How does this sound?

[Gorgan]

I want to play a straight mage and was wondering how it looks to the fellow gamers :

Dessloch
Race: either high elf or breton (dont know which one to choose, need help!)
Class: (custom) mage
Primary Stats: Willpower and Int. and Magic
Major: Destruction, Alteration, Conjuration, unarmored or Light Armor, Blunt Weapon or enchant or alchemy.
Minor: Restoration, Illusion, Mysticism, Enchant (maybe), Alchemy (maybe), athletics or marksmen,

I dont know what to choose and was wondering if you could arrange a role-playing typical mage type of guy from these skills.

P.S: i was thinking of creating a custom necromancer too, he would be sneaky and bad. He would also have a greed for magical items. Wondering if you could help me with this idea as well.

Thanks

[Nagroth]

Why would you want to use Marksmanship as a minor skill ? You already have Destruction magic as a longe range weapons, so what would you need bows for ?
One other thing : maybe you should change the blunt weapon skill for either long or short blade. There tend to be better weapons around for this category and since Strength won´t be one of your major attributes, you might be happier with a blade weapon.

[Loredweller]

Breton has his(her) 50% resistance to Magicka (think about the Boots of Speed - you'll see almost as usually save in deep night).
Alchemy is one of skills most easy to raise. If your purpose is level up as fast as possible, you should put it in the maj./min. list. If you suppose to level up steady it's good skill to max INT from background. Enchantment goes up harder (and the best way to advance is by recharging instead of enchanting - if you know any good store of soul gems).
General rule is to distribute one attribute related skills between maj./min. and misc. Witchhunter is one well balanced example (there's a weakness regarding Agility, though - all related skills are in maj./min. groups).
Just MHO, however.

[Tybaltus]

Yes short blades are good, but blunt weapons is one of the best sets of weapons in the game. The only downside is that they weigh a good amount. But the staves are relatively light and can be quite good. And if you find Skull Crusher and weild it, it doesnt weigh anything and does a good amount of damage.

Re: Distruction vs Marksman I agree. One or the other. Theyre both good, but they dont really serve much purpose together.

Re: Race Yes. Breton all the way. My best warrior/mage character is a Breton. Hes awesome.

Re: Armor Id do light or medium. DONT do unarmored...its not that great at all....Youll regret it after you see the good armor in this game.

Re: Necromancer I like it. I like it! Um...well you basically could just make a conjurer, and role play him during the game. But if you need advice for armor, weapons, skill, etc, I could go in deeper, if you wish.

[thaGforce]

Do whatever you feel like

If you're into roleplaying, do what you feel like, don't make your decisions based on how fast you want to level make it on how you can have a lot of fun.

Go unarmored if you think that's what this character would wear, use a bow and destructive magic if that's what this character would do. Nothing is really a waste, I'm sure you could complete the game with any set of skills, it would just be a lot more... interesting.

I think you should use Alchemy because it's an easy way to make some pocket change early on. I don't play magic using classes often so I don't know of how they would make money early on, I play Ranger type characters so I put alchemy as a major skill. If you're character doesn't mind theft, then I don't think you'll ever have a problem with money.

[Loredweller]

The question was about custom class, after all.
Regarding unarmored - very good way to gain speed and helps if you're mage type without great strength (you should carry a lot of potions and enchanted items, at the begining also scrolls). Altogether, the best armor in game is the Cuirass of the Savior's Hide, there's nothing what can match it, so it definitely points to Light armor. My withch hunter, however, started with medium (and heavy later) just to gain the strength. As soon he'd got the strength enough (and gained skill enough to suit requirements of some factions) he switched completely to Light Armor. Unarmored served well together with short blades to develop speed, though.

P.S. Marksmanship, IMHO, is most expensive (since you need arrows - expenses and weigth - and do not recower all you've shot) and most worthless skill in the game, at least while one cannot fly.

[thaGforce]

Yup

True it was about Custom Class, but he also asked if he could make a typical roleplaying mage from the set of skills he had chosen.

[Tybaltus]

Originally posted by Loredweller
The question was about custom class, after all.
Regarding unarmored - very good way to gain speed and helps if you're mage type without great strength (you should carry a lot of potions and enchanted items, at the begining also scrolls). Altogether, the best armor in game is the Cuirass of the Savior's Hide, there's nothing what can match it, so it definitely points to Light armor. My withch hunter, however, started with medium (and heavy later) just to gain the strength. As soon he'd got the strength enough (and gained skill enough to suit requirements of some factions) he switched completely to Light Armor. Unarmored served well together with short blades to develop speed, though.

I think Ebony Mail is by far the best piece of armor, and thats medium armor. Cuirass of Saviors Hide is definetly good, and it is lighter, but I still think Ebony Mail beats it in a heartbeat.

If you think you will really be strapped for weight, then unarmored isnt that bad, but youd be missing out on a lot.

[Loredweller]

Well, if you're an Orc or Breton, Savior's Hide makes you immune to magicka, from the one side. From the other, mages never are very large and strong. Even if you work on it (say, max out STR and END in the first teens), anyway fighters have first hand. At the same time mages have a lot to carry, esp. at the begining - scrolls and potions in first order. Strongest h2h weapons are heavy enough as well even for mages (lighter one - the Daedric Dagger, has weigth, IIRC, 9 (almost 2pt STR). Since i'm playing hybrids, the witch hunter is the best example, i feel it very well. One may get Orcish armor very early (the best regular medium armor next only to Indoril), but one may carry almost nothing more in full Medium suit.
Might be a bit spoilerish to say, but when may you lay your hands on Ebony mail? It's very long way to ride, IFAIK. From the other side a character with good luck and strong inquisitiveness may run into Savior's Hide very early
Ih fact i have nothing against medium armor, i use it a lot to get END first. I start with Medium, use Heavy when i may, but i usually end with Light (esp. due the combo of Savior's Hide and Boots of Blinding Speed, although it's not so important for Breton or Orc)

[Tybaltus]

True...if you put into account how early it is possible to get each piece of armor-Lords Mail, Ebony Mail, and Cuirass of Saviors Hide, then the cuirass obviously. But as far as general best piece of armor in the game, Im still sticking by my Ebony Mail. But I think its more fun when its challenging...I mean I wouldnt just go running out and getting the best piece of armor I can find on square one. I try to play my characters as if they didnt have any knowledge of what to do and where to find things. Thats hard to do, cause I already know, but I try to resist the temptation. I mean if I didnt want a challenge in the game, then Id just go out and get that robe that heals you. But I see what youre saying, Loredweller, and youre right.