Mage without enchant 'abuse'?

[Roflkartoffel12]

I really want to play a pure mage but I have inferred from the forums and minor experience with the class, that it is gimped beyond any other style of play in game.

 

I want to avoid what seems to happen with all my characters; At a certain point, generally around lvl 23-25, I become omnipotent in every aspect of my character (playing adept, warrior or thief; bow): It takes minor to no effort completing objectives and thus I have abandoned these characters and started from the beginning.

 

The mage class seem to pose quite a challenge and oh how I love magic. Would a destruction/restoration/(conjuration) mage with chunks of perks in stealth be viable without the, arguably abusive, enchanting strategy of 100% reduction in one or (with the 100 perk) two schools of magic? I will still pick up stagger and use alchemy without buying herbs from a shopkeeper and also use bound bow and daggers.

Is the mage class doomed to be tough playing the first 20 levels, until stagger and 100% reduction enchant?

 

Can it be done?

- bonus question; is it possible to sneak attack with a spell using the silent cast perk?

 

inb4 I used to be a mage, like you, then i took an arrow in the knee.

 

regards!

[XxTaLoNxX]

What?

 

OP: My other characters are too powerful, I heard the Mage class is gimped. I want challenge, but I want to know if Mages have it too hard and I would be doomed to a challenge.

 

What?

 

Your post consists of saying other classes are too easy and you want challenge yet in the same post you are worried that playing a mage may be hard....

I don't even know how to answer this...

Try playing on Master? Because I can guarantee that none of your characters are supremely powerful on that difficulty setting. And yeah, play a mage if you want too.

[HoovesDerpy]

I really want to play a pure mage but I have inferred from the forums and minor experience with the class, that it is gimped beyond any other style of play in game.

 

I want to avoid what seems to happen with all my characters; At a certain point, generally around lvl 23-25, I become omnipotent in every aspect of my character (playing adept, warrior or thief; bow): It takes minor to no effort completing objectives and thus I have abandoned these characters and started from the beginning.

 

The mage class seem to pose quite a challenge and oh how I love magic. Would a destruction/restoration/(conjuration) mage with chunks of perks in stealth be viable without the, arguably abusive, enchanting strategy of 100% reduction in one or (with the 100 perk) two schools of magic? I will still pick up stagger and use alchemy without buying herbs from a shopkeeper and also use bound bow and daggers.

Is the mage class doomed to be tough playing the first 20 levels, until stagger and 100% reduction enchant?

 

Can it be done?

- bonus question; is it possible to sneak attack with a spell using the silent cast perk?

 

inb4 I used to be a mage, like you, then i took an arrow in the knee.

 

regards!

 

I used to inb4 forced memes, like you, then I took an arrow in the knee

 

And yeah, playing a mage is much more challenging than the others, and I'm currently having a blast doing it. Your setup seems fine for a tough run through, especially if you forgo enchanting.

[Matth85]

Depend what you mean by "possible."

Possible as a desutrciton mage? No.

Possible as a conjuration/Illusion mage? Rather easy,

 

Why? Let me put it like this: My level 40 mage with 75 destruction got 60% less destruction mana cost from enchants. That is enough to cast destruction fire spell, with the mod to improve, enough ties to damage dragon by, eh, 60%. I am then dry. That is 500ish mana gone. AND I had 60% mana cost. I'd call that cheating, sice I managed to get it so low.

 

However, nothing is more fun than quiet cast, and see the bandit killing each other, while I stood there, quietly.

[justwannaddl]

Destruction in a straight fight just isn't viable without either a meatshield, tons of potions or 100% mana regen. I'm lvl 22 with roughly 65 destruction, 85 conjure and everything in magika. No armor, weapons or crafting and minimal stealth. I didn't intend to go the conjuration route but I pretty much had to because too many things were one shotting me on only adept difficulty.

[darkjedi73200]

I am working on a full post on my build that is pure Destro Mage with some Alteration and Restoration skills.

 

It is however a PURE casting class with no crafted items. I am level 45 and have no problems.

 

It is a VERY detailed post so I should have it up later tonight.

 

I will title the thread. "My PURE Mage Build" I go over everything from perks, gear, buffs, strat, etc. :thumbsup:

Edited December 5, 2011 by darkjedi73200

[Ghogiel]

Destruction in a straight fight just isn't viable without either a meatshield, tons of potions or 100% mana regen. I'm lvl 22 with roughly 65 destruction, 85 conjure and everything in magika. No armor, weapons or crafting and minimal stealth. I didn't intend to go the conjuration route but I pretty much had to because too many things were one shotting me on only adept difficulty.

even 150-200% magicka regen is not really all that great for destruction imo. However getting as much % destruction reduction cost is more effective for sustained imo. I can drain my magicka quick time dual wielding adept level spells, and regen will not help me at all really. actual spell cost reductions give me much more fire power. it pays off eventually, at level 22 your weak spells are probably still effective some what. after the 40s firing off dual chain lighting 10 times in short succession might be necessary.. on a regular basis :biggrin:

[Roflkartoffel12]

 

Your post consists of saying other classes are too easy and you want challenge yet in the same post you are worried that playing a mage may be hard....

I don't even know how to answer this...

 

I'm sorry if you misunderstood me but i think there is a (albiet thin) line between hard but doable and impossible. If i run out of mana before i kill a mob in a simple 1v1 fight, that would make a mage build obsolete and thus impossible, as in, i would have to draw a sword to kill my foe. I say impossible because the distinction between thief, warrior and mage implies that you can play each class within a well defined frame of mechanisms.

 

Destruction in a straight fight just isn't viable without either a meatshield, tons of potions or 100% mana regen. [...]

 

Really looking forward to your thread!

[justwannaddl]

Destruction in a straight fight just isn't viable without either a meatshield, tons of potions or 100% mana regen. I'm lvl 22 with roughly 65 destruction, 85 conjure and everything in magika. No armor, weapons or crafting and minimal stealth. I didn't intend to go the conjuration route but I pretty much had to because too many things were one shotting me on only adept difficulty.

even 150-200% magicka regen is not really all that great for destruction imo. However getting as much % destruction reduction cost is more effective for sustained imo. I can drain my magicka quick time dual wielding adept level spells, and regen will not help me at all really. actual spell cost reductions give me much more fire power. it pays off eventually, at level 22 your weak spells are probably still effective some what. after the 40s firing off dual chain lighting 10 times in short succession might be necessary.. on a regular basis :biggrin:

 

 

Thanks for the correction. I should have said magika reduction cost but my brain was elsewhere. I actually have Mordekei and the Archmage robes with everything invested in mana so it really did come as a surprise when I found it made little difference.

[stars2heaven]

I'd like to add to the discussion about mana regen, that in my experience, it is more useful to have a higher mana pool and reduction to spell costs than mana regen in general. The main reason is because while you are casting mana doesn't regen. If you have to cast quickly over and over without any breaks, then mana regen is useless. It is still nice to have some, of course for the times you duck out of a fight. But in general spell cost reduction and a beefier mana pool (if you don't max spell cost reduction) is better.