What are some good non-destruction based mage builds for skyrim [closed]

I would like to know if it is at all possible to make a mage without using destruction at all. I was thinking alteration/conjuration, with a bound weapon and a summon, are there any suggestions in regards to this?

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1 Answer

In Skyrim, there are a few types of Mages - I'll list some of the more common ones here: Pure Mage, Battle Mage, Conjuration Mage, Illusion Mage, Destruction Mage, Restoration/Alteration Mage

The most common type is the Pure Mage, who has a good balance of everything. In this build, you ignore everything except magic, really. 0 perks given to armour, weapons or whatnot. Just purely magic. Rush Magicka, but remember to give some points into Health and Stamina as well. Offensively you have Destruction and Conjuration in your arsenal and usually go with either light or no armour. Some points into Restoration will help for backup.

Battle Mage is one that is less commonly seen due to its high difficulty. Basically it means you are holding one-handed weapon + one magic (usually destruction, but sometimes conjuration - conjuration battle mage is harder to pull off than destruction based in my experience). Put some points into Magicka till 200 then invest in health and stamina in 50/50 ratio. Always upgrade your smith for better one-handed weapons, and heavy armour is recommended. This build is far more verstaile than pure mage due to fact that once you run out of magicka, you still have your one-handed weapon to wreck havoc.

Conjuration Mage is what I usually recommend for new players who don't really know how to fight effectively as mage. As conjuration mage you can summon powerful minions to fight for or alongside you. Necromencers and Death Knights are the commodity. Keep a one-handed weapon for backup and situational uses. Armour differs with your playstyle, lighter armour for those who prefer to stand behind and deal damage with destruction while your minions take the front line, heavy for those who prefer fighting alongside with your minions.

Illusion Mage is a real fun to play albeit being very, very hard to master. More commonly known as "magi-assassin" they utilise illusion magic to carry out sneak attacks. You need to be really good at using sneak, and know when to use your spells. I normally play this type with a dagger and light armour.

Destruction Mage is a fairly common build - just go full damage, kill and get out. You would need a very tanky companion though, since you won't be investing much in health and armour. Invest mostly in Magicka.

Restoration/Alteration is the type where you don't deal as much damage, but is nearly impossible to kill. Give perks to restoration tree, invest in magicka and health in 50/50 ratio, take heavy armour for more survivality.