I was going to have a redguard Mage. But as I was just wandering through the Reach killing forsworn, I was having to improvise as I'm a low level. So I put on my steel armor and switched to a war axe, slicing/burning them while alternating to 'healing'.. Finally using the Ritual stone power for help against the hargraven. I owned

That may be fine at low level, but when you start picking perks you have to focus on a specific build type or you'll be useless at higher levels.

For your mage focus on destruction or conjuration.

Good point. But having a high one handed skill still increases weapon dmg. I've realised you dont need to go 'all out' on perks.

Sometimes I miss the simplicity of Oblivion.

I agree. Skyrim's the first game of this ilk I've played, and I'm at level 55 now, but I've focussed on too many of the perk trees so my character is quite strong, but doesn't specialise in anything. I'm going to start again and focus more on narrower field of specialisms.

I agree about no build but then again I do not strive for a build, I make a character. For example my current character run through is Aelwin Travon. Aelwin was raised in Cyrodiil but is a Breton. His family has a deep tradition of using Magic and Aelin wanted to get out from under the family name and so has journey to Skyrim to study at the College of Winterhold. While starting form a magical base he has picked up other skills as needed. He has leanred to sneak pretty, well also has developed some skills in picking locks. While he is very dependent on his magic for defense he has realized the need for an less mystical option and has taken up the study of the sword. His academic pursuits were originally directed toward enchanting however he has also developed a great deal of skill as an alchemist and has become quite skilled in the arts of persuasin.

The point I am making is that rather than focusing on a "build" I developed a character and let his school choices naturally evolve as I played him. I have found that this ends up developing a much more fun character to play.

it also kills the fun if you try and second or third character. My first was a heavy armored Nord warrior with a two-handed axe so then going on to play a light armor stealth style khajiit with dual swords and a bow seems so different. I then made a magic based Dunmer assassin which again was completely different.

With damage automatically increasing with weapon skill (not mention enchants), one could theoretically specialize in the all the crafting skills and having an effective character no matter what style they wanted to play:

Melee: +dmg boosts to enchanted items plus highly smithed gear
Stealth: +bonus to sneak and use DB gloves for backstab bonus
Magic: cost reduction gear, plus potions that boost spellpower (I image a 100% perk alchemy tree could make some power fortify [school] potions