Ive decided to do a pure mage Altmer. Just want to hear sides of the debate. Atronach and Apprentice.

Edit: I am playing as a Altmer Apprentice Stock class mage, and i am finding this much more fun than an Atronach Altmer. totally a different play style though. more time dodging spells, putting up shields, hiding behind summons. makes the oblivion gate fire sentries much more deadly :flamethrower:

True, Im a long time advocate of the Atronach sign, but I wander how fast 100willpower is.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Willpower
it depend on you magic pool, as I understand it uses 100/2.75= 36 seconds to refill you magic at 100 in willpower, so it's fast enough outside of intensive combat.

Personally I would say the apprentice is better for two reasons, magic is not the big killer in the game, plays a pure mage apprentice now with 40 in endurance so she has low health but after level 10 enemy spell casters are pretty easy to handle, main exception is lich with reflection.
But the main difference is that if I played a Atronach I know I would use far less magic as I had to work or use up resources to restore it, kind of take away the purpose with a pure mage, the 1 sigil stone enchantment you have to add does not make up for it.

I am currently playing an Altmer mage, so I would say atronach for sure. As an Altmer your only weakness comes in the form of elemental damage. Once you get to 100% spell absorption that weakness is negated. With a high alchemy skill the potions that you can make will restore your magicka faster than a 100% willpower (if it isn't fully restored by the spell absorption). Don't get me wrong, I like apprentice, but 100% weakness to magicka is a pretty stiff price to pay for what is essentially only 50 more magicka points than you get by choosing the mage.

The title should be "pure Altmer Mage" as the race completely changes my vote. Otherwise I have always prefered Apprentice.

If your using an altmer you could get away with The Mage as your birthsign easily enough. I use The Mage with breton pure mages and I don't really have that much of a problem so an altmer would be fine. If your dead set on a desision between the two, I would go with The Atronach. The spell absorbsion will be invaluable to you defensive capabilities as an altmer. You'll just have to make a particular effort to make magicka restoration potions, which isn't really that hard. I wouldn't go with The Apprentice as you've already got enough of a weakness to magic.

Well I voted Atronach,

You may find it hard at first. ( the first thing that pops into your mind is duplicat loads of potions) but duping is for cheaters. so . when you leave the prison got across to vilverin and you will end up with at least 20 weklyn stones to get you started. and if you do the MQ then you can get mankar camerons robes. and i can't remember if spellbreaker shield is reflect or absorb spell.

but overall atronach is better. especially in the long run and if you have potions.

but isnt vilverin tough for the average 'out of the sewer' adventurer?

It would be pretty hard for any pure mage with few spells, harder if you can’t regenerate. Best to buy some cheap spells first, probably also getting started on alchemy.

Define "pure mage". Do you mean the stock Mage class? Or a character that doesn't use weapons or armor? What difficulty do you play on? What mods do you use? Are you looking for ultimate power or a fun trip through the game? Do you plan to use sneak? Stay invisible when not in combat? Do you want to go after sigil stones to improve your absorption? Are you wiling to save/restore to get them? Or are you going to depend on drops? (The Spelldrinker amulets are really pretty common drops). Do you want to spend your time collecting welkynd stones and ingredients for restore magicka and restore health? Is alchemy going to be a major skill?

There's no "right" answer. Everything is possible, everything has drawbacks. For me the optimum birthsign for an altmer is plain old Mage. Plenty of magicka, easy to enchant for more. And, yes, I've found Willpower at 100 plenty quick for restoring magicka and if it isn't, you can use restore potions even if you're not an atronach. It's allowed.

Mara

.

My altmer was under the apprentice sign only made it to around level 6 or 7 with him still have the save file but have been playing a dunmer lately instead made up a back story for him that he's an exiled ashlander.
The negative resistances I haven't noticed much since using magery I can distance myself and dodge ranged spells, or just run up close and take things down with a few touch spells.
The thing that hurts are enchanted weapons on boss NPC's that's where I think the lack of resistances makes a difference and would make things a bit more difficult when common enemies start having them more often.

If you want efficiency there isn't much argument against using the antronach if you don't mind the stunted magicka since you can easily increase absorb/reflect/or resist with either sign and get decent protection that ignores most of your resistance problems.

This makes me want to play my altmer again.

Altmer atronach can easily become immune to magic and extremely potent. You need to embrace the 'chore' of keeping your blue topped off (very easy at medium to higher levels). You asked for 'best' and I took that to mean most powerful, safe and effective, so I voted for this.

Altmer apprentice is the ultimate mage glass cannon. Had you asked for 'fun and challenging' to play, I would have voted for this.

So. . . it depends what you want. I find the game too easy when I do 'best'; that is why I go for the glass cannons.

Atronach without a doubt. Maybe the most powerful birthsign in the game. You get a huge benefit in Spell Absorption. Very little downside (magicka can be easily replenished, particularly at higher levels). The extra magicka is a nice little side bonus too.

In contrast, for a little more magicka the Apprentice gives your character a HUGE handicap.

Agree with the cost x benefit anolysis, yet I cannot imagine my mages without the ability to regenerate magic naturally. I suspect that if the topic were not about an Altmer that we'd have a much more balanced score towards Apprentice (I for starters would change my vote).

just clarifying that I usually play on the default setting and I am refering to the Mage stock class.

Atronach, Atronach and Atronach again.

The most important thing to realize is that it changes your GAMEPLAY STYLE - not game difficulty or overall weakness.

Let me make this anology...I, before starting my Altmer/Atronach/PureMage character had a Mace+Shield warrior and Bow+Dagger Nightblade.
Running in at full tilt towards my enemy as the warrior and powerattacking again and again (basically just bashing everything in sight) was, and still is a huge difference in gameplay than my nightblade. Nearly always in sneak mode. Zoomed in on bow, critical shot to back of head. Not dead in one hit - finish with dagger - dissolve back into shadows. Rinse and repeat.

To make a long story short: your usual "stereotype mage" stepping out of the way, retreating, summoning things to help you and blasting things from far off is a big change from playing an Atronach Mage. Now you have to step into the way of spellsinstead of dodging. Run over and through minefields and towers in Oblivion.

As you can see. Warrior is not "better" than Nightblade. So the "Discreet Mage" (Hehe shall I call it that) is not better than the Atronach Mage.

That is from the gameplay perspective.

In terms of statistics and bonuses - If playing an Altmer ( as am I ) Apprentice is positively the last thing you could ever want. 100% weakness to magicka + 25% weakness to Elemental damage equals a bit more than double damage from spells.

All for 100 extra magicka points? You are basically offering to have your kneecaps shot off in exchange for a sweetroll.


Strive for 100% spell absorb as soon as you can. This may mean not doing some Mage's Guild Quests (or certain other quests) until level 22+ when items are maxed out. (Well at least some of them are).

Mankar Camoran's robe is invaluable at levels 22+ I think, it gives you a full 20% spell absorb. 50% from Atronach + 20% = 70%

Enchant your boots and gauntlets ( light or heavy ) with a level 17+ Trancendent Sigil stone that gives 15% spell absorb and you are completely and utterly immune to all types of magic. Fireballs feel good as they charge up your magicka. Frost makes you feel cool as it does the same. Lightning electrifies you as your Magicka is now full again.

Bear in mind that the 100% spell absorb is now so powerful, IT BYPASSES THE ALTMER'S INITIAL WEAKNESS to fire, frost and shock.

If you haven't already got your own personal choice of rings and necklaces/amulets, I would strongly suggest going for reflect damage.

If you can get them both, (Spell Absorb and Reflect Damage) to 100%. You're pretty much in God Mode. Enemies recharge your magicka and kill themselves at the same time. You still take damage from nasty falls and lava pits though. Don't get cocky!

That's really all the info I can give you concerning these two birthsigns. Atronach FTW, my friend.

i don't think you'll refill you magicka reserves and refelect the damage.

first come resist it will check if you resist it if you have a resist magick enchantment on you. when you don't resist the magickal attack absorb kicks when you don't absorb the attack reflect kicks in... it can also be in a different order.

i'm not sure if this is entirely correct but i thought i read that somewhere on the wiki.

Ya know, despite the advice Ive been given I think that I am going to go with the Apprentice. BTW, couldnt I still get 100% absorbtion it would just take more enchants? or perhaps get some elemental enchants to cancel out weaknesses. Then Id have all the absorbtion plus recharbale magicka. :drool:

Indeed, that is not correct. The checks applied to magical attacks, in order, are: Reflect, Absorb, Resist.

Reference: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Magical_Effects#Reflect_vs_Absorb_vs_Resist

yeah :-p well atleast i was correct about not being able to absorb and reflect at the same time and i just switched reflect and resist around.

Good luck, I tried it once and was not successful, will require a great deal of strategy. But if you manage to do that, will probably be extremely satisyfing (not as satisfying as the awesome picture you chose as avatar!).

Or I can say screw it. and do something else. GOD HOW I HATE RESTARTITIS!!

If you want the high magical defense and still have good magicka and natural regeneration, go Breton + Mage + a few fortify magicka items. With ultimately as few as one resist magic item, this character is quite immune to magic. Very safe, very easy, very powerful.

Good luck, I have a Apprentice now and it works nice, as a extra handicap I don't raise my endurance still magic is not my greatest danger except reflect from lich's.
If you raise endurance normally it would be no problem at all. Have two protections, a quest reward ring with fire and shock resistance 35% and a shirt with fire shield 25, rest is fortify magic.
Would not focus so much on absorption if you don't play a Atronach and start with 50, yes it's fun then it kicks in, but it's takes op lots of enchant slots you could use for fortify magic or protection.