So I started a new game with a warrior on master difficulty...and I'm being beaten down at every turn. At level 10, I have smithed steel armored and a shield, better than stock dwarven at this point, and enemies still just destroy me if I try to stand there and fight. Blocking is not an option, I still take lots of damage while blocking. 2-Handed enemies, just forget about it...that's nearly instant death if I try to fight one. I've put all my leveling points into health and 2H guys can one-shot me from about 80% health or lower. My only chance against them is to shield bash them while they are attacking and extremely slowly whittle away their health. Which is another thing that's making this more frustrating than challenging, my damage is pathetic...almost non-existant. I got lucky and found a dwarven 1H axe from a chest but my attacks barely even move anything but generic bandits and wolves health bars. I got butchered by mud crabs...lol

So, I guess what I want to know is, when does it get playable? I can't really do anything fun with the game being this impossible. Falmor destroy me, dragons destroy me, sabercats destroy me, anything other than the basic bandit is a very tough fight and I have to run around healing or chugging potions. If I was playing a light armor guy with no shield, I would expect the game to be this way, but my guy has pretty much the max armor I can put on him and he still feels pathetically fragile.

Why don't you just turn the difficulty down? Unless you're determined to play on master? I like a challenge as much as the next guy but there's a point when it stops being fun and is just plain silly.

On topic, I guess your main approach is to not get hit and try and take em out from a distance. Stockpiling on potions is also probably a good idea. I haven't played on master so I don't know how to advise you, really.

Although if you believe these forums, 80% of people find master difficulty 'too easy'.

Well, my first playthrough was on the default level and I didn't find it challenging at all. I was expecting a challenge but this as you said, just silly. The people who say master is easy are most definitely not starting from the beginning on master. i can put it on master level with my archer and yeah it would be 100x easier than what I'm trying to do with this warrior right now. But, I don't want easy.

I personally like expert a lot. It is a nice balance

I think warriors are ideal for higher difficulties. High armor, high damage, further damage resistance from shield, etc.

Master on a light armor dual mace wielding stealth khajiit was pretty easy right from the beginning, after that, as soon as I got a good pair of daggers, I switched and never looked back. By now, at level 40 I one shot everything from stealth with those 2x backstab gloves and glass daggers. I also have 2 blades of woe but I save those for special occasions.
At first, try not to jump head first into battle, use some tactic, get better positioning, use stealth till you get things going.

You would have to be unconventional... I have pondered the idea of starting on master... what you could do is have an alchemy/enchanting/smithing character and start off trying to acquire as much money as you can. The easiest and safest way to do this is to go and harvest alchemy ingredients at the start of the game, and iron ore and soul gems whenever possible. Somehow enchanting some gear to make your alchemy potions better would be very helpful, as would going up the speech tree to the point where you can invest money in vendors, and sell any item to any vendor. Once you have an ample number of valuable potions, you can pretty much do everything you need right in towns... buy all the alchemy ingredients, iron ores, soul gems, leather you need then fast travel to the next town.. buy all their stuff, use it to make alchemy potions, to make even more money. Try to enchant your iron daggers with the banish spell if you can, for even more money. Basically you can build your character up in relative safety until you are powerful enough to venture out on your own. You'd just go from town to town buying up the stuff and using it to smith/enchant/make potions.

I would also take conjuration to 100 and dual summon whatever is required. Similar to the character I already have, but I've thought about starting over on master, once they fix the game.

You have to use potions, and lots of them. Poisons help. Enchants/Smithing is awesome, but not entirely needed. Make the best of everything you have, time your shield bashes right, dodge/side-step enemy attacks, use fus-ro-dah at appropriate times, etc. Use powers when needed. There's really not much more to it.

Well, I started on Master as well - and playing Dead is Dead. And 2-handers OHKO is the reason I'm planning to use bow (didn't go into any combat yet, since I want to lvlup my conjuration/bow skils first).


...the only thing I can recommend you, although I'm not sure if it'll even work due to level scaling. Well, get smithing to 70, and get urself enough ore for full Ebony gear (from Gloombound mine)

All my characters start on master level, don't use smithing, and each one has solo'd bleak falls barrow, right from the start.

My two hander succeded by putting stamina up first and power attack kiting mobs. Move slow in the dungeon so you don't wake up multiple mobs. Had to kite heal a few times as well.

My archer just snook around the dungeon and also kited the mobs around. Used a couple of potions, but no healing spells.

Best advice I can give? Pick one damage combat skill and push it hard perk and skill wise. You need those damage multipliers and discountedpower attacks asap.