Does it matter how I complete “Under Saarthal”?

Question

This is my first playthrough of Skyrim, so keep any answers as spoiler-free as possible please!

I'm a level 30 Bosmer focusing on sneak, archery, and one-handed skills. I haven't really done anything serious with magic yet - I learn all the spells I can from looted Spell Tomes, but that's pretty much it. I've only increased my Magicka twice in the entire game. When I got to the College of Winterhold, I decided I wanted to try and be a good apprentice and use only magic. My decision was reinforced when, in the "Under Saarthal" quest, a member of the Psijic order appeared and said he would be judging my actions. I took this to mean that he would be watching how I used magic through the rest of the dungeon.

And then I got to the part where my guide decided to stay and look at some tombs, and I had to continue alone. Being level 30, I immediately encountered 2 Dragur Scourges and a Dragur Deathlord at the same time, and my pitiful magic did practically no damage to them. Needless to say I was slaughtered.

So to get to my question: can I complete the dungeon as a sneaking wood-elf with a bow and a dagger without invoking the wrath of the Psijic Order? Or should I do some Rocky-style magic training before trying again?

Answer 1

No, it doesn't matter.

There are very few cases in Skyrim where it matters how you choose to fight (other than obviously making a difference in how hard it is if, for example, you're specialized in bows and you try to fight with magic), and "Under Saarthal" is definitely not one of them. The Psijic Order is judging what you accomplish, not how you accomplish it.

Generally, unless an NPC explicitly tells you to do something a certain way, you're free to do things however you want. If it can merely be interpreted to mean they care how you do something, they don't actually care.