Mage durability?

[Vunutus]

I'm playing through Morrowind on my first pure mage character. I do lots of damage (obviously) but my defenses are pathetically weak. Obviously this is to be expected. Magic users in RPGs are archtypically glass cannons. This has me somewhat concerned, though. Will I be able to supplement my defenses adequately with spells/enchants or will I always find myself on the losing end of hard hitters? I can manage to win most fights but occasionally I die and have to reload. My biggest enemies are bandits and the like with large weapons. Usually they send me to the ground on the first hit (usually taking most of my HP) then pummel me to death before I can get up and heal.

[ninja_lord666]

Morrowind, you say? In Morrowind there is unarmoured defense. Boost that up and you've got yourself some nice natural armour, about 80-90 when maxed out. Shield spells are also useful.

[xenxander]

Remember, in Morrowind "Unarmored" was bugged.

 

You could increase it, but it would never 'reduce' damage UNLESS you had at least ONE piece of armor equipped as well.

 

to get around that for pure mages, I would usually wear leather bracers or neetch leather bracers, figuring mages would wear those at least. Or maybe a single pauldron *shrugs* something simple.

 

there's a mod for this out there, that equippis an invisible and very weak light armor helm on your character (so you still increase light armor albiet very slowly) and still lets you role -play out your mage.

 

I prefer just wearing gloves or bracers. And you can always 'shield' yourself, or just use some exquisit outfits (Rollie the gaur!! :D ) and give yourself "constant effect: restore health 1 - "x"" points and equip / reequip it until you get a number closer to "x" :P (Fortify luck to help :D:D )

[Abramul]

You might also want to consider using one of the mixed classes. For instance, a Battlemage has:

* Major Skills:

Alteration

Destruction

Conjuration

Axe

Heavy Armor

 

* Minor Skills:

Mysticism

Long Blade

Marksman

Enchant

Alchemy

[Iapetus]

Y'AI NG'NGAH

YOGH-SOTHOTH

H'EE-L'GEB

F'AI THRODOG

UAAAH

 

Playing a pure mage in Morrowind?

First off, you need to have the Atronach Birthsign. It can often spell the difference between a spell-riddled death and using your foe's fireballs to fuel your own magic. Like some sort of magic-leech.

Second, beef up on your Unarmored or Light Armor. There is a bug that plagues Unarmored, or so I hear, so Light might be your best bet. On the other hand, you could invest in Alteration, and use a variety of spells to ensure your magic-fueled victory.

Shield spells make it hard for some sorry [censored] to hit you with his big stick.

Levitation can get you to that lovely little overhang, just beyond that monster's reach.

Waterwalking is a must-have.

Elemental Shields are wonderful if you know before-hand what kind of freak you will be facing.

And Feather is just as dandy as all-get-out for carting your Fat Lutes* back to town.

And that is why Alteration is so very useful.

 

 

*Aha! A play on words!

 

OGTHROD AI'F

GEB'L-EE'H

YOG-SOTHOTH

'NGAH'NG AI'Y

ZHRO