1. Building for Success: Archetypes
The Warrior; one of the ten different example archetypes explored in the Skyrim guide.
After escaping prison, you need to hone your considerable talents to be the very best-focused character you can be. The Training section of the Skyrim guide suggests ten example characters that may suit your skillset, ranging from the Battlemage to the Archer. Each archetype lists the preferred race, statistical focus, skills, essential perks, weapons, and follower, as well as recommendations for approaching different combat situations to play on your archetype’s strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Optimizing your skills in this manner is a great way to get the most fun out of your adventuring. We’ve even narrowed down our Top 5 Awesome Archetypes for you!
BONUS: As well as honing in on a particular style of play, you need to dress for success! Choosing the correct attire serves to augment your skills and perks, and make you much more potent at your chosen profession (be it a mage, assassin, warrior, crafter, or archer).
2. At Your Command: Followers
With a friend indeed, there’s never a chance to be in need.
Though you may find adventuring on your own to be extremely fulfilling, there’s nothing like a bit of backup when your back’s against the wall. To take full advantage over the dozens of available followers, make sure you choose a companion that complements and enhances your own abilities. With this in mind, we’ve created five videos showing how followers can be used in different situations. Need a Battlemage or Berserker by your side? Find out how to equip and augment them for these tasks!
3. You Crafting Beggar!
Craft weapons and armor with far more potency than the junk you find on your travels!
Though you may wish to ignore the more noble pursuits of Smithing, Enchanting, and Alchemy in favor of running around and hitting everything with swords, this folly will pass. It should be replaced with a voracious appetite for increasing your three crafting skills. Raise them as high as you can. Then craft items that increase the power of your armor, weapons, and potions. Then create an outfit that is worn just for fortifying your alchemy. Then create Fortify Enchanting Potions, improve your Fortify Alchemy Outfits, start creating Fortify Enchanting Potions, and then create the very best in Fortify Alchemy and Smithing Outfits. After creating Fortify Smithing Potions, you can reach the very pinnacle of crafting preparation, and through patience and skill, craft some shockingly impressive augmentations to your equipment!
If all of this sounds too complicated, just check out our step-by-step guide to fortifying your competency at Smithing, Enchanting, and Alchemy.
4. Well Armored is Well Prepared
Daedric Armor; arguably the best protection you can struggle into.
There are hundreds of types of armor you can find or craft throughout Skyrim, but the three following are well-worth finding if you aren’t interested in Smithing and Enchanting your own equipment:
- Miraak’s Robes (Light) absorb 15% of the magicka from Dragon Breath and spells, and have a great bonus tentacle-writhing explosion chance, too! This is a great option for a mage, and should be combined with Miraak’s Gloves and Boots. Complete the Dragonborn Main Quest to obtain.
- Dragonscale Armor (Light), which is randomly obtained, crafted, or purchased, is the very finest quality protection you can craft if your Smithing or Enchanting abilities are tip-top.
- Daedric Armor (Heavy), which is also randomly found, crafted, or bought, simply offers the best protection around, if you favor heavy armor. Improve it at the forge and arcane enchanter, and become a demi-god in terms of protection!
In addition, check out the following armor during your travels: Vampire Royal Armor (Light), Guild Master’s Armor (Light), Archmage’s Robes (Light), Ancient Shrouded Armor (Light), Nightingale Armor (Light), Deathbrand Armor (Light), and Ahzidal’s Armor (Heavy).
5. Weapons of War
The Daedric Dagger; assassins never fail to kill with this.
As with armor, and depending on your chosen skills, the following three weapons have been battle-tested to ensure they provide the very best killing potential. Please remember to smith and enchant your own weapons for even more potency!
- Bloodscythe (and Soulrender) (Dual-Wielding One-Handed): Wield them both together, and they absorb 15 health and magicka, and give a chance to weaken enemy armor and magical defenses. Obtain them by completing the Solstheim Side Quest: Deathbrand. Add the Deathbrand armor to complete the look!
- Daedric Warhammer (Two-Handed): This is randomly bought or found, and inflicts the most basic damage of any weapon and has the potential to stagger foes; it’s the ultimate tool for the two-handed warrior.
- Daedric Dagger (One-Handed): Used by assassins (especially potent when backstabbing is attempted), and unbelievably vicious once improved and enchanted, this randomly found or bought dagger is as light as it is deadly.
In addition, the following weapons are also entertaining to try: Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow (Archery), Windshear (One-Handed), Chillrend (One-Handed), Mace of Molag Bal (One-Handed), Dragonbane (One-Handed), Harkon’s Sword (One-Handed), and Auriel’s Bow (Archery).
6. Some Enchanted Item
A set of armor imbued with Fortify Stamina.
Need some extra “oomph” when bludgeoning a mammoth to death? Then ensure you start Enchanting items in earnest, and definitely take the Extra Effect Perk that allows two enchantments to be imbued into the same item. Then try the following enchantments:
- Weapon Enchantments: Paralyze, Soul Trap, Absorb, and Chaos.
- Armor Enchantements: Fortify Alchemy, Fortify Smithing, Muffle, Fortify [Magic Skill], Fortify [Weapon Skill], and Fortify Stamina.
May we recommend our picks for the Top 10 Inventory Items (Armor, Enchantments, Potions, Spells, and Weapons)?
7. Home is Where the Hearthfire Is
Windstad Manor, complete with fish hatchery
There are three locations (in Hjaalmarch, The Pale, and Falkreath Holds) where you can purchase a land deed and start building your own abode. Each home has both general and specific improvements you can make to it (such as the fish hatchery at Windstad Manor). Make sure you add shrines in your home’s cellar to easily augment yourself with buffs. Dress the mannequins with gear specifically tailored to tasks (assassinations or bartering for example). Upstairs, try growing copious ingredients by choosing to build the greenhouse. For those adventurers with OCD, use bedrooms to separate and store your less-important items (lore books for example). Then use the armory to display your finest outfits (heavy or light sets) as well as weaponry. Or just drop everything in a messy pile.
- Build Winstad Manor for its unique fish hatchery to use in alchemy or to sell.
- Construct Heljarchen Hall for its Mill, allowing you to grind your own flour for certain recipes,
- Complete Lakeview Manor for the unique apiary, which is helpful to any alchemist.
Our Hearthfire Homeowner’s guide provides even more information about building your dream home!
