So, in my other thread, I realized how distorted the figures are for some classes when you maximize certain skills.

I feel like this OP did not cover enough material to make an accurate statement about balance in this game.

Which leads me to: Q1. Why care about balance? It's a single player game?
-True, it is a single player game, but when someone reaches levels of vastly overpowered to vastly underpowered, it can ruin one's experience of the game. It is no fun 1 shotting high level enemies that should give some moderate fight, while it is frustrating to defeat an enemy for 20 minutes with barely a dent into their health bar. Bethesda releases a product to be an immersive RPG, so difficulty should feel somewhat challenging, but not unbelievably grindy. If the game comes out imbalanced, I can firmly doubt that Bethesda released it intending it to be that way. AT least to the levels demonstrated above.


The one thing I don't understand is why is it ok for Melee users to buff their equipment constantly, beyond levels that can be found naturally in the game, while Magic users have to deal with BEING WEAKER LATER THAN WHEN THEY STARTED? Why did they design the game like that?

The Destruction Mechanics in particular, which are most easily comparable to Melee Mechanics since they both do damage Directly, are broken. There is no way to increase the power of this skill. Your attacks will tickle the enemy late game, and it makes no sense.

Melee users don't even have to spec Melee in order to reach this power, all is needed is Smithing. For a marginal increase, use Enchanting. The numbers are incredible.

Also, this is NOT INTENTIONAL BREAKING OF THE GAME.
There is no abuse of mechanics here. Nothing in the game is comparable to the power given when 100 in Smithing and 100 Enchanting. Nothing.

This is the natural end-game for people who use Smithing+Enchanting. Everyone will have it when they reach top levels of Smithing and Enchant, along with several key perks.

Why did Bethesda allow this? If they were going to make a class OP, why not make the Mages OP too? At least THEN, you could have to choice of being unbelievably strong for Magic, AND MELEE.


This game is all about choice right? Why is there no choice for me to be amazingly powerful as a mage?

This leads me to think this is an unintended effect in the game, and should be fixed, since it makes no sense that Bethesda would have favoritism for a specific class.

The perks for Smithing and Enchanting are way too strong. The base perks are too rewarding right now. I understand that the point Smithing and Enchanting was to create your own cool, supreme gear, but this is too far.

TL:DR - Why cant mages be OP too? Mages feel week right now, and there is too much catering to weapon users.

Yes there are imbalances. We know already, and I'm sure Bethesda knows by now also. Give it a rest.

Well, this is just more of a collapse of the ideas in the last thread into this one, and more organized.

Maybe if we get more support, Bethesda may notice and change things around.

Im sure they've noticed....

Seriously we know game is balanced perfectly for you! BUT i don't get where you guys can think they haven't noticed. Games been out a total of 5 days now when things release and they prove to be very very strong or underpowered they can't just turn a switch and a patch is there..

TES 1 to 4 was about choice.

TES 5 onwards apparently, is the glorious age of pigeon holing and grandstanding so you can be "just like the dude on the cover, bro!"

Thankfully, PC users will get sweet relief once the CK is released and the community releases the mods to fix Bethesda's game for them. Again.

? Sorry, don't believe I ever said this game was perfectly balanced for me...
And I don't think they have noticed because they have yet to comment on this.

I support you. And so does anyone who loved playing a high level mage.

I saw this from someone else earlier: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards

It defines this perfectly. We are playing a fantasy game, and both the lore of the Elder Scrolls, and the culture for which this game was designed tends to like magic to be glass cannon orientated. Not getting weaker as you level, and feeling like you should be using a sword instead of your lightning bolts.

Never underestimate the power of a crowd to get things done.

Haha, I was actually thinking of that when I wrote the first post!

It seemed so backwards to me. Why are mages getting weaker later, while the Melee are becoming god-like? It makes no sense.

Mods don't need to do too much to actually fix this. Add +damage% enchantment for fire/frost/shock,make smithing able to craft magic tuned items that increase damage, remove the -magicka cost% for destruction, and make destruction spells scale damage with skill input. That way destruction will be in the exact same light as crafted weapons with no real difference except it has much higher alpha and can quickly decrease your magicka pool if you screw up.

Exactly ^

The system is already there, it works with weapons. We just need it for destruction.