16.7.11
Skyrim coming in November
In preparation for Skyrim, I've cracked out the Breton mage again - one play through before November... going to post progress...
23.4.09
Birthsign choice
Atronach: Entirely different style of gameplay. After you get the items to make yourself 100% absorbent you will no longer be dodging spells but jumping into them. This sign makes for a decent counter-mage.
Apprentice: Trade resistance for magicka. Don't bother unless you can dodge most spells and arrows. Even then, a sword of sparks goes from being useless but expensive phat lewts to being a potentially dangerous adversary. I'd recommend Breton for all mages, but Apprentice mages in particular.
Lady: Arguably the two most important abilities at level 1. I have argued in favour of that before. You won't be shrouded in protective magics right from the start, so it does help to be not quite as squishy as you could be. This birthsign is good for any race/class combo, which is the only reason you shouldn't choose it: pick something more mage-y. I've played a Ladymage though, and +10 Wis really does help.
Lord: Meh. Maybe its good for meatshields, in particular if they use it in combination with a transcendent sigil stoned hood of magicka +50 (allowing them to cast the spell repeatedly). Pointless for mages, you will make much better pots and eventually your restoration spells will overtake it.
Mage: This is suckier version of Apprentice. If you wanted to tank damage, you picked the wrong class. Take one of the more offensive-focussed magicka boosters.
Lover: lololol. 1 use of paralyze, but not viably in combat (fatigue loss = KO = dead). also, the serpent doomstone gives a shorter but more combat-effective one. if you really need paralyze early on, then use the doomstones one.
Ritual: lol no. It's basically carrying around 1 extra pot of strong heal. What are you saving? 0.5lbs? That and a free turn-undead spell. Don't get me wrong... Turn Undead is good, but you can buy it off one of those mages with shit mercantile for chicken poo.
Serpent: Oh wow this sucks. Real slow DoT, dispel your buffs/summons? AND you sac 100 fatigue?
Shadow: This sucks more. Why? Early access to invis - handy yes. good no. since you never want to improve your personality attribute, you should feel free to pump your illusion up to 100 before you even get to level 2. you first get invis at illusion 50 (ideally deathly visage from m'raaj-dar) so you dont have to wait long anyway. this is also why illusion should NEVER be in your major skills, because its perhaps the only skill you can freely and easily pump.
Steed: Good for thief/assassin/archer types. It's not for mages - it doesn't augment casting.
Thief: +10 Luck? Sweet! The other two are added extras - the steak knives that come with the silver kitchenware. If you are going to take this sign, then couple it with a class' favourite attribute being luck. starting with 65 luck will make the early game quite a bit easier.
Tower: Terrible. Just terrible. If you hate the lockpicking minigame that much, at level 10 you can do Nocturnal's quest.
Warrior: +10 Endurance is nothing to be laughed at. Oh except, the Lady does the same thing, but she also give Wisdom which is even more important. Needless to say, this ones not for you.
In conclusion...
Lady, Apprentice or Thief are all good choices. Don't be fooled into thinking Atronach is powerful - it's significantly less powerful but it does allow a different style of play which is at the very least intriguing. I'd say go Lady for the more conservative, balanced mage. And pick Apprentice if you want offence at the cost of defence. And Thief if you want to max out your starting luck (you wont get to 100 - well-made mages get boring after about level 25 once nothing can kill them and they can kill anything and that would give you 89 luck)
Apprentice: Trade resistance for magicka. Don't bother unless you can dodge most spells and arrows. Even then, a sword of sparks goes from being useless but expensive phat lewts to being a potentially dangerous adversary. I'd recommend Breton for all mages, but Apprentice mages in particular.
Lady: Arguably the two most important abilities at level 1. I have argued in favour of that before. You won't be shrouded in protective magics right from the start, so it does help to be not quite as squishy as you could be. This birthsign is good for any race/class combo, which is the only reason you shouldn't choose it: pick something more mage-y. I've played a Ladymage though, and +10 Wis really does help.
Lord: Meh. Maybe its good for meatshields, in particular if they use it in combination with a transcendent sigil stoned hood of magicka +50 (allowing them to cast the spell repeatedly). Pointless for mages, you will make much better pots and eventually your restoration spells will overtake it.
Mage: This is suckier version of Apprentice. If you wanted to tank damage, you picked the wrong class. Take one of the more offensive-focussed magicka boosters.
Lover: lololol. 1 use of paralyze, but not viably in combat (fatigue loss = KO = dead). also, the serpent doomstone gives a shorter but more combat-effective one. if you really need paralyze early on, then use the doomstones one.
Ritual: lol no. It's basically carrying around 1 extra pot of strong heal. What are you saving? 0.5lbs? That and a free turn-undead spell. Don't get me wrong... Turn Undead is good, but you can buy it off one of those mages with shit mercantile for chicken poo.
Serpent: Oh wow this sucks. Real slow DoT, dispel your buffs/summons? AND you sac 100 fatigue?
Shadow: This sucks more. Why? Early access to invis - handy yes. good no. since you never want to improve your personality attribute, you should feel free to pump your illusion up to 100 before you even get to level 2. you first get invis at illusion 50 (ideally deathly visage from m'raaj-dar) so you dont have to wait long anyway. this is also why illusion should NEVER be in your major skills, because its perhaps the only skill you can freely and easily pump.
Steed: Good for thief/assassin/archer types. It's not for mages - it doesn't augment casting.
Thief: +10 Luck? Sweet! The other two are added extras - the steak knives that come with the silver kitchenware. If you are going to take this sign, then couple it with a class' favourite attribute being luck. starting with 65 luck will make the early game quite a bit easier.
Tower: Terrible. Just terrible. If you hate the lockpicking minigame that much, at level 10 you can do Nocturnal's quest.
Warrior: +10 Endurance is nothing to be laughed at. Oh except, the Lady does the same thing, but she also give Wisdom which is even more important. Needless to say, this ones not for you.
In conclusion...
Lady, Apprentice or Thief are all good choices. Don't be fooled into thinking Atronach is powerful - it's significantly less powerful but it does allow a different style of play which is at the very least intriguing. I'd say go Lady for the more conservative, balanced mage. And pick Apprentice if you want offence at the cost of defence. And Thief if you want to max out your starting luck (you wont get to 100 - well-made mages get boring after about level 25 once nothing can kill them and they can kill anything and that would give you 89 luck)
You have the hands of an illusionist: Why illusion is overpowered/fucking awesome
You may be thinking um... what? No way there's destruction for killing, restoration for healing and conjuration for getting sidekicks. The other schools are just for miscellany like 'water breathing'.
This is true. If you play a mage like you play a warrior but substitute destruction for whatever weapon. i.e. if you play a mage like a total noob.
Illusion is hands down the best and most powerful school. Think back, what was the hardest/most annoying monster you fought? Those spider daedra that squirted little spiders at you? They would be much less annoying if they didn't paralyze you. Paralyze is possibly the most lethal effect in the game, and its in the illusion school. What else is there? Invisibility! Chameleon! Those have limitless out-of-combat and in combat uses. Also on the list, Frenzy - or... what to cast if you want to loot someones body but don't want a) a 1000gp fine b) to be kicked out of a guild or c) be killed by the frenzied npc. Just bring their disposition down, cast frenzy, draw a weapon (if necessary) and run and cast invisibility. The guards will do the rest, then you just loot the corpse for everything you wanted and bam! insta-win.
Silence - turn any spellcaster useless. Unless they carry a potion of dispel (which yes, I happen to do and would suggest you do too). Light and night-eye - because sometimes you need to see stuff. Last two that I'll mention: Demoralise! Let's say you feel that one of your enemies (or a shopkeeper or guard) would be better if they just ran as far away from you as they could. Very handy. Even handier in combat... Command Creature/Person - this causes enemies to start attacking each other. And the sweetest thing - if you go invisible after casting it and the Command duration expires - they will probably keep fighting anyway. Marvellous.
This is true. If you play a mage like you play a warrior but substitute destruction for whatever weapon. i.e. if you play a mage like a total noob.
Illusion is hands down the best and most powerful school. Think back, what was the hardest/most annoying monster you fought? Those spider daedra that squirted little spiders at you? They would be much less annoying if they didn't paralyze you. Paralyze is possibly the most lethal effect in the game, and its in the illusion school. What else is there? Invisibility! Chameleon! Those have limitless out-of-combat and in combat uses. Also on the list, Frenzy - or... what to cast if you want to loot someones body but don't want a) a 1000gp fine b) to be kicked out of a guild or c) be killed by the frenzied npc. Just bring their disposition down, cast frenzy, draw a weapon (if necessary) and run and cast invisibility. The guards will do the rest, then you just loot the corpse for everything you wanted and bam! insta-win.
Silence - turn any spellcaster useless. Unless they carry a potion of dispel (which yes, I happen to do and would suggest you do too). Light and night-eye - because sometimes you need to see stuff. Last two that I'll mention: Demoralise! Let's say you feel that one of your enemies (or a shopkeeper or guard) would be better if they just ran as far away from you as they could. Very handy. Even handier in combat... Command Creature/Person - this causes enemies to start attacking each other. And the sweetest thing - if you go invisible after casting it and the Command duration expires - they will probably keep fighting anyway. Marvellous.
Power-training spells and where to get them
Mysticism: Minor Life Detection. Dude in Mystic Emporium, Imperial City Merchant Quarter.
Alteration: Open Very Easy Lock (trust me). Same dude from Mystic Emporium.
Conjuration: Bound Dagger. Alberic Litte, Chorrol Mages Guild.
Illusion: Inspiring Touch (trust). Delphine Jend, Bravil Mages Guild.
Restoration: Minor Heal. You start with it whether Res is in your major skills or not.
Destruction: Flare.
Destruction is hard to power level early on, because you need viable targets for all of the above spells, and Des doesn't have any self-targeting spells before you get access to a spellmaking altar.
I said trust me for Open VE Lock and Rally. Those two spells are so cheap that if you're playing a non-atronach and you didn't spastic up your character build by eg. playing a redguard then you should regen your mana before you are able to cast it again. Unless you rapid-cast, which you should do anyway at the start to kick things off. If you are an atronach, well do it by Lady Luck at night and the Dark Brotherhood listen will be there to Rally and you can target a door on the second level facing roughly in the direction of the mages guild for Open Lock.
Minor Life Detection, Minor Heal Wounds and Bound Dagger are classic textbook power-training spells. Bound Dagger has the trick:
1. unarm yourself (if applicable)
2. cast spell
3. stow weapon (dispells)
4. go to 2
The last spell school is Alchemy. This should be obvious: make potions. Spam them out all over the place and sell the results for quickcash TM. Pick things as you walk past them, raid your guildhalls, go into peoples homes when they are asleep and raid the cupboards, barrels, boxes, tables and baskets for foodstuffs and pump out restore fatigue potions.
Alteration: Open Very Easy Lock (trust me). Same dude from Mystic Emporium.
Conjuration: Bound Dagger. Alberic Litte, Chorrol Mages Guild.
Illusion: Inspiring Touch (trust). Delphine Jend, Bravil Mages Guild.
Restoration: Minor Heal. You start with it whether Res is in your major skills or not.
Destruction: Flare.
Destruction is hard to power level early on, because you need viable targets for all of the above spells, and Des doesn't have any self-targeting spells before you get access to a spellmaking altar.
I said trust me for Open VE Lock and Rally. Those two spells are so cheap that if you're playing a non-atronach and you didn't spastic up your character build by eg. playing a redguard then you should regen your mana before you are able to cast it again. Unless you rapid-cast, which you should do anyway at the start to kick things off. If you are an atronach, well do it by Lady Luck at night and the Dark Brotherhood listen will be there to Rally and you can target a door on the second level facing roughly in the direction of the mages guild for Open Lock.
Minor Life Detection, Minor Heal Wounds and Bound Dagger are classic textbook power-training spells. Bound Dagger has the trick:
1. unarm yourself (if applicable)
2. cast spell
3. stow weapon (dispells)
4. go to 2
The last spell school is Alchemy. This should be obvious: make potions. Spam them out all over the place and sell the results for quickcash TM. Pick things as you walk past them, raid your guildhalls, go into peoples homes when they are asleep and raid the cupboards, barrels, boxes, tables and baskets for foodstuffs and pump out restore fatigue potions.
Atronach comment 1: Change in strategy
My first reaction, during a battle in Vilverin, was ugh, I suck. I couldn't finish the guy off or even heal myself, so I left him for the slaughterfish. But as I played the next few quests it seemed increasingly and concerningly apparent that I would not be able to power-level my spell skills without spending shitloads on potions. That's inefficient and stupid I thought to myself and didn't come up with an idea until I was doing the Bravil recommendation: Lady Luck bestows a spell effect which can be replaced an infinite number of times. Sweet. So you can power level, but so far only in Bravil. I knew about the place where you look for Garridan's Tears but with 50% absorption you'd be getting butt-raped half the time. Lady luck is a much better and more accessible option.
First steps out of the sewers
My first point of call is always Vilverin. Often, the bandits are too hard to defeat but you can lure them into the water where the slaughterfish will do the job for you. Then you can loot away.
Next stop is the Imperial City. Usually, I loot what I can from the barrels around the merchant district before stealing a horse and setting off for Weynon Priory. Dropping by the crazy fisherman and the wine collector along the way of course. Then, finish the quest, you get a shit horse, some gear and whatever you can loot from the Priory. Go to Chorrol, sell what you dont want to Rasheda. Then join the fighters guild and the mages guild and take all their food.
Collect all the alchemy apparatuses and sell them to the altmer guy. Then buy all his cheap ingredients. Spam out potions, which you then sell to altmer guy. Do the quest for the chorrol mages guild recommendation and completely bone earana - shes a bitch anyway. Before you leave, buy 'bound dagger' off Alberic Litte. You should already have a couple of grand so it shouldnt be an issue. Also, if you are about to level then you may as well train with him - I think its alteration. bam 5 points.
Next stop is the Imperial City. Usually, I loot what I can from the barrels around the merchant district before stealing a horse and setting off for Weynon Priory. Dropping by the crazy fisherman and the wine collector along the way of course. Then, finish the quest, you get a shit horse, some gear and whatever you can loot from the Priory. Go to Chorrol, sell what you dont want to Rasheda. Then join the fighters guild and the mages guild and take all their food.
Collect all the alchemy apparatuses and sell them to the altmer guy. Then buy all his cheap ingredients. Spam out potions, which you then sell to altmer guy. Do the quest for the chorrol mages guild recommendation and completely bone earana - shes a bitch anyway. Before you leave, buy 'bound dagger' off Alberic Litte. You should already have a couple of grand so it shouldnt be an issue. Also, if you are about to level then you may as well train with him - I think its alteration. bam 5 points.
22.4.09
Race choice
So I've been interested in playing an atronach for a while now...
So basically, Breton is the best, then Argonian, Altmer and Orcs are good options and everything else is voluntarily castrating yourself.
- The best mage race is obviously Breton, except perhaps when it comes to being an atronach: spell res means nothing once you have 100% absorption and you already get +150 magicka - the extra 50 is nice but high elf gives more and its worst feature is eliminated by absorption.
- Wood elves and dark elves have -10 willpower which lets face it - sucks dick.
- Imperials improve personality which basically makes it a dud, its not entirely shit but it's also not any good which makes it shit.
- Argonians lose endurance which is not as bigger issue as everyone claims it to be, but still a pretty hard kick in the nads. Water breathing is a gimmick but disease and poison res / immunity isnt. It's pretty hot but the draconian madstone glitch substitutes that ability partially.
- Nords lose Intelligence, which is undesirable and dont have any other redeeming features.
- Orcs are just awesome, if only they had a magicka bonus, and Redguards pretty much suck dick in every way except one and we've already discussed how the draconian madstone puts that in perspective.
- Khajiit are really cool, they have two amazing spells to start but their stats suck. When choosing a race, the skill bonuses arent really important. It's minorly beneficial if they are spell skills but really that just saves some training.
So basically, Breton is the best, then Argonian, Altmer and Orcs are good options and everything else is voluntarily castrating yourself.
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