So after being 1 shot killed from an ebony bow I decided on my last adventure to do a test.

And I discovered the shield line of spells are practically worthless.

As a mage I have cranked the most of ny level ups into magicka. My stats: Level 46 Magicka(in gear) Health 180, Stamina 120.

Now, I haven't purchased mage armor perk yet, but with stoneflesh, my AC is actually 10 points higher in my current gear than if I had the first level of this perk.

So, the first level of that perk = worthless, and I'm not even in dragon armor, robes, mask, and dark brotherhood boots, and gauntlets, 130 AC. My AC would be 120 if just clothes and level 1 of perk.

Being destruction mage vast majority of my perks purchases went there, along with enchanting, smithing, alchemy, and alteration was my second school of perks. So, I tested damage.

With Stoneshield active, same npc, I took 110 points of damage, one arrow. With stoneshield off, I took 121 points of damage. Yep, stoneshield saved me from a whopping 11 points of damage. The weapon? An imperial bow. Yes, Ebony bows one shot kill me.

So, what is the point of mages and no armor? They would have to take the mage armor perks.

Oh and the last elemental destruction perks are worthless. Almost dead and I get a nifty effect? Really?

2 things,

1. why are you, a destruction mage trying to use spell armors, putting points into smithing?

2 pasted from the wiki:

The Impenetrable Cocoon
Useful Skills: Alteration, Restoration
This is a very interesting strategy that focuses on surrounding the caster with an almostly impenetrable layer of protective magic during the battle, however players should mind that it requires a very high level and Master proficiency with at least Alteration. It also helps to be a Breton. The first thing you'll need is perks. Notably, the following perks: Recovery (2), Mage Armor (3), Magic Resistance (1-3), Stability, Master Alteration, Ward Absorb, Adept Restoration, and some equipment that boosts Magicka and Magicka Recovery (wear NO armor). If you have the needed components, it's fairly simple from now on. Cast Ebonyflesh, then Dragonhide and keep your School Practice Ward ready to absorb incoming blows (you don't need to keep this spell always on. Activate it when you see an spell or sword coming to your direction). If done correctly, you'll have 400 armor + 80% physical damage neglection for 60 seconds, which is enough to almost nulify physical damage. On the magic side all spells that do less than 100 points of damage won't hurt you, actually they will get absorbed instead, helping with the spent Magicka, and those very rare spells that do deal more than 100 dmg will face a natural resistance from the Ward + 55% resistance, provided that you are a Breton. Although impressive, this movement is highly demanding and costy, and we highly recomend doing so solely when facing Ancient Dragons and those really hard bosses.

EDIT: and 3, because those perks are cool

wait i fail to see the issue, your shield gets better if you raise your skills, so with 100 alteration it will be much much stronger
this is like having lvl 10 blocking and saying shields are useless.

It takes six perks to get mage armor 3 with dual casting.

With one, the basic light armor perk, in full dragonscale, AC would be 222...one perk. Light armor skill isn't even 50...

Add another 25% to that if i took one more perk, then another 25% if I took 3.

Why smithing? Well, I made over 70k gold hauling every piece of dwarven junk out of my first dwarven ruin. By the time I was done I had 70k gold and smithing 100.

I got a feeling putting 6 perks into light armor it would blow mage armor perk away, and really the only super neat, imo, spell is equilibrium, and that is novice...

Also how does high skill improve the spell? That jyst lowers mana cost
.

With ebonyskin you would have ac 300.... again.. 1 perk light armor full dragonscale ac 222. I pretty sure 5 more perks in light armor my ac in full dragon would blow 300 away, 24/7 not every 2 min.

Yes, imo alteration is pointless, and I'm a little miffed I've spent 5 perks into alteration when I should have put into light armor.

Both Light armor and Heavy armor completely destroy mage armor not only that but armor can also be enchanted just the same as cloth. You can put all your cost reduction enchants on some armor and be a lot stronger than you ever were in robes.

Alteration is not pointless it provides some key defensive skills: 30% magic resistance and 30% magic absorb... these are incredibly powerful vs mages.

Again.. 5 perks to get 30% magic resist which can be accomplished by enchanting and or a magic resist potion. Also the ward spells are restoration, not alteration.

Also for 0 perks I could cast ebonyshield for another 100 ac for 1 minute on top of my light armor...

You said it yourself, make armor, enchant armor and with 100 enchanting you can have 8 enchants, one being magic resist, and you have now defeated every alteration perk...not to mention increase ac by an extra 100 for kicks.

Oh dur you were talking about atronach, but that is skill 100 and 5 perks.. it is like why bother? The build you are suggesting is 8 perks, which except for the absorb, can be accomplished by enchantments and alchemy, and even a ward.

5 perks for Atronach is worth it, since it's an incredibly useful effect you can't get anywhere else.

Depending on the character though, I suppose. Some characters can easily spare 5 perks.

Lvling Alteration to 100 is a huge pain in the ass though.

Technically you can get same effect from ward absorb at the cost of only two perks in a more practical realm of magic. Not using the 5 perks in alteration one can throw them in light armor and have way better ac(and you can still cast alteration and even level it to 100)

Given I think magic is terrible weak, but if I would have had the foresight to see how awful alteration was I would have used those perks elsewhere.

Also it isn't hard getting alteration high using trainer and pickpocket, you can get to 51 easily, then just bring stuff to sell once the gold amount becomes impossible to steal.

To ramble and compare more, restoration spells obviously helpful, and the perks good, ward absorb, recovery, avoid death, necromage.

Combine uber perked healing spells with equilibrium, the only spell in alteration that imo is useful... I just don't get it. Wait yeah I do, alt blows.