The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

There's a finisher cutscene for clearing out forts and bandit camps? O_O

Nah I meant that if you do a sneak attack with a dagger, sometimes it plays a small CS of you cutting their throat. The original attack had to have one shot I believe... But yeah.

Also works with a sword...and doesn't have to be a sneak attack. Ive knocked a guy backwards before and then did a power attack with my sword and its done the backwards-throat-slit finisher.

I remember Prothescar was saying something about how swords overall have better DPS even in sneak mode despite the 15x damage multiplyer with Assassin's Blade perk. Any testimony to this? I'd love to use daggers primarily but if they're not ideal for close combat even when dual wielded, I probably should slip a sword in there for combat when I become compromised.

Well, with the Shrouded Gloves from the Dark Brotherhood storyline, the dagger does x30 damage rather than 15. And the other one handed weapons would only do x12. Blade of woe is a dagger with DMG78 if I'm wearing my melee gear + shrouded gloves (which I can cause lv100 sneak is boss.) And my Daedric sword is DMG117


117 x 12 = 1404

78 x 30 = 2340


Huh. Never seen a sword swiped across a target's throat from behind. I've only seen

-Both Swords thrust through the target; lifting them up in the air before dropping their corpse.
-Grab the target by the head, then thrust a blade through their back
-Quick 360 spin and slashing the target's throat.
-Swipe blade across their chest; target falls to their knees. Then cross blades across target's neck before beheading them.
-Power strike; decapitating target.

Then again, I always sneak attack with daggers since that assassin trait. Maybe I just don't remember it happening. :x

Impressive, though that would generally only apply while sneaking yes? But with 100 sneak, I'm sure it's relatively easy to sneak up on just about anyone or even use that stealth crouch thing to force the target into disorientation even when you're caught eh?

Daggers it is though, that's pretty gnarly, especially if you use the grindstone on the blade of woe.

only way to skill pickpocket is reading and pickpocketing right?

Common sense would dictate but I figure I would ask before I start down my criminal path.

A neat trick is to have a good pool of gold, and find a trainer to have them teach you. Gain a few levels that way, and pickpocket your spent gold back. Wash, rinse, repeat. Though it will cost more to train past level 50 or so than what you would be allowed to steal back from what I have read.

Otherwise, STEAL ALL THE THINGS!

Yeah, I pickpocket bandits before I kill them normally. Be sure to check the success% under the item to make sure the odds of stealing are in your comfort zone.

I was wondering how you backstab in Skyrim. |:

I tried sneaking then hit but it only does a normal hit.

I'm not sure tbh it does it randomly for me. Try power attacking instead?

Also Arte, I should have mentioned that if you are in close combat, all the other weapons are better. Swords swing faster though and have the widest range of the one handed weapons. Daggers should be saved for sneak attacking. Like if you're clearing a bandit hideout and such.

Similar to the instant-kill animations you get while using weapons in head on combat, there is a chance you'll do an instant cut-throat animation killing your target instantly while sneaked. The chance probably increases based on your sneak skill in all probability.

Yeah, I figured swords would have a better range and damage ratio per hit than daggers, even regardless of speed. However, if they simply included daggers in the critical hit perk that applies to swords in the one-handed tree.

Also, the Riverwood vendor is selling an Amulet of Talos for only 78 gold, should I nab it? :o

*** the Hell yes!

I'm having issues leveling a mage. Why is this so difficult? I even made the trek to the college a priority. My boyfriend made a melee character and is triple my level in about half the time. Is this normal?

One word: Conjuration.

Destruction is crappy.

Well melee characters are going to get hit more often than a mage character. He gets hit, and his armor gets skill ups. He hits something, and his weapon skills up. Mages are staying at a distance thus aren't getting hit. And their staves are considered "magic" I believe.

Another problem with that is that mage armor is normal DEF:1. I suggest wearing only a body armor with good status (finish the college quests as best as you can. The body armor rewarded at the end is the best for a mage iirc.) And then wear light armor on the rest of the slots; elven gloves and such.

(Side note: is it bad every time I'm going to type Elven, I type Elvaan? lol)

Try spamming weaker spells while in combat situations as the rate of your leveling is based on how many times you use something or hit a target, so you want to leave your targets alive long enough to fit as many castings in as you can.

Also spamming bound weapons is a quick way to level Conjuration and thus gives you many levels and perks to spend.

But I do notice melees seem to have the upper hand in general leveling than mages do.

Just got the Nightingale Blade.

"Absorbs 25 points of HP and stamina per second from the target."

"per second"

Weapon with aura effect? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!?! Can't upgrade it on the grinding wheel? -.-

This is exactly what I wanted to focus on. I feel like it's the slowest skilling magic though... in the noob levels for my other hand should I mostly be using a shield, restoration wards, or restoration healing? Or something else?

It doesn't skill up unless there's an enemy present. Which is kinda dumb imo. As for the offhand, maybe a shield would be better at lower levels... Sorry, I haven't really touched magic beyond Muffle. :/

If you really wanna gain levels quick, piss off a giant and run away while spamming spells other than destruction, they'll level up rather quickly since you're in a "combat" or "hostile" situation.
But otherwise I strongly recommend spamming use and summonings of conjuration to skill up quickly.

Steps to Conjuration Success:

1. Slaughterfish
2. Bound Weapon
3. ????
4. Profit

I think I like this game way too much, lol >.>
Would be better if I didn't lag like hell though, hope that PS3 patch or whatevs comes soon :<
Also I didn't know I could also have a dog along with Lydia! though he ruins anything that revolves around "sneaky" :<

Where are these Slaughterfish found? I don't know if I've come across any yet.

-Raiding a House for the Thief's Guild quests.

"Okay, now that I have disarmed the trap on the door, time to see what's in this room." *table and some shelves; few books laying around.* "Ah, that map looks like what I nee- wait, what was that book called? 'The Lusty Argonian Maid, v1.'"

...

/read

"... I have the strangest *** right now..."

Can find them in the water.. I've only actually came across one, they're the games version of an alligator gar I guess.. They're mean as hell, but they're also weak as hell.. You know that saying "Being pecked to death by a chicken/duck"?

That reminds me, right when I finished making my new character and got out of the Helgen Keep, I stumbled upon this hunter with her dog, and the dog started barking. You can probably guess the exact words she said xD

I can't.

There's a lake west of Riverwood and North of Falkreath. Slaughterfish seem a bit less common in Skyrim, so you may need to swim around quite a bit.

Edit: I've had a fear of Slaughterfish and an aversion to water since Morrowind. Know thy enemy!