Skyrim! Or "There can be only one!" [Archive]

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-11-2011, 01:35 PM

Update; Dualcasting fire and Lightning is fucking awesome!

That is all.

This game is taunting me by it's reviews of "play anyway you like", i'm not sure if it's possible but i really want to play "stealth", in a "kill from the shadows" way... not sure if the game is going to let me do it though.

I wanted to be a Bow user, but i'm never a good bow user in games that have limited arrows (also, hardly worth it the extra hussle)

I am almost certain this is indeed a viable way to play the game. So yeah, go with it dude. I've mostly just been fighting bandits so far but you can definately sneak up close to them and/or hit them from range. Plus you seem to find a metric shit ton of arrows as well, and they have no weight.

Azisien

11-11-2011, 02:25 PM

Everyone investing in sneaking around was actually just WASTING THEIR TIME! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5aUdijAN8&feature=feedf)

Grandmaster_Skweeb

11-11-2011, 03:49 PM

two-hand axe wielding orc. I ain't got no time for trifling magic.

I make inferior beings bleed out their useless lives out before my mighty ancient nord waraxe! Until I obtain me a soul-suckin chopper. Then shit really is gonna go down.

Kim

11-11-2011, 03:56 PM

I have to send the copy I've been playing back to our PR guy today, which is good because FUCK THIS GAME IS ADDICTING WHY CAN'T I STOP PLAYING SEND HELP

shiney

11-11-2011, 04:05 PM

Considering it but I can't afford the purchase right now. :/

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-11-2011, 04:35 PM

Hey guys you know what's totally fucking hilarious? Killing stuff, raising them from the dead, then hitting them with combined frost/flame attacks until they disintergrate.

It literally never gets old. It even gives you easy xp for doing it too!

Bells

11-11-2011, 04:35 PM

Everyone investing in sneaking around was actually just WASTING THEIR TIME! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5aUdijAN8&feature=feedf)

YES!

I've discovered my Playstyle for my frist go at Skyrim!

I shall become.. the bucketnator!

Marc v4.0

11-11-2011, 05:01 PM

OH GOD THE WATER IS SO PRETTY.

I, for one, welcome our Force-Lightning Nord Overlord

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-11-2011, 05:46 PM

I just entered Whiterun. I... I don't know what to do. There's... so much, to see. My god, this world is so insanely massive! It's actually insane.

Aldurin

11-11-2011, 06:09 PM

Everyone investing in sneaking around was actually just WASTING THEIR TIME! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5aUdijAN8&feature=feedf)

This is going to become a meme soon, I'm sure of it.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-11-2011, 07:16 PM

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!

See, I told you I was going to shout it when I killed one.^_^ That was pretty epic if I do say so myself.

Arcanum

11-11-2011, 07:40 PM

Bells

11-11-2011, 08:03 PM

Quick question for those of you who already have the game... is it possible to Snipe?

Does the game have those One-handed Bowguns? Cause... i totally want to Double weild that...

Melfice

11-11-2011, 08:45 PM

I think I just reached level 13 or so. Left Whiterun behind so I can go talk to some Greybeards and learn more about yelling at things to make them dead, because while Force Shout is awesome I have the word for breathing fire so now I just need another dragon to murder.

WHERE DID YOU GET THE FIRE-BREATH SHOUT!? I must know!
... I wanna make an Argonian Dragon Knight character on the side, and he must breathe fire.

Quick question for those of you who already have the game... is it possible to Snipe?

Does the game have those One-handed Bowguns? Cause... i totally want to Double weild that...

Technically possible to snipe. Not sure if the game registers headshots, though.
And no crossbows so far. Possible there won't be any at all.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-11-2011, 09:24 PM

It is indeed entirely possible to snipe. Bows come with slow down time and zooming in skills as well as crit hit bonuses for headshots. No bow guns though.

Arcanum

11-11-2011, 10:46 PM

Bob The Mercenary

11-12-2011, 12:01 AM

Just installed it tonight and played it on my 560ti with maxed graphics. Most gorgeous gamed I've played. I keep losing my bearings because I'm always looking at the scenery.

Arcanum

11-12-2011, 12:06 AM

About 6 or 8 levels ago I met a Giant and he murdered me in one hit with his club and http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/595827796567327604/B5B402E8D6112EE7EBDB071F408788BCA7475842/

Best part: it was an overhead swing, so technically I bounced off the ground.

Viridis

11-12-2011, 05:02 AM

Everyone investing in sneaking around was actually just WASTING THEIR TIME! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5aUdijAN8&feature=feedf)This is going to become a meme soon, I'm sure of it.

And then this happened. (http://www.halolz.com/2011/11/11/video-dovakiins-day-off/)

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-12-2011, 05:51 AM

Umm I found the word for fire in a dungeon somewhere... not sure exactly though. I'll boot my game back up in a minute and check my map and see if I can remember.

Also, I am a werewolf now. Life is good.

Edit- Ok I think I got it in Dustman's Cairn. It's almost directly west of Whiterun. You go there for like the first or second quest with The Companions.

Where did you find the werewolves? I've been wanting to do that myself. Although, now that I've discovered I can dual wield bound swords, and that they still count towards 1 handed weapon skills I'm not in as desperate need of melee attacks as I thought I would be.

EVILNess

11-12-2011, 06:10 AM

My disappointment over the no custom spells thing knows no bounds.

Melfice

11-12-2011, 07:46 AM

Eh, I can live without it.
All I need is my Clairvoyance spell and the Candlelight spell.
And Flames (or whatever that starter-spell is called) for the trolls.

Occasionally summon Familiar for the delightful wolf it summons. But just for shits and giggles.

Bells

11-12-2011, 09:31 AM

a huge GIF image display the difference between the Graphical settings

http://images.benchmark3d.com/benchmarks/skyrim/skyrim_image_quality.gif

that means: Go for best performance. you won't loose much.

Also, Just started, created a pretty Imperial Dark Skinned Bow Maiden. Awesome!

DarkDrgon

11-12-2011, 10:18 AM

Melfice

11-12-2011, 10:29 AM

Ask a tavern keep where you can learn more magic.
I can't remember off the top of my head where the Mages College is. (or was it the Mages Guild? Whatever.) Want to say Solitude, but not sure.
And don't focus purely on magic right iin the beginning. Up close, you're better off with at least a dagger in your right, or left, hand until you learn the big magic.

As for stuff to do... don't buy a horse. Walk. You'll quickly find wolves attacking you. Also, stray off the beaten paths. Go into caves and ruins. Explore! =D

Ryong

11-12-2011, 10:37 AM

Man, a friend o' mine has nearly the same setup as me, just a little better off with CPU and he's getting a terrible frame rate with everyone on the lowest settings possible - including draw distance, so you can't see a table if you're more than 20 feet away - so there go all my hopes that I'd be able to play Skyrim without upgrading my rig first.

So, hey, just like with Oblivion, then.

DarkDrgon

11-12-2011, 11:05 AM

As for stuff to do... don't buy a horse. Walk. You'll quickly find wolves attacking you. Also, stray off the beaten paths. Go into caves and ruins. Explore! =D

yeah, I died and my save brought me back to pre-horse and i'm not gonna bother again. Maybe I should start using a weapon in one hand, I'm exploring a cave and getting my ass kicked by one goblin looking thing. I feel like a first level wizard in AD&D

Azisien

11-12-2011, 11:07 AM

This is my first Elder Scrolls game, so maybe i'm not getting it but i'm having a ton of trouble with this game. I love every second though. Anyone know where I can find some better spells than the ones you buy in Riverwood? I'm trying to be a dedicated mage, and the game is punishing me for it.

Also the overworld seems too.. empty. I'm trying to find some mobs to kill to keep increasing my Destruction skill, but I can't find any more things to kill that won't one-shot me. I bought a horse and just started riding around wherever, and After an hour I only found 2 trolls and a graveyard with some Skellies in it.

1) You can find a decent number of spells in Whiterun, which is close to Riverwood. Go to the keep, Dragonsreach, at the top of Whiterun. There's a mage in there with lots of Novice and Apprentice spells. After that, there's a College for Mages in Winterhold.

2) Go to taverns and ask for work. Generally spawns a bounty to go kill bandits. Also just generally quest for people, you'll run into more mobs this way than wandering.

Bells

11-12-2011, 11:30 AM

Shotting things in the face at Point Blank is awesome... just awesome.

CABAL49

11-12-2011, 12:31 PM

Winterhold has the College of Magic, just use the handy dandy cart in front of Whiterun near the stables to get there fast.

Marc v4.0

11-12-2011, 01:22 PM

The fact that bandits and necromancers insist on standing utop tall towers and bridges makes Fus Ro Dah that much more entertaining.

Arcanum

11-12-2011, 02:22 PM

Where did you find the werewolves? I've been wanting to do that myself. Although, now that I've discovered I can dual wield bound swords, and that they still count towards 1 handed weapon skills I'm not in as desperate need of melee attacks as I thought I would be.

Join the Companions and do their quests until they invite you to go to the Underforge.

As far as I can tell the only downfall to being a werewolf is that you don't gain the "restful" bonus from sleeping in a bed. My "Active Effects" menu doesn't say I have a weakness against silver in human for, but it's pretty obvious silver hurts you more when you're in werewolf form. All in all it's pretty great for when you're outnumbered, 'cause you can easily knock people down and if you press the power/shout button while transformed you roar and cause people to flee.

Bells

11-12-2011, 03:16 PM

Oh hai guys! I Found Teh Giant!

http://i39.tinypic.com/260e4ok.jpg

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-12-2011, 04:20 PM

Join the Companions and do their quests until they invite you to go to the Underforge.

As far as I can tell the only downfall to being a werewolf is that you don't gain the "restful" bonus from sleeping in a bed. My "Active Effects" menu doesn't say I have a weakness against silver in human for, but it's pretty obvious silver hurts you more when you're in werewolf form. All in all it's pretty great for when you're outnumbered, 'cause you can easily knock people down and if you press the power/shout button while transformed you roar and cause people to flee.

Yeah I just started doing missions for them and found out what they are.

Not sure what to do next right now though, go and see the Greybeards and learn more about shouting, or go for a wander to the mages college.

Oh and DarkDrgn, if you're having trouble being pure mage, go to Dragonsreach in Whiterun and buy the bound sword or bound battle axe for conjuration. Cheap as hell and gives you some amazing melee capabilities. You'll never need a physical weapon again.

Arcanum

11-12-2011, 04:51 PM

I totally recommend going to the Greybeards. You learn a second word for Unrelenting Force, get a free Whirlwhind Charge shout, and if you do their next quest you get the final word for Unrelenting force. Also, their second quest leads you to another quest that, once completed, makes it so you can randomly encounter dragons in the world.

Also, it's fun when things try to use frost spells on me since my character is a Nord and I have natural frost resist out the wazoo. I make Frost Dragons my bitch.

Marc v4.0

11-12-2011, 05:01 PM

Also, their second quest leads you to another quest that, once completed, makes it so you can randomly encounter dragons in the world.

Take note, they will jump you when you least expect it and in the damndest places

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-12-2011, 05:03 PM

Actually I've already encounted a second dragon even before then, though he didn't attack. Unless you mean it just makes them actively more aggressive so you can start fighting them properly?

But yeah, it does sound more worthwhile going there first.

CABAL49

11-12-2011, 06:42 PM

First real quest for the College gives you ice breath. Your enemies actually become covered in ice and fall over.

Kim

11-12-2011, 06:46 PM

I don't remember where I got it but you folks gotta get Marked for Death. It is totes sweet. Lowers their defense and shit.

DarkDrgon

11-12-2011, 07:05 PM

yeah, Just found out that the asshole mage in whiterun sells spells. I am now able to kill bandits without running away to heal every 2 seconds!

Does anyone know where to find the claw you need for the Barrow near Ivarstead? is it something i'm trying to go through some of the smaller side missions, and this one's all finished except for opening the door

Kim

11-12-2011, 07:10 PM

IIRC every claw you need to open a door can be found in the same dungeon as the door.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-12-2011, 07:13 PM

Just killed my second dragon on the way to do the Greybeards second quest. I now have fire breath. Life is good. Still can't kill that fucking mage I found in a nearby house thouugh! I swear every mage I fight is insanely powerful.

Nikose Tyris

11-12-2011, 07:24 PM

Marius is using a single fine steel dagger with a x30 sneak attack multiplier. I've seen him murder upwards to 15 people today. I have seen him not-sneak attack 2 of them.

Bells

11-12-2011, 07:43 PM

Mages are powerfull?

Cause... i just found a Necromancer Guild/house/club/meeting hall/whatever that had a Fire Specter thingy as a Doorman (Flame Atronach! Recalled) and i just slew everything that moved from the shadows, then i got inside their keep and went full on Rainbow Six on their asses, cornering the entire map giving Headshots to the back of their heads from my Stealth position from 2 rooms away... and that's BEFORE i reached level 6 and got the Zoom perk.

...i love this game.

Light armor + Bow rules!

Also, stole a horse after killing 4 bandits in a cave without they ever noticing me.

Then got mauled by a Sabre Cat. Twice.

EDIT: you know what? we need to start sharing more pics of our respective gameplays...

http://i40.tinypic.com/6td5ix.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/9s9e6o.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/16a5e0p.jpg

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-12-2011, 08:38 PM

DarkDrgon

11-12-2011, 09:08 PM

oh man, i love hit and run combat now that I have a good ranged magic attack. Lightning bolts my favoritest thing ever :D

EVILNess

11-12-2011, 09:37 PM

I think it could be because I'm fighting them on their own turf really. Mage vs mage doesn't work. They keep using wards to deflect damage and their robes give them better magic regen than I have. I might have to start trying to use bound swords on them more often, as their mage robes have 0 defence.

Also, I'm not entirely sure, but I assume certain elements are better against certain foes. For the most part that's pretty obvious (fire vs frost trolls) but I think lightning may be better against the basic brown scaled fire dragons. Can anyone confirm?

The 3 elements each have a unique secondary effect, fire can ignite peeps and cause them to burn for extra damage and take extra damage from fire effects, ice drains stamina (to simulate a slow effect maybe?), and lightning drains magicka. Basically, thunder on mages, and everything else burns.

The tertiary effects you get with perks might make ice more useful, but I think thunder still trumps ice because it gets paralyze effects as it's bonus.

Aldurin

11-12-2011, 10:07 PM

Ok, this is officially driving me into madness since I want to get this game for PC (which means waiting a month for an upgrade to something that can handle this) instead of getting it for PS3 (which I have much less time to access than my computer).

FUCK

Arcanum

11-12-2011, 10:27 PM

Aldurin, wait for the PC. It will be worth it for one reason: MODS!

yeah, Just found out that the asshole mage in whiterun sells spells. I am now able to kill bandits without running away to heal every 2 seconds!

Does anyone know where to find the claw you need for the Barrow near Ivarstead? is it something i'm trying to go through some of the smaller side missions, and this one's all finished except for opening the door

The Sapphire Claw? Make sure you get the quest from the innkeeper in Ivarstead to check out the barrow. Then once you do it he will give you the claw as a reward.

Anyway, killed my fourth dragon earlier today. I have a bunch of words I can learn too, but none of them entirely useful (call animal friends, make people run in fear (werewolf and my nord battle cry have that covered already), pacify animals) so I'm saving my dragon souls. The fourth dragon was a bit of a pain because he decided to http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040373515005/6BCF77B573BE40CB226B55A86F74890F8C1D4BEC/ on several occasions. Had to reload a quick save two times because he refused to come back down. I actually had to chase him into some mountains before he decided he felt like fighting again.

Also, all of you folks sneaking around and using spells are totally doing it wrong. A real hero runs in with just a sword and shield and murders everything (Sky Tempered Steel Sword reinforced to exquisite quality is so damn good, I've been using it for the last 10 levels or so). Also the Elemental Guard perk is so fucking helpful when fighting dragons.

And in case you were wondering because you missed the implications in my post: Yes I kill dragons with a sword. I don't use arrows or magic. I wait for the cowards to land and I get in their face and murder the fuck right out of them. (I only have a bow out in that picture above because the dragon refused to come down so I thought provoking him with sticks would work)

Bob The Mercenary

11-12-2011, 10:39 PM

And in case you were wondering because you missed the implications in my post: Yes I kill dragons with a sword. I don't use arrows or magic. I wait for the cowards to land and I get in their face and murder the fuck right out of them.

http://dealbreaker.com/_old/2009/06/26/Captain%20Morgan.jpg

Cause... i just found a Necromancer Guild/house/club/meeting hall/whatever that had a Fire Specter thingy as a Doorman (Flame Atronach! Recalled) and i just slew everything that moved from the shadows, then i got inside their keep and went full on Rainbow Six on their asses, cornering the entire map giving Headshots to the back of their heads from my Stealth position from 2 rooms away... and that's BEFORE i reached level 6 and got the Zoom perk.

...i love this game.

Light armor + Bow rules!

Also, stole a horse after killing 4 bandits in a cave without they ever noticing me.

Then got mauled by a Sabre Cat. Twice.

Sounds exactly how I played Morrowind and Oblivion. And exactly how I'm playing this game.

Kim

11-12-2011, 10:51 PM

Anyone having trouble fighting dragons should follow the main quest as you get a shout that is *HELLA* useful for that. It's called Dragonrend and it forces them to land and stay on the ground.

Aldurin

11-12-2011, 10:52 PM

Just looked closer at the specs, looks like I can run it on my laptop with minimal settings (far from a complete loss). Fuck yo dragons.

*In the following days my posts may be addled by my complete lack of sleep*.

Azisien

11-13-2011, 12:09 AM

Training nothing but Magicka and stacking Magicka regen gear is finally starting to pay off, level 14. Of course, I suffer from worsening amounts of Glass Cannon syndrome.

Aldurin

11-13-2011, 12:47 AM

It is not about how fragile you are, but how ninja you are. If movement isn't too different from Oblivion, then you should be able to monkey your way around your enemy.

Arcanum

11-13-2011, 02:09 AM

New goal: Kill a dragon with my bare hands.

Aldurin

11-13-2011, 03:13 AM

New goal: Kill a giant with my bare hands.

Fixed.

Grandmaster_Skweeb

11-13-2011, 03:34 AM

Also, all of you folks sneaking around and using spells are totally doing it wrong. A real hero runs in with just a sword and shield and murders everything

You mean those silly trashcan lids that get in the way of holding my SKULL CLEAVING WAR AXE?

You'll be a real hero when you stop cowering behind something like a mewling kitten, boy D:<

Azisien

11-13-2011, 03:51 AM

It is not about how fragile you are, but how ninja you are. If movement isn't too different from Oblivion, then you should be able to monkey your way around your enemy.

Most enemies, yes. Some enemies, no! But that's why I enslave hire Atronachs!

EVILNess

11-13-2011, 04:29 AM

This thread is amazing because everyone has literally decided to play the game differently.

EDIT: It just occurred to me to share mine:

I am a heavy armor wearing, one-handed/magic wielding juggernaut of death. One my level ups I alternate Health and Magicka, with a Stamina boost every 4th level or so.

Best part is that I don't care that I am doing it wrong!

CABAL49

11-13-2011, 05:05 AM

Right now everything I have is going into smithing and enchantment. Because all I want to do is make the most powerful equipment ever. I can still stab things in the face. My Nord isn't going to be as powerful as some of your characters in the long run, cause I have had him branch out into other fields.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-13-2011, 05:25 AM

Training nothing but Magicka and stacking Magicka regen gear is finally starting to pay off, level 14. Of course, I suffer from worsening amounts of Glass Cannon syndrome.

Simple solution; dualcast healing, with 50% restoration increase perk. I can literaly negate dragonbreath just by healing, though it does burn through magicka pretty quick.

Atronachs are pretty handy too, better than familiars anyway. They also work for keeping dragons distracted when they fly around so I can let magic regen. I actually prefer to let the dragons fly more, it gives me time to recover and when they're on the ground they constantly breath fire which can kill me pretty quick.

I'm also thinking I may need to get that restoration perk that allows spells to restore stamina as well, as I've put no points into that so far.

Melfice

11-13-2011, 05:43 AM

Also, their second quest leads you to another quest that, once completed, makes it so you can randomly encounter dragons in the world.

Actually I've already encounted a second dragon even before then, though he didn't attack.

I've fought and killed three dragons (Including the Whiterun "named" dragon) before I ever set foot at the Greybeards' crib. A further two never really felt like fighting, and got away.

Maybe it has to do with your level?

Arcanum

11-13-2011, 10:43 AM

I've fought and killed three dragons (Including the Whiterun "named" dragon) before I ever set foot at the Greybeards' crib. A further two never really felt like fighting, and got away.

Maybe it has to do with your level?

To be fair, I didn't spend a whole lot of time adventuring about outside (most of it was delving into caves), and I only encountered the dragon outside Whiterun (clearly scripted) and a dragon on the path up to the Greybeards, which also felt scripted. Sooo might've just been my luck and not the game.

Anyway since I feel like sharing, stat-wise my guy has like ~50 Heavy Armor, ~50 Block, ~70 One-handed, ~40 smithing, and the rest are pretty close to their defaults. I have like 30 speech from selling the random crap I find or forge, and about 40 lockpicking even though I don't bother with any of the lockpicking perks since a quick save before a master lock gives me the option to keep trying. Although I usually manage to crack a master lock in 10 or 15 picks.

Also I've been putting the majority of my points into health (I'm at 300 :dance:) with only two into stamina, though I plan to put more into it for my next few levels. Luckily I have an amulet that boosts my stamina by 30, and I'm using the Atronach Standing Stone bonus to boost my magica to 150 (and a ring I found with 25% increased magicka regen helps offset the Stone's slowed regen).

You mean those silly trashcan lids that get in the way of holding my SKULL CLEAVING WAR AXE?

You'll be a real hero when you stop cowering behind something like a mewling kitten, boy D:<

Part of me wishes I went two-handed so I could go true Nordic Highlander with a Greatsword, but then the combat would just be "clickity click click hack and slash nonstop until everything is dead" instead of needing to time my swings so I can still block their strikes. Makes the combat more engaging.

EDIT-- Also I'm curious, which faction have you guys chosen to side with (if you've picked one yet); Imperials or Storm Cloaks? I'm fighting alongside my Nord brothers to restore Skyrim to glory.

EDIT 2-- Oh man the frost shout is great. http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040389197723/55A8334E5E4019C9BF88D7885FC1B9B39A80E56B/ http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040389213306/CFBC027F8CE8766FA91DC87AEE5B7E1F266A1531/ http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040389223256/F39BFD00499C240FC1D8701E51374AC9CDCDC55F/

Azisien

11-13-2011, 12:40 PM

Simple solution; dualcast healing, with 50% restoration increase perk. I can literaly negate dragonbreath just by healing, though it does burn through magicka pretty quick.

It's not so much the hits I can shrug off with a quick switch to healing, as the hits that just outright slaughter me because I only have 100 health. Dualcast healing is pretty effective though, I can more than negate dragonbreath with it at the moment.

Actually, if anyone is looking to train Restoration, try climbing the mountain beyond High Hrothgar before you're allowed. Unlimited, free, high damage to yourself.

Aldurin

11-13-2011, 01:22 PM

Ok, I'm about to start up Skyrim, if it works for me then I'll try to build a Jackass of All Trades. Unless magic still does everything that every other build can after a certain point.

Arcanum

11-13-2011, 04:06 PM

Liz is right. Marked for Death is absolutely amazing. Especially since I found the second word for it too :D.

I also decided to test out my newly gained powers and http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040395367428/D671760C6AE77CD3C32713604C9ACEA1D3CE8BBD/ http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040395378385/B8B459FEDBD5FFDA0487989C683D08C715B91581/

I also made a discovery about smithing: the skill goes up the same amount regardless of what you make. So while making and selling armor helps lessen the cost of buying the materials, making daggers sends your skill through the roof. My smithing is now at 70 thanks to this revelation.

And finally, I got the perk to boost my bare-hand damage based on the armor of my gloves (which are current Flawless Orc Gauntlets). So I'm gonna try fisticuffs on the next dragon (or giant) I find.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-13-2011, 05:21 PM

It's not so much the hits I can shrug off with a quick switch to healing, as the hits that just outright slaughter me because I only have 100 health. Dualcast healing is pretty effective though, I can more than negate dragonbreath with it at the moment.

Actually, if anyone is looking to train Restoration, try climbing the mountain beyond High Hrothgar before you're allowed. Unlimited, free, high damage to yourself.

Ah, I see what you mean. Tbh I haven't had too many things just outright one shot me, except a giant when I first encounted them, but I fought another earlier whilst trying to rescue a goat (don't ask) and he didn't even get close. Might've been becase the Altronach was keeping him busy though.

I did come across a fire mage who could kill me in 3 hits, which was fucking annoying. Took a very well timed Fos-Ro-Dah to knock the bitch down long enough to lightning the shit out of her to drain her magic, and even then I still had to use my Highborn power to regen my magic quick enough to finish her off. I hate fighting mages in this game.

I also decided to test out my newly gained powers and http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040395367428/D671760C6AE77CD3C32713604C9ACEA1D3CE8BBD/ http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040395378385/B8B459FEDBD5FFDA0487989C683D08C715B91581/

Man, that is harsh. Those poor mammoths.

In other news I finally got to the mages college and learn the frost shout word. Now I just need to find some damn dragons so I can get it and another shout, Fade, powered up.

Melfice

11-13-2011, 05:52 PM

Grimpond

11-13-2011, 06:06 PM

So far, I'm focusing on becoming Conjuring Juggernaut in heavy armor. that's where my perks go, although I am skilling up sneak and archery for fighting dragons and dungeon delves.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-13-2011, 08:06 PM

How do you learn the next word for a shout any way?
Is this explained after you've found the horn of what's-his-face, or is this something they expect you to figure out yourself?

If it's explained by the Greybeards, don't worry. I'll find it out myself. Otherwise, do tell me.

Basically, find word walls.

Also guys, stall the hell away from Riften. I went there on a perfectly legitimate dragon hunting bounty, went to cash in and the guards all attacked for no reason and I got arrested. Ungrateful fucks!

DarkDrgon

11-13-2011, 08:34 PM

Oh man the Dragon fights are why I love this game. I was on the quest to prove your the dragonborn, Which involves killing a dragon. I follow the marker on my compass to take that thing down, and run into a dragon. Slay it, loot it, check my quests to see what I do now. I was still down mountain from the actual quest dragon :D total kill count: 4

Why are the dragons so much easier to kill than Frost Trolls and Giants

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-13-2011, 09:06 PM

Question; why the hell can't you sell stolen items? I'm assuming there must be a way to do so, otherwise it makes stealing pretty damn pointless.

Nikose Tyris

11-13-2011, 09:10 PM

I was under the impression you could only sell stolen items to a fence, much like in Oblivion. Thieves Guild missions should put you in contact with them.

Bells

11-13-2011, 09:37 PM

i now have a bow that steals the soul of anything i kill if it dies up to 5 seconds after i hit it.

im tripping balls in goats and wolfs souls!

also im now considering what will be my secondary weapon, maybe Ilussions or Summoning. Anyone tried those?

batgirl

11-13-2011, 09:48 PM

Just started this yesterday, very much enjoying it so far. Got myself a Nord 1-handed mace, 1 hand magic going right now, only level 4 though. Just joined the companions and I'm going to do a few more quests for them. I haven't found any dragons yet though, maybe I'm missing something then. I've only being doing a few quests out of that White..place...so far.

Arcanum

11-13-2011, 10:02 PM

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596954040401358970/50BB0C8B89CD0A74DB0A7DE5BD71A25D621D333E/

Yeah that's armor forged from the bones and scales of dragons I killed. Although it turns out Daedra armor is better (even though it only takes 90 smithing to make) but I need a Daedra heart for every piece of armor and weapon, which will be a bit of a pain to track down.

Question; why the hell can't you sell stolen items? I'm assuming there must be a way to do so, otherwise it makes stealing pretty damn pointless.

Get your speech skill up to like 70 or 80 or something so you get the perk that lets you sell stolen items to any merchant you invested in. Otherwise, yeah probably look into the thieves guild.

Marc v4.0

11-13-2011, 10:41 PM

Why are the dragons so much easier to kill than Frost Trolls and Giants

I would assume it has something to with being Dragonborn, and the whole "only you can kill them for good" thing.

Just wait until Blood and Ancient Dragons start showing up. Fuck those guys.

Arcanum

11-14-2011, 02:21 AM

Psh blood dragons are easy. Actually I haven't had any difficulty fighting any dragon yet, especially when I learned I can shield bash them to stun them, and stop them from breathing fire on me (ice still tickles). Although it sucks when the jerks refuse to land, so I might start up the main quest line again to get that shout Liz mentioned.

Also I have full Daedra armor now, but I think I might stick with the Dragon armor since I like the look better. I'll give Lydia the Daedra stuff and it'll be like having my own demonic servant, except the demonic servant in question is fucking retarded when it comes to avoiding traps, always insists on blocking my path in narrow hallways, randomly gets stuck inside apothecaries until I go back to get her(it has happened three times, and it's only potion shops), and disappears while I'm trying to fight things because it turns out her pathing told her to run back half a mile, go around a rock, and then run back and arrive right as I kill the last guy.

TL:DR, goddamn the partner AI is stupid.

Aldurin

11-14-2011, 02:29 AM

TL:DR, goddamn the partner AI is stupid.

We will one day learn that it is all controlled by novice idiot gamers from the future, training to one day be competent enough to pose as AI for their current games at the time.

At least that's what I tell myself.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-14-2011, 05:56 AM

I was under the impression you could only sell stolen items to a fence, much like in Oblivion. Thieves Guild missions should put you in contact with them.

Ah ok, that makes sense. I just met the theives guild as well. For now I'll just store all my stolen loot in my house

Get your speech skill up to like 70 or 80 or something so you get the perk that lets you sell stolen items to any merchant you invested in. Otherwise, yeah probably look into the thieves guild.

Yeah, no, I'm not wasting perks in speech, are you crazy?! I just worked out I can probably get all the pertinent magic perks I want by the end of the game, possibly with a couple of perks left over for a couple of other things, duno what though, maybe either a 1 handed boost or some enchanting.

The only problem is I won't be able to smith any decent armour, including dragon. I'm hopeful I can just buy or find that though.

also im now considering what will be my secondary weapon, maybe Ilussions or Summoning. Anyone tried those?

I use summoning (and conjuration in general) a lot. Atronachs are handy allies (I use them to distract giants and dragons whilst I sap their stamina). Bound swords are also cool if you need a weapon and don't wont to carry shit. Raised zombies are less effective, but are ok early on. I need to get the apprentice level spell for that now to see how better it is.

Illusion I use slightly less often. It was great on low level stuff to begin with, but a lot of things are starting to become immune. I need animage and whatever that perk is that makes them work on all humans now. In other words it's a pretty heavy investment for skills I don't use much, but it IS funny when enemies suddenly start attacking each other, stop attacking you, or just outright flee from me.

EDIT; Ok, I've just encountered 2 Blood Dragons in a row and, whilst they're damn tricky to kill, I think I've got their strengths and weakness down and have the best strategy to kill them. Lightning bolt seems to be the best way to do them in, ice, including the ice form shout, is utterly useless. Best thing to do is, apply oakflesh at the start, and summon an Atronach to keep him busy whilst he's flying. When he lands, dual cast lightning bolt (with Impact) just as he starts to glow. This interrupts his breath shout and leaves him utterly at my mercy and the mercy of my Atronach. Occasionally throw in an Unrelenting Force to stun him further and let magic regen.

I've still had to use Highborn both times to regen my magic for these dudes, but now that I know how effective my lightning strikes have been I think I just need to pace myself more and only fire off attacks to interrupt his.

Also I now have 2 souls and a word to learn, but I'm not sure if it's worth it, it's only a terror shout, which I can do with illusions anyway.

Krylo

11-14-2011, 09:09 AM

Got the game today (well yesterday but I haven't slept).

Played for hooours. Level 15 now. Going two hander, will be using heavy armor eventually but getting stamina up some to offset the weight issue first (by weight issues I mean the inability to carry anything but my armor). Which are honestly probably already taken care of just by having a house to shove all the dragon giblets in.

I've killed three dragons, and four giants like that.

Tip on killing giants in melee. Zoom out so you can see your entire body and run around them on the right. When they swing, you'll have already moved out of their range, and they'll leave themselves open to be stabbed in the side. If you do the back they can spin around and murder you, and if you do the front, same thing minus spinning.

Killed my first two at level 8, if I remember right. Next two, and a Mammoth at 10.

Mammoths are way harder to kill than giants.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-14-2011, 09:25 AM

Oh, and if anyone's looking for a place to fight dragons, I've now fought 2 outside Drelas' cottage, which is southwest of Labrynthian, or Northwest of Dustmans Cairn. They seem to like spawning here. I also saw my second one around these same mountains a litte further east too.

EDIT; Just found the shout to disarm enemies. I can't believe I missed that one. Now to phase of out existence and jump off this mountain!

Azisien

11-14-2011, 10:34 AM

Ah, I see what you mean. Tbh I haven't had too many things just outright one shot me, except a giant when I first encounted them, but I fought another earlier whilst trying to rescue a goat (don't ask) and he didn't even get close. Might've been becase the Altronach was keeping him busy though.

I did come across a fire mage who could kill me in 3 hits, which was fucking annoying. Took a very well timed Fos-Ro-Dah to knock the bitch down long enough to lightning the shit out of her to drain her magic, and even then I still had to use my Highborn power to regen my magic quick enough to finish her off. I hate fighting mages in this game.

It's mostly mages, yeah. I've had scaled up Frostbite Spiders one-shot me, but that was more of a surprise thing, since their name hadn't changed from the Frostbite Spider that I one-shot. All of the named liches I've encountered so far could one-shot me if I didn't have a ward up, and I just did the Azura's Shrine quest. Suffice to say, there's a fight there that came down to sheer luck, wards or no wards.

stefan

11-14-2011, 10:41 AM

Azisien

11-14-2011, 11:50 AM

speaking of mages:

I haven't picked this up yet, though I plan to. I heard that they removed spell creation in skyrim; is this as big a loss as I'm afraid of, or is the existing magic system deep enough that you don't notice?

Speaking for myself, I'm not sure if depth is the variable to be looking for. I thought Oblivion had depth via the creation system, but it was boring depth. You could make sixty different kinds of fireball, but they all looked like a shitty little flaming rock.

Skyrim had the customization removed, but there's still a ton of customization potential via the magic school perk trees. What's more, I find casting spells is just plain fun now. My mage seems powerful. I rolled pure mage in Oblivion as my main playthrough and pure mage in Skyrim and I am enjoying Skyrim more.

CABAL49

11-14-2011, 12:00 PM

I can make better armor, but steel plate armor is pretty ballin'. Actually, I haven't found an armor I really didn't like.

Azisien

11-14-2011, 12:04 PM

There's one thing I want to compliment on the Perk system. I really like the synergy between the different trees, and especially between the different magic schools. Recovery from Restoration helps magicka regen overall, stuff from Illusion makes all spells more silent, etc. It makes playing a pure mage not only viable, but excellent.

That being said, I am excited to start my second character, going the opposite with heavy armor/heavy weapons. Probably Nord. Maybe hammers and lightning based Destruction. He will be called Thor.

EDIT: I can balance my compliments out with a solid complaint though. Impact and staggering is definitely fairly glitched at the moment. It is game changing of course, and anyone training Destruction needs to take the perk, but against humanoid opponents I find the stagger makes them invincible during the animation. This is most annoying.

MSperoni

11-14-2011, 12:39 PM

I also made a discovery about smithing: the skill goes up the same amount regardless of what you make.

I noticed it went up higher when I made armor instead of bracers though. Unless you mean that it goes up higher regardless of whether you make Leather or Dwarven armor, etc.

I also found an Infinite Experience bug if anyone wants to play around with it. It's in Riften. There's a guy working in the Black Briar Meadery named "Undrien" or "Umbrien" or something like that. He's kind of a weenie little Dark Elf guy. I found I could do the Persuade mini-game with him an infinite number of times. I boosted my Speech from 29 to 60 just by spamming the conversation button. Normally I don't like doing this kinda thing, but I figured I probably wouldn't up my Speech any other way so...what the hell? :) (I'm mostly a tank. Redguard/one-hand/shield/heavy armor)

I haven't had much trouble with Dragons yet either. It took me awhile to figure out that you had to "unlock" those other voice powers though. I mostly use the flame one now.

I have some problems when fighting humanoid NPCs though (like bandits). They seem to just sit there and turtle everything and there's nothing I can do about it. I shield bash 'em but they typically just go back to turtling and it's just "clang clang clang" off their defense. It's really annoying. I also have trouble hitting with Power Attacks. It's like the attack doesn't come out when I want it and when it does it misses. I think the game might've been better with a lock-on for combat (sorta like Dark Souls).

I also wish you could zoom out more in 3rd person view.

Marc v4.0

11-14-2011, 12:53 PM

I noticed it went up higher when I made armor instead of bracers though. Unless you mean that it goes up higher regardless of whether you make Leather or Dwarven armor, etc.

I also found an Infinite Experience bug if anyone wants to play around with it. It's in Riften. There's a guy working in the Black Briar Meadery named "Undrien" or "Umbrien" or something like that. He's kind of a weenie little Dark Elf guy. I found I could do the Persuade mini-game with him an infinite number of times. I boosted my Speech from 29 to 60 just by spamming the conversation button. Normally I don't like doing this kinda thing, but I figured I probably wouldn't up my Speech any other way so...what the hell? :) (I'm mostly a tank. Redguard/one-hand/shield/heavy armor)

I haven't had much trouble with Dragons yet either. It took me awhile to figure out that you had to "unlock" those other voice powers though. I mostly use the flame one now.

I have some problems when fighting humanoid NPCs though (like bandits). They seem to just sit there and turtle everything and there's nothing I can do about it. I shield bash 'em but they typically just go back to turtling and it's just "clang clang clang" off their defense. It's really annoying. I also have trouble hitting with Power Attacks. It's like the attack doesn't come out when I want it and when it does it misses. I think the game might've been better with a lock-on for combat (sorta like Dark Souls).

I also wish you could zoom out more in 3rd person view.

Power attacks break blocks, as does hammering on them until their stamina depletes. Flames usually help me break blocks in a pinch, too.

Grimpond

11-14-2011, 02:38 PM

Man, I went to shimmerpoint for my first letter from a friend.

that lich can go fuck himself! After 7 or 8 crushing defeats, I finally just lured the dragon away using arrows, killed it, then booked up to the wall channeling healing the whole time; Then I booked off the hill before krosis got another chance to utterly wreck my shit.

e: I'm also enjoying how my conjured weapons auto-soul trap when I kill something with them.

Aldurin

11-14-2011, 03:10 PM

Grandmaster_Skweeb

11-14-2011, 03:48 PM

.
3. Trolls regenerate health too fast.

Fire. A lot of it. Trolls hate fire something fierce.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-14-2011, 04:05 PM

Shiva, Goddess of Destruction, has been making some degree of progress, but some issues have been encountered.

1. Fuck the Saber Cats. Forever.
2. She may be forced to wear actual armor instead of the robes unless I step up my game and get more battle buffs.
3. Trolls regenerate health too fast.
4. She needs to wear actual armor.

Besides that it's a blast.

1; Fire and ice. Ice to slow them down, fire to burn the crap out of them. Personally I find bears harder.
2; I use half and half; Light elven armour with magicka buffs, a heavy helm with destruction cost decreases, heavy gauntlets and boots (no buffs yet). All Fine of course.
3; Fire, fire and more fire. Firebolt with impact is pretty excellent when dualcast, and is now my go-to attack tactic.
4; See 3.

Aldurin

11-14-2011, 04:21 PM

Thing I noticed when I went back to clear the first mine you find in the game, enemies seem to throw themselves pretty far if they burn to death mid-lunge. I'd be picking through corpses and I would always think "how'd she get so far over here?".

You guys have heard about the Chicken Bounty (http://www.halolz.com/2011/11/14/hey-guess-what/)? I almost redid this except for that I was lucky enough to burn the chicken to death in the middle of the night, and since the chicken was the only witness I lost all 50 bounty I gained from attacking it.

That brings up another question, how the hell does a chicken make a valid witness for assault and murder?

Arcanum

11-14-2011, 05:09 PM

I think I might turn my difficulty up a notch, since I'm breezing through everything with my Legendary Daedra gear. I have about 500ish armor, and I have yet to get the perk for a 25% boost when you wear a matching set.

Also since we're giving advice on how to murder things I present to you:

Arcanum's 3 step guide to easy murder.
Step 1: Use the Marked for Death shout
Step 2: Hit it with a pokey stick
Step 3: He's dead Jim
(Disclaimer: This may not work with magick users, since Arcanum is not held responsible for knowing how much magic is affected by armor)

That brings up another question, how the hell does a chicken make a valid witness for assault and murder?

Wood Elves regularly question animals about any suspicious activity they may have witnessed.

I noticed it went up higher when I made armor instead of bracers though. Unless you mean that it goes up higher regardless of whether you make Leather or Dwarven armor, etc.

It goes up pretty much the same regardless of leather or dwarven, but that's not all. A piece of iron armor would take 5 iron ingots to make. Alternatively I could make 5 iron daggers with the same number of ingots. Making 5 daggers boosts your skill more than making a single iron armor. I jumped to level 100 smithing within a few hours (I'd go back to Whiterun between adventuring and buy all the iron and leather from the regular blacksmith and the skyforge guy, so it's not like I was solely focusing on boosting smithing) making iron daggers. Also, before I discovered this, I would just make body armor, and once I switched to daggers it was extremely noticeable how quickly my skill leveled up.

EDIT-- Ok so I just tested this again and this is the third time it has happened so I think it might be a constant glitch. There's a dragon that spawns near the Atronach stone down in the Rift, only killing it doesn't give you a dragon soul. You can still loot the body but it never burns away. Has something similar happened to anyone else, even if not in the same area?

Bells

11-14-2011, 06:41 PM

Mammoths are way harder to kill than giants.

http://i40.tinypic.com/66gq2t.jpg

Just need to know how to properly troll them. I think this works with giants also.

...Also, here is a head scratcher... why every npc i meet asks me if i'm sick or say that i look sick?

http://i42.tinypic.com/67jq14.jpg

Melfice

11-14-2011, 06:45 PM

It's because you got sick fighting some critter.

Go to a temple and get blessed, or chug down a Cure Disease potion.

Red Fighter 1073

11-14-2011, 07:13 PM

Agh, I can't buy this game until next week because I have so many exams/papers due this week, though I'm at the same quandary that I had in Oblivion... choosing a race for my character. I'm definitely going for a Battlemage type of character because spells are the shit, but I want to have enough whacking power to kill enemies with a sword. Also whacking people with a sword while blasting them with spells sounds awesome.

I'm definitely thinking either Dark Elf or Red Guard, leaning toward Dark Elf, but still can't decide.

Aldurin

11-14-2011, 07:31 PM

...Also, here is a head scratcher... why every npc i meet asks me if i'm sick or say that i look sick?

http://i42.tinypic.com/67jq14.jpg

Check for diseases in your Active Effects section of the Magic menu, odd thing was that for like 15 minutes after I cured my first case of Skeever aids, people were still asking if I was sick. They stop eventually though.

Krylo

11-14-2011, 08:04 PM

http://i40.tinypic.com/66gq2t.jpg

Just need to know how to properly troll them. I think this works with giants also.

Yeah, but that doesn't work if you're trying to hit them with a piece of steel held firmly in both hands.

I also can kill them, it's just not as easy as killing giants.

Marc v4.0

11-14-2011, 08:21 PM

How useful is Sneak for straight up just not being seen if you don't pick up any of the related perks?

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-14-2011, 08:33 PM

Holy shit guys, Labrynthia is like the best dungeon ever, even if it does have an INSANELY powerful boss to deal with. I now have the time slow shout and a totally sweet mask that gives me 100% (100 effin' percent!) more magicka regen. This offsets my previous helms 15% Destruction costs by a ton.

Although, on one hand, it does completely cover my characters face, which is slightly annoying when just wandering around. On the other, it makes her look like Dr. Doom, which is all kinds of sweet.

Oh and right after coming out of Labrynthia, I found an equally awesome wooden mask too. I won't spoil what it does though, it's a nice surpise and I cant wait to see what it eventually leads me too.

Aldurin

11-14-2011, 08:46 PM

Wood Elves regularly question animals about any suspicious activity they may have witnessed.

But it is seriously one of those things where during that brief moment where the chicken is being burned from behind, and during that time guards will know my face and exactly how much gold I'm worth.

How useful is Sneak for straight up just not being seen if you don't pick up any of the related perks?

Pretty useful, you can actually pass by pretty close (I was using hide boots and mage robe shit) to enemies if it's dark enough, and you could probably be closer if you ever decided to use the spell that makes your movement silent. Perks in Sneak mostly help with rapestabbing people (dear lord, 15 TIMES MULTIPLIER for daggers on a sneak attack at a certain point).

Marc v4.0

11-14-2011, 09:23 PM

Even ignoring the 5 rank "Sneak better" perk, the name of which escapes me?

Grandmaster_Skweeb

11-14-2011, 09:31 PM

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10003158/Skyrim/stuckindoor.jpg

Arcanum

11-14-2011, 10:03 PM

Re: Disease, even though I don't transform into a werewolf at all any more, I'm not bothering to cure it for now since I like the 100% disease resist it gives.

So I stumbled upon my first Dragon Priest dungeon and found a word for Call Storm. I can now call down lightning on my foes. No not that sissy lightning you shoot from your hands. The divine righteous fury of the heavens lightning.

Also, after spending an entire dungeon using Heal Other on Lydia and reloading saves because she kept dying on me, my housecarl has officially been retired to "sit at home and don't touch anything sharp because you are going to fucking die" duty. Luckily I got the rest of my heavy armor perks that I wanted so I don't need a mule (because my armor weighs nothing now and I can run so fast) and I have about 630 armor (which will increase even more once I finish getting that 5 rank boost armor perk). On the off chance I need a distraction I can always summon my flame atronarch.

Although I might hit up the taverns and hire random mooks that I don't care about and not bother giving them anything.

Bells

11-15-2011, 12:39 AM

Funny thing... i'm playing and roleplaying a true rogue. That means... i'll steal anything i can either cause i can or because i could use it, but i'll help people around too.

So i stumble at the companions and it was one quest after another, and i don't want to advance the main quest just yet and several other sidequests i took were REALLY far away... so, things come and come, suddenly there is a quest that is pretty much "hey you want to join us? Kick this guy's ass..." so i do! And now i'm a member of the companions. Not sure if this is a good thing though....

2 things

1- was really funny seeing the guy saying that i was "pretty good" while he had a Arrow stuck in the middle of his forehead.

2- I stole soooooooooooooooo much stuff from the companions. Good thing nobody seems to notice me going alone into every room in their lair and that by now my bed matress is 10 inches taller from all the gold i keep under it.

Aldurin

11-15-2011, 12:47 AM

Bells

11-15-2011, 01:12 AM

Stab? Ha! My Boy! Get yourself a Bow and Arrow, specially if you find the Soul Trapping Bow whose name i forgot yet again!

Everytime i kill something from far away i hear the "phoooooowsh" and the purple light beacon in the distance, then it travels to me stating that i trapped the soul of my target" and i just yell "I'm the highlander!!!"

Aldurin

11-15-2011, 01:15 AM

Everytime i kill something from far away i hear the "phoooooowsh" and the purple light beacon in the distance, then it travels to me stating that i trapped the soul of my target" and i just yell "I'm the highlander!!!"

Gotta catch'em all.

EVILNess

11-15-2011, 01:30 AM

Stab? Ha! My Boy! Get yourself a Bow and Arrow...

Psshaw.

Everything is flammable.

Everything.

Aldurin

11-15-2011, 01:31 AM

Psshaw.

Everything is flammable.

Everything.

Compromise, burning arrow stabs.

EVILNess

11-15-2011, 02:03 AM

Compromise, burning arrow stabs.

Compromise recognized, and accepted.

Arcanum

11-15-2011, 02:10 AM

Sudden realization: I'm only on the main quest line mission where you got to Riften and find some old dude. Meanwhile I'm level 39, running around in pretty much maxed gear, and have more gold than I know what to do with. I think maybe I should work towards saving the world instead of tracking down any ruin or cave that might have a word wall in it (as well as the ones that are out in the open).

So i stumble at the companions and it was one quest after another, and i don't want to advance the main quest just yet and several other sidequests i took were REALLY far away... so, things come and come, suddenly there is a quest that is pretty much "hey you want to join us? Kick this guy's ass..." so i do! And now i'm a member of the companions. Not sure if this is a good thing though....

2 things

1- was really funny seeing the guy saying that i was "pretty good" while he had a Arrow stuck in the middle of his forehead.

2- I stole soooooooooooooooo much stuff from the companions. Good thing nobody seems to notice me going alone into every room in their lair and that by now my bed matress is 10 inches taller from all the gold i keep under it.

Companions are pretty great. I just finished up their quest line and cured myself of my lycanthropy since I felt it was in line with my character to do so.

Although speaking of gold I'm sitting on about 30k right now, and I have a dresser in my house filled with stuff I need to sell but can't because the stupid merchants don't have enough gold. And the pile just gets bigger because I get more loot adventuring than I can sell off between visits to Whiterun.

Stab? Ha! My Boy! Get yourself a Bow and Arrow, specially if you find the Soul Trapping Bow whose name i forgot yet again!

Everytime i kill something from far away i hear the "phoooooowsh" and the purple light beacon in the distance, then it travels to me stating that i trapped the soul of my target" and i just yell "I'm the highlander!!!"

Totally need a soul-trapping great sword now.

Krylo

11-15-2011, 02:22 AM

I got Vigilance killed and lost Lydia.

I'm a terrible pet owner.

Also: Lydia is immortal in my game (just gets knocked out), so I'm not sure how you kept getting her killed.

Doesn't keep her from getting lost for going on a week of game time without showing up back at the house despite having gotten her kicked out during one of the companion quests.

Edit: I'd have rather she'd died. She was full up on weight of crap I wanted to bring home. Like over 50 ingots of dwarven steel. If she had died at least I could have come back and looted her corpse.

Bells

11-15-2011, 02:35 AM

Attention everyone that has more than 2gb of ram in their PC's

Download and install CFF Explorer. http://www.ntcore.com/exsuite.php
Make a backup of your original exe just in case something goes wrong.
Run CFF Explorer.
Click the folder icon or go to File -> Open and browse your PC for TESV.exe.

Click on File Header at the left, find Characteristics at the right, and click the Click here blue button.

Tick App can handle >2GB address space.

Click OK.
Save by clicking the disk icon or going to 'File -> Save.

Overwrite the file when it asks you to.

NOTE: If you use this method, you need to keep the backup of the exe file you changed with CFF Explorer.
When you update your game, you will need to copy the backup exe back to folder and replace the edited exe file.

Go to the folder which has the executable file you changed.
Delete the current *.exe file.
Rename the backup executable back to the original name, now you can safely update/upgrade.

So it seems Skyrim won't use more than 2Gb of Ram, so if you have more to spare it just goes to waste... i have 8gb and i just did this and i can confirm a noticeable improve in performance.

Arcanum

11-15-2011, 03:30 AM

Also: Lydia is immortal in my game (just gets knocked out), so I'm not sure how you kept getting her killed.

Doesn't keep her from getting lost for going on a week of game time without showing up back at the house despite having gotten her kicked out during one of the companion quests.

Edit: I'd have rather she'd died. She was full up on weight of crap I wanted to bring home. Like over 50 ingots of dwarven steel. If she had died at least I could have come back and looted her corpse.

When she's kneeling down, if you hit her by accident, or use a shout that hits her, then she will die. I've also seen her get stuck in a swinging-axe trap, and she was downed and then was killed before I could find a switch to turn it off.

Also, since I'm using a Daedra sword that (with perks) does 70ish damage, if she walks in front of one of my attacks in a fight then she's dead (since the enemies have already weakened her). And she keeps effing doing that. Oh and another time I had lost track of her because I ran over some mountains (and since AI pathing can't handle a rock bigger than a pebble she took the long way around) and then I was fighting in a bandit camp and used the Storm Call shout. Afterwards Lydia disappeared completely, no matter how long I waited, so I'm pretty sure she was struck and killed by lightning. Anyway it's been a while since I ditched her and I'm not regretting it at all.

edit-- Like the best part is that I'm not constantly worrying about the Dragon Armor I loaded her up with, because if she died then that's several trips just to get it back to my house.

CABAL49

11-15-2011, 05:06 AM

I thought I had got a picture of it, but I guess not. While riding my horse, I shot up into the air and landed on a random mountain. It was like my horse forgot about physics for a minute.

Also I have found three masks, Motokei, Rahgot, and Kriosis. They were were tough muthers. Like giants? pfft lame. These dudes will ruin your day.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-15-2011, 09:35 AM

Also I have found three masks, Motokei, Rahgot, and Kriosis. They were were tough muthers. Like giants? pfft lame. These dudes will ruin your day.

Do you remember where you found those other 2, as I've only found Morokei so far and I really want to see what happens once you get them all.

And if anyone's got any good word locations let me know, I have 3 souls sitting here not doing anything.

In other news I just became Archmage of Winterhold. I have traded in my elven armour for the archmage robes to give myself ANOTHER 100% magicka regen, as well as giving me another 50 magicka and a cost reduction of 15% on ALL spells. Combined with the mask of Morokei, an enchanted ring that regens 6% magicka, an amulet of Akatosh that gives me a further 25% regen and the first level of the Restoration perk Recovery, my magicka now regens at 256%.

I am now using adept level spells before I even have the perks to half their cost. And I have a shit ton of spells. I am a magic wielding god!

EVILNess

11-15-2011, 10:19 AM

I am a magic wielding god!

Once again I say it.

Everything. Is. Flammable.

Everything.

I killed a goddamn giant at level 3 with my basic spells. Granted I took advantage of the games horrible pathing.

Kim

11-15-2011, 10:51 AM

http://i.imgur.com/Myu4c.jpg

Krylo

11-15-2011, 11:00 AM

The bowl on the Jarl's head looks like a pretty bitchin' hat, actually.

Melfice

11-15-2011, 11:19 AM

Housecarl: "You realize that we're now going to break your legs and throw you in the dungeon, right?"
Dovahkiin: "WORTH IT!"

Arcanum

11-15-2011, 11:21 AM

Rahgot is in the bottom right corner of the map, behind Riften. There's like a mountain down in that corner and once you get close you'll see the ruins/crypt icon on your compass. That dungeon also has a word for the Storm Call shout.

Bob The Mercenary

11-15-2011, 01:04 PM

Housecarl?

http://images.wikia.com/athfwiki/images/7/71/Carl.png

I don't want that.

Aldurin

11-15-2011, 01:07 PM

The Housecarl is a she, but I'm sure there's magic to change that if you want.

Bells

11-15-2011, 01:11 PM

So uhn... can anybody give me a hand here? Can i Enchant equipment? If i can, how do i go about it? Cause.. i'm saving a few circlets and necklaces just for that

Azisien

11-15-2011, 01:27 PM

Just hit level 30, definitely feeling more and more god-like. Giants, mammoths, and dragons are all my bitches now. Okay, liches are still tough, but my magicka is getting ridiculous enough (600) that I can dual cast lightning bolt them to death without potions or buffs.

It seems impossible to enchant stuff as high as some of the mage gear I've looted. 125% Magicka Regen? My enchanting is 90, with a Grand Soul, and 4/5 Enchanter, and I get 40% Magicka Regen. The other buffs are excellent, though, and soon I'll be able to add two effects, which will be game cracking.

So uhn... can anybody give me a hand here? Can i Enchant equipment? If i can, how do i go about it? Cause.. i'm saving a few circlets and necklaces just for that

I just so happen to be trying to master the Enchanting tree with this mage of mine, so I know all about it! Firstly I can tell you, out and out, if you aren't training Enchanting perks, don't bother enchanting. My enchants are starting to get pretty good now, and that was with Enchanter 4/5.

Step 1) Find an Arcane Enchanter. These are in plenty of places. The court wizard in Whiterun has one, the apartments and archmage quarters in the College of Winterhold have them, etc.

Step 2) Find equipment to Disenchant. To be able to apply an enchantment to an item you have to discover it through disenchanting gear. This destroys the item in question, so don't do it to your best gear that you still use.

Step 3) Enchant screen is pretty self explanatory, though the information seems a little off. My Magicka Regen will always say 20% faster, until I click on it, and it actually takes a Soul Gem into account. Better Soul Gems = Better Enchants. To fill soul gems, you'll need Soul Trap. The soul gem used is lost in the process.

And the best stuff might be spoiler worthy, I dunno: Mammoths, of all things, have Grand souls. I am ashamed to say it took more than two hours of monster hunting to find this out. Giants are only Greater souls.

The Azura's Shrine quest is pretty simple, and gives a great reward. Azura's Star/Corrupt Azura's Star, an inexaustible Soul Gem with Grand/Black capacity. I feel like a jackass poacher for the number of mammoths I've crammed into the Star.

CABAL49

11-15-2011, 01:34 PM

Do you remember where you found those other 2, as I've only found Morokei so far and I really want to see what happens once you get them all.

This

Rahgot is in the bottom right corner of the map, behind Riften. There's like a mountain down in that corner and once you get close you'll see the ruins/crypt icon on your compass. That dungeon also has a word for the Storm Call shout.

And also quoting because got to be careful with Storm Call. It is really powerful, but it seems indiscriminate in who it attacks. So don't use it near allies.

And Kriosis is in Shearpoint, which is a dragon icon thingy west of Whiterun. You will also find all the words for Throw Voice. Not really useful, but kinda fun.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-15-2011, 02:38 PM

Just hit level 30, definitely feeling more and more god-like. Giants, mammoths, and dragons are all my bitches now. Okay, liches are still tough, but my magicka is getting ridiculous enough (600) that I can dual cast lightning bolt them to death without potions or buffs.

600?? Damn man, I'm only 6 levels behind and even with a Julianos blessing I only have 400. Have you just put like every level up into magicka then, and nothing into health? I've put a bit into health myself, but not enough to be so far behind.

Either that or you're using something else to boost magicka?

This

And also quoting because got to be careful with Storm Call. It is really powerful, but it seems indiscriminate in who it attacks. So don't use it near allies.

And Kriosis is in Shearpoint, which is a dragon icon thingy west of Whiterun. You will also find all the words for Throw Voice. Not really useful, but kinda fun.

Ok cool, I'll get on those after I eventually get done with the companions. I wanted to get werewolf powers way back but I got distracted by my quest for godhood and dragon slaying.

The fact that I can even type that sentance is testement to how awesome this game is.

EDIT; Oh and on enchanting, it's not entirely useless if you don't put perks in it. I've manged to get magic regen from only 1% to around 6% so far just by disenchating everything and enchanting shit for sale. I managed to enchant elven armour with 10% magic regen, though only a 1% restoration boost. My enchanting is still only 48 though so plenty of room for improvement yet, and this is just using common gems.

Aldurin

11-15-2011, 02:49 PM

Azisien

11-15-2011, 04:31 PM

600?? Damn man, I'm only 6 levels behind and even with a Julianos blessing I only have 400. Have you just put like every level up into magicka then, and nothing into health? I've put a bit into health myself, but not enough to be so far behind.

Either that or you're using something else to boost magicka?

All my main gear gives magicka boosts. Archmage's Robes, Lanfear's Stone Ring Angreal [my best enchantment to date, +40 Magicka :)), Savos Aran Amulet +50 Magicka.

Also all I've only trained Magicka. 100 health, 100 stamina, not giving a single ****

EDIT; Oh and on enchanting, it's not entirely useless if you don't put perks in it. I've manged to get magic regen from only 1% to around 6% so far just by disenchating everything and enchanting shit for sale. I managed to enchant elven armour with 10% magic regen, though only a 1% restoration boost. My enchanting is still only 48 though so plenty of room for improvement yet, and this is just using common gems.

Well fair enough. I actually did not think to mention the cash cow potential for enchanting. I finished grinding my Enchanting with the 64 soul gems of varying types I had hoarded over the course of the entire game. It cost me 2000 gold to buy gear to enchant from stores, and at the end of it, I sold the enchanted stuff back to merchants for a cool 15000.

I just recently got two amazing enchant effects that I can't wait to get home and play around with. Fortify Smithing and Fortify Carry Weight.

Aldurin

11-15-2011, 05:33 PM

Fortify Smithing and Fortify Carry Weight.

This is where all of the shitty clothes that weigh nothing come in. After a certain point I'll probably have an outfit for every manual skill.

EDIT: Cheap whiterun bastards won't let me buy a forge or an enchanter for my home. What kind of town do they think they're running?

Bells

11-15-2011, 05:53 PM

At Forge maiden in whiterun

Buy Iron Ingots, Buy Leather strips

Make a buttload of Iron Daggers

See your Smithing jump 20 levels in 10 seconds.

Melfice

11-15-2011, 06:08 PM

EDIT: Cheap whiterun bastards won't let me buy a forge or an enchanter for my home. What kind of town do they think they're running?

Riften has an Alchemy lab and an Enchanter for sale with the house.
I have no idea which house includes a forge and ore smelter, however. I've only got the one in Riften and Whiterun. (I really like being Thane, and you needed to buy the house in Riften to become one.)

Azisien

11-15-2011, 06:24 PM

This is where all of the shitty clothes that weigh nothing come in. After a certain point I'll probably have an outfit for every manual skill.

EDIT: Cheap whiterun bastards won't let me buy a forge or an enchanter for my home. What kind of town do they think they're running?

I know, right! What a buzzkill!

I currently make use of the Carry Weight in my regular gear, for 25% more looting! But the implications of Fortify Smithing are just nuts. I am imagining this mastered Enchanter/Smithing, makes a full set of Fortify Smithing gear, wears it, smiths some badass full set of Dragon Armor or whatever it is the cool kids make these days, then goes and double enchants that with the most powerful effects in the game. I doubt much looted gear could top that.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-15-2011, 06:26 PM

All my main gear gives magicka boosts. Archmage's Robes, Lanfear's Stone Ring Angreal [my best enchantment to date, +40 Magicka :)), Savos Aran Amulet +50 Magicka.

Also all I've only trained Magicka. 100 health, 100 stamina, not giving a single ****

See this is why I went for magic regen rather than pure magic reserves. I can dual cast adept level spells in any school of magic with or without adept perks and my magicka regens in seconds. In fact it's even better now as I now found ANOTHER method of doubling my regen again, thanks to a skill stone, though it does double my damage from magic. But at this point, I pretty much laugh at any attack.

Doing this has also allowed me to actually level health a bit too, which is nice. Still pretty dependent on alteration buffs for armour though, but they regen quick enough and last for 2 minutes each.

I'm starting to think I may have made a bad choice with illusion though. Barely any enemies my powers work on any more and I haven't found the higher level spells yet. It also seems as though I'd need to put in most of the perks to make them effective anyway, which is a pretty serious investment for attacks I barely use. I may cut my losses and throw some points into enchanting, smithing or 1 handed instead.

Marc v4.0

11-15-2011, 06:36 PM

I know, right! What a buzzkill!

I currently make use of the Carry Weight in my regular gear, for 25% more looting! But the implications of Fortify Smithing are just nuts. I am imagining this mastered Enchanter/Smithing, makes a full set of Fortify Smithing gear, wears it, smiths some badass full set of Dragon Armor or whatever it is the cool kids make these days, then goes and double enchants that with the most powerful effects in the game. I doubt much looted gear could top that.

If you can make Dragon Armor, you already have the perk and 100 Skill, which means you can already Upgrade it as much as you are ever going to be able to.

Azisien

11-15-2011, 06:36 PM

See this is why I went for magic regen rather than pure magic reserves. I can dual cast adept level spells in any school of magic with or without adept perks and my magicka regens in seconds. In fact it's even better now as I now found ANOTHER method of doubling my regen again, thanks to a skill stone, though it does double my damage from magic. But at this point, I pretty much laugh at any attack.

Oh I was just mentioning the gear that gets my magicka so high. I have Recovery from the Restoration tree, and 200% regen from the rest of my gear. I have so much magicka reserve I sometimes just waste it, for fun!

If you can make Dragon Armor, you already have the perk and 100 Skill, which means you can already Upgrade it as much as you are ever going to be able to.

Ah, there's a hard cap on what an armor rating can be for each tier? That is...disappointing news.

Marc v4.0

11-15-2011, 06:40 PM

Oh I was just mentioning the gear that gets my magicka so high. I have Recovery from the Restoration tree, and 200% regen from the rest of my gear. I have so much magicka reserve I sometimes just waste it, for fun!

Ah, there's a hard cap on what an armor rating can be for each tier? That is...disappointing news.

You can only Upgrade things as far as Legendary, doesn't go any higher.

Krylo

11-15-2011, 07:54 PM

Is it just me or are the Imperials kinda huge dicks in this game? Like everywhere I go they're either executing or trying to execute people who don't really deserve it. One of them was me in the opening scenes! Plus the whole religious persecution and what not.

Annnd after meeting the future 'High Queen' she doesn't seem like a very good ruler. And there's the whole the Empire bowing to the elves thing.

Maybe if you go with the Imperial guy in the beginning things are a little more balanced for the Empire? Either way I've found only very little justification for siding with the Empire so far, and it's all justification of a 'is it worth the bloodshed and inconvenience to fight for our freedom' sort, and all kinds for fighting for the nords. Though Ulfric's backstory makes him out to be a little bit of an ass, I guess.

I suppose we'll see how I feel once I've been to more stormcloak cities.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-15-2011, 08:13 PM

Eugh, just got to the end of the Lost Legends quest, where you have to fight those 3 brothers AGAIN, all in a row. That fucking archer guy is a fucking pain in the arse, and not becuase of his archery skills. It's the damn unavoidable knockdown from his shouts that fucks you over and the fact that he creates like 4 copies of himself and no matter which one you attack, it is NEVER the real one first.

AND there's hardly any cover in that room, which makes it an unavoidable knockdown shout from any of 5 possible directions. My atronachs die in 1 shot and I think certain frost spells are useless on these guys. I'm TRYING to fire off ice bolts to kill off the fakes whilst simultaneously trying to avoid the knockdown long enough to discern where the fucker is so I can unleash fireballs on him and actually do some damage, but it's pissing annoying.

Gona give up for the night and try again tomorrow.

Azisien

11-15-2011, 08:27 PM

Aldurin

11-15-2011, 08:59 PM

Unintended moments of irony.

The last dragon encounter was going pretty well until a sabre cat just ran up and tore me to shreds. Fuck yo kitties.

Then I was on my way to what I think is the quest to join the Dark Brotherhood (I sure to hell hope they have me kill bards) when I encountered, you guessed it, a Dark Brotherhood assassin. Unfortunately for her I was thinking the whole way there "I really need to increase Restoration for that regen perk."

We spent the next five minutes dancing around while I gained several more levels in Restoration and Light Armor.

Life is fun.

Bob The Mercenary

11-15-2011, 10:21 PM

Two things I just discovered that might be worth while:

-If you use a shout inside of Whiterun, a courier meets you later with an anonymous letter that starts a quest.

-In Hrongar's bedroom in Dragonreach there's a book on the table that starts a quest.

[Edit] And in the Jarl's bedroom there's a gem that if you steal it starts a quest to find an appraiser.

Arcanum

11-15-2011, 10:45 PM

So I learned earlier today that you can talk to Arngeir at High Hrothgar and ask him where a word of power is, and he'll mark a location on your map. This just made hunting words a whole lot easier.

Is it just me or are the Imperials kinda huge dicks in this game? Like everywhere I go they're either executing or trying to execute people who don't really deserve it. One of them was me in the opening scenes! Plus the whole religious persecution and what not.

Annnd after meeting the future 'High Queen' she doesn't seem like a very good ruler. And there's the whole the Empire bowing to the elves thing.

Maybe if you go with the Imperial guy in the beginning things are a little more balanced for the Empire? Either way I've found only very little justification for siding with the Empire so far, and it's all justification of a 'is it worth the bloodshed and inconvenience to fight for our freedom' sort, and all kinds for fighting for the nords. Though Ulfric's backstory makes him out to be a little bit of an ass, I guess.

I suppose we'll see how I feel once I've been to more stormcloak cities.

The Imperials are massive dicks. I realized that as soon as they tried to kill me for no reason at the start of the game, so I sided with the Stormcloaks. Also I don't know what kind of lies the Imperials have been feeding you, but Ulfric didn't assassinate the previous Emperor, he challenged him in combat for the throne. And he did this because he didn't want to see the Empire sell out Skyrim to the Thalmor (who are also a bunch of jackasses). Stormcloaks fo' life yo.

Eugh, just got to the end of the Lost Legends quest, where you have to fight those 3 brothers AGAIN, all in a row. That fucking archer guy is a fucking pain in the arse, and not becuase of his archery skills. It's the damn unavoidable knockdown from his shouts that fucks you over and the fact that he creates like 4 copies of himself and no matter which one you attack, it is NEVER the real one first.

AND there's hardly any cover in that room, which makes it an unavoidable knockdown shout from any of 5 possible directions. My atronachs die in 1 shot and I think certain frost spells are useless on these guys. I'm TRYING to fire off ice bolts to kill off the fakes whilst simultaneously trying to avoid the knockdown long enough to discern where the fucker is so I can unleash fireballs on him and actually do some damage, but it's pissing annoying.

Gona give up for the night and try again tomorrow.

This is why I love being a tank. I had no problem at all killing any of those three in that final fight. And enemy knockback/disarm shouts don't even affect me any more.

Two things I just discovered that might be worth while:

-If you use a shout inside of Whiterun, a courier meets you later with an anonymous letter that starts a quest.

-In Hrongar's bedroom in Dragonreach there's a book on the table that starts a quest.

[Edit] And in the Jarl's bedroom there's a gem that if you steal it starts a quest to find an appraiser.

The letter from a friend? You get those randomly to help point you towards a word of power. Also those Unusual Gems are scattered about Skyrim, and basically lead you to the thieves guild.

MSperoni

11-15-2011, 10:53 PM

Anyone know if "Thonar Silver-Blood" (from Markarth) is used in any more quests after the completion of "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine"?

There's nothing in a video game I hate more than quests that force you to go into prison, take away all your items, and make you handicap your way through boring ass fights with loser NPCs...They could have a sewer level in an ice world and I wouldn't hate it as much. I rushed through it, then when I finished I got angry and attacked Thonar after the quest was over (since it was his fault I got thrown in prison). I critical hit decapitated him, and there were no witnesses, so no bounty, and I'm thinking I might just save my game and leave it that way. But I'm worried he might have SOME use later so I dunno... :P

Funny thing is the only reason I'm in Markarth is because of that "Hangover" side-quest you stumble on in Whiterun.

DarkDrgon

11-15-2011, 11:03 PM

I cleared a dungeon just cause, and got a note from it that I can't read on my shitty TV... I think I may need to commandeer my sisters HD set up for the weekend, so I can experience this game properly (I'm playing on PS3, by the way)

Azisien

11-15-2011, 11:04 PM

Mastered Enchanting. Chugged an Enchanter's Elixir thingy and went to town: level 34, 200 health, 700 Magicka, 270% magicka regeneration.

I am still waiting on a merchant or dungeon to give me some stylish looking boots, so I can enchant those up too. Yes, style matters. I find Elven armor looks particularly bad-ass with my Archmage Robes.

Now, back to more focused adventuring with my new powers!

Bob The Mercenary

11-15-2011, 11:06 PM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/BobtheMercenary/ScreenShot3.jpg

batgirl

11-15-2011, 11:15 PM

Level 10 now, going through the main quest because I like killing dragons and whee a party soon!

Also, anyone know where to find some bitching armor? I feel like I haven't gotten any good armor/weapons yet (wolf armor and orcish mace that I've upgraded). I'm looking for heavy armor and 1-handed weapons.

Arcanum

11-15-2011, 11:21 PM

If you do some Companion quests and join their ranks you can get a sky-forged steel weapon of your choosing for free. I kept upgrading my sky-forged steel sword and it served me well until level 20 or so. Otherwise, other than getting lucky and finding a good weapon or armor piece somewhere while adventuring (steel plate is pretty fantastic if you can find it), or even in a shop (and able to afford it), your best bet is to get your smithing skill up and forge/upgrade your own gear.

DarkDrgon

11-16-2011, 12:44 AM

I got lucky and fell into a chest with Robes of Destruction and a necklace that lowers regeneration costs. Had a nice staff too, but i abused it too much and ran out of juice.

Also, oh man there should be a trophy for dying while attempting to jump down a tower onto a dragons back. Even if you fall on a dragon, falling damage will still kill you :( Now i can't find that tower, I know its somewhere in the east though. had a word I can't remember, I remember it caused fear though.

Marc v4.0

11-16-2011, 12:58 AM

Azisien

11-16-2011, 01:07 AM

Also: Lydia is immortal in my game (just gets knocked out), so I'm not sure how you kept getting her killed.

I had a good chuckle over this point, because something pretty hilarious happened in my game tonight with Lydia.

I was dungeon crawling as per usual, encountered a decently tough opponent, a Draugar Scourge or something. Nothing I can't handle but usually enough to give Lydia a beat down. Well, I misfired a few fireballs and slaughtered her. Woops. This time around, based on how my save games had went, I would have to spend like 10 minutes backtracking to save her. At this point, 40ish hours in, I honestly didn't care that much for her survival anymore. With a Frost Atronach, my tanking requirements were met.

So I looted all of her gear I had bestowed her, gave her a proper Elder Scrolls burial by leaving her loyal corpse in a strange position, and moved on. As it turned out, I quickly got a new mage companion, and she is much more suited to my play style than Lydia ever was.

A few more hours go by, and I'm heading to Breezehome to drop off alchemical supplies. I step into the house, and there Lydia is, seated in my kitchen and sipping a drink. "Greetings my Thane."

Aldurin

11-16-2011, 01:36 AM

A few more hours go by, and I'm heading to Breezehome to drop off alchemical supplies. I step into the house, and there Lydia is, seated in my kitchen and sipping a drink. "Greetings my Thane."

Spoiler: Lydia is G-man.

CABAL49

11-16-2011, 05:23 AM

I did the civil war quest on the side of the Empire. Basically they are cracking down on Skyrim because they know that if they lose Skyrim, the Aldmeri Dominion are going to finish them off. The Empire is basically planning for the next war, making the concessions to get a bit of breathing room. There is no way Ulfric can stop the Aldermi Dominion from taking over Tamriel, and considering the Dominion is fond of race purges, I'm going to go with the Empire.

Krylo

11-16-2011, 07:21 AM

Also I don't know what kind of lies the Imperials have been feeding you, but Ulfric didn't assassinate the previous Emperor, he challenged him in combat for the throne.

Well yeah, but he was still a total ass about it. I mean he challenged the king who apparently wasn't super good at fighting anyway, and then just obliterated him with a super shout immediately upon the duel starting. Couldn't even fight him properly.

And to make it even more jackassy he didn't even talk to the guy first, as everyone at court seems to agree that had Ulfric asked the guy probably would have gone for independence, anyway.

So Ulfric cheats in duels and challenges people to duels over things that could be settled with five seconds of talking.

Ergo, ass. Not assassin.

EVILNess

11-16-2011, 09:19 AM

I miss acrobatics and the ability to leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Cause how fucking cool would it be to JUMP SLASH a fucking Dragon with a maxed out acrobatics skill while wielding a fucking two-handed axe?

DarkDrgon

11-16-2011, 10:44 AM

If there were a way to fly or at least improve your jump i would call this the best game ever. it would even top BoF2 for me (and thats saying something)

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-16-2011, 11:44 AM

Finally did that battle I was stuck on. Took me another 2 attempts and I got blasted through the map once or twice but I got there in the end. Flame Atronach saved my life against that archer a couple of times and the steadfast ward was actually useful for a change.

The annoying part is the amulet you get isn't even really that good, but I've switched it out in place of my 25% regen one for a bit just because it gives me a little extra health and stamina. I may change back eventually though.

Bells

11-16-2011, 11:55 AM

Here is a moment of awesome that i just went through...

I forgot the name of the place thouhg... i was wandering about, checking new places, finding secrets... and i found this barbarian camp, actually a pretty big camp on a mountain side. I sneaked around, got the drop on a few of them, but some others spotted me. What followed as a 3 day in-game time battle where i would sneak around camp tagging them one by one.

But they have a leader, a wizard barbarian with a pretty nasty fire spell and shield that also use a quite deadly hand axe. I needed a zombie to be able to take the bitch down.

Funny thing though is that this guy was different, he had an exposed heart! Sure enough, i took it! It's called Briar's heart

So, i'm thinking to myself "that was it" and i just go around seeing what other loots they have in this place... i got way up in the mountainside that slides next to a pretty tall waterfall. Up there, in a corner i hear some mumbling, i go check it, and sure enough there it is...

There is a table and 2 monsters, Necromancer monster thingies... forgot their names and they are conjuring on a table where another guy just like the one i killed is laying.

i look around and i see that behind me lies the waterfall... but there is something unusual about that spot... there is a plank right at the border of it!

So, sure enough, being the gracious thief that i am, i see i can't possibly defeat 2 Necromancer monsters alone, i rush to the table, jumping on it, i steal a bunch of crystals, ANOTHER Briar's hear right from the body of the guy on the table (pressing E like a maniac) and i turn around, and DASH madly towards the waterfall.

At this point, the monsters turn agrro and start firing fireballs at me. These are different from the common fireball, they work like goddamn explosions! The screen shakes everytime and there is several flashes of light behind me. But since i'm pretty fast with my full light armor i can dodge it.

So i run to the tip of the Waterfall thinking "This is fucking awesome, if i die i'll just reload!" and i jump. Full blown leap of faith. Would make Ezio proud! I fall all the way down to the bottom of the waterfall... ALIVE! and the monsters aren't following!

So i slide out of the water and i'm greated by the ghost of a Bard! Who congratulate's me on my Leap and improves my Speech skill!

Fucking. Awesome.

Know what the best part of this? There were no bullshit cutscenes, there was no change of background music, no camera pans... no nothing. I was there, this thing was happening and i decided how i wanted to go down, and it went down in fantastic glory.

THIS is good game design.

Tev

11-16-2011, 12:24 PM

Is stealing stuff in this game really this easy? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5aUdijAN8)

Bells

11-16-2011, 12:45 PM

Yes. Yes it is.

Althouhg, i do like it. Feels real. If i walk into a room and there is nobody around, i can steal anything i want without consequence too.

Arcanum

11-16-2011, 01:02 PM

Epic

I know what place you're talking about, and yeah the place is pretty sweet (the two creatures are Hagravens). I was climbing a nearby mountain (I managed to get high up, and then I was just running horizontally across the mountain) when I saw the place and dropped in right where the Hags were creating the Briarheart Foresworn. I just watched, dumbfounded, as they ignored me and did their chant. Then the Briarheart stood up, they all looked at me, and I was hit in the face with three fireballs which nearly killed me (this is in full Daedra armor at level 38ish). I then fought my way down through the camp and walked out the front gate. Also you didn't mention it, so you may have missed it, but did you snag the word of power on the wall behind the Hagravens?

Nikose Tyris

11-16-2011, 01:48 PM

I now own this game.

Male Imperial 1 Handed / Destruction are my perk buys, light armor my highest non-perk skill.
Magicka/Magicka/Magicka/Magicka/Stamina/Repeat level path.

I'm currently level 9. I'm spending a ridiculous amount of time chopping firewood and mining. I love it.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-16-2011, 02:27 PM

I can now breath underwater. Take that Argonians! Truly, there is no problem magic can't solve.

And travelling by river is now a viable quick travelling method.

Bells

11-16-2011, 02:38 PM

I know what place you're talking about, and yeah the place is pretty sweet (the two creatures are Hagravens). I was climbing a nearby mountain (I managed to get high up, and then I was just running horizontally across the mountain) when I saw the place and dropped in right where the Hags were creating the Briarheart Foresworn. I just watched, dumbfounded, as they ignored me and did their chant. Then the Briarheart stood up, they all looked at me, and I was hit in the face with three fireballs which nearly killed me (this is in full Daedra armor at level 38ish). I then fought my way down through the camp and walked out the front gate. Also you didn't mention it, so you may have missed it, but did you snag the word of power on the wall behind the Hagravens?

Oh! Yeah i forgot! Because of it i ended up taking one of those fireballs on the back. But i took it!

Also, i'm surprised they gave you that much trouble, i was wearing some really simple light armor and i'm around Lvl 14 yet, guess being faster is paying off!

Also also, just stole an 1 handed Elven Sword from the Jarl's home! It will b e my secondary weapon untill i get a Kickass dagger and the backstab perk.

Also also also, i'm reaching my goal of becoming 8 Bit theater's thief. So much stealing...

also also also also... who the hell is Hert? He just hired 3 goons to kill in in the middle of a city! they ambushed me as soon as i left a general story. I got the contract from one of the dead goons but it doesn't start a quest yet.

also also also also also... i think food is useless. it has no skills attached, any healing done with it can be done better with magic and potions! There isn't much of a point in it...

Arcanum

11-16-2011, 02:50 PM

Oh! Yeah i forgot! Because of it i ended up taking one of those fireballs on the back. But i took it!

Also, i'm surprised they gave you that much trouble, i was wearing some really simple light armor and i'm around Lvl 14 yet, guess being faster is paying off!

Also also, just stole an 1 handed Elven Sword from the Jarl's home! It will b e my secondary weapon untill i get a Kickass dagger and the backstab perk.

Also also also, i'm reaching my goal of becoming 8 Bit theater's thief. So much stealing...

also also also also... who the hell is Hert? He just hired 3 goons to kill in in the middle of a city! they ambushed me as soon as i left a general story. I got the contract from one of the dead goons but it doesn't start a quest yet.

also also also also also... i think food is useless. it has no skills attached, any healing done with it can be done better with magic and potions! There isn't much of a point in it...

Well enemies scale with you as you level up, and magic (well fire and lightning) is my main weakness right now if I'm not holding up my shield to get the 50% elemental block.

I dunno who Hert is, but that reminds me of way way way back in the beginning of the game, I stumbled onto this cabin owned by an old lady named Anise. There was a trap door in her house so I picked the lock and went inside and it turns out she was a necromancer. I looted some potions and ingredients and when I left she said that I couldn't live if I knew her secret so she tried to kill me, but failed miserably (I'm pretty sure her corpse is still rotting on her bed where I left her). Anyway, one game-day later I exit the tavern in Riverside and there's a bandit thug walking down the street who comes right up to me and grunts something about don't bother to resist, and then he attacks me. After a rather prolonged fight (the dude was strong, I was still a noob, and he killed me a few times) I loot his corpse and there's a letter on him from Anise, telling him to kill me. The old lady, whom after I met for the first time, was murdered before she could have time or reason to send a hired goon after me.

As for food, I think it's there just for some added immersion, and not to be used as a reliable healing method.

Aldurin

11-16-2011, 03:08 PM

Man, there is a shit ton of money to be made in looting dwemer ruins, smithing up some badass armor, making it flawless (over 200 gold increase in value) and then enchanting it to sell.

All I need is a better weight capacity or a rich guy next to a forge, smelter and enchanter.

Kim

11-16-2011, 05:47 PM

XOHs183SaWQ

Grandmaster_Skweeb

11-16-2011, 06:28 PM

As for food, I think it's there just for some added immersion, and not to be used as a reliable healing method.

There's a couple that are pretty decent when cooked, like the stews. More of a free supplement such as 1 stam/sec for 720 seconds. Doesn't seem like a lot but in a drawn out fight every spare stam or magic or HP pays off. Oh and if you're heavy into casting... look up elsewyr fondue or whatever the hell it is called. As a near pure melee heavy armor 2-h build I'm pretty freak in jealous that casters get that and there's nowhere close to a non-magicky oriented version near as potent.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-16-2011, 06:38 PM

Just did a mission to rescue some dude from a Thalmor prison, walked away with 13 full sets of Elven armour, an elven shield, mace, war axe and sword, a couple of helms of the steel and scaled variety and a couple of glass swords and maces, and there's still a bunch of shields and armour back in the dungeon because I couldn't carry it all.

Gona have a fun time enchanting the shit out of this and raking in a nice profit.

Oh and I found the next Whirlwind Sprint word and another mask. 2 down, 6 to go...

I'm also starting to rethink my, "I'll probably join the Stormcloaks plan." By the sounds of it, the Dominion are kicking all kinds of arse and are poised to take over the world. Even if Skyrim becomes independent, they're probably not gona last long before the Dominion comes and takes over instead.

Pip Boy

11-16-2011, 06:46 PM

You'd think so, but then you remember that they're manly nord men who don't have no patience for no goddamned elfy bullshit. GLORY AWAITS IN SOVNGARDE.

Aldurin

11-16-2011, 06:51 PM

The imperials are controlling douchebags and the Stormcloaks are racist assholes, clearly the only option is for you to rule.

Bells

11-16-2011, 07:02 PM

Why 90% of the male NPC's are voiced by Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonators?

Aldurin

11-16-2011, 07:04 PM

XOHs183SaWQ

That guy has it figured out.

MSperoni

11-16-2011, 07:39 PM

He died during the breakout in my game, the Forsworn killed him and then one Zombie'd him to fight the guards.

I ended up just saving my game with him dead anyway, so far it doesn't seem to have any effect. Although the people in his house really hate me and will say stuff like "You're lucky I don't smash your face in" or whatever. That pretty much guarantees them being murdered by me in the future. (I just haven't gotten around to it yet, but I plan on it).

It's like with the Thieves Guild. There are so many dickwads in there I've made a mental list of who I'm going to kill once I'm done with their quests (pretty much ALL of them).

It's too bad the game has so many "essential" characters. I think only Main Plot characters should be essential, and even then it should be as few as possible. Fallout 3 had a better handle on that in my opinion (you could pretty much kill anyone).

I'd LOVE to join the Dark Brotherhood, but I haven't figured out how yet.

Pip Boy

11-16-2011, 07:49 PM

To help point you the right way without spoiling anything, when in Windhelm you can hear a rumor about a child trying to perform the Black Sacrament.

MSperoni

11-16-2011, 07:53 PM

Ah okay, thanks :) I haven't actually been to all of the Holds yet. Just four of them.

Once I get my work done for the day I'll load up my game and head to Windhelm posthaste!

Pip Boy

11-16-2011, 07:56 PM

CABAL49

11-16-2011, 07:57 PM

The imperials are controlling douchebags and the Stormcloaks are racist assholes, clearly the only option is for you to rule.

Spoiler from the Civil War campaign

You know, I was really disappointed when I take Windhelm practically by myself, and the General assigns it to some old douchebag. I should get to be the Jarl. I kicked the ass, I get the power.

Karrrrrrrrrrrresche

11-16-2011, 07:58 PM

Sounds like you should be playing Mount and Blade: Warband.

Bells

11-16-2011, 08:01 PM

Sometimes when i think i'm doing something cool i take multiple screenshot at once so later i can just keep the better ones

So... The following images happened in the order presented

http://i40.tinypic.com/2lvjrxt.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/dnyply.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/w7g5rk.jpg

MSperoni

11-16-2011, 08:01 PM

Even though you don't start with all the cities for fast travel, you don't have to walk the whole way there. You can pay a carriage at any city's stable to take you to another for either 20 or 50 gold. Still, I'd encourage you to travel to each one the old-fasioned way on your first character because there really is a very large, interesting world to explore.

I usually never fast travel. My first trips to anywhere are always on foot. I don't even like to take horses. I usually only fast travel due to real-world time constraints or if I'm doing random errand running (like swapping items from one home to another).

I will WALK to Windhelm from wherever I am. That's a given. I did the same thing for the hundreds of hours I put into Oblivion and Fallout 3 :P I also like to pretend this game has a "hardcore mode" like New Vegas, so I pack food and such for roleplaying purposes (too bad it doesn't have a hardcore mode).

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-16-2011, 08:03 PM

The imperials are controlling douchebags and the Stormcloaks are racist assholes, clearly the only option is for you to rule.

Well, I AM a godly Elven Dragonborn Archmage werewolf, Thane of Whiterun, with connections to the Thieves Guild and soon the Dark Brotherhood.

It seems only proper that I make a grab for power at some point.

Pip Boy

11-16-2011, 08:04 PM

FOR METAGAMING DOUCHEBAGS ONLY: Each elder scrolls game so far has had some major exploitative thing in its rules that lets you become god-powered without actually cheating. Skyrim's has already been found. Get your smithing, enchanting, and alchemy all to 100 and then get a buttload of grand soul gems and ingredients for "Fortify Enchanting" potions. Make sure you know the "Fortify Alchemy" armor enchantment. Make a set of armor fully enchanted to boost alchemy, then use your new freakishly high alchemy bonus to make a potion that boosts enchanting. Using this bonus to enchanting, enchant a new set of armor with a higher "Fortify Alchemy" bonus than the previous set. Do this a couple of times until the diminishing returns start to kick in. Then enchant two new sets of armor: One is for Fortify Smithing and the other is for "Fortify Archery". Use the Fortify Smithing (total bonus should be freakishly high at this point) to upgrade a Daedric bow (or whatever variety of bow is available). Its base damage should now be incredibly high. Then equip your Fortify Archery armor and your total bonus to archery from gear should be somewhere in the realm of 125% at least. Enjoy killing dragons with a single sneak-attack crit.

batgirl

11-16-2011, 10:55 PM

So now I've gotten some Dwarven armor and smithed the hell out of it. I'm level 13, a werewolf and I run the Companions. I've accumulated so many random quests I don't even know where to go from here, but I'm not ready to move forwards in the main quest just yet. I think my next step is to amass a small fortune of gold to buy a house.

Bob The Mercenary

11-17-2011, 12:02 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/BobtheMercenary/ScreenShot6.jpg

Aldurin

11-17-2011, 12:04 AM

You're supposed to spawn Alduin in the middle of that town immediately after.

Pip Boy

11-17-2011, 01:37 AM

Naaah, just use an AoE frenzy ability on them and watch the sparks fly.

Arcanum

11-17-2011, 03:32 AM

Ok so I decided to craft a second Daedric sword and upgrade the dual-wielding perks. At first I was like "meh this is ok" and then I used the Elemental Fury shout and oh my fucking god I am a whirlwind of death. I attack so fast it's ridiculous, and the dual-wield power attack just mows down enemies. Literally. It's like I'm a fucking woodchipper. I don't think I'm going back to a shield any time soon.

Also I finished up the Stormcloak campaign to see how it compared to what you guys were saying about the Imperial stuff. Spoilers I guess? Eh I'm not adding tags, if you're reading this then you can see that I wrote spoiler. When you finally corner Tullius he tells you that the Dominion wanted this rebellion to happen to weaken Skyrim. Ulfric is pretty much like "ok that's cool, still gonna murder you," and then he murders him. If you talk to him afterwards he says he'll wait for the moot to name him high king, and until then he will work to unite and strengthen Skyrim, and maybe even take the offensive against the Thalmor when they have a suitable army.

It's all just standard optimistic "we're the best around nothing's ever going to bring us down" Nord talk. But hey at least we aren't making cowardly treaties to delay the inevitable.

CABAL49

11-17-2011, 06:20 AM

I started a new character. A mage in fact. I am trying to decide whether to go with enchanted light armor, or go with alteration. I haven't really sunk any perks into either, and I need to.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-17-2011, 08:16 AM

I suggest Alteration. If you're going mage you will eventually end up needing tons of regen, which means ditching armour anyway to get the buffs from mage robes and the like. Alteration gives you all the armour buffs you need, can last for minutes at a time, and with your high regen you can easily still start a fight with full magicka and still have the armour last for ages.

I just replaced stoneflesh with the adept level ironflesh now that I have the adept level perk so I can easily dual cast it, have it last for 2 minutes, and still get my magicka back to full within seconds. And there's still another perk to help them last even longer or be more effective if you're not wearing armour, though I duno if it counts my mask as "armour". I'm assuming you have to not be wearing anything that says "armour" for that perk to work at all.

It's also easy as shit to train Alteration thanks to Telekinesis.

EDIT; Has anybody noticed the Shadowmarks hidden around the place yet? I've been checking around Whiterun and have now located everywhere worth stealing from, everywhere that has already been robbed, and I've determined that the Battleborns are protected from thievery by the guild and that Amrens place is not somewhere you want to try stealing from.

Most informative.

CABAL49

11-17-2011, 11:42 AM

But I can double enchant armor to give me regen.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-17-2011, 01:01 PM

You can enchant pretty well even without the perks. Case in point, with 52 enchanting and no perks, I can now enchant rings with 21% regen, even though it initially says I can only do 20%. This has jumped from 6% from the last time I did this for myself, so I just jumped 15% and all I've been doing is disenchanting stuff.

Aldurin

11-17-2011, 01:34 PM

For current non-mages planning to go mage with the next character.

Find out where the apprentice stone is, then when you build that mage you go right the fuck over there and use it. You now have a decent magicka reserve and regen. Combine this with Altmer race for extra magicka at the cost of taking even more damage from spells (dear lord that would suck against dragons), or with Breton since you already get magic resistance out the ass.

Best boredom cure as mage, dual cast healing spells right in front of a guard and watch him freak out.

EDIT: I just realized that a good humor mod would be one that replaces the audio for the Force shout with a really loud burp. Someone needs to make it happen.

CABAL49

11-17-2011, 02:57 PM

Yeah, I made a Breton. That absorb magicka power has save my ass a few times. I gained a bunch of levels really fast by smithing and enchanting. So I got a really big Magicka reserve.

Edit: Also the Molag Bal quest is pretty intense.

Azisien

11-17-2011, 02:58 PM

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-17-2011, 03:09 PM

Arcanum

11-17-2011, 03:40 PM

A NEW CHALLENGER HAS ENTERED THE RING!

Frost dragons are now roaming the countryside and fuck me they're hard. I just about had Blood dragons nailed when these fuckers show up with their ability to frost my arse and all of its health in 1 pass.

I've only managed to take down 1 so far and that was because I had a terrain advantage, with a nice little archway I could duck into to avoid him flyby-ing me constantly. I really need some better boots with massive frost resistance for these guys.

As a Nord I'm failing to see how frost dragons are hard in any way. :dance: *dances around with natural 50% frost resist* :dance:

Actually with how much of a tank I am, no dragon has posed a threat to me for quite some time now.

Nikose Tyris

11-17-2011, 03:45 PM

I met a frost dragon today!
I was crawling around a mountain, and found a 'dragon roost' or some shit. There was a dragon word on the wall, so I head on over. I sneak over and learn the word, and turn around to a very annoyed dragon.
Picture in your mind, now, a man in a robe, skidding down the side of a near-sheer mountain face with one hand in the air healing, as he skitters desperately away from a dragon that screams and leaps into the air above him.

It helps to accentuate that by imagining him going, "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck."
I sprint by a giant, who seems surprised by me- and then the giant spots the dragon.

WHAM

Knocks the poor fucker out of the air.

The giant then goes the fuck to town on the dragon, and beats the piss out of it. dragon gets its bearings and begins to frost breath the giant, and the giant gets near death.

I then began casting Healing Hands on Giantbro, and together we kill the dragon.

Afterwords, Pose as a team cause shit got real, and then we went our seperate ways.

I have Force, Whirlwind Step, and Frost Breath now.

[Edit] Oh right and I AM A PRIEST NOW. I can't survive shit alone, but I travel with companions and kick all sorts of ass with Healing Hands, and switch off to Lightning Bolt to snipe off stragglers. I finally lost Lydia to a Mammoth Stampede [:(] and I'm hunting for a new compatriot. I'm specifically looking for a good tank type, that I can make carry my excess gear. I like to equip them with my best two-handed weapon [I enchant them and pass em over] and the best armor I can buy/make. [New companion will have Scale Armor and a Dwarven Warhammer, it looks like!]

Arcanum

11-17-2011, 04:19 PM

Check out the taverns. If you brawl with someone and win you usually get the choice to team up with them.

Anyway do you guys remember when Bethesda announced that contest about naming your kid Dovahkiin? (http://www.bethblog.com/index.php/2011/02/18/ladies-and-gentlemen-start-your-creation-engines/)

Well it happened. Say hello to Dovahkiin Tom Kellermeyer (http://www.bethblog.com/index.php/2011/11/16/dragonborn/)

Melfice

11-17-2011, 04:26 PM

Ironically, I lost Lydia after I gave her my Exquisite Dwemer armour when I upgraded to Orcish armour.

I'm not even sure if she's dead or where she died. She's certainly not at Breezehome, and she's not near me. Luckily, all she had was some staff, Dwemer bow and some enchanted zweih�nder. Plus the aforementioned Dwemer armour.

And in my other game, in which I'm a full-on mage, all Lydia does is crawl around on the ground after a tangle with a dragon. Unfortunately, I've lost track of her there as well, and there she WAS carrying the good stuff. Don't have a house on that game yet, and she was carrying all the valuables plus the dragon bones.

Luckily, I wasn't that far in. Just found the weird ball in Saarthal. It was pretty much the only thing I've done yet, aside from killing the dragon near Whiterun.

Goddammit, Lydia. =/
I give you decent armour, and you die on me.

EDIT: I haven't checked Dragonsreach, actually... but theoretically, if she decided to skip home instead of tracking me down, she should be at Breezehome.

Krylo

11-17-2011, 04:30 PM

On lost companions: Console commands from Fallout 3 still work. You know, the ones to teleport companions who get lost back to you because pathing is still stupid.

Speaking of, Lydia is now resting at home again in my game. Wearing full dragonbone plate.

Edit: To get Lydia back it's moveto player 000a2c94. If when she gets back she's dead from falling through the world or something you can choose to loot her and then do 'prid 000a2c94' followed by 'resurrect 1'. (edit3: You loot her first because when NPCs rez sometimes their inventories vanish.)

Edit2: PC version only, obviously. Mods and console commands to circumvent bugs and/or shitty pathing are why you only get Bethesda games for PC.

Melfice

11-17-2011, 04:32 PM

Also irony: Console commands don't work on the consoles.

Krylo

11-17-2011, 04:35 PM

Also, this two handed shit has gotten ridiculous. I have a ring with +33% two handed damage, a necklace with the same, gauntlets with the same, and boots with the same. And, 4/5 of the damage upgrades from the talent tree.

I one shot frost trolls with power attacks using a nord hero's sword.

Edit: Only problem is that shit dies so fast that it's hard to raise either that or my armor skills.

Edit 2: That's with all five enchanting buff perks, but none of the other perks further down the tree.

phil_

11-17-2011, 04:38 PM

irony: Console commands don't work on the consoles.Question mark? I'd say that's very much not the opposite of what's expected, in that's it's exactly what one would expect.

Melfice

11-17-2011, 04:43 PM

Question mark? I'd say that's very much not the opposite of what's expected, in that's it's exactly what one would expect.

I'm not sure if you've ever played any of the previous Elder Scrolls games on the PC, but if you wanted to "cheat", you'd need to call up the console.

This is basically the debug area for a game.

You need to test how the game handles dropping nine-hundred million brooms in the game? You use the console to spawn these right in front of you by typing a few lines there, and voil�!

Unfortunately, this console can't be called up in console games, since you can't alter the executive file, allowing you to access the console.
And there's no button to do so in the first place.
You could try hooking up a keyboard to the Xbox or PS3 and see if that works, but I highly doubt it.

EDIT: And I would get Skyrim for the PC, Krylo, but for some reason I dislike Elder Scrolls games for the PC.
I can barely stomach Morrowind, but beyond that...

CABAL49

11-17-2011, 04:59 PM

[Edit] Oh right and I AM A PRIEST NOW. I can't survive shit alone, but I travel with companions and kick all sorts of ass with Healing Hands, and switch off to Lightning Bolt to snipe off stragglers. I finally lost Lydia to a Mammoth Stampede [:(] and I'm hunting for a new compatriot. I'm specifically looking for a good tank type, that I can make carry my excess gear. I like to equip them with my best two-handed weapon [I enchant them and pass em over] and the best armor I can buy/make. [New companion will have Scale Armor and a Dwarven Warhammer, it looks like!]

Yeah, there is woman in the Whiterun tavern who will join you if you win a brawl and if you buy the house in Malkarath you get a new Housecarl.

Bells

11-17-2011, 04:59 PM

Sidequest update! Buying a Dwarven Dagger of Freezing from Warmaiden's triggers a Courier sidequest!

Melfice

11-17-2011, 05:09 PM

Sidequest update! Buying a Dwarven Dagger of Freezing from Warmaiden's triggers a Courier sidequest!

What's the sidequest?
If it's "check out location X for a source of power only the dragonborn blablabla", it's because you used a Shout in any inhabited area.

If it's a museum in Dawnstar, I think you get that one randomly.

Azisien

11-17-2011, 06:44 PM

It's also easy as shit to train Alteration thanks to Telekinesis.

Just got this spell, and holy crap this. Thanks for the tip. I was honestly having trouble raising this skill otherwise.

Grandmaster_Skweeb

11-17-2011, 07:45 PM

Rolled a sneaky assassin-typey character to play on the side. Almost regret it now because stealth killing is so much more rewarding after chopping err'thing down like a doped up super lumberjack.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-17-2011, 08:28 PM

And if you're looking to train sneak, Muffle footsteps spell, then run around (crouched obviously) in a circle in one of the sleeping areas in the college when loads of people are there. You literally never come out of sneak mode.

Karrrrrrrrrrrresche

11-17-2011, 09:04 PM

Bob The Mercenary

11-17-2011, 11:16 PM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/BobtheMercenary/7135fecf.jpg

Arcanum

11-17-2011, 11:30 PM

So I beat the main quest line. Pretty neat. Part of me feels that the quest line itself was rather short, but then I realize I've spent a little over 50 hours in this game so I'm not complaining. Plus there's still a metric shit ton of stuff to do.

Well... so long as more quests don't glitch out. I have two that I can't complete because they glitched. First is a misc quest for Esbern, where I gave him a dragon bone and scale and he made me a potion. The quest log still tells me to give him a bone and scale, and when I drink the potion that's supposed to give me the "dragon infusion" perk, nothing happens.

And then there's the Repairing the White Phial quest, that needs me to get a briarheart among other things so he can fix the phial. Well I have a briarheart, I have three, only the quest wants me to go to this place that I've already been, and pluck the heart out of a Forsworn I've already killed and plucked the heart out of. I can't even put a heart back into the guy and try to take it out again, since I can't move quest items out of my inventory. I can't even clear my inventory of briarhearts because I can't eat them or make them into a potion any more. Looking online it seems this has happened to others and there's no work around yet.

Azisien

11-17-2011, 11:40 PM

Mastered Conjuration. The mastery quest for it is awesome - actually - it leads me to believe that every spell school has a master quest, and the rewards for them are the master level spells. And I am quite pleased with Flame, Frost, and Storm Thralls. They can handle most battles on their own, now

Marc v4.0

11-17-2011, 11:52 PM

Azisien

11-18-2011, 01:20 AM

Mastered Alteration too, but I seem to be encountering my very first major quest bug. Or I am stupid. Tough to say.

You have to find Kovawhatever's Fang and, according to the quest log and Tolfdir, hit a dragon/dragon corpse/dragon skeleton with the Fang to get Heartscales. Welp. I've tried all three, multiple times. I killed a dragon with the Fang. I hit its corpse while it was between dying and decomposing, I hit one that didn't decompose, I hit the skeleton [or rather, did not, since skeletons no longer register hits]. I obviously looted the dragon to see if it spawns in the corpse. I hit e right after hitting it with the Fang. By 'it' in the above, I actually mean many dragons. I travelled to all the dragon peaks on my map, sample size is like seven now. All nothing, no heartscales. Lanfear wants Master Alteration spells, damn it!

Edit: Also Ancient Dragons, ow.

Nikose Tyris

11-18-2011, 11:11 AM

Fulkas will forever be known as Fuckass in my home. I love him to death but damnit, Fuckass, stop charging into hordes of opponents. You really are dumb as a brick.

I'm now focusing on getting my enchanting up. I'm trying to figure out how wearing armor affects my magicka consumption.

Edit: Am I right in assuming that armor has no correlation to spellcasting in Skyrim?

Aldurin

11-18-2011, 01:37 PM

Maybe, I haven't seen any real difference with light armor, though I probably wouldn't go heavy as a mage.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-18-2011, 02:13 PM

Having real trouble finding the Storm Call shout/Rahgot mask. I know you guys said it was near Riften, but I've been all around here and found every location and haven't found it yet. Is the word wall just up on a hill or is it in some named dungeon?

Also, I have found new and unnusual ways to torment trolls. Find 2 of them together, use Fury, laugh and be entertained as they try and fail to constantly kill each other only to regen the damage. Hours of fun!

Aldurin

11-18-2011, 02:15 PM

Having real trouble finding the Storm Call shout/Rahgot mask. I know you guys said it was near Riften, but I've been all around here and found every location and haven't found it yet. Is the word wall just up on a hill or is it in some named dungeon?

Go to that one there town north of Riften (where you start the Dark Brotherhood quest line), and head south. You'll eventually come across a tree marker indicating a witch's grove. Go there, kill the witch and continue south until you either encounter the dragon's nest or the frost dragon guarding it. At the top of that nest is the wall with Storm Call I think. Or maybe it was frost breath. I don't remember exactly but check there just in case.

Marc v4.0

11-18-2011, 02:26 PM

Edit: Am I right in assuming that armor has no correlation to spellcasting in Skyrim?

Not that I have seen

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-18-2011, 02:29 PM

Well actually I just found the Storm Call anyway. It was well hidden up on a mountain by a place called Forelhost, which was directly opposite the mountain where that bounty dragon and Ice Form was located, which is... somewhat different to what you just described. Essentially directly east of the Shadow Stone right on the mountain there.

Bloody hard to get to though, I had to clamber up a curved archway and then jump a wall to get to it. I may have just skipped an entire dungeon.

Now I just need to find the damn mask. Is it actually in Forelhost?

Bells

11-18-2011, 03:15 PM

What's the sidequest?
If it's "check out location X for a source of power only the dragonborn blablabla", it's because you used a Shout in any inhabited area.

If it's a museum in Dawnstar, I think you get that one randomly.

The quest is "Bring a Dwarven Dagger of Freezing to Calcelmo" he is near Markarth

http://i41.tinypic.com/afkdcj.jpg

CABAL49

11-18-2011, 06:07 PM

I am really enjoying the Daedric quests. I stumbled on Herminous Mora by accident. Well, I have stumbled across all of them by accident. I killed a chicken in Winterhold by accident and got a 45 gold bounty. I thought it would be fun to go to jail and sneak out. Little did I know their jail is in the ass end of no where guarded by Frost Atronochs. I got to keep all my equipment so I dispatched them and started to run off when I spotted this dudes outpost. I wonder if the Daedra are getting upset that I have sworn allegiance to all the Deadra lords cause I want to collect their artifacts. Peryite prepare to surrender your artifact. Also, has anyone figured out how to activate Sheogorath? I know he was confirmed and I am really curious.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-18-2011, 06:17 PM

And Kriosis is in Shearpoint, which is a dragon icon thingy west of Whiterun. You will also find all the words for Throw Voice. Not really useful, but kinda fun.

Man, you need to learn your cardinal points. Krosis is so not west of Whiterun. I was running around for 2 hours up and down every mountain west of Whiterun with no luck. Turns out it's in the fucking north east!

Still havent found Rahgot either and at this point I don't trust any of you guys to give me further directions!

Marc v4.0

11-18-2011, 06:28 PM

CABAL49

11-18-2011, 06:32 PM

My Skyrim addled brain cannot be held responsible.

batgirl

11-18-2011, 07:13 PM

Apparently I'm now married to one of the Companion guys, Vilkas. Yay. I should have waited since apparently I could have also married the chick huntress with my character being a chick. Equal opportunity go!

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-18-2011, 07:36 PM

Going to skip the "Let me google that for you", which you should have tried because it's the first result right there.

Rahgot is a mask found on the Dragon Priest Rahgot at the end of the Forelhost dungeon (during the quest Siege on the Dragon Cult). Forelhost is found South East of Riften and directly west of Broken Helm Hollow from the Companions Quest.

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111114042240/elderscrolls/images/c/cd/ScreenShot15.jpg

Yeah I figured it was gona be that one, I even said so earlier. It would have just been easier if someone had given me the name of the dungeon rather than convoluted, "go here, kill this, head that direction" nonsense. I'm also trying to avoid googling shit, because that inevitably leads to accidental spoilers. At this in this thread I can mostly avoid that.

Anyway I finally upgraded my healing spell to the apprentice level, and I think I just found a way to break the game somewhat. The combination of Fast Healing and Equilibrium spells now means I can regen both health and magicka within seconds, by sacrificing 1 to fuel the other, then using a tiny amount of magicka to regen my entire health bar.

EDIT; Ok scratch that, further testing reveals that Equilibrium seems to actually slow down my naturally fast regen anyway, whihc makes it slower to use that just letting it happen naturally. This kinda makes the entire spell pointless.

Also that stamina healing perk will now allow me to run forever, which is nice.

Azisien

11-18-2011, 07:40 PM

Okay, Bethesda might as well have flown down to Ottawa, drove over to my house, knocked down my door, and kicked me in the crotch as I was getting out of the shower, and then perhaps also peed on me. By no means a hidden sexual fantasy, I am angry! This damn, apparent glitch to the Master Alteration Ritual quest is activating some kind of quasi-OCD I didn't know I had. I need to clear my Journal! I just need to! Knowing I will always have some unfinished, glitched-out quest in my Journal is infuriating!

I stabbed the damn dragons with the damn quest dagger, Bethesda! What do you want me to do? WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO??? DID YOU NOT REALIZE I HAVE THE QUEST DAGGER? BETHESDA! I CAN'T DROP IT! YOU PROGRAMMED THAT IN TOO! BETHESDA!!!! Oh. Oh I see. You only accepted the swing if I was wielding the dagger in my right hand. Oh.

Bethesda, I'm left handed in real life. This kind of bleeds into gaming a little bit. I tend to wield things in my left hand. Furthermore, Bethesda, my left mouse button is kind of a commonly clicked button, and it ties weapons to left hand in game. Skyrim is a great game, but I didn't know it was written, developed, programmed, and marketed by RIGHT HANDED PROPAGANDISTS. DIE IN A FIRE!*

*Rant inspired by Solid Snake

Bob The Mercenary

11-18-2011, 08:56 PM

http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/images/609-1-1321666036.jpg

Fluttershield!

Marc v4.0

11-18-2011, 11:13 PM

http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/images/609-1-1321666036.jpg

Fluttershield!

No

Aldurin

11-19-2011, 01:06 AM

A better shield design. (http://nerf-this.com/images/ragestache.jpg)

Azisien

11-19-2011, 04:58 AM

So. Decided to test things out for myself, since this thread in particular left me confused on the limits of smithing vs. smithing/enchanting. I'm level 52 now and running out of perk room to pump the 7 or 8 needed for Alchemy, but maybe.

Either way, I made a full set of dragonplate. My fortify smithing gear gives me +100% to smithing, and mastered smithing too. It indeed doubles the results. My Dragonplate Armor has 91 armor rating with my 15 heavy armor skill and zero perks.

I have read that the damage reduction cap for the game is 570 armor or so, anybody confirm that themselves? I got up to 270 armor with the full dragonplate set, and I should be closer to the DR cap once I let wolves hit me for a bit.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-19-2011, 08:11 AM

So it turns out that the perks keep coming even after level 50 then? I didn't know that. I was planning out my build on the assumption that 50 was the cap, so it now seems I can afford to put points into other things after all.

Grandmaster_Skweeb

11-19-2011, 08:47 AM

Fluttershield!

There are no words in any language existing, dead, or yet to be created that will ever come near being able to describe how very much I hate your very existence right now.

You have elevated my seething hatred of all things pony to heights unreached in my rich history of hating things. Furthermore you have tainted something glorious with that...pastel filth. You have done a very bad thing and should feel bad.

You, mister bob dole, are the shining example of why we can't have nice things anymore.

With that out of the way, I'm rather liking the architecture of the dwemer. So much so that the house in markarth will be my new base of operations upon being fully stocked. Lydia can have breeze home for herself.