Best Skyrim Mage Builds

Best Skyrim Mage Builds

As a seasoned Skyrim player with countless hours spent in the land of Tamriel, I can confidently say that this “Lightning God” build is nothing short of divine. It’s not for the faint-hearted or those who lack patience, as gathering the right equipment takes time and dedication. But once you’ve got it all, oh boy, does it deliver!


Developing a Mage character in Skyrim might be the longest, yet most fulfilling journey that players can embark on. While Mages in Skyrim often carry a negative image, partly due to the College of Winterhold, those who choose the magical path will discover boundless power within this game world. With dedication and mastery, not only could you be recognized as the Last Dragonborn, but also hailed as Tamriel’s greatest mage ever known.

In the game ‘Skyrim’, you’ll encounter various types of Mages, each mastering distinct groups of spells to amplify their abilities. Players are free to experiment with them all or concentrate on areas like Conjuring, Destruction, Illusion, and other magical disciplines. The optimal builds for a Mage in ‘Skyrim’ provide versatility, strength, and achievement.

The Basics

Best Skyrim Mage Builds

In most Mage characters in Skyrim, it’s advantageous for players to focus a significant amount of effort on mastering Alchemy and Enchanting. This allows them to concoct incredibly potent potions which, when applied to the equipment they craft or upgrade via Enchantments, significantly boost their power. By excelling in both Alchemy and Enchanting, players can guarantee that every article of clothing they don, as well as their jewelry, will possess extraordinary effects.

Players should consistently strive for advanced Alchemy and Enchanting skills to amplify the potential for significant damage output. Mastering potion crafting techniques within Skyrim will allow players to enjoy substantial magic damage and enchantment advantages surpassing numbers greater than 1,000. This skillset is crucial in transforming a player into an exceptionally powerful Mage within Skyrim.

For optimal performance in Alchemy, these key abilities are indispensable: Alchemist, Poisoner, Green Thumb, Benefactor, and Physician. These perks will grant players the most advantageous bonuses for their potions, which they can use to craft the most powerful armor sets, enchantments, or boost the power of their spells.

Given that players are set to improve their Enchanting abilities, it would be wise to boost these related Perks too: Enchanter, Insightful Enchanter, and Corpus Enchanter. This enhancement will boost the overall effectiveness of the armor and jewelry where players will apply their most potent enchantments, thereby unleashing more of their strength’s potential.

As for the best race to play as in Skyrim, it’s best to start as an Altmer (High Elf) due to the fact that they will get +50 Magicka straight away. Their Active Power will also let them regenerate 25% of their maximum Magicka per second for a total of 60 seconds. The Altmer is a great race to start for those who want to be a Mage, but at the end of the day, the race does not matter when compared to the gear, spells, and skills unlocked.

Regarding character development, it’s advisable for players to prioritize Magic Power significantly more than Stamina or Health. This focus might give the impression of being fragile, similar to a glass cannon, but once your Magic Power reaches a certain level and your mastery is strong, you’ll feel invincible, as if you’re crafted from Dragon Bones. Aim for more than 200 in Magic Power, keeping Health as a close second choice. On the other hand, Stamina should never be upgraded beyond 100 points.

Pyromancer

In the game ‘Skyrim’, spells associated with destruction, particularly fire-based ones, often receive negative opinions. But when players skillfully combine casting and use an abundance of potions that boost Destruction power, they can unleash a blaze so intense it silences any doubts about the Pyromancer’s might. The art of Pyromancy proves beneficial for several reasons:

  • Easily accessible spells
  • Great for new players
  • Not a large skill or learning gap
  • Everything burns

In the game “Skyrim”, virtually everything can be ignited, causing ongoing harm to enemies as they burn. By mastering certain skills and spells, players can craft a compelling Pyromancer-style character within this game. Key Perks for this build are Novice Destruction, Dual Casting (Destruction), Impact, Enhanced Flames, Intense Flames, Apprentice Destruction, Adept Destruction, and Expert Destruction from the Destruction Skill Tree. These will optimize spell damage output and versatility when using destruction spells.

As for the best Spells in Skyrim, players will want to use Flame Cloak, Ignite, and Incinerate. These are the best for both defense and offense, as Flame Cloak will ensure that anyone lucky enough to get close or hit the player, will be set on fire. The spell also enhances melee damage. The most important spell will be Ignite, as this will shoot out a bolt of flame that can ignite targets for up to 15 seconds, providing great base damage, and damage over time. Paired with the Perks like Impact, enemies will be staggered, meaning they can’t even find the strength to try and hit the player. It’s best to keep these flames out of the cities.

When it comes to optimal attire for players, it’s advised to allocate your Alchemy and Enchanting skills towards garments that reduce Destruction spell costs, boost Magicka points, and enhance Fire resistance and other magic resistances, all while offering strong defensive bonuses. However, the key factor is acquiring Ahzidal’s Ring of Arcana, which can be discovered in Kolbjorn Barrow within Solstheim, as it unlocks the Ignite Spell.

Illusionist

In Skyrim, not every Mage build relies solely on casting damaging spells that target enemies with elemental magic. The Illusion spell tree is often overlooked due to a first impression that may not be favorable for some players. However, the real power of Illusion spells can be found in their ability to:

  • Supporting spells.
  • Distracting groups of enemies
  • Turning invisible for better sneaking.
  • Sowing mayhem

Naturally, Illusion mages in the game Skyrim don’t possess any inherent means to inflict direct damage on opponents. Instead, they must expand their abilities by investing in additional skill sets, delving into different areas of magic or martial arts.

This indicates there are several choices available. The most potent one might be the Stealth Archery Deception setup. This setup allows players to cast Muffle (later Invisibility) to stay concealed from adversaries, move stealthily around bandit camps, and attempt headshots. The Stealth Archer is a well-liked build that works exceptionally with Illusion spells. Unlike a typical Stealth Archer, the Illusionist isn’t scared of drawing attention because Illusion spells are proficient at distraction, making it possible for this build to walk past enemies unnoticed.

Instead of relying on Archery, magic users who prefer to keep their identities pure might find success by pairing Illusions with either Destruction or Conjuration. This approach could be equally effective, if not more so, than using a bow and arrows.

Demonic Conjurer

Restoration might have a positive purpose, but Conjuration is undoubtedly for those with sinister intentions. In the realm of Skyrim, players can master the darkest Conjuring Spells to summon beings from other dimensions that are downright terrifying and formidable. These entities encompass Daedra, giants, and other grotesque creatures, which only the most potent sorcerers dare to unleash. This playstyle allows you to:

  • Summon powerful followers and warriors
  • Easy to use
  • Passive Spells means players can use other weapons
  • Summoning allies to do the work means players can sit back

For a Conjurer, players will want to invest heavily into their Conjuring skill to maximize the potential of their summons. The following perks will be essential: Novice Conjuring, Mystic Binding, Summoner, Apprentice Conjuring, Adept Conjuring, Atromancy, Elemental Potency, Necromancy, Expert Conjuring, Master Conjuring, Dark Souls, Twin Souls. These should be bound with the usual perk Enchanting, as well as a few defense options in Heavy Armor.

Once they’ve mastered the necessary bonuses and abilities, players will find themselves eagerly spending on suitable Spells. The Conjure Dremora Lord is ideal for opening Oblivion gates and summoning fierce demonic soldiers to invade Tamriel at the player’s command. Additionally, the Conjure Bone Colossus, Conjure Ancient Deathpriest, and Conjure Storm Atronach make an excellent group choice for dealing ranged damage, instilling fear, and overall excellence in the realm of Conjuration magic.

Considering players are going to want to run Heavy Armor so that they are more defended against enemies, it’s best to bring about some Enchantments that will make Destruction and Conjuration spells cost less Magicka. Other essentials should be bonuses that increase total Magicka, as well as resistance to spells of a variety of sources.

Lightning God

If players aim to achieve god-like power as a Mage in Skyrim, utilizing lightning spells could be the key. There’s a particular set of Spells, Armor, and Perks that, when combined, can unleash the full might of a lightning Mage. This build is almost certain to obliterate enemies swiftly, making it perfect for players who want to wreak havoc in Skyrim.

  • One-shot near every enemy
  • Time-consuming to gather the right equipment
  • Not the most entry-grade friendly
  • Extremely powerful
  • Turn every room into an instant-kill zone

For optimal performance with this build, prioritize mastery in Alchemy, Enchanting, and Destruction skills. By strategically combining these abilities, you’ll unlock synergies between their perks, creating a devastating trail of destruction known as “walking death.” Here are the crucial perks to acquire for each skill:

Benefits of Mastering Destruction:

Through Destruction Spells, players will want to use these main three: Elemental Blast, Mara’s Wrath, and Unbound Storm. With the correct enchantments on the player’s armor, they will only really be using Unbound Storm, as this Destruction Spell targets all in the area, striking them with lightning for further damage, on top of the health and Magicka draining storm that fills the area. However, for tighter corners, or players who want to shoot things themselves, Elemental Blast will provide that extra hit that will nearly one-shot everything that is in the way.

In Skyrim, these might be the top-tier Spells, but for maximum power, players should pair them with superior armor. As is common practice for a Mage, enchantment upgrades should ideally take place when your character is benefiting from optimal passive effects of potions and Standing Stones. Aim to boost Destruction, Health, Stamina, Magicka, Magic Resistance, and again Destruction to transform yourself into a formidable Mage entity.

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2024-08-28 02:24