Explain what you mean by "Pure Mage".
I have a character named Christophe. He is a Breton and got picked while urinating on a tree in close proximity to the camp where Ralof and Ulfric were captured. Poor guy didn't even get to put it away. Urine found its way onto the legs and steel boots of the Imperial soldiers dragging him to the wagon. It just wasn't his day.
Anyway, I'm attempting to use more magic than melee. Melee appears to be unavoidable. At some point, you have to smack someone over the head with a mace or drive an axe into some poor soul's chest. So, when individuals discuss playing a pure mage are they only referring to where they place their "Perk" points?
You might use your bow but never put points into the Archery perk tree.
You might use Conjuration to summon bound weapons buy never put points into the One-Handed perk tree.
You might even attain 100 in sneak without ever putting a point into that perk tree.
So, what am I missing? It seems like mages turn out becoming Warlocks or Battle Mages as a course of necessity (melee/mage). This seems to occur even without hunting for shouts.