KaitoGhost
Sea Sponge First Mate
I actually enjoy the challenge of combat on horseback. Spears/lances would be better, though.
Horses: What's the point?
- Thread starter kyleekay
- Start date
Dagmar
Defender of the Bunnies of Skyrim
Horses are great with mods. I have one that lets me increase their health and stamina, set their aggression level, set them to follow me when I'm on foot, and increase their speed. It also gives followers horses and lets me forage for ingredients and dialogue with NPC's while mounted. I can also call my horse to me by whistling so for me their very useful and can ragdoll enemies by charging and hitting them with the horse in sprint mode in combat mode.
Without the mods they're not very useful other than to reduce travel time, but even then only if you don't have followers and alone I can move even faster as a Lycan in Beast Form which I can assume multiple times a day with the Ring of Hircine.
Without the mods they're not very useful other than to reduce travel time, but even then only if you don't have followers and alone I can move even faster as a Lycan in Beast Form which I can assume multiple times a day with the Ring of Hircine.
Adam Warlock
Well-Known Member
Living horses are just window dressing for me now.
I lost track of how many of my nags have been killed after the first dozen.(including Frost)
I have a horse at each of my Hearthfire homes but never ride them .
When they are killed in attacks , I just buy another.
If I really need a horse to do something like getting into the back of the Thalmor Embassy compound , I summons the undead Arvak .
Arvak is by far the best horse in the game.
No stables necessary, available at a moment`s notice , never have to repurchase him(immediately replacable) , looks really cool , great for jumping off mountains or cliffs without you dying , and he`s the only horse that you can bring with you to Solstheim !
If you have the Twin Souls perk , you can even have two Arvaks at the same time !
I lost track of how many of my nags have been killed after the first dozen.(including Frost)
I have a horse at each of my Hearthfire homes but never ride them .
When they are killed in attacks , I just buy another.
If I really need a horse to do something like getting into the back of the Thalmor Embassy compound , I summons the undead Arvak .
Arvak is by far the best horse in the game.
No stables necessary, available at a moment`s notice , never have to repurchase him(immediately replacable) , looks really cool , great for jumping off mountains or cliffs without you dying , and he`s the only horse that you can bring with you to Solstheim !
If you have the Twin Souls perk , you can even have two Arvaks at the same time !
DrunkenMage
Intoxicated Arch-Mage
Shhh you're telling Necromancer trade secrets
Yeah he is by far the best horse in the game, who has many uses and the ability to summon him whenever is just very valuable for the hoarders. Or when strolling through village/city without walls needs to look bad ass.
Certainly more useful than dragon riding... "Go left.. I said left you over grown lizard"
Brizzle Kicks
Welcome To The Underground
What mod is that one you made or one you downloaded, if it's the latter whack a link up that sounds handy. I have never really used a horse in Skyrim found them to be about as much use as an ejector seat in a helicopter myself.
TomatoThief
New Member
To your question:
I think you are downplaying the ability of horses to climb slopes. This is incredibly useful. So often I fast travel to a place near my destination, to find out the destination is on a mountain, and the pass is on the other side. Practically every time, really. The rather limited stock Skyrim map does little to help you find these passes - you need a mod map for that. You may also be downplaying the speed. I find that it only seems I am going slow on a horse because of the forced 3rd person view and added height from the ground. I do wish they could sprint longer.
Now my thoughts on horses in Skyrim tangent to your question:
- The ability to climb slopes as a key mechanic is ridiculous. It's as though the developers added horses to satisfy the player base, then tacked on an impossible mechanic to make them feel useful.
- The stamina bar is far too low. As a previous poster mentioned, even draft horses and Clydesdales are STILL HORSES with amazing endurance. "Less speed" does not mean "low speed", and "less endurance" does not meant "low endurance". The stamina bar should be virtually inexhaustible for the distances players most often need it for.
- The mount and dismount animation are too long. Since there is no "riding" skill, we should just assume the player is an accomplished rider. For mounting, the main culprit is the lengthy sheathing of weapons time. Let's suspend disbelief and instantly have them put away, or allow the player to mount with weapons out (since mounted combat is now in play). Also, let the horse begin moving while the player is mounting. For dismounting, let the player hop off while the horse is in motion.
- Horse should always return to player after a fight. Horse should not engage in combat with anything larger than a wolf. Ever. Unless it's name is "Shadowmere".
- Horses should be tetherable outside of every "dungeon". It should be assumed that the player can make unseen trips to and from the horse, and dungeon loot added automatically to the horses pack, which is visible from the player's inventory window. Same goes for selling of items in a town. As long as the horse is not dead, it should be assumed to be near and accessible.
- Time. There should be a tangible benefit to traveling the map more quickly. This would require a major overhaul of the game in terms of quests and mechanics, so should only be considered for the next installment.
Chadonraz
Well-Known Member
I'm not going to buy a horse, because I consider it a waste of money. The constant dismounting and re-mounting is really frustrating.
I've found two random horses (didn't steal, but found), though.
And ended up riding one down a cliff to its death..... whereas the other one simply vanished.
I've found two random horses (didn't steal, but found), though.
And ended up riding one down a cliff to its death..... whereas the other one simply vanished.
Dagmar
Defender of the Bunnies of Skyrim
OckhamsFolly
Active Member
Really making me wish I had the game for PC there...
I avoided horses for a long time. I had a taste of them with Shadowmere on my first character, and it wasn't for me at that time. On my current character, I'm doing the whole self-restricted weight limit, no fast travel, no picking up everything I see, so I finally gave horses another shot, and it's actually pretty fun. The mounted combat is a little tricky to get used to, but after you figure out you can hold the attack it gets a lot easier to line up your hits. There's something very satisfying about charging down a bandit with a giant hammer held to the side ready to bash their skull in. Plus your character looks pretty impressive on their steed, and I'm a sucker for rule-of-cool aesthetics. Now, I adore Wolfsbane, and only leave him at the stables for the most cursory of trips.
Horses definitely could have been implemented better. But for a certain playstyle, they really shine.
Brizzle Kicks
Welcome To The Underground
Nice one I'll give it a look.
TheLonelyWolve
My precious
Some horses fight for you, they can get you places faster that you cant fats travel to, when you are in an area full of alchemy reagents dont hop back on the horse. you can fight from them rather than get off them to fight a simple wolf, a roleplaying advantage. Horses give what is needed to games like this, originality
mrlymric
Active Member
hmm i am torn whether to keep my undead horse arvak or go back to my prev save spot and just keep using my shadowmere, i love my shadowmere a lot hmmm plus the undead horse doesn't go with my role playing.
OK its final i reload a past prev save and not go back to soul cain to get the undead horse and stay faithfully true to my shadowmere
OK its final i reload a past prev save and not go back to soul cain to get the undead horse and stay faithfully true to my shadowmere
TheLonelyWolve
My precious
hmm i am torn whether to keep my undead horse arvak or go back to my prev save spot and just keep using my shadowmere, i love my shadowmere a lot hmmm plus the undead horse doesn't go with my role playing.
OK its final i reload a past prev save and not go back to soul cain to get the undead horse and stay faithfully true to my shadowmere
Good idea, both are cool and fun, but use whatever fits your roleplay style.
Gunnbjorn
Formerly known as Arillious
I found Frost when I was looking for a good horse. I had destroyed the Dark Brotherhood so Shadowmere wasn't an option.
I loved the mounted combat aspect, I never got off my horse. But one day Frost died, and I rage quit and stopped playing Skyrim for a while.
When I came back, I played a bit, but forgot where Frost died, so now I don't think I'll ever be able to find him again, and I sure as hell am not spending money on those expendables at the stables.
Moral of the story - I've gotten by without a horse for a good chunk of the game now, it's not a necessity in the game, but it's something nice to have for those who appreciate.
I miss mounted combat
I loved the mounted combat aspect, I never got off my horse. But one day Frost died, and I rage quit and stopped playing Skyrim for a while.
When I came back, I played a bit, but forgot where Frost died, so now I don't think I'll ever be able to find him again, and I sure as hell am not spending money on those expendables at the stables.
Moral of the story - I've gotten by without a horse for a good chunk of the game now, it's not a necessity in the game, but it's something nice to have for those who appreciate.
I miss mounted combat
TomatoThief
New Member
There seems to be a general consensus in this thread that Arvak looks cool. Am I the only one here that strongly disagrees? Yes, Arvak is my mount of choice because he can be summoned at will, but I hate the appearance. While I'm sure his bone structure is accurate, it makes him look dainty and bow legged. And he trots like a sissy. My character is a heavy armor tank, and he appears right silly sitting on top of a horse that looks like it would disintegrate in a stiff breeze.
TT
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OckhamsFolly
Active Member
Hrmm. I just have a dark bay courser I bought in Whiterun; namedvhim Wolfsbane because when leave him somewhere, he almost always has wolf corpses around him when I come back. The only special horse I know how to get is Shadowmere, and the dark brotherhood isn't this orc's style. Sounds like this Arvak is rather nefarious too. Any special horses you can get honorably, including through honorable combat?
TomatoThief
New Member
Despite what some may consider a sinister appearance, there is nothing sinister in nature about Arvak. The means of acquiring the spell to summon him could even be considered honorable. I will not post spoilers, outside of noting that he is obtained along the main quest line of the Dawnguard expansion.
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