What Difficulty Level Do You Play

[Psiberzerker]

I change it as i level up. The reason for me doing so is because starting off i don't need the challenge as much as i do the experience, as i progressively get stronger, i then need the challenge as opposed to the latter.

You gain more Weapon, and Armor Xp per fight on higher difficulties, because they're based on Damage Dealt, or number of times you get hit. So, on Master you have to deal more damage, the combat lasts longer, you take more hits, and earn more XP. Always train combat skills on the highest diff you can survive (Weapons, Armor and Destruction, the others don't matter as much.) it just goes so much faster.

On Novice, you spend more time running between fights than actually earning Combat Experience, (and there's no Athletics skill.) so it takes forever to level.

 

[Neriad13]

I've been playing on Expert forever, but recently dropped down to Adept when my newly-minted, never-before-attempted pure mage got killed by a skeever. >.<

 

[Psiberzerker]

Yeah, if you want a real challenge, just play a plain old mage, in robes, no weapons beyond a dagger. Even on Novice it's not a breeze. I highly recommend Alchemy of Fortify Destruction potions.

 

[Neriad13]

Yeah, if you want a real challenge, just play a plain old mage, in robes, no weapons beyond a dagger. Even on Novice it's not a breeze. I highly recommend Alchemy of Fortify Destruction potions.

I seem to be getting far better at being a clothie now though. While my previous builds benefited from me holding my ground, the trick with a mage appears to be to keep moving so as to avoid getting cornered and hit. I just did a pretty good number on Jyrik Gaulderson by bolting when he got too close and almost-continuously keeping up Healing in one hand and Flames in the other. The combined Nord and Vampire uber-cold resistance definitely helped too.

 

[Zaan]

Mostly Adept, peaking at Expert. I find Master difficulty to be an exercise in attrition more than anything. The arbitrary damage disparity just makes it a chore to play.

 

[Psiberzerker]

I seem to be getting far better at being a clothie now though. While my previous builds benefited from me holding my ground, the trick with a mage appears to be to keep moving so as to avoid getting cornered and hit. I just did a pretty good number on Jyrik Gaulderson by bolting when he got too close and almost-continuously keeping up Healing in one hand and Flames in the other. The combined Nord and Vampire uber-cold resistance definitely helped too.

The thing is, a robed mage, with nothing in her hands but Magic can run full tilt and keep up a constant barage of firebolts, or whatever. (You just can't Sprint.) It's as close to Run&Gun as you can get in this game. Altmer have not only more Magicka, but the highest running speed, so combined with being unencumbered, you can outrun everything except for some animals, and Dragons.

Also, with the AoE on some of the spells, you don't have to aim as much, plus you can hit multiple foes at once to do more DPS. Carpet bombing with Fireballs while you run circles around the melee can be extremely effective, and makes sure the Arrows don't hit you as much. The AI is really bad at leading. Archers are your biggest problem out in the open, so i like to take them out first. You can always Ward against other mages.

 

[Zaan]

The thing is, a robed mage, with nothing in her hands but Magic can run full tilt and keep up a constant barage of firebolts, or whatever. (You just can't Sprint.) It's as close to Run&Gun as you can get in this game. Altmer have not only more Magicka, but the highest running speed, so combined with being unencumbered, you can outrun everything except for some animals, and Dragons.

Very true. In my experience the only thing that can keep pace is a bear or sabre cat... Humanoid enemies simply cannot hit you in the open if you know what you're doing.

This character plays on Expert.

 

[DaedricWolf]

Adept, mainly because I'm too lazy to change the difficulty.

 

[Gunnbjorn]

Difficulty is only practicing with your character, the minute you max out all of the combat skills you want, and get the best gear, any difficulty is easy.

A fully geared and maxed out Warrior will lose barely any health, a fully geared and maxed out Rogue will one-shot everything, and a full geared and maxed out Mage will... well they wear dresses.

 

[Psiberzerker]

My fully geared, and

Difficulty is only practicing with your character, the minute you max out all of the combat skills you want, and get the best gear, any difficulty is easy.

A fully geared and maxed out Warrior will lose barely any health, a fully geared and maxed out Rogue will one-shot everything, and a full geared and maxed out Mage will... well they wear dresses.

My maxed out Mage defeated Alduin on Master in under 60 seconds (The duration of Dragonskin.) It is easy in capped out Armor, or with Sneak up to 30 times base damage. To do it with just magic, you have to Think.

 

[Soloquendi]

9 1/2 inches.

 

[Gunnbjorn]

My fully geared, and

My maxed out Mage defeated Alduin on Master in under 60 seconds (The duration of Dragonskin.) It is easy in capped out Armor, or with Sneak up to 30 times base damage. To do it with just magic, you have to Think.

A little protection spell here, some destruction there, and a conjured daedra lord here, no - it wouldn't be any harder with a mage than it would with the others.

Mages are probably the most powerful actually.

A 2 handed Warrior still has to think, a Warrior who is maxed out in heavy armor and block, not so much.

 

[Medea]

9 1/2 inches.

Measure it again.

I play on adept until my character gets ridiculously powerful, then I switch to expert or master. I've found that for the most part, if you don't use exploits, adept can be fairly challenging. Those damn deathlords with ebony bows and arrows can still kill me in 3 or 4 shots, even on adept.

 

[ness91]

I just starting playing on Master about three months ago because I'm LV. 81. I can kill most enemies in 2 or 3 hits but the dragons get under my skin most of the time.

 

[Zyphur]

I think Adept. I must be doing something wrong because I always here people go "ZOMG THIS GAME IS TOO EASY ON MASTER" and I'm like "No? I'm always fighting for my life! >.<"

 

[Bad-People]

I change it at random intervals. Lately I've found Novice to be really fun for some reason. I guess it's just more relaxing to know you're probably never going to die.

 

[Soloquendi]

Measure it again.

It's hard to measure a Curved, Sword.

Who cares what level anybody else plays. What's fun and challenging for one might not be for another.