I had been reading some and more topic about this, though I did try reply to topic destruction that I wish something to said with good reason but topic locked for some reason I not know.

As I learned and play as Mage, Pure Mage as you will, Main skill like Destruction, Alteration, Restoration, secondly maybe a Illusion I wish don't play as summoner mage, that one using main skill conjuration, nor battlemage that one use amors,

I find myself I had to ran away and feel like a sissy girl from enemie playing this game if face powerful enemie that can kill me, or not had stud lock or that is not alway work or ran out of makiga. I had no problem playing as summoner though I had to hid as sissy girl while summon do work while I do most no part in fight battle due makig ran out. (No I don't had those 0 cost, and I was roleplaying, I do not want force on enchanting, not want reply on item like Harry Potter with his wand or something. Spam and locked enemie with destruction dont make them powerful, but rather may a chessying, but real powerful destruction hit one or two with fireball and push them back like rocket launcher in real world, how many solider and people get killed by rocket launcher? How many time it get people killed by nuclear bomb like firestorm in this game? I view fireball is something like rocket launcher while firestorm is like nuclear bomb, but it's not hurt or kill enemey in this game. I don't understand why someone said destruction is fine while I don't see destruction fine, it's just not very enjoyment and fun to play this way. I think destruction damage should go up, while fire should had some push back enemie, while lighting should shock enemie unable to move or action like in Star war where emperer gave Luke Skywalker a shock and he unable to do anything untill his father throw emperer out, yet in this game, enemice keep coming to you and feel no pain, it's so not so great and enjoyment as well because it's don't make sence in this game.

Mage should be something feared, not warrior or theft (though people fear theft stole something of thier Item, but not all people care about thier item)

I play mage in this game and I don't feel my mage is feared and powerful but rather sissy girl running away or hiding from enemies, how many you see movies wizard ran away like Lord of the Rings, ect...? Though there may be mod fix this problem, but not all way, but sadly x-box and PS3 stucked with this one, one who might wish Destruction improve, but not only destruction should be improve, but Alteration should improve longer and more buff up armor rating even did put 3 mage armor perk, but need more, one point in mage armor ok, but second and 3 point into mage armor don't seem very good because it's only add little more, and 300 mage armor isnt' good and it's only short term, it's can be very tiredsome keep casting again and again to keep 300 armor in short time and need more amor rating in high level as well, Restoration's Ward
should keep cost down, Illusion should improve level cap, conjuration seem good, but I wish low level like wolf familar improve or something, it's no good in high level, it's in vain cast those familar.

Summoner Mage might be right all in this game,if you don't mind hide like a sissy girl. But as powerful and feared mage, I can't play that in this game, due it's too low damage and it's not push enemies back when I throw them, or stop them coming to me, though some said solve problem cut cost, but still it's don't make sence to spam all over, over again fireball at enemies and they still live, I had no desire to play enchanter mage, summoner mage but rather plain pure mage reply on Destruction, Alteration main skill, if a using conjuration as main or even use little, it's Summoner Mage, not pure mage, way I see it.

Mages are not like that though and should avoid close direct contact. It's like saying Ninja's were sissies, well no, it's just how they used to kill, quiet and efficient. The idea is to do damage at a distance and summon help to do damage because you cannot possibly do enough damage against someone with an axe, hammer or sword when at low level. A Mage doesn't have any armour either so having magic that allows you to use less of your magic to kill someone is a need benefit and armour is not good for a Mage anyway.

For those who play on PC, I find mod may good and help, though not all the way I wish to be. Google it "BetterSpellMastery1035-4374-1-03-5" and "SkyrimBalancedMagicSystem-5586-1-0" That what I'm using it right now, it's lot better and seem more sence and real than without mod, though not 100%,
"Ward_Cost_Reduction_-_20_30_40-3298" seem good, but I'm test without it, Faster_Combat_Magicka_Regeneration_-_All_options-4541-1-0 are good, but I feel it's make staff useless, but that's me.

Alchemy. Fortify magicka, fortify magicka regeneration, and fortify destruction. Works for me quite nicely.

Seems in some ways mages have to end up spreading out perks moreso than other builds. Talking mostly "pure" mages with no weapons or armor. Unless you grind out enchanting fairly early it seems you pretty much need -cost perks in Alteration (for flesh spells), destruction, conjuration, illusion, as they are all helpful schools but you can end up without magicka pretty quick. I sometimes have trouble keeping enough restore magicka potions in my inventory.

It's a more challenging road that can annoy you if it isn't the type of playstyle you prefer. I had that trouble and found I prefer a dual bound sword weilding, armor wearing, zombie raising mage than a pure one.

I salute the players who can play the pure mage without trouble. I still go back to that character, but it's just tougher for me to keep with it as it isn't quite my style of play.

But problem, I don't see
any power to push enemie back at bay, mage shouldn't runing away from enemies, it's more like enemies who are not mage should fear mage and try stay way
from mage. Way I see it. but in this game, enemie keep running at you, even you throw high level spell like fireball or thumerbolt, yet it's not stop them coming or push them back, it's just not right, enemies should fear fireball or thumerbolt yet in this game, enemies laught and keep coiming at you, you may be right
mage might should avoid direct contact unless they had a shild to keep enemie unable tounh mage, but not had that power in this game.

it's lot of work and find those to make alchemy, and I do not want drink those potien as it's reply on item, sure make me fat if I drink lot, LOL. As for role-playing, not everyone want alchemy as well. Some Mage player want raw power from thier willpower rather than reply item like alchemy or any item help them, it's like Monk with unarmed hand to hand combat.

Well that's why there are different types of warriors, some prefer to throw brute force at you, some stay away and attack you at medium range. In the end you have to use the Mage's skills to judge that the best to survive.

I do try ran backward while I casting a Destruction but sometime, even I use flesh spell, enemie kill me very quick, so I had to turn and ran like a little girl I am. ran backward is very slow and can't see where I'm going in rear, so I had to ran then turn abround see if enemie still far, if so, I cast them, then they get to close to me, then I turn again to ran away from emeny, no fun at that, not my kind style to do that due low damage, unable kill enemie quicked while I ran out
of magkic, (I'm roleplaying and don't use enchant to get zero cost, it's kind ruin my role playing if I try to get enchant to 100 first in gameplay) But I do had mod
to make more fun and balanced than no mod for skyrim, but I do had to speak for x-box and ps3 at least who unable to get mod.

Surely, is there someone must feel like sissy girl when they ran way from enemie? LOL, but you could dogle but some emeine are very fast.