Mage Build Advice? : V

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:09 pm

So I decided to make a Khajiit Mage (Because why not?) and I'm not too sure on what Schools of Magic I should focus on. I was thinking to focus on Alteration, Conjuration, and Enchanting. Also, does wearing armor affect spell casting negatively? If not, I could just Switch out Alteration for something else like destruction or Illusion. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 7:23 pm

yeah armor doesn't effect magic resistance I don't really like alteration perhaps if Dragonhide has a 5-10 minute duration but paralyze is one of the best spells in the game so it's complicated a hard choice IMO. for combat I find conjuration pretty good

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:12 pm

Paralyze is an alteration spell? Nice. I forgot to ask, is it worth spending a perk to dual cast a single spell and overcharge it?

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:36 pm

Armor only is an issue in that skill points used there will level you up faster, so your magic skills won't be quite as powerful relative to enemies.

I posted my build here: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1325380-my-almost-pure-mage-and-how-i-play-her/

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:04 am

I feel like dual cast is only useful for Illusion and Destruction. With Illusion it doubles the level of the mind altering spells, and with Destruction and impact it can stagger enemies.

Anyways, if you are going to focus on Conjuration, Enchanting, and Alteration, you will probably be a battlemage kind of character, summoning allies, throwing up a flesh spell, then attacking with an enchanted weapon.

Wearing armor doesn't affect spells, but it does affect an Alteration perk. The Mage Armor perk can triple the defensive power of the flesh spells, making it so you can get up to 300 defense in one short cast. However, if you wear heavy armor the defense will probably be just as good if you upgrade smithing as well. You can also enchant Heavy armor just as well as you can robes (If they made it so you can only double-enchant clothes and jewelry, that would make it more balanced i think, but whatevs). If you wear heavy armor you can also use Dragon Priest masks (since they are armor and cancel the Mage Armor perk too).

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:00 am

Armor only is an issue in that skill points used there will level you up faster, so your magic skills won't be quite as powerful relative to enemies.

I posted my build here: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1325380-my-almost-pure-mage-and-how-i-play-her/

Very helpful, thanks.

I feel like dual cast is only useful for Illusion and Destruction. With Illusion it doubles the level of the mind altering spells, and with Destruction and impact it can stagger enemies.

Anyways, if you are going to focus on Conjuration, Enchanting, and Alteration, you will probably be a battlemage kind of character, summoning allies, throwing up a flesh spell, then attacking with an enchanted weapon.

Wearing armor doesn't affect spells, but it does affect an Alteration perk. The Mage Armor perk can triple the defensive power of the flesh spells, making it so you can get up to 300 defense in one short cast. However, if you wear heavy armor the defense will probably be just as good if you upgrade smithing as well. You can also enchant Heavy armor just as well as you can robes (If they made it so you can only double-enchant clothes and jewelry, that would make it more balanced i think, but whatevs). If you wear heavy armor you can also use Dragon Priest masks (since they are armor and cancel the Mage Armor perk too).

So, would it be better to put perks in Mage Armor, Mage Resistance, and Atronach or wear enchanted armor and put perks in Juggernaut?

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:25 pm

i find it kind of fun to use all of the spells that i have depending on the different situations that i am in, i also wield a sword with my right hand, because i dont want to spend magicka to bound one.

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:04 pm

One more thing, if I decide to put perks in One Handed, would they affect a Bound Sword?

Just want to know now because I'm on the fence about either being a pure mage, or a battlemage since armor doesn't hinder my spell usage.

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:53 pm

One more thing, if I decide to put perks in One Handed, would they affect a Bound Sword?

Just want to know now because I'm on the fence about either being a pure mage, or a battlemage since armor doesn't hinder my spell usage.

just save yourself some magicka and use a real sword, even gandolf used a sword

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:56 am

One handed skill and perks affect a bound sword, but you can't improve the bound sword past that one additional perk in the conjuration tree, so at mid-high levels you will be better off if you had used smithing and a "real" blade instead of a conjured one. There is a mod you can DL (if you're on PC) that adds a couple of extra ranks to the Mystic Binding perk:

http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2804

This prevents your bound weapons from being outleveled later on in the game, and makes them viable for even a high-level player.
-Loth

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:23 am

One handed skill and perks affect a bound sword, but you can't improve the bound sword past that one additional perk in the conjuration tree, so at mid-high levels you will be better off if you had used smithing and a "real" blade instead of a conjured one. There is a mod you can DL (if you're on PC) that adds a couple of extra ranks to the Mystic Binding perk:

http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2804

This prevents your bound weapons from being outleveled later on in the game, and makes them viable for even a high-level player.
-Loth

Sadly, I'm on a PS3.

Maybe I'll just go for a purish mage put most perk points in Conjuration, Enchantment, Alteration, and Illusion. I'll put SOME perk points in Destruction for the Fire Spells and Restoration for the Magika Recovery.

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:17 pm

I think shock spells do more damage, if I remember correctly. Just wondering why you're going with fire.

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:01 am

I think shock spells do more damage, if I remember correctly. Just wondering why you're going with fire.

Preference and I thought the destruction spells did equal damage but just had different effects.

Something just occurred to me, I could buy those Magic perks that reduce the Magika cost to cast a spell by 50% and then enchant an item to reduce the Magika cost to cast a spell by another 50%! Possibly making the Magika cost nothing! Or would it not work like that?

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:16 pm

So, would it be better to put perks in Mage Armor, Mage Resistance, and Atronach or wear enchanted armor and put perks in Juggernaut?

Really, it's just up to you, lol. It would probably be better to forget the Mage Armor perk and use Heavy armor with Mage Resistance, Atronach, and the Juggernaut perks. I personally don't use heavy armor or the Mage armor perks, but I don't often get hit. It's more of a "Do you want your mage to wear clothes or armor?" question, based on personal preference.

The benefits of wearing robes are that they are lightweight and with them can use Mage Armor, cons being the naturally low defense. The benefits of wearing armor is higher defense, cons being weight and that you can't use Mage Armor. The weight con of armor can be nullified with a perk or the steed stone too.

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 2:14 am

Preference and I thought the destruction spells did equal damage but just had different effects.

Something just occurred to me, I could buy those Magic perks that reduce the Magika cost to cast a spell by 50% and then enchant an item to reduce the Magika cost to cast a spell by another 50%! Possibly making the Magika cost nothing! Or would it not work like that?

They do do all the same damage, but with different effects. as such, Fire does the most damage. I like lightning for hitting fast enemies and draining mages, Ice for slowing enemies down (giants slowly walking to you is nice), and fire for most damage (I usually use it close range).

And I don't think it works like that, the 50% perk with 50% enchants would bring it down to 25%. You need to get armor with -100% cost to make it free.

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:35 pm

And I don't think it works like that, the 50% perk with 50% enchants would bring it down to 25%. You need to get armor with -100% cost to make it free.

Ah but I could make multiple items with the same effect of reducing Magika cost. I actually don't have experience with Enchanting so this is just a theory that I would have to test it.

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:35 pm

Ah but I could make multiple items with the same effect of reducing Magika cost. I actually don't have experience with Enchanting so this is just a theory that I would have to test it.

It's proven: with 100 enchant, the 5 basic perks plus insightful enchanter perk, you can make a 25% cost reduction enchant and there are 4 slots that can hold them, thus 100% reduction. If you get the rest of the tree, you can dual enchant for an extra magic school.

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:04 pm

It's proven: with 100 enchant, the 5 basic perks plus insightful enchanter perk, you can make a 25% cost reduction enchant and there are 4 slots that can hold them, thus 100% reduction. If you get the rest of the tree, you can dual enchant for an extra magic school.

Only 4 items get this enchant? What 2 items can't get it? This is very helpful info, thanks. I don't want this to be COMPLETELY overpowered so I think I'll plan to only get 50% Magika reduction for 4 Schools of magic(75% total because of the Magika Reduction perks in each school tree).

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:19 am

So I decided to make a Khajiit Mage (Because why not?) and I'm not too sure on what Schools of Magic I should focus on. I was thinking to focus on Alteration, Conjuration, and Enchanting. Also, does wearing armor affect spell casting negatively? If not, I could just Switch out Alteration for something else like destruction or Illusion. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Get conjuration for a distraction, and something to absorb damage.
Get illusion for crowd control, also for invisibility and muffle maybe silent casting as well.
Restoration is very powerful against the undead, its good to heal too.
Destruction to supplement your conjuration and illusion.
Alteration is good for the armor or flesh spells, your armor rating is double if you cast that spell and you are not wearing physical armor.
Enchanting is good for the magic reduction that makes higher level spells viable.
Alchemy for health and magic potions, without magic potions a mage is a dead mage. Use it for buffs as well.

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:20 pm

Get conjuration for a distraction, and something to absorb damage.
Get illusion for crowd control, also for invisibility and muffle maybe silent casting as well.
Restoration is very powerful against the undead, its good to heal too.
Destruction to supplement your conjuration and illusion.
Alteration is good for the armor or flesh spells, your armor rating is double if you cast that spell and you are not wearing physical armor.
Enchanting is good for the magic reduction that makes higher level spells viable.
Alchemy for health and magic potions, without magic potions a mage is a dead mage. Use it for buffs as well.

Thanks! I pretty much thought of these except for the Alchemy, Illusion, and Restoration.

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:34 am

You can do without BOTH Illusion and Conjuration... I'd say get one or the other, as they both do crowd control. Be warned: for Illusion to be effective, you have to sink a lot of perks into it, and will probably be best served to also have a decent sneak skill. It's very possible to skip alchemy altogether... you find plenty enough potions in the game -- I don't even use them... just sell them, myself. If you concentrate on a couple of skills, you will have a better time handling things than if you level-up a whole bunch of stuff at the same time.

-Loth

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 3:52 am

conjuration is so boss, summon a fire atronach and you can hit the foes while they focus on the summon. Destrucion is usefull for distance, and the shock spells look badass. Restoration is great for when you do get hit

Also armor is way more useful than alteration imo, you can enchant it to get the same effects as robes and its way more protective. Plus it will save you some magicka instead of using shield spells.

also get a follower, preferably melee,

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:58 pm

Thanks! I pretty much thought of these except for the Alchemy, Illusion, and Restoration.

Your welcome.

» Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:47 am

Only 4 items get this enchant? What 2 items can't get it? This is very helpful info, thanks. I don't want this to be COMPLETELY overpowered so I think I'll plan to only get 50% Magika reduction for 4 Schools of magic(75% total because of the Magika Reduction perks in each school tree).

Technically it is 5 items. Feet, shields, and arms can't have the enchant. Only, head, neck, and ring -- but you can have two rings. That gets you 2 free schools and another with a -50% cost, or 3 with a -75% cost (and with perks that can reduce it to a -12.5% cost).

» Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:55 pm

This is semi-long copy/paste from older posts of mine but it might be somewhat helpful to you:
(no actual spoilers just lengthy)

Spoiler

Alteration
Main purpose is protective, an alternative to armor for mages. It's not terrible at this, but it's also beaten pretty clearly by it's competitions as all significant penalties for armor are negated later on in the game while alteration spells will still cost a chunk of magicka and won't be on all the time like armor. Through perks, it also offers magical protection - 30% absorption and 30% resist magic is pretty nice. However, there's a large perk investment to reach those, and enchanting and other means of acquiring such seem like superior options. Paralyze is strong, once you get it, but Illusion offers superior crowd control options. Overall a pretty bland school and one I'd stay away from personally since pretty much everything it does can be done better. It does have some some nice smaller spells such as candlelight, detect life, and transmute, but none of those warrant perking into the tree.

Strength/Usefulness 5/10
Design/Fun Factor 3/10

Conjuration
Conjuration is essentially a magical alternative or supplement to companions. It serves this purpose very well, with powerful summons and thralls to take the heat off you as well as dish out damage. A certain summon is probably overpowered even(but totally awesome with its own voice acting), I think any conjurers will know which I'm thinking of. You can go heavily into the tree for improved atronachs(IMO easily the better choice) or undead and eventually two of them. Even without heavy investment you get some solid options with just the expert level spells, a single high level summon goes a long way. It can also bring you temporary magical weapons which don't really compete with the best smith improved weapons, but still hold their own pretty well(bow in particular) and are especially great early game with the perk to improve them. Unfortunately, the bound weapons are limited compared to previous games. Still, easily my favorite school in Skyrim.

Strength/Usefulness 10/10
Design/Fun Factor 9/10

Destruction
It's name makes it's purpose fairly obvious, but unfortunately it fails to deliver for many players. It's damage doesn't scale and it's high level spells cost too much magicka. Some players report a positive experience or at least have been able to make it work for them using various tricks and techniques or other skills to support it, but I'd recommend passing on it unless you're adamant about shocking, burning, and/or freezing stuff which is entirely understandable. Depressing, considering they've done so much with the actual spell mechanics in destruction - placing walls and rune traps in particular I was hopeful about. It does have a secondary purpose however, perhaps not intended to be as powerful as it is, the impact perk is one of the best tools in the game for keeping enemies off the player.

Strength/Usefulness 3/10
Design/Fun Factor 8/10

Illusion
Illusion is mainly about control, but also a stealth supplement quieting your spells, your footsteps, and even making yourself invisible. The control aspect of the tree requires some pretty heavy perk investments, but will end up being very powerful for escape or avoidance, or for making enemies do your work for you by inciting them into violence against each other - which is amusing if possibly overpowered. A good school but demands a lot of perks just to make it's spells reliably function at higher levels, and probably too powerful once you have those perks. Kind of an "all or nothing" school outside of invisibility.

Strength/Usefulness 9/10
Design/Fun Factor 7/10

Restoration
Maybe not the most exciting, but certainly one of the most universally useful. Most if it's best perks, respite in particular is amazing, are very accessible in the lower part of it's tree/sign, and to do it's main job you don't need a heavy investment into the tree. It's non-healing spells however are pretty lackluster. Wards are a waste of mana, and the undead specific spells are, well, too specific to be worth spending perks to improve. Wards had potential to be an interesting mechanic to use in combat at least, but still a very lacking school. It's a one trick pony currently, though trick just happens to be one of the best. Unfortunately though, it's one trick is undeniably done better via potions, but I'm not sure I can dock restoration any points over this, since alchemy is obviously broken.

Strength/Usefulness 6/10
Design/Fun Factor 4/10

Personally this is the build I use on my mage -

http://chrizel.github.com/skyrim/#t/14/h9s0sg,-8vmyzm,m73imc,54,0,29s6bk,24og,0

Uses a bound bow and summons for damage. Very powerful particularly due to illusion and conjuration, might be too powerful if you want a challenge. I initially created it for DiD, so I could kill most enemies without even being seen by them and thus not risking having to start over which I've done too many times already for other reasons. I decided I'd probably not continue to do DiD once I got past a certain point since I just want to finish the main quest for once, but the character still hasn't died. Only expert difficulty though, not master.