I usually always play as a mage, so i use shock spells to drain their magicka.

But what are some other effective ways to battle mages?

a sword with absorb/drain magicka.

If you're playing as a Mage then wards are your best friend. I'd usually use a followers, either a real person or something conjured. Use them as a distraction then attack the Mage from behind.

I play a lot of melee characters. When my melee characters face a caster I try to use the surrounding terrain to my advantage. I position my character behind a rocks or around the corner of a building and attempt to lure the caster closer. When the caster is close I run towards him and do a power attack, and then another. Most of the time that's enough to kill him.

I will also sometimes try to find high ground and snipe at the caster with arrows. If he's wearing robes it won't take many arrows at all to bring him down.

When playing a Mage, I like to get close with a Lightning Cloak Active. Hevnoraaks Staff is very good for times when a Mage is stationary, any Elemental Wall Staff/Spell will work, but the magic depletion of a Shock based Spell works better.

Wards are useful for getting close, but they can deplete Magicka Reserves better spent on a Summoning.

Combination of Drain Magicka and Magic Resistance potions. Sometimes, if I know what type of Mage I am dealing with I use a elemental resistance potion.

1. Always take all perks in alteration.
2. Be a Breton.
3. Be a conjurer and summon a couple of Dremora or storm at.
4. Duel cast thunderbolts .

Dodge the spells, run in close and start wailing on them so they stagger, then they can't cast a spell.