Avoiding the main quest

[CMDR Herne]

My first character got so far with the main quest but got fed up with closing all those Oblivion gates that keep on appearing. With my second character I walked out of the sewers and avoided Kvatch. So far it's more like Morrowind in feel :)

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I usually don't go to Kvatch until level 10. I get 3 Latent Sigil Stones from the Kvatch Gate and keep reloading until I get 1 shock shield on one, paired with Chameleon, Feather, or Strength.

Usually by level 10 I have Ring of Khajiiti, Chameleon Cuirass, and a base Ring of Shadows for Chameleon 75%. 2 Latent Sigil Stones of 20% get me over 100% so closing gates later isn't so long and annoying.

After Kvatch and 1 or 2 other gates, I don't mess with closing gates until level 17 for the better Sigil Stones. On my last character I think I closed over 50 gates. Having 100% Chameleon makes them go much faster.

[Nerevars Goat Univeron]

I rush to Kvatch for two reasons: I have Kvatch rebuilt, and I just want it built as fast as possible. And I love wandering the wilderness and finding an oblivion gate.

[CMDR Herne]

I'm just seeing what the differrance is in game between not rushing for the main quest initially and doing it much later if at all when I'm more leveled up.

[DeathClaw]

Try not to close them one right after another. I usually close 1, go do something else come back and close another and so on. All the gates won't stay closed forever until the main quest ends. So if you don't want to have to keep going back closing gates, just close the ones by each city and leave the rest alone.

[( قهوة)]

All of the characters I created, the first thing I do is join the mages guild. Why? I sell all books and tools of Alchemy found in the guild: D, I try to buy a House soon, to gather all my treasures, and if you don't have the DLC and your character is a mage, is important to finish most of the mages guild missions, in order to access the spell or enchanting rooms, which are located in the Arcane University, collecting all the spells in the process, so you have the right spell to counter your enemies, or have the cool spell for a tactical withdraw, or an spell to carry more things, etc...
So when I go to the main quest, I have all I need, and more. ;)

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

The first thing I do after I exit the sewer is Fast Travel to the Market District and dump all of my items into the 6 Grain Sacks that I use for storage. Buying a House isn't that important to me since those 6 storage containers is plenty starting out. There are 3 on each side.

I then go to Bravil to buy Minor Respite from the Chapel. I join the Mages Guild and loot all their Alchemy tools and then I go to Harcane Grove and grab the Unicorn to use as my horse. I fast travel to Leyawiin > Cheydinhal > Bruma > Chorrol and Take all their Alchemy tools and start all of the recommendation quests. You can find some steel armor in the Mages guild in Leyawiin. While in Cheydinhal I join the FIghters Guild and accept the first contract. You receive 3 weightless weapons you can use until you complete the quest.

In Chorrol I sell all the combined Alchemy tools and usually get 2-3k gold which I use to buy all of the bound armor conjurations spells so I can use the exploit to create permanent bound armor and the dagger.

Then I visit Skingrad and Anvil to raid their Alchemy tools to sell in Anvil and start both recommendation quests. You get a nice weak fireball spell from Skingrad and can find some Steel armor in the Fighters Guild Office in Anvil. While in the Anvil area I get a contract from the Fighters Guild and recover Fin Gleam from the ocean floor to sell since I hate the Night Eye it has.

Then I use the Unicorn to kill city guards for their chainmail armor sets and Castle Keys, and also find some Imperial City guards to kill for their armor to use later for training Light and Heavy Armor at Fatback cave.

After I dump the guards armor sets off at Fatback Cave, I go to Crestbridge Camp to start the Goblin Trouble quest to grab the Powerful Goblin Totem Staffs. I then go to Vindasel and use the Unicorn to help me kill Umbra for her weapon and armor. I use the staff to weaken her and let the Unicorn finish her off as I block her attacks so I don't get credited for murder just yet.

After I do all that I start leveling both types of armor to gain quick levels using the guards armor I collected and try to get to level 5 quickly so RIngleaders start carrying valuable sellables so I can buy Aegis of the Apocalypse, Gauntlets of Gluttony, Helm of Ferocity, and Tower of the Nine as soon as possible.

After i'm done farming Ringleaders I complete the Mages guild recommendation quests to gain access to the Arcane University so I can make useful spells such as Armorer 100 for 2 seconds for unbreakable hammer perk, two spells one for Personality 85~ for 2 seconds, Mercantile 85 for 2 seconds to invest in shops and to get the best prices from shops.

I try to complete the FIghters Guild Quests by level 10 for the best Mind and Body RIng reward and the Helmet reward when completing the questline. Once I get to level10 for latent sigil stones, I start the main quest.

[JrB908]

Originally posted by Dexter:

<snip>.
Once I get to level10 for latent sigil stones, I start the main quest.

Wow that is an impressive stratergy.

In all the years that I have played this game, I have never finished the main quest line ! That said, I think that I will finally get there on my current play through though.

I just keep getting distracted.

[Nerevars Goat Univeron]

Originally posted by JrB908:

Originally posted by Dexter:

<snip>.
Once I get to level10 for latent sigil stones, I start the main quest.

Wow that is an impressive stratergy.

In all the years that I have played this game, I have never finished the main quest line ! That said, I think that I will finally get there on my current play through though.

I just keep getting distracted.

Its not really worth it without modding the reward.

[Lucina]

Once Kvatch is won back, how long does it take to get rebuilt?

[Nerevars Goat Univeron]

Originally posted by Gambetz:

Once Kvatch is won back, how long does it take to get rebuilt?

Several in-game months, maybe even a year.
That is, if you have the mod.
I think the first quest comes a week after you save it, then the next comes 2 weeks after the last quest, but I havent gotten farther than that.

[Major Havoc]

Originally posted by mmrksrg:

My first character got so far with the main quest but got fed up with closing all those Oblivion gates that keep on appearing. With my second character I walked out of the sewers and avoided Kvatch. So far it's more like Morrowind in feel :)

I always recommend that one should wait till Level 12 before starting the main quest. That keeps it from being way too easy to complete, which is the main complaint about this game. It is very easy to complete the main quest by level 6, which also means you end up with a bunch of weak Sigil Stones.
Also, you do not have to close every Oblivion Gate that pops up in the wild unless you just want a lot of Sigil Stones. Come on, who cares about an Oblivion Gate in the middle of the Jerral Mountains wilderness? Those Imperial Forest Wardens gotta have some fun. :p

[LS95]

i literally just ♥♥♥♥ off to Shivering Isles forever, because who doesn't love Sheogorath?

[CullinB]

Originally posted by CMDR Herne:

My first character got so far with the main quest but got fed up with closing all those Oblivion gates that keep on appearing. With my second character I walked out of the sewers and avoided Kvatch. So far it's more like Morrowind in feel :)

You can beat Kvatch if you do not talk with Martin no Oblivion Gates will open.

[BondageSpider]

Originally posted by DeathClaw:

Try not to close them one right after another. I usually close 1, go do something else come back and close another and so on. All the gates won't stay closed forever until the main quest ends. So if you don't want to have to keep going back closing gates, just close the ones by each city and leave the rest alone.

If you close enough gates they eventually stop opening, even if you never finish the main quest properly. There are over 100 places they can randomly open, but the maximum that actually open in one game is 60, I think? After you close them all, no new gates will open, unless you change the configuration files to allow it.

This also means that you can't farm Sigil Stones forever, but 60 is more than most players will ever want.