Over the past month I have made the transition from the Xbox 360 to a gaming PC and let's just say I've been enjoying Skyrim on a whole new level ever since. On my most recent play through I've been playing as a lightly armored, ranger/mystic archer type. I rely on a combination of stealth and magic. And while I like a challenge, I definitely don't want to make the game unrealistically difficult. I've always played on Adept because I just don't typically like to change default settings. However, recently I've been considering bumping up the difficulty to Expert or higher but I have major reservations in doing so for one reason in particular.

As most all of us know by now, magic in Skyrim does not level with the character and, as far as I'm aware becomes very underpowered at high levels. I don't want this to be even worse when I reach high levels if I bump up the difficulty. The way I am playing with this character I rely on a bow and arrow and the use of poisons that weaken my enemies to a particular kind of magic. When they get close to me I change to magic to take advantage of their weakness (from my poison). I also use alchemy to bump up my destruction strength. With those things combined should I still be concerned that I will face a game-breaking level of weakness when using magic?

Do any of you guys play on higher difficulties and use magic often at higher levels? Is it realistic and fun, and if so did you change anything or add any mods?

I use the apocalypse spell package for my paladin.When you get higher level spells and abilities you can become very powerful (dead thrall,multiple atronachs,an ability to instantly refill to full health once a day) It's really perks that make magic more powerful. (mod here http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/16225/?

Destruction is horribly underpowered. The rest of the magic skills however are very viable on higher difficulties. So if you plan on playing Master/Legendary I would recommend dropping Destruction entirely. It's useless.

My necromage vamp character successfully uses illusion on Master difficulty and player level 52. She can calm, fury, and fear anything susceptible to it (which is almost everything). Her conjured bow kills the rest. And the occasional conjured frost atronach helps distract a crowd.

Her skill in stealth and with a dagger takes care of things quietly when desired.

Cool, thanks! I'll read more thoroughly through the description but is there anything I should be aware of when/before installing it? My character is only level 5 right now so if I install it, I should be good, correct?

Yeah.I've installed it when I first started,haven't notice any bugs.And it doesn't make things any harder,it *can* in fact be easier with a plethora of new spells.

Does it make using destruction magic better/more powerful or just add new spells?

1. There is only difficulty mode. It's called easy. There are levels of grind which are often mistaken for difficulty options.

2. Destruction is pretty broken if you cheese it with 100% cost reduction and impact.

You are using it WRONG.

Try take destro with impact and fight a legendari dragon with 4 fortify destro apparel (no resto loop [censored]). It won't scratch you.

It just's adds new spells (therefore adding more spells to destruction,making it better,)

What about Expert?