I'm playing a high elf destruction mage and it is so much fun. I can burn through my mana bar with three dual cast fireballs, but if anything survives that I generally need to use my highborn power/shouts anyway.

If anything survives that, well...
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I've heard that destruction is underpowered, but I've only really seen this while I'm facing other mages, because they can set up wards faster than I can fireball them.

One problem I'm having though, if I don't save constantly my followers are likely to throw themselves within the blast radius of my fireballs or my chain lightning will jump to them, and they'll die. Unfortunately they're way too valuable as pack mules to leave behind. Suggestions?