The Oblivion Thread vol. II

[Silver14]

I did Kvatch tonight with a level 15 or so as well. It is very annoying indeed. The gate itself isn't so bad, its the other part of Kvatch. I believe the issue is your 'allies' do not scale the way that they should. I was faceing 3-4 Clanfear in groups along with fire or frost atronach (first time I saw a frost) while the worthless Imperial guard and company die very quickly at the first major battle. At the time I would be lucky to take on 1 Clanfear without dieing. I had to use the slider for the first time. Kvatch is definatly easier at lower levels just because your 'help' doesn't suck so much.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Ah, yes. Isn't that what I said? The game's message reads like this:

You DON'T take levels in smithing, or your character's combat abilities will irreparably suffer, because monsters don't smith.

You DON'T take levels in trade, or your character's combat abilities will irreparably suffer, because monsters don't trade.

You DON'T take levels in speechcraft, or your character's combat abilities will irreparably suffer, because monsters don't talk.

Etc. etc.

I can proceed in this game without skills like these. I can have my armor fixed by a professional. I will have to pay a bit more without trading skills. I will be not as convincing without speechcraft. But I still can play. But I can't proceed without combat, because I am constantly ambushed where ever I move - which is good because it is pretty much the point of the game.

If it is like you say, skills like those I mentioned would just be deceptions for the stupid. Which would be sad.

but what fun is that. I like smithing. I found out the hard way about going into a tough area with no hammers just now (although I still have a low amorer skill anyways). Those trolls wiped my sword down to 39. It was difficult to take the last one out without dying.

And my speechcraft naturally goes up just by playing the mini game. And I needed to raise it in order to get the appropiate conversation choice with the second in command at chyren (can't spell that city name anyways) guards.

I guess I could bribe him, but doesn't that raise speechcraft as well?

The game does seem to be getting harder as I go up in levels. Admittedly, I only went up one level today. Although some areas were still pretty easy. Goblins were cake. But the trolls I faced were really tough.

[Dis]

Otherwise I had a good session tonight. Although I don't care for horses. I guess I'm still so used to the morrowind way of doing things. Horses just annoy me. I don't use them.

And despite what some people say, I don't feel I'm levelling too quickly with athletics, heavy armor, and blade as major skills. One reason is I fast travel so much, and don't encounter many random encounters with creatures. Fast travel has it's cons, but still many pros.

As I mentioned above, I had my hardest encounter of the game so far. A type of troll. Way harder than the Kvatch gate. the trolls were

Spoiler:

painted trolls that were in the painting of that artist guy. luckily I only had to face one at a time, but they do regenerate health. I found the best method to be quick attacks not longer/stronger attacks.

and I still haven't mastered blocking yet. Anyone have any advice on blocking? I'm thinking about saying screw it, and going with a 2 hander. I went with a 2 hander on most of my characters in Morrowind anyways. I just didn't think the blocking was worth the reduced damage.

[Harovan]

I have a policy not to fast travel to locations, where I haven't yet been by foot. This way I had to walk from Chorrol over Skingrad to Kvatch in a one day's travel last night as lowly level 2. It was a pretty exciting walk, I love those. I set out about 8am and arrived in Kvatch way after midnight.

[asleepathewheel]

how does one defeat a ghost?

[bonscott]

Originally posted by Dis
and I still haven't mastered blocking yet. Anyone have any advice on blocking? I'm thinking about saying screw it, and going with a 2 hander. I went with a 2 hander on most of my characters in Morrowind anyways. I just didn't think the blocking was worth the reduced damage.

Block is one of my major skills and I love it.

I've found the best way to block is to learn what each creature does and how it like to fight. For example I found that rats will leap in the air at you before they get up close the first time. So unless you can time your first strike to nail them before they jump or while in air, put your shield up and they'll bounce off your sheild. Sometimes that'll stun them but even not immediatly attack and they're done for. Skeleton's like to do that as well. I've found that Goblins will telegraph their big attacks most times. You'll see them really swing their hammer or sword around for a power attack, get your sheild up when you see them do it and you'll block it for less damage.

I'll admit I didn't think I'd like the manual block system but now that I've learned to remember it's even there it's pretty cool.

By the way, you can still block with a two handed weapon. When you block with a claymore for example you'll hold it out in front of you and the enemy weapon will clank off it. I'm sure this damages your weapon more but then that's what repair hammers are for.

And I always take Armorer as a major skill, did so in Morrowind to. I just love being able to repair my stuff out in the field or any time and not pay for it. Plus it controls Endurance which directly effects hit points. When I've played a more mage or stealth character it's harder to level up Endurance so take Armorer and you'll be able to get Endurance up with multipliers whenever you so choose.

[bonscott]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
how does one defeat a ghost?

You need a magical weapon or use spells.

[bonscott]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
no high res textures for long distance graphics

Which is easily fixed by this mod: http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2182

[bonscott]

Oh, the big tweak guide is up!

http://www.tweakguides.com/

[Spaced Cowboy]

Just faced one of the toughest quests so far. The second fighter guild mission in Anvil is wicked. You have to face 3 enemies that are way better than you are (or at least better than I was). The only way I managed to take them out was by running away. They followed me but unfortunately the guards did not seem to like them. I did manage to kill two of them, but the guards polished of the 3rd.

I may end up starting over one more time. I do not think that I quite have my characters skills picked correctly.

It seems that even minor skills can be vastly improved by using them a lot. I picked alchemy as a major skill, and use it more than any other to mix everything that isn't nailed down into a potion to sell back to the shops.

However, that causes me to level prematurely, it should have been a minor skill. I've been sitting in the mages guild casting the light spell and the minor detect life skill to improve my minor skills of illusion and mysticism.

They seemed to increase nicely. Although I don't get the boosts to my stats from them, who cares, as long as I can get them to the levels that I need to cast the good spells.

Now comes the question.

What are the best major skills?

[Quillan]

Silver weapons will hit ghosts. Until you get a magical weapon, always carry around a silver weapon for them. You'll also need them for wraiths and will-o-the-wisps later, as these are also incorporeal.

[Kinjiru]

Started a thief last night and am loving it. I know that later on my marksman skill won't help me, but for now it is quite fun.

Anyway, on my way to Kvatch, I came across something very intriguing...

Not sure if this is a spoiler or not, I think not, but just to be safe...

Spoiler:

Travel along the road to Kvatch at dusk. Near a Fort (which will be marked for you if you get close, but off the road), you might see a beacon of light shining down from heaven off to your left at one point. The column of light is visible from a pretty fair distance. If you investigate, you will find an altar draped in what looks to be a royal banner of some kind.

I have no idea what significance this plays in the game, as there was nothing there when I made the discovery. But maybe it will come into play down the road.

At any rate, it was incredibly cool to see!

[Nikolai]

Spaced: The one with the shop owner? I did that one yesterday. I'm not good at hitting right place all the time, so it wasn't the easiest fight I've had, but I nevertheless had little problem taking them out. Perhaps you should have got better armor or weapons on?

[Imran Siddiqui]

[q=Dis]As I mentioned above, I had my hardest encounter of the game so far. A type of troll. Way harder than the Kvatch gate. the trolls were [/q]

Ditto. Those were freaking TOUGH! Other trolls are a piece of cake compared to them!

[q=asleepatthewheel]how does one defeat a ghost?
[/q]

Add to magical weapons, silver weapons work nicely as well (its why I keep a silver longsword around).

Which is easily fixed by this mod

Yeah, that was the point... that it was so easily fixed that Bethesda had to be purposely crippling the game so the XBox 360 would 'look just as good'. It was their "proof".

[q=Sir Ralph]Meaning, over the same level range my opponents gained much more power than myself.[/q]

Or rather, your fellow soldiers at Kvatch didn't level up with you or the opponents. At earlier levels, they can help clear out monsters. At higher levels, they die very quickly. That's the main problem, the fellow soldiers are static level.

[Solver]

Kinjiru: yeah, that surprised me, too. And I've also discovered another place like that elsewhere.