What is the best defense as Mage against magic without Restoration and being all alone, without anyone to take the damage for you.

I thought Alteration perhaps would give me that defense against magic I needed but I'm not so so sure anymore.

I can die really, really fast against a Conjurer at level 17.

Magic resistance enchants on your gear and resistance potions. And/Or get the perks in alteration for resistance. My thief carries around a couple of amulets with various elemental resistances plus a few resistance potions, where as my mage has the alteration perks plus the Agent of Mara bonus and a magic resistance ring.

Magic and/or elemental resists, absorption works almost as well but is worse against spike damage. Alteration perks will give you defense against magic but alteration spells do nothing defensively against magic.

Magic resistance in alteration is a good choice. You get 30 percent resistance here.
There is a perk you can get 15 percent resistance. Not sure of that mission name, anyone?
You can get resistances threw both alchemy and enchanting and both or them would be good to think about.

Take the Atronach Stone. It's the best Stone on the game for Mages by far. With the Atronach Stone enemy spells have a 50% chance to fail against you and when they do fail your Magicka bar is restored by an extremely large amount.

Keep in mind though that spell absorption has a negative impact on Conjuration summons.

Being a Breton can help allot, 25% magic resistance & dragonskin to absrob spells & turn them into magicka.

Alteration - Atronach Perk upto 30% resisatnce.
Alteration - Magic resistance, 3 ranks, upto 30% resistance.
Resortation - Ward Absorb, ward absorbs spells & refills magicka bar.

Enchanted items help too. and dont forget resistance is capped, you can only resist at most 85% of magic.

• Potions can provide magic resist, or elemental resist.
  
• The agent of mara effect (+15 magic resist) can be obtained from the quest in riften temple.
  
• Lord stone (+50 armor rating and +25% magic resist) or atronach stone (50% atronach effect, you have a 50% chance to absorb spells).
  
• The alteration magic resist perks, and the atronach perk which gives you 30% atronach effect.
  
• Equipment can give you magic resist, neckless, ring, shield etc. Can be brought from shops.
  
• Restoration can give you wards, which you don't seem to like, but are very effective against spells. The spellbreaker shield has a similar ward effect when blocking (heavy shield).

Those are some of the ways, you won't want to use the atronach effect if you use conjuration summon spells as it cancels them out.

Get a quick apprentice in Restoration and use Lesser Ward, it blocks every ranged spell apart from the really high level ones, and by then you should be able to get good enough gear to withstand them. If you don't fancy spamming Restoration spells to get there, just train. Being able to block Firebolts etc with quick reflexes is worth it. It's also a lot quicker to achieve than getting something like Spellbreaker, which actually has roughly the same effect (Blocks 50 dmg max vs 40 dmg)

For a mage, a good offense really is the best defense. Kill 'em quick and you have no worries.

Loving my breton+lord stone+agent of mara+2 points in alteration resistance = magic resistance cap %85, and dance with ancient dragon's breath

How do you manage as Mage playing on Master by going offensive? I would never survive, haha.

Anyways, thanks for the replies.
Your all very helpful, thanks.

Enchant @ 100, full set of light armor (= not RP friendly)

2x magic resist (ring & amulet, IIRC)
2x fortify light armor
2x sneak
2x carry (or whatever)
4x Fortify [magic school]

With cloth you'll lose the Fortify Light Armor, so substitute with whatever else is available.

one answer: paralyze.

also elemental resistances (shock, frost, fire) also resist the respective destruction spells, so playing a nord gives 50% frost resist, which is what some dragons, most draugar, and some mages use.
thus my dual mace-wielding nord mage was very skilled at dungeon clearing frost dragon slaying.

Breton Mage. (25%)
Alteration School. (30% + 30% Atronach)
Agent of Mara (15%)
Lord Stone (25%)
=
Enemies using magic aginst my mage is funny.

Jump to 4:30 in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvhrt7qhTlw&list=UUsLtuLgzcxmksEL86Gk9Prg&index=1&feature=plcp.