Was away for almost a year and downloaded about 4 updates... Started a new character and... Did they lower the difficulty??

I can remember not being able to go anywhere without getting attacked by something or someone. I've encountered 3 wolves in 5 levels.

I don't know HOW many times I got killed in Saarthal the first time - this time only twice... killed Jyryk Gaulderson on my first attempt...

I'm playing on Adept but it feels like the lowest setting... Is it because I know how to fight now where I didn't before?? I can't imagine it would make that much difference. I'm feeling totally invincible with my level 5 bad guys and that ain't right.

I don't think they lowered the difficulty, but they added a new one, legendary difficulty. If the game feels far too easy, make it harder by changing it.

That's a scary thought....

you'll love it really!

I figure it's because you're used to the game. I played one character on 360 for a looong time and got him to 66th level. Just started a character on PC lately and the enemies are like practice dummies so far. Reflexes, combat strategies and skills cannot be unlearned unless you radically change your character type (Like say from a warrior to a mage). I'd up the difficulty just a tad and see if that helps things.

Go on master, you'll have great fun with master vampires and sabre cats.

master vampires are the bane of my existence up to level 20ish, [censored] those guys

Are you asking if they lowered the difficulty or the enemy encounter rate?

Err... both I guess. I just remember boo-hooing about how I just wanted to explore but felt so hunted and tense all the time - particularly from levels 1-9 or so. I was scared all the time...

And taking out Jyryk Gaulderson on the first attempt really sealed it. I must have gone around 4 times with him, many more with that Draugr on the ledge... and even Vilkas or whoever of the Companions, when he tests me in the back yard, yielded after 3 blows. I remember a much longer fight the first time.

Maybe it's just me. And my mad skills....

I remember something like this in Oblivion. My first character had a very rough time during the quest where you're in the Mythic Dawn's hideout. After a while, one of my later characters was doing the same quest at level 3, wearing nothing but unenchanted clothing and an Akaviri Sword, and slaughtered them without taking any serious hits.

Same thing happeend with me, start Skyrim and svck, buy Oblivion and fight in the arena and adventure, getting decent. Return to Skyrim and have a much easier time, return to Oblivion and kick ass in the arena, becoming Grand Champion at about level 9 or 10. Start character in Skyrim on PC and stomp a mudhole through my enemies.

The greater your skill the easier the game gets.

So it's just me then.... sweeeet.

Time to pump up the volume.

The same is likely to happen at higher difficulties as well, at least to some degree. I've been accustomed to playing on Expert after doing it for a while now and I find it easier than playing on Adept when I first started out.