The official SKYRIM thread!

[MojoFilter]

The VERY first thing I do in the game, after the initial Helgen/Whiterun business (doing a little smithing and money making along the way), is hitch a wagon to Markarth. There, I go straight to the bar and hear the rumor about the haunted house. It's pretty much the easiest quest in the game, which is nice for a low level character, and you get the Mace of Molag Bal, AND a free house with non-spawning chests that's in a very convenient location. That's where the hoarding begins...

As far as factions go, I usually do the TG line first, as I'm a fan of the armor, the quests, the Nightengale stuff, and above all else the skeleton key. I hate lockpicking, so that's a big help to me, and I like to have it as far along in the game as possible. I then hold off finishing the quest line, and jump to DB, then Companions (sometimes), then the college (sometimes), etc.

Hmmm...you go straight for the Mace, eh? That thing's a beast early on. Funny...lately, I've held off on that until I'm over Level 40, because the Daedric stuff levels with you. The enchantments on a lot of the unique items actually become more powerful on it if they're acquired later on in the game. Not that it really matters by Level 40...I just like having the totally upgunned version, whether I need it or not.

Tell me, though...do you do the "No Stone Unturned/Lost Stones of Berenziah" quest, which is absolutely immense?

 

[Guitar Heel]

I did it for my main character only, and the payoff is spectacular. Another reason I was able to get so rich, but 90 percent of that was deadric crafting, and maxing out the speech tree with 12K available at the Riverwood Trader.

 

[Guitar Heel]

As for the mace, I do that quest primarily for the house, as I'm a hoarder. The mace is perfect though, as it does enough damage early on to be a real asset, and I can start filling soul gems right away.

 

[Guitar Heel]

For my first and main guy, I was trying to play the perfect game, even though this was my first TES game, I had been away from gaming for 15 years, and didn't know what the hell I was doing. The learning curve was pretty massive, so I'm looking forward to perk reallocation. The ONE thing that pisses me off is that I can't become Thane of Riften. I'm thane everywhere else, and I own every house one can own (save for Hearthfire). But I got bored, having done everything, and just started exploring and going into rando caves. Well, I cleared one out that is a necessity for a Riften Thane quest, so it's a no go. It's such a little thing, but I'm a completionist...

 

[Kerouac]

Hmmm...you go straight for the Mace, eh? That thing's a beast early on. Funny...lately, I've held off on that until I'm over Level 40, because the Daedric stuff levels with you. The enchantments on a lot of the unique items actually become more powerful on it if they're acquired later on in the game. Not that it really matters by Level 40...I just like having the totally upgunned version, whether I need it or not.

Tell me, though...do you do the "No Stone Unturned/Lost Stones of Berenziah" quest, which is absolutely immense?

I've never completed it... aren't there 24 stones and a couple of them are possible to miss entirely, with no chances of reacquiring them?

My normal order is complete Thieves Guild, then either start Companions or Mages or Dark Brotherhood. In between those missions I'll start doing Stormcloak and Main Questline adventures, just as needed. My least favourite quests in the game are infiltrating the Thalmor and fighting through the Forsworn Encampment to get to the Blades.

 

[Guitar Heel]

I've never completed it... aren't there 24 stones and a couple of them are possible to miss entirely, with no chances of reacquiring them?

My normal order is complete Thieves Guild, then either start Companions or Mages or Dark Brotherhood. In between those missions I'll start doing Stormcloak and Main Questline adventures, just as needed. My least favourite quests in the game are infiltrating the Thalmor and fighting through the Forsworn Encampment to get to the Blades.

A patch fixed that. It moves the stones to a different place in the same location so you can get it. This is mainly in your favorite quest, Diplomatic Immunity. It's funny, because that's my favorite in the game, along with Blood on the Ice. The Infinitum quest can eat a giant bowl of dicks though.

 

[Kerouac]

Actually, I hate the you have to do for both the Mages College, the main quest line AND Dawnguard, where you have to go into the Dwemer ruins and then into Black Reach.

 

[Guitar Heel]

I know. The fucking thing is unavoidable, and then you have to go do it all over again to get the elf blood. ARGH.

The silver lining is the Infinitum glitch though. I did that with one player just for fun. I was at level 81 after about 8 hours of gameplay.

 

[MojoFilter]

Hmmm...interesting the way you guys are approaching things. Funny...my initial two main goals are always a) get married IMMEDIATELY, and b) get to Level 12 as soon as humanly possible.


***There be spoilers after this part...newbs, look away***

As soon as I get to Whiterun, I go to the Bannered Mare, and kick the crap out of Uthgerd The Unbroken. As soon as you beat her, you can marry her, and she's got her own house in Whiterun that you can immediately move into...PLUS, she's now a free follower, and a very stout early follower at that. So...not only do you get a house to store stuff in Whiterun for free, you get a pack mule AND the 15% "Lover's Comfort" bonus every single place you go...if you've noticed when you fast travel, the "Well Rested" bonus wears off. Having your wife as your follower solves this...as long as you can find a bedroll, you're getting the full "15% more experience on all skills" bonus on every single quest. This is a HUGE help early on in the game. And all you had to do was beat her up and spend 200 Septims on a lousy Amulet of Mara. I call this the "Chris Brown" strategy.

Secondly...I'm rushing to Level 12, because that's what triggers the "Unfathomable Depths" quest in Riften...which, upon completion, gives you both a real heavy Smithing Bonus AND a Heavy Armor bonus....as well as tons of Dwemer loot.


Once those two missions are finished, I immediately join the Thieves' Guild, with the dual purpose of getting the Fences in each major city, and completing the "No Stone Unturned" mega-quest. The combination of these two things ends money problems in the game, permanently...which is a huge hurdle. Now you can afford training at any level...and it snowballs quickly from there.


Once I finish those two Thieves' Guild mega-quests, I throw out the playbook entirely, and just have fun. I can't be one-hit-killed by a Giant or Hargraven anymore, I can hold my own with Frost Trolls, my Smithing/Alchemy/Enchanting skills are well underway (although far from completed), and the loot is pouring in like a motherfucker. It's the best strategy I've managed to develop for the Early game.

 

[MojoFilter]

For my first and main guy, I was trying to play the perfect game, even though this was my first TES game, I had been away from gaming for 15 years, and didn't know what the hell I was doing. The learning curve was pretty massive, so I'm looking forward to perk reallocation. The ONE thing that pisses me off is that I can't become Thane of Riften. I'm thane everywhere else, and I own every house one can own (save for Hearthfire). But I got bored, having done everything, and just started exploring and going into rando caves. Well, I cleared one out that is a necessity for a Riften Thane quest, so it's a no go. It's such a little thing, but I'm a completionist...

Dude, that sucks. I'm the exact same way...I'll restart an entire game at Level 30 if there was a glitch. That's why playing on the PC is actually a godsend; the community's "Unofficial Skyrim Patch" fixed or is fixing almost all of the major gameplay bugs that Bethesda is never going to get around to. Although, like I've been saying, the Unofficial Patch also closes all of the unintended beneficial glitches, as well.

Which cave broke the quest for you, BTW? I might have a work-around...

I've never completed it... aren't there 24 stones and a couple of them are possible to miss entirely, with no chances of reacquiring them?

My normal order is complete Thieves Guild, then either start Companions or Mages or Dark Brotherhood. In between those missions I'll start doing Stormcloak and Main Questline adventures, just as needed. My least favourite quests in the game are infiltrating the Thalmor and fighting through the Forsworn Encampment to get to the Blades.

I always save the Dark Brotherhood questline for dead last, just out of habit; I didn't want to start snuffing characters who might prove useful in the future. There really aren't any...although Anoriath the Wood-Elf's stall in Whiterun looks kind of morose without him in it for the rest of the game...

 

[MojoFilter]

And Kerouac - if you're anywhere before or near the middle of the game, DO THE "NO STONE UNTURNED" QUEST!!! I'm not going to tell you why, and look up the locations of the Stones if you need to in the UESP Wiki site, but the payoff is incredible. Besides jumping up a few levels while doing it as a natural function of gameplay, it'll pretty much end your money woes permanently. You'll see exactly how after you finish it.

 

[MojoFilter]

Do we all agree that the most valuable cave/settlement to pillage in the early game is "Halted Stream Camp", due north of Whiterun? I can't begin to tell you how often I descend on that place before I hit Level 15. It's almost a weekly occurrence. As soon as it re-spawns, I'm on it again.

Ditto the unmarked Bandit Cavern that's directly across from it, where the broken wagon/horse/skooma bottles are. They get nailed on the return trip back to Whiterun. I almost feel bad for them.

Almost...

 

[Kerouac]

And Kerouac - if you're anywhere before or near the middle of the game, DO THE "NO STONE UNTURNED" QUEST!!! I'm not going to tell you why, and look up the locations of the Stones if you need to in the UESP Wiki site, but the payoff is incredible. Besides jumping up a few levels while doing it as a natural function of gameplay, it'll pretty much end your money woes permanently. You'll see exactly how after you finish it.

Between Thieves Guild and Enchanting I never have money woes. I normally have 100k+ by level 20.

Do we all agree that the most valuable cave/settlement to pillage in the early game is "Halted Stream Camp", due north of Whiterun? I can't begin to tell you how often I descend on that place before I hit Level 15. It's almost a weekly occurrence. As soon as it re-spawns, I'm on it again.

Ditto the unmarked Bandit Cavern that's directly across from it, where the broken wagon/horse/skooma bottles are. They get nailed on the return trip back to Whiterun. I almost feel bad for them.

Almost...

I did that in early gameplay, but I rarely return to the scene of a crime. I'd prefer to go dragonslaying or pickpocketing. I'm all about stealth kills too.

 

[MonkeyZero]

Just started Dragonborn DLC tonight. Its so epic. Now I might go back to do No Stone Unturned though. Never finished that one.

Sent from The Nether

 

[MojoFilter]

Just started Dragonborn DLC tonight. Its so epic. Now I might go back to do No Stone Unturned though. Never finished that one.

Sent from The Nether

If you're near the end of the game, and you're doing well on the money aspect of things, you might find it unnecessary. It'll take a few days to complete (real days, not game days). And, because of the "Treasure Hunt" aspect of the quest, in 24 separate locations, you end up having to do quite a bit of travel along the way...which means distractions, extra trips back to your main house(s) to drop off loot, extra trips to sell off the armor, weapons and goodies you've looted from the Bandit population that you're inevitably going to run into.

If you're under Level 40-45 and/or starved for cash, I'd say go for it. Or if you're a "100% completion" fanatic. Otherwise, you can safely save it for a new playthrough.

If you decide to do it, I'd recommend that you print out the locations of all the stones, and check them off as you find them. If you don't know exactly where to look, you'll almost certainly never find all 24.

 

[MojoFilter]

Between Thieves Guild and Enchanting I never have money woes. I normally have 100k+ by level 20.

That's pretty insane...I don't think I'm ever anywhere near that amount by Level 20. I'm at best hovering around $15k, IIRC.

I did that in early gameplay, but I rarely return to the scene of a crime. I'd prefer to go dragonslaying or pickpocketing. I'm all about stealth kills too.

I hear you. I just like going there to stir up the shit. There's apparently a spawn point right by the camp, so about half the time, the camp is already being raided by roving Fire Mages, or a pack of wolves, or the occasional Thalmor party.

The fact that Halted Stream Camp is also pretty much oozing Iron Ore is enough additional incentive for me. It's my favorite hunting grounds, early in the game.

 

[Kerouac]

This is also DEFINITELY considered cheating, but if you're looking for a certain type of enchantment, need to farm soul gems, or sell off more loot than you can currently hold, SAVE FIRST and then kill the merchant. Reload that save and they have a new inventory and a new pull of gold for plundering.

 

[MojoFilter]

This is also DEFINITELY considered cheating, but if you're looking for a certain type of enchantment, need to farm soul gems, or sell off more loot than you can currently hold, SAVE FIRST and then kill the merchant. Reload that save and they have a new inventory and a new pull of gold for plundering.

That's one hell of an exploit! Totally removes the need to invest in any perk points in the "Speech" tree beyond "Merchant".


Shit. Wish I could do that on PC.

 

[MojoFilter]

So...I never asked this either:


What Perks are you guys investing in, besides what are pretty much considered essentials (Enchanting & Alchemy)?

Right now, I've got Heavy Armor, Light Armor, One Handed and Two Handed, Archery maxed....but ONLY the perks that increase the weapon or armor's BASIC offensive and defensive capabilities...not the add-ons.


The exception is on One Handed and Two Handed. I insist on being able to decapitate my enemies.

 

[Kerouac]

I always max out Stealth, except for on Pure Mage builds. Pickpocket I take 3 perks, just to get the Deep Pocket one, which lets you carry an extra 100 lbs.

Most characters I maximize Archery too. One handed I very rarely expand past the middle tier. Same with light/heavy armor. If they can't find me, they can't hit me.