The Skyrim/Elder Scrolls thread

[Ism]

I'd recommend it, though it is my favorite TES game so, biased take. If you're gonna get it, a Steam sale would be a good time. The version they offer has all the dlc. And, if you're coming from Skyrim, be aware that Oblivion's stealth archer is pitiful compared to Skyrim, and magic is much more powerful, because you can craft your own spells.

I did kill Parthurnax, once, with an evil character mind you, more concerned about a threat to his power than "justice" or whatever. I really don't understand people who back the Blades, they just seem so wrong about everything, all the time.

I have actually never done a stealth archer build. I usually go for a two handed heavy armor build. I did try magic once and it was pretty fun so that would be intriguing.

And yeah I have never liked the blades. Esbern is kinda chill but Delphine is a bitch. She is lucky she is an essential NPC or else I would have tossed her ass off a cliff.

One of my first chars was a two-handed heavy armor orc, actually. Get a nice iron warhammer right in the starter dungeon. Good times.

You do get to meet some nice Blades in Oblivion (Baurus is a total bro), so it stings a bit more to see what you end up with in Skyrim. On the bright side, Delphine being essential means I can knock her out as many times as I want. So that's nice.

[Andsed]

I have actually never done a stealth archer build. I usually go for a two handed heavy armor build. I did try magic once and it was pretty fun so that would be intriguing.

And yeah I have never liked the blades. Esbern is kinda chill but Delphine is a bitch. She is lucky she is an essential NPC or else I would have tossed her ass off a cliff.

One of my first chars was a two-handed heavy armor orc, actually. Get a nice iron warhammer right in the starter dungeon. Good times.

You do get to meet some nice Blades in Oblivion (Baurus is a total bro), so it stings a bit more to see what you end up with in Skyrim. On the bright side, Delphine being essential means I can knock her out as many times as I want. So that's nice.

I usually go Orc as well. Their bonuses in smithing and two handed weapons are super helpful as is their racial ability.

Abusing assholes NPC is always a good time. So many cruel ways to brutally murdered and or maim them...

[The Emerald Legion]

So. A bewildering but amusing thing I discovered.

Fortify Destruction potions also increase the radius of the flame cloak spells, as well as the damage.

When combined with loops, this means the radius can become larger than your rendering distance/field of vision.

You literally walk through the game finding everything hostile to you already dead before you even see it.

[The first Galactic Republic]

So. A bewildering but amusing thing I discovered.

Fortify Destruction potions also increase the radius of the flame cloak spells, as well as the damage.

When combined with loops, this means the radius can become larger than your rendering distance/field of vision.

You literally walk through the game finding everything hostile to you already dead before you even see it.

At last I can roleplay as Dagoth Ur, but with fire instead of corprus.

[The Huskar Social Union]

My first character was a two handed heavy armour focused Nord fella called Rothgar.

Then i met another Nord in game who was also called Rothgar and fought with two handed weapons and wore heavy armour which was amusing. I thought about killing him at one point as there can be only one.


Last character i played i think was a one handed destruction female dark elf. Though ive done that a few times so cant remember.

[Ism]

My first character was a two handed heavy armour focused Nord fella called Rothgar.

Then i met another Nord in game who was also called Rothgar and fought with two handed weapons and wore heavy armour which was amusing. I thought about killing him at one point as there can be only one.


Last character i played i think was a one handed destruction female dark elf. Though ive done that a few times so cant remember.

Nord over Orc Huskar? What madness is this?

[The Huskar Social Union]

My first character was a two handed heavy armour focused Nord fella called Rothgar.

Then i met another Nord in game who was also called Rothgar and fought with two handed weapons and wore heavy armour which was amusing. I thought about killing him at one point as there can be only one.


Last character i played i think was a one handed destruction female dark elf. Though ive done that a few times so cant remember.

Nord over Orc Huskar? What madness is this?

I like Nords and found it fitting that my first character be one since the game is set in the home of the Nords. Was never that into ES Orcs honestly.

[North German Realm]

Last character i played i think was a one handed destruction female dark elf. Though ive done that a few times so cant remember.

So basically Irileth? (Or however her name is spelled idk)

I like Nords and found it fitting that my first character be one since the game is set in the home of the Nords. Was never that into ES Orcs honestly.

Eh. Thanks to the Empire's brilliant tactics, Orcs would logistically be the third largest minority in Skyrim (after Dunmer, mostly in the East, and Breto-Nedic [Breton, Reachman] in the West. It's not unlikely.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Last character i played i think was a one handed destruction female dark elf. Though ive done that a few times so cant remember.

So basically Irileth? (Or however her name is spelled idk)

I like Nords and found it fitting that my first character be one since the game is set in the home of the Nords. Was never that into ES Orcs honestly.

Eh. Thanks to the Empire's brilliant tactics, Orcs would logistically be the third largest minority in Skyrim (after Dunmer, mostly in the East, and Breto-Nedic [Breton, Reachman] in the West. It's not unlikely.

Yeah kind of, though i went more heavy armour if i remember.

[Ism]

Nord over Orc Huskar? What madness is this?

I like Nords and found it fitting that my first character be one since the game is set in the home of the Nords. Was never that into ES Orcs honestly.

Berserker Rage intensifies

You know, I always found it strange that Nords didn't get the berserker rage, on account of the actual berserkers being Norse.

[The Huskar Social Union]

I like Nords and found it fitting that my first character be one since the game is set in the home of the Nords. Was never that into ES Orcs honestly.

Berserker Rage intensifies

You know, I always found it strange that Nords didn't get the berserker rage, on account of the actual berserkers being Norse.

Well i guess they both can be berserkers but yeah makes sense they would have it too.


Orcs in ES have always felt a bit i dont know, lackluster? they are meant to be excellent soldiers in the imperial army but you never see a single Orc legionary in Oblivion or Skyrim from what i can remember. And i believe they are meant to be excellent armour and weapon craftsmen but their stuff looks so inferior and primitive compared to everyone elses (Mainly the weapons i actually quite like their armour)

[The Emerald Legion]

My first character was a two handed heavy armour focused Nord fella called Rothgar.

Then i met another Nord in game who was also called Rothgar and fought with two handed weapons and wore heavy armour which was amusing. I thought about killing him at one point as there can be only one.


Last character i played i think was a one handed destruction female dark elf. Though ive done that a few times so cant remember.

My first character was a two handed Heavy Armor Nord. His name was Nord Nordson. Eventually I also leveled enchanting and blacksmithing, alongside Conjuration. Though the last I basically mentally fluffed as just the Daedra showing up to avoid being one of his targets.

Then I made an abomination against Divinities and Daedra called Hal.

Hal was basically every overpowered glitch I could find crammed into a single character. He was both a vampire, and a werewolf, he had effectively infinite health, and Mana. He could punch dragons to death, and also had a steady supply of potions to allow him to annihilate them with basic spells.

Then once I was finished, I made a Breton named Mordron. Now that I'd tested the glitches out with Hal, I used some with rules to play Mordron, so it was still fun. Like for example, I can't use Fortify destruction potions of ridiculous potency to reinforce active casting. Just runes to assassinate people.

[Ism]

Berserker Rage intensifies

You know, I always found it strange that Nords didn't get the berserker rage, on account of the actual berserkers being Norse.

Well i guess they both can be berserkers but yeah makes sense they would have it too.


Orcs in ES have always felt a bit i dont know, lackluster? they are meant to be excellent soldiers in the imperial army but you never see a single Orc legionary in Oblivion or Skyrim from what i can remember. And i believe they are meant to be excellent armour and weapon craftsmen but their stuff looks so inferior and primitive compared to everyone elses (Mainly the weapons i actually quite like their armour)

Part of the lack of representation is an issue with engine limitations, or at least that's what I would imagine. Still, they could have at least given us an orc legate, we got an altmer after all. The smith in Markarth is an ex-legionaire, for what it's worth.

As for their weapons and armor, well, it is pretty good. I mean, compared to common arms and armor, iron, steel, imperial uniforms, even steel plate, Orcish is generally better. Dwemer arms are better, though the armor is worse (why they did that I do not know), and then obviously, ebony, daedric and dragonplate are just better.

So, with the Orsimer's work, we see something roughly on par with the Dwemer's work, which I'd say is impressive, given the difference in technological sophistication.

And, looking at the better materials, we have the crystallized blood of a god, the same blood but infused with Daedric souls, and the bones of reality warping pseudo-angels. Dragonborn adds stalhrim to the mix, which is innately magical. So, Orcish armor is the best you'll get from mundane materials, with better armors all being from more exotic materials, most of which have some direct relation to the divine.

A look at arms shows that, indeed Orcish arms just don't live up to the armor in terms of quality. As noted, they're inferior to Dwemer weapons, but also to elven and glass weapons. Lorewise I can see the reasoning behind this, Orcish heavy armor but not arms are mentioned in flavor text, and they seem to be endurance fighters generally, so a focus on armor quality does make a certain amount of sense, relying on innate strength and their rage to compensate for less powerful weapons.

Still, their arms are superior to common ones, and their armor is better than elven armor, even accounting for the heavy/light dichotomy, meaning that the relationship is much like the one between Orcish and Dwemer, one has better arms, the other better armor. That all of these are of merish make, is interesting to me. That leaves glass.

Glass and Orcish armor are the fourth best light and heavy armor respectively, but glass weapons are obviously superior, and by a wide margin. As, so far as I can tell, glass is made of mundane materials, this does make it the only set that is better than Orcish without being made of something magical or divine. Even so, it does seem glass is to elven what steel plate is to steel, a more expensive and rarer version.

So, in all likelihood, especially in human dominated areas, Orcish arms and armor are the best you're going to commonly find, and require relatively easier to acquire materials, and relatively less skill to craft than do superior or, in the case of Dwemer and arguably Elvish, equal sets.

As for the aesthetics, I enjoy look of Orcish weapons and armor, but I understand why you might not. That "primitive" look is certainly intended, orcs are skilled craftsman, but they don't much weight on "beauty" and such.

[The Huskar Social Union]

I know orc weapons are pretty good, same with their armour when it comes to actual stats and what not, but it is the aesthetic that bugs me the most, mainly for the weapons which i just dont think fit the armour personally.

The Armour reminds me of a fantasy version of Mongol armour, or armour that other Nomadic peoples from central asia might wear, and i quite like that design, its very plain looking in comparison to some other armours but still has its own refined look if that makes sense. The weapons on the other hand to me look like something out of Mordor's arsenal and i think they could have been improved a bit more in terms of their design.

Might just be me though.

[Arcturus Novus]

I know orc weapons are pretty good, same with their armour when it comes to actual stats and what not, but it is the aesthetic that bugs me the most, mainly for the weapons which i just dont think fit the armour personally.

The Armour reminds me of a fantasy version of Mongol armour, or armour that other Nomadic peoples from central asia might wear, and i quite like that design, its very plain looking in comparison to some other armours but still has its own refined look if that makes sense. The weapons on the other hand to me look like something out of Mordor's arsenal and i think they could have been improved a bit more in terms of their design.

Might just be me though.

No, you're right, they're kinda uninspired. For a people that are supposed to be expert smiths and soldiers, you would expect orsimer weapons and armor to be... cleaner. One could argue like, the designs in-game are meant to be more culturally evocative or whatever the fuck, but that's still a poor argument. An axe like this just doesn't look like something a well-trained blacksmith would make. It's crude, unwieldy. At the very least, let the orcs have a design philosophy that makes sense past "they're a rough and brutish people, y'know, like all the other orcs."

[The Imperial Reach]

First Skyrim play was as an Imperial, and it remains my go-to race for most of my plays followed by Redguard. I also like Dunmer, Altmer, and Orsimer. The other races don't really interest me all that much. Bosmer are ugly as fuck in Skyrim, IMO. Literally the worst look for them to date. Like they rolled around in mud. I always play female characters (save for one game as a Nord) and generally try to play to the strengths that each race starts off with, skills-wise. It feels like I'm misusing them when I don't. I did play a Khajiit that wore Heavy Armor and used warhammers once, though. That was fun. I always crush the Stormcloaks, too. I tried to play Stormcloaks once just to say I did but I got sick of the sheer arrogance emanating off them. The general racism/xenophobia doesn't help. They remind me too much of Neo-Nazis, Neo-Confederates, and Alt-Rightists.

I typically focus my characters as warriors, mages, or spellswords/battlemages. I used to go the classic Stealth Archer route all the time but it made the game too fucking boring because I could just cheese through everybody. Got sick of sneaking everywhere out of habit, too. I've since forsaken that nonsense in favor of direct combat. Illusion and Two-Handed are probably my most underused skills. They just don't interest me all that much. Illusion spells seem kind of pointless to me and Two-Handed weapons take too long to power strike, so when I'm fighting multiple enemies (like during the Civil War questline) they often hit me with multiple barrages before my strikes can hit them. Weapons also can't block as good as shields and I like being able to block, though IIRC there is a perk in Two-Handed that improves that I think. Regardless there aren't many unique Two-Handed weapons I can say I like the look/enchantment of, save for that Imperial Warhammer that general whats-his-name in Fort Frostmouth (the ruined fort on Solstheim?) has. I like the look of that one. Don't remember the enchantment; I think it does shock damage and drains magicka?

I remember the first Orc I made was beautiful, which is saying a lot considering... y'know. I lost that preset though. I'll try to recreate it one day soon.

[The Huskar Social Union]

First Skyrim play was as an Imperial, and it remains my go-to race for most of my plays followed by Redguard. I also like Dunmer, Altmer, and Orsimer. The other races don't really interest me all that much. Bosmer are ugly as fuck in Skyrim, IMO. Literally the worst look for them to date. Like they rolled around in mud. I always play female characters (save for one game as a Nord) and generally try to play to the strengths that each race starts off with, skills-wise. It feels like I'm misusing them when I don't. I did play a Khajiit that wore Heavy Armor and used warhammers once, though. That was fun. I always crush the Stormcloaks, too. I tried to play Stormcloaks once just to say I did but I got sick of the sheer arrogance emanating off them. The general racism/xenophobia doesn't help. They remind me too much of Neo-Nazis, Neo-Confederates, and Alt-Rightists.

I typically focus my characters as warriors, mages, or spellswords/battlemages. I used to go the classic Stealth Archer route all the time but it made the game too fucking boring because I could just cheese through everybody. Got sick of sneaking everywhere out of habit, too. I've since forsaken that nonsense in favor of direct combat. Illusion and Two-Handed are probably my most underused skills. They just don't interest me all that much. Illusion spells seem kind of pointless to me and Two-Handed weapons take too long to power strike, so when I'm fighting multiple enemies (like during the Civil War questline) they often hit me with multiple barrages before my strikes can hit them. Weapons also can't block as good as shields and I like being able to block, though IIRC there is a perk in Two-Handed that improves that I think. Regardless there aren't many unique Two-Handed weapons I can say I like the look/enchantment of, save for that Imperial Warhammer that general whats-his-name in Fort Frostmouth (the ruined fort on Solstheim?) has. I like the look of that one. Don't remember the enchantment; I think it does shock damage and drains magicka?

I remember the first Orc I made was beautiful, which is saying a lot considering... y'know. I lost that preset though. I'll try to recreate it one day soon.

Hey Orc women can be pretty damn fine.

[The Imperial Reach]

First Skyrim play was as an Imperial, and it remains my go-to race for most of my plays followed by Redguard. I also like Dunmer, Altmer, and Orsimer. The other races don't really interest me all that much. Bosmer are ugly as fuck in Skyrim, IMO. Literally the worst look for them to date. Like they rolled around in mud. I always play female characters (save for one game as a Nord) and generally try to play to the strengths that each race starts off with, skills-wise. It feels like I'm misusing them when I don't. I did play a Khajiit that wore Heavy Armor and used warhammers once, though. That was fun. I always crush the Stormcloaks, too. I tried to play Stormcloaks once just to say I did but I got sick of the sheer arrogance emanating off them. The general racism/xenophobia doesn't help. They remind me too much of Neo-Nazis, Neo-Confederates, and Alt-Rightists.

I typically focus my characters as warriors, mages, or spellswords/battlemages. I used to go the classic Stealth Archer route all the time but it made the game too fucking boring because I could just cheese through everybody. Got sick of sneaking everywhere out of habit, too. I've since forsaken that nonsense in favor of direct combat. Illusion and Two-Handed are probably my most underused skills. They just don't interest me all that much. Illusion spells seem kind of pointless to me and Two-Handed weapons take too long to power strike, so when I'm fighting multiple enemies (like during the Civil War questline) they often hit me with multiple barrages before my strikes can hit them. Weapons also can't block as good as shields and I like being able to block, though IIRC there is a perk in Two-Handed that improves that I think. Regardless there aren't many unique Two-Handed weapons I can say I like the look/enchantment of, save for that Imperial Warhammer that general whats-his-name in Fort Frostmouth (the ruined fort on Solstheim?) has. I like the look of that one. Don't remember the enchantment; I think it does shock damage and drains magicka?

I remember the first Orc I made was beautiful, which is saying a lot considering... y'know. I lost that preset though. I'll try to recreate it one day soon.

Hey Orc women can be pretty damn fine.

Most of them are fugly.

Their noses are all scrunched up, their hairstyles are atrocious for the most part, both males AND females suffer from a bad case of "gape mouth" that unfortunately is difficult/impossible to fix in character creation, and it's hard to make a face pretty enough to look past the glaring tusks.

Still, you have better luck making pretty Orcs than pretty Elves. Bosmer, Dunmer, and Altmer are so freakish-looking in Skyrim. I get they're not supposed to look human but those giant chins of theirs make it hard to look at anything else.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Hey Orc women can be pretty damn fine.

Most of them are fugly.

Their noses are all scrunched up, their hairstyles are atrocious for the most part, both males AND females suffer from a bad case of "gape mouth" that unfortunately is difficult/impossible to fix in character creation, and it's hard to make a face pretty enough to look past the glaring tusks.

Still, you have better luck making pretty Orcs than pretty Elves. Bosmer, Dunmer, and Altmer are so freakish-looking in Skyrim. I get they're not supposed to look human but those giant chins of theirs make it hard to look at anything else.

Nah i like the elven designs in skyrim personally. I like that they actually look different and not just humans with pointy ears.


Also again some elven ladies in that game aint bad, like Niranye for example. Still annoyed you could never marry her without console commands. Though i prefer to murder most high elves i come across in that game because they are dicks.

[Atheris]

Anyone else here a diehard Stormcloak?

[The Imperial Reach]

Most of them are fugly.

Their noses are all scrunched up, their hairstyles are atrocious for the most part, both males AND females suffer from a bad case of "gape mouth" that unfortunately is difficult/impossible to fix in character creation, and it's hard to make a face pretty enough to look past the glaring tusks.

Still, you have better luck making pretty Orcs than pretty Elves. Bosmer, Dunmer, and Altmer are so freakish-looking in Skyrim. I get they're not supposed to look human but those giant chins of theirs make it hard to look at anything else.

Nah i like the elven designs in skyrim personally. I like that they actually look different and not just humans with pointy ears.


Also again some elven ladies in that game aint bad, like Niranye Nenya for example. Still annoyed you could never marry her without console commands. Though i prefer to murder most high elves i come across in that game because they are dicks.

Fixed that for you.

And yes, Huskar, we all murder Thalmor patrols. That's normal for every Skyrim player.

Anyone else here a diehard Stormcloak?

"Stormcloak Rebellion? How dare you shove that swill in my face?"

[The first Galactic Republic]

Elves are way too ugly in Skyrim. I agree that they should look different from humans, but that was too much.

Though I’m a fan of having my Breton character marry Taarie because of the height difference. There’s so much more woman to love. (Alas Taarie wouldn’t be my first choice, but she’s the only eligible Altmer)

[Ism]

Whatever our opinion on elves, we can all agree that Argonians are sexy sneks yes?

Also:

Anyone else here a diehard Stormcloak?

Damn Stormcloak traitor!

[The first Galactic Republic]

Whatever our opinion on elves, we can all agree that Argonians are sexy sneks yes?

Also:

Anyone else here a diehard Stormcloak?

Damn Stormcloak traitor!

Whatever you say, Crassius Curio.

[Kongfuzia]

Anyone else here a diehard Stormcloak?

I'm a Stormcloak, but that just because I want to invade Solitude as a Stormcloak soldier and kill the Emperor as a Dark Brotherhood assassin at the same time.