So, my main type of character is a Mage and I figured I'd allow people to detail how their own mage is made.

Also, can you post how you utilise everything together to defeat enemies?

So, how do you make a mage?

My mage is called Merlin, a Breton Mage, skilled in all 7 classes. Of late, at level 10, his magic is failing him more often, so he falls back on a Dwarven Longsword with a Damage Health attached.

My battle routine is -- Shield, Detect Life, Light (under ground), then casting Damage Health.

My staff is a 20pt damage Cold.

I have an Altmer Mage, born under the mage. The first character ever, to make it to level 50.

My battle routine:

Poisoned bow shot on the hardiest enemy
AOE frost and fire spells incorporating paralyze.
Custom target spell
If they get too close, custom touch spell, which kills in one hit, except for liches (not the Nethers) and Mended Flesh Atronachs. Or custom touch spell that does devastating limited AOE.

If I get mobbed, daedric short sword or custom panic button spell, which summons a dremora lord, heals me and turns me invisible.
I wear street clothes enchanted with one each 25% elemental shields, and the other two slots with fortify magicka 50. I also carry Apotheosis.

Will never finish the Main Quest, and I take trips to the SI for my alchemical ingredients. Only faction is the Mages' Guild.

Breton, prefers Destruction, but illusion is a close second. wears all black clothes enchanted with shield and magicka and carries a durable daedric dagger with absorb magicka 50, from a sigil stone. Also brings his mages staff of paralysis for an easy way to disable enemies in tight spaces.

i would add to the poll the favorite birthsign

Hyyyahh! Done! :ninja:

Yay! I'm an acolyte now! Bow before my mightiness!!

That's what my current mage started off like. Spent the first 12 levels leveling Strength and Endurance while liveing in blades/steel armor. The next 12, or so, levels on intelligence and willpower. The third stat was split between agility and speed. After level 25ish I just took the levels as they came. Got all the stats, that matter, to 100+ at level 33.

Outfit

Black Hood - 25% frost sheild
Dark Shirt - 25% shock sheild
Blacksmith Pants - 25% frost sheild
Stiched Leather Shoes - 25% shock sheild
Mundane Ring
Ebony Diamond Ring - +50 Magicka
Arnora's True Amulet - +50 Magicka
Wrist Irons - +50 Magicka
Light Iron Sheild - +50 Magicka

Yeah, Sigil Stone powered. The elemental sheild stones can be aquired at levels 9-12. Oh, the original owner of the hood won't part with it willingly...Nothing a fireball can't solve.

Weapon(s)

http://a.imageshack.us/img844/8423/diakatana.jpg should be helpfull. Add a one second soul trap to that. The effect was not listed because the enchantment list is too long. Dia-Katana is perfect for a mage because it's light weight, fast swinging and two-handed. A two handed weapon allows a sheild to be equiped with zero penility to spell effectiveness. Oh, and super-glue Azura's Star to your character.

The bow is just 100 pt drain health for one second and command creature/humanoid. Nothing fancy, other than being the highest quality in the game. "100 pt drain health for one second" is very effective on any bow. Useing a common soul it'll have 25 uses. Ran around with a Elven Bow for way too long enchanted like that.

Usually I make my mage a Breton, because I like having lots of magicka but don't feel like dealing with the Altmer's drawbacks.

Alchemy, conjuration, and restoration. Alchemy is addicting, it's highly amusing conjuring allies and standing by while a battle unfolds, and Absorb Health will forever be my second favorite spell in the entire game.

Swords, daggers, or hand to hand, idk why, but I prefer those to blunt weapons. I like marksman, but struggle with it, so that's out. Staves annoy me because once they're outa juice they're useless until you recharge 'em. I also don't like to bother enchanting weapons because I'm too cheap to recharge.

Light armor, robes, and regular clothes. Light armor because it's, well, light. Heavy armor makes me too slow and that annoys me. I also like robes and regular clothes for enchanting. Yeah, I can enchant armor, but I've never been able to get my armorer skill up to 50, so if it breaks I'm [censored] out of luck. Unless I hire someone to fix it for me. Once again, too cheap for that. So I leave my armor the way it is.

Finally, Mage birthsign. Much like with Breton vs Altmer, I'd prefer to have less magicka then deal with drawbacks, so Apprentice and Atronach are out.

Not the best way to make a mage, but it works for me. ^_^

Edit- forget about the battle strategy. Which is... alternate between absorbing their health and whacking them with my sword. Yep. Oh, and sometimes I'll conjure something if an enemy sneaks up on me while my health or magicka's low. I also drink potions that restore health or magicka occasionally. That's about it.

Breton also with like reasons, also I don't like looking like an elf, much prefer to appear human.

Alchemy- It feels good to make potions, easy money.

Conjuration-always fun like said to watch a zombie attack someone.

Mysticism-detect life, telekinesis, and soultrap oh my!

Illusion-so helpful in so many ways.

Shortsword and dagger.

Always apprentice, thx to bretons counter magic resistances

And who actually uses atronarch? that would be so tedious to always have magicka pots with you. sure you got spell absorbtion but it only works when the enemy uses magic and usually their not as common as melee/rangers.

I applaud who ever uses that birthsign, must get annoying and dangerous.

once try an altmer with atronach birthsign. very unique experience. lots of magicka although regeneration disabled, so alchemy is important. spell absorption helps with the weaknesses.

Name/Class: John Doe / Heroic Ex-con
Race/Gender: High Elf (Altmer) / Male
Birthsign: The Atronach
Specialization: Magic
Attributes: Speed, Endurance
Major Skills: Alchemy, Mysticism, Conjuration, Destruction,
Alteration, Restoration, Illusion

Health/Magicka/Fatigue: 90/350/155
Max Level: 45.5
Encumbrance: 150

Abilities:
- Resist Disease (constant: 75 pt. Self)
- Spell Absorption (constant: 50 pt. Self)

Drawbacks:
- Weakness to Fire, Frost, and Shock (constant: 25 pt. Self)
- Magicka regeneration disabled

Stats:
INTELLIGENCE-50: Alchemy-35, Mysticism-40, Conjuration-35
WILLPOWER-40: Destruction-40, Alteration-40, Restoration-30
PERSONALITY-40: Illusion-35, Mercantile-5, Speechcraft-5
AGILITY-40: Security-5, Sneak-5, Marksman-5
SPEED-35: Athletics-5, Acrobatics-5, Light Armor-5
STRENGTH-30: Blunt-5, Blade-5, Hand to Hand-5
ENDURANCE-45: Block-5, Armorer-5, Heavy Armor-5
LUCK-50

I've done the traditional Breton - The Mage combo and found it quite a boring way to play.

My favourite mage characters;

Argonian Female
The Lady
Endurance, Intelligence

Sneak
Marksman
Destruction
Conjuration
Illusion
Mysticism
Restoration


Alteration and Alchemy as commonly-used minors, dressed in a variety of enchanted clothing and my Shrouded Armour when I do an assassination. Poisoned Sneak Attacks and on-touch Destruction Attacks destroy most opponents, and I generally use a mix of Summons and Frenzy if I'm overwhelmed. I eventually intend to get a full outfit of Fortify Magic and Elemental Shield Sigil Stones, but for now I'm using normal enchanting...


Alternatively, I quite like;

Dunmer
The Atronach (meaning the Dunmer's low Willpower isn't a problem, and you can use the Ancestor Ghost to refill provided you have high Spell Absorption)


Blade
Destruction
Illusion
Conjuration
Alteration
Restoration
Illusion

Whilst obviously utilising Alchemy and wearing only enchanted clothing (which means you can carry ALOT, paticularaly with Feather spells). Being free to ignore Willpower entirely gives me reasonable Strength.


In regards to using the Atronach; it really isn't a bother. I spent one in-game day gathering Flax Seeds whnilst dungeon-diving around Skingrad, then did a similar Bog Beacon gathering session in Leyawinn (For Shield-Restore Magicka in combat potions), as well as some Steel-Blue Entoloma from the swamps and the garden in Talos Plaza (not to mention the Arcane University) and I was set pretty much set for life - visiting Chapels and Ayleid wells when I see them on my travels and plundering hundreds of Sorcery Potions whilst dungeon diving means my Atronach character actually sells alot of Magicka Restore Potions because he ends up stockpiling around a hundred after a while.

Put in perspective, a non-caster race such as Dunmer, will start with 45 intelligence (assuming favoured attribute) and thus 90 magicka. With the Atronach, he starts with 240 magicka, opening the door to some truly fearsome spells - maxed out, he has 350 Magicka. A maxed-out Breton with the Mage has 300 ( Breton + 50, The Mage + 50, 100 Intelligence). Not having to invest in Willpower can mean stronger stats elsewhere.

Altmer. Apprentice. staff with paralyse effect. Dress in robes, skilled in all schools of magic.

For the first time ever, I have two characters at once and they are both mages.

Angel is a Breton standard class mage born under the sign of the Atronach. Since I play dead-is-dead, she informed me at level 39 that she wanted to quit adventuring. She now serves as a researcher at the Arcane University. If I want to know about a certain spell effect, she will create, and test it for me. Don't get me wrong. With nothing but her potions, poisons, and spells (no enchantments), Angel has almost godlike power on default difficulty. She simply prefers the academic life. At least for now,

Miku is an Altmer Mage with the sign of the Atronach. I wanted to try out a 'glass-cannon' type character. She uses staffs and spells to block, kill or control. She uses daggers to deliver her poisons. She is considering archery as an added skill. I thought about giving her the Apprentice birthsign but to me, that is like sending a fireman into a burning building wearing gasoline soaked cloths. Her strength is still at basic level and will remain so. Her Endurance has improved somewhat because of the Armorer training she needed to repair her staffs. She won't grow endurance beyond her current level (lvl 8). She is already a spell wizard, creating spells my former mages never dreamed of.

first character was male altmar atronache class mage lighte armor blade lvl 27

second and current character is female breton mage custom class goddess non armour no weapons current master destruction 1-2 hit kills on normal mode 0.o and offensive restoration (devour health) currently at lvl 25 but awaiting 35 till completion

next will be potion only non magic nord warrior with blade n shield and if still addicted to game then evil vampire argonion thief with dagger frenzy and apple

My char is a Bosmer mystic archer, born under the mage. She uses magic to help her kill better with her bow. The only guild she belongs to is her guild of mages - since she refuses to touch a melee weapon, that made more sense to her than joining the guild of fighters. She is a graduate of the Arcane University, specialized in illusion.

She has three major skills she uses, including marksman. Her other four major skills are ones she will never touch. Therefore, her top level is 20-23 and it was a nice slow trip getting there.

Her fave weapon is a bow based on drain speed + soul trap + elemental damage.

Some of her tactics:
Normal- Long range poisoned sneak shot.
Widely dispersed groups- Same as above, taking out the farthest enemies first.
Tight groups- Mind control spells to get them to kill each other; snipe the survivor.
Poison immunes- Precede her poisoned bow shot with a weakness to poison + immobilize spell.
Underwater combat- Block with bow and cast an absorb health touch spell.
If cornered by a melee fighter- Block with her bow, immobilize her foe with an illusion spell, open fire with her bow.
Panic button- Disappear to be replaced by a summon.

She favors lots of different outfits - clothes mostly, but will sometimes wear bits of light armor if she thinks they look nice.
:dance:

I normally play an Altmer, because of the good magicka bonus. I like Conjuration and Alteration the most, as i like summoning better creatures over time, and all the different effects Alteration can be with. I use a dagger, mostly only with Weakness to magicka and all elements for a couple of secs, and then finish the creature off with a blast of every element and Damage Health. Clothing is robes, so i don't lose any effect on my spells.
Birthsign is mage, as i don't like Stunted magicka.

If I'm going to play a pure mage, it's going to be a Breton with the sign of the Mage, using the default Mage class.

Khajiit Spellsword, the Mage birthsign, Heavy Armor, Longswords and Claymores, Alteration, Restoration and Destruction.

Note that i'm using Race Balancing Project mod that changes racial bonuses and birthsigns, and the Ohmes-Raht Khajiit instead of the Suthay-Raht present in unmodded game. Also LAME that changes magic, and nGCD that makes changes to amount of magicka and it's regeneration rate.

Very succesful character, though i like playing with my sneaky assassin character more.

Nord doesn't seem to be in the list.

Altmer Atronach (go big or go home). My favorite school is mysticism (I don't really know why) and my favorite weapon for them is a dagger (with fire damage). My second choices would be: Bosmer, illusion, apprentice, and staff.

My dude only got to level 2 before I got distracted. He had finished about two or three of the quests to get into the Mage guild. Was focusing in Alteration, Conjuration and Destruction, but his "Majors" made him look like a "Fighter" :wink_smile:

Altmer, Mage Sign, custom class, think I made Willpower and Intelligence favored attributes.

Haven't played a mage but if I did it'd be:

Altmer
Destruction
Staff
Robes
The mage

As far as pure mages go, I have only done two. The first was an Altmer born under the Mage. She started using a dagger to parry with if enemies got to close, and later switched to a staff.

My second was a wood elf using a mod I created called Witchcraft, that allows you to summon woodland animals (wolves, boar, lions, bears, etc...). She wore the complete huntsman's outfit in the woods, and a the green velvet in the cities. She started out born under the Apprentice, but I soon found the 100% weakness to Magicka was just impossible to play, and changed it to the Mage. She carried a staff to begin with, but switched to Chillrend after doing the Killing Fields quest.

I also had a few battlemages. The first was a Dunmer who used a mace and summoned skeletons (exclusively, she had her one skeleton Bones and would summon no other). She was born under the Mage. She started out wearing heavy armor, but after I downloaded an Ayleid armor mod (basically a retexture of Elven armor), she switched to that, which was light armor. He main tactic was to summon Bones, and then when the enemy was concentrating on him, move up to the side and start blasting away with touch destruction spells. When her magicka was depleted she just bashed away with her mace. Sometimes she skipped the destruction spells and just bashed. She liked feeling bones crunch.

The second was a Breton, again born under the Mage. She was a former Mythic Dawn agent, and started out wearing their bound armor in combat and using a bound mace. Toward the end of her career in the Shivering Isles she took to wearing Golden Saint armor, and using Umbra. She simply blasted away at everything with ranged destruction and used a weapon if they got close.

No one plays a khajiit mage but me? Yay, i'm special :celebration:

Is there a way to see the poll results without voting? I have never played a mage, but I would like some ideas for the future.