User blog comment:Sneak+stab/Tips for Magic, Please Add/@comment-4644719-20111230013608

More tips:

Winterhold is really hard to get to for low level mages, between the Ice Wolves and a fort full of Mages, you probably won't make it till you're at least seven.

Enemy Mages will often use Wards. The secret to breaking them is not a single high powered spell, but several moderately charged ones. A Ward caught every dual charged Lightning Bolt I hit it with, but when I hit the ward with several single handed Bolts, it broke and the Mage died.

The Impact perk in the Destruction school is a must. Each creature has various recovery times for being Staggered, but humanoids tend to have very long Stagger animations.

These next few are about enemy analysis and apply to all agile fighters.

Dwarven Spiders only use their high frequency tap tap attack when they are allowed to close to 0 range. If you back away from them, they'll use a leaping attack that is easy to dodge if you know that it is coming.

Dwarven Spheres have three attacks, one for long, mid, and short ranges. The long range attack is an overhead chop that is only vertical, no horizontal element. it can be sidestepped fairly easily, but it will hurt a lot if it hits you. the mid range attack is either a down from the left shoulder diagonal slice, or a up from the hip diagonal slice. These attacks are nearly impossible to avoid. The close range attack is a quick stab. While it is very fast, if you can see it coming you can back away or sidestep it easily.

Final note on the Spheres, their blade is attached to their right arm. Circle them counter clockwise to avoid damage.

Chaurus will annihilate you if you do not dodge them. The first thing you need to watch for is their venom spit, easy to dodge but the dark coloration of the spit may make it hard to see in most dungeons. Second, their close range attacks cannot be dodged reliably, you need to backpedal and force them to use their lunging attack, which is easily avoided with side to side movement. My Altmer is capable of jumping clear over a Chaurus, making being backed into a corner no problem at all. Shorter races may not be able to clear it, though I don't know what would happen if you landed on top of one.

I hate vampires.

Flame Atronochs prefer to attack at range, where even a Lesser Ward can absorb the whole of their attacks. I find Wards entirely unnecessary, as I can maintain enough range that I can dodge their relatively slow moving Fire Bolts. Simply jiggling from side to side makes the Atronoch (and any magic or bow user) miss by miles as they compensate for your motion. The only way they reliably hit you is if you are going in a straight line at a constant speed or if you are still.

This does not work for Shock users. if you fight a Shock user, keep the Ward up. You'll need it. Conversely, Shock is very easy to use at range due to the instantaneous delivery, I've hit circling dragons 9/10 times.

These are more for the Mages again.

If you can help it, don't fight outside during the night. The effect of eyes adjusting to brightness will get you killed, since you'll be slinging every variety of light creating magic.

When you seek entry to the College, Faralda will sell you one spellbook in the field that you have the most skill at a ridiculous discount. That's one way to get the Flame Atronoch spell for less than 70 golds.

Most common Alchemy reagents that Restore Magika also Ravage Magika. Dwarven Oil does not. Combine it with Red Mountain Flowers for a single effect Magika potion.