So, ultimately, Hearthfire is the best DLC

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sticky runes

Well-Known Member
I find that the Hearthfire content works better for all of my RP styles, simply because it adds more depth to existing content and gives the option to own property in holds other than the ones in the vanilla version.

Dawnguard is a pain in the ass because it has vampire attacks interfering with my RP and those endless quests wandering through vales with Serana which I don't ever want to do again.

Dragonborn introduces some decent NPCs and powers, but that desolate island still isn't as much fun to explore as Skyrim.

I did hav emy fun with Dragonborn and Dawnguard when I first installed them, but since getting into role playing, I rarely touch on them or I just outright avoid them. Hearthfire is awesome though.
 

confessor

Active Member
I find that the Hearthfire content works better for all of my RP styles, simply because it adds more depth to existing content and gives the option to own property in holds other than the ones in the vanilla version.

Dawnguard is a pain in the ass because it has vampire attacks interfering with my RP and those endless quests wandering through vales with Serana which I don't ever want to do again.

Dragonborn introduces some decent NPCs and powers, but that desolate island still isn't as much fun to explore as Skyrim.

I did hav emy fun with Dragonborn and Dawnguard when I first installed them, but since getting into role playing, I rarely touch on them or I just outright avoid them. Hearthfire is awesome though.
Aww, you don't like Dawnguard? For me its storyline is far better than the main quest/Dragonborn. Also, I'm a sucker for Serana so running around with her is a blast. BUT I can see why it would be annoying for people who don't like her.

Honestly, I find Hearthfire completely useless. I never build the houses because they're so glitchy, and I'm tired of walking out of my house only to see bandits attacking my children or giants killing my farm animals. And I know the adoption thing is supposed to add immersion and so on but the kids annoy me more than anything. It's just kind of bleh. I know it only costs five bucks and I still regret buying it. Just my opinion though, other people seem to be enjoying it.
 

JoeReese

Well-Known Member
I kind of agree. I'll say Hearthfire is better than just vanilla housing, but it's nowhere near as freeing as I'd hoped, and been led to believe, it would be.

Now that I'm on PC, though...creation kit is my hearthfire.
 

♡Queen♡

Member
The content in Hearthfire is so different to Dragonborn or Dawnguard that I find it hard to compare them. From a roleplaying perspective Hearthfire is more useful, but I liked the storylines of the other dlc. Dragonborn was my favourite.
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
I think Dawnguard was overdone. I can understand adding in another couple of guilds, but the Dawnguard live in a castle that's practically the size of Solitude, and they have more members than the companions and blades put together. I really don't think it needed to be that big. I would have been fine if they had just made the Vigilance of Stendaar or Silverhand into joinable factions.
 

Naginata

Huntress of the Shadows
I honestly like how the Hearthfire DLC adds so much more freedom to living in Skyrim, because its an alternative to living in the city with boring, small houses. I like how large the houses can be and I love having my own alchemy wing and my own kitchen. :) BUT. I suffered a terrible glitch because of Hearthfire which resulted in my wife and children going missing during the moving process and never found them. :sadface: So I lost a lot of interest after that. Even having the house only for myself is fun, however, I hate the bards you can hire.

I liked the Dawnguard DLC, but I didn't love it. It was cool to have the vampire attacks for the first few occasions, but then people started dying or I'd accidentally attack a villager... overall, annoying.

I LOVED the Dragonborn DLC. I don't know why, but I felt really good when I am on Solstheim. For a while, I didn't even want to go back to Skyrim, and even then, I only wanted to go back for the scenery. I just think the island has so many mysteries and so much hidden beauty. :)
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
I think Dawnguard was overdone. I can understand adding in another couple of guilds, but the Dawnguard live in a castle that's practically the size of Solitude, and they have more members than the companions and blades put together. I really don't think it needed to be that big. I would have been fine if they had just made the Vigilance of Stendaar or Silverhand into joinable factions.
And yet that castle still seemed so empty. You'd think after so many thousands of years they could have, at least populated it better (and only 2 hounds?) where are the rest? I see them all over Skyrim. And why are they only showing up now?
I would like the Vigilants or the Silver Hand to be joinable. Absolutely agree. Can you imagine the RP possibilities!
Re: Companions - some guild - there are a total of what, 6 or 7 members? Kinda sad that after so many years this is all you have? It's no wonder the comment is that they notice empty beds in Jorvaskrr.
Re: The Blades - I really don't want to revive them, but, even when you add 3 folks, that's still only 5 people + you! That's not anything to get excited about and, frankly, your recruits don't seem all that interested.

Personally I'd love to join the Greybeards. Maybe drag them in to current times?
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
And yet that castle still seemed so empty. You'd think after so many thousands of years they could have, at least populated it better (and only 2 hounds?) where are the rest? I see them all over Skyrim. And why are they only showing up now?
I would like the Vigilants or the Silver Hand to be joinable. Absolutely agree. Can you imagine the RP possibilities!

It's described as "some old fort near Riften", as if Isran and his friends had just occupied some crumbling ruin like the many bandits do in Skyrim, and yet it turns out to be an immense castle that looks like it's never taken a scratch. I'm surprised neither the Stormcloaks nor Imperials have sought to claim that place for their war.

The Vigilants of Stendarr would have been much better. They don't just hunt vampires, they fight against all kinds of supernatural evils. There's plenty of stuff going on in Skyrim - necromancers trying to summon armies and overlords from the dead, daedric lords trying to seduce people into committing evil acts to expand their influence, I think it was really daft to come up with a bunch of major quests that are exclusively vampire themed when Skyrim is a fantasy world that contains all kinds of dangers.
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
I LOVED the Dragonborn DLC. I don't know why, but I felt really good when I am on Solstheim. For a while, I didn't even want to go back to Skyrim, and even then, I only wanted to go back for the scenery. I just think the island has so many mysteries and so much hidden beauty. :)

I do love all of the new NPCs in Solstheim, and I like the Skaal village. I don't like the Rieklings, and I don't really like the house that we can own in Ravenrock, we can't move our family there, and it could have done with an ash garden for growing some of those volcanic ingredients that we can't get in Skyrim. And what's with the sinister music every time we enter a friendly house?

The exploding spiders are an absolutely terrible idea, I don't know what they were thinking with those. And we can't take our mounts to Solstheim (I used to hate horses, but I've become quite attached to them now) I know they've given us the ability to ride dragons, but I never really got into that, I can't seem to be bothered to replay the quest to fight Myraak.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
And yet that castle still seemed so empty. You'd think after so many thousands of years they could have, at least populated it better (and only 2 hounds?) where are the rest? I see them all over Skyrim. And why are they only showing up now?
I would like the Vigilants or the Silver Hand to be joinable. Absolutely agree. Can you imagine the RP possibilities!

It's described as "some old fort near Riften", as if Isran and his friends had just occupied some crumbling ruin like the many bandits do in Skyrim, and yet it turns out to be an immense castle that looks like it's never taken a scratch. I'm surprised neither the Stormcloaks nor Imperials have sought to claim that place for their war.

The Vigilants of Stendarr would have been much better. They don't just hunt vampires, they fight against all kinds of supernatural evils. There's plenty of stuff going on in Skyrim - necromancers trying to summon armies and overlords from the dead, daedric lords trying to seduce people into committing evil acts to expand their influence, I think it was really daft to come up with a bunch of major quests that are exclusively vampire themed when Skyrim is a fantasy world that contains all kinds of dangers.
Personally I loathe the Vigilan (I'm not a fan of the Dawnguard either) because they are delusional religious fanatics. I kill every one I run across. Who are they to judge. Like they have a lock on what is "right".
Of course that's my real life bleeding over to Skyrim since one of my favorite passtimes is baiting thumpers in to exploding. :)

BTW - who are they to judge what is Evil? Who are we? Just because something potentially causes harm to a human does not make it evil. That's like saying a bear or a sabrecat is evil because they hunt you. A vampire has to survive too. So does a werewolf. Just because we humans do not approve does not mean they're evil. Who gave us the right to judge everything by our own standards? Especially when we are often (if not usually) wrong.
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
BTW - who are they to judge what is Evil? Who are we? Just because something potentially causes harm to a human does not make it evil. That's like saying a bear or a sabrecat is evil because they hunt you. A vampire has to survive too. So does a werewolf. Just because we humans do not approve does not mean they're evil. Who gave us the right to judge everything by our own standards? Especially when we are often (if not usually) wrong.

Perhaps I should have used the word "threat" instead of "evil", since you're getting all PC about it now, but I'd say the difference is that bears and saber cats are natural creatures while vampires and Werewolves are supernatural creatures and are often the product of a daedric lord, and that's what the vigils are fighting against.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
BTW - who are they to judge what is Evil? Who are we? Just because something potentially causes harm to a human does not make it evil. That's like saying a bear or a sabrecat is evil because they hunt you. A vampire has to survive too. So does a werewolf. Just because we humans do not approve does not mean they're evil. Who gave us the right to judge everything by our own standards? Especially when we are often (if not usually) wrong.

Perhaps I should have used the word "threat" instead of "evil", since you're getting all PC about it now, but I'd say the difference is that bears and saber cats are natural creatures while vampires and Werewolves are supernatural creatures and are often the product of a daedric lord, and that's what the vigils are fighting against.
I do agree with you, but still totally oppose the Vigilant. IMO, regardless of whether vampires or werewolves are supernatural creatures, they are still creatures that are following their nature so I cannot judge them.

To me, the existence of a threat does not give me the moral authority to eliminate the threat unless I am directly threatened. The potential that something may cause harm but has, as yet, not done so to me or mine does not give me that right. Just my opinion, of course and totally against everything that most people stand for.

While I may be justified in joining the Dawnguard if friends and family have been directly affected by the "Vampire Threat", I still have many issues with simply hunting down an entire species (natural or supernatural) and exterminating them because they may, at some point, be a threat to me. If that was the way I felt then Serana and the mage in Solitude would be on my target list as well.

I think I've hit on my issue with the Vigilant. To them, everything is black or white. There are no shades of grey at all. I do not believe that nor do any of my characters. Skyrim is far too morally ambiguous for that sort of thing.

That being said, there are many positive things about the Vigilant (their healing, use of restoration, offers of help to indigent, etc...), I just take issue with any sort of fundamentalist, absolutest point of view. :)
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
Don't forget, as I've said, the vigilance aren't only dedicated to hunting vampires. They hunt witches and Daedra and Daedra worshipers as well. Or do you think women that sacrifice humans to make themselves into Hagravens deserve a chance at survival? And maybe we should be more sympathetic to the rights of Cannibals and necromancers who defile the tombs of the dead? I know Skyrim gives us the freedom to join factions who hunt monsters, and to dabble in dark arts ourselves, but my point is that the Vigilance offers more variety than just taking down vampires, which the Dawnguard purely focus on.

If the Vigilance of Stendarr was made into a joinable faction, then we could have been able to find out why different members became vigilantes, such as losing their loved ones to Daedra worshipers. We get to ask members of the other factions why they became companions, assassins, mages or vampire hunters, so becoming a Vigilante could have given us the opportunity to interact with members beyond just asking what the Vigil do. And they could have quest lines that allow us to explore some of the ideas of black and white you mentioned, such as Are all daedra worshipers that bad, and are all daedra hunters that good, and does Keeper Carcette really have them on the right path? After all, Isran and his anti-vampire squad end up making friends with a vampire princess any way.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
Don't forget, as I've said, the vigilance aren't only dedicated to hunting vampires. They hunt witches and Daedra and Daedra worshipers as well. Or do you think women that sacrifice humans to make themselves into Hagravens deserve a chance at survival? And maybe we should be more sympathetic to the rights of Cannibals and necromancers who defile the tombs of the dead? I know Skyrim gives us the freedom to join factions who hunt monsters, and to dabble in dark arts ourselves, but my point is that the Vigilance offers more variety than just taking down vampires, which the Dawnguard purely focus on.

If the Vigilance of Stendarr was made into a joinable faction, then we could have been able to find out why different members became vigilantes, such as losing their loved ones to Daedra worshipers. We get to ask members of the other factions why they became companions, assassins, mages or vampire hunters, so becoming a Vigilante could have given us the opportunity to interact with members beyond just asking what the Vigil do. And they could have quest lines that allow us to explore some of the ideas of black and white you mentioned, such as Are all daedra worshipers that bad, and are all daedra hunters that good, and does Keeper Carcette really have them on the right path? After all, Isran and his anti-vampire squad end up making friends with a vampire princess any way.
Yes. Witches and necromancers deserve love too. It's just an alternative lifestyle choice. Besides, what's wrong with sacrificing a few losers or defiling an unguarded tomb? We all need hobbies to keep us away from the whores.
 
I love Hearthfire. I love all the DLCs. What I don't like are the bugs it's caused, but looking back a lot of that was my own fault, being new to TES games I hadn't gotten the hang of the way it worked yet. It was fun to build my own house, though I wish they had made the materials easier to get. Like why doesn't my steward sell iron ingots? He sells wood and all the other stuff, but no iron ingots? Really?
I'm loving the Dawnguard DLC though and the new builds and characters it's allowing me to create. Same thing for the Dragonborn DLC - at least so far, I haven't gotten through it all yet. I did think Severin Manor was creepy though - the bodies being left in the house like that and the creepy music. I wish they'd removed those. In the future I think I will save that house for my evil characters or as a temporary home base until my characters get enough coin for Breezehome cause that was just annoying.


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vincenzoincendio

New Member
Never got Hearthfire. Dawnguard seemed fun but the DLC kept making my game freeze, so i uninstalled it and it happens far less. Oh well. I heard its a problem some people have with the xbox 360 version.
 

Naginata

Huntress of the Shadows
Never got Hearthfire. Dawnguard seemed fun but the DLC kept making my game freeze, so i uninstalled it and it happens far less. Oh well. I heard its a problem some people have with the xbox 360 version.
Yeah, my game tended to freeze occasionally, definitely due to having all 3 DLCs, but also just because my poor Skyrim is old. <3
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
Another reason I favor Hearthfire is because I feel that Skyrim has enough quests as it is for the types of characters I build, so I wasn't really after having more quests and more dungeons to explore, but I was happy to have more non-adventuring stuff added to my game, like having places to grow my own food and alchemy ingredients, and to have more housecarl options and be able to give one of my existing followers a role in my household. The personal carriage driver is also helpful for when I prohibit fast travel.

PS3 Hearthfire doesn't seem terribly buggy. I only get a minor bug that affects menus that come up when I use a workbench, like sometimes it's empty so I need to stop and start again, or sometimes it presents items that I've already built, but I can live with that. It's hardly the worse bug that affects Skyrim!
 

Wildroses

Well-Known Member
I enjoy all three DLCs and hope I am never in this situation but if I ever had to pick just one, it would be Hearthfire. I've gotten way more enjoyment out of searching for items to build my house than I did playing the actual quests, and Hearthfire is the only DLC I've created multiple characters for. I've made characters who want to use Hearthfire to play a Skyrim version of the Sims, had a roleplay involving a defecting Thalmor who just wanted to build a house and live a quiet peaceful life totally run away with me and become far more entertaining and absorbing than I anticipated, and a people hating character who couldn't use shops or do quests unrelated to gaining property who had to find all her cash and items in the wild. I've never done anything like that for Dawnguard. It's more "Here is my new character. Yes I suppose I can do the Dawnguard quests." And I made one character for Dragonborn because I wanted to see how many Dragon Miraak would steal before he'd let me unlock Bend Will.
 

ZeroDragon

Bring me my broadsword, and clear understanding.
I was thinking along similar lines before I saw this discussion. I enjoyed all the DLCs, they all have their positives and negatives, but after I'd done the main parts of Dawnguard and Dragonborn, just a couple of side quests outstanding, evidence of Hearthfire is still showing up all the time. While it isn't the action type of download we all like, it is possibly the most significant in its longevity ....... and it was the cheapest.
 

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