Anybody have any tips for a Mage?

I play an all-around pure mage. As pure as can be. I dont use the cost reductions but you can if you want. I just put lots of points into magicka, no points into health, and no points into stamina. do the college of winterhold because you actually get pretty good magical items from the quests. Destruction is not as bad as everyone says it is. use conjuration when you need backup, do NOT bring companions because they end up being collateral damage. if you are serious about a pure mage only wear robes.

Don't try to rely on destruction alone, it totally blows in Skyrim. For some odd reason, Bethesda decided to nerf magic in this game. IMO Conjuration goes well with destruction...Illusion as well.

Spend some time with enchanting while you are at it.

one really good trick = use conjuration along w/ destruction. It is a good combo.

http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1349824-mages-gather-round-i-need-your-advice/page__p__20339704#entry20339704

check out this thread - i got heaps of good advice and tips.

A few tips:

Consider using enchant (8 perks) to make reduced cost casting gear rather than taking a bunch of perks to reduce casting costs. There are a lot of perks for mages, and you can get more bang for your buck by avoiding as many of those casting cost reduction perks as possible and using enchant to reduce casting cost. You don't have to go all the way to free casting. Also, without at least some enchanted spell cost reducing gear, there is no viable way to cast some of the master level spells because they require massive amounts of magicka to cast.

Illusion's fear, frenzy and calm spells are going to be useless at higher levels if you do not take the perks that buff these spells (including dual casting). With the perks, these are some of the most powerful spells in the game.

Enjoy your mage. Although I tend to be one who complains loudly that too many spell effects were removed and there is no spell casting, you can still have a lot of fun playing a mage in Skyrim. Personally I prefer playing a nightblade to a pure mage, but I have both and they are both fun.

There are also a couple of bugged perks to watch out for as a mage.

The Atronach perk in the Alteration tree will interfere with yoru summoning spells, basically absorbing them 30% of the time.

The Elemental Potency perk in the Conjuration tree will cause summoning staves not to work.

I do not know if the 1.4 patch fixed either of these bugs.

You don't need stamina for power attacks, which means you can use it to sprint out of the way when enemies try to power attack you.

Nice.

If you're not going to use weapons, you NEED a Destruction mod, and probably a Magicka mod.

MetalGod, I think... I <3 you.... That was hysterically funny in my current mood.

Don't bother with dual casting. It seriously isn't worth it.

It might be better to ignore anyone who mentions not bringing a companion. Yes, they are a pain. Yes, they get in your way occasionally. However if you play an unarmored mage you will be made of paper and will die a lot, especially if your opponents get close (and they will). A melee companion like Lydia will help keep you alive a bit longer.

My mage had Lydia through level 38 and she was awesome.
She didn't allways do much damage but she did take the agression off of me and my atronachs/reanimates.
However I do dissagree with dual casting.
For most spell schools it isn't worth it,but for conjuration and reanimating it is.
Giving your reanimates X2 duration is great because you can't simply conjure another like you can with atronachs.
Illusion might be another school of magick that can benefit from dual casting,but I'm not sure.
My last mage didn't use Illusion at all so I can't say for sure.

Yes, dual casting is valuable but only if you continue to Impact. Impact is the point of it. The stagger effect makes even apprentice spells extremely effective. Illusion does benefit from dual cast since it doubles the level range of its effects and since Kindredmage doesn't apply to Falmer and undead, it's the only way you can control higher level versions of them.

Don't enchant for zero cost. Seriously.

I found that it made the game terribly boring and monotonous. I am playing a pure mage again, with the Better Magic mod, and it is way more fun when I actually have to worry about mana. Plus, grinding Enchanting just hurt my soul. It was terrible.

Destruction: Pick two elements, I recommend Fire and Shock. Too many things are resistant to frost, and I find that it doesn't slow melee enemies that much anyway. Too bad, because I find it to be the coolest element.

Alteration: necessary if you will be entirely in clothing.

Conjuration: I don't know if I could run a pure mage without it. It's a lot of fun, and very powerful; especially when you get Dead Thrall.

Illusion: very overpowered when it works. Unfortunately, a huge chunk of the game's enemies are immune until you get the 100 skill perk Master of the Mind.

Restoration: useful for things other than healing. Necromage perk is probably the single best perk point if you are a vampire, and still very useful even if you aren't.