I was playing Skyrim the other day, level 88 character with 800+ health, and I was doing the main questline and I was in the Thalmor Embassy. I was in the second building and this Thalmor Agent used this spell that disintegrated my armor and instantly killed me. Yeah, this happened four times in a row before I was able make him solid rock. He didn't mess around I can tell you that.

Magic is a powerful tool, hell one of the reasons why the Tsaesci kicked Uriel Septim V's butt when he tried to conquer Akavir was because the Imperial Battlemages couldn't use magic due to some kind of anti-magic wards the Tsaesci have.

Magic is a more powerful tool then sword and bow in war.