Battlemage Build: Any suggestions?

[Lord Griswold]

I want to try out playing a battlemage, but I only have experience with warriors and stealt-type characcters. What skills should I use and how should I start out?

[Trigger]

Use a Breton as your race, they have a 25% resistance to magic

[Lord Griswold]

Okay. What are the best items/enchantments I can have?

[gnewna]

I got the Big Massive Book Of Skyrim for Xmas and it has half a page on each of 10 archetypes. Some of the advice for a Battlemage includes:

Suggested race is Imperial (good mix of magic and fighting skills).
Primary skills: Destruction, Restoration
Secondary skills: Illusion, Heavy Armour
Stone ability: Apprentice stone
Stat focus: Magicka 60%/Health 40%
Weapons: Spells, supplemented by staffs or a one-handed weapon
Armour: Heavy, ideally enchanted to increase your Magicka or Magicka Regen
Any follower should be able to work out well, but a melée fighter would be good.
Focus your perks on Destruction (esp dual casting, rank perks (i.e. the ones that reduce your Magicka cost per spell) and dual casting, and generally one of flame/frost/shock), getting Illusion at least to dual-cast and Heavy Armour to Juggernaut, plus Recovery which I think is maybe Restoration?

There's a load of other suggestions, it's one of my favourite sections of the book and always makes me want to start about three new characters, either based on or completely breaking the archetypes...

[gnewna]

(Although it says to go for a Magicka/Magicka regen enchantment on gear, I'd say probably look out for mages who can be stripped of their Destruction/Magicka Regen robes which can then be put on stuff for a double-effect, possibly also Illusion/Restoration if you come across those (I think they can be put on rings and necklaces as well, so you could have Destruction on your main gear and then have rings/necklaces/helmets (I think?) that you can swap out for different effects.)

[Brandybuck]

As a battlemage you are focused on being part of the Emperor's shock troops. You get to wear heavy armor, because unlike other spell casters, you're not going to be able to keep the enemy at arm's reach. You also get to wield a weapon in your right hand and slash away. So far you're just like any other warrior. The difference is that you have a spell in your left hand as well. It's going to be a Destruction spell and will be your ranged attack. You'll also have Restoration to heal yourself up.

So your main skills will be:

Heavy Armor
One Handed
Destruction
Restoration

Secondary skills will be:

Smithing - to improve your gear
Enchanting - to make the best gear

Stat distribution should be equal between Magicka, Health, and Stamina should be around 2/2/1 ratio, since power attacks will not be your forte.

Since the Battlemage is a hybrid build, you can easily end up in "overleveling" territory, where you are levelling too fast due to the number of skills you are improving. So make sure you keep specialized and not spread yourself too thin. This is why I would avoid Conjuration and its bound weapons for your first go at this.

[Brandybuck]

As for gear, the best stuff is what you can make. But you'll not get to that level for a while. You'll want armor instead of robes, so keep an eye out for Destruction/Magicka rings and amulets. The mages hoods from the College are fine, and makes you look the part.

When you finally get to 100 Enchanting, and 90 Smithing, you'll want to make set of Daedric armor with Fortify Destruction 25% on four items (so you can cast Destruction for free). Also through in Fortify Magicka, Fortify Magicka Regen, Fortify One Handed, and Fortify Heavy Armor in your free enchanting slots. For your weapon an Ebony Sword is great, enchanted to do Fire and Frost damage.

[𝕊𝕋𝕌ℝ𝕄-𝕂𝔸𝕋]

Enchanting and smithing I would say are essential skills to focus on other than the magicka you want to dabble in.

[MageThis]

Originally posted by ᵏᶤᵚᶤ‰:

man up and mage in clothes like caster is supposed to wear.
hire a tank and play backline

You did notice the O/P stated BattleMage?

[𝕊𝕋𝕌ℝ𝕄-𝕂𝔸𝕋]

I should elaborate a little more: Enchanting will provide your Armour with extra special magical properties - of your choosing.

Smithing with ensure that you have the highest quality Armour for your battle dress.

Notice the ''Arcane Blacksmith'' perk, a rather high level to get - lots of work cut out for you, but this perk enables you to improve already enchanted Armour. As your enchanting level increases so too does the power of your enchantments. You might have reached a higher skill of enchantment yet not tempered the armour...Arcane blacksmith enables you to temper and improve your Battlemage Armour after it has been enchanted.

Or say you find some already enchanted Armour but want to improve it?...You won't be able to unless you have that perk.

Wondering what race to choose?

High Elf.