So I'm thinking about starting a new character for when I get dawnguard, but I want to create a completely new experience for myself.
I've played as warriors and archers as well as assasins. But I want to make a battlemage so badly, I can think of some basic things I will need, like heavy armor and destruction but after that I really don't know, I literally have no magic experience in TES. Any help would be wonderful thanks.

I would say use some alteration magic like oak flesh and what not, and of course destruction. don't forget the helping hands spells if your going to have a follower. that's all I can think of for now.

So oak flesh would stack on top of my armor? Also would this be atleast do able on master?

It stacks, and you COULD do it on master. Certain fights are MUCH easier as a mage (Gauldersons) and some are a LOT harder (big bandit chiefs).

Either way a mage is insanely fun. You'll want a follower though, and some crowd control (Either illusion or conjuration) to help keep enemies off you. You'll need to have high magicka so I generally go for 3-1 in health until I've got about 150 health. The rest into mana.

I also head to the college ASAP, and re-forge the Gaulder amulet. That's a good early item, and the first quest can give you some really useful gear.

Protip: Lesser Ward blocks all shouts. Dragon breath is a shout.

Hope it helps.

Thank you for that delicious lump of information, I was considering using a shield what would be better? Shield or a left hand ward?

Generally, unless you have a mod for it, wards are ridiculously inferior to shields. Which is why TRoC spends a lot of time beefing them up...

So I guess I could later on place an enchantment on my shield to deflect some magicka damage?

An artifact shield can do that, Spellbreaker, but otherwise no.

As for the crowd control, frenzy i've heard works great, or calm to well... calm them then you go in with another attack.

Heavy armor, shield, staff?

Pleasure. Wards are ok if you get good with them. For blocking physical damage they don't have to charge, so for minimal magicka you get a greater boost to your AR. RIGHT as you're getting hit, if you hit the ward button it's going to up your AR. So it's super cheap.

That said you can't bash with a ward, and it doesn't "block" damage, it just increases your AR. So yeah... I'd go with a shield, unless there was a caster around.

Also, as mentioned Spellbreker is a great shield for your build (and it's heavy armor).

I'd personally (also) recommend illusion. You can give your follower a buff (though above the novice "courage" spell they're glitched and aren't better, they just last longer).

Additionally, at low levels, it's counter-intuitive but you should SPREAD your perks around. For your magic skills, if you plan on using a skill a lot (like destruction... alteration etc..) then you should grab the perk and some spells early. This gives you more options in combat, and helps you level your skills.

Being a mage is the most expensive "class" early on both financially and in perks. You'll want to figure a good way to make some cash, and it's also a good idea to train any of your skills (That you use) that fall behind.

Hope it helps. You caught me in a magic mood. Usually it's not my favorite thing to discuss.

EDIT:

ebony mail artifact soon as you can for the poison cloak(good armor+extra damage for free) and you'll still be able to sneak when necessary. spellbreaker for shield+autoward. I'd go dawnbreaker just for cliche purposed for a dawnguard battlemage w/restoration turn undead and alteration paralysis/armor spells.

I think I'm going to have to take smithing but I don't enjoy "power leveling" it so could make a bit of cash that way. Ill also be looking into enchanting. I'm not sure if alchemy is for me never really done much with it.

do what i do with every character i make, mine ALL iron ore you come across and go to halted stream camp. in it will be the transmute mineral tome and you can level smithing up with alteration by making gold jewelry

*edit*
it's also a great iron mine. ore veins freaking everywhere.

Where is halted stream camp?

And I think the best thing to do is when I get home sit down with some paper and plan my perks out to see what will be possible.

But going slightly off topic what should I be looking out for when I play on master?

http://skyrimcalculator.com/

Halted Stream is just a bit North of whiterun, IIRC.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Halted_Stream_Camp

http://www.skyrimcalculator.com/

Use that. A lot easier.

Ninja'd

Ninja'd on your birthday! Booya!

(But happy birthday!)

Sorry, who's birthday is it?

13rian's. It's in his sig.

Thanks... I'm so old. The Arthritis made me type too slow.

Sorry for bring this old thread up, but is imperial the best race for this considering ill be joining the imperial legion and the dawnguards.

For a battle-mage, you want magical ability balanced with combat prowess. I think a number of races will do well in that regard; Imperial is as good as any. By and large, they're well-balanced. And, you'll find more gold, which is actually a moderately useful perk.

Light or heavy armor's your choice; I chose light and it worked well for me, especially since I included a Mordecai for a time: it was considered Light Armor, so it allowed the perk you get when you're wearing all light armor, but it vastly accelerated my Magika regeneration. But Heavy will do, I think. I suggest a good One-handed weapon, and a Destruction spell for the other hand. I like using a flame-enchanted blade and a fire spell, simply because burning targets take heavier damage from fire. Use the fire spell at range, then light them up with your blade when they get close.