So, I'm starting a new game and I need help choosing whether I should play as an assassin or a battlemage. Which do you think is better and why?

Thanks.

They are not at all mutually exclusive. Assassin is a profession. Battlemage is a style of fighting. A quick tour of the DB Sanctuary will reveal numerous styles of fighting. I would decide what it is that you want your character to do, then select a set of skills that you think would complement that. And oh my yes, the skill set of a battlemage certainly supports the profession of assassin. Or perhaps you are referring to the stereotype in black pajamas with a bow and poisoned dagger? Or an armored Legion mage with a blue hood standing guard at the University?

Seriously, consider blending the two.

But assassin is also a class. I'm talking strictly about play styles here, and I don't really like mixing them. I sort of like the stereotypical characters in the game.

I understand. Of the two, play the assassin.

Assassin: I find the black-clad sneakster with dagger, poisons and bow to be ever so much fun. I hate killing for profit as a slave to the DB however.

Battlmage: A battlemage is more flexible, forgiving and lethal. I also love the guild of mages. I do not particularly enjoy fighting as a battlemage however.

My solution was a mystic archer, but she is certainly not the stereotypical character that you seek. :foodndrink:

Thanks.

If you've already completed the main quest in a previous game:

Assassin. No magic, just poison, 30 point cap on Sneak, and you use health potions that you make yourself from ingredients bought or harvested.

You deserve the title "Badass Angel of Death of Cyrodiil" because you faced your challenges without the hocus pocus those usual weaklings use to cheese the game and make it boring.

I voted battlemage since I've always had difficulty playing assassin characters, I just can't get into it at all.

I get more satisfaction out of going into battle all guns (or in this case, fireballs) blazing and finishing off to a round of applause, rather than a knife-from-the dark strategy that you can't brag about later. Plus I don't like the dark brotherhood questline either.

I know some people have managed to play glass cannons superbly, always shooting from afar or sneaking up on things, but a battlemage really does suit any battle, whether it's just a lone necromancer or a horde of goblins. There's not a lot that you can't do with magic.

Its like saying 'hey random guys online, what animal should I get? A Dog or a Cat?'

it all depends on your preference of playing style

I prefer an assassin myself. I never got into the battlemage class. however sneaking in the shadows and watching an enemy fall as he finds an arrow in his heart, priceless.

I enjoy assassin characters more, but find them to be 1) slower (sneaking vs. running); and 2) weaker. A battlemage can stand up better to mobs imo. If you're playing vanilla, mobs aren't as much of a problem, but battlemages will still be stronger.

The assassin char build I prefer:

Race: Dark Elf (or Wood Elf or Argonian or Khajit)
Birthsign: Thief (or Shadow or Steed)
Specialization: Stealth
Attributes: Ag/Spd (or Luck or End or Str -- can't go wrong really)
Major Skills:

Sneak
Marksman
Alchemy (only if playing modded -- in vanilla, it levels waaaaaaaaaaaaay too fast)
Illusion (for handling mobs)
Conjuration (for support and meatshield; also can summon bows, weapons, etc. for sneaky killing -- don't have to carry the murder weapon on you)
Alteration (or Security) (for dealing with pesky locks, aiding encumberance, and sneaking into places via water)
Mysticism (only if playing modded -- levels pretty fast otherwise) (for detecting your target)

Last skill can also be flexible -- good ones are light armor, athletics, acrobatics (probably good to have one of the speed skills, esp. if playing modded), restoration, blade

The Battlemage build I prefer:

Race: Breton
Birthsign: The Steed (otherwise, end up being too slow, esp if playing modded) (or The Mage or The Apprentice or The Warrior)
Specialization: Combat (or Magic)
Attributes: Str/End
Major Skills:

Blade (or Blunt) (for melee killing and conserving magicka)
Block (for defense)
Heavy (for defense, may be less of a priority in vanilla)
Conjuration (for support)
Destruction (for ranged killing and also touch melee support and enchanting)
Illusion (for mob management -- frenzy, calm, command, etc.)
Restoration (for healing and buffs)

I'm currently playing dead-is-dead with the latter Breton Battlemage build using FCOM (overhaul mod) and nGCD (levelling mod) and am at level 7 alive and well, feeling confident completing quests and dungeon diving. Got a little hairy when mobbed by about 8 goblin shamans at one time, but fortunately, despite some mass paralysis on me, they didn't mob-destruction-spell me and I managed to survive by the skin of my teeth. Otherwise, things have been ok.

The problem with stealth archers, as has already been alluded to, is that if you get noticed and mobbed, things can be dicy. You have to be ready to run if necessary, which is why I like The Steed for stealth characters. In fact, FCOM has given me a whole new appreciation for The Steed birthsign Ideally, you want to avoid this via sneak/marksman/alchemy and conjuration/illusion, but, especially at low levels, you still have to be pretty careful imo.

I love both builds to pieces though, especially with nGCD (essential mod imo).

It's kinda nice if you want to do both good battlemage (FG, MG, KotN) and evil assassin (TG, DB) playthroughs, rather than having one do-it-all character.

Why not do a mix of both and go with a Nightblade?