I don't see it as gimping myself though. The cleric player I mentioned was something that I wanted to play. I don't purposefully ignore archery and sneak in order to be gimped, I do it because that character would be disdainful fo such cowardly things. I don't stick only to harvested materials for smithing in order to slow down the process of leveling it, I do it in order for it to feel like a more natural progression. It's a roleplaying thing. That character doesn't understand that buying all the iron ingots in town and making daggers would make her a more skillful smith- she has gathered some iron ore and animal pelts, and makes gear with them to sell. That's what makes sense to her.

It's just like me in real life. I'm a software developer. I don't write tons of easy code because that might increase my skill as a programmer. I write code as needed for my job, or sometimes as wanted for my personal enjoyment, and my skill progresses naturally. I'm trying to recreate that same thing in the game with character. That's the essence of roleplaying. You have to gimp yourself as a player, and consider what the character would know, and not what you would know.

The warrior on the other hand, is not really a roleplaying character, it's more of a "roll" playing character. In other words, it was deisgned to be a min-max type character. When I play that character, I'm not roleplaying, I'm playing hack-n-slash, grab all the loot, because sometimes that's fun.

By the way, I DO see it was a good thing that I can play multiple characters. I enjoy playing in multiple different styles. I don't see how that could be seen as anything BUT a plus. If you don't want to take advantage of that, there's nothing saying you have to make more than one character. It's NOT a neccessity. It's an option.

The game locks the location to your level when you first discover it, so it could be that you walked by at level 5 but did not explore it yet.

Also, some locations are set to low levels and stay that way, some are set to high levels and stay that way.

I just create a new character when I feel my current one has become too effective. TES has soft endings. The game doesn't tell you when your story is over, you decide that for yourself. Most games simply end and roll the credits. This one allows you to continue until you are ready to stop. If your character has gotten too powerful for your tastes, perhaps his story is finished and it's time for another story to begin.

I quit playing my last character at level 36 because the game had lost its challenge. I think the problem was that I was too focused. I leveled block, 1h, heavy armor, smithing and a little bit of alchemy and that was it. I know I got my smithing up too quickly largely because I got that glowing ore mod and I O.C.D mined everything in sight.

On my current playthrough, I have done a few things to limit my thief/assassin. I don't perk silence or shadow warrior and I only go 3/5 in stealth. I don't go for more than 50% resist to any magic school. I use some mods to make it more challenging: realistic lighting to keep it dark, then add tougher traps and subliminal traps. I also use iHud to take off stealth and enemy indicator. I'm at 40 right now and I'm not O.P. and it makes the game a lot of fun. I've leveled a lot of skills that I haven't perked, like smithing and enchanting.

I'm wearing Studded and Hide armor at level 53. I have a daedric bow I do 275 damage with. I've enchanted my gear to give my either stamina or +archery. My goal was to make a character that had lots of firepower but little health. I find it exciting and challenging to try to avoid being hit, since I only have 330 health and almost no armor. It's pretty fun that way.

I'm at level 29 with a sneaky archer/assassin on Adept. Sneak is at 99, and Archery is 60-something, and those are my two top skills. I'm just playing naturally and not deliberately avoiding any perks. Some enemies are easy. Others, particularly spell casters, leave me feeling quite mortal.

Do you know if you actually have to discover it (ie. get the message on screen) or is it just walking in that cell?

Every single TES game allows your character to become godlike. I fail to see why this is an issue NOW, 15 years later?

This is a single player game. If you want a challenge, turn it on Master. It's also your choice. Don't want to become OP? DON'T DO IT.

I think at one point I will max enchanting to 100 to get the two enchantings on the same item. I will then use that to "fortify health" and "fortify health regen" but only on pieces of clothing (on a hot Breton female character preferably).

So basically you have this hot lady wearing a few clothes and walking around killing everything in her path. I think it could be fun with the Lord Stone so you get minimal 50 armour.

I've found even Adept difficult if I don't use smithing, alchemy, enchanting, heavy armor or followers.
There's something within those skills (or feature) which makes them increasingly overpowered over a few levels.
So am I holding back or gimping by doing this? no. I'm simply ignoring that content to find more enjoyment and challenge at higher levels.

That feels pretty stupid
why not level up everything as you level up,

I am so getting this for a sig XD

Each person may find themselves uncomfortably powerful at a different level. Some (like me) may never become uncomfortable. This may relate to attitude AND to your game skills. Someone who is really good with these things, knowledgeable and dextrous may find himself winning easily long before someone like me does. They have to program the game to allow a suit a lot of different people. Hence the leveling of the areas and the play skill levels. It's obviously not a perfect system, it can't be.

yes, i have to put restrictions on my character. i only use iron or steel weapons and armour. i don't enchant or power-smith.. i play on master and have to do this to not become over-powered

i hate having to restrict myself this way but its the only way to get a challenge out of it

Yes I do hold back, it's not much fun when your killing enemies in one hit or you take no damage from an enemy and I don't break Smithing. I may bend Smithing but not break it to the point where your doing OP damage.

He'd probably be better off ignoring YOU.

^this

You must not have played Oblivion........

I believe if you get the map marker, then you have discovered it.

Here's a tip you obviously don't like this game so why come here and try and start a flame war.

This. Just make a new character and avoid what made things too easy. Or stay OP and finish the main quests

I hadn't discovered it before i entered it, i guess it's set to have always have low level enemies

And not even Briarhearts can hurt me anymore Ysgramor's Shield and Lord stone apparently suppress thier magic enough too. Oh well, might aswell get Spell Breaker and ignore enemies trough the rest of the game

Hurry up with CK Bethesda, there's a lot of work to be done!

It is kind of refreshing to have low level enemies once in a while. I mean, my character has some mad skills, some fights should be easy.

My character is a Level 37 Imperial Spellsword, uses Destruction, One Handed, Restoration and Heavy Armor. I completely ignore Smithing, Enchanting, Sneak and Alchemy. I play on Master and I still have trouble with most dragons, higher tier dragur, dragon priests and Briarhearts.

I enjoy playing this character most because there is still a challenge.

Yeah, that's true. In an RPG you eventually should be able to ignore the enemies that gave trouble at first, like the Restless Draugr or Frost Trolls. Gives a sense of growing more powerful.

But, alas, i'm now more powerful than anyone, and i'm not even half way trough the game nor have nearly the best equipment available. On one hand it's good that even Steel Armor can be upgraded to last troughout the game, on other hand it makes pointless to get better equipment. Maybe they should have some other properties than just Armor Rating? (Not talking about enchantments.)