Master difficulty has nothing to do with min/max. Master actually really helps raise tension for "Dead is Dead" or "Survival" roleplayers. On anything other than master, your biggest threat is misjudging that ledge.

I've played through Bleak Falls Barrow at level 1 (on Master with no followers) with the following characters:

• a 2-handed warrior who never sneaks, picks no locks, uses no spells, no enchanting or alchemy,
  
• an archer who uses no magic, no enchanting or smithing
  
• a pure mage who never sneaks, picks no locks, uses no weapons, no smithing or enchanting
  
• a stealth melee character who uses no magic, no enchanting

Out of all of these, the warrior was the most challenging, by far, because he has absolutely no ranged attacks and no way to avoid enemy attention. The two restless draugr toward the end of Bleak Falls Barrow killed me probably 20 or 30 times.

The mage was really challenging as well until I got the 2nd level perk that reduces conjuration cost by 50%. That made it a lot easier, but I was still fighting these boss characters primarily with my conjured familiar wolf and hitting them with some flames once in a while.

The archer and the melee stealth were also challenging, but much, much easier than the warrior.

I respect that

How did the Draugr Overlord at the end where the word wall is fare for you? I can't play a mage because I'm not into that class, I was originally kind of an archer then I stopped using bow & arrows. I'm more of a warrior/thief mix, but at the end even on Adept, my strategy for Draugr Overlord was to continually bash him with my shield so he wouldn't let off his Unrelenting Force/Disarm shout (he's used both on me in two seperate playthroughs) then I'd hit him with my sword. Now, I wait until level 30ish to go in there and I use Spellbreaker to deflect the Shout but it's not always as powerful as I think it will be.

Reason I wait so long to do it now is specifically to get Spellbreaker so I can use it for Dragon fights shortly thereafter. I might play Master from the beginning one day but I don't know when.

I play the vanilla version (ps3 owner ) and with my first and unique character I always played since the begining in master. I am a Mage/archer but more mage than archer hehe, in the first levels I was killed like in 3-5 hits but now I am level 22, I have stoneflesh always active and in I am doing the mission of the companions where you are in Ysgramor tomb and all of the spirits kill me in one hit. So this is a little desesperate because I have to save very often, even a single arrow kill me on one-hit so I have to rely a lot on Aela and my atronach.
Any suggests for a novice mage? hehe

Eh, honestly I play on adept, but only because I'm playing to relax and unwind after my day. I'd like to do some higher difficulties, but I feel that I'd want to have a more dedicated time to playing the game in order to enjoy it better. Sadly, it's kinda hard to do that without a regular schedule. I really need to get the hell out of retail...

Yes, I also had to bash him with my two-handed axe or whatever weapon it was that I had at the time. He wasn't as challenging as the two restless draugr.

They were a lot harder because there were two of them, so I couldn't bash or evade or block them both at the same time.

Master Difficulty has revived my interest in the game to the point that I am playing every chance I get. For the best experience, make a new character and play on Master difficulty from the beginning

Can someone give me suggests? I am a mage, level 22 and almost all enemies in my level kill me on 1-hit, I have stoneflesh always but doesn't help much.

Ah.. well, for me the challenge is the Overlord because of my past experiences with him. I don't know what was worse.. having him catapult me back halfway across the room, or getting disarmed and continually whacked. I suppose the former would be considering your character still has to get up, and has a good chance of dying before he gets there.

If you are playing a pure mage, it's kind of fun to specialize in a certain area, like illusion, conjuration or destruction. However, when you are just starting out in those first few levels you kind of have to work with whatever you got, especially in my case, I don't like to buy spell tomes from merchants, so i'm stuck with whatever spells I find in dungeons.

At very low level on Master, I think if you have conjure familiar it can be a lifesaver if you get the first conjuration perk. or if you find a staff of raise zombie, etc. Also don't be afraid to use up any scrolls you find. And of course, Aela or a melee companion can really help.

What kind of mage are you playing? Using all the different schools or are you specializing in one area, like illusion, destruction, etc?

Yeah thanks for the help but is this okay? I only use robes but stoneflesh gives me 120 of defense armor and even with that a single hit of an arrow of the spirits in Ysgramor tomb kill me, is this correct? Or I have to use light armor or heavy?

I totally agree. On my 2nd encounter with Alduin on my first playthrough I one hit him. When you one hit the big bad guy in the final battle, you know you're either doing something really right or it's way to easy. Now I'm playing as a mage on hardcoe master (hardcoe for the people I play with means no potions) and it's a lot more challenging and fun. Can't wait for crazy vampire lords on master!

Well, one way to avoid that is to get the Impact perk (destruction) and use firebolt or ice spike to stun lock the spirit.

Or you could use fury to make them fight each other and stand back from a distance. Or raise some dead allies to help you if you are a necromancer, or summon some conjured creatures.

I also get killed in one hit a lot, even at higher levels. I suppose I try to focus more on offense than defense. I sometimes use wards, or stoneflesh/oakflesh, but mainly I just try to avoid getting hit. You have to use the pillars and walls of the room you're in, jump behind a rock or something to avoid their arrows, etc.

No, but I don't one-hit kill, they one-hit kill me with a single arrow!!!!
What is better for a pure mage, use only robes or use armors?

In my opinion the choice of armor or robes is all about what kind of character you want to play. Is this a character that you could imagine walking around wearing armor or using weapons sometimes? Or a student of the arcane arts who avoids armor?

Previously I played a Breton mage who would never have any interest in wearing armor or touching weapons. Now I'm playing an Argonian witch doctor who likes to wear forsworn armor just because it looks kind of tribal. I get one-shotted (killed in one hit) a lot with all my characters. For me that is part of the enjoyment if I find a dangerous enemy, it means I have to be very careful or they will kill me.

If you feel like your character is too weak and you are not enjoying the combat as a result, you might try bringing a companion to help, or reducing the difficulty level for that fight, or putting some points into your health, whatever it takes.

Ok thanks I was only thinking I was bugged because one-hit kill is a little ridiculous but if that is okay I'm fine with it, bring me more one-hit killers hehe.
Also, the difficulty would be improved to not just a combat modifier, it would improve the AI of enemies, it is just my opinion. Also, the difficulty penalties would be enabled to ALL allies too, not just to you, so if you have a follower and play on master, not only you deal *0.5 damage and take *2 damage but your partner too take that penalty. What do you think?

I think you might be on to something...

I find playing on Adept to be fun enough for me.

Do any of you guys that are playing on Master difficulty play as a werewolf? And if so, how is that?

Its even more fun if you do this with your first character

interesting to say the least

Hard to say the most.

Never really played on Master difficulty that much. I switched it on once, didn't die. That's because I was Level 81 with armor that reduces restoration spells' cost by over 100%, and used infinite Grand Healings. That's it. I might try Master difficulty in.......eh, I dunno.......a few months.......

Care to elaborate?