Pure magic-users difficult to play

[gigantibyte]

....I can't believe how unbalanced Bethesda allowed it to be.

 

Lol, it's hard to believe many things Bethesda did. More than UI, the whole game seems geared towards console players who don't want to invest too much time carefully building up and role playing a character. Really there are no mage or fighter characters, just characters that use different sets of skills. In many RPGs, the player chooses a class and seeks out class specific armour and weapons to use. In Skyrim (as far as I can tell), a magika user can wear heavy armour, or anything else they want without penalty - other than not being able wear other outfits that give magika bonuses. (Can mage robe bonuses be transferred to heavy armor though enchanting? If yes, then that's another strike against classes in Skyrim.)

[elleonblanco]

....I can't believe how unbalanced Bethesda allowed it to be.

 

Lol, it's hard to believe many things Bethesda did. More than UI, the whole game seems geared towards console players who don't want to invest too much time carefully building up and role playing a character. Really there are no mage or fighter characters, just characters that use different sets of skills. In many RPGs, the player chooses a class and seeks out class specific armour and weapons to use. In Skyrim (as far as I can tell), a magika user can wear heavy armour, or anything else they want without penalty - other than not being able wear other outfits that give magika bonuses. (Can mage robe bonuses be transferred to heavy armor though enchanting? If yes, then that's another strike against classes in Skyrim.)

 

Yes. You can enchant heavy armor to do everything mage robes do and more. Once you get master in enchanting you can double enchant. Your mage can then wield for example destruction and conjuration spells at ZERO magika cost. I can bring down a dragon so fast now with pure destruction it is almost unbelievable. However since I am built as a mage and have ZERO armor perks he can still one shot me with ease if I don't get out of the way fast enough. :happy:

[TheMango55]

My 72 mage did a small test: Destruction, all perks, 80% less mana cost in the school, with enchants.

I started a fight with a dragon.

I got 20% of him, with expert spells.

 

Not to mention illusion is capped at 40ish as well. Oh, and my summons die rather fast.

This means I am stuck with Alteration and restoration. I can survive for long, but that really isn't making me feel like a "demigood", as you should be at 70+.

 

Bleh

 

How can you be level 72 and consider yourself a "mage" At level 72 you're pretty much an everything.

 

I agree that destruction needs some scaling at high levels, but if you stick to just your magic schools you probably won't have to face enemies that hard. I'm running an Altmer pure mage right now, only using Destruction, Illusion, Alteration, and Restoration. I don't make potions, enchant anything, wear armor, or even pick locks. The only time I ever gain a skill point besides those 4 is when I get the random speech point from bartering.

 

I'll probably max out my skills right around level 40 or so and at that point I'll probably still be quite powerful.

[gigantibyte]

Speaking of mages... With a new character I wanted to build up as a magika user, I ran straight to the College of Winterhold, bypassing Riverwood and Whiterun. After about 10 hours of play and no fast traveling, I haven't seen a single dragon yet, except the one at the start of the game. Edited December 12, 2011 by gigantibyte

[QDX2000]

I've heard talk that dragons don't spawn before you pick up the dragon stone in Bleak Falls Barrow.

[Matth85]

How can you be level 72 and consider yourself a "mage" At level 72 you're pretty much an everything.

You can be a warrior with maxed out destruction.

You can be an assassin with maxed out alteration.

 

Easy, I play a playstyle, not a perk. I might spend some houres levelling heavy armor, but my main way of damage was, and is, magic. Of course, the last 10 levels I spent more using 2 hander, since I am actually able to do damage.

[Jackal2233]

I just played my mage/rogue a bit more, I guess I was wrong, it seems mages do become very powerful at high levels if used correctly. I still didn't want to use staves but I decided to level up conjuration so I can use dual swords when magicka is low. And lightning storm is a crazy spell O.O

 

Can't wait for bound bow actually, looks like my katanas are going to the chest! Pretty cool looking actually, the way my mage holds both hands together then two blades appear on each. Trick was to dual cast, but to click the button one at a time, like left mouse first then right mouse, then release.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Jackal2233

[GeckoSpawn]

I've just hit level 41 Altmer Mage. Destruction, Alteration and Enchanting. I used Conjuration early on and when in trouble double, not duel, cast Demora Lord so I can mana/health regen. I began level 1 on master and have only dropped lower to brawl (I'm a prostitute for petty squabbles) *[Edit: "Prostitute" cannot replace wh**e, Mr. auto-editing software! xD]*. It's been a challenge and I end up laughing whenever I get it into my head that I'm a god and get pwned. So far, most fall victim to paralyze then soul trap and unstoppable spamming as they writhe.

 

Alteration, Destruction and Enchanting without perks in restoration or illusion have allowed me to focus dps/aoe while remaining unharmed.

I would recommend an enchanted ring or amulet to increase magic resistance along with the alteration perks, partially due to avoiding the zero mana cast.

 

My mage has never felt unstoppable and that's what I like. A challenging game and the feeling of pride that you were able to succeed after all the effort you put in. The mage is surely a viable option, but you have to be smart about it. The game can't be approached with the thought that you'll just level everything you come across. I still backpedal in every fight and use terrain to my advantage. The Mage requires intellect from the character and player.

 

And don't neglect your hotkeys. I use seven spells in neatly every fight. It may feel complicated but my brother's expression when I pull them off perfectly is priceless.

Edited December 13, 2011 by GeckoSpawn

[Jackal2233]

I just realised though, thunderbolt (expert level) eats up tons of magicka, while lightning storm (master level) eats very little magicka compared to thunderbolt and does a crazy amount of damage (but unfortunately you're stationery and the 3 sec casting time). Blizzard is rather useless though. That ethereal shout is most useful however

[urielseptim]

My mage has never felt unstoppable and that's what I like. A challenging game and the feeling of pride that you were able to succeed after all the effort you put in. The mage is surely a viable option, but you have to be smart about it.

 

And you've summed it up nicely. Mage is recommended for experienced, skilled players, they are not ultimate killing machines in the way those dreadful muticlass warriors/smiths/enchanters/alchemists are but then don't need to be. You have to play smart, use tricks and every advantage to prevail which ultimately makes game more satisfactory then just to charge and wipe everything to little shreds (but that's fun too, my other character is a warrior ; )