I've been playing the way you're supposed to, just letting skills increase naturally, but finally at level 15 I think it's time to look for exploits because the game is impossible. Every hit I deal to enemies reduce their health by maybe 5%, while every hit they deal me decreases my health by about 75%. The only way to defeat enemies is by using AI exploits.

I'm wearing elven armor and I'm focusing on single-handed and destruction magic. I'm currently at level 39 in destruction.

What am I doing wrong? I actually thought the game was almost too easy for the first 10-12 levels..

it just takes time to develop . you may wanna try crafting some items and enchanting as well. I do not remember having such a difficult time at level 15.

why dont you turn down the difficulty?

Thats a first, someone complaining its to hard.
If you want that not to happen, plan your character better instead of using skills left and right, choose a combatstyle, and stick with it, then it will be to easy, but something tells me you wouldnt mind

Either turn down the difficulty, or learn why the perks you chose are wrong.

This your first TES game? Try it on Apprentice. I'm a TES veteran. I play on Adept just because I don't like the stress of the higher levels. I play more for the adventure and story and just for wandering around.

Oh, there are places you shouldn't go at level 15. Really, there are. I liked to go exploring in Morrowind and Oblivion and see what every pixel of the map looked like. The designers went to the trouble, I want to see it. So I'd go to Daedric ruins where I shouldn't have gone, caves, etc. But I'd find stuff that was really cool too. So I did the same thing in Fallout series, and in Skyrim. I'll find my way over mountain passes, and look for ways to get to the top of mountains that are off the beaten path. This isn't always a good idea especially at level 15, even with Lydia. Trust me. That shortcut isn't always what it seems. It can be the shortcut from hell.

Turn down the difficultiy, get better armor, and get better weapons. It's not really that bad. I'm level 18 and the fun thing is that monsters are a challenge and it makes you think more and come up with a way to kill them. If everything was easy do you think it'd be much fun?

This is the way. Crafting helps. Also remember that the game is kind of geared to make it hard for you to complete certain caves, forts, barrows, etc until you reach a specific level. Go find some bandit dens and slaughter yourself some bandits. Also take a look at what you are dumping points into when leveling up. If you are to unbalance (too much magica, not enough health or stimina) start focusing on something else when leveling to even things out a bit. Also, potions rock, they really do. Potions and enchanted items.

Oh, and if you go prancing about with Lydia at your side and are exploring a cave or pretty much anywhere, and she says these words, "I've got a bad feeling about this." Listen to her. Turn around. Go back. It isn't too late. The next section might be too hard for you.

I think her conversation is set for Adept or higher. If you're on novice level you're probably okay, but on Master, turn around and go back. I've left dungeons and caves only partially explored. I wish I'd listened to her at Shearpoint.

Yes you can turn down the difficulty. The game really is hard for a first timer. You will grow into it at some point tho.

I'm currently playing a no leveling master difficulty game. That means, level 1, no perks, all the way. I am just 10 hours in so far and while things get hairy sometimes, there wasn't a situation I cant win yet. My first real challenge will come soon (Azura's Star) but I have scrolls and staves prepared.

Once you start getting skills around 75+ the game becomes really easy. It's better to try to get good at a couple main skills at first like a single offensive skill and a good defensive skill, then use the other skills to augment these.

hell, really?

I am level 33, 130+ hours of gametime, and I've JUST completed the main quest and am now doing the daedric and guild quests

There is a difficulty hump right around level 15. You've probably leveled up several times by raising skills not directly tied to combat. Thus, your attack and defense haven't improved as fast as your enemies have leveled. Try hit and run tactics, carry lots of health potions, and get a tank follower like Lydia and give her some better armor. Avoid Dwemer ruins and Falmer caves. For the next several level ups make sure you pay your perk points into the defense/offense skills your character specializes in.

Naturally? I play the game by becoming the most powerful I can be. If that means killing a village to fill some black soul gems, becoming a vampire, selling my soul to the deadra, and learning the art of necromancy then I will do so. I have loads of fun.

You play with one handed and destruction while wearing light armor and complain about taking a lot of damage?

It's called a shield, and if you already use one.. You just don't know what you're doing. Put more leveling bonuses into Health.

I've played more light armor assassin and scout types then heavy armor warrior types and I can tell you playing with light armor and no shield is hard even with a shield its hard. eventually you get strong enough that most fights aren't to hard best bet is to go get mehrunes razor (spelled wrong) great weapon for your type of player helps a ton also stock on potions always helps.

Around 10-15 is where the game is hardest imo. You're just about past it.

What kind of sword do you have? Have you improved it at the smith? Found any rings or necklaces to improve 1-handed attacks? Shield, yes! Elven is light armor, have you considered something heavier? I believe I was wearing heavy Imperial armor at this point in my game.

Who is your companion and what are they wearing/using?

The OP should take the time to list their skill levels and perks taken. Also health, stamina, and magicka.

Do this. You're likely leveling in an ineffective way.
Also what difficulty are you on?

Honestly destruction is really crap as compared to 2 handed/one handed and archery. Do you plan on specialising destruction, or maybe just a bit of destruction and more of 1 handed? If you are truly making destruction your no. 1 skill, then check if u have impact(skill perk). Then just spam fireballs at the enemy. Watch out for ur magicka though. Since destruction is really underpowered, i would recommend you to lean more towards melee combat at the start of the game, and always use a shield.

I did like that at Level 12. Near Drela's cottage I decided to climb the mountain and arrived at Eldersblood Peak from South side. I had no dragon at that time (didn't start MQ) but I saw a Frost Troll. There was a tree in between and he was stuck. So I got him with lots of arrows (increased my archery). Then I was confronted with a second one. I quickly run at the right side of the wall with the word on a small platform against the mountain wall. He could not reach me. So I used my bow again. But for the third I was out of arrows so I had to run, hit, return to that place, etc. After many hours I got him. I was so happy to get my first word. I only started MQ (killing my first dragon) after Level 20 because I wanted to enjoy the lanscape, harvest flowers, plants, and do what it pleases me.

Roll around Skyrim with Mjoll as a follower. She's considered an essential NPC and so can't ever die. She's also the best melee fighter and 2H warrior I've encoutered to date in the game.

What that means is you've got a stunning, walking keg of estrogen--which also just happens to be an invincible piece of canon fodder. Send her in against the big boys in your boss fights to soften them up and she'll make them cry.

Or give her a ranged weapon and have her pick off your enemies from a distance. She's well balanced fighter with ranged and melee weapons

Also if you give her a magic staff, she'll use it from a distance --which is a nice bonus considering she's a pure warrior.

The best part is she's also dead accurate using ice staffs against dragons as well!

There is no right or wrong way to play the game. However there are effecient ways and ineffecient ways for sure.

For a spellsword you (what you're playing now) you'd have to make sure to focus on One Handed, Destruction, Light Armor and Alteration. These skills should be pushed very hard and perked before you even think about getting into a crafting skill like Smithing or Enchanting. Remember that each time you level using non combat skills you become weaker unless you're already at a higher than needed level in your combat skills.

Health, Magicka and Stamina should be increased at a 40/30/30 ratio to get the best overall balance for this build but this is only my opinion. Others may have different ideas.

To be honest though, you chose a rather tricky build for a first play through. I would strongly suggest creating a more standard type of character like a Warrior or Mage before experimenting with more complex builds.

I like the posts that basically say "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG," and citing "obvious" advice which is only obvious if you've put significant amounts of time into the game. It's a good thing we have you guys around to look down on everyone else. How's the weather up there?


One thing:
What? No. No followers can get killed by direct enemy attacks. This has been discussed ad nauseum, but if a follower dies it's almost always because you friendly fired them, or they got hit with crossfire when an enemy was trying to hit you. When they drop into the "injured" state, enemies will not target them.