My character is a mage and I have found that Conjuration is your best friend! It is so much fun especially at high levels when you can conjure Dremora Lords to fight for you. (The dialogue from them is just too funny!) I usually use sword and board followers, but I have also used another mage. The advantage of another mage is that they can conjure help, also. Lots of fun in large fights in forts and redoubts where the enemies just keep coming. I wear robes and took the mage armor perk. The Archmage robes are priceless, so yes, do the CoW questline. I have in 450+ hours on this one character and still have not done the main quest past where Delphine reveals herself as a Blade.

The magic system is the most versatile way to play the game. So much, in fact, coming here and asking for advice will give you such a widespread formation of ideas that it'd be a bad idea to follow them all.

Personally, I invested tons of perks in destruction. Dual casting and stagger perk are absolute must haves. Find what you like between fire/frost/shock and invest in making those stronger. I use conjuration to summon 7 foot tall dremoras that one-hit people, so you can do that... OR you can use conjuration to become a necromancer.

Restoration is a must have as well, as mages will most likely not have a lot of health (I have 700 magic with enchantments, only 250 health)

Illusion is one I haven't used much but plan on starting to. It's how to win a fight without drawing a sword by tricking the minds of your opponents.

This is my 2nd playthrough as a mage (with dragonscale double enchanged armor).
On my next playthrough, I will definitely pay more attention to those often-ignored perks that end with "...for half magicka." Too often I grabbed the flashy perks that made spells more powerful.
I am realizing a little late how valuable those half-magicka perks are, as I acquire higher-level spells.
To halve the magicka required to cast the big guns, allows much more freedom to double-enchant for regeneration plus a reduction in a specific school, instead of always looking for my increase-magicka apparel.
I'll know better next time!
Have fun...

Will the Sanguine Rose conjure the same types? I'd like to hear what they say.

It sure does. It's a very fun artifact to use, and eventually give to a follower if you're going the Atronach route in Conjuration, since you'll probably nab the ability to summon Dremora Lords yourself.

My mage tips (take 'em for whatever they're worth)- bring a ranged follower, like Jenassa, Marcurio, Derkeethus, or Faendal, since friendly fire is a constant hazard with melee followers. I personally didn't go with the casting reduction approach to being a mage- I don't like messing around with Enchanting too much. I also wanted to feel like a "real mage", not a fighter who wears a lot of magical bling to dress up as one. If you go the unarmored route, then there's no harm in putting some points into stamina so you can outrun the occasional two-handed hazard. Those were the only opponents that really made me break a sweat as a mage. Or you could toss some points into Illusion and just Calm those guys down. Both are effective approaches.

Best to focus training on Destruction, Conjuration and Restoration.
Just go and find all the dragon lairs, and kill all the dragons in there, and they respawn, so visit again.
I heard when you get the Dremora Lord spell, Sanguine's Rose doesn't work any more. Haven't tested it.

It's the Elemental Potency perk (makes elemental atronachs stronger) that is bugged and stops Sanguine Rose and Atronach Staves from working. It's a bit of a shame, but it does mean your summons are much stronger... this way you have to choose one or the other!

Amulet of talos, talos shrine buff, vampirism, necromage perk, become Etherial level 1 shout.

That makes you perma invincible (the shout is ready to recast before it wears off). Helps against your lack of armor. That allows you to cast uninterrupted master spells as well.

Do those stack? The Shrine buff always says "0%" when I'm wearing the Amulet.

Level 49 mage on Master. Some thoughts:

• Conjuration is your friend. It is the best way to preserve your magicka pool.
  
• Use your atronachs/resurrected dead to do most of the fighting, then use Destruction & Illusion tactically to manage the situation.
  
• A follower is also a good idea, since you do not want to waste any points in Stamina to carry loot
  
• If you use Conjuration, then your follower doesn't necessarily need to be a melee tank
  
• Alteration is nice for protection, but admit it: you are a clothy - you will die easily if hit, so just don't get hit.
  
• Lord Stone is nice for low-level protection too and doesn't cost you any magicka
  
• Get to the CoW early on and study hard
  
• Do what you need to do to get the money to buy the best level college robes you can
  
• Enchanting is good at higher levels, but I wouldn't focus on leveling it until after level 20
  
• My leveling priorities: Conjuration > Destruction > Restoration > Enchanting > Illusion > Alteration
  
• Put most points into Magicka; only grudgingly put some into Health; none into Stamina
  
• Bring friends: http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/648750789806678920/01F93EAF72FBA08D5B6C2CD1F0DF57F1919074ED/ http://steamcommunity.com/id/LazyAltmer/screenshot/649878131752964700/?

So far im concerntrating on destruction (firebolt), restoration (healing), and alteration (oakflesh). It seems like it takes forever to level up, and im not sure what else to add to help out. Im trying to stay in robes, as its something i havent done before, but am wondering if i should switch back to armour to help with levelling. I tried alchemy, but its just so involved and boring. Ive started sneaking about, but that feels a bit weird as a mage.

Yeah, Alchemy and Enchanting leveling are brutal. I always run out of ingredients or soul gems and end up paying Trainers.

I've never had much trouble leveling warrior and sneaky type skills by using them in combat/exploring with the appropriate Guardian Stone activated however I've never done a Mage type so IDK if those skills level as quickly as warrior and shadow skills. I always bump up my weapons as I level up (Steel -> Dwarven -> Ebony) and then Smith them to Legendary as I can so I'm thinking you may have bump up your spells (ie Healing -> Close Wounds -> Grand Healing) as you level up?

This person gave good advice. I would use armor of some sort TILL you get the mage armor perk. Join the college.. there is a good reason why..
that is the only way you can get those spells too.

The problem with going with armor is: 1) losing all that magicka regen from your robe, which will make being a mage just that much harder, and 2) without armor perks the armor isn't going to help too much. You could use armor for feet and hands, though.

If you don't have a follower or conjuration, I'd suggest using Illusion to keep enemies away from melee range (fear, calm, frenzy), at least until you can get the Impact perk in Destruction. Illusion levels fairly quickly.

I agree about the sneaking not feeling right.

Very quickly if you don't mind spamming muffle. It only takes about 100 or so casts to level from 20 to 50 (assuming mage stone and well rested) and the benefits are substantial. At 50 Illusion, you get silent casting, enough calm and frenzy for any animal and most humans, and an extra fire damage boost from aspect of terror which adds 10 points of damage to each spell. (that doubles basic flame and makes it usable even at mid levels - with dual cast and impact you get 54 damage/sec, not bad)

This thread makes me reeeeally want to start over. I have spread my perks way too thin... Definitely should have focused on Conjuration and Destruction perks.

Great thread yous guys.

If you're new to magic, I would recommend going to the workshop and looking for the friendly fire mod. The mod basically doesn't piss off people that like you or follow you when you hit them with AOE damage.

A friendly fire mod? That's so sweeeet!

There's not one kind of mage. A sneaky mage thief is just as viable as a heavy-armor battle mage and both are just as viable as a robed "pure" mage wizard type. You just need to decide what sort of character you want to play. Spreading it out too much will get you in trouble, though.

Destruction can be levelled by using it to collect pelts, meat, and rabbit feet. Alteration will also level if a shield spell is active while "training"