So I get a radiant quest to kill some bandits in Falkreath hold. I follow the main road and end up somewhere near Half-Moon Mill. Then I realized I'm far away from where I need to be (Knifepoint Ridge). I start cutting across through the woods when a frost dragon attacks me. Here's where the bad part begins.

I'm level 22. The frost dragon is level 30. On expert. I can't fight it because I can die in 3 bite attacks (excluding frost breath). I'd wear an Amulet of Talos to reduce the time of a Fus shout to stop the breath attack, but I can't because I'm wearing an amulet of frost resist. I can't run because his frost breath drains my stamina and the ice storm spell he does is pretty much an insta-kill.

My mistake was saving it right after the dragon noticed me because I thought I could kill it. I have Serana (DG) as a follower but of course, she uses ice spells which do half damage on a frost dragon. I've tried to pin it behind a tree, which works against it's frost breath, but it doesn't work against his bite, which somehow gets through the tree.

So anyone got any tips on how to either beat it or to run from it? Thanks.

Lower the difficulty.

Um.. what about temporarily setting the difficulty to Novice?

edit: ninjas, ninjas everywhere!

We'd need to know quite a bit more about your char besides level before developing strategies. Skills? Equipment? Perks?

TGM (if you're on PC).

Skills are Two-handed, Heavy armor, Archery, Smithing and Alchemy.

Equipment is full Steel plate (Superior), Elven battleaxe (Superior) and an Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow (Superior), usually an Amulet of Talos, and a Ring of Major Sure Grip.

Two-handed perks: Barbarian (4/5), Limbsplitter (2/3), Champion's Stance, Devastating Blow
Heavy armor perks: Juggernaut (3/5), Well Fitted
Archery perks: None
Smithing perks: Steel Smithing, Dwarven Smithing
Alchemy perks: Alchemist (2/5), Physician, Benefactor, Poisoner

I have an unused perk that I'm saving for when I get 40 Alchemy (38 atm). I don't remember where I put the other perk (those I listed only add up to 20). Might be in either Overdraw (1/5) in Archery or Great Critical Charge in Two-handed.

Use your shouts.

Wuld Nah Kest will get you away fast. Or use Tiid Klo Ul

or call in the airforce with Odahwiing or the DG one

No fire type shouts? potions of weakness to fire for dragon and resist cold for your pc?

be etheral shout works great to give you some time to regen your own health when it gets to low, even if you can't actually do damage during that time. Also to get the dragon in a position within the trees so you can get to it's flanks and either hack ( which is not what I would do) or shoot with a bow from a distance ( which is what I would do)

The Nine will not frown on your for lowering the difficulty one time to get out of a bad save situation.

No but it would drive my OCD nuts >.>

I don't have many shouts because I haven't done much dungeon crawling yet, I just got to the point of the main quest where I have to talk to a Graybeard about a shout on a certain wall. I do have Become Ethereal which I might use to run away(why hadn't I thought of that before o.O) because I tried like 20 different things within a span of about 45 minutes.

Try to run away as soon as it lands, use Serana as your meatshield. Use your healing spell against the breath if you're running low on potions. Do you have the means (spell, staff, scroll) to summon an atronach or dremora, do. Try to attack it from behind to stay out of its breath and bite.

Hmm... If you're carrying any potions at all, use them when needed. If you're carrying any scrolls (especially fireball), use them until it lands then switch to 2H immediately. Even on your difficulty, you should be able to take it out with a few power attacks (stamina pots if required).

Run for your life, and hide in the nearest dungeon.

Run away to the nearest cave or interior cell, and stay there till it leaves. It is not shameful, that's survival.

Yup, or this... But OP stated the dragon is already taking out the PC before that can happen... multiple tries maybe?

Also, any summon spells to draw fire while you head for the hills?

You're probably better off with the talos amulet to be honest and use Become Ethereal when you can't avoid dragon breath. Using hit and run type tactics with your bow and the shout(using cover when available) should be good enough to get the dragon down low enough on health where he's forced to land. At this point you can either keep kiting him, or go in for the melee kill. Interrupting breath attacks with unrelenting force and power attacks(assuming they are strong enough to stagger him?) and blocking bites could work so long as the dragon's health is low enough

Things like OCD are meant to be overcome. If I can get over checking my car three times to convince myself I locked it (true story), then this should be simple.

Well, I hate to feel like I wasted your guys' time. I got on Skyrim to fight the dragon. The loading screen pops up and I hear the loading music, expecting to fight this dragon. Low and behold, I start running, waiting to use Become Ethereal when it starts its breath, but there's no dragon ._. I killed a couple of mages in the meantime then Serana comes running behind me.

So the whole situation could've been avoided by simply reloading the game.

But thanks for the tips though. I'll make sure to use them next time I have to face a frost dragon.

did you save with it already attacking? If not load a save and quickly try and fast travel away.

I would also say search out as many people and other creatures as possible to either help fight the dragon or at least give it other things to focus it's attacks on. Doing so has gotten me out of a lot of tough dragon fights.