This isn't WoW. This isn't RIFT. This isn't an MMORPG of any sort, so please, don't treat it as such. There's a way past everything you've mentioned, and several of your "balance" qualms are trivial to say the least. 1.Magicka shouldn't be an issue at all, if you utilize a potion or two correctly, and put some points into your Restoration tree. Going on level 24 on Adept difficulty, I've yet to encounter problems with Magicka. 2. They're mostly place-holders, meant to hold you off from the juicier talent bits until later. If you're so confident that you can make the easy choice of doubling your damage output, then make it. Five points into one tree all at once isn't as good for your class as you might think. 3. No, they don't. My level 24 main character is full-mage. This isn't Oblivion. Restoration tree. Potions. Buy more spells. Profit. Low-level spells are far from magicka-deficient, provided you've put the proper points into the proper trees. There should be an amped-up version of them, however. 4. I don't steal in this game. It's a waste of time, and barely yields much to begin with. Why steal, when you can just kill all that inhabit the house and take the stuff for your own? 5. I had my first horse at level 5. They're far from costly, and the emphasis on fast-traveling should actually increase their cost, not make them cheaper. 6. I laughed. You have got to be joking. 7. The increased move-speed from that perk is merely a convenience that you are rewarded with for dedicating so many points to that tree, which you really deserve for doing so. Movement speed has little effect on your actual combat potency, so your argument is void here. Reduced speed is not a major downside. 8. No one invests fully into a single tree until they've gotten to a point where the important perks are out of the way. Firestorm costing too much magicka? Stop rushing for it so early. 9. Staves make things easy, yes, but they don't get used forever. Actual Conjuration is a huge magicka dump and is hardly cost-effective. Not overpowered by any means, unless staves are used. Then again, there's a reason we can only summon one at a time. ;) 10. I wish there was more. Above all, I think you're forgetting a few very important things; The game is still heavily influenced based on the gear you wear and use. If you have magicka problems, there's jewelry for that. Arrows killing you too fast? There's spells, and armor for that. Oh and, you know, utilizing your ability to SPRINT and use SHOUTS. ;) Also, if you find that your character is overpowered, try turning up the difficulty. That's what it's there for.