I've just recently created my new mage, Rollant, a Breton who has a taken a liking to the shock side of his destruction path. I had reservations about posting this thread due to the tons of mage build threads out there. In many, other schools of magika are discussed as well as suggestions about adding armors and weaponry to the mix. I went against my better judgement and decided to post as I have not yet seen this combo discussed before.

Destruction (shock) with Allteration for defense.

Is this viable? I'm not really interested in conjuration as i like to take a front seat in my combat and do not want to use any weapons (bound or not) as i don't want those skills increasing. I may dabble a bit into resotration for the health regen aspect and I also may dabble into Illusion with the muffle and frenzy side.

I really like the aspect of the Mage Armor and their kin, the flesh spells. In another life, my Breton was an sneak archer heavy in Alchemy. Alchemy will be a minor skill used to fortify the strength of my destruction potions. I will take the impact and dual casting perks in destruction. I'm only at level 4, and am having no problems yet dual casting my spark spells on bandits in caves and mines. I understand the cost reduction of the enchanted gear, but I have absolutely NO interest in grinding my enchanting up to enchant gloves, boots, amulets, rings and circlets to get a 0 magicka reduction on my destructo spells.

Are there any reccomendations you mages can advise? Or deter me from if the above layout will drive me nuts later on when the difficulty ramps up?

Thanks.

there's a great spell in dragonborn, whirlwind cloak. I played a cloth caster on master and had no problem, the spell throws away everyone in melee range, it almost trivials the game

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll definately have to find this when I become more comfortable in my build. I'm afraid I won't make it 10 ft out of Raven Rock unarmored at level 4 with novice/ adept spells

You really do need some cost reduction for your build. The only way to get by without it in my experience is to go pure in one single skill like Destruction so that you top out at level 20 or so. Above that you'll have trouble. You don't need zero cost, just getting Enchant to 60 is easy and will let you make an 80% reduction outfit which is plenty.

Other than that, it looks like you have it figured out pretty well. The only problem I've found with Alteration is that the good stuff isn't available until 75 skill and the low level armor spells are near worthless. So, if you don't like grinding, you're not going to get much benefit for the first half of the game. Similar story with Illusion.

Thanks for the info. I'm kinda hoping that my Alchemy skill will take this over in the power of destruction spells as well as the Magika regen. I personally want to avoid the jewled up, blinged out mage with amuets, rings & circlets just to reduce cost...the whole look dosen't appeal to me much.

You should be fine. No need to grind enchanting. With the gear that you find in game and putting lots of points into magicka you should be more than ok.

I would definitely advise putting most, if not all, of your points in Magicka. Stamina is completely unnecessary, and the goal is to keep enemies from getting within melee range of you, so hopefully you won't be losing that much Health. As a Breton, you'll eventually be able to laugh off all Magicka-wielding enemies, so your biggest danger will come from archers.

It might be helpful to have a companion follow you, at least in the beginning while you're still very weak. A melee meatshield would be most helpful, but as a Destructionist, you'll have a tough time not hitting them with your spells. Still, there are ranged and mage followers available who could at least help you take out enemies faster.

If you're on the PC, there are lots of mods out there that tweak--or add to, or completely change--spells and the like. I've used Better Magic for a long time now--it makes some minor tweaks that don't revolutionize the system, just make it scale better. Among other things, it makes the armor spells better and makes Destruction spells scale with your skill. That's the only magic mod I have any personal experience with, but there are many out there. Still, it's possible to play--and enjoy--a pure mage without mods.

Thanks Josie and Edalriso! I'm on the 360, so no mods for me.

At this point, I'm definately going for Destructo and kinda sorta locked on Alteration. The paralysis/ paralyze effects from poisons (in my Alchemist days) are too good to pass up, so my end goal will be getting the mass paralysis and the paralysis spells. Once I cast mass paralysis, I dream of then casting an expert level wall spell (shock) that encompases my paralyzed foes. They have only to watch the electricity fields as they perish, imobilized. Looooooove the thought of this. Also, would be so awesome using mas paralysis and using Whirlwind cloak watching the bodies fly everwhere.

Looks like you have it all figured out. Just remember, at first it won't probably be easy, mainly because you could get one shoted easily but that's until you fully get the hang of it and you will be dodging attacks easily. Also, you don't have to fight everything at earlier levels, best to run away from bears, cats, giant frostbite spiders or keep your distance. You don't want to get your face eaten by them. I think you're good to go. Have fun!

Yeah, that's a good build. I've run a build like that before.

The thing to remember is to specialize, specialize, specialize. Don't make the same mistake I did by trying to use four of the five trees (at least before you break the game with the Fortify Restoration exploit). You'll run of out of Magicka fast that way. At the most, I'd suggest running Destruction/Alteration/Restoration, and back it up with Alchemy anyway to ensure a steady supply of Magicka potions, especially since later spells get costly and even if you were to put all of your points into Magicka, you'll still have problems with running out. Staves are your friend, too.

I'm very much a 'cloth' Mage player, since Morrowind, and I have to say that in Skyrim all I ever really need is destruction. I've never found Alteration to be very important, I never level far enough to use Paralysis or higher level spells than Adept. Really the only advantage I've found is that it's quick to level, good to level up and gain more perks / magicka. I guess I can see that it might be useful in a tight spot to have some magical armour, but my advice is to just not get in that position.

Illusion might be more useful to you as a partner primary skill, if you're good at hitting moving targets as they flee in magically induced terror, but the only support I've ever really relied upon was the Ethereal Shout.

I do have to differ a little with some of the others, though, and advise you not to neglect your health. I know you're a wizard, but you are going to be ninja'ed by Sabre Cats and worse and scream like Granny in a Bingo Hall whenever it happens. If you don't get to a certain minimum of Health you are going to be die in one shot, often. At least 150 health at, say, level 20.