Unable to complete several boss battles

[Offshore]

Is it normal in this game to have to leave quests because they are too hard to complete? I can recall 2 so far I've had to leave without completing, and now a third one - currently the quest where the Dawnguard I think ask me to retrieve a mask from some cavern.

I finally found a way to defeat 3 Draugh Wights, and the only way was by getting a few shots in with the bow, then scurrying back to the safety of an underwater tunnel to regen health.

I thought that must be it - nope. In the next room are FOUR of the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, this time with nowhere to run and hide - impossible at my level.

Is it normal / OK to just bail out and come back later when I have more power?

[Rathyel]

Almost everything is level scaled around the player level.
When leveling always keep one combat skill up ahead of your other skills to be able to deal with enemies.

[Morgan Fun Gamer]

Which difficulty are you playing on this never really happens to me in my play throughs I always play on the default difficulty and this doesn't really happen to me.

[alexander_dougherty]

Three key pieces of advice, Keep your combat skills (usually armour and weapons, but not if you are doing a mage) as your most advanced skills, Enchant gear with resist magic or resist fire/shock/frost and a weapon with a decent enchantment for bosses (Draugr are weak against Fire damage like trolls), and have a plan of attack for a variety of scenarios (might be ranged, might be a shout that does fire/frost damage, might be a strong companion, etc)

[Death Approaches]

we would have to see your gear, how it's perked up / enchanted, what your level is, what your perks are for what skills you're using, etc to make these kinds of answers...

but a guy in storebought plain armor pieces with no enchanted jewelry and no enchants on their armor bits, with a stock un-honed weapon with or without enchants, is going to have a grueling time compared to one who does, at the same level.

sure you can come back, but since you didn't clear the location, in 10 game days it'll reset, and if you've leveled up, you might face more difficult enemies too. that's the game you're playing. :-)

[Offshore]

Originally posted by alexander_dougherty:

Three key pieces of advice, Keep your combat skills (usually armour and weapons, but not if you are doing a mage) as your most advanced skills, Enchant gear with resist magic or resist fire/shock/frost and a weapon with a decent enchantment for bosses (Draugr are weak against Fire damage like trolls), and have a plan of attack for a variety of scenarios (might be ranged, might be a shout that does fire/frost damage, might be a strong companion, etc)

Ah right - I did want to get magic up but it seemed so useless from the start that I just ended up relying on bow and two-handed - they are both now around 50 just by default. I joined the magic school to learn how it works but have become totally sidetracked by my desire to level smithing and alchemy because.. that's apparently the thing to do.

I have got some new dragon souls unused and shout words - maybe I should "install" them. I tried shouting at a Draugh, did ♥♥♥♥ all. Blasted them with the Wabbajack - nothing.

They are hard bastards, just flinging ice spikes into me from all directions. Nightmare. Only my sword is enchanted, eleven armour I found is not. Didn't know bow could be enchanted too. I've added potions to make health and stamina stronger in battle but they overpower me easily anyway.

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by Death Approaches:

we would have to see your gear, how it's perked up / enchanted, what your level is, what your perks are for what skills you're using, etc to make these kinds of answers...

but a guy in storebought plain armor pieces with no enchanted jewelry and no enchants on their armor bits, with a stock un-honed weapon with or without enchants, is going to have a grueling time compared to one who does, at the same level.

sure you can come back, but since you didn't clear the location, in 10 game days it'll reset, and if you've leveled up, you might face more difficult enemies too. that's the game you're playing. :-)

unless they have changed it, the level stays the same as when you started the dungeon, of course they may have changed it, and if they haven't invested in decent gear they are going to struggle on the next boss battle.

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by Offshore:

Originally posted by alexander_dougherty:

Three key pieces of advice, Keep your combat skills (usually armour and weapons, but not if you are doing a mage) as your most advanced skills, Enchant gear with resist magic or resist fire/shock/frost and a weapon with a decent enchantment for bosses (Draugr are weak against Fire damage like trolls), and have a plan of attack for a variety of scenarios (might be ranged, might be a shout that does fire/frost damage, might be a strong companion, etc)

Ah right - I did want to get magic up but it seemed so useless from the start that I just ended up relying on bow and two-handed - they are both now around 50 just by default. I joined the magic school to learn how it works but have become totally sidetracked by my desire to level smithing and alchemy because.. that's apparently the thing to do.

I have got some new dragon souls unused and shout words - maybe I should "install" them. I tried shouting at a Draugh, did ♥♥♥♥ all. Blasted them with the Wabbajack - nothing.

They are hard bastards, just flinging ice spikes into me from all directions. Nightmare. Only my sword is enchanted, eleven armour I found is not. Didn't know bow could be enchanted too. I've added potions to make health and stamina stronger in battle but they overpower me easily anyway.

Enchant the armour with resist frost if they are overpowering you with ice spells.
But shouting affects Draugr, not as much as living but in a tough fight any advantage is better than none.

[xybolt]

Originally posted by Offshore:

Is it normal / OK to just bail out and come back later when I have more power?

yeah, feel free to do that. That is okay. Each cell has a minimum/maximum level configuration when you enter it for the first time post-reset. If your level is below the "minimum" then it can be difficult yes. Just come back later when you've leveled up.

As user Morgan Fun Gamer has pointed out, the difficulty settings matters as well. If it is hard or legendary, then the enemies may become health sponges and very tough to deal with. There is no shame if you want to go to "easy" difficulty. Your game your way. It is *not* meant to be frustrated for some hindrance here.

Something worth to note though, there are some situations where you're facing a difficulty spike, like going through the dungeon was "easy" until in the last room, with a boss that is suddenly "very tough". It is a result of a bit inconsistent level settings you may find in some cells... Alas, you can try to face the challenge, adapt the difficulty settings or (although that may take a while to leave the dungeon again if you don't use the last-room-shortcut...) return back later. If you're really in need of support, you can try to find a follower that can help you. All game followers can be found here https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Followers

[Offshore]

I actually do not recall being asked what level to play at so I have no idea.

[Ilja]

You can see it from your game play settings. Settings are under main menu.

[Varanus]

Originally posted by Morgan Fun Gamer:

Which difficulty are you playing on this never really happens to me in my play throughs I always play on the default difficulty and this doesn't really happen to me.

Krev the Skinner at low level is nigh impossible. Playing on adept. I did the companions quests right after going to whiterun, and when finally getting to that quest, in the mid teens, that dude literally one shot Aela. And was taking roughly 90% of my health in a single shot. Not to mention the 3 other guys he has in the room with him.
Also Knevel in Volunruud has been fully capable one one shotting me in single spinny power attack, sub 20.
Those are the 2 I can think of, that can f@#$ you up easy.

[Morgan Fun Gamer]

Originally posted by Varanus:

Originally posted by Morgan Fun Gamer:

Which difficulty are you playing on this never really happens to me in my play throughs I always play on the default difficulty and this doesn't really happen to me.

Krev the Skinner at low level is nigh impossible. Playing on adept. I did the companions quests right after going to whiterun, and when finally getting to that quest, in the mid teens, that dude literally one shot Aela. And was taking roughly 90% of my health in a single shot. Not to mention the 3 other guys he has in the room with him.
Also Knevel in Volunruud has been fully capable one one shotting me in single spinny power attack, sub 20.
Those are the 2 I can think of, that can f@#$ you up easy.

Krev the skinner for me is usally very easy for me I can't think of one time I struggled with it I also fight Krev the skinner when I am clearing out the location after it respawns but my character is usally high level during this when I clear it out again after respawn.

[Varanus]

Originally posted by Morgan Fun Gamer:

Krev the skinner for me is usally very easy for me I can't think of one time I struggled with it

I take you've never gone in there a low level, and encountered the "I randomly decided to spawn in, wearing full dragon plate" version of Krev before, than. XD

[hawklaser]

Originally posted by Offshore:

I finally found a way to defeat 3 Draugh Wights, and the only way was by getting a few shots in with the bow, then scurrying back to the safety of an underwater tunnel to regen health.

I thought that must be it - nope. In the next room are FOUR of the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, this time with nowhere to run and hide - impossible at my level.

Yeah... it can be rough when multiple higher tier enemies spawn in together. I know I've been stomped by groups of higher tiered Bandits inside Fort Greymoor more than once when I was new.

The place will be stuck with its overall difficulty set until you clear it, as its based on its individual range and the level you were when you entered it. So if you need to leave to resuply or the like you can do so, though keep in mind if you are gone too long the enemies will respawn.

[quote=Offshore;594010065123482500
but have become totally sidetracked by my desire to level smithing and alchemy because.. that's apparently the thing to do.
[/quote]

And this situation you have run into, is exactly why I don't advise focusing on the crafting skills early on. As with a higher character level, it becomes more common for you to run into groups of higher tiered enemies, which you might not have enough items to deal with at your current skill level.

Originally posted by Offshore:

Only my sword is enchanted, eleven armour I found is not. Didn't know bow could be enchanted too. I've added potions to make health and stamina stronger in battle but they overpower me easily anyway.

So for enchantments, most things you can equip can be enchanted. You just have to decide if you want more defensive, offensive, or utility focused enchantments on things. It also doesn't hurt to carry around a couple different enchanted necklaces and rings for different situations.

Something else that can help early on is potions of the various elemental resistances. Its actually pretty easy to make resist frost and fire potions if you use snowberries as an ingredient, as they can be used to make any type of elemental resistance potion.

[Morgan Fun Gamer]

Originally posted by Varanus:

Originally posted by Morgan Fun Gamer:

Krev the skinner for me is usally very easy for me I can't think of one time I struggled with it

I take you've never gone in there a low level, and encountered the "I randomly decided to spawn in, wearing full dragon plate" version of Krev before, than. XD

I usally do the comapnions questline very early on in my playthroughs because a lot of my characters are two handed warriros and usally are in whiterun for early game and usally do the companions quest and I never have any trouble with Krev The Skinner