I think I figured out how to play a successful mage.

[Kendo 2]

I discovered this by accident playing as a D&D style cleric.  If you're starting in Helgen use the flame spell (of course).  Once out in the world, wear the novice hood and get heavy armor and a shield.  Now you're going to walk the roads of Skyrim burning every wolf, skeever and bandit you come across.  Burn them, block them, tank them.  DO NOT start any quests, go inside dungeons, etc.  Roam and burn until level six.  Put all of your perk points into Destruction and the first 3 stat increases into health.  Don't travel at night because the vampire death hound things are over your pay grade.  Stop doing the roam and burn thing at level 6 since that's when saber cats and giant spiders start spawning.  They're above your pay grade as well.

The reasoning: Mage robes suck so stop relying on them.  Put some points into Heavy Armor and (most importantly) Block.  Block at level 30 allows you to stop ALL damage from arrows.  It's OP as fuck.  A shield is also another slot you can enchant.

[endgameaddiction]

You ever use mods that add more spells such as Apocalypse: Magic of Skyrim? I find that Skyrim's magic spells are lacking. At least when it comes to destruction spells. 

Edited December 2, 2023 by endgameaddiction

[Kendo 2]

8 hours ago, endgameaddiction said:

You ever use mods that add more spells such as Apocalypse: Magic of Skyrim? I find that Skyrim's magic spells are lacking. At least when it comes to destruction spells. 

No, I tend to shy away from player-made esps/esms.  Too many bad and game-wrecking experiences.

[ritualclarity]

On 12/1/2023 at 4:54 PM, Kendo 2 said:

I discovered this by accident playing as a D&D style cleric.  If you're starting in Helgen use the flame spell (of course).  Once out in the world, wear the novice hood and get heavy armor and a shield.  Now you're going to walk the roads of Skyrim burning every wolf, skeever and bandit you come across.  Burn them, block them, tank them.  DO NOT start any quests, go inside dungeons, etc.  Roam and burn until level six.  Put all of your perk points into Destruction and the first 3 stat increases into health.  Don't travel at night because the vampire death hound things are over your pay grade.  Stop doing the roam and burn thing at level 6 since that's when saber cats and giant spiders start spawning.  They're above your pay grade as well.

The reasoning: Mage robes suck so stop relying on them.  Put some points into Heavy Armor and (most importantly) Block.  Block at level 30 allows you to stop ALL damage from arrows.  It's OP as fuck.  A shield is also another slot you can enchant.

I took a different path. Was a Brenton then did side quest to increase magic resistance and obtained equipment that increased it.  As I went through development I increased the one handed sword health and shield stats. (if I remember correctly) in the end I could practically stand in the path of dragon's breath and take on hags almost as if they weren't doing anything.

I forget all the steps I did but I was a mage / dragon killing machine.

[Kendo 2]

Okay, a mage with block skill is just as OP/broken as a stealth archer.  At skill level 50 you can block elemental damage.  Dragon breath, fire balls, doesn't matter.  I'm playing a Nord so I already had the 50% frost resistance, stacked with the Agent of Mara perk (magic resistance 15%) and two ranks of Alteration magic resistance (20%).  I'm maxed out on frost resistance but NOW when I block I'm maxed on shock and fire resistance too.

I pretty much have the timing down so power attacks against me stagger whoever is doing it.  At this point I think I could beat the game with heavy armor, a shield and a dull butter knife.  It's almost losing its charm the way a stealth archer or a dual wield warrior with the Lady Stone and vegetable soup does.  BUT it's been fun discovering something new 13 years after the fact.