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[Blue Ninja]

I wish the civil war questline acknowledged that you were Dragonborn, assuming you've advanced the main quest enough to get it out there. The Imperials should be pumped they've got the goddamn Dovahkin on their side, and the Stormcloaks terrified. I lead charges of the forts by shouting a few Stormcloaks right off the outer walls and to their deaths, FFS. Calling down your own dragon to tear them up should get a reaction, other than dead Stormcloaks.

Also, I've just barely started Dawnguard, but from what little I've played and from the bit I've seen from my daughter's romp (she just fought an

Spoiler

Ice Giant

, I can say it's fucking awesome and much different than I was expecting. I thought it would be a somewhat beefier questline that Knights of the Nine. This thing makes what Bethesda put into the Thieves Guild seem token.

The only one that seems to actually care is Hadvar. I was talking to him after taking Fort Amol (or whatever) and he asked me who of my parents was a dragon, my "pa or my ma". I lol'ed.

 

[cdyhybrid]

The only one that seems to actually care is Hadvar. I was talking to him after taking Fort Amol (or whatever) and he asked me who of my parents was a dragon, my "pa or my ma". I lol'ed.

Hadvar's my boy. Cool dude.

 

[GhaleonEB]

The only one that seems to actually care is Hadvar. I was talking to him after taking Fort Amol (or whatever) and he asked me who of my parents was a dragon, my "pa or my ma". I lol'ed.

Yeah, I'd forgotten about him. I like the frequent run ins I have with him over the course of the quest line.

Hadvar's my boy. Cool dude.

Yup, one of the few really likable characters. I like many others for other reasons. (Belethor in Whiterun being a favorite. Dude's such a scummy salesman, but in a totally lovable way.)

It occured to me the other day when I was playing, how many intentionally unlikable characters there are. Talius (sp?) is such a derp of a character, though on my second play through of the quest I decided he was also kind of hilarious. Ulfric is a racist power grabbing douche. The Blades? Fuck those guys. And triple fuck the Thalmor. Sometimes I'm running from quest to quest, feeling like I'm surrounded by assholes. So I welcome guys like Hadvar who are just doing their best to get by.

I really love Nazir, too. Fantastically loveable assassin for hire.

Yeah, all the DB characters are great. I love the kid (I can't remember her name). So cheerfully deadly.

 

[789shadow]

I really love Nazir, too. Fantastically loveable assassin for hire.

 

[Kadey]

Is there any way to upgrade the Nightingale blade?

 

[Volimar]

Is there any way to upgrade the Nightingale blade?

Ebony, but there's a bug. The sword's stats are leveled so it depends on what level you were when you got the blade as to how strong the blade is. The bug is that the highest level of the blade can't be improved. If you are playing on PC, the Unofficial Skyrim Patch should fix the bug. If the enchantment is "Absorb 25 points of health and 25 points of stamina per second from the target" then that's the max level blade.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Nightingale_Blade

 

[curlycare]

Dragonborn pre-order is up on steam.

This game will unlock in approximately 1 week, 3 days and 4 hours

So close..

 

[The P of Poland]

I wish the civil war questline acknowledged that you were Dragonborn, assuming you've advanced the main quest enough to get it out there. The Imperials should be pumped they've got the goddamn Dovahkin on their side, and the Stormcloaks terrified. I lead charges of the forts by shouting a few Stormcloaks right off the outer walls and to their deaths, FFS. Calling down your own dragon to tear them up should get a reaction, other than dead Stormcloaks.

Also, I've just barely started Dawnguard, but from what little I've played and from the bit I've seen from my daughter's romp (she just fought an

Spoiler

Ice Giant

, I can say it's fucking awesome and much different than I was expecting. I thought it would be a somewhat beefier questline that Knights of the Nine. This thing makes what Bethesda put into the Thieves Guild seem token.

They acknowledge it when you win, it surprised me in Solitude to hear Ulfric going on about "you, Dragonborn and the truest of Stormcloaks". But I agree the civil war could use a bit more active acknowledgement of that. Heck, all of the questlines, everything, could. Annoys me when you've killed Alduin, walk into the College of Winterhold, and Ancano starts talking down to you like you're level 5 instead of 56.

Also, Ralof>>>>>>>>>>Hadvar.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I wonder, does Ulfric say that (and ask you to be the one to finish him off during the Imperial quests) if you haven't done 'Dragon Rising'? Would be kinda weird to have him call you 'Dragonborn' when you have no idea what that is. :lol

 

[The P of Poland]

I wonder, does Ulfric say that (and ask you to be the one to finish him off during the Imperial quests) if you haven't done 'Dragon Rising'? Would be kinda weird to have him call you 'Dragonborn' when you have no idea what that is. :lol

You have to complete Dragon Rising to progress beyond the Battle for Whiterun either alignment.

 

[Kadey]

Ebony, but there's a bug. The sword's stats are leveled so it depends on what level you were when you got the blade as to how strong the blade is. The bug is that the highest level of the blade can't be improved. If you are playing on PC, the Unofficial Skyrim Patch should fix the bug. If the enchantment is "Absorb 25 points of health and 25 points of stamina per second from the target" then that's the max level blade.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Nightingale_Blade

Well that sucks. It is the coolest looking sword in the game besides the dawnbreaker. I'm not too fond of the looks of any of the higher end stuff. Ended having to improve a blades katana and enchanting it with health absorb and paralyze.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

So do you guys think Bethesda held Dragonborn back for two months on PC just to release it simultaneously with PS3, or because maybe they were adding additional features? It doesn't even make sense that it would take two months to optimize the PC version from the 360 one.

 

[Blue Ninja]

So do you guys think Bethesda held Dragonborn back for two months on PC just to release it simultaneously with PS3, or because maybe they were adding additional features? It doesn't even make sense that it would take two months to optimize the PC version from the 360 one.

I don't expect they'll have added anything. Maybe support for their hi-res textures, but that's it. Companies often do things that only make sense to them.

 

[Blue Ninja]

Sorry for the double post, but my recent playthrough has got me thinking about the magic system in the game, and ways on how it could be improved. In a lot of ways, the system is better than it was in Oblivion: spells feel a lot more powerful than they did before, even if variety has been somewhat sacrificed.

What I don't like, however, is how every single spell forces you to draw your weapon. Especially simple and passive spells like, say Candlelight or Oakflesh. It's annoying haven to unsheathe your weapon everytime your candlelight spell runs out.

I hope that, for the next TES game, there is a distinction between active spells and passive spells. The former category would involve actions such as Destruction and Restoration. Bombard enemies with fire? You'll need at least one hand out for that. Want to heal? You'll need to keep your hands out.

Then get the smaller, passive spells, that don't need to be equipped in a hand to be used. Stuff like candlelight, which requires you to do a quick tap of the button once every minute, just shouldn't require you to go into your favorites menu or magic menu to equip, and then replace by something different again. Stuff like Oakflesh works similary, just tap the button and poof.

Since I doubt there'll be any shouts in the next TES game, it's a function that can easily be added back onto the shout/powers button for consoles, like it was in Oblivion.

 

[The P of Poland]

Sorry for the double post, but my recent playthrough has got me thinking about the magic system in the game, and ways on how it could be improved. In a lot of ways, the system is better than it was in Oblivion: spells feel a lot more powerful than they did before, even if variety has been somewhat sacrificed.

What I don't like, however, is how every single spell forces you to draw your weapon. Especially simple and passive spells like, say Candlelight or Oakflesh. It's annoying haven to unsheathe your weapon everytime your candlelight spell runs out.

I hope that, for the next TES game, there is a distinction between active spells and passive spells. The former category would involve actions such as Destruction and Restoration. Bombard enemies with fire? You'll need at least one hand out for that. Want to heal? You'll need to keep your hands out.

Then get the smaller, passive spells, that don't need to be equipped in a hand to be used. Stuff like candlelight, which requires you to do a quick tap of the button once every minute, just shouldn't require you to go into your favorites menu or magic menu to equip, and then replace by something different again. Stuff like Oakflesh works similary, just tap the button and poof.

Since I doubt there'll be any shouts in the next TES game, it's a function that can easily be added back onto the shout/powers button for consoles, like it was in Oblivion.

The Flesh spells aren't exactly minor, they're a mage's version of armor and are quite important in combat.

 

[Blue Ninja]

The Flesh spells aren't exactly minor, they're a mage's version of armor and are quite important in combat.

Yes, but they're not active, are they? For stuff like wards, you need to hold down the button for them to work. Not so much with spells like Oakflesh and the rest, you only cast them once every once in a while.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Sorry for the double post, but my recent playthrough has got me thinking about the magic system in the game, and ways on how it could be improved. In a lot of ways, the system is better than it was in Oblivion: spells feel a lot more powerful than they did before, even if variety has been somewhat sacrificed.

What I don't like, however, is how every single spell forces you to draw your weapon. Especially simple and passive spells like, say Candlelight or Oakflesh. It's annoying haven to unsheathe your weapon everytime your candlelight spell runs out.

I hope that, for the next TES game, there is a distinction between active spells and passive spells. The former category would involve actions such as Destruction and Restoration. Bombard enemies with fire? You'll need at least one hand out for that. Want to heal? You'll need to keep your hands out.

Then get the smaller, passive spells, that don't need to be equipped in a hand to be used. Stuff like candlelight, which requires you to do a quick tap of the button once every minute, just shouldn't require you to go into your favorites menu or magic menu to equip, and then replace by something different again. Stuff like Oakflesh works similary, just tap the button and poof.

Since I doubt there'll be any shouts in the next TES game, it's a function that can easily be added back onto the shout/powers button for consoles, like it was in Oblivion.

I was thinking, keep the dual wielding mechanics for the next ES game. I love it. But make it so you can "draw" each hand out independantly. So if I have Muffle on my left, and a sword on my right, I can hit the left trigger to just raise my left hand and cast Muffle. I don't need to pull out a sword to do it. That way there's still an opportunity cost the spells in terms of losing the use of one hand to cast. You gotta put your shield away to cast Oakflesh, etc. It adds the need to plan out encounters and prepare your strategy.

They can follow the smart pairing system they use now to pull out both hands as appropriate, such as when someone is using a sword and shield. Either trigger will pull both out.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I was thinking, keep the dual wielding mechanics for the next ES game. I love it. But make it so you can "draw" each hand out independantly. So if I have Muffle on my left, and a sword on my right, I can hit the left trigger to just raise my left hand and cast Muffle. That way there's still an opportunity cost the spells in terms of losing the use of one hand to cast. You gotta put your shield away to cast Oakflesh, etc. It adds the need to plan out encounters and prepare your strategy.

They can follow the smart pairing system they use now to pull out both hands as appropriate, such as when someone is using a sword and shield. Either trigger will pull both out.

That would be a great solution, too. It's especially ridiculous when your character wields a staff. He literally pulls it out of his ass, and for some reason puts up his other fist too.

 

[GhaleonEB]

That would be a great solution, too. It's especially ridiculous when your character wields a staff. He literally pulls it out of his ass, and for some reason puts up his other fist too.

Haha, I hadn't thought of that situation. Yeah that's pretty dumb.

You got me thinking though, about how great Shouts are in Skyrim. It raises the question of what Bethesda will do for the next ES game. In effect, Shouts are just a seperate category of Powers that operate on a cool down. But I hope they don't turn into Skyrim's equivalent of Halo's armor abilities, where that kind of ability becomes a "leg" that we have to have with each game. Shouts by another name, so to speak.

I tend not to use most of the Powers I have on hand, since in most situations I just use one of the 3-4 Shouts I like. But at the same time, I want Bethesda to come up with a new dynamic in the next game.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Sorry for the double post, but my recent playthrough has got me thinking about the magic system in the game, and ways on how it could be improved. In a lot of ways, the system is better than it was in Oblivion: spells feel a lot more powerful than they did before, even if variety has been somewhat sacrificed.

What I don't like, however, is how every single spell forces you to draw your weapon. Especially simple and passive spells like, say Candlelight or Oakflesh. It's annoying haven to unsheathe your weapon everytime your candlelight spell runs out.

I hope that, for the next TES game, there is a distinction between active spells and passive spells. The former category would involve actions such as Destruction and Restoration. Bombard enemies with fire? You'll need at least one hand out for that. Want to heal? You'll need to keep your hands out.

Then get the smaller, passive spells, that don't need to be equipped in a hand to be used. Stuff like candlelight, which requires you to do a quick tap of the button once every minute, just shouldn't require you to go into your favorites menu or magic menu to equip, and then replace by something different again. Stuff like Oakflesh works similary, just tap the button and poof.

Since I doubt there'll be any shouts in the next TES game, it's a function that can easily be added back onto the shout/powers button for consoles, like it was in Oblivion.

I'd prefer if they just made those types of spells last until you cancelled them, and had them "occupy" a portion of your mana pool or slightly reduce mana regen as upkeep. Keep the short durations limited to the really powerful spells. I don't want to have to recast Candlelight every 2 minutes.

 

[The P of Poland]

One of my friends on the floor lent me Divinity II because I'd been playing Skyrim and pretty much nothing else since the middle of November and I wanted some kind of a change of pace.

Never again.
Fuck that game so hard.

Skyrim it is, now and forever, until something else close to as good comes out.

With regard to Shouts, I agree with Ghaleon that I almost never use a Power, unless it's Beast Form. Shouts are too useful. However, I don't see Beth bringing them back unless we play as a Dragonborn again in the next game, which I highly doubt.
I predict a return to Oblivion's system, with casting moved to the Shout button, allowing the wielding of a weapon and spell at the same time.

 

[Blue Ninja]

Haha, I hadn't thought of that situation. Yeah that's pretty dumb.

You got me thinking though, about how great Shouts are in Skyrim. It raises the question of what Bethesda will do for the next ES game. In effect, Shouts are just a seperate category of Powers that operate on a cool down. But I hope they don't turn into Skyrim's equivalent of Halo's armor abilities, where that kind of ability becomes a "leg" that we have to have with each game. Shouts by another name, so to speak.

I tend not to use most of the Powers I have on hand, since in most situations I just use one of the 3-4 Shouts I like. But at the same time, I want Bethesda to come up with a new dynamic in the next game.

I wouldn't mind them going back to the Oblivon-style dynamic, but just work on making spells a lot more awesome.

 

[Tawpgun]

So, is Dragonborn and Dawnguard worth it?

 

[JohnOfMars]

So, is Dragonborn and Dawnguard worth it?

Answers:

Dawnguard adds a lot of the main game, which is why I think it's great. If you want DLC that just adds new landmasses or new quests, it may be not for you. But it adds a shitload of stuff that expands on what we saw before, like the Falmer and Vampires. It also allows you to craft arrows and dragonbone weapons. Not to mention that the areas it does add (including the Soul Cairn) are pretty awesome. I may be in the minority here, but I fucking love Dawnguard, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys the game.

Dragonborn is pretty much a full-blown expansion. Some things it does could've been done better (like the Dragon riding), but it's pretty much a must.

and

Depends. You want something simple and cozy, get Hearthfire.

You want an interesting questline with tons of new loot and characters, all integrated into the Skyrim you already know and love? Get Dawnguard.

You want a new landmass to fuck around with? Get Dragonborn.

Just trying to save Blue Ninja from typing it all out again.

 

[Tesseract]

jesus $45 for all the dlc fuck off bethesda. will wait for the inevitable $10 holiday bundle.

 

[GhaleonEB]

jesus $45 for all the dlc fuck off bethesda. will wait for the inevitable $10 holiday bundle.

Dragonborn is well worth the $20. I put 60+ hours into Solstheim and it adds content that spills over into Skyrim proper.

I'm only partway into Dawnguard, but there's a fuckton of content added to the game with it. Without ever touching the main questline, I ran into new quests, items, gear, chracters, locations and enemies. It's been well worth the $20.

Hearthfire is $5 and adds a lot of content for that price. The content mixes together nicely; I'm alternating main and side quests from Dawnguard while building my house (Hearthfire) and rocking a Nordic shield (Dragonborn). Each really expands the game in a number of ways.

The DLC costs a lot in total because in total, it adds a ton of stuff. Your mileage will depend on how much you enjoy the base game, but I think it was fairly priced. And I'm picky for this kind of stuff, I skipped out on most of Oblivion's DLC.

I wouldn't mind them going back to the Oblivon-style dynamic, but just work on making spells a lot more awesome.

I've actually forgotten entirely how Oblivion worked. After doing Shivering Isles I moved on and haven't played it since. So I'll take your word for it. :lol

 

[cdyhybrid]

Grinded out the main quest and started the Civil War last night. I forgot how easy Alduin was.

 

[The P of Poland]

Grinded out the main quest and started the Civil War last night. I forgot how easy Alduin was.

Out of the game's three main bosses, in my opinion Harkon is by far the hardest.

Two-shotting Alduin with Jarrin Root poison made me laugh for hours. The Nordic God of Destruction, Lord of Dragons, should have been so much harder.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Out of the game's three main bosses, in my opinion Harkon is by far the hardest.

Two-shotting Alduin with Jarrin Root poison made me laugh for hours. The Nordic God of Destruction, Lord of Dragons, should have been so much harder.

I had more trouble with the Draugr Deathlords

Spoiler

until I remembered I could just unequip my weapon to avoid the disarm shout

and the Dragon Priest before him. Makes me sad.

Downloaded a new Odahviing skin last night, can't wait to see him in action wrecking a Stormcloak fort when I get home.

 

[789shadow]

So I just got the ability to forge Stalhrim. I have 100 in Smithing and every perk, so I would like to know if they are better when fully upgraded (no buffs) than fully upgraded Dragonbone weaponry and Deadric heavy armor.

 

[The P of Poland]

So I just got the ability to forge Stalhrim. I have 100 in Smithing and every perk, so I would like to know if they are better when fully upgraded (no buffs) than fully upgraded Dragonbone weaponry and Deadric heavy armor.

Once it hits 567 AR, it really doesn't matter. With 100 smithing and all perks in the tree, plus some Fortify Smithing potions and gear, it really doesn't matter whether you take Iron armor or Daedric, it's all aesthetic.

 

[789shadow]

Once it hits 567 AR, it really doesn't matter. With 100 smithing and all perks in the tree, plus some Fortify Smithing potions and gear, it really doesn't matter whether you take Iron armor or Daedric, it's all aesthetic.

Good thing Deadric Armor is the best looking armor by far.

 

[The P of Poland]

Good thing Deadric Armor is the best looking armor by far.

Nightingale Armor says you're on drugs.

 

[hellclerk]

Man, I'm not sure if I should start a whole new save when Dragonborn comes out, or just straight-up play through it. On one level, it's pretty cool to experience this sorta thing fresh, especially with a fresh set of mods, but on another, I don't want to lose the HUNDREDS OF HOURS I put into the game already...

 

[GhaleonEB]

Man, I'm not sure if I should start a whole new save when Dragonborn comes out, or just straight-up play through it. On one level, it's pretty cool to experience this sorta thing fresh, especially with a fresh set of mods, but on another, I don't want to lose the HUNDREDS OF HOURS I put into the game already...

I think it comes down to what kind of experience you enjoy the most in Skyrim. For me, I love the process of building a character from the ground up, and taking them through new adventures with quests, loot and gear my other characters did not experience. For that reason I spliced up Skyrim's content into a bunch of different characters for the various guilds (a sneaky archer/backstabber for Thieves Guild/Dark Brotherhood, sword and board for Companions, etc.). And I did the same for each piece of DLC so far.

If you enter Solstheim a high level badass rocking dragon gear, you'll have no use for the four new classes of armor and weapons (chitin, bonemold, Nordic, stalhrim). Most of the unique loot you find will be disposable, though a number of their magical properties are unique and may entice you to swap out for them. But you'll also get to leverage the character you built up over those HUNDREDS OF HOURS on a series of brand new quests, fighting new enemies in new places.

If you love the build you have, and just want new things to do with them, then head on over to Solstheim. If you want to really experience the scope of what Dragonborn has to offer, making use of the various new sets of gear and loot available, roll a new one.

Personally I suggest rolling a new one and heading over.

 

[The P of Poland]

Man, I'm not sure if I should start a whole new save when Dragonborn comes out, or just straight-up play through it. On one level, it's pretty cool to experience this sorta thing fresh, especially with a fresh set of mods, but on another, I don't want to lose the HUNDREDS OF HOURS I put into the game already...

Better idea. New profile. I have five, including my main one that I play Xbox Live on, and several spares. My main one I've had since forever, but I use the spares to experiment on new ideas.

 

[Tawpgun]

Is it fine to mix armor types?

Like I'm half heavy armor, half light. Trying to be well rounded.

I have health enchanted Orc Chest
Not sure if I have Nightingale Boots/Gauntlets or Boots/Gauntlets of the old gods, and then Krosis.

 

[The P of Poland]

Is it fine to mix armor types?

Like I'm half heavy armor, half light. Trying to be well rounded.

I have health enchanted Orc Chest
Not sure if I have Nightingale Boots/Gauntlets or Boots/Gauntlets of the old gods, and then Krosis.

Generally a bad idea. Most perks for either only apply if you wear only Light or Heavy Armor.
Not to mention, if you take damage while in mixed gear, the xp is divided between them, so you level up slower.

Edit: hey, why'd you get rid of your caveman w/shotgun avatar, it was great.

 

[hellclerk]

Better idea. New profile. I have five, including my main one that I play Xbox Live on, and several spares. My main one I've had since forever, but I use the spares to experiment on new ideas.

I'm a PC player. It's coming out over steam next week. Before would I do this, making a new character that is, I'd probably do an entirely fresh install with a carefully selected list of mods.

I think it comes down to what kind of experience you enjoy the most in Skyrim. For me, I love the process of building a character from the ground up, and taking them through new adventures with quests, loot and gear my other characters did not experience. For that reason I spliced up Skyrim's content into a bunch of different characters for the various guilds (a sneaky archer/backstabber for Thieves Guild/Dark Brotherhood, sword and board for Companions, etc.). And I did the same for each piece of DLC so far.

If you enter Solstheim a high level badass rocking dragon gear, you'll have no use for the four new classes of armor and weapons (chitin, bonemold, Nordic, stalhrim). Most of the unique loot you find will be disposable, though a number of their magical properties are unique and may entice you to swap out for them. But you'll also get to leverage the character you built up over those HUNDREDS OF HOURS on a series of brand new quests, fighting new enemies in new places.

If you love the build you have, and just want new things to do with them, then head on over to Solstheim. If you want to really experience the scope of what Dragonborn has to offer, making use of the various new sets of gear and loot available, roll a new one.

Personally I suggest rolling a new one and heading over.

Yeah, I really do want to try out that Naked Mage idea, or I could even just play my Righteous Paragon of Justice and Freedom from Oppression, which I was very unfortunate not to be able to complete because you can't destroy the thieves guild and personally murder Maven Blackbriar. There's a mod for that now, so I could go all Glorious Holy Knight properly.

Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. See, I like BOTH ways. Discovering new things, not sure of what equipment I'll pick up next, AND breaking the game as an all-powerful God-level adventuring murder-hobo, so it's gonna be a tough choice. Thanks for the input.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Generally a bad idea. Most perks for either only apply if you wear only Light or Heavy Armor.
Not to mention, if you take damage while in mixed gear, the xp is divided between them, so you level up slower.

Edit: hey, why'd you get rid of your caveman w/shotgun avatar, it was great.

I use a mix, myself, but that's because I'm currently working on finally clearing level 78 and slaying a Legendary dragon. So I want to level heavy and light armors at the same time. I use light for armor and boots (so I'm fast and quiet) and heavy armor for helm and gauntlets. Heavy levels more slowly, but I pad that a bit with training so it keeps pace. Aside from some perks on the first point of the armor trees to boost effectiveness I have plans for all the other perks I'll get, so I'm not losing anything by mixing it up.

 

[789shadow]

Just beat the main questline of Dragonborn. I'm sort of disappointed that

Spoiler

the final reward isn't the ability to unlock all of the perks in every tree at the same time, but just the ability to respec.

 

[Blue Ninja]

Just beat the main questline of Dragonborn. I'm sort of disappointed that

Spoiler

the final reward isn't the ability to unlock all of the perks in every tree at the same time, but just the ability to respec.

Maybe in the final DLC.

Though I doubt it, the perk system is Bethesda's way of making sure your character can never be an absolute master of everything.

 

[789shadow]

Maybe in the final DLC.

Though I doubt it, the perk system is Bethesda's way of making sure your character can never be an absolute master of everything.

Fuck em, I'm the Dragonborn, I want to be the master of everything.

 

[Atruvius]

I'm playing Dawnguard for the first time and the one of its main quests is really bugged. It's the quest Chasing Echoes. The first bug happens when you have to gather the three ingredients and put them on the pedestal, I did it and nothing happened. I read that it's a common bug and I had progress via console command which takes me to the part where

Spoiler

I have to enter Soul Cairn via portal. But whether I turn into a Vampire or a soulless husk I cannot enter.

There's a invisible wall there and I read that tcl should work but it doesn't for me.

I probably have to skip all the quests there.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Four more days!

 

[GhaleonEB]

Yesterday I wrapped up the quest, "Lost to the Ages". There are some quests - most, really - in Skyrim that are more like tasks. Go here, kill this; go here, fetch this. Lost to the Ages felt like a proper, rollicking adventure, with a mystery wrapped around it. One of those quests that is for the ages, no pun intended.

I appreciated that the locations of the shards were not marked with quest markers. For each, I had to sit down with the book and the large paper map that came with the game and chase them down the old fashioned way. More of this please, Bethesda.

The endgame to the quest was wonderful, as good as I could have hoped for.

Spoiler

The Forgemaster battle was a solid boss fight, an escalating melee with underlings before a (very!) big bad rises up. Tough dude, took a few lives to deal with.

I actually felt kind of guilty killing him. I often find large, ancient creatures to be majestic, and feel conflicted about fighting them. It was why I initially did not bring dragons into the world of my first character, for something like 60 hours. I liked dragons too much to want to kill them. (

Spoiler

And I love that there are some we don't have to.

)

At the end of the quest, I picked the

Spoiler

shield

, even though I new I'd only use it a few times. I ran into a Dark Brotherhood assassin after the quest. Boy did she turn tail (literally) after a whack with it. Baby looks great in my trophy room.

After fighting the boss, I looked around the forge and thought, hmmm. I wonder if I could...? And a few minutes later found that Bethesda had answered that with a yes - several different ways. Even more than the boss battle, it was the perfect ending to the quest. I think that's a big part of what I love about Skyrim. I find myself asking those kinds of questions, and more often than not, the answers are delightful.

On the way out, I went back to the

Spoiler

Forgemaster and gave him his Centurion Dynamo Core back. RIP, big dude.

My quest log a little light, I chase down a certain priest for the Dawnguard questline tonight. And after chatting with the gang,I now have six new quests relating to Dawnguard active on my queue. Six! I continue to be amazed at the scope of content Bethesda added with it.

I have some serious beefs with the story of the main quest, but that's for another day, I wand to see how it plays out first before I critique it too hard.

I haven't tinkered with crossbows since I'm going sword and board for now. But I planned to switch to archery when I got to Solstheim, after wrapping the main quest, civil war and Dawnguard quest lines. I'll bring a fully cranked up crossbow with me and use that as my primary weapon. I enjoyed doing the stranger in a strange land thing, coming back to Skyrim with all kinds of exotic gear from Solstheim. So that will be a little bit of the reverse, for fun.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I can't aim for shit with bows and crossbows, even when I sneak to get my crosshair back. I'm a terrible archer.

 

[Tawpgun]

I can't aim for shit with bows and crossbows, even when I sneak to get my crosshair back. I'm a terrible archer.

How leveled are you in it?

I was so heavy in Archery I've recently stopped to work on one handed and blocking. The slow down perk might help. I don't use it much. The zoom in is a must though.

 

[Blue Ninja]

How leveled are you in it?

I was so heavy in Archery I've recently stopped to work on one handed and blocking. The slow down perk might help. I don't use it much. The zoom in is a must though.

I think I'm around 70/80 now. Haven't put a lot of perks into it, though, I use it more for hunting and picking off hapless bandits from a distance.

My plan is to get either Auriel's Bow or a fully upgraded Dwemer Crossbow and bring it with me to Solstheim, I'm not sure yet. Still about 80% sword and board.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I think I'm around 70/80 now. Haven't put a lot of perks into it, though, I use it more for hunting and picking off hapless bandits from a distance.

My plan is to get either Auriel's Bow or a fully upgraded Dwemer Crossbow and bring it with me to Solstheim, I'm not sure yet. Still about 80% sword and board.

Once you get the zoom in, slow time and stagger perks, archery hits god-tier.

Have you ever played a character with archery/sneak as their primary? It feels amazing once you learn to start leading shots, and anticipate the firing arc. The kill cams are cherries on top. On many occasions I've nailed guys that were actually out of sight by using the arc to the arrow, firing a shot just up and over the lip of a wall. I loved it so much my first three characters were archers. :lol