How to build up a good mage:

First, create a new character, give him:

40 strenght

15 intelligence

10 dexerity

Give him these 3 starting skills:

50 magery

30 resisting spells

20 evaluating intelligence

2 skills to be trained when you are started with him:

Meditation

A fighting skill, like mace fighting, wrestling, swordsmanship or archery. (only choose one fighting skill)

also, you can now choose 2 last skills for you mage, like hiding, detect hidden, tracking, mabey 2 fighting skills or whatever you may like. There's just one thing: Never use any other skills, than the 7 skills, that your character is using, because, you only have 700 skill points to spread over your skills, and if you want to master all you mage skills, and 2 others, you can't use 8 skills, that only gives 87.5 in each skill, and not 100.