If you are a Mage with Destro, Illusio, Conjuration focus.

Would you pick Enchanting or Alchemy? Can't have both, perks that is. Or none? And why..

Alchemy has better all around use, and its effects are much stronger than enchanting, but only temporary for the potions duration. Alchemy can double your destruction damage though. Restoration too, and over double the effect duration of all spells. Not to mention very powerful Magicka restore potions for your mage.

p.s. off topic. HOLY CRAP. My Firefox spell check hasn't been working on this site for months. Now it just suddenly started working again??

Actually you can have both. You just need to pick the right perks. You really do not need all of the perks in either of them. Then again you are of course to play how you choose.

If I had to choose one over the other, It would be Alchemy, by far. It is arguably the single most powerful Skill tree in the game. It is definitely THE most versatile. Using the two in conjunction is absolute power, no doubt. Then there is the exploit thing, but that is a blatant cheat.

I see enchanting as a option to be "free" and have fun.

While Alchemy seem like I must focus too much on opening menu to drink potions alot. While enchanting give me some solid bonus while I can just play live?

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Alchemy definitely requires much more effort. It takes longer to level from my experience, and it requires more interaction. You need to find your ingredients repeatedly. Enchanting you only need to find your enchantment once and your have it permanently.

Well, It sounds like you have made up your own mind. If you want the best stuff, you will have to work for it. If you do not want to go through the needed process, then go the easy route. You asked and we responded. For me it's well worth the effort. It is the RP factor. That is IF it the Alchy skill is fitting for my given character.

I wish you the best, no matter what you choose. It is your game. You should have fun doing it. If it's more of a chore then you are no longer having fun. Good luck.

The usefulness of alchemy begins to taper off at higher levels.

I'd pick both. If you use enchanting to reduce casting cost you can save all those spell cost reduction perks and invest those into alchemy. If you forego the cost reducing perks (and the relatively useless rune master) you can take every other illusion, conjuration and destruction perks available and only spend 33 perk points. Put 7 into alchemy and 8 into enchant and that gives you 48 perks.

I agree.

I would probably agree for any character except a destruction mage. Too much of a pain having to spam potions or spam my lower level spells, but yeah, for any other type of character, alchemy wins because it is more versitile and its fun to gather ingredients and make powerful potions.

But I believe that Alchemy has more magickal feel - you can make yourself invincible.

I literally use Enchanting for the special effects that the elemental damage enchantments give when you hit something. Alchemy is extremely useful at most, if not all levels from the added power +% potions give you. Room full of Drauger Deathlord Superknights? Down a potion that gives you +50% one-handed weapon damage.

this completely depends on how you're going to be using the pc: strict rping or just going for power.

my hybrid power build has both, but, only the perks that truly lend towards being godlike.

for me, a more magic-centered character would stick with enchanting. but, again, it depends on your rp and gameplay decisions. both are powerful.