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[LakeEarth]

good lord people, you have to go to one as part of the mages guild and observe them making a black soul gem. Then, Archmage Travern basically EXPLAINS how its done. :lol

I don't remember seeing anything like that. I remember him explaining it but I didn't realize they were instructions.

 

[Nerevar]

I must have blown right by this doing the Mage's Guild quest line.

Spoiler

Where can I find this altar again? I want to convert some of my Grand Soul Gems into Black Soul Gems. They are more powerful right and can give you better enchantments, right?

Spoiler

no, they're exactly as strong as grand soul gems. The only difference is that you can trap human or humanoid souls. The enchantment max is the same as any grand soul though

I don't ever remember noticing anything of the sort. Maybe I jumped in and started kicking their asses before it happened? No idea. The game is starting to lose it's luster because I have played it so much so maybe I just blew right by it.

Spoiler

IIRC, Travern sends you to the Dark Fissure, south of Cheydinhal, to investigate a note you find on a necromancer's body in a previous mission. When you get there the first thing you see is a necromancer casting soul trap on the altar, and if you look inside you see a black soul gem. I remember this because I used that black soul gem to offer to a Daedra nearby to get her quest.

 

[Dr_Cogent]

Spoiler

no, they're exactly as strong as grand soul gems. The only difference is that you can trap human or humanoid souls. The enchantment max is the same as any grand soul though

Spoiler

Shit, that sucks - and is stupid to boot. Why on earth does it say that the Grands aren't large enough to hold human souls then. If the black ones can, you would think they would enchant better. LAME

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Spoiler

Shit, that sucks - and is stupid to boot. Why on earth does it say that the Grands aren't large enough to hold human souls then. If the black ones can, you would think they would enchant better. LAME

Spoiler

It only says that because they can't hold ANY humanoid souls. The black ones remove that stipulation. The message should probably say something like: "You don't have a Soul Gem capable of capturing that soul"

 

[Dr_Cogent]

Spoiler

It only says that because they can't hold ANY humanoid souls. The black ones remove that stipulation. The message should probably say something like: "You don't have a Soul Gem capable of capturing that soul"

Spoiler

Yeah, but it instead says that you don't have one "large" enough - implying that human souls are larger than the rest. Which would make sense. And would imply further that the black soul gems could make uber enchantments.

I got my hopes up only to be dashed!!

 

[GhaleonEB]

Are you sure you're actually playing the game?

Grab a Grand Soul Gem and find a Necromancer alter. Each alter is only useable at night when the light is coming from the sky. It's probably easier to just find one and skip ahead 24 hrs 'till you're at the night during which it's activated.

Just puts the GSG in the alter and cast a Soul Trap spell at it (has to be a spell, enchanted weapons don't work). Now you have a Black Soul Gem. The next humon(oid) you kill (while it's under soul trap obviously) will have his soul taken into the BSG.

As for alter locations, refer to my previous post when I replied to Cogent about some alchemy tool locations.

Edit:
If you're lazy.

-Fort Linchal (north east of Kvatch)
-Dark Fissure (east from the shrine of Vaermina)
-Fort Istirus (east of Kvatch)
-Wendelbek (at the headwaters of the Panther River)

I do recall all the parts about the altar - I had to go to the Dark Fissure one as part of the guild questline. I even put some soul gems in it and cast soul trap at them, and I'm pretty sure it was night out. I missed any reference to "lights in the sky", so I'll look for that. Nothing happened to my gems, so I just thought they were talking about something the necromancers/NPCs could do, but I couldn't since I tried it.

GhaleonEB: You're sure still finding out about a lot of things considering how far into the game you are! :lol

...I know.

It's like he's playing with blinders on... :lol

Hey now. Be nice. This is A) my first Elder Scrolls game, and B) I've only ever played console RPGs before. I'm absolutely bewildered at the complexity of the stat system, openness of the game world and number of side things like this you can do. I think my just going off and doing almost nothing but dungeons for the first 60 hours or so of my gameplay time is partly a response to how intimidated I've been by everything else in the game. I've been reading up on the game at other sites, but there's so much out there I've mostly been relying on this thread. I'll stop posting as much since it looks like I'm making an ass of myself.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I do recall all the parts about the altar - I had to go to the Dark Fissure one as part of the guild questline. I even put some sould gems in it and cast soul trap at them, and I'm pretty sure it was night out. I missed any reference to "lights in the sky", so I'll look for that. Nothing happened to my gems, so I just thought they were talking about something the necromancers/NPCs could do, but I couldn't since I tried it.

Spoiler

You have to be there on a specific night of the week. Not sure if this varys from alter to alter. But if you are there on that specific night, the beam of light will appear, and you can then create the gems.

 

[raYne]

I'll stop posting as much since it looks like I'm making an ass of myself.

But how will we ever get to 10,000 without you? *makes puppy dog eyes*

It's a joke man. I just don't see how you could've missed it unless you didn't read anything you picked up during the Guild quests. You were definietly told about them though, through multiple sources.

Spoiler

You have to be there on a specific night of the week. Not sure if this varys from alter to alter. But if you are there on that specific night, the beam of light will appear, and you can then create the gems.

Yeah, as I said in my post above: Each alter is only activated once a week, so it's best to just find one at night and skip ahead in 24hr intervals 'till it's activated.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I'll stop posting as much since it looks like I'm making an ass of myself.

Don't sweat it dude. I'm still learning things too. I had no idea you could get a servant in Skingrad until yesterday. I'm still waiting to find out about her maid outfit though.

 

[Dice]

-Fort Linchal (north east of Kvatch)

Haha, yeah I happened across that place and was attacked by a really anoying zombie, so I knew a Necromancer was around but couldn't find him. I went inside and the place was swarming with Necromancers! I decided that they were evil bastards and all of them had to die. Most of them went down with one snipe hit, others needed a snipe with a flare trailing it, but a couple of them were hard!

With one he would summon a skeleton, so I would have to in return, mine would kill his, but he kept sumoning them, plus a ghost if I was standing down the hall (I kept him at bay around the corner). Thing is, he would shoot lightning at me if I came around, but I had to save magic for the skeletons, so when I ran out of magic I was forced to blitz out and run at him full speed shooting arrows. I almost died from his lightning but doing that kept him busy enough to keep him from using his full restore spell.

That said, I have a couple more questions:

1) Does the game just cheat for Necomancers or can you actually summon a creature that doesn't have a time limit? I know it cheats by giving them unlimited magic, but what about this?

2) I got a bow that will deal magic damage. Does the magic damage multiply for sneak attacks?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

That said, I have a couple more questions:

1) Does the game just cheat for Necomancers or can you actually summon a creature that doesn't have a time limit? I know it cheats by giving them unlimited magic, but what about this?

2) I got a bow that will deal magic damage. Does the magic damage multiply for sneak attacks?

1) No, I've seen summoned creatures disapear as per the time limit. What makes you think the game cheast for unlimited magic? I'm at level 39 or 40, and rarely run out of magicka at all anymore. The only time I do is when I cast three or four very powerful spells in a row. My magica regenerates very fast, so it's quite possible that these necros, and other spell casters, have similar stats. I have never once gotten the sense that the game was "cheating" with unlimited magic for the enemies.

2) Total damge for the bow, including magic, multiplies.

 

[raYne]

1) Does the game just cheat for Necomancers or can you actually summon a creature that doesn't have a time limit? I know it cheats by giving them unlimited magic, but what about this?

Their summoned monsters have time limits as well, it's just that their spells/abilities are more advanced than yours at the moment. Some have 60 seconds and over limits. As far as I know no one in the game can summon a creature without a time limit.

2) I got a bow that will deal magic damage. Does the magic damage multiply for sneak attacks?

Not totally sure about that one, but I don't see why it wouldn't.

 

[Core407]

Is there any button combination that resets yoru position? I managed to get myself wedged in some area and am spazzing out. Old save is about 50 minutes ago and I'd rather not roll back to it. I know that if your horse gets stuck, it'll be redropped after like 10 seconds.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Is there any button combination that resets yoru position? I managed to get myself wedged in some area and am spazzing out. Old save is about 50 minutes ago and I'd rather not roll back to it. I know that if your horse gets stuck, it'll be redropped after like 10 seconds.

Can't fast travel out of it? The few times where I've become stuck, I could either fast travel or I used the jump button in conjunction with the moving to get out eventually.

 

[raYne]

Is there any button combination that resets yoru position? I managed to get myself wedged in some area and am spazzing out. Old save is about 50 minutes ago and I'd rather not roll back to it. I know that if your horse gets stuck, it'll be redropped after like 10 seconds.

If there are no enemies around, you could always quick travel back to the same (or nearby) location.

Can't fast travel out of it? The few times where I've become stuck, I could either fast travel or I used the jump button in conjunction with the moving to get out eventually.

Stop paraphrasing my posts God damnit! :lol

 

[Core407]

Can't fast travel out of it? The few times where I've become stuck, I could either fast travel or I used the jump button in conjunction with the moving to get out eventually.

Fast travel would be the obvious thing, but it's inside a dungeon, which means I can't use it. (GIVE ME BACK MY DIVINE INTERVENTION SPELLS BETHESDA!) I tried the jumping movement thing for like 5 minutes and then I tried it in sneak mode, but nothing. Is there any way to attack yourself? I might be able to knock myself down, which should pop me right out.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Stop paraphrasing my posts God damnit! :lol

First!

Core: I don't know of any other way if you ca't Fast Travel or push, move, jump your way out of the position. You're probably going to have to revert to a save.

 

[Dice]

Hmmm... maybe it was just a regular zombie that wasn't summoned.

What makes you think the game cheats for unlimited magic?

Nonstop summoning of skeletons, ghosts, shooting lightning and using full restore for like 10-15 mins. I've seen the required magicka on those and they'd have to have an insane amount and have it regenerate like crazy. Maybe they were at really high levels, but I thought the game kind of sets the things in the game to be around your level, and I was still level 9 then.

 

[raYne]

Fast travel would be the obvious thing, but it's inside a dungeon, which means I can't use it. (GIVE ME BACK MY DIVINE INTERVENTION SPELLS BETHESDA!) I tried the jumping movement thing for like 5 minutes and then I tried it in sneak mode, but nothing. Is there any way to attack yourself? I might be able to knock myself down, which should pop me right out.

*shrugs*

I'm not sure how you'll get outa it if that's the case. You could always save in a different file space, reload that file and see if the game's smart enough to not load you inside of a rock.

Actually, if you have any summon creature spells you could try that as well. Summon one, hit it three times with a projectile (probably can't reach it any other way) and it'll attack you. Hopefull it'll knock you out with a hard attack.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Nonstop summoning of skeletons, ghosts, shooting lightning and using full restore for like 10-15 mins. I've seen the required magicka on those and they'd have to have an insane amount and have it regenerate like crazy. Maybe they were at really high levels, but I thought the game kind of sets the things in the game to be around your level, and I was still level 9 then.

I've never experienced this in my 130+ hours of play. First, I've never seen non-stop summoning, as they generally summon something and it stays until the time limit or it's killed. During that time, they are able to regenerate their magic. Also, a lot of the destruction spells, if your skill level is high enough, and your Will Power is high enough, cost nothing to cast and regenerate very quickly. For instance, I can cast Wizard's Fury all day and it never drains my magicka. I can enter into a fight and come out with the same amount of magicka, if not more, than I did when I started the fight. For me, it's been like that for a long time. It's not just because of the level I'm at.

 

[Nerevar]

Fast travel would be the obvious thing, but it's inside a dungeon, which means I can't use it. (GIVE ME BACK MY DIVINE INTERVENTION SPELLS BETHESDA!) I tried the jumping movement thing for like 5 minutes and then I tried it in sneak mode, but nothing. Is there any way to attack yourself? I might be able to knock myself down, which should pop me right out.

yup, I hate that. I'm afraid your only choice is to reload. I agree, gimme back divine / almsivi intervention Bethesda.

Nonstop summoning of skeletons, ghosts, shooting lightning and using full restore for like 10-15 mins. I've seen the required magicka on those and they'd have to have an insane amount and have it regenerate like crazy. Maybe they were at really high levels, but I thought the game kind of sets the things in the game to be around your level, and I was still level 9 then.

keep in mind, at even medium levels (teens) every necromancer carries at least 1 strong health restore and 1 strong magicka restore. If you see him "casting" a cure on himself it's entirely possible he just drank his strong health restore, and same for instant magicka restore.

 

[Dice]

I've never experienced this in my 130+ hours of play. First, I've never seen non-stop summoning, as they generally summon something and it stays until the time limit or it's killed. During that time, they are able to regenerate their magic. Also, a lot of the destruction spells, if your skill level is high enough, and your Will Power is high enough, cost nothing to cast and regenerate very quickly. For instance, I can cast Wizard's Fury all day and it never drains my magicka. I can enter into a fight and come out with the same amount of magicka, if not more, than I did when I started the fight. For me, it's been like that for a long time. It's not just because of the level I'm at.

I meant nonstop of them combined. But I guess the lightning was probably costing him nothing so he could charge up for another skeleton.

 

[purnoman3000]

I'm doing the Aid for Bruma side quests and I can't get any help from Bravil. I closed the proper gate outside the town but the Count just says he wishes he could send troops but he lost his Captain of the Guard, Captain Lerus. Are you able to get any help from Bravil? I don't remember him dying or having killed him earlier.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I meant nonstop of them combined. But I guess the lightning was probably costing him nothing so he could charge up for another skeleton.

For what its worth, I've actually had foes run out of magicka. I've had them casting away at me, and then about mid-fight they stop casting and rush in with a dagger or something, only to back off in a bit and start casting again

 

[Core407]

For what its worth, I've actually had foes run out of magicka. I've had them casting away at me, and then about mid-fight they stop casting and rush in with a dagger or something, only to back off in a bit and start casting again

Yes, they are definitely not "cheating." They all carry a items and are all capable of using them.

Edit: What's your favorite area in the game?

I personally am in love with the great forest. The gold coast isn't too shabby either! Reminds me of fall when the leaves start changing colors.

 

[Lo-Volt]

Edit: What's your favorite area in the game?

The Great Forest as seen in A Brush With Death. Good God, the best the game ever looks on the 360.

 

[Core407]

I still find it pretty amusing that the rain bug is still in Oblivion.

 

[Jonnyram]

good lord people, you have to go to one as part of the mages guild and observe them making a black soul gem. Then, Archmage Travern basically EXPLAINS how its done. :lol

I have the same problem as other people here. Perhaps it's because I'm too used to playing RPGs where the player and the enemy have completely different rulesets. I never even think that I can do everything the enemy is doing, or that they are fighting me on an even playing field. There's just so much you can do, and while there are useful things like this, there are also totally useless things that just fill up the space to add realism, like Calipers, Inkwells and stuff like that.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I still find it pretty amusing that the rain bug is still in Oblivion.

What's the rain bug?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Edit: What's your favorite area in the game?

I personally am in love with the great forest. The gold coast isn't too shabby either! Reminds me of fall when the leaves start changing colors.

I'd probably have to go with the Great Forest as well, although I do like exploring the mountains that are in the far North East corner of the map.

 

[Diseased Yak]

What's your favorite area in the game?

My favorite is the top of the hill that's directly across from the front gates of Anvil. One of my fondest Oblivion memories is climbing to the top of that hill, walking past that one farm, and then turning around and looking back down over the city of Anvil and the bay next to it just as the sun was setting.

Simply amazing.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

My favorite is the top of the hill that's directly across from the front gates of Anvil. One of my fondest Oblivion memories is climbing to the top of that hill, walking past that one farm, and then turning around and looking back down over the city of Anvil and the bay next to it just as the sun was setting.

Simply amazing.

Yeah, part of the reason I like exploring the mountains, is sometimes you can find some amazing views from all the way up there. Plus, there's the whole jumping off a cliff thing!

 

[Core407]

What's the rain bug?

Where the rain manages to go through walls and what-not. Just recently I stumbled upon a camp and entered one of the tents and the rain was still falling through. :lol Morrowind had the same bug, but it became sort of a joke.

 

[firex]

...

I beat the Mage's Guild and didn't know that. How do you do it? :lol

I'm starting to really think about my next character. Essentially I'm going for the opposite of what I've done now - use all the skills I've ignored. It will be a custom character for sure. Four of the main skills I've settled on are:

Alchemy
Sneak
Marksman
Alteration

I'm debating hand to hand. Can you enchant gauntlets to help with it, or is it just bare hands all the way through? If that's the case I may use Blade as my secondary attack skill. Any suggestions for a sign/race combo for a character heavy into enchanting, archery and thievery?

I'm aiming to play very differently than I did this time through. Rather than get most of my early loot from dungeons, I'll get my gold from houses I raid and sell to my fence. (I didn't join the Theive's Guild until very late in my current game.) Lots of corpses left behind, naturally.

I'm excited enough to start again that I may just wrap up the guilds and start over, leaving lots of open side-quests, Daedric quests and the master training quests for the next character. I'm kind of sprinting through to finish up.

Argonian! Or one of the elves, if you just can't stand making a lizardman. But seriously, argonians rock for sneaky thieves, even though they don't get a sneak bonus.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Where the rain manages to go through walls and what-not. Just recently I stumbled upon a camp and entered one of the tents and the rain was still falling through. :lol Morrowind had the same bug, but it became sort of a joke.

Doesn't apply to everything though, the way it did in Morrowind, where you could be standing under a porch, and still have rain coming through. At least in Oblivion, you can do that. Now anyone who has spent a long, wet night in a tent, can attest to how much rain can get through. :lol

 

[Core407]

The thread is slowing down so I figured I'd post my character stats and you guys could do the same.

Name: Arlin Jalles
Level: 35
Race: Redguard
Birthsign: The Thief
Class: Assassin
Health: 482
Magicka: 90
Fatigue: 345
Favorite Weapon: GoldBrand/Daedric Bow
Hours: 103

 

[elostyle]

God, I cannot make any ****ing progress in the main quest. I closed the first gate to oblivion and went on with the assault of the castle. Halfway through the monsters got too tough and I hat to leave and do something else. No when I return stronger, the area is crowded with even stronger monsters. Gah.

 

[Core407]

God, I cannot make any ****ing progress in the main quest. I closed the first gate to oblivion and went on with the assault of the castle. Halfway through the monsters got too tough and I hat to leave and do something else. No when I return stronger, the area is crowded with even stronger monsters. Gah.

Yeah, it's pretty retarded. Your best bet is to stuck up on health potions and I mean REALLY stock up on 'em or you can just change the difficulty slider to easy in the options.

 

[elostyle]

Yeah, it's pretty retarded. Your best bet is to stuck up on health potions and I mean REALLY stock up on 'em or you can just change the difficulty slider to easy in the options.

Already having trouble affording some decent arrows. That was my initial problem with the quest, long journey through the gate with a lot of fighting and then even more fighting. Not good for someone relying on ammo.

 

[Core407]

Already having trouble affording some decent arrows. That was my initial problem with the quest, long journey through the gate with a lot of fighting and then even more fighting. Not good for someone relying on ammo.

Same problem I ran into early on in the game. I think it's a result of the the fact that merchants have a set amount of money and a lot of times it's no where near the amount an item is worth. Right now though, I've got about 60k in the bank, which will only continue to add up.

Self-reliance is key in the game. Basically repairing your own weapon, making your own enchanted items and potions save you a lot of money.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Same problem I ran into early on in the game. I think it's a result of the the fact that merchants have a set amount of money and a lot of times it's no where near the amount an item is worth. Right now though, I've got about 60k in the bank, which will only continue to add up.

Self-reliance is key in the game. Basically repairing your own weapon, making your own enchanted items and potions save you a lot of money.

Also, those ~100 optional caves, ruins, forts and dungeons out in the wilderness tend to have plenty-o-loot.

 

[Core407]

Also, those ~100 optional caves, ruins, forts and dungeons out in the wilderness tend to have plenty-o-loot.

I wouldn't consider 700 gold plenty of loot, but it does add up after the 50th dungeon.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I wouldn't consider 700 gold plenty of loot, but it does add up after the 50th dungeon.

Keep at it though. I found one out of every three or four dungeons had something amazing in it - a bunch of chests with gold, some enchanted weapons and armor. Plus, all those Varla stones, which fetch a good price.

 

[Core407]

Keep at it though. I found one out of every three or four dungeons had something amazing in it - a bunch of chests with gold, some enchanted weapons and armor. Plus, all those Varla stones, which fetch a good price.

I'd keep those Varla (sp?) stones and sell of Welkyd (sp?) stones. Varla stones refill your enchanted weapons 100%. Welkyd stones on the other hand, don't. I'm figuring you need a certain amount of Welkyd stones to make a Varla stone. (Not a magic user)

Clearing out dungeons is sort of a task for me since I have everything I'll ever need to survive in the game. Still, it's fun to explore and find new quests.

 

[Jonnyram]

God, I cannot make any ****ing progress in the main quest. I closed the first gate to oblivion and went on with the assault of the castle. Halfway through the monsters got too tough and I hat to leave and do something else. No when I return stronger, the area is crowded with even stronger monsters. Gah.

You don't need to do this... it's entirely optional. Once you've met Martin after closing the gate, you can follow the main quest without doing any more at Kvatch.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I'd keep those Varla (sp?) stones and sell of Welkyd (sp?) stones. Varla stones refill your enchanted weapons 100%. Welkyd stones on the other hand, don't. I'm figuring you need a certain amount of Welkyd stones to make a Varla stone. (Not a magic user)

Clearing out dungeons is sort of a task for me since I have everything I'll ever need to survive in the game. Still, it's fun to explore and find new quests.

Yeah, I was kind of joking. A while back in this thread someone mentioned what the were for and I freaked out - I'd been selling them all along, thinking they were great loot. And I'm a battle mage with nothing but enchanted weapons! Slightly embarassing admission to say the least. :lol

For anyone new: don't sell Varla stones. See above.

Also, RE: dungeons - it was kind of a payoff during the latter portion of the DB quests when I found that half the people I was supposed to assasinate were people I'd already killed.

 

[Pack of Wild Rats]

I'd keep those Varla (sp?) stones and sell of Welkyd (sp?) stones. Varla stones refill your enchanted weapons 100%. Welkyd stones on the other hand, don't. I'm figuring you need a certain amount of Welkyd stones to make a Varla stone. (Not a magic user)

Clearing out dungeons is sort of a task for me since I have everything I'll ever need to survive in the game. Still, it's fun to explore and find new quests.

Wow, I had no idea they did that. I thought they were loot as well. At least I haven't done many of the ruins yet.

 

[Jonnyram]

Oh yeah, and I am now the latest Champion of Cyrodill!
The last part of the main quest, from Bruma onwards, was absolutely fantastic.

Spoiler

Jauffre died straightaway though
While escorting Martin to the Temple of the One, my light armour and blade skills shot up from 30 to 50+ thanks to the chaos. Dagon himself looked a bit weak, but the final Godzilla-like showdown was an awesome climax to the game.

Now I've beaten the main quest, I'm going to fine tune my character towards the Dark Brotherhood and Thief Guild missions. I chose Witch-hunter as my class originally, but I've been more a Battlemage so far. Time to get back into my role.

Vark and co., do you guys have any plans to publish this in Japan?
I'd love to be able to get hold of the DLC in my region.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Wow, I had no idea they did that. I thought they were loot as well. At least I haven't done many of the ruins yet.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'd sold a good dozeon or so. :lol

Really, really usefull especially if you carry multiple enchanted weapons. I usually carry a main sword, a bow and a big uber-powerful sword for when things get nasty. Recharging all at once, in the middle of a dungeon, rocks.

 

[Core407]

Yeah, I was kind of joking. A while back in this thread someone mentioned what the were for and I freaked out - I'd been selling them all along, thinking they were great loot. And I'm a battle mage with nothing but enchanted weapons! Slightly embarassing admission to say the least. :lol

For anyone new: don't sell Varla stones. See above.

Also, RE: dungeons - it was kind of a payoff during the latter portion of the DB quests when I found that half the people I was supposed to assasinate were people I'd already killed.

Yeah, I ran into that a lot. I'd find myself in quests that asked me to go to a dungeon that I already had been to and cleared. I remember once, I had to bring a certain quest item back to the quest giver and I already had it on me. :lol

Jonnyram: Yeah, the ending was pretty badass and I love how they gave you the imperial armor.