Skyrim Overview

The Empire of Tamriel is on the edge. The High King of Skyrim has been murdered. Alliances form as claims to the throne are made. In the midst of this conflict, a far more dangerous, ancient evil is awakened. Dragons, long lost to the passages of the Elder Scrolls, have returned to Tamriel. The future of Skyrim, even the Empire itself, hangs in the balance as they wait for the prophesized Dragonborn to come; a hero born with the power of The Voice, and the only one who can stand amongst the dragons.

Character Building

There are 10 different Races in Skyrim. Each unique and have been in the other elder scrolls games.

Starting Stats

This chart illustrates the various stat bonuses that each race receives when starting the game. The base value for all skills is 15, so a character with +10 to Heavy Armor would start the game with a Heavy Armor rating of 25.

There are three categories of skills: Magic, Combat, and Stealth. Lavender-colored stats are for magicka-related skills. Orange-colored stats represent combat skills, and green-colored stats represent stealth-based skills.

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Race Abilities

Each race has their own abilities. Some always active, while others are special and can be used once a day. Some racial skills are weaker versions of later skills.

Race Abilities

Argonian
Histskin : recover health 10x faster for 60 seconds.

Resist Disease : gain 50% resistant to disease.

Water Breathing : breath underwater.

Breton
Dragonskin : Absorb 50% of magicka from enemy spells.

Magic Resistance : 25% resistance to magic.

Dark Elf
Ancestors Wrath : For 60 seconds, opponents that get too close take 8 points per second of fire damage.

Resist Fire: 50% resistance to fire.

High Elf
Highborn : Regenerate magicka faster for 60 seconds.

Highborn : +50 extra magicka.

Imperial
Voice of the Emperor : Calms nearby people for 60 seconds.

Imperial Luck : Anywhere gold coins might be found, Imperials always seem to find a few more.

Khajiit
Night Eye : Improved night vision for 60 seconds.

Claws : Khajiit claws do 15 points of damage.

Nord
Battle Cry : Target flees for 30 seconds.

Resist Frost : Your Nord blood gives you 50% resistance to frost.

Orc (Orsimer)
Berserker Rage : You take half damage and do double damage for 60 seconds.

Redguard
Adrenaline Rush : Stamina regenerates 10x faster for 60 seconds.

Resist Poison : 50% resistance to poison.

Wood Elf (Bosmer)
Command Animal : Make an animal friendly for 60 seconds.

Resist Disease and Poison : 50% resistance to poison and disease.




Every character starts with these two spells:

Flames: A flame thrower that does 8 DPS.

Healing: heals 10 points per second.

Breton's also start with...

Conjure Familiar: Summons a Familiar for 60 seconds

Dark Elves also start with...

Sparks: Lightning that does 8 DPS.

High Elves also start with...

Fury: Creatures up to level 6 will attack anything nearby for 30 seconds.

Racial Stats

All Races have different stats.

Argonians have 25 Lockpicking, 20 Alteration, Light Armor, Pickpocket, Restoration, and Sneak.

Breton have 25 Conjuration, 20 in Alchemy, Alteration, Illusion, Restoration, and Speech.

Dark Elves have 25 Destruction, 20 in Alchemy, Alteration, Illusion, Light Armor, and Sneak.

High Elves have 25 Illusion, 20 in Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Enchanting, and Restoration.

Imperials have 25 Restoration, 20 in Block, Destruction,
Enchanting, Heavy Armor, and One-handed.

Khajiit have 25 Sneak, 20 in Alchemy, Archery,
Lockpicking, Pickpocket, and One-handed.

Nords have 25 Two-handed, 20 in Block, Light Armor,
One-handed, Smithing, and Speech.

Orcs have 25 Heavy Armor, 20 in Block, Enchanting,
One-handed, Smithing, and Two-handed.

Redguards have 25 One-handed, 20 in Alteration, Archery, Block, Destruction, and Smithing.

Wood Elves have 25 Archery, 20 in Alchemy, Light Armor, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, and Sneak.

General Tips

The Rumormongers

When ever you visit a new town, seek out the local inn or tavern and ask the bartender about any rumors they have heard to find hidden side quest.

Fast Travel Is Your Friend

With fast travel just look at your map and press (A) or (X) on any location that is highlighted (meaning you have been there before) and you can instantly travel to that location.

Storage

Sometimes theres just to much stuff to get in the world of Skyrim. Carrying it all is impossible so try giving some of your heavy items to your followers or putting them in chest or barrels. Just don't forget where you put them

You can also buy a house and keep your stuff there. Be careful though as Skyrim is buggy and your items may disappear if you don't put them in a chest or something.


Reading Books

There are TONS of books in the world of Skyrim. Some lead you to quest, and others increase your skill level. You don't actually have to read them just open them than close them. Most books that are worth 50 or more gold will teach your a skill.

Look through the inventory of every kill (especially Skeevers)

it may seem like a hassle but you should look through almost everything you kill because they is all ways a chance to find something really valuable, and you almost always find 15-30 gold in each corpse. Though it may not seem like a lot it builds up over time.

Saving Arrows

If you accidentally pulled back your arrow and don't want to fire it simply put away the bow to cancel the shot.

How to Climb Mountains (aka Backwards Butt Shimmy)

Sometimes you will find yourself walking up a mountain and its to steep to climb. Simply keep strafing along the mountain while jumping and eventually it will jump and sooner or later you will make it up the mountain.

Add Several Points of Interest to Your Map

You'll pick up points of interest on you overland map through conversations, but there's at least one place in the game where you can add several all at once. In Mistveil Keep (Jarl's court) in Riften, there's a room to the left behind the throne room with a map that displays which towns are controlled by the Imperial forces and which are controlled by the Stormcloaks. You can add all of these towns to your own map by clicking on them. It doesn't allow you to fast travel if you haven't found them yet, but at least you'll know where they are.

Quick Experience and Skill Gain

ILLUSION SKILL

There is an illusion spell called "Muffle" use it to silence your foot steps. Use it while walking around anywhere to continuously increase your illusion skill and overall experience.

RESTORATION SKILL

For restoration magic you need to heal damage to increase it. So continuously stand in fire or jump off a high area and heal to increase your restoration and overall experience.

TRAINING FOR FREE

NOTE: For this you need to have a decent pick pocketing level

Find someone who will train you in a skill. Wait til night time until they are sleeping in bed. Wake them up and train one time than leave them alone til they go back to sleep. After they go back to sleep pick pocket your money back form them and train again. (REPEAT)

You can gain multiple levels if you continue to train the maximum (5/5) skill ups even after you level. Once you level up you are free to retrain the maximum 5/5. If you want to truly see your level skyrocket then mix in the above "Illusion skill" tip mentioned above.

Guilds

There are 4 guilds

The Companions (Fighters Guild)
The Companions are basically the fighters guild. You can find them in Jorrvaskr within Whiterun.


College of Winterhold (Mages Guild)
The College Of Winterhold is basically the mages guild. It can be found in the city of Winterhold and requires at least some magic ability.


Thieves' Guild
The Theives' Guild is a clan stationed in the sewers of Riften. As the name suggests, they specialize in lockpicking, pickpocketing, and overal thievery. To start this questline, speak to Brynjolf in Riften. He owns one of the market stands in the center of town.



The Dark Brotherhood (Assassins Guild)
To join the Dark Brotherhood, you need to talk to Aventus Aretino in Windhelm and accept his first quest.

Weapons and Armor

Weapons in Skyrim fall into three classes, organized around the three weapon skills:

One-handed: daggers, maces, swords, and war axes.
quick and powerful
(daggers are very quick but weak)

Two-handed: battle axes, greatswords, and war hammers
slow but very powerful

Archery: bows and arrows
ranged and powerful

Armor comes in 4 pieces.

Helmet: covers your head

Boots: covers your feet

Gauntlets: covers your hands

Armor: covers your legs, chest and shoulders

Light Armor:
Hide
Studded
Leather
Elven
Glass
Dragon

Heavy Armor:
Iron
Steel
Dwarven
Orcish
Ebony
Daedric
Dragon

The World

Major Cities:

Solitude
Windhelm
Markarth
Riften
Whiterun

Minor Cities:

Morthal
Dawnstar
Winterhold
Falkreath

Villages:

Riverwood
Dragon Bridge
Karthwasten
Rorickstead
Ivarstead
Helgen
Shor's Stone

Common Creatures:

Ice Wraiths
Giants
Ice Trolls
Zombies
Skeevers
Elk
Deer
Draugr
Foxes
Dragons
Mammoths
Bandits
Marauders
Giant Spiders
Frost Atronachs
Skeletons
Wolves
Vampires
Rabbits
Dogs

Achievements

10G Adept
Reach Level 10.

20G Alduin's Wall
Complete "Alduin's Wall."

5G Apprentice
Reach Level 5.

10G Artificer
Make a smithed item, an enchanted item, and a potion.

10G Bleak Falls Barrow
Complete "Bleak Falls Barrow."

10G Blessed
Select a Standing Stone blessing.

10G Blood Oath
Become a member of The Circle.

10G Bound Until Death
Complete "Bound Until Death."

10G Citizen
Buy a house.

10G Daedric Influence
Acquire a Daedric Artifact.

10G Darkness Returns
Complete "Darkness Returns."

40G Delver
Clear 50 dungeons.

20G Diplomatic Immunity
Complete "Diplomatic Immunity."

20G Dragon Hunter
Absorb 20 dragon souls.

10G Dragon Soul
Absorb a dragon soul.

50G Dragonslayer
Complete "Dragonslayer."

20G Elder Knowledge
Complete "Elder Knowledge."

25G Expert
Reach Level 25.

40G Explorer
Discover 100 Locations.

10G Gatekeeper
Join the College of Winterhold.

30G Glory of the Dead
Complete "Glory of the Dead."

30G Golden Touch
Have 100,000 gold.

30G Hail Sithis!
Complete "Hail Sithis."

10G Hard Worker
Chop wood, mine ore, and cook food.

30G Hero of Skyrim
Capture Solitude or Windhelm.

30G Hero of the People
Complete 50 miscellaneous objectives.

10G Married
Get married.

50G Master
Reach Level 50.

20G Master Criminal
Bounty of 1,000 gold in all nine holds.

30G Oblivion Walker
Collect 15 Daedric Artifacts.

30G One with the Shadows
Returned the Thieves Guild to its former glory.

20G Reader
Read 50 Skill Books.

10G Revealing the Unseen
Complete "Revealing the Unseen."

20G Sideways
Complete 10 Side Quests.

40G Skill Master
Get a skill to 100.

10G Snake Tongue
Successfully persuade, bribe, and intimidate.

30G Standing Stones
Find 13 Standing Stones.

10G Take Up Arms
Join the Companions.

10G Taking Care of Business
Join the Thieves Guild.

10G Taking Sides
Join the Stormcloaks or the Imperial Army.

30G The Eye of Magnus
Complete "The Eye of Magnus."

20G The Fallen
Complete "The Fallen."

20G The Way of the Voice
Complete "The Way of the Voice."

30G Thief
Pick 50 locks and 50 pockets.

40G Thu'um Master
Learn 20 shouts.

10G Unbound
Complete "Unbound."

10G Wanted
Escape from jail.

10G War Hero
Capture Fort Sungard or Fort Greenwall.

10G With Friends Like These...
Join the Dark Brotherhood.

10G Words of Power
Learn all three words of a shout.

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My Personal Opinion

If your wondering if this game is good or with getting than ill tell you. Its (in my opinion) the best game to date ever. I love the elder scrolls series and this tops every one of the. The amount of detail put into this game is staggering and unbelievable. The game is beautiful and always fun. The only thing i didn't like is the lock pick system, it is not like the classic elder scrolls lock pick but more like the fallout lock pick.

overall I would give this game 9001/10



Dawnguard is out now for 1600.

If you don't know, Dawnguard is the battle between the vampires and the dawnguard. If you go with the vampires you get the Vampire Lord power in which you can transform into a giant vampire. There are also new creatures, weapons and quest.