What's the Difference between a Battlemage and a Spellsword?

[CosmicFish]

The Lore doesn't tend to separate the two, and at times it seems like Sorcerers and Battlemages get confounded as well...

[Ebony Dragon]

I believe that a Battlemage is somebody who uses Conjuration and Destruction to fight and maybe a dagger or something in the off hand. Spellswords use Illusion, Restoration, and Alteration plus a one-handed weapon.

At least, that's what I think...

[Witchery]

I've always looked at it as a battlemage being a magic-user who focuses primarily on offensive magic, who is also capable of wielding a weapon (mace, axe, sword -- nothing too unwieldy, and only when in close quarters) but still wearing robes, while a spellsword is a warrior who wears armor and uses their weapon primarily, but is also capable of magic (though not as much as a primary mage).

[Aarah]

I agree. Battlemage is more using magic to attack, whereas a spellsword uses magic and one-handed.
That's just my guess too though, I have no knowledge if it's true or not.

I use destruction magic and one-handed, so I presume that would be a spellsword.

[CBR JGWRR]

Its more of a philosophic difference - lets say you have a Sorcerer, a battlemage and a spellsword, and you give to them Meridia's Sword from her daedric quest in Skyrim. I forget the name, but it isn't important.

A Sorcerer would take it for study, to admire, to perhaps use on rare occasions. A Battlemage would be inclined to be more about using it, but not instead of his/her magical talent, and a Spellsword would most likely have it as their main weapon.

Pretty much the same set of skills for all three, but it is about how they are used.

[CosmicFish]

I agree. Battlemage is more using magic to attack, whereas a spellsword uses magic and one-handed.
That's just my guess too though, I have no knowledge if it's true or not.

I use destruction magic and one-handed, so I presume that would be a spellsword.

And I use restoration magic and a mace so I guess that makes me a crusader...

Its more of a philosophic difference - lets say you have a Sorcerer, a battlemage and a spellsword, and you give to them Meridia's Sword from her daedric quest in Skyrim. I forget the name, but it isn't important.

A Sorcerer would take it for study, to admire, to perhaps use on rare occasions. A Battlemage would be inclined to be more about using it, but not instead of his/her magical talent, and a Spellsword would most likely have it as their main weapon.

Pretty much the same set of skills for all three, but it is about how they are used.

I've always thought of a Sorcerer as a Mage that wore armor... but I agree so far with what's been said. I think one thing that's missing is the mention that battlemages also tend to use enchanted weapons or staffs, bringing magic even to their weapons...
That's reflected in the class description (Enchanting bonuses to Battlemages not spellswords) and in the Lore, with Jagar Tharn and Hrogir (from the song of Hrogir... might have his name wrong) both carrying staffs... the staff of chaos and icestaff respectively.

I believe that a Battlemage is somebody who uses Conjuration and Destruction to fight and maybe a dagger or something in the off hand. Spellswords use Illusion, Restoration, and Alteration plus a one-handed weapon.

At least, that's what I think...

I think that description better describes a Crusader actually...

[Emzi 43]

mmm, Mages wear robes and occasionally a dagger, from lore there are a number of reasons, in gameplay it's for spell effectiveness. Sorcerers wear items of armour, usually enchanted to bolster magic. Battlemages use magic as a primary weapon, and martial skills as a defence. Spellswords use martial skills as a primary weapon, and use magic as support, restoration, boosting skills etc.

[MARS]

A spellsword offers cheap courses in orthography on the side.

[Kerr]

Spellsword sounds much cooler. Also you can see the difference by looking at the skills. I'll use Oblivion as my example.

Hidden:

Battlemage:

Spoiler:

Able to resolve most conflicts with either spell or sword. They are a deadly mix of scholar and soldier.
Specialization: Magic
Attributes: Intelligence, Strength
Skills: Alchemy
Alteration
Blade
Blunt
Conjuration
Destruction
Mysticism

Spellsword:

Spoiler:

More nimble and athletic than the sorcerer, and better suited for spell-casting than the knight, their attacks are unpredictable. Students of combat and magic.

Specialization: Magic
Attributes: Endurance, Willpower
Skills: Alteration
Blade
Block
Heavy Armor
Destruction
Illusion
Restoration

So as you can see by looking at the skills and illustrations Battlemages use Robes and Axes/Maces while Spellswords use Heavy Armour and Swords.

Personally I never use a default class in a TES game apart from Arena, but you can only use default classes in Arena. Still I like to make a character that is similar to a Spellsword (Heavy Armour, Long Sword, Magic) so I just call it Spellsword.

[Тeatime]

I've always thought if it as two different magic using hybrids where the battlemage is a melee/magic hybrid and the spellsword is a stealth/magic hybrid.

[Zero_The_Dark]

I've always thought if it as two different magic using hybrids where the battlemage is a melee/magic hybrid and the spellsword is a stealth/magic hybrid.

I think your thinking of the nightblade more. That's at least what I've always thought the stealth/magic hybrid class was. Anyway my impression of battlemage vs spellsword has always been that battlemages use offensive magic along with heavy armor and heavy weapons like battle axes and what not. Where as spellsword uses more support spells like alteration, mysticism, and illusion with standard weight weapons like swords and maces.

[AngryNord]

A Spellsword wears armour, a Battlemage does not (or, in Oblivion, Battlemages wear armour, even though they have no armour skill, which reduces their magical abilities....)

[Dark Spark]

Going purely by name/title alone, 'Battlemage' sounds more like a job in an army, part of combined-arms tactics. Battlemages would tend not to work alone.

'Spellsword', on the other hand, sounds more mercenary in nature. It is a take on the name 'sellsword'-- a blade for hire. In that regard, a Spellsword seems to be more independent. I'd say lighter, mobile, and flexible in comparison to a battlemage's ability to withstand and dispense larger amounts of damage.

A Nightblade would be a thief/assassin who uses magic rather than organic stealth skills to evade detection: they are keen to use spells of mobility or illusion rather than relying on shadow and patience.

[rcbecker123]

In my opinion a Battlemage use the brute force of magic combined with heavier armor and weapons and a Spellsword uses more of the finesse of magic with lighter armor and weapons. At least thats how I see it.

[MataataVonFawks]

I always sort of imagine a battlemage to be someone who uses heavy armor and relies almost entirely on spells, while a spellsword would be someone who is equally talented in both martial and magical combat.
Basically, if you use weapons and spells interchangeably, you're a spellsword. If you're more into using only combat magic while being in the middle of things like a soldier, you're a battlemage.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

The term "Battlemage" refers to elite shock troops and army commanders who happen to be masters of sorcery - generally Destruction, Conjuration, Alteration, sometimes Enchanting. In Cyrodiil this also refers to one of the highest ranking officers in the Empire, the Imperial Battlemage, who commands the entire Legion. This title first originated in the Alessian Order, after the priesthood took over Nibenay from the Battlemage Aristocracy. All the original Battlemages were nobles, and you still see Battlemages as being a sort of exclusive clique, occupying officer positions. You'll see Battlemages behind the lines more often, guiding the action, although they are more than capable of self defense.

A Spellsword by contrast is a front line guy. He's a Soldier Mystic, with the focus on hand to hand combat. You'll see a Spellsword blasting the door to a keep open with magic, like a human battering ram, and rushing in with the foot soldiers wielding his blade and shield. You see Spellswords in leadership positions too, but more mid level. Captains, Sergeants, etc. They're quite common in the Legions and often find employ as Mercenaries or guards in Castles and merchant caravans due to their unique blend of skills. It's not unheard of for a Spellsword to outrank a Battlemage, but it's far more common to see them taking orders from one.

[Raynil dralas]

IMO

Battlemages are combat magic specialists, they wear heavy armor and are skilled in destruction and conjuration as well as support from alteration. They are primarly spellcasters but have trained in martial combat and are proficient with swords axes and maces, generally these are used when magicka pools run dry. In additon most battlemages also meet the need for restoritives through a proficiany in alchemy and are usually capable enchanters. Battlemages are usually associated with the imperial legion and the high rock region and traditionally emperors have used battlemages as advisors.

Spellswords are generally fighters that suppliment they're martial ability with magic, primarly destruction, alteration and restoration. They're first disapline is that as a warrior and they're magical skills are they're to support that vocation rather than they're primary specialization. They often wear medium or light armor rather than full plate and are often skilled in alchemy and enchating. Spellswords are usally soldiers and mercenaries prized for they're versitility.

Mostly I use morrowind and daggerfall as a reference guide for classes as oblivion made alot of mistakes and screwed with the already established lore in the skill setups for classes. Biggest difference between battlemage from daggerfall to morrowind was that originally they could only wear leather armor, this was changed to heavy in morrowind and this pretty much stuck, even in oblivion despite not having it as a major skill most battlemage NPCs and enemies wear heavy armor.