So I'm enjoying my old Skyrim save again.

I'm a level 33 Nord brute, with 320 Health and 200 Stamina, with maxed out Legendary Ebony Armor (Armor Rating 418) and Legendary Ebony Greatsword (Damage 91). Up till recently I felt I'm pretty overpowered and was looking forward to starting a new char, this time on Expert (I'm playing Adept now).

But I started to get my ^*@ handed over to me recently - especially bandit mages / necromancers hit me for like 3/4 health in one attack and I find myself drinking health potions fatster than it takes to take a swing with my sword.
Is this normal?
Does heavy armor makes you more prone to cold / lightning damage?
Or do I just svck at this game?

I'm not using any gameplay-altering mods, just UI and textures.

Activate the Lord Stone and do the Book of Love quest. This will collectively give you magic resistance of 40%. On top of that you can enchant your armor/jewellery with magic/elemental resistance (unless you have a rule of no enchanting - but then at least try buying enchanted stuff and upgrading it?).

You need to get some magic and/ or elemental resistance. Armor doesn't work against it.

As a Nord you've got 50% against frost, but fire and shock do full damage.

Lord stone would you 25% magic resistance.

The Agent of Mara reward gives 15%.

If you're using a shield there's a perk that gives 50% against spells that hit the shield.

Also Items can be found, brought or enchanted that give MR benefits.

Bonuses stack up to the maximum MR of 85%.

Edit: ninja'd

I would build up your Magic Resistance. Either build up Alteration, do the "Book of Love" quest for 15%, or get the Lord Stone for 25% Magic Resistance.

Don't worry, Mages are a pain in the ass for all Warriors, especially Frost Magic.

So far so good.


Yes, this is normal. If you are having difficulty with mages, enchant some magic resistance on your gear.

OK, thanks for the answers!

Now a stupid, yet key question - where can I see my current magic / elemental resistances...?

In your list of active effects.

Use the atronarch stone, it's negative effect's won't bother a pure warrior and it will cause you to absorb 50% of all of the magic that hits you. BTW magic ignores armor rating, so that's why you're getting hurt so badly by it.