Wood elf, Archer, Stealth. Using 2h as melee weapon.
No spells but novice restoration. No Secondary skills. Only using pickup gear and quest gear.
No muffled boots on stealth.

And I play on Expert from start and change from expert to Master.

Im loving it.

I usually can fire 1 maybe 2 arrows in a group of enemies before spotted, and then I either need to run and kite or go in with my light armor and 2h.
I play without hencman and I place 9/10 points into stamina.

I made lvl 18 in an evening, with only doing 30% of companion quest line and 5% of thief guild quest line.

The game is hard, but I can take out single encounters if I stealth and just use my bow.
yes the bow and stealth is powerful, but since I dont have anything to make my sound muffled, and will never use it, I often only get off one shot, maybe 2 before spotted.
And I do have 60 in stealth so its not too low, I get spotted after first shot, easy.

Vs multiple enemies I need to move in, find a spot, find someone I think I can kill with one shot and go for it.
But, with pickup gear only and NO secondary professions, even on Expert, I usually end up taking off only half health of enemies with a crit and triple damage shot.
The minor ones will die though, bandit leaders I will maybe, take out half hp of with luck, but then thats it.

Now, I have managed to find a balance to the fights wiich is nice.

Other then that, I love the games athmosphere and general feeling.
I dont regret re rolling after 50 hrs of game.
My first 1 hour was different on all 3 characters as I actually discovered different things.

With my new woodelf I could not be bothered to visit the grey beards yet though, so he is still to go there although he is lvl 18 already:-)

The other only choice I have for a solid character that would be interesting, is a 2h wielding Nord, also using no secondary.
2h, since dual wield is doing too much damage. And 2h suits the nord and skyrim so much better.
Light armor, as perks in general are a ton better, but above all, the better heavy armor, armor values dont scale well with enemy damage. Simply put, you dont take any, even on master, from anything below giants and dragons.

I use 2h now as well in close combat and have trained it decently. I like it, its slow, does decent damage and takes more skill to use.

Im not utterly gimped as I have stealth, but Im opting not to use daggers or even learn one handed. Bows, yes, they are powerful, but not so without smithing or enchanting.
The damage with bows at times is rather sad but with a sneak shot it can topple normal enemies in one shot but seldom take more then half of bandit leaders etc.
Another thing why I choose bows. The speed: I can even swing my 2h almost 3 times the time it takes for me to shoot 2 shots with a bow. That alone makes fights more interesting.
Every shot really need to count or I will need to run or get killed.

Anyway, im having a ton of fun in combat, its up to YOU if you want to use enchanting or smithing, combined with alchemy or not.
I use neither and im a good fighter but far far from overpowered, and almost all encounters Im in, are challenging. So far. But Im mainly on expert, I can easily go master from 30 and have the same thing. Easily.

Blegh. I've started over atleast 10 times.
Can't seem to find a char that sticks this time around.

Got a few Warriors to level 20-ish. A stealth archer (I never play thieves, really) to 15 or so and a Mage to 10.
Thinking of trying a dual wield Warrior.

Bah...

Dont go dual wield warrior unless you want an easy time.
Dual wield is tough from start but from mid level you simply do too much damage.
I have a dual wield orc at lvl 33, he only have smithing. Even with none enchanted, none smithed weapons, I was one shotting giants.
+100% power attack damage from perks in dual wield and one hand, add in another 100% to one hand damage. You have a constant 200% damage since power attacks with swords drains so little stamina.

The main 2 choices to go for a challenge is: No usage of secondaries. you CAN bring smithing to 60 and take the iron and increase magic weapon perk. But opt out of all else. just use pickup gear, but atleast you can upgrade it some.
Smithing on itself is not over the top, its that you can create gear too quickly, and make them too good together with enchanting.
Just 60 so you can get your magic weapons to get around 20-30% better, but thats it. Not 100% as if you had the perk attached to the metal.



Full Destruction mage, no conjuration. You MUST take enchanting to a mediocre degree or you simply cant have fun with this build. It will be very challenging. I went with this but mages is not my cup of tea.
2h character in light armor.

For the rest. Almost any character is challening if you stay away from secondary professions and only use pickup and quest gear. Or what you can afford from the vendor.
If you are a thief, stay away from muffled enchant as it causes stealth to be broken and too powerful. Otherwise Stealth is good.
30 times damage bonus from stealth is too much.
You want to play a thief or stealther, and be balanced, use bow.

For those that want to just enjoy teh game, explore but have an easy time in combat. use the secondary professions and master becomes the new easy.
But opt out of secondary professions, and Adept is same as Master for those with enchanted gear, while expert and Master for such characters provides a nice challenge.

Another thing to add.

When I mean stay away from enchants.
It also means most quest gear.

If you have 3 pieaces of quest geear that give +25% each on one handed damage, then thats up to you.
But you are no better then someone running with 80+ in enchanting.

I have recieved some damage bonus gear so far but sold them to the vendors.
I want it pure.
Its MY choice. You play as you want.
All Im saying is, Skyrim IS challenging and a ton of fun if you play it pure with no enchanted gear apart from some fire resists, speech craft bonus, lock pick bonus, price bonus etc.
Just stay clear of damage increasing bonuses, magic resist bonuses and too much fire and cold resist gear.

Im having a blast, again.

I've also started over, same type of character (ranger/thief), but this time with a mod that increases difficulty. Master finally feels as it should. I also plan to stay away from crafting professions because of high damage scaling in late game.

edit: I plan on using Thieves Guild starter gear once I get it, then join DB and use their set for assassinations, before finally settling on Nightingale set once I reach high enough level (40+). Basically mix some roleplay into regular playing. Considering the stats on that set my playstyle shouldn't become too overpowered.

hehe, well I started with companions quest line, since I like it, and it gives me a lot of money with those silver swords:-) I leveled up fast as I spent ALL my cash on trainers.
I have played the game alot already so i dont need the slow version.

Anyway, I went to the thiefguild, for the first time, and I just got my thief guild outfit yesterday. That leather armor is good and nice.
I happened to have a +20% bow damage hide helmet I got from winterhold early, I didnt like it but didnt find another helmet but iron helmets.
Finally I could throw it away and use the +10% better prices and some better armor, and above all, better looks.
I really dont want to use ANY enchanted gear on this playthrough. Im even debating if I want to use magic bows or not.
I think I skip that too. But we will see, some of them is cool.

Im on Console though so I cant get that.
I do have the game on PC but just prefer it on Consol for now.

I find the Expert and Master settings to be more then enough for me currently.
As long as you stay clear of secondary professions AND even some enchanted pickup gear, I think us hardcoe gamers will have a blast on the harder difficulties.

Tip: If you play an archer/stealth class, I really recomend you using the Lover Stone to get a more symmetric skill increase across the board.

Anyway.

People complaining about difficulty, well I was not complaining earlier but I am agreeing that secondary professions distrupts the balance.

Anyway, you have no right to complain about it since you CAN make this game very challenging, just by simply staying away from a few skills:

As a mage, skip conjuration.
As melee, dont use heavy armor unless you are sword+shield.
As melee, dont go dual wield unless you use daggers.
As stealther, dont even use muffled enchants on boots, ever.
As a stealther, remember that 30 times backstab damage is insane. I recomend archer if you want to stealth.

But above all, dont use smithing, enchanting or alchemy, at all.
And sell your + damage increasting gear to vendors if you get from quests.

Mages must take some enchantment as their spells simply cost too much mana later on, but a mediocre level is enough and only either for mana reg or for lower mana cost. Nothing else.

What, using a skill in a single player game makes you less of a man or something?

Not at all. Thats not my point.

My point is that people are complaining that the game is too easy. When its up to you to make it challenging.
You dont HAVE to take enchanting, smithing and alchemy and make 260% weapon damage and armor values.
You can stick to the basics for a true and rather challening experience.

Thats my entire point.

If you want to steamroll, go for it, the game allows you to do that.
If you want a pure challenging gameplay, the game allows for that too.
Thats all im saying.

You only started over 3 times? I can bet I've seen the opening cut scene about 40+ times...

People will always complain about a game being too easy... or too hard... or too uniform... or too random. You'll never hear the end of it. Threads like this are just for people to act special.

What mod is that?

Ta.

I just started my Imperial Sword and Board + Archery (SPARTANS! TONIGHT...WE DINE IN HELL!). I wanted to skip the dragons altogether (I hope I am allowed to...so far, I hit Mount Arathlor and only met skeletons with ancient nord weapons). Rolling Light Armor for now, might roll heavy later. (Not putting too many perks into armor this time around).

So far...even on Adept...I'm running into fuggen WHISPMOTHERS...like "really?!?" At level 2-3. lol

I don't know how people would play this on expert at the start. I've only been able to level up Sneaking, Archery, and One-Handers. Mostly putting perks into One-handers so far.

Taking a break from my Orc who is kind of a jack of all trades ATM. He's 39 and I'm sticking him on Apprentice to beat the game/test stuff out...Its funny though, I hit level 39 and closing in on 40, NOT ONCE did I meet a WHISPMOTHER...I find one while climbing a mountain on a level 2. lol

I seem to be getting alot of Executions with One-Handed Swords more then maces, axes, and I even picked up two-handers for a moment just to see if it feels right on this Imperial.

-Edit- Also adding, I am heading to Riften to start with the theives first...so I can get that fence/stolen goods to sell to them. I'm a huge stealer in this game..its a guilty pleasure seeing I'm actually quite the opposite IRL, hate theives lol

So...I found the ONE stone I can't believe I didn't find before on my Orc...The Atronach...WHY could I not find this fuggen thing before...It makes fighting spriggans at level 3 so much more easy...And I can cast healing spells when I run out of potions...

This is pretty much exactly what I did with my latest character. Went to riften straight away to join the guild, and used their armour until level 40. I did get smithing up to 60 to improve it, because without any +smithing enchatments you can't really over power it at that level. I got the nightingale armor, again smithed it with my level 60 skills, and I'll probably use that the rest of the game. Got the nightingale blade at around level 35, and dual wield it with Mahrune's Razor. Both smithed, but again, I won't improve them any more.

Not at all. Its to share the experience in that the game CAN be challenging if you just adopt your game play and ensure you dont take certain skills in the game.
Thats all.

Im just trying to share my experience here that I found a perfect way to make the game for me more enjoyable by having combat be move involving and challenging.
Its a fact that smithing+enchanting together is very powerful and disrupts game balance. Add Alchemy inthat mix and you will be a God.
Thats ok. Its also fun and have its charms.
The possibility exists to make you from a God to a Peasent without having to not level. You can level and spend your perks for extra damage and however you want.
You just need to stay clear of some types of gear and some skills and you are fine.

Im having a blast in Skyrim, and even more after I did this.
I could have gone with my orc at 33 and started over with light armor and 2h, forgoing the around 15 perks spent in one hand, smithing, enchant and alchemy together. But why do that when I can start over.
The game is just so good I dont even mind it.

Suggest you pick up the Lover stone if you want to be a little of it all. +15% increase to all skill leveling. Instead of 20% for a few from mage, thief and warrior stone.
Also, stick to light armor. its more Spartan. You rely on shields not to take damage, you want to remain agile for when you CAN do damage:-)

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1288727-relwip-increased-spawns-loot-and-ai/