Hi guys, I'm having a little bit of a problem adapting to the "pure mage" build that I have created.

1. I'm way too slow and move at a snail's pace. Any way for me to get my speed up without grinding?

2. What should I do if creatures have reflect and completely resist magic? What shall I do then?

What combinations of spells are beneficial? My character already has a few thousand gold so spellmaking tips would be most welcome

I can kill some basic creatures like rats but lose health a lot when doing so.

There are some really good pointers going around in http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1495317-whats-the-deal-with-mages/, Envy.

1. There's a spoiler item that can drastically increase your speed, if you find it (or rather, "them"). That's a subject for the "Hints, Tips, and Spoilers" forum. Other than that, alternately running and then walking when your fatigue starts to add up will train up your Athletics skill, leading to higher base Speed after a few levels...meanwhile you inch along. Taking "The Steed" birthsign or Speed as a favored attribute can give you a small starting boost, but you're well past character creation. Eventually, you should move faster, and by late game, it shouldn't seem like a problem.

2. Reflect can be dealt with in several ways. Summoned assistants which use conventional forms of attack (scamps, skeletons, etc.) can do the job for you. Unless you're using the Morrowind Code Patch, you can use Absorb Health as a form of offense. In most cases, reflect chance is low enough that you can deal with it as long as you have some immunity to the form of attack you're using (a Dunmer throwing fire damage spells, a Nord casting Frost, an Argonian dealing Poison damage, etc.). Obviously, an Altmer will have serious problems with reflected spells.

As far as using magic against normal creatures goes, duration is a lot cheaper than magnitude. Have a long-duration poison or elemental damage spell crafted (it's dirt cheap), like 2-2 points for 6 seconds or longer. Cast and then backpedal while the spell eats away at them, or levitate out of reach. The first second of the spell costs full price and magicka, but there's a significant "discount" on the additional seconds, so you can do almost double the damage for the same energy expenditure. Touch spells cost less magicka than ranged, and if you can add in a small amount of Paralysis, that can turn the fight around VERY quickly. If combining effects into a single spell, put a spell from a school that you're good at on top, because that controls the casting difficulty.

edit: for stupidity and a cup of coffee.

Thank you for the tips. I'll put them to use on my next playthrough

Is running fast enough but you can't take the fatigue loss? If so, make a custom restore fatigue spell like 3pts for 25 sec. It's very low cost and lets you run continually. Not really grinding either since you use it only when you need it.

No, I'm running too slow and the fatigue loss is too much.

OK, next easy option would be to buy some Athletics training which not only raises Speed but also partially negates the effect of burden on speed. I assume you have very low Athletics and Speed so it will not be too expensive to train 20 levels or so. I always do that if I start as a Breton.

Thank you, I do have low Speed and Athletics

the one thing morrowind does a great job of doing, imo, is making me actually use potions. in oblivion and skyrim I can just sell them all and never use them for the entire game.

in mw, potions and spells, scrolls, whatever, are very valuable and even for some of the most basic things, such as, restoring fatigue.

another aspect of the early game fatigue levels and their impact on gameplay which I like is the fact that it "forces" you to walk and not always run and rest between battles and heal like you would normally do. it adds a basic level of sophistication and thought to the game.