Hello, I'm an Orc, around level 36. This is the first time I've played a game like this.

Around level 25, I decided to specialize my character. Before that, I'd spread my perks around in many areas. I got the impression that Orcs are best suited to block, armor and melee. Combining armor, enchantments, a melee weapon and block with Beserker Rage makes an Orc pretty formidable. That was my understanding, anyway.

So, I've invested the last fifteen perks in one-handed, block, enchant and smithing. I can make Orcish armor and weapons now and I'm up to level 72 in enchantment. I've dis-enchanted quite a few items.

I'm experiencing frustration, though. I didn't want to "exploit" the game, because that isn't fun. I tried to make armor and weapons, enchant them, and use them in quests. Trouble is, the equipment I make and enchant is generally not as good as the stuff I get in quests. So, I sell it, and repeat. I can slowly level up that way in smthing and enchanting, but it takes a lot of time and it isn't much fun. There's not much point in putting major enchantments on it if I'm probably going to sell it anyway.

If I make a lot of trivial items at the forge and enchant them with the smallest soul gems, I level up much faster in smithing and enchanting. If i do this, I feel like I am not playing, I am exploiting the game, but the alternative, described above, isn't very attractive either.

I'm wondering if I'm missing something. I'm wondering what the designers had in mind for smithing and enchanting. I'm wondering if I should load a game I saved around level 25 and try a different kind of specialization. Maybe by accident I chose a specialty that isn't much fun. Maybe I've discovered an unfortunate feature of the game.

Please share your thoughts and suggestions.

Daddyorc

Those were widely reported as being specialization areas that would make your character god-like.
Not everyone (like Myself) went that route and are finding the game to be more what they anticipated.
Those that did go that route, either wanted to and intentionally went that way knowing it would make their character God-like, or just discovered it.... some players want or like to become that way.
Not sure if it was an intended thing by Bethesda or not, or if a change of some sort is going to happen... but, is a well known happenstance of going that route.

Have you paid perks into the very first step in the enchantment and smithing perk trees? I think you can upgrade your overall skill 5 times. The other trick is to look for or craft fortify enchant and fortify smithing potions. Have you disenchanted any items with fortify alchemy or fortify smithing enchantments? If so, you can craft items that boost those skills. This leads you around in an ever increasing spiral of fortify enchant/fortify alchemy/ etc. but I think you might consider that to be an exploit ( and I would agree).

The question you have to ask yourself is what your intention is in raising those skills. I raised both smithing and enchanting over time through the game, similar to what you are doing, and in the process smithed and enchanted various weapons which I then sold...that is no different than chopping wood to earn money at a mill, or digging up ore to make money at a mine, or mixing potions which I then sell at a shop. It's a job. In the process, I have probably made four sets of Steel Plate armour that I used, and then stored...it's only the last set that I still wear.

It's not unusual to be finding armour and weapons that are better quality than what you already have...it's better than continually finding cruddy stuff.

Are you making or finding smithing items (bracers, ring, necklace, armor, and maybe the notched pickaxe) and are you using potions you can find or make? if you are, you might find better results.

For myself, I would make 6 or 7 iron daggers when i got home from and adventure and then enchant them giving me a little training in enchanting and smithing as well as making my own items and eventually I topped out and was never finding something in dungeons better than what i could make, which is ok with me. Once I topped out in smithing, I was able to use all those dragon bones and scales I was accumulating. Once I topped out in Enchanting I was able to put 2 enchantments on items. The result isn't god like but you do end up above the curve in terms of items in dungeons and people trying to kill you. Instead of dying every 10 minutes but finding stuff better than yours you survive those fights and are not typically tempted by the stuff you find.

At the very least, enchant or find some smithing magic items and use them while smithing. And use potions for both smithing and enchanting, buy them if you have to from the potion stores.

Don't want to be god-like. Just want to have fun. Dying all the time is not fun, but neither is being god-like.

Anybody think I should back up to a saved game and try a different kind of specialization? Any suggestions?

Daddyorc

Have you tried adjusting your tactics? Standing toe to toe with an enemy is a recipe for disaster. Move around and try to avoid their attacks, after they attack, move in and attack them, then move back.

Crafting is the path to being over powered, but it is not the only path to being over-powered. It also sounded like you leveled up quite a bit by Crafting, but your Attack and Defense Skills did not go up the same way.

A melee character should focus on Attack and Defense Skills at almost every level up as far as Perks go. Only put Perks in other areas if you are not qualified to put a Perk in your Combat/Defense or what is there to choose you do not want. Once you are buffed up in the skill and perks, then you can spread around the Perk Points. Note, you do not have to be maxed out in combat skills before you spread them around, but you will know if you can handle what the game is throwing at you.

I do actually find the game quite balanced myself. I think Smithing and Enchanting need to take a little longer, maybe have a bit more of a process to them? But no major change is needed. (This is an idea for the next game to be ported to PS3 by 4J... >.>hint)

72 enchanting is plenty that you don't need to grind it further unless you're specifically trying to get the extra effect perk. Make some fortify smithing and fortify alchemy gear, create some fortify smithing potions, improve your weapons and armor, and go out and kill stuff. Don't just make a bunch of iron daggers for smithing; get iron ore, transmute to gold, and use the gems you find as loot to make jewelry.