My mages typically use sharpened shortswords (no strength requirement) from their first visit to the battlegrounds (when they can learn sharpen). 80-100 points of damage per hit are a LOT better than they do with magic in act 1.
In act 2 and later they rely on their swords for easy to moderate fights - in difficult fights they cast hammer to paralyze (and damage) single enemies and lightning swarm if swarmed by many difficult enemies.
