So, Skyrim's out 11/11/11

[Roland]

The one thing I can say about leveling non-combat skills is that it *shouldn't* make content tougher for you than intended. So far, Skyrim has been a *tough* game but fun and rewarding. Granted, if you shoot your Smithing up to 100 ASAP (Like I did) and gain extra levels because of it - you will find more powerful enemies and not have particular "Combat" perks to handle them as easily.

My Smithing is only up to 65, and I believe I just hit level 21 last night, so I'm not overleveled at this point. It is possible, but it's also fairly easy to avoid. As you did, you almost - almost - have to go out of your way to overlevel yourself by powering your way up one or two skills. I wanted to unlock Exquisite crafting since I have no Smithing perks (yet - unsure of when, or if, I want to unlock them), but my Smithing level is my highest skill at the moment (Sneaking and Archery are around 60 or 61, Light Armor is somewhere in the 40s, and Lockpicking & Alchemy are around 30, give or take). Personally, I've not found Skyrim overall to be very tough, but I'm playing at the default difficulty, and I've had enough experience with past TES games to know how they work. Last night was the first time in awhile I've faced truly challenging opponents without them being overpowered (Giants). I died to the bandits because I ran away from a Giant who decided I'd make a good snack, right into a fort I had just discovered that happened to house a whole slew of high-level bandits. So... yeah. My fault.

That being said, putting perks into Smithing lets you craft various weapons that are stronger, as well as taking a Grinstone to the weapons you do have and making them stronger/more level appropriate. Im level 33 at this point, dual wielding Mace of Molag Bar (Spelling?) and Grimsever at close range, using Mehrune's Razor and a Legendary Glass Dagger for Sneak attacking, and a Legendary Glass Bow for Ranged - and things just melt. I even turned the difficulty up from "Adept" (Normal) to see how tough it was - and its made the game more fun in the later levels. Im eyeballing "Master" difficulty if it gets easier than it is currently.

This is the other side of the coin. As you gain levels - regardless of how - you unlock better items for sale, and Smithing allows you to improve those items up to a certain point even without investing perks. So it's possible to remain somewhat balanced despite power leveling, with a little shopping and crafting investment. If you upped Pickpocketing to 100, I should hope you'd have found enough good gear to compensate. Speechcraft at least would net you solid prices on buying and selling, so high level gear would be more affordable. Alchemy would at least allow you to craft powerful potions and poisons to counteract your enemies. So, yes, it's difficult (but not impossible) to raise the challenge level beyond your means. Personally, most things I encounter fall quickly to a sneak attack from my Exquisite Elven Bow and Steel Arrows. I save the Dwarven & Elven arrows for Dragons, although those bandits shrugged off the Steel ones too easily for my taste.

While there may be some tough levels between 10-25 where you seem to hit some enemies or Bandit Lords that cast projectiles that 2-shot you or close the gap and kill you faster than you can heal up - eventually it'll get better with gear/more powerful spells.

-Z

As I said, I was caught in a bad position, while being weak from a previous fight, and got slaughtered due to horrible tactical choices and too many enemies. Also, I waited too long to quaff a potion. I think I could have pulled out alive, if not completely victorious, if I had made better decisions, but so it goes. I retired to town to craft some potions and experiment. I'm running low on cash, and Alchemy can be a good way to raise some, although my poor Speechcraft skill is hampering that extensively. At any rate, I'm right in that window, and I will concur that right around 20 you get a little jump in difficulty that takes a bit to adjust to when you're used to slaughtering just about anything in your path with ease. That Blood Dragon was a real eye opener. I won on the first attempt, and I definitely tempted fate by being conservative with my healing potions (and my poisons, for that matter), but even with my Elven Bow and Dwarven Arrows it was a long, tough fight, and his fire breath did plenty of damage even with my 14% Fire Resist potions and Lord's Stone 25% Magic Resist. It's good to fear dragons again, but it will definitely make me think twice about venturing out of town unprepared. Thus my Alchemy efforts last night (and still debating sinking a point or three into Alchemy perks), so I could stock up on more poisons and health potions to make those difficult fights easier. I have about 8 or 9 perk points saved up, and about half a dozen Dragon Souls waiting for words to unlock, so it's not like I can't boost myself up a bit (although the basic perks for Archery, Light Armor, and Sneak are all as high as I can put them - 3/5). I have zero magical items save for a 10% bartering amulet, so that's a factor too. I do not find myself weak, and I do not find the challenge unsatisfying. Last night was just a wake up call that the easy road is behind me - the real game is beginning.