Yeah, it's pretty stupid. I realize on my first character just how terrible it was (even on Adept) when I could punch enemies down faster (Heavy Armor gauntlet perk) than I could kill them with spells. It made absolutely zero sense.




There's more to it than that man. The AI literally cheats. And I'm not saying this as someone who just "got mad and made up excuses". You can literally see how it cheats when you're shooting at enemies that don't even know you're there and they have their backs turned to you. On my Archer, there have been so many instances where I'll shoot an arrow to distract something, and it will have it's back turned to me, but when I fire my next shot, it will Spider-Man dodge to the side again and again. Enemies also can move and shoot in a way that does not affect their trajectory like it does yours. Their spells also have a bigger hitbox and can hit you sometimes when you know you're much farther back than their line of sight.

Who said anything was "impossible" anyway? Ten times as tedious doesn't mean impossible, it just means completely annoying and not really rewarding at all for the effort involved.

I think Destruction needs some love. I don't consider a pure mage to be destruction only, but it should at least handle 2-4 enemies at high level without ANY problem (other than bosses). My mid-range fighter with dual swords can thresh 5-6 with stamina and then needs to start thinking. A high level mage (who took a lot more time getting high level due to being fragile) should start to feel immensely powerful in the game. They should imho be able to firestorm and watch the highest level bandits (forget name) melt into piles of charred flesh - at least while they have mana (say 3-4 firestorms).

I have played a pure mage since the game came out until yesterday when I made a spellsword (dual wield/destruction/light armor/mid-level conjuration) and I feel stronger at level 20 then my mage did at level 40+.... and I gave Sanctuary a lot of **** at the beginning (lol).

But I have come to agree. Destruction is fun for a while, and I don't expect to 'walk' through dungeons... but I do expect to walk through the first 1 or 2 encounters in a dungeon as a high level mage.... or if I go slow and conserve I expect to be able to unleash a nuclear inferno at least once a day that just about nothing can survive (at level 45+ etc.).

Maybe Beth should add that for every OTHER school of magic you master, your destruction increases by 20% and mana cost decreases by 10% - that way pure mages who master all schools would have 200% destruction at 1/2 the cost. But hybrids would only have some advantage (as it should be) and people couldn't just max out the destruction tree to get uber.

J

This is what irritates the hell out of me as a sneak character too. I have to leave Lydia behind because she is too damned clumsy and gives away my position everytime, she has just become a pack mule. I guess it makes sense, but it doesn't seem any other companion you come across is proficient in sneak either, or am I wrong.

No, it wasn't impossible with your playstyle. You think it was impossible because you posted without using your brain within the game. Destruction magic flatlines many enemies, and barely damages other enemies. This is, in my opinion, very cool. What this does is force those with a brain to use it. I love the bow, but I have gone up against enemies where my arrows literally bounced off my target doing zero damage even though I have the x3 perk and am using an enchanted bow. With those enemies, I use a tactic not relying upon the bow. I do not call the bow 'the ultimate example of how poor the bow is in this game' because I am not that Fing stupid.

I have not used any companions, do not want any companions. I am playing a sneak mage with a 3x bow and x15 dagger, both with enchantments. If my fireball wastes an enemy, cool. If it barely scratches them, I will summon an atronarch, go invisible and hide while considering my options.

I do agree that this is not a game that rewards those who chose to go pure destruction magic, but then again this isn't a game that rewards those who go pure dagger or pure sword or pure heavy armor. This is a game that expects people to have enough common sense to adapt to conditions instead of expecting the game to cater to their whims. Heck, if destruction magic was as powerful as you would like it to be you would probably be on this forum whining about how over powered it was.

Enjoy the game and don't try to force it into some uber over powered fantasy. You will end up disappointed if you do.

You did:





Well, I play an Archer/Thief on the highest difficulty (level 33), and even levelled Pickpocket to 100 early on to make the game "harder". I enjoy the challenge. If you can't handle the difficulty you're playing on, then turn it down - you can do it mid-fight. I have not encountered any of this "Spiderman" AI, nor do I consider it to cheat. Sure, they move more unpredictably than in many games, but I like that. Sometimes you do miss a shot because they suddenly changed direction. Would you run straight at somebody aiming a bow at you?

I also haven't encountered any spells that I couldn't dodge or avoid.

Another whining post. *sigh*, how many more coming? :foodndrink:

On that same boss fight, I was prone to being one-shot (master difficulty), and i'm a sword/board warrior specialized into heavy armor. Most of my stuff is enchanted with +one-hand damage, +health, +stamina, and +blocking, yet I was still prone to a one-shot by that guy.

Yep, Im level 43 with 450 magicka (plus enchantments) and a hail of chain lightning will barely put a dent in my average random bandit. Can't wait for level 50+

Ive switched to using a legendary ebony mace with enchantments and spawning atronachs and it's hilarious how much easier stuff is. Destruction just isn't worthwhile as a primary skill.

It's pretty funny that you say that it was not a matter of difficutly with my playstyle, then go on to lambast me (popular with those who have reading/logic issues it seems) and tell me how I should be playing another way.

Common sense isn't really that difficult. If I wanted to use a bow to kill things, I'd be using a bow. I am not playing "a character that sometimes uses a bow, sometimes uses a sword and shield, and sometimes uses Destruction magic to kill things". I never once said I needed someone's advice on how to play or finish the game. I have other characters that I play differently with and on the higher difficulties. Thanks for the 101 though, but it wasn't needed.



Yes, let's take it literally instead of the obvious. It's almost impossible to tolerate.

I'm really hoping beth finds a way to scale it. I really want my battle mage (1h/destruction) to work.

Hated the fight with that guy, as a mid-20's bow/sneak/light armor/sword&board ranger.

destruction was also weak in oblivion unless you focused only on getting as much mana as possible. it was never strong without strong item/starsign/etc support and its just like that in skyrim.

Well, do you know what one of the perks to using Bound Weapons is?

Sanctuary, don't listen to them lol. I have the @Fairly@ unique situation of having played pure mage myself while my roommate plays a sword n board warrior. Can I kill things, yep. Can i make it past encounters i find, yep. Do I usually feel overly weak? Not really(some rather mundane enemies do seem to take an unusual number of expert spells imo lol)...and now at 35 I have @cheesed@ and crafted a full 100% destruction suit etc. But I have watched over the past few weeks as my roomie who does not really pay any particular attention to efficient perk spending/min maxing etc. Does NOT have enchanting at all nor smithing beyond natural skilling(around 70-80ish) and no apothecary. I've watched him waltz over most encounters. I've seen him at low lvls take out with only fair difficulty giants, dragons etc. His first Dragon priest experience was REMARKABLY different than mine own I can assure you. ME: Peekaboo back and forth around a corner to bait his casting at me and then shooting him once per time. Waiting on mana a lot lol. Never summoning cause obviously he just takes control of it. Did I kill him? Yes.....was it easy. Yep, with this method sure. Can any one of these people call that fun? Not a rat's azz chance. And for any pure caster on anything above adept pre LATE 20's or even 30's you all know you used terrain in ways you NEVER could in real life. My roomie? The guy who could care less about the best gear or stats? Walked in shield up and was standing over his corpse about 1 minute later and not a potion used.

All classes can do any encounter in this game the problem is most people do NOT have any real experience in all sides of the fence and like to blab their mouths lol. Pure mage is by far the weakest. With fair use of all magic schools a lot can be done but it takes FAR longer or you have to be FAR better spec'ed/equipped in relation. All that being said I love mages and will continue playing one. Infact I'm restarting on master level(was expert) going ot try out that magic mod for a new run through I never did get my conjuring high enough for dremora lord. I've heard he's kick ass! can't wait

PS: before anybody says I have no opinion on pure magery without even having high conjuration I beg to differ. We all know that sitting behind your summons on master level is not what one might consider exciting lol. Or...maybe just for a little bit

It is enraging to be a mage and hero of the game, once in a lifetime prophesied Great One and be outclassed in magic by nobody goon loser mage NPC enemies. They should be the ones saving the world.

I always utilize a follower, even if theres a non-responsive follower im doing a quest with. Skyrim almost seems like it was made to use a follower or two. Im playing a strict warrior with some archery on the second to easiest setting and i still have some battles that almost kill me. Without bringing along help, id probably die alot, even though i consider myself pretty good at melee. All it takes at level 10-15 is one bear or sabre tooth cat to kill you. Much harder than Oblivion was. Im also having trouble with bandit chiefs as well. Usually ill drop them down to almost death, with myself in same situation, then one of my followers comes in to help finish him. I sort of enjoy this playstyle

I love destruction

Cheers

Wait until the finale of that questline, if you're having trouble now you're gonna be slamming yer knob in a car door by the end of it.