December 21, 2011 Beginner Tips For Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

I have owned Skyrim for the Xbox360 for about a week now. Since I have also been off work for that time I have had the luxury of throwing myself into the game. Today, 7 days in, I can say without a doubt that Skyrim is the best game I have ever played, ever.

The reason I can say that is this game is the closest you can get to a fully interactive world. Skyrim itself is epic in size, there seems to be an endless amount of things to do. Everywhere you go, almost everyone you talk to has a story. A detailed slice of the world, all inter-tangling with each other just like an epic fantasy novel, only you are in full control to do what you want whenever you want.

Currently I have about a dozen quests I am working on plus another dozen side tasks and I am still a rookie compared to my friends who have had the game since release. I am a level 20 and they are up in the 40s and 50s.

I am not going to run down how to get started, run down the races and types of characters you can play as. There are plenty of resources for that. What I am going to do is run down what I think are good tips on what you should and should not do when you play. Some are standard, basic things others are a little different. This is also a spoiler free guide so no worries.

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

1. Don't Get The "Strategy" Guide, You Don't Need It - The guide for this game is 600+ pages. I have an overall general problem with "strategy" guides. The guides you get have nothing to do with strategy, they are walk-though guides. Skyrim deserves to be explored raw, that's the primary appeal for this game. Walk around and explore to find all the hidden jewels. Getting that little rush of accomplishment when you find the secret plants, hidden houses, rare items. If you use the guide to tell you where to do then why do you play the game to begin with if you are just going to use a step by step guide? Just buy the guide and read it like a book. Skyrim is laid out pretty clear that you don't need to be told where to go. Spend an extra minute to figure out how to get through a challenge spot, don't cheat. Use your brain.
2. Walk Everywhere When You Can - When you start out you have to walk. As you reveal and find locations you can fast travel back and forth. Don't fast travel, at least not at first. Skyrim is about character development and you can't get better, stronger, find things by skipping the world in between towns. I haven't even used a horse yet, just walked. In talking with other friends that play the game I have more gold, more rare items, more ingredients and level up faster because I don't skip around.
3. Don't Use The Roads - Skyrim is all about exploring and I can assure you the hidden, rare things you will be looking for are not on the sides of the roads. I don't use the roads when moving around because there is nothing there. The only time I do stick to the road is going up a mountain since that's the only way to go up.
4. Don't Do The Main Story Right Away - The main story in Skyrim is an epic tale. It is also designed to kick your butt and it's no easy. Like all RPGs I play I do as many side quests first, as many as I can find. Why? Because you will level up faster, get more gold and the quests usually get you good weapons or items that you usually get at a higher level if you stick to the main story. 
5. Read All The Books - Every book you find, read it. You don't have to physically read every word yourself, just read it in the game. About 10% of the time the books will level up a skill for you or give you a side quest. Unless you find a rare book that's worth a lot you don't have to keep them. Also you can read a book and not steal it.
6. Look For Journals - Like books there are journals lying around. The journals are usually written by a character you are dealing with in a quest. These will give you clues and hints to what's going on around them. A few times the journals are the "strategy" guide on how to get through a quest. 
7. Bring a Companion When You Can - Eventually you will come across people that will want to join you, let them. They are an extra fighting partner that makes getting through caves, fighting dragons, and taking on bandits much easier. You can also use them as a traveling chest to carry items if you get bogged down. If they have a lower weapon give them a new one and out fit them to be better equipped. Try not to let them die.
8. Learn To Make Potions - Whether you are a magic character or not, learn Alchemy don't ignore it. All those plants, animal parts, salts you pick up are very useful to make potions. Potions can turn a battle around. Make as many as you can, when you can. You can always sell the ones you don't need. You will be happy when you can poison your weapon that sucks half their Health away and regenerate yours at the same time. 
9. Watch The Time Of Day - Skyrim operates 24 hours a day. Pay attention to what time of day it is. Different things, different people, different activities happen during the day time and night time. If you come across a shop or house and it's locked at night, wait until after 8am and it will probably open up. 
10. Steal Carefully - Stealing is necessary but don't get caught. I tend to not carry a bounty anywhere but I steal all the time. If you get caught and thrown in jail you lose everything you stole, you can get it back but it's difficult and can wast time, potions and magic. 

The most important tip I can give for this game and any RPG is this - 

Save, Save, Save!!!!

Save as often as you can at every step you can. You can't over save. I have over 150 save points. Why so many? So if I come to a point in the game where an earlier decision put me in a real bind I can go back, like going back in time, and try again. When you are going through a cave or quest and fighting creatures, save after you kill each one. There is nothing more frustrating putting together a strategy, taking on a crew, spending 20 minutes beating them, moving into the next room and getting killed...and having to start back over again. 

Baby step saves will save your game and sanity. If you like RPG and epic stories this is a must have, hands down.

End of Line.

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