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I don't really understand the leveling mechanism in Skyrim (I'm too new at it). I understand you no longer have to sleep to level. Is there a way to pull up a leveling page?

The / and ? key will pull up your skill perk page and ask if you want to raise magicka, health, or stamina each time you gain a level.



As far as I can tell, as a strictly a magic user, you (anyone) really want to focus using your one or two main area of damage dealing. For me, it's destruction magic. For others it will be their bows, one-handed, two-handed, conjuration magic, or whatever you like to use that takes down enemies. I initially wanted to master several schools of magic, but lately I've found that I only needed 2 schools of magic and have wasted perk points in things I don't need, because I was spreading myself too thin on the offensive side of things.

Also, if you look at the perks page, you'll see that alchemy, smithing, and enchanting fall under a specific area of skill (warrior/thief/mage). They're also adjacent to one of the areas that can lend strengths to that area. For instance, enchanting falls under the mage perks/signs. Both smithing and alchemy are adjacent to the mage skill areas. I've focused on enchanting, but I also use a bit of alchemy to brew health and mana potions. I highly recommend each class use their crafting skill associated with what they're character is trying to be, your archetype. It will make a big difference in your effectiveness. Thieves/assassins should be using a lot of poisons. Warriors should be improving their weapons and armor.

If you're spending too much time raising the skill level of other skills you don't use often, just to gain levels, you're doing more harm than good. Also, don't sit on perks unless you've got a good plan for them. Spend the perk points on what you use. I read somewhere that you can skill up your sneak to 100, but if you buy "all" of the perk points in sneak, your effective sneak can be 200. I don't know what they meant by all of the perks in sneak, but I doubt it means literally all of them.

For me, I use lightning bolt alot, even though I'm level 35 and have access to chain lightning, wall of sparks, frost atronarchs, and whatnot. My gauge is that I can take out thugs in 5-7 or so hits with just lightning bolt (I haven't given Jordis enough magic/spark resistence yet to not risk killing her with chain lightning). That seems fair to me and I think if you're taking longer to take out these common foes, then you need to work on your damage output.

I think my point is that you have the potential to conquer just about anything if you focus your skills with a plan. A jack of all trades with decent everything can help in any situation, but a master maceman with exceptional gear and a bunch of crappy potions or crappy heal spells can win in any situation. Role-play your character to an extent. What is it that your character has been training all of their Skyrim life to be good at? "Everything," shouldn't be an answer, because that's as ineffective in the game as it is in our lives.

Now I'm not saying you shouldn't try a fighter/mage/thief. I'm saying you're creating challenges for yourself that are additional to what the game presents you. Have a plan and stick to it. When you get bored, that's when you should branch out and test the waters with trying something new or just create a new character that fits your style.
 
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Ahh, but is it harmful to have a *bit* of everything in your reportoire?
I mean...I'm warrior, but want to be able to do some magic, some smithing, some alchemy in the midsts of my fighting because it helps win some tough battles, me thinks. eh?
 
Depends on how you want to play. Some diversification is essential. If you focused completely on stealth kills, for instance, you won't be able to engage with random encounter dragons since you probably won't be able to hit them on the wing. If your character does nothing but deliver fire damage, a flame atronach (with complete fire resistance) will be a much harder opponent.

The character I'm currently playing is putting points into destruction, stealth, archery, one-handed, and light armor. And all the crafting skills: crafting makes all your normal attack stuff better, whether it's because you're smithing better weapons or enchanting stuff to improve your magicka.

One of the things I like about the skyrim system is that since there are no classes, you can mix or match however you want.
 
Ok. I love/ hate being a gaming noob. So much to learn. But I am obsessing over Skyrim. I have withdraws! Is this how people are supposed to feel? Anyway, it's not that bad... I keep telling myself.

Oh anyone install the update yet? If so, how is it?

Found this last night. I've watched it like 5 times already and downloaded the mp3. Sad sad yuki.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMKJ9fDM2mo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
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I'm not sure how mobs level in Skyrim vs Oblivion. There was an issue in Oblivion with leveling the right way. Something along the lines of when you reach a point were you can level, instead go do a couple extra dungeons. In other words don't level based on other skills but level based on combat skills, spend adequate time bashing things to get your combat skills up before leveling. Could this be it?

I don't really understand the leveling mechanism in Skyrim (I'm too new at it). I understand you no longer have to sleep to level. Is there a way to pull up a leveling page?

Yup, I remember that. Adversaries would get tougher based purely on your level, so if you levelled up without focusing on combat skills, you'd find the game getting much harder as you progressed.

So far, I think I preferred the Oblivion way of doing things (Attributes & Skills) rather than Skyrim's (Skills & Perks). For me at least, it was a lot clearer what 'grade' you were at in each skill (Novice, Apprentice etc).

IIRC, in Oblivion you could cast spells from within the menu, or am I imagining that? In mid-combat, you could bring up the menu and heal yourself - if you had sufficient Magicka, as opposed to equipping the spell and healing yourself, then re-equipping the weapon in Skyrim.
 
Right...I mean, I'm mostly warrior, but I want to diversify a bit...but not too much.

And yes, I have daily Skyrim withdrawls. It sucks!
 
Right...I mean, I'm mostly warrior, but I want to diversify a bit...but not too much.

And yes, I have daily Skyrim withdrawls. It sucks!

Seriously a can't believe how much there is to this game. The strategy guide should have been released in seprate sections. I mean, its huge.
 
Yeah, I even found another coworker (I teach) that plays it and we have talked about it...it's pretty awesome.

It sucks I have so many responsibilities at home + working out, I don't get to play it near as often as I want.

I asked the wife for the strategy guide for Christmas, so we shall see. :D
 
Yeah, I even found another coworker (I teach) that plays it and we have talked about it...it's pretty awesome.

It sucks I have so many responsibilities at home + working out, I don't get to play it near as often as I want.

I asked the wife for the strategy guide for Christmas, so we shall see. :D

I've got a couple co-workers into it. I am a bad influence. When I have my macbook pro, I bought it in and played new vegas all day at work. that died after 3 weeks when I beat the entire game, side quests and all.
 
I think I've tried the scroll wheel. I'll try S and report back. What does the inventory mod do? Thanks!

I mentioned it before, but I am planning on checking out the Skyrim strategy guide soon and will report back. The damn thing costs $26 new and weighs 3 pounds. Amazon sells it for $16. :)

The inventory mod changes the layout so that more items can be read on the screen and adds in sorting options.

Here be the mod and make sure to create a backup folder containing the interface folder you'll be replacing. :)
http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=667

And here be a video of it in action. They show it working about 1 minute in;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBjWaXE2KgQ

What kind of mouse are you using again? Have you tried others? I just wants to plug the Naga again, its 12 thumb buttons have been awesome for Skyrim. :)

Yeah, I'm curious abou the guide. I'm going to buy it hopefully soon, just haven't got to it. i wonder if the hardback is worth it at $40?

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being a Melee/magic/bow is easy to slay a dragon, but never found it hard to slay a dragon in the beginning, but now I totally avoid the ancient ones :eek: my character is totally weak against fire :( well, I guess I just have to enchant a bunch of fire proofing stuff

I'm playing on Master mode and all dragons can murder me. :)

But I'm still confused as to why my bow does more damage to a dragon than some of the lesser monsters?

And this is sad on my part, but I have 3 elven shields with me; one that does 30% fire; one that does 50% frost resist; and one that does 30% block.
 
The inventory mod changes the layout so that more items can be read on the screen and adds in sorting options.

Here be the mod and make sure to create a backup folder containing the interface folder you'll be replacing. :)
http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=667

And here be a video of it in action. They show it working about 1 minute in;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBjWaXE2KgQ

What kind of mouse are you using again? Have you tried others? I just wants to plug the Naga again, its 12 thumb buttons have been awesome for Skyrim. :)

Yeah, I'm curious abou the guide. I'm going to buy it hopefully soon, just haven't got to it. i wonder if the hardback is worth it at $40?

I am using my imac. My fiance plays MW3 on xbox while I play my game. We have discussed getting another TV so we can play side by side like I used when I had my macbook pro. I hated playing new vegas on my playstation. Froze up all the time. ANYWAY. The guide is worth it. but with internet and youtube these days I just saved the money and picked up the guide on my ipad.

FYI... I just found out today that shouts can help you against big enemies. I knew i had some. I've collected quite a few. but man, I am so slow.
 
Ok. I love/ hate being a gaming noob. So much to learn. But I am obsessing over Skyrim. I have withdraws! Is this how people are supposed to feel? Anyway, it's not that bad... I keep telling myself.

Oh anyone install the update yet? If so, how is it?

Yep that's what it feels like. When you are not playing you are still thinking and planning on what you want to do next. I had to work 12 hours last night and just kept thinking I wanted to wrap up a few more Brotherhood quests then work on getting a home in Solitude.
 
I am using my imac. My fiance plays MW3 on xbox while I play my game. We have discussed getting another TV so we can play side by side like I used when I had my macbook pro. I hated playing new vegas on my playstation. Froze up all the time. ANYWAY. The guide is worth it. but with internet and youtube these days I just saved the money and picked up the guide on my ipad.

FYI... I just found out today that shouts can help you against big enemies. I knew i had some. I've collected quite a few. but man, I am so slow.

LOL, that would beter than what I do here. The weef is watching the TV -- hates most game -- and I'm starring at my MacBook Pro or PC's screen. But it seems like it might get distracting to see each other's gaming? :)

This guide? It's on Android to I noticed. My iPad is in recovery mode right now... :\ But I do have 3 other tablets and a kindle --- I can't expresse enough how much I love the PlayBook. :eek:

Anyways, but for guides, I hands down prefer real paper over smudge screening convenience; but on the other hand, having an interactive map on one of my tablets would be awesome; one that supports the usual gesture nav, but also lets me mark where I found things, add notes, and has an easy search option.

And I completely agree that youtube and so on makes real guides less relevant. But real paper, color art, and the SMELL, makes me a guide whore! Especially for games like Skyrim that I'm thoroughly enjoying.


I didn't know how to unlock my new shouts until Cerote pointed it out. :D But yeah, they help out quite a bit and now I have 3 more to play with. :) I even found an amulet that improves the cool down time.
 
I'll show you mine if...

Show me your characters! Let's see them. Post a snapshot of your character with your favorite armor and weapon. Id love to see what your working with I will when I get home and figure out how to capture a image on windows. oh also of course this is all optional, let us know if your a guy playing a girl, girl playing a guy. Whatever. We don't judge here, right?!

Yep that's what it feels like. When you are not playing you are still thinking and planning on what you want to do next. I had to work 12 hours last night and just kept thinking I wanted to wrap up a few more Brotherhood quests then work on getting a home in Solitude.

All the time I'm thinking of making the paralyze potion, helps with fighting giants. Then I forget and just run around discovering places. I haven't played much of the quest sadly.
 
Show me your characters! Let's see them. Post a snapshot of your character with your favorite armor and weapon. Id love to see what your working with I will when I get home and figure out how to capture a image on windows. oh also of course this is all optional, let us know if your a guy playing a girl, girl playing a guy. Whatever. We don't judge here, right?!



All the time I'm thinking of making the paralyze potion, helps with fighting giants. Then I forget and just run around discovering places. I haven't played much of the quest sadly.

Curious. I've never used a poison or paralyze potions. When using them, are they thrown like a grenade like other RPGs? For some reason, I keep on thinking I'll be drinking it if I use it.
 
My wife enjoys watching most the games I play. As long as there is a story to go along with it.

I play on PS3 so no screen shot from me. All I am wearing is the ancient shrouded gear(dark brotherhood gear).
 
Curious. I've never used a poison or paralyze potions. When using them, are they thrown like a grenade like other RPGs? For some reason, I keep on thinking I'll be drinking it if I use it.

@Jackaxe when I use a potion anything that is against the enemy will apply to the weapon you're using... as far as I've learned. There could be more too it. And of course there are positive potions for health, stamina, magic. Also, potions for u to use against enemies that use magic on you. does that even make sense? haahaa.


My wife enjoys watching most the games I play. As long as there is a story to go along with it.

I play on PS3 so no screen shot from me. All I am wearing is the ancient shrouded gear(dark brotherhood gear).

I started out watching games being played. Oblivion was my first to actually make my own character and play but my ex was an ass and hated to sit and watch me play so he'd tell me to stop and he'd play halo. Jerk. Now i have a man who loves that I play on my own. HE even wants me to play WM3 with him...
 
My wife plays some games. Mainly sticks to games that don't use both analog sticks to move around.

My wife's neice, who is 10, plays skyrim. Her dad watches over her as she plays.
 
Excellent game - well worth the price with hours and hours of gameplay and exploration.

24th L Kahjiit Assassin - main skills are alchemy, light armor, sneak, archery, smithing, lock-picking, one-handed fighting, among other. Allocating boosts out 60/20/20 - health, magic, stamina.

Shadow stone - great support for a character that depends on sneak.

Sneak damage with bow (x3) and daggers (x15) is great. Taking down giants is very cool - sneak attack, bow/poison, then hit with unrelenting shout and send that giant flying 100' or so - then take another 3 or 4 bow shots - down.
 
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All I was trying to figure out how to take a screen shot, which I found out steam can do for you. I didn't play yesterday for more than a half hour since I was up from 5AM to 11:30PM because of work, yuck.

I'm an ugly high elf. but she does the job. I am a chic playing a chic. I started the game as a Nord chic, but she just wasn't doing it for me. haahaa. i kid.

Depending on what I am doing I'll usually use a destruction spell with a sword or axe. My weapons are always enchanted. I never use two handed weapons. I let my companion do that. I prefer to sneak up on my enemy's and use my bow (also enchanted.) My goal is to find a complete elven set. I can't wait to use shouts more.

oh, here's a hint. If you're companion is over encumbered and but you have too much stuff you want to carry yourself you can put items down and direct her to pick them up. She will keep picking things up for you. thus unlimited weight.

Armor will depend on what is lightest with the best damage resistance. I also wear helmets, necklaces rings whatever to help the situation I am in. I wear the silliest outfit when I sell my stuff. its quite amusing.
 
So is this any good?

Because up to now I'm very partial to Morrowind when it comes to the Elder scrolls series. That game just oozed unique charm. It had so much character that I still played it years later with all sorts of mods.

Oblivion felt contrived and generic. High quality graphics, advanced physics, but the whole package looked and felt like some sort of generic Dungeons & Dragons schlock retooled as an FPS. That is, no charm. I put it down after about a week.

Anyone else feel me on this? I might be in the minority here but I think Morrowind was the best of the bunch.

I must say, though, that the view from the Jerral Mountains, with snow filling the air just after sunset, was really something. For me that was the high point of the game. In fact, that whole area up and around the Jerrall range was just fantastic. Bethesda really nailed the atmosphere. I was always looking for an excuse to head up there. Beyond that it felt like the standard RPG fare I've chewed through countless times. I found myself missing Morrowind.

Did Bethesda really need to include dragons in Skyrim? Really? It seems cheap and rather banal. Did they add a wicked witch, too? :rolleyes: I'm quite suspicious, but hope my suspicions will prove unfounded.

Or maybe I really have outgrown all this.
 
Ahh, but is it harmful to have a *bit* of everything in your reportoire?

Depends on how you want to play. Some diversification is essential. If you focused completely on stealth kills, for instance, you won't be able to engage with random encounter dragons since you probably won't be able to hit them on the wing.

Let me clarify what I was trying to say. It was a bad idea for me to think I should work on Destruction, Alteration, Conjuration, and Illusion. That doesn't mean I ignored Enchanting and Alchemy. Instead, I would have been better served using only two of those 4 schools of magic and not putting perk points in the other ones.

Being decent with one-handers, blocking, heavy armor, light armor, two-handers, bows, and destruction magic is ineffective compared to someone good at bows, two-handers, and heavy armor. Diversification is necessary, but you're better off refining your selections rather than trying to be decent at everything and good at nothing.
 
I didn't realize I lost my Lydia until way later and all the videos on youtube were just like wait a while. Well now I've played wayyyy too long to try to get her back so I'm just like argh. I'll find another, I guess.

Sorry about your friend... :(
 
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