[Adam]

Finally got sick of the Yahoo community, decided to go official.

I've played many mage characters, and it's safe to say that I love them. And as a heavy RP'er, it's a lot of fun working with the mage class, because they are the most likely to worship the Daedra IMO.

I was playing my latest character, Bakura, when I got to wondering about what other people use for their mage builds. So below I've included my most common used build, and I want to know your most common used build. Let's see what's what. Also, if you've found any good strategies for magey characters, please share them.

Zeira

Enchanter, Illusionist, Destroyer, and Conjurer

Wears Enchanted Elven Armor, or Hooded Thalmor Robes

When using weapons, uses daggers and bow.

Silver tongue, likes to twist people's words to suit his purpose.

I'll add more info if it's requested. This is just the meat about him.

First strategy I keep on hand at all times, is one that's been used a lot, but, it's effective. (Need a high magicka reserve to do this though)

For draugr overlords. Smack them with a power attack via conjured battleaxe, (and on a side note, how many of you scream out some form of battlecry when using a battleaxe and scare the living daylights outta whoever's around you?) now, after the battle axe staggers him, go ahead and banish it then whip out a rune spell real fast, drop it on the ground, then use whirlwind sprint to cross it. Now either hide, or keep up a ward. I've noticed overlords rarely use bows for range. There's a few exceptions of course. When the overlord finally comes after you, BANG. Rinse and repeat. Or, do like me and dual cast runes and double dose his undead butt.

Second strategy, is this. Keep TWO, count em TWO, dos, 2, duwa, ua, tilu, TWO, staffs of fireball in your inventory, and plenty of soul gems for recharging. If you're facing those stupid critters that blast you with lightning, (you know who i'm talking about) then these staffs are your saving grace. Equip them both, and roast them. Obviously, if it's merely being overwhelmed by a large number of weak critters, use one staff.I never use more than one staff unless facing a Dragon Priest or higher, but, it never hurts to have a backup.

The above strategies aren't used by all my characters. Just this one in particular.

SHARE SHARE SHARE! Lemme pick your brains!

[Taylor Tifany]

Necro/Conjurer sorcerer. I usually have a resurrected Draugr Deathlord thrall following me, and then summoning Daedra and Soul Cairn undead as I see fit depending on the mood, area, and enemy[s]. Destro magic and shouts from a distance predominately, while my minions fight the front-line. This is my favorite and most common fighting style.

Depending on whom I may be playing, I may also lead the assault myself with a one-handed weapon and a staff. Or a mix and match depending on my mood.

[renee Duhamel]

I like to lay down a bunch of runes, smack people once with a bound weapon, and then lead them right over the runes. I find it funny when things explode.

[Jessica Nash]

Speaking of runes, I forgot in OP.

Runes: Fire, Ice, Lightning?

[Isaac Saetern]

I use the fire runes the most, but it really depends on what I feel like doing at the time. And what I'm fighting. Obviously there's no point on using fire runes on something that resists fire.

[Melly Angelic]

My Breton Nightblade

Maxed out in high magicka with a bit stamina.

Uses alteration with full enchanted clothes,
bound dagger and a bound bow utilising sneak bonuses.
Illusion for muffle and invisibility for sneaking in and using a conjured dagger or bow.

Destruction for rune traps.

In a full combat situation can convert to more of a mage role and can use destruction attack and conjure allies.

[Cagla Cali]

Made lots of magic focused characters:

Khajiit Archmage: My first one so nothing fancy here, I had J'zargo with me. I used Master Robes of Destrcution, he had expert robes. Sometimes cosplay as Mythic Dawn. J'zargo had the hood. He uses lighting mostly, I used fire. My strategy was, summon Arnie, flesh spell and rain fire on the enemy.

http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/EdALRiverS/media/20130709_061058_zpsadcf445c.jpg.html conjurer, with lightning and alteration as main offense. Soltheim themed, my strategy was, flesh spell, whirlwind cloak, dump 2 or 3 spiders summon an ash spawn, seeker or ash atronach (name?) and right jab, left jab, jab, jab, jab chain lightning at the summons so they hit multiple enemies. Fights didn't last long. For dragons I poisoned the bound bow with weak to lightning poisons, use a shalidor scroll and lightning storm in addition to the lightning storm shout and dragons didn't last much either. Maybe it was overkill. That was a fun one. Whirlwind shout only and used lots of ash runes and the other ash spell. What I liked about those is that unlike paralize you can't harm the enemy while they are in the ash.

Former vampire build (Victim of Ritual): Theme was dislike of undead. Had a lot of fun with this one. Vampire gear, silver sword, restoration, conjuration for bound bow and illusion. Aura and sun spells and smack undead with sword. Wards are awesome. Dawnguard resto spells are kind of overpowered. Took down Hevnorak with 3 vampire's bane on right hand and a ward on the other 'cause I was expecting a fight. What a wuss Dawnguard's shouts were used exclusively

Now I'm doing a Breton Fire and Ice destruction mage with the Skull of Corruption and dual skyforge steel swords named "a song of fire" and "a song of ice" (totally original). Using black mage robes only since it's the only thing that looks like the DB black hand robes in Oblivion which I did for the same character and the mystic tunning gloves. Nothing special, just use fire or ice shouts, jabs of fire and ice sometimes using the Skull of corruption, flesh spell, pull out swords and finish them up.

[Paul Rice]

[Adam Porter]

Nice http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/EdALRiverS/media/20130726_105238_zps6288aab1.jpg.html. A bit uncomfortable though.

[lolly13]

My current arcane monk is nothing fancy, just a Nord ice mage who uses Ice Storm, Frost Runes, and aid from a Daedric Snowman every once in a while.

Uses LA + Mage Armor and utilizes wards to recharge his magic and protect himself against other spellcasters. Also obtained the Atronach and MR perks from the Alteration tree for added protection against the former.

He also makes heavy use of the Thu'um and utilizes HA gauntlets for unarmed damage in case things get too close.

[NeverStopThe]

Tahrovin...

[jason worrell]

When I play a mage, I usually lean towards an illusionist-conjurer type build. I do not rely on destruction as my main form of attack. I use some restoration, and I use alteration for spell absorb and *flesh spells.

[Davorah Katz]

My characters are primarily the stealthy evil assassin type. I always incorporate conjuration and illusion into those builds. But usually when I play a real Mage with no weapons, I go all out and invest in all the schools as they're all beneficial to a Mage, especially for a robe wearing only Mage.

[phil walsh]

Mages are my favorite too, most satisfying by far.

Ive done a mix of things. Some have used robes or armor, or a mix of both. But with any mage i always use all mage skills except Illusion.

When im out and about, I'll keep two spells that arent set in my D Pad, usually Candlelight, Conjure Atronach & Soul Trap. When engaged, i summon my atronach, use the other spell if i need to, then shortcut to a fleshspell, cast it, and then dual Destruction magic, in that order.

It sounds like it takes a while, but it only takes a few seconds. Magic is so fun to play with, i feel those who play without it don't know what theyre missing.


On a side note, does anyone else not use/get Dual Casting for Destruction? I find it to be a waste of Magicka nowadays.

[Marcia Renton]

Yeah, Hevnoraak was an easy fight. Probably one of the easiest, I daresay. His nemesis or whatever Rahgot was harder since he was in a dungeon cram packed with high level draugur and even had four of them close-by.

[Dj Matty P]

[Romy Welsch]

Bound battleaxe to the face! That's how I dealt with him.

[Marina Leigh]

I use dual casting for destruction. Main reason being I like to overcharge a fireball and toss it into the main enemy spawn area of a barrow. It's so much fun for me. Takes a ton of Magicka to do though.

[Elizabeth Falvey]

I've found a lot of people mentioning bound weapons. Anyone else wish you could conjure a protective armor layer over your clothes in the same way?

[Anna Kyselova]

You can thank Valdar for nerfing me, substantially. Were it not for him, I would have surpassed even Ahzidal.

[victoria johnstone]

Like in Oblivion.

1.) http://i.imgur.com/xD086i6.jpg

2.) http://i.imgur.com/1eF2Fbq.jpg

Would be cool if with Skyrim and the Bound weapon's new aesthetics, to have blue glowing Daedric ethereal armor. If only...

"spreadsheety"

[Charlotte Henderson]

Well, to be fair, there are *flesh spells in the alteration tree.. Since it ups your armor rating (to as high as 300 with all mage armor perks), it replaces bound armor.

Don't think me for a fool, lich! I am Dovahkiin, sent to Nirn to balance the unbalanced. To stop the world-eater's rampage. You, your kind and the One you worship, will all be slain!

I will spare the Brother - Paarthurnax - for he has aided me. He was the first to oppose Alduin.

[Veronica Martinez]

Breton, Archeologist Scholar, Dabbler in Simple Arcane Arts

Name: Enesia

Build:

Destruction

Enchanting

Restoration

Speech

Gameplay:

Most of the time Enesia doesn't do quest, and I tend to avoid dungeons tied to major quest simply with how buggy this game is, instead he just wanders around Skyrim treasure hunting and researching the barrows of Skyrim.

When he is in battle he uses the environment to his advantage.

[Sudah mati ini Keparat]

Pahlok joor! Just like traitorous Miraak! Tahrovin!

It was Miraak whom first defied Alduin actually. His betrayal then began the chain of events that led to whispers of discontent, and with discontent, harsher law. And with harsher law, rebellion. And etc. etc...

[Cool Man Sam]

how do you dead thrall death lords?