Mage vs Warrior

[NeonDX7]

So, I was always curious to which play style load out is better. Mage or Warrior, what are your thoughts on this? My Skyrim save files got deleted, so I have to start a new game, I need some suggestions on what I should be.

Edited August 2, 2012 by NeonDX7

[Staind716]

With all of the mods available almost ANY character type is feasible. I am currently playing through with a mage and have started a second character as a dual wielding warrior. It really just depends on what you are more interested in. Do you want to overwhem the enemy with your magic or wade in and cut them down in close quarter combat? Mage is a little more strategic, but the warrior is a lot of fun also. So either is a perfectly viable choice.

[NeonDX7]

With all of the mods available almost ANY character type is feasible. I am currently playing through with a mage and have started a second character as a dual wielding warrior. It really just depends on what you are more interested in. Do you want to overwhem the enemy with your magic or wade in and cut them down in close quarter combat? Mage is a little more strategic, but the warrior is a lot of fun also. So either is a perfectly viable choice.

 

 

 

I hate the way mages battle, I die to them all the time. They basically avoid close range engagements, I was a warrior at the time, so I would constantly try to get up close, the mages will keep backing up whilst using destruction spells that do an insane amount of damage, by the time, so I just usually end up dieing because of that. I swear, only thing that kills me in Skyrim, mages, and Dragon Priest.

[StayFrosty05]

With all of the mods available almost ANY character type is feasible. I am currently playing through with a mage and have started a second character as a dual wielding warrior. It really just depends on what you are more interested in. Do you want to overwhem the enemy with your magic or wade in and cut them down in close quarter combat? Mage is a little more strategic, but the warrior is a lot of fun also. So either is a perfectly viable choice.

 

 

 

I hate the way mages battle, I die to them all the time. They basically avoid close range engagements, I was a warrior at the time, so I would constantly try to get up close, the mages will keep backing up whilst using destruction spells that do an insane amount of damage, by the time, so I just usually end up dieing because of that. I swear, only thing that kills me in Skyrim, mages, and Dragon Priest.

 

"Ravage Magicka' poison tipped arrows ftw.... :happy: .....As for choice in character, it really all just comes down to what you enjoy more....I don't enjoy playing Mages, but love the Archer/Duel Wielder....and of course his Alchemy back up to deal with such situations as those range heavy pesky Mages .... :happy: ....Play what you have the most fun with.

[Blackraptor31]

sneaky assassin builds are by far the best. Once you've gotten the DB gloves and a half decent dagger you'll be one hitting most enemies even with a low 1h skill (since it only levels per hit and you only hit enemies once so it levels really slowly). With sneak lvl 100 and all the perks, simply crouching and attacking guarantees a 30x sneak attack crit from the front of enemies in broad daylight.

 

Back it up with archery for things far away/flying around and the game is a walk in the park on master.

 

 

Frankly, the vannila game is broken with regards to skills and combat. Use ACE mod to balance the different styles of play and stop the game breaking enchanting and alchemy combos.

[sukeban]

I'm with Blackraptor. Thief/assassin is an imbalanced playstyle, especially when compared to the life of a mage. Having to roast a wolf for twenty seconds before it dies isn't that enjoyable, but then again, neither is one-shotting Dragonpriests with a dagger. I've only ever successfully played a sneak archer, but I felt haxx by level 35 and don't really play on that character anymore.

 

I prefer the warrior style because it feels more "noble" and its mechanics are the most entertaining to play. It also gives enemies the best chance to actually kill you because you're not just kiting around like a sissy plinking them with arrows or spells. Akatosh would facepalm if he saw his Dragonborn resorting to such cowardly tactics.

 

Mages also miss out on 90% of loot, weapons and armor, and have an extremely sparse collection of clothing and robes to wear on their character. You could combine playstyles and make a battlemage or spellsword, however. Fight with a spell in one hand and a mace in the other.

 

But I would tell you that a 2-handed heavy metal warrior is the way to go. Great fun to play and the lack of effective blocking or healing makes it far more challenging than abusing restoration magic and/or sneaking.

[Blu02]

Skyrim is not a competition. So whatever type of character is the most powerful feels completely uninteresting. I prefer more challanging gameplay and RP, which I think is most fun with a warrior. My current level 41 warrior only uses iron and steel equipment, which is fitting to the characters background and keeps the game fairly balanced even on higher levels.

 

But the most interesting character I've played so far would be a really sneaky illusionist, manipulating her enemies and in worst case scenario do backstabs. I'm definitely going to do that again later, but with a Dawnguard vampire :)

 

This is how I think you make the game more fun anyway, by not becoming something of an invulnerable god of destruction :P Especially considering how badly balanced the game is. So I think you should do what you think is most fun, and not what's best when it comes to stats.

[PharmakosChroster]

If you're talking stock, modless Skyrim, my experience is that stealth builds are easy mode. The easiest character I ever played was a one-handed/illusion specialist. For the early game, backstab will do for single opponents, and fury for crowds. Once you get invisibility, it's game over. Dagger in one hand, illusion in the other, and you'll never get hit again. I didn't even bother to wear armour, just clothing enchanted to give me -100% cost on illusion spells. At 30x backstab damage and Mehrune's Razor, I could one-hit anything in the game. Dragons were a bit trickier, but even then I could simply spam invisibility as required until they landed. Then it was game over.

 

Pure spellcasters are harder in the early game, before you can enchant yourself some game-breaking armour to remove spell costs for destruction and/or summoning, and pure warriors are harder in the end-game after you've maxed out your skills and enemies continue to get harder without a consummate improvement in your damage-dealing.

 

Stealthy archers are the glass cannons of Skyrim. They can take down most stuff easily, before anyone even knows they're there, but that small percentage who can survive an alpha strike become Nintendo hard. (I'm looking at you, Morokei.)

[NeonDX7]

Skyrim is not a competition. So whatever type of character is the most powerful feels completely uninteresting. I prefer more challanging gameplay and RP, which I think is most fun with a warrior. My current level 41 warrior only uses iron and steel equipment, which is fitting to the characters background and keeps the game fairly balanced even on higher levels.

 

But the most interesting character I've played so far would be a really sneaky illusionist, manipulating her enemies and in worst case scenario do backstabs. I'm definitely going to do that again later, but with a Dawnguard vampire :)

 

This is how I think you make the game more fun anyway, by not becoming something of an invulnerable god of destruction :P Especially considering how badly balanced the game is. So I think you should do what you think is most fun, and not what's best when it comes to stats.

 

 

Ever heard of Shadow Warrior, man. I use to be an illusionist assassin, I always hated when I turning invisible when I'm detected and waiting like a good 10 seconds till my status was hidden again. Shadow Warrior gets the job done quicker, if your dagger is powerful enough, and your wearing Dark Brotherhood/Black Sacrament(Mod) gloves, you can literary crouch in front of someone with Shadow Warrior and one shot them. I dunno why the game counts that as a sneak attack, lol.

[Psiberzerker]

You can always combine them into a Battlemage, or Spellsword, get the best of both worlds. Pure Mage (No weapons, nor armor) is the greatest challenge short of a pascifist. Plenty doable, and a lot of fun, but you have to think a lot more, while a warrior just runs in, and smashes. As for the vs matchup, Mages almost always win if they're both NPCs. As the Dragonborn, you can do a hell of a lot better with Shouts, and Smithing, but the AI never does that.