ACCEPTED Not So Fast - Mage Guild (by cdcooley)

[Shadriss]

So what we may also need, in conjunction with this mod, is another one that dials down the spell costs OR dials up the Destruction damage. I'd be fine with that - honestly, the inability to play as a pure mage is pretty obvious from the start of the game (the Stormcloaks in Helgen Keep in the big room with the stream in it is best for this...), and is one of the reasons I've never seriously tried it.

 

I know there are myriad mods out there that screw with magic to one degree or another - maybe it's time to find one that's limited enough to make Magery possible without being far too overpowered. Based on the last few comments, I'm borderline ready to call this a 'bug' or oversight by Bethesda, which would make such a mod's inclusion Core material. But that's for another discussion.

[Teabag86]

Just as a curious question, is it even possible to play Skyrim as a pure mage without having to rely on weapons? I've tried it a couple of times, but I always quickly reverted back to a bow given how quickly my magicka depleted without doing much damage.

Pure Mage is my go to build when I tire of the combat archer. I often play a 'Druid' style character forbidden to touch metal or use destruction magic. So no armor or weapons and I simply carry around a few septims and a bit of food. Conjured atronachs, bound weapons and mage armor are a very powerful combination. The key is that you don't need a huge magicka pool because those spells are fire and forget. When coupled with the shouts slow time and unrelenting force you are pretty much unstoppable. Just don't get ambushed as you need a few vital seconds to prepare for combat!

[DoubleYou]

I was pretty close to a "pure mage" this playthrough, but it is definitely impossible in the higher levels. You basically need to invest in a lot of Destruction and Restoration magic, with Conjuration on the side, and make sure you get plenty of magic enhancing gear. But then, I still had to combine it with other skills from time to time. Basically, I was a hybrid sneak assassin/mage. Now that I'm level 76, I have to pretty much just whack everybody with my weapons. I'm leveling up my enchanting so that I can be a mage again, but truly, being a mage, is quite boring after awhile. There simply aren't enough spells.

[TechAngel85]

I was pretty close to a "pure mage" this playthrough, but it is definitely impossible in the higher levels. You basically need to invest in a lot of Destruction and Restoration magic, with Conjuration on the side, and make sure you get plenty of magic enhancing gear. But then, I still had to combine it with other skills from time to time. Basically, I was a hybrid sneak assassin/mage. Now that I'm level 76, I have to pretty much just whack everybody with my weapons. I'm leveling up my enchanting so that I can be a mage again, but truly, being a mage, is quite boring after awhile. There simply aren't enough spells.

That's where you have to start deviating from STEP: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/16225/?

 

I have several mods installed that aren't in STEP because of my play-style. I'll probably recommend a few of them like Archery Gameplay Overhaul which makes archery far more realistic.

[DoubleYou]

That's where you have to start deviating from STEP: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/16225/?

 

I have several mods installed that aren't in STEP because of my play-style. I'll probably recommend a few of them like Archery Gameplay Overhaul which makes archery far more realistic.

True, but I wanted to see what vanilla magic was like. And I love Apocalypse, although some are overpowered, IMHO.

[Shadriss]

I've thrown in Elemental Destruction Magic (not on my main system at the moment - sorry for the lack of link), which adds in Earth, Wind, and Water magics on essentially a One-for-One match-up with the other elemental Destruction spells. They have their own secondary effects as well, which could give you some of the depth you seek without going completely overboard. Since this discussion started, I'm also trying out another mod to scale damage with levels, among other things, to see if that makes a pure mage more feasible without having to resort to weapons in anything except a huge melee. I'll report back on that when I've had a chance to test.

[cdcooley]

Mages are also expected to make use of staves and scrolls to round out their abilities or when their magicka pool gets too low.

[GrantSP]

So... does anyone have a really good guide to building the best "pure" mage? By pure I mean only using magic or magic augmenting items and not being decked out in the latest heavy armour with magic buffs on them.

[DoubleYou]

Well, never go with heavy armor, that's for sure. Go light armor if you do armor at all.

[Kelmych]

I use Apocalypse also. My primary magic mod is Mighty Magick Skyrim since it has some features I like and (like Apocalypse) it can be used with other magic mods since it doesn't make any large changes to the magic perk tree.

[Shadriss]

We probably want to get back on topic  - Tech is pretty lenient, but we're really starting to have a discussion that's way off base here. I know I'm as much to blame for that as anything, but...

[baronaatista]

It just seems to me like this mod fits perfectly with STEP Extended; there's already Not so Fast - MQ, and Thieves Guild Requirements.  I would actually rather see a slightly more fleshed out mod - something akin to TGR, but all the other Mages guild mods tend to go a little too far.

 

I'm not sure about the functionality of the mod, but https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/39780/? College Visitor Pass... as I said, I've never used it, and don't know anything about it performance or quality-wise, but the idea is solid.  It is really an almost necessary addition to the game; it was ridiculous to be on some completely different playthrough, get sent to the mages guild to talk to someone but the only way you can get in is to join.

 

And on the topic of playing a mage in Skyrim - first off it really is possible even at higher levels, in vanilla... perhaps a little annoying, but definitely possible.

That being said, TTRSO is a really excellent (and modular) skill overhaul that stays very close to vanilla while just opening a couple doors, such as magic scaling with skill, and only requiring 3 peices of armor for the Heavy and Light armor bonus perks, amongst other things.

Apocalypse spell package is great of course, but so is Forgotten Magic Redone, which adds a variety of class-specific spells that level up as you use them, and gain effects.

[Greg]

I vote yes

[GrantSP]

Me too.

[EssArrBee]

No reason this mod shouldn't be in when the one is already in right? 

 

Accepted for STEP 2.10.