I used to play Morrowind right out the bat mid way, i was like 14 or 15 or something. I could not conceive the notion of upping the difficulty of the game as it was. I had always been an FPS /diablo 2 player, advancing structuarally on my end to the games mechanics as they are played out in the circuit im in.

Then as the years went on, every game had been like, oh whats the difficulty setting? CAP THAT OUT. I only go for games on their hardest setting now. I had started Skyrim without even considering, i want to say anyway, adjusting the difficulty, as per Morrowind mentality..

then one day i was just like.. hold on Pat.. come on.. boom.. Master. Im a real taz manian devil player for the most part, a real loot fiend/ gold addict. So I did not do much to limit myself, healing during combat or applying poisons, just about only thing I do is design straight up character skill identity and functionalize it as a woop ass master to the in game scenario.

NOW anyway, with Legendary.. I realized the new setting on one of my recent returns, right away switched right on up. I play with various mods that alter the entire set up of the game, more perk lines and more perk depths to each one, so I use a perk mod that allows me to add perks per level.

Game is still hard as hell. Thats the idea anyway, more perk elligibility but spread thinner across the board. Keeping things neat and balanced to the reality of the difficulty setting I am playing on.

So my question is how many of you see it as a fundamental practice to praise your character like a toddler in the first few levels, then kick his ass out the door at higher levels.

Because I just can not see my character as being all and all the same bad ass it should be carved from day 1 ... 7 wolves waiting out of helgen cave, and good old smart old havar walking doodaliedoodaliedoo right into them so we have to engage. 10-15 reloads later comeing out on top like a King.

Personally speaking I think the game advances really fast within the first few engagements you set your character to, i find myself distancing myself from interactions just to keep things rolling onward at an appreciable pace.

The Dragon Born is our birth right people, we have been called upon by the divines and the powers beyond time and age. I think its only fair to us to praise these elements with our grit and growth. or at the very least stop demeaning people as some internet '1337 boy' for engaging the game in out right hardcoe .. or.. as Im sure you can attest to as Dragon Born.. Legendary.

thank you... thoughts?

No. I never move the difficulty slider at any time. Mostly because it doesn't make enemies any smarter. They are not any more tactically inclined than they are at default. They are just a damage sponge that makes the game, to me, become tedious and boring. I don't find it challenging to have to wack on something for 15 minutes. However, should Skyrim ever be transferred over to my PC one of the first things I'd look for mod wise is something that makes the game more difficult through smarter AI.

Just IMO and how I see it

I made one playthrough on legendary difficulty all the way through....never again. Now, I put the difficulty on what is appropriate for the level. But I go no lower then expert. Master around 30 or so, then legendary whenever it gets too easy. Which is usually 35-45 and up.

Always Novice through helgen because I cant skip it.
Adept or above as soon as I leave the cave.
If lower than legendary I change it to legendary for dragon battles and then put it back to how it was.
I never change difficulty any other time.

I always play at a game's default difficulty. I experimented with the slider once, for about ten minutes, in my very first Morrowind game. I decided I didn't like it and have never touched it since.

I play on PC so I am able to calibrate my difficulty using mods. But even if I played on a console I still do not think I would move the slider.

Yes, you can. The moment Hadvar/Ralof unbinds your hands and unlocks the gate, you can literally run through the entire area and escape Helgen in less than 2 minutes. I should know. I've done it more times I can count.

However, this means you won't have much when you leave. Not like this is a problem. A couple of wolf pelts, and free armor's at the taking.

As for the subject, I have a DiD character on Legendary, currently at level 42. I stopped playing it a while ago so I can focus on my realism game. If Legendary taught me anything, it's that playing a game where percentages rule the game rather than pure skill, manipulation is too easy, even if it's not intended.

Bullet sponges don't make for a challenging game.

I know I could un throuvh helgen in about 2 minutes but I mean It doesnt have a thing like oblivion's make a save at sewer gate to skip tutorial dungeon.

I totally notice the epic difference between Master and Legendary,

however I could not see myself playing below master, as when I played through it the game was just rugged enough to enjoy as, it is, being skyrim with all its virtue.

cool to hear your thoughts though

I haven't touched the difficulty slider since I've had this game.

I normally play on Adept. If the game starts getting easy, I just turn up the difficulty to Expert or Master.

Isn't it the reason we hate Oblivion's scaling in the first place? "Challenge Everywhere"™?

So no, I don't. I generally just don't bother with smithing and wahey!