Some people think you should only stick to one form of offense?

I think you should always have a back up offense. My wood elf uses illusion,2hand, destruction,cojuration,one hand and archery. leveling new skill keeps the game fun after level 50. Whenever I get bored with a skill, I legendary it, and use the perk point for something else. I always keep archery as my back up and plops hit the fan skill.

Good god, I've made another all too powerful Mage/Warrior again. Running around with a Stalhrim Sword enchanted with Frost damage of 175 and the 50% chance of elemental dam at 273 points, the blade dam itself is at 230 per hit. Is that OP?

Gigapact said:

Why do some people think this? I get that your skill will raise higher this way in one form of offense (like archery), but it is not entirely necessary.

I'm saying this because people have bashed me completely on other sites, calling my strategy a fail and that it is stupid.

But, my current character, she does shield/one handed, dual wielding, archery, conjuration, and illusion with a ton of sneak in there. And it works like a charm on Master. I just think it gets boring after a while sticking to only one or two methods of offense (probably why I've changed so many characters). Also, people say you run out of perks. But, honestly, some of the perks are a huge waist of time. So if you just pick the right perks, there is plenty left over (my enchanting and smithing are at 100 and I still had enough perks so far). Plus if you have the right enchantments (with the last perk in that tree to do 2), you can support almost all of your offense styles, no problem, especially when you can get a one handed boost of 45% and an archery boost of 45% on one piece of armor, then you have your jewelry and rest of your armor to do other boosts, like for conjuration and sneak.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you stick to only one or two forms of offense? Or do you use three or more like me?

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Seems like that old mantra of Jack of all trades master of none. I tried to stay with some hybrid builds but at lower levels they just are much more difficult to pull off. To me 2 hand is so overpowering that I find myself only wanting to use that it doesn't blend well with some of the other trees as you have to drop your weapon in order to use spells. Same with archery you have to drop the weapon in order to use anything else. I normally create multiple characters to keep from getting bored rather than trying to use one hybrid character but that is just me. And its not just perks its stat distribution as well. Having to have enough stamina, health, and magica to be effective at each role is sometimes a bit too overwhelming.

I just read this. To me, that they believe this is just silly. I suppose in a game where you have a set maximum level then it would make sense to concentrate on one form that would raise your leveling quickly, but I am like you. I always have more than one combat methodology and often switch between types throughout a given game.

One handed + spells for a while, then join the Companions and become one-handed shield with no spells. If I'm doing the war, keep it that way or switch to 2 handed. Heavy armor, light armor, it depends on what I'm doing and what would be appropriate for my character.

Right now I'm playing 2 characters:

Ingin Thorne: destruction/conjuration; one-handed; archery; sneak; light-armor; smithing; enchanting; speech; and a smattering of alchemy - but who knows where she'll end up

Fenris: two handed; heavy; smithing/enchanting; but he has been known to one-hand, use light armor and even the occassional low level destruction spell (usually against runes).

Admittedly, it takes you long to perk up a skill, but I find that it keeps me from becoming OP, adds variety and helps me, in the long run to continue leveling well past the "cap" (which, of course doesn't exist any more).

Usually at some point around 60th level, I actually switch up the play by changing my method. A Nord warrior may start using much more magic or a mage may start doing more combat.

Not only does it keep it interesting, but it keeps me engaged and my enemies off balance.

I always use 3 forms of offense (no particular order)

• Follower
• Beast form, Vampire Lord Form
• My Character

I follow that up with my key minor skills:

• Running Away
• Hiding

When I play on very hard difficulties, I never succeed with a Jack-of-all-trades character. I find that mastering a kill style (or kill sets) works best, I try to figure out how to make the current situation fit it, then execute. As Caesar would say, master the moment.

That said, when I play on hard settings, I like to use iron or steel only -- to really feel the danger. (Same with armor -- nothing fancy).

Pete said:

I always use 3 forms of offense (no particular order)

• Follower
• Beast form, Vampire Lord Form
• My Character

I follow that up with my key minor skills:

• Running Away
• Hiding

When I play on very hard difficulties, I never succeed with a Jack-of-all-trades character. I find that mastering a kill style (or kill sets) works best, I try to figure out how to make the current situation fit it, then execute. As Caesar would say, master the moment.


That said, when I play on hard settings, I like to use iron or steel only -- to really feel the danger. (Same with armor -- nothing fancy).

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This is a good example as to why I will never play on really hard difficulties (Master/Legendary). I do not want to be the cringing coward and be forced to hide and run away all the time. That would be no fun at all for me. My one time on Master I died so often that, by the time I hit level 20 I was so exhausted and depressed, I simply didn't want to pick up the game again. Rachet down Daelon... rachet down... and I've been much happier.

Gigapact said:

Why do some people think this? I get that your skill will raise higher this way in one form of offense (like archery), but it is not entirely necessary.

I'm saying this because people have bashed me completely on other sites, calling my strategy a fail and that it is stupid.

But, my current character, she does shield/one handed, dual wielding, archery, conjuration, and illusion with a ton of sneak in there. And it works like a charm on Master. I just think it gets boring after a while sticking to only one or two methods of offense (probably why I've changed so many characters). Also, people say you run out of perks. But, honestly, some of the perks are a huge waist of time. So if you just pick the right perks, there is plenty left over (my enchanting and smithing are at 100 and I still had enough perks so far). Plus if you have the right enchantments (with the last perk in that tree to do 2), you can support almost all of your offense styles, no problem, especially when you can get a one handed boost of 45% and an archery boost of 45% on one piece of armor, then you have your jewelry and rest of your armor to do other boosts, like for conjuration and sneak.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you stick to only one or two forms of offense? Or do you use three or more like me?

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>> Don’t pay attention to what others think. Personally, I switch between : one-handed, sneaking, archery, destruction magic using fireballs or Ignite ( with the Azhidal Ring of Arcana on and it is sweet and very powerful ), conjuration, illusion and my shouts.
Depending on the situation, type of enemy and / or my own mood at the moment, I switch between all those modes of combat.
In a battlefield, you should not stick to only one way to kill or defend yourself. That is not true.
If I am facing vamps, most of the time, I shout slow time and I either kill with my dagger ( one-handed ) or my bow while sneaking or sometimes, I just sneak and cut their throat; sometimes I kill them with destruction magic; sometimes I shout Call of Valor and get help from the heroes or I conjure a Dremora and get the help I need.
The one I use the least, is Illusion because for me, it is just fun but for me, not more than to kill and enjoy my killing. So, I do believe you should be a versatile warrior in real life and games. People that stick to only one way of combat, limit themselves on the options provided by the game but it is up to them if they want to do so. I do play my game as if I was immersed in Skyrim. I don’t think that not one out there, in real life will stick to only one way to kill. Soldiers are multi-task oriented and trained in different ways to kill, even with their own hands.
For example, I enchanted a pair of gloves with the Pugilist enchanting effect up to 100% damage. It is fun to use your fist and kill your enemies like that. I use Alchemy and Enchanting to make my weapons strong enough to kill. But that is my personal way to play the game. If I was in real life, I don’t think I will stick to just one way to kill my enemies. The more trained you are, the more changes you got to survive in combat. Just my 2 cents ....

Caideus said:

Good god, I've made another all too powerful Mage/Warrior again. Running around with a Stalhrim Sword enchanted with Frost damage of 175 and the 50% chance of elemental dam at 273 points, the blade dam itself is at 230 per hit. Is that OP?

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Is that a serious question?

Daelon DuLac said:

Pete said:

I always use 3 forms of offense (no particular order)

• Follower
• Beast form, Vampire Lord Form
• My Character

I follow that up with my key minor skills:

• Running Away
• Hiding

When I play on very hard difficulties, I never succeed with a Jack-of-all-trades character. I find that mastering a kill style (or kill sets) works best, I try to figure out how to make the current situation fit it, then execute. As Caesar would say, master the moment.



That said, when I play on hard settings, I like to use iron or steel only -- to really feel the danger. (Same with armor -- nothing fancy).

Click to expand...

This is a good example as to why I will never play on really hard difficulties (Master/Legendary). I do not want to be the cringing coward and be forced to hide and run away all the time. That would be no fun at all for me. My one time on Master I died so often that, by the time I hit level 20 I was so exhausted and depressed, I simply didn't want to pick up the game again. Rachet down Daelon... rachet down... and I've been much happier.

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>> Hi Daelon, I have not talked to you in a long time. Even if I play in Master Difficult, I always have the edge and the advantage, because I enchant my weapons / armors to a level enough so I can sustain damage and inflict damage rapidly and efficiently. Consider this : you conjure a Dremora Lord and then cast Fire Cloak or Stendar’s Aura, then you shout Unrelenting Force or Slow Time or Dragon Aspect and assuming that you have a follower and you let him / her face the enemy with the help of your Dremora, you stay behind from a distance with your bow or sneaking behind enemies .... you are simply invincible !! Or Cast Illusion and concentrate your damage on the boss / master that is not affected by the spell. Or shout Call of Valor, conjure a Dremora and with your follower, are four against a pack of 3 enemies.
In Skyrim we have several resources to use in combat at the same time. Now I am playing with a Dead Thrall, Serana and Lydia at the same time and if you add all my shouts, weapons and magic, I simply stay untouched in combat regardless if I am playing Master Difficult or not. Skyrim is overpower. The only thing you need to do, is to use those resources available for you. Running for me is not an option. Hiding is something I never did. I am not that kind of warrior. But I use the game resources to stay ahead of my enemies all the time.

Would I do differently if I was in real combat ? I don’t think so !! Running and hiding are a sign of weakness. I am a hero and a leader not a follower. I do agree with you completely Daelon. Just my 2 cents ...

I'm working on mastering everything. I started with an archer, and I've just finished mastering all the Mage and now I'm working on one-handed weapons, and I'll work on shields and two handed last.

I thought everyone did that? :O

Personally, I think a hero as epic as the Dragonborn should be a master of all, plus it keeps the game interesting (for me at least).

Oh and to answer the question, yes. I switch it up all the time. Generally my go-to attacks are bound sword/bound bow, blade of woe, or destruction spells and thanks to the wonderful school of enchanting, I've enchanted all my stuff so that I basically have infinite destruction magicka. It helped me reach level 100 destruction really quickly. But I still can't find any of the master destruction spells

Wicka waaah!!