HELP - How to play Skyrim?

[SgtPow3rs]

The title sounds weird, but what I mean is how can I approach this game anno 2021? Is there some way to change the way I should play this game? In other words, playing through all the factions, main story etc sounds a bit repeating cause thats what I've done all these past years.

I did change the build for once, (not a stealth archer this time :D) a mage warrior.

What would you guys suggest? How can I approach this game by a different route. Are there guides for stuff like this? I just finished modding and now I want to actually enjoy the game :)

Thanks!

[Misuune]

I just explore the landscape most of the time instead of doing quests, my boredom can be justified but then I give myself goals like mastering Destruction or some other skill whilst roleplaying as some random character.

But, you can essentially just play community expansions too, there's plenty of them. Don't have to stick to base game with it's DLCs and some mods.

[Ihateeverybody]

I mean. What do you want to be?

I don't think I have played the main quest (or the DLC main quests) in years. It depends on what you have in your cupboard (Mod wise and character wise). Mod load outs vary depending on the Character. Just for examples.

1. Current play through - Hand to Hand brawler. Character I have had Since Everquest, Taken through CIty of Heroes, Everquest 2, Oblivion, Fallout 3 and 4. Planes/Dimension walker Human.

2. Bosmer Huntress - Created in Oblivion (The game, not the place). I use her when I feel like killing Thalmor ALOT of Thalmor. Like she sees a Thalmor and it dies (if the game allows it).

3. Nord Huntress/Axe warrior Adventurer - Wanderers around doing quests. I keep meaning to start the MQ and get the dragons but....I just can't. At most I can get to Whiterun and the summoning, but I just can't go to high hrothgar. It is just so ...so so very lame. I can't do it. It would be equivilant to putting on a sports jersy and face paint and Big Afro wig in sports colors and signs and all that other stuff. I just can'.

4. Reformed Vampire - My morrowind character, returned to human state. Sometimes I keep her as a vampire and with Better Vampires Mod She spends her time killing and Amaranthing other Vamps.

5. Redgaurd Vampire Hunter - I don't really like vampires.

6. Debauched Mage type - a Character I had in Oblivion. Kind of a Lich without the whole Lich thing. Power mad, seeks more power.

7. Renegade Direnni Battle Mage (Breton) - I enjoy this one very much.

8. Redguard Prince - I play this one as an ambassadorial type assigned to solitude to monitor the civil war. Goes without saying he enjoys ending undead of all types and Thalmor.

So I wander around doing random bounties and whatever I want, getting my smitthing, Alchemy, enchanting maxed. Make a set of You all are #($*ed armor and weapons. Kill things until get bored, then start all over. Works out fine for me.

[SgtPow3rs]

I'm creating now a Mage Warrior, one hand magic, other hand sword, heavy armor. I found several interesting guides to create a character like this but it only explains ofcourse how to get the best stuff fast. But what then?

I mean I dont see me now join the Thieves Guild with a build like this for example. I finished the Companions story (Jesus, what a let down actually, really short).

[Ihateeverybody]

Are you asking the question of how to create a character? As in a personality; with their own hopes and desires?

1. Who am I?
2. What am I?
3. Where do I come from?
4. How did I get here?
5. Why am I here?
6. What do I believe in?
7. Is that something I would really do?

I mean philosophers have been debating these things for thousands of years.

These are just samples. But they are generic enough you can adapt them to almost any role playing type game.

I play with alternate start mods so it gives me a whole lot more leeway than I am in a Cart heading for a $5 shave and a haircut.

[lizrdfishr]

Alternate Start Live Another Life mod:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/272/

Play on Legendary and choose Left For Dead.

Do not go near Helgen until you are at least level 20.

Never ever fast travel.

You will never see Skyrim the same again. ;)

[DrNewcenstein]

You can limit your focus to a single (or more tightly related) faction(s), ignoring all others (except where they intersect). For example, assume you were legitimately captured for legitimate reasons, and got a lucky break at Helgen. You can go join the Thieves Guild, completely ignoring the Dragonborn business.

Alternatively, you can assume you were actually guilty of something, caught a lucky break at Helgen, but you want to take it a bit further and join the Dark Brotherhood, completely ignoring everything else.

Or, you can assume you were caught being a bad guy, got off lucky at Helgen, and decided to go straight. You go do the wandering adventurer thing, ignoring everything else.

Or, you can assume you were already an adventurer and got caught up in some mistaken identity BS and the Empire was going to just kill you without justification, so you joined the rebellion because you see how easily the cancel culture government suspends your rights.

Or you can assume the cancel culture Empire was just looking for an easy solution to a complicated problem, and join the Legion to prove you're "one of them", by helping to eliminate the rebellion which they used as a weak excuse to suspend your legal and civil rights in the first place (in other words, be a part of the blame-throwing cancel culture).

Or you can pick whatever reason you were going to be murdered by the Empire, caught a lucky break at Helgen, and skip your way to the far end of the map to the College and be a mage, ignoring everything else.

Now, the Dork Brotherhood and Thugs Guild have some interaction, so you could do both at once. The Civil War and Dragonborn are obviously linked, so you could do both of those at once.

You could do the Companions and Dawnguard (DG side), since werewolves and vampires are opposites, or Dawnguard (Vampire side) and College because of the Magic bonuses.

Or you could do Dawnguard (Vampires) and Dark Brotherhood, since those two would be a thing.

Or you could do Dawnguard (DG) and Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild because vampires are always messing up your nocturnal activities.
Or Dawnguard (Vampires) + Dark Brotherhood + Thieves Guild because "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em".

Or Dawnguard (DG) + Legion + College.

Or Legion (Healer/Battlemage/Pure Mage) + College.

Or College + Stormcloaks.

Or College > Thives Guild > Dark Brotherhood > Dawnguard (Vampires) as an escalation of evil type of thing. While a college student, you were drawn to the Dark Side, which led to petty theft and not-so-petty theft, then into the world of murder for hire, then into the total bloodbath carnage of being an immortal Vampire Lord for centuries to come. As well, you'd sit atop all 4 factions.

[SgtPow3rs]

Originally posted by Ihateeverybody:

Are you asking the question of how to create a character? As in a personality; with their own hopes and desires?

1. Who am I?
2. What am I?
3. Where do I come from?
4. How did I get here?
5. Why am I here?
6. What do I believe in?
7. Is that something I would really do?

I mean philosophers have been debating these things for thousands of years.

These are just samples. But they are generic enough you can adapt them to almost any role playing type game.

I play with alternate start mods so it gives me a whole lot more leeway than I am in a Cart heading for a $5 shave and a haircut.

Lol no, that goes way to deep for me man. I'm just looking for another 'route'.

Originally posted by lizrdfishr:

Alternate Start Live Another Life mod:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/272/

Play on Legendary and choose Left For Dead.

Do not go near Helgen until you are at least level 20.

You will never see Skyrim the same again. ;)

That sounds like not enjoying the game, but trying to survive!

[SgtPow3rs]

Originally posted by DrNewcenstein:

You can limit your focus to a single (or more tightly related) faction(s), ignoring all others (except where they intersect). For example, assume you were legitimately captured for legitimate reasons, and got a lucky break at Helgen. You can go join the Thieves Guild, completely ignoring the Dragonborn business.

Alternatively, you can assume you were actually guilty of something, caught a lucky break at Helgen, but you want to take it a bit further and join the Dark Brotherhood, completely ignoring everything else.

Or, you can assume you were caught being a bad guy, got off lucky at Helgen, and decided to go straight. You go do the wandering adventurer thing, ignoring everything else.

Or, you can assume you were already an adventurer and got caught up in some mistaken identity BS and the Empire was going to just kill you without justification, so you joined the rebellion because you see how easily the cancel culture government suspends your rights.

Or you can assume the cancel culture Empire was just looking for an easy solution to a complicated problem, and join the Legion to prove you're "one of them", by helping to eliminate the rebellion which they used as a weak excuse to suspend your legal and civil rights in the first place (in other words, be a part of the blame-throwing cancel culture).

Or you can pick whatever reason you were going to be murdered by the Empire, caught a lucky break at Helgen, and skip your way to the far end of the map to the College and be a mage, ignoring everything else.

Now, the Dork Brotherhood and Thugs Guild have some interaction, so you could do both at once. The Civil War and Dragonborn are obviously linked, so you could do both of those at once.

You could do the Companions and Dawnguard (DG side), since werewolves and vampires are opposites, or Dawnguard (Vampire side) and College because of the Magic bonuses.

Or you could do Dawnguard (Vampires) and Dark Brotherhood, since those two would be a thing.

Or you could do Dawnguard (DG) and Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild because vampires are always messing up your nocturnal activities.
Or Dawnguard (Vampires) + Dark Brotherhood + Thieves Guild because "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em".

Or Dawnguard (DG) + Legion + College.

Or Legion (Healer/Battlemage/Pure Mage) + College.

Or College + Stormcloaks.

Or College > Thives Guild > Dark Brotherhood > Dawnguard (Vampires) as an escalation of evil type of thing. While a college student, you were drawn to the Dark Side, which led to petty theft and not-so-petty theft, then into the world of murder for hire, then into the total bloodbath carnage of being an immortal Vampire Lord for centuries to come. As well, you'd sit atop all 4 factions.

Thanks, cool suggestions. I definitely want to try the College of Winterhold this time, I barely choosed that one cause I never do magic.

I noticed this mod "Immersive College of Winterhold", has anyone installed it? I read some of the posts and it had many bugs and glitches?

[mikk011]

Immersive College of Winterhold (ICOW) is a good mod and I have never had any big problems with it.

DO:
-Make sure you have any relevant patches for ICOW and your load order.
-Make sure any NPC replacers load AFTER ICOW (note that there is an article on the ICOW page about resolving the black face error).

[SgtPow3rs]

Nice, I will install it. Too bad I can't install The Legacy of the Dragonborn, you'll need to start a new game ...

[lizrdfishr]

Originally posted by SgtPow3rs:

Originally posted by lizrdfishr:

Alternate Start Live Another Life mod:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/272/

Play on Legendary and choose Left For Dead.

Do not go near Helgen until you are at least level 20.

Never ever fast travel.

You will never see Skyrim the same again. ;)

That sounds like not enjoying the game, but trying to survive!

Reclaim your game. Skyrim is an RPG dumbed down to an action adventure game. Playing like this makes you plan and consider each move, to be deliberate. It forces you to play the role.

Once you do, you can play any role you choose. The quests will mean less and less and your role will mean more and more.

Last playthrough I was a Bosmer merchant with a penchant for stealth and taking the occasional five finger pocket discount.

This time I'm a renegade Redguard Alik'r. I don't stealth for ♥♥♥♥. I ride at the head of a column of mercs laying waste to any Thalmor or Imperial or Stormcloak troops I find. My fighting style is to charge headlong into the fray swinging my scimitar left and right, lopping heads as I blow through the enemy and scatter them to the breeze.

I have never played any of the game quests or pursued any achievements. I have 1200 hours in game.

I don't just survive. I pursue adventure with gusto. It is Skyrim that struggles to keep up with me. Thankfully, there are mods... ;)

[Eightball]

One of the major draws of Skyrim and what has arguably kept people playing after so many years is the ability for the player to be whatever they want.

Much of this is accomplished by mods.

However I highly suggest at least one vanilla play-through so you can experience the game as it was released and, if you like them, for achievements (although there are mods to let you play a modded game and still get achievements).

The great thing about mods is you can actually change the world space for each new play-through in way that exploring and questing, beyond the vanilla, is still fresh.

You can add new ways to start the game (i.e. Another Life), new towns, new dungeons, new random encounters, more civil war, factions, new radiant quests; the list goes on.

I tend to find the most enjoyment in focusing on a certain character 'job' and try to build around it (many times with complimentary mods).

The game can become more challenging (in a very good way) when you really try to focus on a character build - try playing as a fast talking snake oil salesman, err alchemist.

And don't forget you can ALWAYS have more than one save so if you find you are starting to get the itch to play another 'job' then just save the game you are in and start a new character, Then you can pop back on the old one whenever you feel like playing your 'drunken, cheese loving bard who has a Skooma problem'.

[SgtPow3rs]

Originally posted by lizrdfishr:

Originally posted by SgtPow3rs:

That sounds like not enjoying the game, but trying to survive!

Reclaim your game. Skyrim is an RPG dumbed down to an action adventure game. Playing like this makes you plan and consider each move, to be deliberate. It forces you to play the role.

Once you do, you can play any role you choose. The quests will mean less and less and your role will mean more and more.

Last playthrough I was a Bosmer merchant with a penchant for stealth and taking the occasional five finger pocket discount.

This time I'm a renegade Redguard Alik'r. I don't stealth for ♥♥♥♥. I ride at the head of a column of mercs laying waste to any Thalmor or Imperial or Stormcloak troops I find. My fighting style is to charge headlong into the fray swinging my scimitar left and right, lopping heads as I blow through the enemy and scatter them to the breeze.

I have never played any of the game quests or pursued any achievements. I have 1200 hours in game.

I don't just survive. I pursue adventure with gusto. It is Skyrim that struggles to keep up with me. Thankfully, there are mods... ;)

1200 in games? What did you do all this time then?

Originally posted by Eightball:

One of the major draws of Skyrim and what has arguably kept people playing after so many years is the ability for the player to be whatever they want.

Much of this is accomplished by mods.

However I highly suggest at least one vanilla play-through so you can experience the game as it was released and, if you like them, for achievements (although there are mods to let you play a modded game and still get achievements).

The great thing about mods is you can actually change the world space for each new play-through in way that exploring and questing, beyond the vanilla, is still fresh.

You can add new ways to start the game (i.e. Another Life), new towns, new dungeons, new random encounters, more civil war, factions, new radiant quests; the list goes on.

I tend to find the most enjoyment in focusing on a certain character 'job' and try to build around it (many times with complimentary mods).

The game can become more challenging (in a very good way) when you really try to focus on a character build - try playing as a fast talking snake oil salesman, err alchemist.

And don't forget you can ALWAYS have more than one save so if you find you are starting to get the itch to play another 'job' then just save the game you are in and start a new character, Then you can pop back on the old one whenever you feel like playing your 'drunken, cheese loving bard who has a Skooma problem'.

Yeah I have played the games many, many times without mods. I started back in 2011 on the 360. Just started pc in around 2016.

Hey I've got another question, not really related to the this topic, but, I have many times these random lightning flash with a dull explosion sound in my screen, what is that? Its like if an old skool photo is taken, I can really explain. Wth is it and how to get rid of it?

[smr1957]

That flash and boom may be caused by two or more NPC's (usually mages or magical NPCs, one such being flame atronachs, which explode upon death similar to a fireball spell - but more powerful) using a spell or suffering an effect where there is an explosion - if you are not looking at them, you will only see the flash and hear the boom - and since they are not engaging the player, they will not show up as enemies on the HUD. It is part of the game, and you cannot get rid of it (unless you somehow disable all random spawning of NPCS).

[SgtPow3rs]

I dont think it is caused by that, because sometimes I'm not even around NPC's when it happens. I tried looking myself on Google but when I search for it I only find weather / lighthing mods -.-