Crap. I Died Again.

[Perkless in Skyrim]

I lose interest in a character after it has died and the feeling grows the more often it happens. I'm at the point with my current character that I'm not sure I wish to continue because he's died several times.

I know there is a style of play called Dead Is Dead. I haven't ever used it. The idea of starting over even more frequently than I already do and having to go through Helgen even more (because I WILL die ... it's axiomatic) puts me off. Imagine a run of bad luck where you had to start over IN Helgen multiple times.

Do you use some kind of rationale to explain what happened in the event that you just died? I generally say that my character had a vision which ended badly. The length of the vision varies based on how far back I saved. Naturally, lengthy visions are the cause of much frustration.

How do you handle character death? Does it make you want to start over?

 

[shadowkitty]

I have never actually died in Helgen...

As for character deaths, I generally just keep playing. I don't play dead is dead except with maybe a few followers I don't particularly like, or my horse...

I recently got bored with my Vampire lord and erased her. I have decided that she couldn't live with what she had become and sat out in the sun until she died a horrible fiery death. My assassin probably won't last that long either. She will most likely die in some spectacularly gruesome way. Maybe she kills a bunny and the rest of the bunny family take revenge on her and eat her alive....

 

[Gigapact]

I died quite a few times on Legendary when in Helgen, not the others though.

But, regardless, eh... I never really cared. Could you imagine if in every single type of game your character died you had to restart? Screw that. You'd never finish a damn game or get overly far. I saw someone that plays on here who does that, and I think she said she typically doesn't make to level 20 or very far after that. I myself have done the whole Helgen thing countless times, and it's getting old. I couldn't imagine starting over every time your new character dies, I probably still wouldn't be playing if I did that.

While I know it's fun to get the game as realistic as possible, I've never taken dying into account, especially when you die of stupid things. Like you didn't hear the saber cat behind you, or you misjudged the distance between you, the cliff, and the ground. That sort of stuff. I just never thought about it. But really to each is own.

Reasons to perhaps explain dying and continuing on:

I would think a few deaths could be explained, but I think you'll run out fast. First death, you saw a vision. Second death, was when the Graybeards has the same vision almost, which hints your possible death is to come with Alduin (or something). Third death, the Gods saved you because they need you to defeat Alduin. Fourth death, Miraak from Dragonborn resurrected you because he wanted to kill you himself. Fifth death, the main Daedric Prince you followed saved you. Sixth death, the main Daedric Prince who hates you saved you so he could continue watching your miserable little life of dying and being resurrected a lot. Seventh death, Alduin saved you because he wants to kill you himself. You could possibly stick another death in there about Gray Beards or Parth saving you. I'm REALLY reaching hard here. Please don't make fun of me!

I tried! That's all I can really come up with.

 

[O__Dragon__O]

I am immortal.... I just get knocked out a lot.... that is what the cut to loading screen is right??? I get knocked out and I come back to a place nice and safe because the gods are like looking out for me right?,... Please tell me I am right!!!

 

[LuChao]

I always play dead is dead due to Role Play builds it's hard to rp getting beheaded then suddenly back again

 

[raido KASAI]

To me it depends on the character. My main character died only a few times in my early levels but really died very little after that. I tend to do a good bit of leveling up before going into really tough spots and I think the game does a pretty decent job of scaling game play to what level you are at.

If you play on PC or have the DLC's you can make a save game after Helgen and then use that as a launching point for a new character, either using console to launch the character editor or seeing the person in Riften to change your appearance. There are mods that make race changes not reset all the stats so that makes it easier to adapt to something you like better

If I had a character that I didn't particularly like the build (or had complete indifference toward) and he or she died early, I'd be more likely to move on to something different. If I have a back story in mind and find the character compelling than a death doesn't deter me much. I do tend to make myself go back to a previous save to make it cause a bit of pain by loss of my progress prior to my passing.

 

[mattizcool]

A nice idea I got from A Nord Refugee is that if you died, you'd reload the game, go to the nearest inn, and pay them a large sum of gold for "taking care of you." I also heard of people dropping everything they have when they die but that can be extremely frustrating.

 

[shadowkitty]

Maybe you could could set any skills that are at 100 to legendary? It would be like starting over again. I usually only set those that aren't essential (like smithing and enchanting, but only after I have everything I need), but today I set my Archery and sneak back to legendary.. it was a big risk, as I am primarily an archer, but I am at level 53 and want to level up more before I go to Solstheim. And using a bow when the skill is at 100 does not level up. So back to 15 I go..!

So what my point was, is that you could reset your '100' skills, like you were badly injured and need to recover and hone your skills again. That's certainly enough penance for reloading after you die if you feel that guilty about it.

 

[Perkless in Skyrim]

While I know it's fun to get the game as realistic as possible, I've never taken dying into account, especially when you die of stupid things. Like you didn't hear the saber cat behind you, or you misjudged the distance between you, the cliff, and the ground. That sort of stuff. I just never thought about it. But really to each is own.

Sadly, this is one of the things that killed me. Jumped off a rock outcropping only to discover that the ground was MUCH further away than I thought.

To me it depends on the character. My main character died only a few times in my early levels but really died very little after that. I tend to do a good bit of leveling up before going into really tough spots and I think the game does a pretty decent job of scaling game play to what level you are at.

If you play on PC or have the DLC's you can make a save game after Helgen and then use that as a launching point for a new character, either using console to launch the character editor or seeing the person in Riften to change your appearance. There are mods that make race changes not reset all the stats so that makes it easier to adapt to something you like better

If I had a character that I didn't particularly like the build (or had complete indifference toward) and he or she died early, I'd be more likely to move on to something different. If I have a back story in mind and find the character compelling than a death doesn't deter me much. I do tend to make myself go back to a previous save to make it cause a bit of pain by loss of my progress prior to my passing.

I'm stuck on Xbox and for now I can't justify buying the PC version since I don't think this computer can handle it. I'll just have to go on being envious of PC players. I could make a save after Helgen but would have to do it multiple times for each race I wanted to play. Too much hassle and while I don't want to see the opening any more than necessary I haven't reached the point where I don't want to go through it at all.

I can handle a few deaths but the more it happens the more frustrated I get and it breaks immersion somewhat. Being immortal is cool and all but when I do something stupid or just have a bad series of encounters it makes me wonder how good this character really is and I start wanting something different.

 

[Perkless in Skyrim]

Maybe you could could set any skills that are at 100 to legendary? It would be like starting over again. I usually only set those that aren't essential (like smithing and enchanting, but only after I have everything I need), but today I set my Archery and sneak back to legendary.. it was a big risk, as I am primarily an archer, but I am at level 53 and want to level up more before I go to Solstheim. And using a bow when the skill is at 100 does not level up. So back to 15 I go..!

So what my point was, is that you could reset your '100' skills, like you were badly injured and need to recover and hone your skills again. That's certainly enough penance for reloading after you die if you feel that guilty about it.

That's a good idea but I rarely make it that far.

 

[Papoy]

It hates me to read all these texts, i didn't die so often but then i put diff on master (till then i was on expert and it went just fine with no dieing at all) OMG dIfrence is so big

 

[Sparky04]

I'm all for picking up right where I left off if I die. Obviously I miraculously escaped and recovered enough to go try again. Maybe we all have feign death like hunters in world of warcraft.

 

[Perkless in Skyrim]

R.I.P. Orag gro-Apair. You had such promise. A rising star in the Companions. Yet on your first true test to prove yourself to them you died 3 times in Dustman's Cairn. Twice to the same lowlife milk drinking, flea infested, dung reeking Silver Hand who's finest hour would've been an early abortion. I mourn your final passing.

I've decided to try a 3-strikes-yer-out rule. Also trying to find a way in game that would reasonably allow me to exceed that. Sorta like getting extra lives.

 

[nightmare16]

I've decided to try a 3-strikes-yer-out rule. Also trying to find a way in game that would reasonably allow me to exceed that. Sorta like getting extra lives.

maybe have a thing where you start out with one life but for every dragon you kill you take there soul and it gives you another life. i do that with some characters. it messes there story up depending if you want dragons in the story or not but just a thought

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Since I seem to never die beyond level... say... 5, maybe it's time I up my difficulty from Novice to Adept or whatever is between those two, Apprentice, I think. At least it would be more challenging. I've been playing a year now so it's not like I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[AS88]

Since I seem to never die beyond level... say... 5, maybe it's time I up my difficulty from Novice to Adept or whatever is between those two, Apprentice, I think. At least it would be more challenging. I've been playing a year now so it's not like I don't know what I'm doing.

Play Expert It's a challenge that keeps you on your toes but 100% doable without crafting or any exploits. I've played on Expert since about January 2012 and never looked back (damn this game is old!).

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Since I seem to never die beyond level... say... 5, maybe it's time I up my difficulty from Novice to Adept or whatever is between those two, Apprentice, I think. At least it would be more challenging. I've been playing a year now so it's not like I don't know what I'm doing.

Play Expert It's a challenge that keeps you on your toes but 100% doable without crafting or any exploits. I've played on Expert since about January 2012 and never looked back (damn this game is old!).

You're kidding, right? I've done Expert and Master a total of once and died before making it to level 2! Baby steps. I will admit that, after level 40 though, I do set the Dragon battles up to Expert (once or twice Master) when they happen. For some reason, I feel like one-hitting a Legendary Dragon is silly. I may be Dragonborn, but I'm not a god! I am going to turn may game up a notch at a time starting tonight though. I can't do the know crafting or enchanting thing though, I enjoy that. No exploits I can handle though.

 

[AS88]

Since I seem to never die beyond level... say... 5, maybe it's time I up my difficulty from Novice to Adept or whatever is between those two, Apprentice, I think. At least it would be more challenging. I've been playing a year now so it's not like I don't know what I'm doing.

Play Expert It's a challenge that keeps you on your toes but 100% doable without crafting or any exploits. I've played on Expert since about January 2012 and never looked back (damn this game is old!).

You're kidding, right? I've done Expert and Master a total of once and died before making it to level 2! Baby steps. I will admit that, after level 40 though, I do set the Dragon battles up to Expert (once or twice Master) when they happen. For some reason, I feel like one-hitting a Legendary Dragon is silly. I may be Dragonborn, but I'm not a god! I am going to turn may game up a notch at a time starting tonight though. I can't do the know crafting or enchanting thing though, I enjoy that. No exploits I can handle though.

Yeah, Expert all the way for me. I feel like one man should have to work a little bit to clear out a fort full of outlaws or a crypt full of Draugr. I don't find the damage dealt against me to be too high (until high level bandits start cropping up), and the damage you give out is reasonable (in most cases).

It means that you always have to know how to play the character, though. I have to completely change my mindset if I play a battleaxe-wielding Nord one day and a Dunmer nightblade the next and an Altmer mage the day after that. It's good fun, though.

 

[Perkless in Skyrim]

I've decided to try a 3-strikes-yer-out rule. Also trying to find a way in game that would reasonably allow me to exceed that. Sorta like getting extra lives.

maybe have a thing where you start out with one life but for every dragon you kill you take there soul and it gives you another life. i do that with some characters. it messes there story up depending if you want dragons in the story or not but just a thought

That's a good idea but given the number of dragons I encounter and the fact that I generally play on Adept difficulty, I'd be rolling in lives. But maybe every 10 dragons. I could adjust that based on difficulty. Let's see ... Master could be 1:1 and Legendary could be 10:1.

Play Expert It's a challenge that keeps you on your toes but 100% doable without crafting or any exploits. I've played on Expert since about January 2012 and never looked back (damn this game is old!).

You're kidding, right? I've done Expert and Master a total of once and died before making it to level 2! Baby steps. I will admit that, after level 40 though, I do set the Dragon battles up to Expert (once or twice Master) when they happen. For some reason, I feel like one-hitting a Legendary Dragon is silly. I may be Dragonborn, but I'm not a god! I am going to turn may game up a notch at a time starting tonight though. I can't do the know crafting or enchanting thing though, I enjoy that. No exploits I can handle though.

Yeah, Expert all the way for me. I feel like one man should have to work a little bit to clear out a fort full of outlaws or a crypt full of Draugr. I don't find the damage dealt against me to be too high (until high level bandits start cropping up), and the damage you give out is reasonable (in most cases).

It means that you always have to know how to play the character, though. I have to completely change my mindset if I play a battleaxe-wielding Nord one day and a Dunmer nightblade the next and an Altmer mage the day after that. It's good fun, though.

I was playing on Expert for awhile and didn't even realize it. I've gone back to Adept mostly because I don't want to see Dragon Rising a million times and I like to feel like a badass. Expert is a good challenge for me though and I may go back to it.

 

[Kohlar the Unkilled]

It goes something like this. Whenever Kohlar the Unkilled gets killed, perspective is shifted to an alternate history, one in which Kohlar has not yet died, but has otherwise lived a life that is non-divergent from the reality in which he is now dead. The multiverse hypothesis allows for a nearly infinite number of alternate histories. In other words, Kohlar always was, and always will be.