Skyrim: Blocking and you, or This is why you keep dying.

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I play with stealth and a bow so I don't really need block. Most things die before they even see me, literally.

I think I played the game for about an hour before I turned the difficulty to max. feels the same sort of level as Fallout 3 difficulty wise. ie. Normal = Easy and so on.

 

[CowboyfromHell666]

I use shields/Block all the time, after I realized how much more survivable I became instead of running around with a spell in one hand that I can only use like 3 times and it's as if the enemy got poked in the side by a feather.

 

[omicron1]

There is one wrong way to play:
Play a crafting build.

By the time you've levelled Smithing and Enchanting to 100 or thereabouts, you're at a high enough level that the fancy dragon armor you just made is pretty much useless. Bandits can one-shot you with iron arrows, for crying out loud.

Oh, well. I can think of worse fates than starting over with a different build.

My enchanting is only 40, but my smithing is 100, and frankly I can't be stopped. Seriously, a bandit is a one hit kill from my Legendary Ebony Sword, two if it's an Outlaw or Thug, A chief is two double power attacks (Ebony Sword and Skyforge Steel Sword both Legendary), and I can literally just sit in the middle of three bandits and soak up their stupid arrows for an hour with my Legendary Dragon Scaleplate Amor and necklace of health regen.

Just levelling Smithing and Enchanting doesn't make you weak

I'm wearing full Legendary gear, wielding a legendary Daedric sword... and level 33-ish. Perhaps I passed a level-gate at 30; perhaps not. All I know is that the levels put into Smithing and Enchanting, which could well have gone into combat skills, have rendered me nigh-impotent in a wide variety of circumstances, ranging from average enemy mages (I can die in under 1 second, while buffed with flame retardation, magic retardation, and frost retardation potions) to bandits with iron arrows (one-shotted at least three times trying to assault a fort).

 

[AshtonF]

If i do my job right they wont see me before they get my DUAL DAGGERS in the back

 

[masticina]

It would work counter for Magic users!

Having a high shield value in Oblivion for instance meant losses in your magical ability. Not to mention lets be fair.. dual magic wielding. Better yet if combined with the perk that ups the power of the spell if you put both the same in your hands.

So yeah for a fighter blocking helps even for a thief it might offer something. But one thing is sure not for everything.

I rather sneak around with bow an arrow. Funny last night I had to clean out a cave full of trouble. One was that there was a Captain. Yup one of those leveled jerks! No matter how good YOU are they are also freaking good. So after sniping using my bow and arrow most of them away I did go in for the kill of the actual target not the captain. I did get so [hey 7 reloads..freaking captain] and guess what Mr Captain was stuck further away.

Hehehe I left him alive all alone after all I did get what I came for. Even with the Jabbawak I now own he would be probably able to withstand that.

 

[w00tage]

Who needs block when you have a time-pausing inventory and health potions?

The only excuses anyone has for dying in Skyrim are, "I didn't hit the inventory button fast enough" and, "I ran out of health potions."

Or you can just grab a bow and take advantage of the fact that you're the only being on the planet who can jump. One tall rock and you're all set.

Or use the "stealth" mechanic to effectively become invisible and get one-hit kills on almost anything.

Given the alternatives, I conclude that blocking is for boring people.

now see, I hate doing those things, it breaks the immersion for me and feels like I'm exploiting my way to victory. Sure, I can do those and win like everyone else ('cause a free insuperable advantage for the player is almost de rigeur now in games ), but it's hella more fun to me to fight in character and win.

 

[w00tage]

Question, can't you block with a two-handed weapon like in Oblivion? That was my fun char, a lightly-armored fighter with a whompin' two handed weapon. If you can't do that in Skyrim, well I probably still will pick it up at some point, but not as soon.

 

[Zhukov]

Who needs block when you have a time-pausing inventory and health potions?

The only excuses anyone has for dying in Skyrim are, "I didn't hit the inventory button fast enough" and, "I ran out of health potions."

Or you can just grab a bow and take advantage of the fact that you're the only being on the planet who can jump. One tall rock and you're all set.

Or use the "stealth" mechanic to effectively become invisible and get one-hit kills on almost anything.

Given the alternatives, I conclude that blocking is for boring people.

now see, I hate doing those things, it breaks the immersion for me and feels like I'm exploiting my way to victory. Sure, I can do those and win like everyone else ('cause a free insuperable advantage for the player is almost de rigeur now in games ), but it's hella more fun to me to fight in character and win.

Huh?

But none of those are exploits. Just the basic game mechanics being used as they were intended.

 

[Kopikatsu]

...You're silly. I can cast Master-level spells for 0 Magicka. Can I laugh at your 500 Magicka now?

Don't be mean. I'm only level 22 -_-

'

I was like...level 18 when I got the potential for 0 Magicka Master-level spells. (Right now, I'm almost to Expert level).

Enchantment is broken. 100% reduction in Magicka cost for Destruction and Restoration magic.

 

[w00tage]

Who needs block when you have a time-pausing inventory and health potions?

The only excuses anyone has for dying in Skyrim are, "I didn't hit the inventory button fast enough" and, "I ran out of health potions."

Or you can just grab a bow and take advantage of the fact that you're the only being on the planet who can jump. One tall rock and you're all set.

Or use the "stealth" mechanic to effectively become invisible and get one-hit kills on almost anything.

Given the alternatives, I conclude that blocking is for boring people.

now see, I hate doing those things, it breaks the immersion for me and feels like I'm exploiting my way to victory. Sure, I can do those and win like everyone else ('cause a free insuperable advantage for the player is almost de rigeur now in games ), but it's hella more fun to me to fight in character and win.

Huh?

But none of those are exploits. Just the basic game mechanics being used as they were intended.

I would argue that jumping to a place NPC pathing can't reach is one of the oldest exploits there is. Re the other two, they may not technically be "exploits" but only because the developers launched it like that. If the NPC's can't do those things, then they give the same advantage to the player as exploits, and "because the developers built it that way" doesn't change the effect on gameplay to me. Can NPC's use their inventory items like potions, wands and such via the AI? Can NPC's reach any place that you can? Can NPCs become invisible through stealth and backwhack you?

If the answer to any question is "nope", then the respective mechanic gives the player a meta-game advantage equivalent to that provided by an exploit. To me, that's either the devs saying I'm not a good enough player to win against an NPC on equal terms, or admitting that they couldn't design the game so the playing field would be level. Either way, it's not as much fun.

FYI, I'm revisiting an old game right now, and the NPCs can do everything the player can. They can go invisible and attack unexpectedly (and do). Nobody can jump, so that's not an issue. And they use inventory items via the AI, which gives them the same advantage as Pause does for me.

YMMV, but to me, the only way to play is on a level playing field

 

[dan10981]

I'm going with illusion being useless for none stealth character after 30. The perks only raise the level 35 or 37, I forget off the top of my head. Also as far as I can tell from experience, you can't dual cast master spells. So as a pure faster illusion was a complete waste to me.

 

[Garethp]

There is one wrong way to play:
Play a crafting build.

By the time you've levelled Smithing and Enchanting to 100 or thereabouts, you're at a high enough level that the fancy dragon armor you just made is pretty much useless. Bandits can one-shot you with iron arrows, for crying out loud.

Oh, well. I can think of worse fates than starting over with a different build.

My enchanting is only 40, but my smithing is 100, and frankly I can't be stopped. Seriously, a bandit is a one hit kill from my Legendary Ebony Sword, two if it's an Outlaw or Thug, A chief is two double power attacks (Ebony Sword and Skyforge Steel Sword both Legendary), and I can literally just sit in the middle of three bandits and soak up their stupid arrows for an hour with my Legendary Dragon Scaleplate Amor and necklace of health regen.

Just levelling Smithing and Enchanting doesn't make you weak

I'm wearing full Legendary gear, wielding a legendary Daedric sword... and level 33-ish. Perhaps I passed a level-gate at 30; perhaps not. All I know is that the levels put into Smithing and Enchanting, which could well have gone into combat skills, have rendered me nigh-impotent in a wide variety of circumstances, ranging from average enemy mages (I can die in under 1 second, while buffed with flame retardation, magic retardation, and frost retardation potions) to bandits with iron arrows (one-shotted at least three times trying to assault a fort).

Wow, after lvl 23, with 100 smithing, I just smash through anything in my way, from Dragons to Giants to Master Mages and Bandit Chiefs. Legendary Dragonscale and Dual-Wielding Glass and Ebony swords

 

[gizunt]

Thanks man! the slow down time is AWESOME. I usually never even look at blocking and this really helped me.

 

[Svenparty]

Effectively using my Plasmids Spells to end most things. May have to train block once I am more than just level six though.

Does the game get harder? I'm finding some enemies to be simple but I've only fought zombies and vampires so far.

 

[6_Qubed]

I might try building a more melee-based loadout somewhere down the line, and going sword-and-board certainly looks interesting, but for right now my Breton is the Listener and leader of the Dark Brotherhood, and if I were to utilize one of your cowering planks, I would have to put away the Blade of Woe and drop stealth.

And that, surely, is madness.

(Incidentally, my primary weapon is a hand-axe. Not very stealthy, but I remembered an old story from Morrowind, and it seemed a fitting way to pay tribute.)

 

[MrRetroSpectacles]

Firstly, agreed, blocking is awesome, one of my favourites (except when the slow time glitches and I'm moving normally in a slow world without magicka or stamina regeneration, amusing at first, makes fights impossible to lose, but still irritating eventually).

Now to business, dragons and mages or anything that can shoot a powerful magicka spell once I'm finding difficult to beat. I play warrior with some archery and a tad of destruction/restoration here and there, most melee situations I can solve, although not all of them quite yet. So, does anyone know a decent combination of enchantments, perks, existing magical items or so on that can make me a magicka sponge instead of a walking target? I'd like to stand in front of a dragon capable of withstanding full blasts and laughing at it with my Darth Sidious dual lightning.

Any answers are greatly appreciated, thanks.

Happy hunting

 

[Ruby Psiberzerker]

I use block a lot with my 2 handed assassin, Dread Fall. Not so much to prevent damage, but bashing to get free shots in. A quick 2 tap bash staggers faster, and for less stamina than a power attack, opening them up for a smasher to stagger them again. Catch a DDOL in the draw animation, and he never even starts his swing. It's also a fun cherry tap for skeevers, skeletons, and anything I don't want to backstab, for some reason. Probably second only to Great Critical Charge, and Silent Roll to hit someone across the room with 4x with my Ebony Warhammer. Block isn't just defense, with Shield Charge, Deadly bash, and Disarming, it's a decent offense as well.

 

[Tyler Bowles]

This game really is all about being able to play through however you want your play style to be. i don't use block. i don't think i've even picked up a shield unless it was by accident. they weigh too much and i don't like to be hindered on my carry weight.

the best way to go about it is to do what i do. invest in three perk trees and three perk trees only (until they're basically filled and you have extra perk points of course)

archery
illusion
sneak

there's nothing more satisfying then sneaking up on a group of bandits all huddled around a table, quiet casting frenzy on one of them and watching them kill each other. it's just such an awesome feeling to say hey, i didn't have to lift a finger. and for the one bandit that has no one else to fight, pick them off with a very well-placed arrow to the knee. problem solved. one of the most useful perks in the archery tree (next to eagle eye) is quick draw. if your enemy finds you, you can keep drawing arrows quickly. I have to admit, i'm level 45 i barely have any spells in destruction and i don't carry a single weapon on me besides my bow and a ridiculous amount of arrows. my first play through was all about destruction and heavy armor. being a Juggernaut and beasting. but this play through is WAY more satisfying.

p.s. whoever commented about the 'shadow warrior' perk in the sneak tree, then using whirlwind sprint and picking them off with a bow when they lose you, that's a freaking awesome idea. i never really thought about that. definitely gotta try that next time i'm on.

as for dragons, meh. if your bows are good enough and you remember to use potions or restoration, you can kill them in a matter of 10 arrows if you're good (stronger ones take about 10, weak ones take about 3)

thank you and goodnight.

 

[Tyler Bowles]

There is one wrong way to play:
Play a crafting build.

By the time you've levelled Smithing and Enchanting to 100 or thereabouts, you're at a high enough level that the fancy dragon armor you just made is pretty much useless. Bandits can one-shot you with iron arrows, for crying out loud.

Oh, well. I can think of worse fates than starting over with a different build.

My enchanting is only 40, but my smithing is 100, and frankly I can't be stopped. Seriously, a bandit is a one hit kill from my Legendary Ebony Sword, two if it's an Outlaw or Thug, A chief is two double power attacks (Ebony Sword and Skyforge Steel Sword both Legendary), and I can literally just sit in the middle of three bandits and soak up their stupid arrows for an hour with my Legendary Dragon Scaleplate Amor and necklace of health regen.

Just levelling Smithing and Enchanting doesn't make you weak

I'm wearing full Legendary gear, wielding a legendary Daedric sword... and level 33-ish. Perhaps I passed a level-gate at 30; perhaps not. All I know is that the levels put into Smithing and Enchanting, which could well have gone into combat skills, have rendered me nigh-impotent in a wide variety of circumstances, ranging from average enemy mages (I can die in under 1 second, while buffed with flame retardation, magic retardation, and frost retardation potions) to bandits with iron arrows (one-shotted at least three times trying to assault a fort).

Wow, after lvl 23, with 100 smithing, I just smash through anything in my way, from Dragons to Giants to Master Mages and Bandit Chiefs. Legendary Dragonscale and Dual-Wielding Glass and Ebony swords

oh my freaking god. how do you die that quickly? one shotted by arrows and dying in one second? i got an idea for you. pause the game and go to settings. check your gameplay settings and make sure you're not on very hard because that'd do it for you. put it on average or easy if you can't handle the harder difficulties ;P