All-around Mage build?

#11brygo(Topic Creator)Posted 4/14/2013 5:14:43 AM
I'm not a regular on this board and I gotta say I'm really surprised with the replies. Very detailed and informative, I highly appreciate it, guys.
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#12Mick65Posted 4/14/2013 5:48:45 AM
I approve of this topic.

Pure Mage is my go to build. Since most everything has been addressed I would like to mention Necromancy. Firstly, it doesn't suffer the atronach glitch which can be infuriating, if not fatal. Dual cast and with the (non-vampire) necromage perk, your reanimates have a duration of six minutes, that's almost an eternity. Weapons including staves clan be placed on a corpse before raising and there is a perk that increases health.

Range is limited as with atronach summons, but raise dead staves have unlimited range as well as the benefit of not turning your reanimates to ash when the duration ceases. The downside to staves is that they don't seem to benefit from all your conjuration perks especially dual casting. The highest base level of a raised enemy is level 40, increased with necromage/necrovamp.

Thralls are a whole different level of Necromancy, and a way of life. There is a very good guide in the faqs section of this site, though it could use a bit of an update. They require more attention than followers and a slower paced play style, but when you're an all powerful master of the dead, you don't need to hurry for anyone.

Illusion goes well with necromancy. Frenzy a group from magical stealth, and raise them as they fall.
#13LockeadonPosted 4/14/2013 5:54:01 AM
just one other thing about magical defences. the wards spells actually also add armor on par with that you can get from alteration (not sure if they are affected by the mage armor perks), so if you find yourself in a situation where you need more defence in a hurry, keep in mind that wards add physical defences as well. and the defence from flesh spells and the defence from wards stack as far as i can tell. i really almost never get hit so defence is sorta a moot point for me,

also paralysis is easy to overlook but can be extremely handy, especially the aoe version. just beware it doesn't work on everything.

oh and since no one has mentioned it yet, there are more useful things in alchemy then the obvious spell school boosters. there are also poisons that create (or increase) a weakness to a given element like fire or frost or shock or magic or poison etc. so what you can do if you want is poison dangerous enemies with these and THEN blast them to bits. useful against really strong enemies with high resistances or just for the hell of it. you can actually stack these as well. for example you can hit them with weakness to poison than weakness to magic then weakness to whatever element (optimally whatever they are already weak to). and so on. that sort of thing can lead to some huge damage numbers, both from you and (theoretically) other magic using allies in the group. like mage followers. and atronachs. and mistmen(?).
everytime i think i've seen it all...
someone does something stupider
#14LockeadonPosted 4/14/2013 5:58:42 AM
i agree with hoonding elsewhere fondues are arguably the best food item for any magic user. and of course having high magicka regen gear will increase the effect. also worth mentioning is the ring of the erudite which has both a LARGE magicka bonus and a very good magicka regen boost.
everytime i think i've seen it all...
someone does something stupider
#15Orpheus_DemigodPosted 4/14/2013 9:54:12 AM
Oh and especially early on, use scrolls if you need to! I used to just sell them all but recently I've started using them when facing bosses etc, very handy. Free Master level spells at level 10? Yes please!