Has anyone tried playing as a character with a focus on restoration magic? Like, allowing a companion to do most of the fighting and using restoration, perhaps some illusion too, to help them out.

I would love to do this but it seems difficult for me. I tried making a character like this once and was probably not doing it right, and died all of the time. I would also like to know how other people did it.

In other games, like DA:O, I love playing the part of the healer.

Speak Softly, and let others carry a Big Stick.

It's actually a good way to level restoration.

Conjuration would be great for this, if you were able to heal the summon. But a follower would have to suffice.

Well, if you stuck to restoration, you could be allowed a few offensive spells (primarily ones against the undead) and then side with the Dawnguard to gain a crossbow. You could roleplay as a priest of Arkay.

Yes. One of my main characters is a healer. She doesn't exclusively use Restoration but uses a lot of it, along with Illusion (Calm etc.), Conjuration, and Alteration, and to a lesser extent, Destruction.

Tips for playing a healer:

1. Put a lot of points into Magicka and get something that reduces Restoration magicka cost. That way, you can pretty much constantly heal your follower and let them do most of the work. Also, playing as a High Elf is useful as you get the Highborn ability that allows you to regenerate magicka quickly, so you can cope with intensive situations where you need to heal yourself and your follower.

2. Don't worry about putting points into health so much, but do put points into it occasionally (I find 5:1 Magicka:Health is a good balance - forget about Stamina as you never need to use power attacks).

3. Use shield spells, which make up for your poor Health, and get the Mage Armor perks.

4. Get the Healing Hands spell ASAP, it is essential for a healer as you need to heal your followers.

5. Conjuration is great for creating distractions that your enemies will focus on, giving you much needed respite. Summon (even just a Familiar), then run away and give yourself some distance. The key is not getting hit yourself.

Even with the above I still die a fair bit, but I find it to be an enjoyable way of playing the game. I don't play 'Dead is Dead' so I simply re-load a save. Oh yeah, and save often if you're a healer. It's fantastic when it all comes together though.

My party consists of my healer and Marcurio, and the occasional Atronach or Dremora Lord, and comfortably destroys most foes in the game, as long as I don't get hit by some Draugr Deathlord's Ebony Arrow. Then, I go down. But that's half the fun of playing a weakling healer who relies on other to take the hits.