To me, the value of Skyrim is found in its character development and the freedom a character can enjoy. Thus, I love creating different builds and playstyles. I've played many characters and done most builds save for several thief builds.

The problem with this is that I'm also a min-maxer, so for me I find the most enjoyment when I finish the build and am doing maximum damage and have my maximum armor rating. That said, I don't use alchemy for I find that alchemy plus enchanting and smithing is a bit too elitist. But I do make a point to max out smithing and enchanting, cause I find their effects to be very helpful but not game-breaking. (At least on master.)

So the problem I've run into is that I dread making new characters for the simple fact that I know I'll have to max out enchanting and smithing on every character, and I hate that. I'm on the console as well.

What can I do to start enjoying this game again? I need new builds and be able to max them out without enchanting and smithing. Any ideas? I want to make one final character and complete every questline/quest/daedric quest on one character.

Start a new hot Bretan chick toon and put her in enchanted Forsworn armor and play in third person view. Walk very very slowly with your character and enjoy the top butt crack view. Makes the game so much fun.

Im actually starting to get a bit bored with the game now as well. What I usually do is set a goal and work for it i.e., become thane in every hold, or obtain all dragon priest masks, or get 100,000 in gold. Having a goal to work towards really makes it more enjoyable. Im working on obtaining all DP masks right now. Only need Morokei, the wooden one and the one you get near the end of the main questline.

If you're bored try things you don't normally do. ignore smithing and enchanting and try a sneak character with some alchemy. sneaking can be overpowered, but that's only if you take all the perks and fortify it. my current build relies solely on sneak attacks and poisons as most enemies will one shot kill me if detected.

There are also other games out there... take a break and play something else. i played the new zelda for a month and came back to skyrim refreshed and ready to start over.

try playing that 'thief' character. from what I hear it's fun as hell. I might try one my next time through. being able to kill ppl right next to eachother, without them ever knowing i was there sounds frigen sweet.

I myself have a minmaxed character which I call as "my main character" . This guy is the richest, most powerful character possible with a copy of every item in the game including every book, every POI discovered, every quest completed. This character took me 250 hours, including NPC fights to test perks and mechanics and so on.

Once that character is finished. I play a character exactly opposite. A weak character who can chooses perks based on fun or roleplaying factors rather than their effectiveness. In fact my latest "secondary" character is playing a no leveling, no perk, master difficulty playthough.

There is value in playing a weak character, it make you take creative approaches towards some boss fights and also tests your knowledge of the world, "where can I find artifacts or equipment that isn't scaled so I can enhance my power and win against non-scaled level 50 enemies at level 1?"

I still use the main character to go on kill sprees or NPC fights (placeatme 50 Dragur overlords) or test mods.

Here's a hint.

Stop minmaxing. The game is fairly forgiving for alternate builds.

I've even survived a level 15-25 dungeon as a level 4 (Left it as a level 10, was going after a certain Dragon Priest mask). Granted it involved multiple reloads, but it happened.

I've even powerleveled things like Speech and Smithing and still had my combat prowess catch up later.

I mean, anything can be done.

Do you mean you just don't want to grind the Enchanting and Smithing skillls, or you don't want them at all?

Try looking into the various threads where people restrict themselves to certain behavior when playing. Like not using fast travel at all, taking food with you wherever you go, trying to get all achievements, play a bad and a good character, etc.