So I am thinking of possibly putting Restoration as a Major/Minor for my character and wasn't sure if I should just use Potions instead? He will be primarily melee with Destruction and Mysticism. So I weighed up the pros and cons of each. With restoration I don't have to carry anything around, but I have to switch to casting to use it, which could get me killed, plus there isn't a 100% cast at earlier levels, especially for someone who gets up close and personal and uses lots of Fatigue. Potions on the other hand I can simply open my bags, use and continue fighting, but they have weight, and I will need to restock regularly unless I take Alchemy, which I probably will use to replace Restoration should Potions be the better option. This is just a complete playthrough using one character so Roleplaying isn't an issue for me, its just what is the most viable.

The big advantage to alchemy is you can make a lot of cash from selling your potions and there's an exploit that makes it an easy skill to level. It can lead to repetitive motion injuries though.

dont forget theres more to restoration that just healing.

the number of times ive needed my restore strength spell.. mmm

One of my favorite characters is a warrior who has Destruction, Mysticism, and Restoration, all as majors. He usually carries 4 restore health potions for emergency use only. No alchemy needed.