Ya same thing happened to me when I first started. I installed an attribute mod so I could have my major skills as skills I actually use haha. Try maxing out alteration and you can summon 6 different golems to help. Don't think I could have progressed in some OOO specific quests without them haha. Illusion saves your life a ton haha. You can't really survive in OOO without utilizing everything possible.

You can it just takes changing up tactics and knowing weaknesses, Anna before the save destroying glitch was killing multipule Gargoyles with h2h and no magic defenses, armour or spells at all, at level -11.
It just takes knowing what you're facing and which tactics to use.

Ya exactly. Use all available resources such as knowing your enemies weaknesses.

I favor longswords, but I do use claymores too.

Shortsword for sneak attacks, bow otherwise. I tend to avoid direct combat whenever possible.

You really need an all of the above or something choice. My current character uses all types of weapons equally, with a hefty dose of Destruction spells thrown in for good measure.

Angel uses a poisoned dagger, and magic. On rare occasions, she will carry a staff; usually after picking one up for her collection. Out of curiosity, she now has an enchanted bow but has not had a chance to do more than a basic field test (fortress bandit.)

Magic includes a Clannfear, elemental damage, drain damage, reflect damage, in the form of spells, potions, poisons, and enchantments.

Did I mention Angel is a Mage?

You can choose multiple options haha.

My only character at the moment Leinhart is only using shortswords.

Have you tried to be a pure mage? I have used a sword for fun, mostly as an instrument for blocking, but once you leave the tutorial sewers, you can visit the Imperial City and buy a simple fire touch spell. Most enemies are weak to fire, and those who are not are weak to shock. If you have destruction as a main skill, you come start with a minor shock spell. Early levels you can just set things on fire with your touch spell and work your way up to higher levels. Clan Feeders and Dedra have a resistance to fire and are both weak to shock spells. As long as you have both Fire and shock spells, you should be good to go. in fact, going magic allows you to walk right through the beginning of the game. It makes it "too easy" in my opinion. It sure s fun though.

To answer the original question, I try to use Long Swords and the Katana. The Katana is cool, but it doesn't have that medieval Europe feel to it he other swords do. I like the look of the fine steel swords a early levels. The Blackwater Blade was a favorite of mine for a while. Elvish swords and glass armor don't do it for me either. I like Fine steel and Ebon equipment. Chainmail and Methril are pretty cool as well.

If you did, I'd have voted for it, although it tends to be 100% Absorb Spell rather than Reflect for any Atronachs, and sometimes just 100% Resist Magic. However, there's a split between magic and bows for dealing with those pesky archers who can still do you damage.

(Goes off to develop a "Reflect Arrows" mod)

Forgot about bows hurting you. I'm not adding it though because I don't think anyone should legit play a character who can't die from anything.

I often play a Battlemage type character and prefer an enchanted one handed mace with a shield. Such a satisfying "splat, splat, splat" noise it makes when connecting with an enemy.

I mostly use my Katana, Various Longswords and Shortswords and my Elven Bow with Elven Arrows <3

Fall from Grace: magic exculsively if she even accidently picks up a weapon I drop it and cause some reprecusion in game.
She has had to back out of some areas after the first level though, mostly high level raiders in OOO, with not having decent enough spells yet.

I usually use bow & arrow, long or shortsword. Lately though I've been playing a mage character and using a war axe.