Hey all.

I'm on my first real pure mage playthrough and I would love some advice. I've got a Breton because of their dragonskin and magic resistance and even though I'm only a couple hours in, I'm having a lot of fun.

I'm trying to not use any armor, robes only. I've been keeping 1H weapons on me for those times my magicka is low. I plan to focus on: alchemy, enchantment (kind of like Batman has his utility belt, he'll have sweet gear and potions, plus that's where the money is. Ka-ching, amirite?), Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, and Conjuration. Minor focus on 1H weapons for possible dual wielding later if my magic is buff enough. I'd also like to use staffs, as I haven't before.

Speaking of, is there a good place to buy staffs? Court wizards maybe?

My battle strategy will rely on summons and followers tanking for me while I rain down hell from a slight distance.

Any other advice y'all can give Cosmas Darkrender?

Try the college of winterhold.

The game will play itself.

I've seen them randomly for sale by wizards.

Definitely head to the College of Winterhold and do the quests associated with it.

Precisely.

Sounds like you're going to have a good time with that build! If you get a damaging staff for a backup weapon when your magicka runs low, you can ditch the melee weapon -- highly advisable for tougher difficulty settings, as you will fold fast at higher levels if you get close to bad guys, and for melee to be feasible later on, you will need a high skill level... which will take training and/or customary use. Not very safe for an armorless pure mage.

-Loth