User blog:Alpharos/Battlemage .vs. Spellsword; A Definition.

Battlemage .vs. Spellsword - A Definition
A common debate within the TES community is the definitions of battlemage and spellsword, and this blog post will provide my own take on this arguement, detailing the key differences, key skills and key equipment for these charactor molds to work. This blog post is based on the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim skills and perks, whilst using definitions from Morrowind and Oblivion.

Battlemage .vs. Spellword - The Key Differences
I believe there to be two key differences between battlemage and spellword characters, namely the use of magical and warrior-based skills. The key difference in the use of magical skills, if that battlemages specialise in offensive magic, namely destruction and conjuration (although the latter is often used by spellswords as a secondary skill). On the other hand, spellswords specialise in magical skills designed to boost their aggressive warrior based skills, such as alteration and restoration, which allow for both healing and reduced damage during conflict. Additionally, Illusion is more frequently used by thief-style spellswords, than battlemages as it allows for them to both avoid and often turn the tide of a conflict in their direction.

In regards to warrior-based skills, the key difference is that battlemages use defensive warrior skills, whilst spellswords use offensive warrior skills. The extent of a battlemages warrior-based skills (if any) is heavy armor, which allows these offensive mages to survive for longer in battle and to remove the necessity of alteration, reducing the demands on magicka. Battlemages will occassionly possess perks in the one-handed tree, to provide back-up should magicka fall low. Finally, in order to make the usage of heavy armor as efficient as possible, battlemages will often develop strong enchanting skills, to provide key boosts to their magical prowess. Spellswords, on the other hand, specialise in one-handed and light armor skills, as these provide both offence and added agility, a useful tool for spellswords. As spellswords often depend on duel wielding a one-handed weapon and a spell (particularly restoration, but can often be alteration, illusion or conjuration) it rare for spellswords to duel wield swords, war-axes or maces.

Furthermore, as destruction has a high magicka demand, battlemages often develop strong skills in alchemy, to provide them with not only potions to heal wounds and power up magical attacks in conflict, but also poisons to enhance one-handed weapons if the need arises to use them. Spellswords, however, often develop strong skills in restoration which they can duel-wield with a one-handed weapon. Finally, it should also be noted that when levelling up, the distribution of magicka, health of stamina is different between the two molds, as battlemages tend to focus more on magicka and health, whilst spellswords focus on a more even distribution, to provide added agility and health.

Key Skills for Battlemages and spellswords
Primary: Primary skills are skills which the two character molds rely on. For Battlemages, their primary threat is destruction, bolstered with alchemy, enchanting and heavy conjuration, whilst heavy armor provides their primary defence. Enchanting is a particularly effective skill for battlemages, as it is possible to enchant rings, necklaces, cuirasses and helms to provide 100% magicka reduction cost for destruction, resulting in constant streams of destruction magic, and allowing for magicka to be used for other magicka based skills. For Spellswords, One-handed is their primary offensive skill, with list armor, restoration and alteration providing defensive cover, whilst illusion can not only help in battle situations, but also allow the spellsword to escape from conflict, or prevent it altogether. It is important to remember that spellswords are not the strongest offensively, its main strength is for the character to survive in battle longer than their opponents by using restoration and alteration to outlast them and subsequently create a powerful combination of magical and warrior skills.

Secondary:
Secondary skills provide additional coverage for the character molds in defence and offense. In regards to Spellswords, developing a high skill in destruction / archery / conjuration can provide long-ranged, and in the case of destruction and conjuration, additional short-ranged threat. Sneak, on the hand, works will with illusion, providing further opportunities for escape from conflict, and alchemy provides additional healing should magicka fall short. Battlemages on the other hand, rely on one-handed weapons should magicka fall low, and tend to possess some skills in restoration to both heal them and create Circles of Protection (particularly against undead) and ward spells to protect against mages, and especially lightning based destruction magic, which is arguably their biggest weakness. On the other hand, smithing and alteration provide additional defensive coverage, and illusion provides chances to escape and take control of enemies.

I will be adding to this post further information, but for now please excuse any bad spelling or grammar as I typed this up in 5-10mins whilst waiting for my dinner. I am also more than happy for any suggestions on how to improve this, please post away.