Newbie to game, playing as a mage. : IV

» Thu Jun 30, 2016 2:25 am

Right, so let's begin with my favourite build: Squishy mage, conjurer & destruction primarily, but like to incorporate all schools.

Coming from Skyrim, I'm a little overwhelmed! I'm not sure if I should be but I just can't get my head around how the skill/attribute system works.

1) I see my athletic and acrobatic skills increasing via messages on screen but none of my magic skills seem to be.

2) How can I increase my willpower/intelligence because the default pool is tiny.

3) How soon do I find enchanted robes? (The first quest I did was one of the mage guilds, and hopefully going to complete that questline first)

4) Is there a mod that easily switches the spell in your left hand (via hotkey maybe) because it's very long winded going into the menu every time.

5) Any other tips for a first timer playing as a mage?

Thank you!

» Wed Jun 29, 2016 2:09 pm

1) I see my athletic and acrobatic skills increasing via messages on screen but none of my magic skills seem to be.

It's possible you may have missed the messages in the heat of battle (it happens to me all the time). Acrobatics and Athletics skills tend to rise more often when we are out of combat and we have the leisure to notice things like that. Open up your character sheet and take a look at your skills page. You will probably find that your mage skills have indeed risen.

2) How can I increase my willpower/intelligence because the default pool is tiny.

We distribute bonus Attribute points when we level up (in Oblivion we level up when we sleep). You assign bonus points into three Attributes at each level-up.

3) How soon do I find enchanted robes?

You will also get robes as quest rewards as you progress through the Mages Guild. Aside from that, loot is controlled by leveled lists, which means it is chance-based. I find that I start to run into enchanted gear once my characters are past level ten, or up in their teens. For the most part, the higher the level the better the loot.

4) Is there a mod that easily switches the spell in your left hand because it's very long winded going into the menu every time.

There are eight hotkeys in the vanilla game. Open your menu to your spells page, then press down on one of your numbered keys at the top of your keyboard. This will cause a circle with eight slots to appear on your screen. Clicking on a spell while holding down a number key assigns the spell to that key. After that, simply hitting the key switches to the spell you assigned to it. There are mods that give us more than eight hotkeys but this should be enough to get you started.

5) Any other tips for a first timer playing as a mage?

Summons are a great way for a mage to stay alive and do more damage at the same time. You can switch to a summoned dagger if you find yourself in a melee fight in close quarters. The Detect Life spell will give you advance warning about enemies ahead and let you prepare. Keep your shield spells up. Try not to get hit.

Here is the best site on the internet for information to get you started about classes and game mechanics and things like that (though it's probably best to stay away from pages that talk about quests, to avoid spoiling the game). http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Oblivion

» Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:46 pm

These are the 8 hotkey spells my mage has:

1. Detect Life 100 feet, Fortify Magicka 100 points, Feather 100 points and Water Breathing all on self for 120 sec. An all purpose buff you can keep up continuously.

I add Invisibility on self for 6 sec. (IoS/6s) so that I remain unseen long enough to cast the next spell.

2. Invisibility and Nighteye for 40 seconds on self.

These additional spells help when you are dungeon diving.

3. Chameleon 100% on self, Open Lock on target and Telekinesis 100 feet for 6 sec.

This allows you to open a door or chest and remain unseen long enough to then cast #2 again. You can simply have this as the active spell without casting it. The Telekinesis effect will act as binoculars, allowing you to target something in the distance and get a description of it in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, like "Vampire Battlemage".

4. Paralyze for 1 sec. and absorb 20 points of magicka for 10 sec on touch, IoS/6s.

Why use your own magicka when you can use theirs?

5. Paralyze for 1 sec. on touch, Weakness to shock 100% and Weakness to Magic 100% for 9 sec. on touch with IoS/6s.

Cast this a few times and then...

6. Shock damage 36 points for 10 seconds on touch, IoS/6s.

Makes a nice bang like a .44 magnum. Be careful around Liches and other spell reflectors.

7. Summon Dremora Lord for 40 sec, IoS/6s.

In case you do run in to spell reflecting baddies.

8. Fortify Endurance 100 points and Restore 50 points of Health for 4 sec., IoS/6s.

Temporarily grants 200 points of health immediately while the restore health does its work.

I enchant all of my character's attire with Grand Souls to Fortify Magicka and/or use Restore Magicka/Fortify Magicka potions. This gives me a big pool with which to work.

Good luck!

» Thu Jun 30, 2016 1:47 am

Pseron: Excellent, thank you. I'v just persevered and it seems to be getting better, it's just gaining septims to buy new spells!

GS: I presume these are your own crafted spells? Can't wait to do that!

Right, now I have another question... I am currently inside my second Oblivion gate, I have again made it to the Sigil Stone, Is there something I'm missing, is there some unique item in each of these gates because they seem a bit too easy.

» Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:45 pm

The game is scaled to your character's level. So you may face scamps or Dremora Lords depending on that. Some players go through the entire game and never level to keep it easy. I usually max level and then start adventuring. It's all up to you.

» Wed Jun 29, 2016 10:23 pm

Yeah, I'm encountering about 60:40 Dremora:Scamps. I have difficulty nearly on max but it just seems a little easy compared to Skyrim. Looks like I'll just grind some skills I won't use. *yawn*

» Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:01 pm

I guess you could say the unique item is the Sigil Stone itself. But even that is scaled to your character's level. You will find more powerful Sigil Stones at higher levels.

Of all the characters I play my Mages have the most problems with money. My Warriors and Thieves and hybid characters get their gear from looting their enemies. But Mages have to buy their "gear" (i.e. spells). This puts an extra financial burden on "pure" Mages.

You can earn some nice coin by selling many of the potions you make (if you do Alchemy). My Mages rarely use scrolls, Varla Stones or Welkynd Stones so they sell those too. And keep in mind that as you sell more stuff your Mercantile skill goes up and you get better deals from merchants. My Mages have fewer problems with money later in the game. If you can stand the Speechcraft mini-game, you might also consider doing that as well. Higher Speechcraft aids in getting better prices.