I never figured this out when I played the game back in '02 and I'm none the wiser now, but it seems many people love using the Atronarch birthsign so I figure there must be a way to play it.

My basic 'problem' is that a new character meets very few magic users from whom they can absorb Magicka while still being able to live through the fight: the mage in the cave just outside Seyda Need being a good example.

So I though "okay, I'll rely on potions to begin with until I'm stronger", except an Alchemist hasn't got access to the ingredients needed (a level 1 really is going to go round harvesting Daedra hearts and the other non-Cromberry ingredients needed to make them) and in any case the two lowest level potions aren't worth the effort due to pitifully small returns of Magicka.

I just don't see how an Atronarch is playable to get to the levels where you're able to go up against enough Magicka-users to keep yourself topped up.

Thus all my casters have been Breton Apprentices to get a decent Magicka pool that's usable, and I'd rather like to get away from that stereotype .. so how do I play an Atronarch?

You can summon an Ancestral Ghost and then attack it until it becomes hostile. Then you'll absorb its magic attacks. You can also absorb blessing from shrines.

Yeah, I usually do a mark on an Imperial Cult Shrine and a recall when in trouble.

The Atronach can be a real hassle at lower levels but pays off with patience. Altmer given all their weaknesses benefit the most from this particular sign. Bretons with reflection can defeat the absorption, and Dunmer with 75% resist fire (everything in Vvardenfell seems to spit fire) will miss a lot of opportunity as well (but these could also be seen as a challenge you may want to consider). But with an Altmer there is a weakness to magicka 50% and weakness to the basic elements and this guarantees absorption. I would also take a major with Alchemy to craft your own restore Magicka potions (you start with a +10 and fortifies intelligence when leveling), and restoration (no bonus but a good restore Magicka spell would add more than it takes). Enchanting a weapon with a Magicka absorption also helps when in a bind. A major skill in short blade would definitely help, but a minor skill slot would work fine as long as you have a reasonable skill level (training e.g.).

Also, think about CE enchants on armor or clothing slots with restore Magicka.

And of course join the Mages Guild and House Telvanii. Supply chests, trainers, and services are a great source for a kit-up.

Join the Mages Guild for a unlimited supply of free Restore Makgica potions. Yummy!

I've never had problems with the Atronach sign. I always found it rather easy to manage. But I usually also have a weapon skill as a Major.

Unless you mod something, there is no Restore Magicka spell in the game that you can cast or enchant with. Also, at max difficulty, the Ancestral Ghost that you have P'ed off is just going to skip the magic and claw you to death. The free restore magicka potions at the Mages Guild spawn...after thirty game days, so I hope you weren't in a hurry to actually have an adventure.

Max out alchemy by making cheap potions (about 5000 of them). Making potions doesn't take any game time, so you can max alchemy your first day in Morrowind. Then you can trade home made potions that are worth hundreds of drakes for the ingredients to make Restore Magicka potions.

So the ability to absorb magicka instead of just carrying some easy to make potions, is pretty much a waste.

I found that the Atronach sign "changed" the game to something I did not enjoy nearly as much. I will happily leave it to others.

It is important to remember that spell absorption is a dice roll. With 50 points, you have a 50% chance to absorb incoming spells. Check out the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Spell_Absorption for further clarification.

I generally agree with you although I'm playing a Breton/Atro right now and it's not too bad. The main problem is that you have to dedicate several levels getting ready to play which isn't very good for immersion.

If you're also using vanilla leveling, the whole game can degenerate into a micromanaged character building game.

Personally I think the Atronach is a little overpowered. 50pts is a huge defensive bonus. Granted, it's useless against Werewolves or Golden Saints but it's awesome against anything with dangerous magic attacks.

/opinion


If I don't have Conjuration as a skill, what I do at lower levels with an Atronach character is milk Scribs for magicka. Shrines are another good source but it can get pricey and it's inconvenient to keep shuttling back and forth to them. Free magicka potions from the Mages Guild is always an option but not one I use unless I'm going to do the guild questline; I don't like to join the Guilds just so I can raid their supply chests, too gamey for my tastes.