Pure Mage Defenses

[Dukkah]

Why are Bandit Marauders and similarly powered mobs able to one-shot me when I have Ebony Flesh up? Does an armor rating of 300 mean nothing?

 

For my Dunmer character, I decided to forgo the use of armor because I figured that the alteration school could adequately protect me. I was right, but with a caveat: the only useful armor spell at higher levels seems to be Dragon flesh, but it's impractical in battle because it drains my magic pool. Ebony flesh and below are only useful for stopping a stray arrow on the rare occasion I don't see them coming, but even then, a well placed ebony arrow from an ebony bow is a death sentence.

 

So I need help: are there any enchantments or tactics you guys can recommend for overcoming this problem? In my current build, I have 533 magic (wearing the Galdur amulet, enchanted gloves that give me plus 33 magic, Master Robes of Destruction and the Atronach Stone), 260 health and some miniscule amount of stamina that I haven't payed attention to since the early game.

 

Since I've maxed Alteration and Destruction, with 80 in conjuration, I've gotten all the schools of magic I was interested in (with about 50 in Restoration for the close wounds spell), so it would be nice to change his play style more in the direction of a Spell Sword, but I don't know if it's possible at this point. Anyway, at level 42 there is still much grinding that can and will be done, if only I can solve this vulnerability. :wallbash:

 

EDIT: Ah, and I'm on Master level difficulty, but that's nothing new. I've been playing on it since around level 25.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Dukkah

[Khorak]

Get more health.

 

You're a mage, you're not meant to be getting hit in the face. Those spells are to give you more longevity, not duke it out like a properly built warrior does. Even with maxed out damage reduction the warriors get their job done because they've got masses of health. Some enemies hit so God damned hard that the 20% left over after full armour reduction is still deadly without a vast pile of HP to laugh it off.

 

And you've got 80 in Conjuration, why the heck are you taking hits? There should be a Dremora Lord out there. There's the extra health you need. Once you've maxed out Conjuration, there'lll be two of the damn things. Destruction becomes pointless, they kill everything remorselessly.

[Dukkah]

Dremora Lords are certainly strong, but even they can only do so much, and the mana they cost me usually means I can only cast lower level spells thereafter.

 

This is really a problem when facing more than two or three enemies. Chain lightning no longer does sufficient damage to stronger mobs, and once my Dremora lord has a few on him, I'm wide open for attack. This is why I started leveling my one handed skill in the first place; for when I found myself within melee range or was out of magic.

 

On the other hand, I've played with 2 Dremora Lords before and it's simply broken. They're too strong, and I don't feel like I'm a part of the game anymore, so I'm really between a rock and a hard place. :(

 

I definitely agree that I need more HP though. Master level spells seem worthless, so there's really no reason for me to pump more levels into my mana pool. Any items or tactics that'll prove useful when backed into a corner as described above?

[Cyrotek]

Get enchanting on 100.

Win.

 

Seriously, iam playing with PISE and Deadly Dragons Hardcore on Master with a warrior type character. The only way to survive a direct battle against dragons and not seldom casters is: enchanting gear with resistance. Armor doesnt help if you get twoshotet by lightnings or killed in 1 second against a dragonbreath.

The same applies to you, there are more than one way to make a caster somewhat beefy. And if nothing helps: Use heavy armor.

 

Also you shoud think again about your playstyle. I remember my own caster not getting twoshotet by anything because they never cornered me.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Cyrotek

[huntsman2310]

With mage defenses being pathetic, I thought the main gripe would be wards.

 

They become a hindrance at best at about level 20 and higher, and then at level 30 or higher they become a death sentence since any and all magical attacks will overpower it and send you stumbling.

 

Someone needs to make a simple mod (once the CK comes out of course), that adds some more higher level wards.

[Khorak]

Get enchanting on 100.

Win.

 

Yeah, there's a reason it's in the Magic skills. Mages should be abusing Enchanting in the same way everyone else should be abusing Smithing. I have a Mage character saved somewhere. She's level 15, and with only 70 in Enchating, not even maxed out, she pays 2 Magicka to dual cast a fireball. 2. That's it. I've levelled Enchanting since I made that kit, so I could make it literally nothing (yes, if you go above 100% reduction in magicka costs in a given school of magic, it will cost nothing; the game has no cap in place to prevent this), but I can't be bothered because I don't actually notice the magicka drain when I'm stun locking to death absolutely anything with dual casted, Impact perked spells.

 

At level 40 you really should have zero magicka cost for Destruction spells, which you will hurl endlessly at anything and everything that offends you. This includes rabbits, elk, anyone who doesn't have a witness to report you....

 

If you're paying nothing for your Destruction spells, your magicka pool becomes the 'how many summons can I cast' bar.