Skyrim: 10 Tips to Increase Difficulty in a New Playthrough

Skyrim: 10 Tips to Increase Difficulty in a New Playthrough

After completing Skyrim multiple times, players often fall into a repetitive cycle.Characters are built similarly, quests are repeated, and familiar steps are taken, making the game feel increasingly stale. Before long, the excitement begins to fade, turning a once exhilarating experience into a mundane routine.

When you possess a complete understanding of the game mechanics, the challenges lessen, leading to an underwhelming gameplay experience. It may be time to introduce personal restrictions—commitment to certain self-imposed rules that you must adhere to during your adventure.

By embracing these self-imposed challenges and venturing beyond your established limits, you can reignite your enthusiasm for the vibrant world of Skyrim. It can feel as refreshing as your initial exploration of Tamriel back in 2011.

This article outlines ten inventive challenges designed to enhance your gaming experience and reignite your passion for this beloved RPG.

10. Embrace Pacifism

Violence Is Never the Solution

Meridia's statue with arms raised in Skyrim

How can a pacifist thrive in a land filled with conflict? Begin by crafting an engaging backstory for your character.Perhaps you embody a benevolent priest or a gentle maiden devoted to healing, determined to avoid direct violence. Killing, under the guise of your character’s beliefs, becomes a complex moral dilemma.

Gathering followers can help you strike from a distance, or you could use conjuration spells to summon otherworldly beings for assistance. You may even devise clever traps for your foes or engage in reverse-pickpocketing tactics. The key question remains: is this truly killing? The boundaries of morality blur in Tamriel.

9. Forego Quicksaves

Your Choices Matter

Moorside Inn in Skyrim

The quicksave feature in Skyrim can be a double-edged sword, offering convenience but also diminishing the tension. Players often rely on rapid saves after every decision, regardless of how trivial, be it leaping from cliffs or engaging formidable foes.

Eliminating quicksaves transforms gameplay, as every action carries real consequences, inciting a newfound sense of risk.

8. Venture Alone

A True Test of Self-Reliance

Collage of women found in Skyrim

This challenge requires players to navigate Tamriel without assistance.No followers, no conjured beings, no allies—just you against the vast wilderness.

This means that even the prospect of marrying or adopting children is off the table. Every decision and encounter now relies solely on your skills and resourcefulness. Explore the remote corners of Skyrim, perhaps even seeking solitude in a humble cave, and prove that you can thrive as a lone wanderer.

7. Live as a Penniless Pauper

Cashless and Carefree

Skooma dealer's hideout in Skyrim

For seasoned players, accumulating wealth in Skyrim can be astonishingly simple. From enchanting items to crafting powerful potions, financial prosperity comes easily. However, have you ever pondered what life would be like without a single septim to your name?

This challenge encourages players to maximize their surroundings. No purchasing spells, no buying items, and no costly transport rides! You’ll have to forge your own path without relying on the conveniences of a loaded pocket. Throw away any coin you find—this journey is about living frugally!

6. Engage in a Specific Build Run

Craft Your Own D&D Character

Sneaking in Skyrim

This challenge strikes a balance between difficulty and enjoyment, appealing to those searching for a new way to experience the game.Consider adopting a unique character build—maybe a holy Paladin, a sinister Necromancer, or a chaotic Wabbajack-wielder.

By customizing your character’s rules and motivations, you can delve deeper into their story, enriching your gameplay while enhancing the level of challenge.

5. Activate Legendary Mode

A True Test for the Audacious

Official Skyrim Artwork

Although it may seem like an obvious suggestion, switching to Legendary Mode can elevate your gameplay experience significantly. Here, enemies become incredibly resilient, making your attacks feel less impactful.Prepare for protracted battles where strategic thinking and skill are paramount.

This mode challenges you to optimize your character’s attributes, from effective use of enchantments to maximizing your potion strategies, all while monitoring your leveling pace. The landscape of Skyrim becomes drastically more challenging when you commit to a legendary experience.

4. Explore Modifications

Endless Enhancements Await

Skyrim - Beyond Skyrim Mod

Delve into the vast realm of Skyrim mods, which substantially alter your experience. By selecting a reliable mod loader, you gain access to a plethora of customizable features.

Start with 4–5 modifications to gradually enhance various aspects of the game.Skip the novelty of the Thomas the Tank Engine Dragon mod for more impactful changes.

Embracing mods not only reinvigorates your encounter with Skyrim but also offers an opportunity to relearn the game mechanics afresh.

3. Become an Evil Overlord

Embrace Your Dark Side

Vampire Lord appearance in Skyrim

Embrace a path of chaos and destruction, transforming into the ultimate monarch of crime. Ascend to the leadership of both the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood, enhancing your reputation as you seek to raise the largest bounty across Skyrim.

Engage in nefarious acts—murder, theft, and devastation while leaving chaos in your wake.Bonus points for achieving this status while taking the form of a vampire! Shape your villainous legacy in a world that fears your name.

2. Refrain from Leveling Up

Who Needs Levels?

Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Dragonborn standing in Riverfell

Challenging runs exist in various games, including the renowned Dark Souls, but consider how much more formidable it would be to navigate Skyrim as a level 1 character.

Imagine tackling foes without the ability to increase any skills or attributes! It’s an audacious challenge, but not impossible with enough skill and determination.

This endeavor forbids even the use of conventional weapons or destructive magic that could risk leveling up your stats. However, utilizing unarmed combat and specific skills like shouts or transformation into werewolf or vampire forms provide viable strategies to maintain your level 1 status.

Utilize all passive enhancements within the game, and possibly, you will prevail even at this base level.

1. Experience Survival Mode

Survive Against All Odds

Skyrim food on table

Those who own the Skyrim Special Edition can access Survival Mode free of charge. This immersive experience blurs the lines between reality and the game world.Adapting to this mode will challenge your survival instincts with new mechanics that demand attention.

Key elements include:

  • Hunger
  • Fatigue
  • Exposure to Cold
  • Need for Warmth
  • Disabled Fast Travel
  • Reduced Carry Weight
  • Potentially harmful Diseases

In this mode, you’ll need to monitor your diet to avoid food poisoning! While daunting, adjusting to these constraints might make returning to the standard gameplay less appealing. For those passionate about role-playing and fully immersing in a virtual universe, Survival Mode offers a uniquely challenging experience, enhancing your conquest of Skyrim’s frigid landscape.

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