GameBanshee Forums

Hey,
I should be getting Oblivion in the mail today, so I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to figure out the best possible character. I am planning on a warrior/thief but would not like to handicap my spell casting ability by having low magicka. So, I was wondering if increasing my Intelligence early would have any affect on my end magicka (kinda like how increasing your endurance earlier gives you the most possible hit points)?
Sorry if this is a repost, I tried searching for the answer but could not find a thread that specifically mentioned this.
Thanks
Stew

A lot of guides (the official guidebook included) suggest taking the Mage birthsign even for warrior characters for that exact reason. They also point out that birthsigns that add to attributes are not helpful in the later game because you'll eventually max attributes at 100 anyway.

For example, my 12th level Redguard male with the thief birthsign has a maximum magicka of 60. I can cast the lowest level healing spell 6 times before my magicka has run out. However, if i use the console to change my birthsign to the Mage my maximum magicka increases to 110 and I can cast that same healing spell 11 times before running out of magicka.

Hope that helps.
-ishuman

intelligence

as far as i no intelligence increases your magicka by 2 for each you add and this happens instantly. whereas endurance adds 10% per level and the amount that you have only effects the amount it changes per level

Getting a decent balance is tricky. I like playing Mage/Thief; and I find the best combination for that is High Elf with the Thief birthsign and Endurance/Speed or Endurance/Agility.

If you want a Warror/Thief you have to make up your mind to it that will have quite low Magica, but you can help it along by taking The Mage birthsign (or even the Apprenctice, but notice the 100% weakness to Magica!) and Intelligence/Willpower. I think a Dark Elf is your best bet because of the 75% Fire Resistance, even though Breton makes a fairly good Warrior/Mage, and can be an adequate Warrior/Thief.

Choose a Breton, then when it comes to decide which birthsing you want to pick, take Atronach. Magic resistance and absorbtion will make you almost invulnerable to magic attacks. Sigil stones may come in handy too - Transcendent ones can give you a bonus of 50 points on Magicka. As i recall you can enchant Helmet, Greaves, Gauntlets, Cuirass, Boots, Shield, Rings and Amulet - that would give you a total bonus of 450 magicka. Along with racial and birhtsing bonus it would give you a nice 850 magicka! I do not need to say just how powerful spell you could cast then. Alchemy comes in handy too, drink three mana potions, the strongest ones may give you 20 mana points per second! So 60 points per minute, just imagine what you would become!
But do not do that. Save three spots for stones with the Shield effect - they will greatly decrease the physical damage inflicted upon you by your enemies, making you hard to beat.
Remember, three mana potions and one heath/fatigue potion and you are unstopable!

What level sigil stone is the +50 to magicka?