Using trainers from start

[Rivazar]

I never played Morrowind, so I want to try min maxing Endurance and Strength as in Oblvion, combining it with mage play style. And since unlike in Oblivion I don’t know everything ahead, I wonder if it is worth it to spend gold since lvl 1 on trainers to get Misc skill raised for +5 Stats? And when I mean training I mean using max training per level. Or I will quickly be left without money?

[Lord Rumpkin]

min maxing is boring and expensive in Morrowind. You end up running around in a loop of making money via cheesy methods and then spend all your time training, while avoiding the use of many skills, and not really playing the game. Then you end up with an overpowered character who beats everything and is no class in particular, which isn't as much fun as it sounds. Do yourself a favor and get a leveling mod.

I use Improved Vanilla Leveling. It is configurable but by default has 'retroactive health gain' which means you gain the same amount of health per level regardless of endurance.

This essentially allows you to make whatever class you want with whatever skills you want, and you level up with the skills you use and nothing is ever wasted.

And if you want to raise strength or endurance early, you can still do that with misc training.

[slayor3000]

Originally posted by Rivazar:

I never played Morrowind, so I want to try min maxing Endurance and Strength as in Oblvion, combining it with mage play style. And since unlike in Oblivion I don’t know everything ahead, I wonder if it is worth it to spend gold since lvl 1 on trainers to get Misc skill raised for +5 Stats? And when I mean training I mean using max training per level. Or I will quickly be left without money?

Strength is easy to min/ max so I will let you use some thought and sort it out for yourself.
Endurance always depends on what type of build you have chosen. There is absolutely no reason to train or put up skills you will not use later.
For example: if you start as a mage build but want to use a weapon as a back up later and raise endurance, then use a spear, there is a trainer in the Balmora fighters guild who gets you up close to 50, unfortunately the next trainer is in Ghostgate.
Also if you plan on turning into a battlemage etc then leave Heavy and Medium armour in the misc pile along with spear, then you can pump up your endurance whenever you want.
Armour ratings are not that important early game.

[Innocent]

So first, there is no max trainer per level in Morrowind. You can technically raise a misc skill to 100 without levelling if you have the cash and find a master trainer (and in the end game, some people do).

It is not necessary to min max in Morrowind, you don't have the BS levelling environment system that Oblivion has. As long as you are at +3 average you'll be comfortable, anything above is a bonus. But if you want to do it, yes trainers is the easiest way to go. It can be expensive in the early game though, and since you can't easily farm for cash early on it might be impossible. If you want to +5 every level you also have to fine tune your char on creation to put those skills in misc, which ends up looking like a mess of a char rather than a thematic one.

I wouldn't stress too much about +5 everything for your first run. +3 or 4 will be more than enough, and a lot easier to manage.

[The Flying Rodent]

The most beneficial stat to 'min max' is Endurance, as it also determines Health gained per level. The Fighters Guild in Balmora contains Heavy Armour, Medium Armour and Spear trainers, if you wish to level it that way. If you wish to level any of the other stats, then the Balmora Guilds are probably the best places to check (Mages, Fighters, Thieves, Morag Tong).

That said, it's not really 'that' necessary to min max stats that aren't Endurance, or at least they don't have as much of a long term impact if you don't min-max them right away. All races start with '310 points into Attributes', out of a possible 800, and typical characters will expect to hit the 'max level cap' at around level 70-75. That leaves 70 levels to gain 490 attributes, or roughly '7 per level'.

Factoring in that Luck can only be increased 1 point per level, that means that a typical Morrowind character should probably aim for an average of 'x3 x3 x1' or similar, on an average level up. Min maxing to 'x5 x5 x5' or 'x5 x5 x1' reduces this average, and isn't hard to do with training services (which unlike in Oblivion, are NOT gated per level, in that it's possible to buy 50+ levels in training before levelling up if you so chose).

Regarding money: If you're playing Vanilla, it's pretty easy to come by, especially if you steal. The value of items is also not as 'balanced' as later Elder Scrolls games, in that it is not uncommon to come across items worth 10,000+ dollars or more. Balmora has 3 smiths, 3 general traders, and 2 alchemists, all with 600+ gold in their inventory every 24 hrs. So if you sell items regularly to those traders, you should be fine.

Alternatively, you could just throw the whole min-max idea out the window and use a mod, I guess. I've always stuck with Vanilla, but I can see the appeal of not wanting to turn Morrowind into 'grind skills for hours or purchase competence instead' simulator. Which it can very easily turn into!