Skyrim lets players take their characters down just about any path they want. The game caters to every possible playstyle from melee to mage, but one build combines the best of martial and magical to create one of the most versatile archetypes in the game: the Battlemage.

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The Battlemage is perhaps the most open-ended archetype in Skyrim as players can learn Illusion to confuse enemies in melee combat, Alteration to increase their defenses, and of course Destruction to dispatch foes without having to bloody their blade. Because of their master of both close and long-range skills, Battlemages are as powerful as they are complex.

Battlemage Weapons And Armor

Battlemages tend to use One Handed weapons and Heavy Armor alongside a swathe of Spells, while Light Armor tends to be favored by more nimble (and more fragile) Spellswords. When it comes to weapons, those with Magicka-enhancing enchantments or the ability to Soul Trap reign supreme.

  • Mace of Molag Bal: Soul Traps enemies on hit. Earned for completing "House of Horrors" in Markarth.
  • Keening: Absorbs 10 Magicka, Health, and Stamina on hit. Earned for completing "Arniel's Endeavor"

The main difference between Battlemages and Spellswords is the choice of armor. Heavy Armor gives mages a much higher Armor Rating at the cost of movement speed. Battlemage Armor is typically characterized by Magicka Regeneration and Spell Cost Reduction Enchantments.

  • Spellbreaker: Shield that casts Ward on block. Earned for completing Peryite's Daedric Questline.
  • Ebony Mail: Silences movement and deals damage to nearby enemies. Earned for completing Boethiah's Daedric Questline.
  • Ahzidal's Gauntlets of Warding: Gives Ward spells Magicka Absorb at the cost of Ward effectiveness. Earned during "Unearthed" questline in Solstheim.

Standing Stones And Enchantments

The Tower Standing Stone of Skyrim

Battlemages are incredibly versatile as their skillset covers the two extremes of the combat spectrum. For this reason, Battlemages can make particularly good use of the XP-enhancing The Lover Stone. The Warrior Stone is a good one to choose early on if the player plans to level Melee Skills first, while the opposite is true for The Mage Stone, which is best for players who plan to lean into Magic at the start. The Atronach grants spell absorption at the cost of Magicka Recovery, which is powerful for Battlemages who typically only need to cast spells at the beginning of combat.

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When it comes to Enchantments, there are a few that work especially well for Battlemages. Because Heavy Armor tends not to grant Magicka-based buffs, the Magicka Recovery and Max Magicka Enchantments are good options, but Spell Cost Reduction for Destruction or Conjuration also works wonders. Melee weapons should be enchanted with either Paralysis or Magicka Absorb.

Battlemage Spells And Perks

Skyrim-Legendary-Skills-Guide-Feature-Nebula-Skill-Trees-1

Battlemages thrive when given plenty of options for taking on a combat scenario. The Heavy Armor and One Handed Skill Trees are their melee bread and butter, while Destruction, Conjuration, and Alteration are the primary Magicka-oriented Skill Trees for the archetype. Restoration is good to build into for self-healing, especially in Survival Mode, whereas Illusion is not particularly strong for Battlemages.

Heavy Armor and One Handed Perks

Heavy Armor: All "Juggernaut" ranks, "Well Fitted", and "Reflect Bows"

One Handed: All "Armsman" ranks, "Fighting Stance", and weapon-specific Perks

Destruction, Conjuration, and Alteration Spells

Destruction: Fire Spells generally deal the most damage, Frost for Warriors and Shock for Mage enemies.

Conjuration: Summon Dremora Lord or Summon Storm Atronach are the most powerful Summons available. Bound Weapons can be useful when starting out, too.

Alteration: Oakflesh and later Armor-enhancing spells are a must. Equilibrium converts Health into Magicka, which can be useful for spellcasting.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S

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