Who to follow at game start

[Zangor]

Is one better than the other

[Zangor]

This is just a general discussion there is no pressure to choose a person to follow

[SpeedFreak1972]

There is not much difference except if you follow Hadvar you can get a few ingots due to the fact his uncle is the blacksmith. However most of us take the allegiance in the civil war into consideration (empire vs Stormcloaks). Take also into consideration that you may meet again in some quests later on.

[Zangor]

Yes I do so also Im just wondering if one is better than the other

[Zangor]

Like are the stormcloaks more powerful or is it the empire

[SpeedFreak1972]

not really as for the Stormcloaks vs empire discussion well let's not everyone has an opinion and it's done to death since 2011

[Zangor]

Or which has better starting materirls

[Zangor]

Ralof gives an axe and powerful armor if you loot the commander

[SpeedFreak1972]

havars uncle has some smithing materials (ingots (iron and steel))

[SpeedFreak1972]

true however take this in consideration you side with a stormcloak do you want to look like an imperial.

[Zangor]

True I usually start with the heavy imperial armor then swap to light with the light armor skill that increase defense

[Zangor]

I eventually go on to taking elven armor from the thalmor

[Ryÿ]

SkyrimTrollingIn2019

[Clovis Sangrail]

I usually go with Ralof, but I have been known to get turned around and accidentally follow Hadvar.

I'll wear that Stormcloak armor until I get to Riverwood, then I will craft some leather armor. (You should have a nice bear pelt from the cave and some wolf pelts from the road to give you a start on lesther.)

Once in Riverwood, I'll sell all looted armor and craft myself some nice leather armor. I don;t need that heavy imperial armor, so it gets sold, too.

As for the free iron and steel ingots, if I followed Ralof, I can just wait until night and steal them, then craft into weapons and sell what i'm not using.

I have yet to join either faction. I am a thief. Thieves don't take sides.

[DrNewcenstein]

I made a mod that puts a ton of starting loot on Gunjar's corpse in Helgen Keep, so I kinda hafta follow Ralof or else Gunjar doesn't spawn (IIRC). Plus, it's the closest door, so there's that.

As for the civil war, I did both sides once when the game first came out in 2011 and haven't gone back to it. It's linear and childish with no realistic options. Not to mention you do 3 side missions (at most) and then it's the Big Fight at Solitude. Incredibly dull and non-immersive. It's a rush job for the Call of Doodie crowd.

Neither side presents a mature, reasonable argument to support their position, and you cannot present a mature, reasonable counter-argument in-game to either side.

Cutting your head off with no explanation other than the one Ralof offers in the cart doesn't help the Empire's chances.

As for starting bonuses (loot, etc), neither one can be considered "better" than the other. Yes you get free materials by following Hadvar. Woop-dee-doo, I can get a ton of those anywhere else, and of every other material.
Both offer you food and shelter but neither offers safe storage.

The only down-side I can see to choosing either one is that with Hadvar, all you get is Light Armor to loot from dead Stormcloaks. With Ralof, you can loot Light or Heavy from dead Imperials.
Of course, that only matters if you have a preference and aren't running a mod that sets you up nicely with a full Smithing rig where you can choose your own loadout.