As you can probably infer from the name of this addon, your adventure in Skyrim will have its difficult moments. Here are some tips that I’ve found useful for making the journey in one piece.
I know, some people prefer to be a lone wolf. However, having someone around to watch your back is invaluable. Your enemies will certainly have buddies in spades; even out the odds by bringing a friend of your own even if it’s just temporarily. When choosing a follower look for skills that complement your own. If you generally do well on the back lines, get a companion that can stand their ground up front. If you do best up close and personal, look for an archer or a mage to bring the heat from the rear. If the two of you fit the same ‘role’ you’ll often get in each other’s ways.
With Honed Metal, the only thing that keeps you from the benefits of Smithing and Enchanting is your coin pouch. Unless you’re saving up for something in particular, put your septims to use by getting a solid piece of equipment or tempering what you already have. Keep in mind that you’d need to pay extra for any materials that aren’t provided, so keep stock of crafting materials even if you aren’t a crafter yourself.
Alchemy is a beast unto itself. While investment will certainly boost the power and duration of your potions and poisons, the effects are nothing to scoff at even without perks. Alchemical ingredients are literally lying on the floor throughout your adventure as well! Grab a handful as you go, find the effects that complement your playstyle, and keep a few vials on hand for the tough spots. You never know when a 20% boost to your main skill will come in handy, after all!
You’ve just escaped Helgen by the skin of your teeth. You don’t have much to your name, and you don’t have nifty perks that deliver the pain to your enemies. Take a moment to collect yourself in town. Craft a bit and make a little money to get yourself started. The Skyrim Uncapper is configured to give less exp for your crafting skills, so there’s no need to worry about overleveling yourself out of the gate. There will be plenty of time to delve into dungeons later. Make sure you’re properly equipped now.
The urge to explore is strong but try to fight it off in the early game. There is plenty to do in Whiterun hold once you’ve reached Riverwood, and that content should get you to Level 10 without too many hitches. A Missives board can be found in Whiterun if you need additional tasks. Bleak Falls Barrow can be handled easily at Level 5, though you may want to wait until you’re closer to Level 10 before tackling Dragon Rising. Also, buy Breezehome. All of the other homes are more expensive and you’ll need someplace reliable to store your valuables until you come into money.
Forget what I just said about staying local. It’s time to explore and get into the thick of it! Time passes fast on the overworld, however, so unless you want to spend all of daylight traveling from Point A to Point B, invest in a horse to shorten your travel times. And if you’re really going far I recommend making use of the carriages from time to time. Since your carry weight (and that of your follower) is halved, horses are also the best way to move a lot of supplies from one place to another.
Go find yourself a faction (e.g. The Companions) that suits your character and sign up. Their quests will support the skills you’re looking to improve. As you progress through the tier, consider signing up for the Stormcloaks or the Imperial Legion if you have a stake in the civil war. Their quests are less focused, but they’ll provide plenty of targets to practice on to level up further.
Seriously, I can’t stress this enough. In the late game you may be dealing with areas that are scaled high above your Level 50 limit, some at that point long before you reach the cap. You’ll need every advantage you can get to bridge the gap, and most of those advantages are obtained through crafting. If you ignored that advice early on, now’s a good time to reconsider it. It might be time to make different equipment sets for different types of enemies, even.