How to effectively play as a mage

[saintjimmyz]

I am currently only on level 15 with my mage build character, but I have found having an offensive spell in one hand (sparks or flames mainly so far) and a healing spell in the other works really well for short fights. It uses up a lot of magicka, so is not appropriate for extended fights, but in some cases it can make you near invincible while you wait to see which runs out first: your magicka or your opponents HP.

 

Setting rune traps (and waiting for magicka to replenish before engaging) is a fairly good way to even the odds against more powerful enemies. If you get seen laying the rune, it can leave you vulnerable with low magicka in the coming fight.

 

Some posters have said that you have to pick up every last ingredient to sell for gold; in my opinion this is nonsense. 80% of my gold comes from finding gold in corpses, skeletons, burial urns etc etc. I rarely take loot to sell because its often not worth the effort, and because often you cannot find a merchant with enough gold to sell it all to. I do take and sell jewelry and gems, but often I craft the gems into jewelry and enchant it to level enchantment instead. And I am never that short of gold, as there is not that much to actually buy as a mage.

[Patronus]

I am currently only on level 15 with my mage build character, but I have found having an offensive spell in one hand (sparks or flames mainly so far) and a healing spell in the other works really well for short fights. It uses up a lot of magicka, so is not appropriate for extended fights, but in some cases it can make you near invincible while you wait to see which runs out first: your magicka or your opponents HP.

 

Setting rune traps (and waiting for magicka to replenish before engaging) is a fairly good way to even the odds against more powerful enemies. If you get seen laying the rune, it can leave you vulnerable with low magicka in the coming fight.

 

Some posters have said that you have to pick up every last ingredient to sell for gold; in my opinion this is nonsense. 80% of my gold comes from finding gold in corpses, skeletons, burial urns etc etc. I rarely take loot to sell because its often not worth the effort, and because often you cannot find a merchant with enough gold to sell it all to. I do take and sell jewelry and gems, but often I craft the gems into jewelry and enchant it to level enchantment instead. And I am never that short of gold, as there is not that much to actually buy as a mage.

I must disagree, the best profit source for mage is enchanting. and the best items to enchant are daggers as they're much lighter than swords and not that much cheaper. Even an iron dagger enchanted with a petty soul gem gives you somewhat around 150 gold. Note that different enchantments influence the price differently. Amongst the enchantments I've got the most expensive items are made with Absorb Health enchantment. You only need to replenish your filled soul gems supply regularly - my advice is using bound sword with a soul trap perk. use it instead of offensive magic against weak monsters and as last hit against strong monsters.

 

As for ingredients - it's best not to sell them, but use to level-up alchemy as it levels up much slower than smithing or enchanting.

 

As for my character - I got myself mana regen of nearly 300% - (Morokei mask 100%, Archmage's robes 100%, ring I enchanted for 58% and Akatosh amulet 25% - that's 293% total), but didn't use all my level-ups on mana - I used half of them on health instead. Such a high mana regen value allows me to use Firebolts and Ice spikes almost infinitely in the battle, if the timing of spell casting is right (I use dual-casting, so it staggers opponents on hit, allowing me to wait 2-3 seconds for mana to regenerate or to attack another opponent). What I'm aiming to achieve - is getting a destruction+conjuration -100% mana cost set of armor when I get enchanting skill of 100 (and that's soon enough) so that's why I don't need all that points in mana and health will be useful.

Edited December 4, 2011 by Patronus

[Eversjm7]

Ok sorry noob question/thought

 

I was under the impression magic regen only works outside of fights.

 

 

Doy

[El`derina]

My first character I went

Conjuration

Destruction

One handed weapons with duel wielding.

 

when I ran out of mana, I started chopping heads...

 

after I learned how badly they jacked the skills so you could learn them all just as easily, I went for

 

heavy armor, enchanting, smithing.

(I also have all other skills leveled nicely, perks not included,... but dont use them often)

 

Now let me just say, enchanting and smithing is broken... beyond broken.... SO had fun making dragon or daedric armor with insane armor ratings, and then enchanting them for huge destruction magic cost reduction + Mana regen, +other odds and ends...

 

now with fully overpowered enchanted gear, and its heavy armor to boot.. you'll be a walking mage tank >.>

even tho the damage on destruction is stupidly small in comparison to what melee achieves, once you reach this point, you just walk in anywhere and chain 100 fireballs >.>

if I had known this earlier in the game, I would have been making lesser equipment of this type sooner.

 

the conjuration and one handed helped me reach this point in early lvls,.. if your smart with your decisions in battle, you shouldnt have any issues-

basicaly... get a backup option if your a mage(or any character) >.>

[RejectedCamel]

Actually it's really easy.

 

Focus ONLY on upping your magicka every time you level, and try to get all the destruction perks and more advanced spells. Make sure you get the perk that makes magicka regenerate faster (it's part of the regeneration perk tree). Use flames against normal enemies and sparks against magical foes. If someone closes in on you, sprint away for 2 or 3 seconds, use a magicka potion, and charge.

 

I got to level 63 destruction in literally 8 hours (started a new character). Playing on Master difficulty. If anything, the game is extremely easy, even more when you play as a mage.

[CalibanX]

Of course, the simplest solution to the weak early Mage syndrome is just to level up. Level up and better Perks will come to you. I'm doing Illusion and Conjuration right now. I sneak up on non-undead targets, cast Fury on them and snicker wickedly while they tear each other apart. For Undead and bosses I have a harder time and Conjure like crazy and have to fall back on the crude Destruction Spells while running around like a chicken.

[justwannaddl]

I've been playing a pure mage, lvl 22. No weapon and the only armor I have is morekei which I got around lvl 13. I haven't gone the enchanting route so I have been pumping everything into magika and have +200% mana regen. Even so, mana is a constant issue and rune traps are my friend. Needless to say conjuration and followers are absolutely necessary. My standard M.O. is to throw a fire rune down and make a summons before opening any door. I fire summons at every corner to check for traps and draw aggro.

 

So far, the only time I found myself completely outmatched was against Mordekei but if anything gets in melee range, I am in for a world of hurt. Sabre cats terrify me. One or two hits and I am gone. Dragons in melee tend to take one bite and I go flying. Giants launch me so high I never see the ground again before my game reloads. This is only on adept lvl difficulty.

[Rosafaran]

Female Nord mage here playing on master difficulty.

 

I would just like to share my early level experience as a mage.

 

In the first levels I dont even bother with the quests. Im focusing on my capital and alchemy/speech level.

After I've been to riverwood chopping some wood for cash I pick every herb I see along the main road too whiterun and at the farms I pick up the wheat.

 

I run to the herb shop in whiterun and buy every cheap ingrident she offer. (under 50 gold) Then eat one of every ingridient to learn the first effect and start making potions.

then sell the potions for a profit and wait until she restocks and buy again and craft. Or you can just run the road whiterun - riverwood - helgen and pick the herbs along the road and fish in the big lage east of riverwood for some fish (not salmon)

or even going from town to town and buy ingridents for a more authentic feeling.

 

It doesnt take that long to reach level 15-20 depending how much time you wanna spend doing this, myself did this until alchemy was at 100. Before I went out on adventure I had over 20k gold and was level 20.

And I might have spend like 1-2 hours irl time.

 

Its not that hard to get started with a good capital and levels if you enjoy crafting or can atleast tolorate if for a few hours. You dont need any mods like alchemy assistant or richmerchant etc to do this successfully.

And for me getting a few levels and increasing my magicka before going out on adventure is much more fun.

 

(if you dont like spending perks on alchemy/speech you can still do this, the only difference will be your gold capital when you decide you are done, levels wont be affected)

 

I have never picked up any heavy weight item in dungeons except for enchanted items for disenchant. my source of income is alchemy, my most profitable potion is selling for about 4k. I pick herbs on my journeys, outside and inside caves, I pick up soul gems and jewelry for extra cash. Lydia sits in my house.

 

I started with destruction/restoration in the begginning and I have no magicka problem at all, you will have tons of magicka potions if you do have problems.

 

All in all I really enjoyed my early levels starting out as a merchant/trader/crafter type character and getting to know the people of whiterun and share some mead in the tavern and listening to the music.

(I dont use any light or heavy armor, only robes and clothes with enchantments)

 

Also with all the capital you got at the beggining you can level smithing and enchanting with ease if you want a break from the adventure. Just go from town to town visiting the local blacksmith and court wizard and buy all the iron ingot, leather and petty soul gems,then craft iron daggers and enchant them. maxing both or just enchanting too 100 doesnt take long since you have the gold from all the potions you been making from time to time.

Edited December 4, 2011 by Rosafaran

[Hundred2]

The best way to prevent yourself from being overwhelmed by bad guys is getting your illusion up.

It pretty much allows you to take enemies out one by one, calm everyone and kill them one by one.

 

Illusion is a real handy school of magic, don't underestimate it.

 

Oh and try to calm the Two-Hander guys first, they have this nasty habit of pwning you in 2 hits.

Edited December 4, 2011 by Hundred2

[Matth85]

2 hits.

 

Ehhhh...... Seriously, they get me in 1 if I don't get time to get up my shield >.< Being a mage at level 40, and denying to exploit, is really painfully. Half the guys seem to resist my illusion spells, and my destruction doesn't hit for enough, consider the mana cost. Luckily my double Dremora Lord saves me.