What exactly does the difficulty level effect gameplay?

[Bobblast1886]

Didn't mean to post a redundant question or newbish question, but I was wondering specifically what does the difficulty level in the game effect?
Obviously the enemies are harder, but how does it effect levelling, and level enemies? do you earn more XP, less? do skills earn faster or slower? etc.

Also, what is the best strategy to play on master level, because I was getting slaughtered even at level 12 by the mages during the winterhold quest line, a few hits, and i was dead. barely dented the enemy hit points. what was I doing wrong?

[Wolfie]

Obviously the enemies are harder, but how does it effect levelling, and level enemies? do you earn more XP, less? do skills earn faster or slower? etc.

None of those are afected, as far as I can tell it dose the same as in oblvion, you do less damge they do more

Also, what is the best strategy to play on master level, because I was getting slaughtered even at level 12 by the mages during the winterhold quest line, a few hits, and i was dead. barely dented the enemy hit points. what was I doing wrong?

Most likely letting mages hit you, on master you can not go toe and toe with enemys unless you level right and a few other things, mages hurt, and they can cast things you may be weak aginst


What race are you?
What are your skills you use?
whats you equmpemnt

[BabyKiller209]

Youll need armor or robes enchanted to resist magicka, or you won't be able to get close enough to kill them.

[MasterRokon]

Technically you dont gain more xp, but like oblivion its a 6:1health ratio on the hardest 6x enemy hp more than urs, but u do gain more attack xp, like if you had to kill with one hit its .4xp gain x one hit, but at master difficulty its 6 hits to kill so .4xp x 6 hits, so essentially yes its more xp, but not higher xp gain.

[Wolfie]

In other words, Xp stays the same but since you have to hit them more times you get more XP

[Talamare]

Go Breton or Orc

Honestly that difficulty is all about survival and there is no other races that will give you such a massive defensive bonus

[Lord_Monkfish]

Yeah, mages on expert difficulty are probably the most dangerous enemy I encounter. But with a little planning they shouldn't be too hard.

I always start with a sneak attack with my bow which with some good weaponry/arrows and fortify archery enchants should down a mage in one shot, otherwise follow up with 1 or 2 extras and that'll be fine.

The boss level mages can be a lot tougher though! I recently encountered one that gave me a bit of trouble and I started with a sneak attack and poisoned my bow with a paralyze poison. I also used poison damage on each of my shots. A bit of poison and remembering to line-of-sight their spells should be enough!

For a melee character it'd be a lot different though so you'd absolutely need some resist magic enchants/potions/spells etc.

[MasterRokon]

Try and create and carry drain magickapotions and halt magicka regen 100% potions with you i always hold 10x 50 drain pots, and 8x Halt mp eegen 100%, also have my Topaz Gleam Falmer Blade with a sap mp enchant, mages are a joke for Rokon Orichiami. Also A variety of fire, frost, shock, and magic resist pots help too, and wep enchant 20% stronger is good if you have mp siphon.