Hey guys, I'm relatively new to the forums and still getting used to using them, so I apologize if posts like these already exist. I currently have a main character that is based on duel-wielding one handed weapons and melee. Those are primarily the types of characters I use when I play games such as these. But I tried to start a new character that was spell and magicka based, and well, it hasn't gone too well for me lol. I should mention that Skyrim is really the first Elder Scrolls game I have played in depth (tried Oblivion, but couldn't get going on it). Any way, does can anyone give me some tips and pointers on what would work best with making a character focused on spells? Like I said, I'm still a "noob" when it comes to the Elder Scrolls games so any tips you guys could give me would be great!

I haven't played a heavily magic-based character in Skyrim, but based off what I did in Oblivion, use more than one kind of magic. If you're weak defensively, use Summoning to summon a skeleton or zombie or atronach or whatever to fight for you so you can cast spells without getting an axe in the face.

It's interesting you say that because most of my friends who play Skyrim haven't really used any magic based characters in it yet, even though a bunch of them did that for most of their characters in Oblivion. It makes me tend to think that Skyrim is geared more towards melee characters, but then I back track and think about how wide open the gameplay is which, IMO gears it to whatever type character you'd like. I guess that's why I'm having trouble created a well balanced magic based character.

I think there are two reasons at work there.

(1) It's set in Skyrim, and so of course everybody wants to look like a Viking, not a dude in wizard robes.
(2) They used a specific character through all the marketing, and so people wanted to play something in the vein of that character first time around, and not a dark elf wizard or wood elf thief. Everybody wants a Nord warrior for their first character. I expect as people get going in their second, third and subsequent playthroughs, they'll branch out. I know I will.

Wizard is a tough playstyle to stick to. Even the WIzard Armor perk still leaves you horrifically vulnerable to meele damage. Your best bet is, as some have already said here, to use Conjuration to summon distracting pets, maybe get dualcast Destruction with the stagger perk, and lots and lots of enchanted gear to reduce destruction casting cost, because you'll be spamming dual cast staggering spells (Most except the Novice destruction spells will stagger with the perk) through just about every fight.

You could always go with Tankmage style...heavy armor with perks, Bound weapons and spells for ranged damage. Illusionist style can be fun, but even perked out, you eventually start running into large numbers of enemies who are too powerful to affect.

Skyrim's magicka system is built around reducing spell cost, and not necessarily damage in my opinion.

You'll probably have the easiest time starting with Destruction and Conjuration, and then branching out into Illusion or Alteration depending on your preference.

Head to the College of Winterhold, and be prepared to spam the holy hell out of dual-casted spells for staggers.

Restoration should be a default, but you'll definitely want to get Impact in Destruction early. Its a very underrated magicka school, but can prove quite useful early on and especially in tandem with Elemental Atronachs from the Conjuration school.

Get some robes that reduce your favorite schools early on, and try and raise your enchanting as you rise.

Alchemy can prove very useful as well.

Its going to be a little repetitive at times, but if you stick with magicka exclusively... you'll have plenty of spells to play with. Don't put a single point into stamina... try and spread them into magicka first and health secondarily.

You don't need an outstandingly large magicka pool in Skyrim, but ignoring health will get you wtf'd on any other difficulty past novice.

I use all schools of magic very efficiently as a high elf with the atronach stone. I don't use the [insert magic school here] magicka reduction, I enchant to get as much magicka as i can. I have 700 right now.

A different means to the same end, and it is pretty easy to carry around two sets of equipment... especially when robes and hoods weigh about as much as a book.

Besides, that 700 points isn't going to do you much good when you get hit by that arrow.

You can entirely negate the cost of two whole schools of magicka, and carry an alternate ring, robe, hood, and necklace to negate the other two. You can even create a set that reduces the cost of everything, with perks included, to around 60-70 percent I believe.

Reduction of cost is simply the most efficient use of a Mage of all schools, or a single school, in my experience. Its been easier for me to cast a few free spells, then switch to one that actually costs something, than it has been to constantly chug magicka potions. I seriously doubt anyone is casting many spells without investing in reduction, even the perk trees are designed in this way.

Though this is probably worthy of a poll, or an entire thread.

i wear the arch-mage robes and a ring that has the same effects as the arch-mage robes (mod). So i do have some megic reduction. And with arrows I try to dodge them and prey that I don't get hit. I do wear dragonpriest masks so i do get some armor.

Alchemy can be your best friend. Fortify destruction, fortify health and fortify/restore magicka can be life savers. Just make sure to sell (or even give away) anything you won't use, or you can end up with a 100 encumbrance in potions that you have to give away as no one can afford them.
Don't forget those flesh spells. An alteration spell and a fortify health potion can be the difference between having the chance to heal, or getting one shotted.

Focus on sneak,conjuration and illusion. Puppeteer kind of character who wont be involved in fights that often. Destruction and bound weapons incase someone actually gets in to your face. If you go the vampire way you get nice boosts for sneaking and illusion. Illusion perked and dual casted will affect enemies that are in around level 50.

Get muffle spell early on and use it to get illusion 100 straight away, put all perks in illusion tree and once your done start having fun with the puppeteering. Use heavily calm,frenzy and flee spells and keep summoning minions to work as a meat shield. Perhaps flame atronach so you can use Fire spells without hurting your summon.

Don't be afraid to use all schools of magic.

Early on use your destruction spells so you can get double cast and the impact perks.
In each in cities and most villages they have keeps where the Jarl lives, they have mages that sell you tomb books. Get what you like, to activate that spell by clicking on the book (tomb) and play around with that spell.

Go to Winterhold and start the mages quest. (Warning there is some glitches along that line of quests.) They have tomb spells to sell as well. Also they give spells for free when you complete a quest.
Also you can get tombs in shops as well.

Be a puppeteer and use Illusion spells like fury and calm. Use fury on the bandits (have to be more then one in that area to work) and see them fight to themselves. Make sure you are in sneak. As for calm if your are one-in-one fight against a bear, a thief or a assassin and you don't feel like fighting cast the calm spell and get out from there before the spell wears off.

With conjuration when things gets tough Conjure a flame Atronach and us it as bait or support it. Also in conjuration you can raise zombies to fight for you. Don't forget the Soul Trap spell. It will come in handy to fill your soul gems so you can use them later.

With my mage she dose not like using armour she always wear robs. There is where alteration comes in to use flesh spells. A flesh spells like oak, stone and iron it improves your amour rating. Mages no matter they are male or female they soft and fleshy and their skin is no good against a sharp tip of a sword or arrow. So use those flesh spells.

With restoration spells use wards for shields against magic attacks, restore health and repel the undead.

All those schools of spells have dual casting, use it.

Wear robes and jewellery that has enchantments to benefit your magical spells and properties. Or you can make your own enchantments and use them on cloths. To do that you have to de enchant a enchant object and use a full soul gem.

With my character I putting all my points in magicak and leaving health at 100. I am playing on adept and I have no major issues.

one tip that I found useful in the early stages is............

Run Away

I dont mean run away completly, just dont go toe to toe, turn around sprint off andthen turn aroundand cast a few more spells.

I not 100% up on gamingspeak but 'kiteing' i think its called.

and also invest in a follower of some sort, for my mage the storm atronach is his best friend, good lightning ranged spells and hard hitting in melee. focus on the Conjuration perks and I always have one by my side for the length of any combat I get involved with.

The destruction stagger perk ha been a life saver on numerious occations, although can get boring if over used.

Be careful with enchanting

As a longtime Skyrim Destruction-and-nothing-else mage:

Get Dual Cast and Impact perks in Destruction as soon as you can.
Don't mess with any of that Alteration BS. You'll be perfectly fine. My char walked around in robes for a majority of the game, rarely died on Expert difficulty.
Illusion isn't worth it. Don't invest.
Invest in Enchanting, Smithing, and, if you want, (I didn't go to heavy into it) Alchemy. Take the Heavy Armor unless you want to be sneaky. It'll pay off in the end.
Smithing will be fairly useless for the beginning portions of the game. In the later stages, though, when you have 100 enchant, you can make very good caster armour.

My two cents.

my best advice, at low levels, buy lots of potions that enhance you're magical ability and or magicka. the more magicka, the more spells you can cast, the more spells you cast, the quicker those skills level up. Investing in Alchmey early on will probably help you alot, allowing you to create plenty of potions to boost your magick skills.

Im also focusing more on magic this time, but still throwing in one handed weapon skills just incase.