The open-ended nature of The Elder Scrolls games is partly what makes them so special. Players can create any character they wish, do what they desire, and explore the hundreds of locations dotted throughout Tamriel. Skyrim does this exceptionally well thanks to its fluid leveling system and streamlined gear.
That amount of choice can result in some small roadblocks throughout a new player’s journey, though. There is no incorrect way of playing an Elder Scrolls title, although there are a few ways players can make the game harder on themselves. Here are ten mistakes many newer Skyrim players make on their first playthrough.
10 Becoming An All-Rounder
Image from Culveyhouse (YouTube)
Every skill tree in Skyrim provides some impactful bonuses. It isn’t uncommon for first-timers to spread their perks around six or more skill trees.
Do not do this. Perks are where most of a build’s power comes from. Splitting it amongst multiple skills will cause a build’s core combat skills to fall behind. Instead of investing perks into any skill tree that seems useful, use that skill for a short while and decide if that should be a cornerstone of the build. Focusing on just a few skill trees results in a much smoother leveling and gameplay experience.
9 Buying Weapons And Armor
Buying weapons and armor from vendors might be the largest scam in Skyrim. Most guards will tell the player to upgrade their gear to Steel when talking to them, which directs players towards purchasing a full set of armor and weapons from local smiths.
This is a scam. Most enemies that wander Skyrim will have gear on-par or leagues beyond the capabilities of Steel. Gold should instead be invested towards a home, preferably a Hearthfire DLC home that can be expanded on.
8 Horse Diving
Horses have the unexplained ability to bend gravity itself to climb up 85-degree slopes. Plenty of players climbed the Throat of the World by using a gravity-bending horse instead of hiking up the mountain.
While horses might be great at getting up steep inclines, they are awful at going downhill. Walking down any incline will cause the horse to slip on a pebble and begin to fall to the ground, ragdolling the player and usually killing them in the process. Horse diving is not as safe as one would think.
7 Avoiding Ralof Or Hadvar
Depending on who the player sides with inside Helgen will determine who escorts them to safety. Players can leave with either Ralof or Hadvar, each aligned with a major faction tied to the Civil War.
Regardless of who the player sides with, they will thank the player and tell them they will be heading to Riverwood. If the player follows them, they will be guided towards the first three Standing Stones of Skyrim, pass a dungeon, and will learn more about Skyrim. It’s not a massive deal if players decide to go their own way, but it is nice to get a guided introduction to Standing Stones and exploration.
6 Rushing Through The Main Quest
Skyrim’s main quest is entirely optional. That might sound counter-intuitive, but it’s true. Nothing in Skyrim’s quest is time-gated or requires the player’s immediate attention despite what the story might imply. Some story-driven RPG fans spend their first playthrough rushing through the main story in hopes of receiving a deep, compelling plot.
For all of Skyrim’s strengths, its story is not one of them. Skyrim has so many enthralling side quests, guilds, and activities to partake in that it easily becomes the core focus of the game. Take the game slow and enjoy the dozens of dungeons and vistas that inhabit Skyrim.
5 Fighting A Giant Too Early
Don’t feel bad about dying to a giant during the early-game. Virtually every player decided to head west of Whiterun on their first playthrough and encounter Bleackwind Basin, the first giant camp players stumble across.
Slowly chipping away at its health with iron weapons, the giant typically flings players into the stratosphere with a single club swing. It’s one of the most memorable encounters in Skyrim but one that could have easily been avoided if the Dragonborn gained a few levels.
4 Not Saving Often
Newer players need to build the habit of saving whenever possible. There are many moments in someone’s first playthrough where they either die or wish to reload a previous save. Skyrim’s autosave feature doesn’t always create saves when one would expect.
One poorly-timed death is all it takes to lose hours of progress. PC players should get used to QuickSaving when possible (F5 by default) and QuickLoading when necessary. Console players should save their game whenever possible.
3 Killing A Chicken
When players first stumble across Riverwood, they will usually see a chicken walking around the main gate. Do not kill this chicken under any circumstances! Since it is property of the town, killing this chicken will incur a small bounty on the player’s head.
Thing is, the bounty total does not influence how guards treat the Dragonborn. A bounty as small as 20 Gold is enough to have every guard in the town draw their swords and attempt to kill the player. Getting away with stealing is easier than dealing with the consequences of killing a chicken. Don’t do it.
2 Ignore Follower Actions
Followers are an important aspect of Skyrim. They will assist the player in combat, look over houses if appointed as a Housecarl, and are sworn to carry the Dragonborn’s burdens. Those benefits are rather apparent when players get their first follower, yet followers can do so much more than carry loot.
Nearly every follower in Skyrim can open any locked object with no gear required. Talk to a follower and give them an order. Tell them to open a locked container and they will do so regardless of unlock requirements. Direct commands can also be used to let companions bypass their carrying capacity or wield Giant Clubs as weapons.
1 Focus On Optimizing
Due to the shoddy balance of Skyrim, it is incredibly easy to optimize the fun out of the game. Some players that come from ARPG or MMO backgrounds might focus on obtaining the best gear as early as possible to make the game easier.
As long as that seems fun, do that! For many players, this will typically lead to burnout as it requires players to maximize their crafting skills. If maximizing a character’s damage output and perk decisions are making the game less fun, stop doing it! Many new players fall under the trap of trying to make the best character they can. This can also result in newer players looking up guides on Skyrim that spoil memorable quests or reveal game-breaking exploits.
Not every character is perfect, and that’s ok. There isn’t a single encounter in the game that demands a min-maxed character. Make a character that is fun to play. That is all that matters.
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