The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[Coffee Warlord]

Easy way to make it harder - don't use destruction magic.

I'd say don't use archery either, but I couldn't bring myself to not use my beloved bows.

[frnk55]

Only magic I use is the quick heal one. As for bows I've never used them but it does sound fun.
Think I may go for Skyrim redone mod.

[Coffee Warlord]

Ah, use bows, if only for the fun factor. Bows + Stealth == Fun.

[DougW]

Couple suggestions :

Deadly Dragons. Great mod for what you want. It doesn't just effect dragons. You can adjust the armor/health/damage of all enemies (you can adjust them all to your liking and seperately - so, just want to make them hit harder, no problem, just want them to live longer, no problem, want them to live longer and hit harder .. done). (The mod has it broken up into 3 categories .. Dragons, Monsters, Humans I think)

Another option is to "cheat" when you are getting started. Use the console to up your level 10-20 levels. What that will do is tell the game you are a higher level. So, if you did it at level 1, and bumped yourself immediately to say 15 .. you'd still have level 1 stats, but when you enter a zone - when the game populates the zone, the enemies it creates will be for a level 15 player.

fyi :

player.setlevel ##

is your command for that. And, you won't get any perk points, or skill increases. It'll just raise your level to make enemies stronger

[frnk55]

Originally Posted by DougW

Couple suggestions :

Deadly Dragons. Great mod for what you want. It doesn't just effect dragons. You can adjust the armor/health/damage of all enemies (you can adjust them all to your liking and seperately - so, just want to make them hit harder, no problem, just want them to live longer, no problem, want them to live longer and hit harder .. done). (The mod has it broken up into 3 categories .. Dragons, Monsters, Humans I think)

Another option is to "cheat" when you are getting started. Use the console to up your level 10-20 levels. What that will do is tell the game you are a higher level. So, if you did it at level 1, and bumped yourself immediately to say 15 .. you'd still have level 1 stats, but when you enter a zone - when the game populates the zone, the enemies it creates will be for a level 15 player.

Interesting, very interesting. Didn't know DD tinkered with other stuff than dragons. I know whats going to happen is that I'll spend all day modding the shit out the game and then spend 1 hour playing.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Easy way to make it harder - don't use destruction magic.

I'd say don't use archery either, but I couldn't bring myself to not use my beloved bows.

It's funny, because I've never used destruction magic in either of my two entire playthroughs of Skyrim (365 hours worth!). Both times I've gravitated to Stealth first - once mainly with a two hander and the second time more of a pure bow-master.

The way to make Skryim harder is fairly easy. Don't level up the enchanting or smithing skills. Use only what weapons you can find. That makes a MASSIVE difference simply because you can't find anything in the game near what you can craft.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Ah, use bows, if only for the fun factor. Bows + Stealth == Fun.

Yep, I can't imagine ever going back to Destruction.

I am playing at Expert but with Archery, Sneak and Light Armor maxed out, there are a lot of things that are easy, some that are not. I think it's more dependent upon what level you're at and leveled creatures that you face. I've been playing Dragonborn all week (awesome DLC, better than any mods) and you know when go through crypts and have all of these Draugurs pop out? Imagine all of them bring Deathlords or Scourges. I'm sure it's that way when I go back to Skyrim as well (level 45).

Not sure of how to make it harder in the early game except by handicapping yourself or by doing the cheat to start at level X. Deadly Dragons can be good (I don't do that because I think Ancient and Elder Dragons are too deadly by themselves).

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

Don't level up the enchanting or smithing skills. Use only what weapons you can find. That makes a MASSIVE difference simply because you can't find anything in the game near what you can craft.

I agree with this, completely.

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Deadly Dragons can be good (I don't do that because I think Ancient and Elder Dragons are too deadly by themselves).

No worries about DD with that (if you're wanting to leave dragons alone and increase difficulties of others). You can set dragons to be 100% Armor, Health, Melee, and Shouts - and they'll be default. - and upscale the other stuff.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

It's funny, because I've never used destruction magic in either of my two entire playthroughs of Skyrim (365 hours worth!). Both times I've gravitated to Stealth first - once mainly with a two hander and the second time more of a pure bow-master.

The way to make Skryim harder is fairly easy. Don't level up the enchanting or smithing skills. Use only what weapons you can find. That makes a MASSIVE difference simply because you can't find anything in the game near what you can craft.

I don't know if I completely agree. I got my Smithing up to 100 (first time I had done smithing) and all the stuff I made I sold. The only thing I did that I kept was getting my Nightingale armor up to Epic and my bow to Legendary.

Speaking of bow, I've been using my awesome Ebony bow most of the game. I found one pretty early on in Lost Volskygge and it has done me well. I would suspect that is different with Swords - being able to make them better than what you can find but that wasn't the case with bows (since I can't make a Dragon bow).

[Buccaneer]

By the way, one of the goals of this 2nd play through (175 hours!) was pick and choose where I wanted to go and do and not focus that much on the quest lines (didn't do much of the main, companions and killed the dark brotherhood). I wanted to take Lydia and do some of the more fascinating places I remembered from before but ended up discovering a whole host of new places. Before I went to Solstheim, I wanted to find the five toughest dungeons/caves and do them consecutively. Here's what I came up with based on a consensus from various forums:

1. Forelhost (yeah, that was tough)
2. Bthardanz (wasn't hard but long and interesting)
3. Labyrithnian (all three, had done that already)
4. Tolvald (massive narrow Falmer cave I believe, the deeper you go the more there are)
5. Volunruud

[Buccaneer]

I'm sorry, I misspoke. I just realized that I had been using a Legendary Daedric Bow for quite some time, which I had made.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I don't know if I completely agree. I got my Smithing up to 100 (first time I had done smithing) and all the stuff I made I sold. The only thing I did that I kept was getting my Nightingale armor up to Epic and my bow to Legendary.

Speaking of bow, I've been using my awesome Ebony bow most of the game. I found one pretty early on in Lost Volskygge and it has done me well. I would suspect that is different with Swords - being able to make them better than what you can find but that wasn't the case with bows (since I can't make a Dragon bow).

100 Smithing + Potions + Ebony = Massively awesome bow. I have two of them on my last game. The base (non-enchant) damage on each is 204. I never found anything like those in the game.

[Buccaneer]

What potions?

[ColtCrazy]

It's amazing how a strong combinations of skills can make you are very effective archer. I can't remember the bow I had in my last game, but I was up to 140 damage on it. Now totally confusing on archery, smithing, and skills to enhance that.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

What potions?

Maybe it wasn't a potion. Maybe it was an enchant or something. I don't remember. It's been a few months. I just looked up the base damage on them.

All I know is that stealth + 1 ebony arrow is enough to drop a dragon in one shot with either of those.

[Buccaneer]

One shot dragons?? Hmm. Going to have to look at Enchanting. I have 80 in Enchanting, mainly due to enchanting stuff to sell as well as re-charging my bow, but no perks. I didn't see anything in there that stuck out. But then again, I haven't really found any Archery enchantments.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

One shot dragons?? Hmm. Going to have to look at Enchanting. I have 80 in Enchanting, mainly due to enchanting stuff to sell as well as re-charging my bow, but no perks. I didn't see anything in there that stuck out. But then again, I haven't really found any Archery enchantments.

I'm sure he has the Deadly Aim perk (X3 bow damage when sneaking)

+5 enchanter perk (100% enchantment)
+25% fire damage perk
+25% frost damage perk
Extra effect perk

Fire enchant + frost enchant ... can add quite a bit.

Plus ... "Fortify Archery" to Helmet, Gloves, Amulet, & Ring

Personally, I find the enchanting tree to be overpowered - especially the extra effect perk.

[Buccaneer]

Thanks Doug, that makes sense now. I got that perk very early on since it's only a level 40. My Legendary Daedric Bow does base 88 damage and that makes it 264 for sneak kills. Does a 20 damage arrow add to that? Problem is for dragons, very difficult to not be seen. But for most everything else, having the chance to paralyze has saved my butt numerous times, esp. in those crawls where there were a Deathlord around every corner.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Thanks Doug, that makes sense now. I got that perk very early on since it's only a level 40. My Legendary Daedric Bow does base 88 damage and that makes it 264 for sneak kills. Does a 20 damage arrow add to that? Problem is for dragons, very difficult to not be seen. But for most everything else, having the chance to paralyze has saved my butt numerous times, esp. in those crawls where there were a Deathlord around every corner.

Yeah, with a base of 204, the sneak x3 is over 600 plus the enchanting effects and everything else. Realistically, I'm probably hitting for well over 800 or 1000. That's why I said that smithing is overpowered - you just won't find bows that drop that are anywhere near that powerful.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

Yeah, with a base of 204, the sneak x3 is over 600 plus the enchanting effects and everything else. Realistically, I'm probably hitting for well over 800 or 1000. That's why I said that smithing is overpowered - you just won't find bows that drop that are anywhere near that powerful.

Except it's not just the bow itself but all of the armor that adds fortify archery? The two best bows one can make are Ebony and Daedric but I suppose you have to have a lot of other things with that? Guess I'll have to learn how to do that.

[Buccaneer]

Ok, I found a cookbook on how to do that (actually a 700-damage bow). A lot of things here I did not know.

Skill Level and Perks
Alchemy
• Level 80
• Alchemist perk at level 5
• Benefactor perk

Enchanting
• Level 100
• Enchanter perk at level 5
• Insightful Enchanter, Extra Effect, Element Enchanter (Fire, Frost, Storm, whichever two that you want)
Smithing
• Level 100
• Arcane Blacksmith, Daedric Smithing

Archery
• The higher your skill level and perks, the better your bow will be

Ingredients and Items
• Ingredients to make Fortify Enchanting potions (buy at shop, combine only two of them)
• Ingredients to make Fortify Smiting potions (buy at shops, combine three of them)
• Two full sets of armor (helmet, armor, gauntlets, boots, rings, necklaces)
• Ingredients to make full Daedric armor and a Daedric bow (Daedra hearts, Ebony ingots, etc)
• Grand soul gems or black soul gems (filled with souls, as many as you can)

Enchantments
• Fortify Enchanting
• Fortify Smithing
• Fortify Marksman/Archery
• Resist (any element you prefer)


1. Enchant your first set of armor with Fortify Enchanting and Fortify Alchemy enchantments. Make sure to unleash its full potency by using the grand soul gems or black soul gems.
2. Equip your enchanted armor set and start creating as many Fortify Enchanting potions and Fortify Smithing potions as possible.
3. Enchant your second set of armor with Fortify Smithing and Fortify Enchanting while consuming and in the effect of Fortify Enchanting potions.
4. Equip your ultra crazy armor of ultimate smithing and enchanting. Go to the nearest forge to craft a full set Daedric armor and a Daedric bow while in the effect of Fortify Smithing potions.
5. Get yourself to an enchantment table and enchant your Daedric armor set (including random necklace and ring) with Fortify Marksman and any Resistance enchantment. Take note that it must be done in 30 seconds after drinking a potion of Fortify Enchanting. All kinds of enchanting use Grand Soul Gem or Black Soul Gem.
6. Enchant the Daedric bow with Fortify archery and elemental attack (whichever you want). Don’t forget the Fortify Enchanting potions and Grand Soul Gem.
7. The last step is to upgrade them all at grindstone and workbench. Don’t forget to drink the Fortify Smithing beforehand.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Ok, I found a cookbook on how to do that (actually a 700-damage bow). A lot of things here I did not know.

Skill Level and Perks
Alchemy
• Level 80
• Alchemist perk at level 5
• Benefactor perk

Enchanting
• Level 100
• Enchanter perk at level 5
• Insightful Enchanter, Extra Effect, Element Enchanter (Fire, Frost, Storm, whichever two that you want)
Smithing
• Level 100
• Arcane Blacksmith, Daedric Smithing

Archery
• The higher your skill level and perks, the better your bow will be

Ingredients and Items
• Ingredients to make Fortify Enchanting potions (buy at shop, combine only two of them)
• Ingredients to make Fortify Smiting potions (buy at shops, combine three of them)
• Two full sets of armor (helmet, armor, gauntlets, boots, rings, necklaces)
• Ingredients to make full Daedric armor and a Daedric bow (Daedra hearts, Ebony ingots, etc)
• Grand soul gems or black soul gems (filled with souls, as many as you can)

Enchantments
• Fortify Enchanting
• Fortify Smithing
• Fortify Marksman/Archery
• Resist (any element you prefer)


1. Enchant your first set of armor with Fortify Enchanting and Fortify Alchemy enchantments. Make sure to unleash its full potency by using the grand soul gems or black soul gems.
2. Equip your enchanted armor set and start creating as many Fortify Enchanting potions and Fortify Smithing potions as possible.
3. Enchant your second set of armor with Fortify Smithing and Fortify Enchanting while consuming and in the effect of Fortify Enchanting potions.
4. Equip your ultra crazy armor of ultimate smithing and enchanting. Go to the nearest forge to craft a full set Daedric armor and a Daedric bow while in the effect of Fortify Smithing potions.
5. Get yourself to an enchantment table and enchant your Daedric armor set (including random necklace and ring) with Fortify Marksman and any Resistance enchantment. Take note that it must be done in 30 seconds after drinking a potion of Fortify Enchanting. All kinds of enchanting use Grand Soul Gem or Black Soul Gem.
6. Enchant the Daedric bow with Fortify archery and elemental attack (whichever you want). Don’t forget the Fortify Enchanting potions and Grand Soul Gem.
7. The last step is to upgrade them all at grindstone and workbench. Don’t forget to drink the Fortify Smithing beforehand.

Step 6 .. There is no Fortify Archery for weapons.

But, don't forget to make a badass true shot (fortify archery) potion .. and, if we're gonna be exploiting the enchant/alchemy loop then we may as well be sure to roll Orc for the 2X damage from Beserker

EDIT : But, yeah .. people have micro'd this stuff to hell. I've read about 20K plus shots.

[Buccaneer]

After a LOT of work, the best I was able to make was a 304-damage Daedric Bow and that's with almost no perks in Enchanting or Alchemy. I imagine if I had 100% bonus in each, the bow could have been easily twice that.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

After a LOT of work, the best I was able to make was a 304-damage Daedric Bow and that's with almost no perks in Enchanting or Alchemy. I imagine if I had 100% bonus in each, the bow could have been easily twice that.

If you're wanting to skip the "LOT of work", and you're doing stuff, just for the sake of "study" or "I wonder what if ..."

You can use the console to give yourself just about w/e u want. (raise a skill level, give yourself materials, etc.)

raise skill : player.advskill XXNAMEOFSKILLXX ##NUMBERTOBERAISED##
example : player.advskill enchanting 100 .. This will simulate that you just enchanted 100 items, and raise your skill accordingly.

Give materials (or anything)
First find material :
help "NAMEOFMATERIAL"
example : help "iron ore"
This will return you a list of in game items with iron ore in the title, and give you the ID# for them. FYI, if you are to general you will get a big list - example : help "steel" ... this will return you steel bars, steel shields, steel swords, steel daggers, etc. It's easier to be more specific if you can.

Give yourself the material :
Using the ID# you just learned use this command to put it in your bags.
player.additem ##ITEMID## ##HOWMANYYOUWANT##
example : player.additem f 100 will give you 100 gold (I happen to know "f" is the ID# for gold

I recommend saving before doing anything with the console though, just to be safe. I've never had a problem with it, but, guess I'm paranoid like that. Also, obviously, this is "cheating", so be careful you don't cheat yourself out of some fun that you would otherwise have by gathering materials or whatever.

[Buccaneer]

The work that I did (finding ingredients to make a lot of potions, finding enchanted stuff that I could use and learn how it all works) was fun (albeit time-consuming) since I had not done any of that before. What struck me was the process depended on preparing yourself ahead of time to make the potions, enchantments and weapons. That part I did not realize. Now I'm all dressed up and no where to go since I had done all of the things I wanted to do after 190 hours this second time through.

[Buccaneer]

Skyrim with one of the coolest chicks on the planet

[Icy]

I played a few hours in ps3 but never got really into it. I have purchased it now for PC with all dlc and want to give it a new try.

Which build do you guys recommend? As I'm playing AC4 on ps4, I have enought sealth so I'm thinking about a Mage or a brute axe or long sword character or a mix for a battle Mage but reading that destruction is too powerful maybe it's not that fun character. I also enjoy the bow, so maybe a mix of archer and sword could be fun.

Suggestions for a hard but fun character for a long play through?

[Peregrine]

Personally I had a lot of fun with my straight two handed warrior build as well as a 1H + shield/restoration/illusion tank. There's a lot of good options for fun playthroughs. Stealth archers are a lot of fun also - I recommend just trying out a couple playstyles for a few levels and play which you like best.

[Coffee Warlord]

I'm having far more fun with my Archer + 1H with a little non-combat magic thrown in than the destructo-mage I originally had.

But, really, it depends on what you like to do. You'll figure it out as you play a bit.

[Buccaneer]

And I had far more fun as a sneak archer than I thought I would. One of the good things was that you can be successful at the beginning. You make it harder by playing at a higher difficulty level.

[Maple Leafs]

One warning: Your ability to enjoy a sneak archer is going to be directly correlated to your ability to shut off the part of your brain that yells "This is stupid and makes no sense" whenever things are stupid and make no sense.

(Of course, the ability to do that is pretty much essentially to having a fun life so hopefully you've done it already.)

[Julio Riddols]

I spend more time going around trading and smithing and creating potions than anything. If I finish a mission by accident as I traverse the lands and plunder the caves, then so be it.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I spend more time going around trading and smithing and creating potions than anything. If I finish a mission by accident as I traverse the lands and plunder the caves, then so be it.

This is actually has caused me to lose interest in playthroughs. I learn how to craft some potions or, really any of the 3 "trades" - and bam. It isn't long before I've priced myself out of a town, and can't sell all my wares unless I make the game be about traveling from town to town to town, and then looping again (usually vendors have restocked and gotten more money by the time I finish a loop).

I get tired of it. I wish I could just leave the 100 potions in a chest and be done with it until I needed some more money, but I have some kind of plague or something that forces me to keep at it until I've sold my stuff.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by DougW

This is actually has caused me to lose interest in playthroughs. I learn how to craft some potions or, really any of the 3 "trades" - and bam. It isn't long before I've priced myself out of a town, and can't sell all my wares unless I make the game be about traveling from town to town to town, and then looping again (usually vendors have restocked and gotten more money by the time I finish a loop).

I get tired of it. I wish I could just leave the 100 potions in a chest and be done with it until I needed some more money, but I have some kind of plague or something that forces me to keep at it until I've sold my stuff.

I did the same in my last playthrough. Except with the newly added bonus of being able to constantly reset your alchemy level and build it back up to 100 over and over.

[Julio Riddols]

I store all my shit at my houses until I need it.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

I did the same in my last playthrough. Except with the newly added bonus of being able to constantly reset your alchemy level and build it back up to 100 over and over.

Eww, a grind with a goal, then reset the goal and chase the same goal, and ... ewww.

Speaking of that though, I've never done that. Is there any purpose to it ?

[Buccaneer]

The only purpose I can see is to be able to get to level 255. Sounds stupid to me. However, the dragonborn dlc allows you to re-assign perks out any tree, which can be useful.

[Julio Riddols]

I just reset my smithing recently after making a set of armor I think I can enjoy for a while. Going to do the same with my speech eventually too, so I can move those perk points into archery and one handed. It helps level your character up quickly too because I went back after resetting my smithing and smithed leather armor until it go back over 50 and gained a level or two in the process (currently at level 54 I think). That only took me like 10 or 15 minutes.

[cthomer5000]

I played this game very, very intensely but not for nearly as long as I have obsessed over some other games. Still, playing Skyrim is one of my top 5 experiences playing a game ever. Ever. I think back to being a kid where a few games blew my mind, and Skyrim kind of did that to me as a dude in his 30s.

Anyway I was listening to the soundtrack the other day and can say with a straight face that a few songs from the game literally send a chill down my spine (in a positive sense). Specifically 'Secunda,' 'Far Horizons' and 'Dragonborn.' Also, i really really loved the version of 'The Dragonborn Comes' that girl did on youtube.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Also, i really really loved the version of 'The Dragonborn Comes' that girl did on youtube.

Oh, she's great. On the off chance that someone hasn't seen it.

Skyrim: The Dragonborn Comes - Female Cover by Malukah - YouTube

[Buccaneer]

Thanks for sharing, that was awesome.

[Buccaneer]

I am thinking along the same line as Corey in skyrim's impact as a gaming experience. For the first time in 13 years, a Civ game may not be my favorite anymore. I think what really struck me was after playing for about 120 hours the first time, the next 190 hours were mostly new experiences (thanks in large part to mods).

[Honolulu_Blue]

I finally started to play Skyrim over the holidays. I've had it for over a year, but just never got into it. I think I played too much "Fallout 3" and "New Vegas." I enjoyed both games, but I was a little burned out on that style.

This is the first ever "Elder Scrolls" game I've played. For whatever reason, I've never played any.

I am really enjoying it. I think I'm 20th level or so right now and feel like I've just begun to scratch the surface. Every time I head out to do one quest, I end up stumbling up several more.

My "build" is all over the place. I am a stealth archer in heavy armor that switches to a one-hand + destruction magic (sometimes a shield) when the enemies get close. It's worked so far.

I just realized how enchanting works, but haven't spent any skills on blacksmith or enchanting or anything like that. All the combat-style perks look so enticing all of the time.

I have a very evil looking mace that I feel a little guilty about carrying around, but that's ok, since I don't tend to like many people. I generally walk around Skyrim hating most people. I like the Nords and Stormcloaks, but pretty much hate the Forworn, the Silverbloods, the Imperials and the elves.

I have all the DLC.

I am not too savvy when it comes to mods. I feel like I have sufficient game content (more than sufficient), but are there any other mods that people would consider "must haves"?

[ozias]

It's been a long time since I played Skyrim, but I played as an Archer and excelled at stealth.

It reminded me of this little comic. You could get your stealth up so high that enemies may not see you after an attack such as this.

[Julio Riddols]

I love when they run around and see their fallen friends with arrows in their bodies and then say "I must have been hearing things" and go about their business.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I love when they run around and see their fallen friends with arrows in their bodies and then say "I must have been hearing things" and go about their business.

Just like most other games that have numerous combat AI; otherwise, you would get too frustrated in not ever being able to take a place.

[bhlloy]

Yeah, Assassins Creed is pretty ridiculous for that as well - "sure I see eight bodies of my fellow guards, but I don't see anybody here. Back to walking between these two points for me then"

[frnk55]

Going to start the mod Requiem. I also want immersive armor and weapons so should I load them after Req?

[Peregrine]

I've been dabbling in Skyrim a good bit more lately - noticed on Steam that I have reached 379 hours, so maybe more than dabbling. I've really been enjoying sort of getting some character ideas to start with, giving me a bit of a roleplay framework.

[Dreghorn2]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

I've been dabbling in Skyrim a good bit more lately - noticed on Steam that I have reached 379 hours, so maybe more than dabbling. I've really been enjoying sort of getting some character ideas to start with, giving me a bit of a roleplay framework.

Check this site out, a lot of imaginative individuals over there.

Character Building - The Skyrim Blog