I've read a lot of posts about how destruction magic becomes virtually useless at higher levels. And while I've yet to attain a high enough level to experience this first-hand I do anticipate it with my current character. Right now I'm playing as a heavily armored battlemage that relies on a variety of schools of magic, including destruction.

I'm level 14 right now and I am effective with destruction magic for the most part. But I realize that there will come a point when its not as useful so I don't want to fee like I've wasted perks on the destruction tree for nothing. So I'm starting to think of ways to make it more powerful, even at higher levels. Here's what I've been thinking of.

Number one, enchantments. Now I know that the only thing you can really do is fortify destruction, which doesn't add to how powerful the spell is. It only adds to how easily you can cast them. Either way, this could come to be beneficial. However, enchanted weapons with fire, frost or shock might be beneficial (see my last of the three points).

Secondly, alchemy. There are alchemical ingredients that allow for the fortification of destruction which, correct me if I'm wrong, would result in the damage output of destruction spells increasing. This is something that I think will be most benefitcial.

And lastly, along the same lines with alchemy, creating poisons that make enemies more susceptible to destruction magic, for example, weakness to fire, shock, etc.

So in a nutshell here's what I'm thinking in regards to how my battlemage will fight effectively with magic at high levels.

The first thing I would do prior to a fight with an enemy is drink a highly powered potion that boosts my fortifies my destruction, making my spells more powerful. I would then poison my blade or maybe an arrow if I'm using a bow with say a weakness to fire poison. After the enemy has been struck with the poison, I would hit them with the corresponding spell and to add to the effect my blade or bow would also be enchanted with flame damage to which they be weaker to from the poison.

Is this a good strategy? Is it flawed? I'm looking for any advice that you guys (and gals) might have that would make my experience with a battlemage good at high levels.

It's a fine strategy and will accomplish exactly what you desire. The thing that rubs some people the wrong way is that such a convoluted method is required in the first place.

I guess I don't mind the method that much.

I don't mind having to debuff a target in the slightest. I mind that my only option to do that invloves utilising skills that my character might have no RP-friendly business using.

In my opinion the method of using other skills like alchemy to enhance Destruction, is no "convoluted".

For example, a two handed weapon warrior character would likely not rely exclusively on the two handed skill. It would likely be augmented with skills like block and heavy armor.

An archer would often augment the archery skill with stealth.

But destruction has a mana cost. In order for magic to be effective in any game where it has a cost it has to have an effect powerful enough to warrant it. That is not true in skyrim. Destruction is limited in its effect and by it absurd cost. Even in the beginning of the game your sparks/flames/frostbite spell is probably the slowest way to drop enemies and becomes unusable very quickly. It's kind of funny it has a cost at all. Magic is mostly terrible in skyrim.

Destruction-less effective than weapons, has a magicka cost
Alteration-less effective than wearing armor, has a magicka cost
Illusion,conjuration, restoration? Fine, because they do things other skills cannot.
Using magic for armor defense and offense(likely the most important aspects of your character) is rendered pointless in skyrim. They give no tangible benefit over more mundane means. AND REMAIN TETHERED BY MAGICKA COSTS. It is a mechanical failure the way I see it.