Player rules

[Manmangler]

very interesting rules

Well I have played over five hundred hours. Retired 6 characters between levels 40 - 90. Some because I want start new character inn DLC. Some because Master become too easy (Even without cheats or potions). Two characters retired because game bug prevent something like bying house from windhelm or enter Harkon castle. Those too last where after legendar patch.

Legendary with deadly traps, dance of death and swimming mod + one monster mod make life hazarous, need rethink actions, but permadeath is just too much. I save usually begining at dungeon, so dying make lose some progress. After have lose two character because game glitch there is no inspiration walk every place again and again or start over after bandit chop head of in level 80.

I fast travel only places I have found.

One question, why player cannot master more than one section things. Why warrior cant learn magic, why thief cannot learn good allarounder.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

depends on the character I'm playing (no alchemy or magic, no smithing, etc...) but, in general:
1) No fast travel (although carts are fine - you pay for them after all)
2) No mules - if you have a follower, you can't use them to haul your stuff. You can give them things they can use, but you can't use them to hoard items.
3) Sleep every day (if at all possible). If you are awake more than 36 hours, you are required to find someplace to sleep.
4) No stopping to collect alchemy ingredients if you are on a quest (who would stop to pick wildflowers while you are trying to save the princess?). You can dedicate a period to going out and collecting them or take any that you happen to plunder or loot (or steal, I suppose).
5) No mining when you in the middle of a mission. You have to wait until you've cleared the area before you can mine there (example would be Embershard Mine near Riverwood. You need to clear it before you can mine the ore. I mean, really. Don't you think that you'd attract attention pounding away in the mine while surrounded by enemies?)
6) While you're welcome to run through swamps or even swim short distances while in light armor, if you are wearing heavy, no swimming at all. Find a way around. You'll sink. No long distance swimming in armor at all. Think about it, leather, hide or fur would simply get soggy and rot and be terribly heavy AND there is no way you'd be able to do it in heavy armor.
7) If you are using destruction magic you must concentrate on one type only (fire, frost or lightning - not all three). Limit yourself to 2 schools (healing is the exception here. apparently everybody knows healing.
8) If you are an outcast race, you must follow the rules. Khajit are not allowed in walled cities - period. I have never seen one in a city other than myself. If you can, as a Khajit, only trade with the caravans, although smaller, open towns and cities can be used (Shor's stone, Riverwood, etc...). If, as a Khajit you receive a negative comment from one of the merchants, you are not welcome in that town or city. Similar for Argonian's although they are more accepted. Basically act like a second class citizen.

I have others, but those are my basics at this point. I'm not one of those permadeath folks or 1/2 my characters would never make it to level 20.

 

[LuChao]

depends on the character I'm playing (no alchemy or magic, no smithing, etc...) but, in general:
1) No fast travel (although carts are fine - you pay for them after all)
2) No mules - if you have a follower, you can't use them to haul your stuff. You can give them things they can use, but you can't use them to hoard items.
3) Sleep every day (if at all possible). If you are awake more than 36 hours, you are required to find someplace to sleep.
4) No stopping to collect alchemy ingredients if you are on a quest (who would stop to pick wildflowers while you are trying to save the princess?). You can dedicate a period to going out and collecting them or take any that you happen to plunder or loot (or steal, I suppose).
5) No mining when you in the middle of a mission. You have to wait until you've cleared the area before you can mine there (example would be Embershard Mine near Riverwood. You need to clear it before you can mine the ore. I mean, really. Don't you think that you'd attract attention pounding away in the mine while surrounded by enemies?)
6) While you're welcome to run through swamps or even swim short distances while in light armor, if you are wearing heavy, no swimming at all. Find a way around. You'll sink. No long distance swimming in armor at all. Think about it, leather, hide or fur would simply get soggy and rot and be terribly heavy AND there is no way you'd be able to do it in heavy armor.
7) If you are using destruction magic you must concentrate on one type only (fire, frost or lightning - not all three). Limit yourself to 2 schools (healing is the exception here. apparently everybody knows healing.
8) If you are an outcast race, you must follow the rules. Khajit are not allowed in walled cities - period. I have never seen one in a city other than myself. If you can, as a Khajit, only trade with the caravans, although smaller, open towns and cities can be used (Shor's stone, Riverwood, etc...). If, as a Khajit you receive a negative comment from one of the merchants, you are not welcome in that town or city. Similar for Argonian's although they are more accepted. Basically act like a second class citizen.

I have others, but those are my basics at this point. I'm not one of those permadeath folks or 1/2 my characters would never make it to level 20.

very interesting rules I thank you very much for sharing these they shall be implemented into my gaming in future

 

[Bulldog]

Dang I don't know if I could do the no walled cities as that is where some of your quest stuff come from.

I want to try the permadeath, but some stuff takes too long to have to sit through it multiple times. If you could skip some of the dialogue parts it wouldn't be that bad.

 

[Wildroses]

5) No mining when you in the middle of a mission. You have to wait until you've cleared the area before you can mine there (example would be Embershard Mine near Riverwood. You need to clear it before you can mine the ore. I mean, really. Don't you think that you'd attract attention pounding away in the mine while surrounded by enemies?)

I can confirm this is a good rule to follow from personal experience. I once decided to do some mining in a bandit camp that was also a mine in Falkreath Hold, I forget the name. Halfway through the mining cutscene the bandit chief heard me, ran up behind me and skewered me with his greatsword. I hadn't realised it was possible to die while mining, I thought he'd just wait until I was done

 

[Bulldog]

Thank you wildroses for making me feel better. it is very nice knowing I am not the only one who got caught mining. Difference was I was able to turn around and kill him. Mine was at the mine where you get the transmute spell.

 

[Manmangler]

I have never even try mining before cleaning area (How much noise mining do in real life). Sometimes when sneaking, I may take thing or two (Come on, I'm thief).

I usually wander LOT of Before doing quest. Okay Helgen - Rivenwood - Whiterun mainquest(not fetch that map to mage in whiterun, I deliver message to Jarl). Then I wander from main cities to another (Mainly to get some follower options).

I always wander and Hunt before buy whiterun house. How prisoner get money so easily to buy house in whiterun. Some may say looting and exploring caves. Okay You can get money from that, but why there is poor peoples/beggars in every city. I just break immersion to runaway from execution and buy house in same day.

 

[Bulldog]

I always go Helgen to Riverwood. I will do all Bleakfalls since i gain money for finding the claw, the gold I find inside bleakfalls, plus selling the loot from the people and undead I have killed. Go to whiterun. Talk to the lady blacksmith (can't remember her name) get the greatsword that she made for the jarl. Go to Dragonsreach, give the sword to her father collect the little bit of gold he gives you, talk to the jarl get the 1st piece of armory, give the dragonstone to farengar (or whatever his name is) go back to the jarl and get the other thing from him. Go and get the gold and the silver ingots from the jarl's quarters. Sale the stuff he gave me if I don't want it and smith the silver into jewelry and sale it. Now I am free to roam.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Dang I don't know if I could do the no walled cities as that is where some of your quest stuff come from.

I want to try the permadeath, but some stuff takes too long to have to sit through it multiple times. If you could skip some of the dialogue parts it wouldn't be that bad.

The way I found around it (and I have to thank my fellow forumers for it) is to either sneak in using an alternative entrance to the gate (Riften - through the Meadery; Windhelm - through the docks; etc...) or simply pull a petty crime like pick-pocket or petty thievery outside the city and getting arrested. Works like a charm and keeps me in RP + I'm in the city.

I just can't do the permadeath thing though. Especially at lower levels and higher difficulties, I just have to restart too many times. There are those folks that not only do permadeath but will not use healing potions. Yikes! Now that would be a challenge, especially on Master or Legendary.

 

[Sahdira]

4) No stopping to collect alchemy ingredients if you are on a quest (who would stop to pick wildflowers while you are trying to save the princess?). You can dedicate a period to going out and collecting them or take any that you happen to plunder or loot (or steal, I suppose).

Actually, Sahdira seems to have the opposite of #4. She just can't help herself. She is distracted easily by plants. They fascinate her. If someone was truly in trouble she may rush out. But she notices the majority of these lazy quest givers ask her to fetch something or kill something-or-other. If they are too lazy to fetch their own sword they can wait. This will happen on Sahdira's time.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

4) No stopping to collect alchemy ingredients if you are on a quest (who would stop to pick wildflowers while you are trying to save the princess?). You can dedicate a period to going out and collecting them or take any that you happen to plunder or loot (or steal, I suppose).

Actually, Sahdira seems to have the opposite of #4. She just can't help herself. She is distracted easily by plants. They fascinate her. If someone was truly in trouble she may rush out. But she notices the majority of these lazy quest givers ask her to fetch something or kill something-or-other. If they are too lazy to fetch their own sword they can wait. This will happen on Sahdira's time.

It took me a long time to break myself of the habit of doing it. Eventually I just noticed that my mighty warriors were stopping every ten seconds to pick flowers and thought it just wasn't right. Now I control myself.

I did just start a character that I want to play a little darker so maybe she'll make a daily excursion to collect stuff for poisons. Hmmm...

 

[Irishman]

Iv just made a new character and im implementing more rules than ever b4 with her.

Id like yall to meet Elenwen, a young, pretty altmer.
She has LAWS which cannot be broken:

• Eat at least twice daily
• Sleep at night (hours vary but around 8hrs)
• No lockpicking/stealing/pickpocketing
• No physical armour or weapons (pure mage offense&defense)
• No stamina upgrade when levelling
• No smithing
• No fast travel, except carraige
• Only carraige to already discovered location

And she has RULES that can be bent but try not to break them:

• No looting corpses (unique ones are ok but dead bodies are a lil icky)
• Give followers a rest after a couple of days
• Give housecarls a couple days rest a week
• No bulk skill levelling
• Minimal illusion magic (I use that too much otherwise)
• Be polite but firm and stick to morals

Im thinking that I should give her a phobia of an animal. Not spiders, although I am finding the giant ones very difficult with this build. Maybe sabre cats. When she sees 1 she get realy scared, hides behind her follower and only heals/uses def buffs? Idk ill think about that a bit more.
Its been very challanging but very fun

• Play on legendary difficulty unless realy stuck than master, no easier

 

[Wildroses]

I've decided a need a new character who I don't keep a journal for to just blow off steam, and have come up with a set of rules for a character I'm calling the Milkdrinking Alchemist.

• Eat, sleep and drink regularly.
• Feed all spouses, children and animals you take on.
• Page a weekly wage to all housecarls, stewards and servants.
• No looting anything except alchemy ingredients and pelts. Looting chests is also a no.
• The only quests she may do are ones required to get married, become Thane or buy a homestead.
• All money must be made from selling alchemy potions created by the character (but money from quests listed above are okay).
• She may not buy any alchemy ingredients. She must harvest or loot them all herself.
• No perks may be put into combat skills. I plan to put them in alchemy, speech, illusion and restoration.
• Avoid all fights, period. Directly killing anything is a last resort and only to be used in genuinely life threatening situations.

This last rule is proving interesting. She has to pay 200 gold every time a thief goes near her, and several times she has had to get on a horse and gallop to lose wolves. Not with 100% success as there are plenty of wolves she killed, but nothing else so far unless you count the frenzied bandit pair which I don't because it wasn't direct.

I plan to get around the quests to get land without direct killing by hiring mercenaries to do it for me then just hanging around way back while they do all the work. As she gets stronger I'm also thinking she might go with a follower to raid dungeons which contain enemies with things like Falmer Ears, Dwarven Oil, Vampire Dust, Hagraven claws & feathers and the like. While still making the follower do all the work of killing by actively avoiding direct killing.

This character's ultimate aim is to build all three homesteads.

 

[Porchdrinker]

I use a lot ot the same rules that most people have already posted (eating, sleeping, no fast travel, etc), but here are my "unique" rules.

1) Must consume a resist cold potion before entering any water.
2) If a meal is missed, must consume a health potion.
3) If sleep is skipped, must consume skooma or a stamina potion every two hours to stay awake.
4) Must be in a specific location to level up. For a religious character, the location might be a shrine. For a Mage, the location could be the College of Winterhold. For a warrior, it could be at the Companions mead hall.
5) Must train a skill point or read a skill book before leveling up a specific skill.
6) For non-religious characters, must buy a cure disease potion from an alchemist to cure an illness. (No use of shrines)
7) Must wait one hour after crafting an item or mining an ore vein.
8) Must possess fire salts before smithing, (The fire salts are consumed prior to using the forge to simulate sprinkling the salts.)
9) Each character has specific preferred foods and beverages, and ones that he/she dislikes.
10) Must load a log into the mill and pull the lever to saw it in half before chopping any wood.
11) If raw meat is consumed, a Magicka potion must be consumed with it to prevent illness.
12) Prayer and meditation are simulated by depleting one full Magicka bar with a healing or alteration spell.
13) I sometimes use barter rules for dealing with merchants. Any gold earned from a transaction must be used to buy supplies/items of equal value. This simulates trading (like trading a sword for two potions and a dagger, etc)
14) Snowberries or resist frost potions must be consumed hourly when traveling in snow.
15) A hood must be worn when traveling in rain or snow
16) Raw meat must be consumed within 8 hours or it spoils.
17) Only one item can be looted from a dead NPC, so I must choose carefully.
18) For non-smithing characters, items can be "ordered" from a blacksmith. This occurs by giving them all of the necessary ingredients, then checking back regularly to see if the desired item is in their inventory.

 

[Dawn]

Rules? We don't need no stinking rules!

I loath black and white rules of any kind, and instead take a more nuanced approach.

When developing a character, I ask lots of questions. The answers to those questions define my character and determine how my character interacts and plays within the game.

In other words, I define my characters first and then play the game true to character rather than defining a rule set to follow.

As for realism, I find it a bit silly to try and impose natural laws and realism based on our world to the game world, though do strive for balanced realism that encompasses what we know about the ES world.

 

[UnfaithfulServant]

~Philosophy of Miravesa Theravada~

-Thou may not slaughter animals or Spriggans, as these are against the nature worshiper's way.

-Thou may not harm others unless provoked or harmed first.

-Thou may not steal or take food without permission.

-Nature provides all. Take what you must from the homeland.

-Alchemy can solve all problems.