User blog comment:Paarthurnaux/Alteration?????/@comment-3202167-20120916174736/@comment-173.20.179.52-20120919032353

Because Mages need defense too and not those crappy wards, and even some warriors who prefer to wear clothes instead of armor use it for defense as well. Also there is an offensive school of magic, you might have heard of it, it's call Desturction.

It's balance, Alteration provides good defense, Destruction is combat, Conjuration is support, and Restoration is heal up during or after a tough fight.