[Agema]

I personally consider magic skill of 1 in any path to be virtually useless. However, once you're at level 2, you can boost with constructed items to 3 or more, and it's at level 3 (and the then attainable level 4 battlefield) spells where a mage becomes really effective.

I've played ME Vanheim, and a series of A3/4 mages pounding a battlefield with thunderstrike is devastating; similarly Arrow Fend is incredibly effective if you're up against any enemy with lots of archers.