Hi there.

So I've never really had a proper mage and I now do. Currently a Dunmer level 15.

My current skills involve all schools of magic. Restoration is at the lowest at 20. Illusion-27, Conjuration-38, Destruction-33, Alteration-38, and Enchanting at 31 (no perks here yet).

What level would you recommend the College for a mage? I worry strongly when I have to deal with someone in a certain ancient cave and the damn Falmer.

Oh, 200 Magicka (230 with a hood), 140 Health, and 100 Stamina.

I have started the College questline at level 3 and went through it. The main thing is not to have your skills spread too thin and focus on a primary damage.

I usually get my mages to a health of 250 - 300 and the rest in Magicka.

I'm shocked you've never had this type of PC before, Shadow_Titan17. I figured you veteran posters have done it all by now.

There was another thread recently about this and, as I recall, lots of folks said you don't need much magicka to complete the questline. I'll try to dig it up.

Also, what difficulty level are you playing?

I think you're ready to enter the college.

I had a mage who wanted to join. I had to either get to level 10 or pay 1,000 septims to enter. I placed the money in the nearest respawning container.

I'm aiming for around that much Health but want to increase my Magicka first.

You should be OK at level 15, I usually start at around level 10 and finish at level 20 or so. It depends on your skills though, 33 Destruction with apprentice and augment perks is enough but you will probably need some cost reduction and a good summons (plus follower). A good thing to get when you get to the college is a staff of Storm Atronach, that baby will save your butt at low/medium levels.

I've had mages before, but none really ever lived to level 10. So they're very short lived.

Currently at Adept difficulty. I won't be complaining about Destruction since I have Conjuration as a support skill.

I'm with you there. That was just my "end setting" so to speak. I try to put some into Health every so often along the way, to prevent from being one shot. Otherwise, it's all about the magicka pool and spell cost reduction. That is why I mentioned focusing on a primary damage skill, to keep it ahead of the level scaling.

Of course difficulty is a factor as to how much focus is put towards that strategy. It is quite viable to entertain multiple schools, but it poses more of a challenge to do so.

I think you will be fine on Adept. Just use what feels the most fun for your character and have at it. Let the pieces fall where they may.

As soon as I escape Helgen, all my mages make their way to the College. You're in a much better situation level wise to go into it. You'll be fine.

Thanks. Where can I find this staff? Or do I have to make it at the forge down in the midden?

The staff in question is a random loot item. If you really want one early, you will have to forge it. However, one of the best staves in the game is acquired...

You make it in the forge but you don't need a sigil stone or any skills.

Thank you very much Jesuis and Fragonard.

I like to leave it until I have an adept-level magic skill. One of the main advantages to the College is access to Expert-spells (except Restoration, which limits Adept spells to College members) so it gives a nice goal to work towards, and makes roleplaying sense. There is also a good levelled item near the end for which you may want to be level 25+.

The quests can be surprisingly combat heavy, so you may want to focus a bit more on offensive magic.

I hopped in there ASAP. I think its one of the easier guilds.

Once you're in, (just in, not finished with the full quest-line) you get a free place to sleep, free access to their alchemy supplies, free access to a significant number of soul gems and the option for folloers. I can't think of a more generous institution in the game. Compared to this, becoming a Thane is fairly pointless.

Not to mention the plethora of spells to buy. I think the hardest part of the quest could be

The College was one of the first places my mage character visited. It seems like you'd be good, though.

Next place to go is Fellglow Keep.

Alright finished the questline. A certain you know who gave me trouble as he drained all my Magicka. Thanks for the Storm Atronach Staff advice, it helped me tremendously against you know who.

As of now, with three object they give me and two I made I have a Magicka pool of 440, 160 Health, and 100 Stamina.

Not bad for a level 22.

My first PC was a mage and after I had the rumor from a townsperson (pretty sure it was in Whiterun) I started walking there and I was still level 1. By the time I got there though from random encounters and just messing with magik by themself (as any good mage would do when they are walking along, bored out of their mind) and practicing their art. That travel early in the game allowed me to level twice just walking there (and I didn't do the initial quest for the Golden Claw in Riverwood either).

Is it "normal" to raise your Conjuration and Illusion skills by spamming spells like Muffle and Soul Trap?

I'm level 30 now and have been halfway through Whiterun Hold, and only the places needed for the CoW.

Reason I ask is because I only had a Flame Atronach and it wasn't faring well. I used Necromancy when I really needed it and they didn't last also. Before I started spamming, my Conj and Illu skills were at 46 and 55 respectively. Now they're at 75 and 67. Enchanting is now at 69 with no perks in it yet.

It's normal for some, I've done it in the past but I avoid it now; I think it messes up the flow of leveling. You end up at a fairly high level without actually having done anything.

I guess you're not going for cost reduction because if you put 5 perks in Enchanting, you could have 80% cost reduction.

I used Muffle while in Dungeons, and used Fury (or Frenzy) on groups. Never done Illusion before like this. It's really fun. I do plan on perking Enchanting. Maybe real soon. I have a Magicka pool of 490 I believe.

My Mage got Arniel's shade - and that is a great conjure. The problem I found, only after using it for a while, is that it doesn't level you up. I don't usually spam to level, but I did a bit on conjuration with soul trap on something dead to make up for missing out with Arniel's shade. She did the TG quests, so going everywhere with muffle and invisibility is in character for her.

My Mage started out with destruction & conjuration. She has about 200 health and the rest in magika. More recently her approach in battles is to stay muffled & invisible, letting her follower and Damora lord fight while she hits the enemies with soul trap from behind. This is levelling illusion and conjuration, and getting the needed soul gems filled. Plus prevents her getting one hit by the higher level enemies - she wears robes and doesn't use alteration.