the only way to get away with using destruction as your main source of dps if by enchanting all your gear to give you almost free casting....i was destro all the way to 35 until i realised i had to get a dremora lord to kill things for me until i get my enchanting up to 100... i brought my smithing to 100 and my enchanting is at about 92... once i enchant all my dragonplate im sure my spells will be relevant again... for now i just watch my dremora outclass me in every tough fight lol

Bethesda isn't known for releasing balance patches unfortunately.

mods certainly will, patch hopefully.

though, not wanting people to get discourage because destruction's scaling problem, try it and enjoy it. Destruction is ^{hella fun} as long as you don't out-level the destruction spell can offer.

Unfortunately I have no clue how to enchant. I'm guessing I have to learn if I still want to be part of the fight when I'm at a high level..
*sigh* I hope a patch gets released soon.

just buy and gather as many soul gems as you can, soul trap enemies before you kill them to fill the soul gems, then go to any arcane enchanter and enchant things till you spend all your soul gems... its a long and slow process... but the benefits are great

magic svcks right from the start as it's always underpowered....a two handed weapon is way stronger then a two handed destruction spell, even with perks, which is disappointing. I would love to see a game where the mage finally gets the respect and is over-powered as opposed to under..the mage always feels like a 2nd class citizen to the warrior

Well alteration has proved to be extremely helpful to me, but I've noticed no one on the forums seems to talk about it that much (it's probably why we see so many whining mages on the forums saying they die too much)
Alteration spells like stoneflesh, oakflesh, ebonyflesh, etc. are extremely useful. Couple them with the magearmor perks and you become very strong.

Sadly this is true.

I do hope they do take the time to balance this out. I usually always use magic and it is frustrating to be sure.

More likely because alteration doesn't deal damage.

God this is such a tired argument.
I have a level 53 pure mage, and I've gotten all my magic skills maxed out, and I have to say that Destruction is NOT broken. It's just that as a mage you are expected to use multiple spells from multiple schools to get your job done, whereas if you focus on 1H or 2H and just walk up to stuff and wipe it out. But what do you expect? If you are focusing on 2H and don't have any other skills (or possibly just archery - 1 other skiill) that can kill things, of course it has to be really powerful. If you are a mage and using Destruction as your only means of defeating enemies, then you are simply stupid. This doesn't mean that there aren't PLENTY of weaker enemies that you don't have to cast on multiple times. It's ONLY the tough ones that you really have to cast your protection spell, summon something to take the hits, maybe cast some illusions if you want (I rarely do) and then use your destruction magic to do the bulk of the damage.
I think people are thinking that since 2H allows them to just walk up and kill stuff in 3 seconds, they should be able to do the same with destruction, which is just dumb. A Mage has a much wider repertoire of abilities and options that can kill their foes, and they are expected to utilize them. A 2H specialist has one option: swing your big sword at it. Or two, if they are also an Archer.
And besides, people are talking about how destruction is so weak when you max it out. That's, um, laughable, if you are using the Destruction Master spells. And if anyone is whining about magic not being powerful enough on the higher difficulties, then you really have to ask yourself why are you playing on the higher difficulties?
How ridiculously boring would the game be if once you maxed out Destruction you just blasted everything in 1 second, like Oblivion? There wouldn't be any need to use any of your other spells at that point....
Bottom line, if you think that Destruction is broken because you can't one-shot Dragons and Draugr Deathlords at level 50, then you should seriously consider the possibility that your playstyle is broken, not Destruction.

Is dual casting lightning storm with the shock perk weak?

I hope you're right! I'm also sick of people complaining about mages (although I just did).

Ok I jsut made a potion that increases my destruction damage by 120% for 60 seconds imma try some lighting storm on an ancient dragon and see if it works. I understand Alchemy is a stealth skill and you shouldnt have to rely on it it should jsut compliment with its fortifying potions. 120% is a lot though...