NPC/Standing Stone interaction

[SpikeSpeigel]

If standing stones are "free" to the public (Serpentstone island is where you're sent for Stormcloak initiation), then why aren't there any npcs which use these powers at all??

I can understand wordwalls/shouts being exclusive to the Dragonborn, but it seems that in the ES universe that everyone should be born under a sign. (Yeah, they did change that from Oblivion to Skyrim)

This point leads me to a basic gripe about the game in that enemy mages can't really hit you with any "status" effects (which are par for the course in any fantasy rpg)

If they could paralyze you or do ANYTHING beyond Destruction/Conjuration/One-handed...there would be much mor interesting battles.

[Musicman247]

Draugr Deathlords can Fus Ro Dah you, which has a paralytic effect.

[SpikeSpeigel]

Mmmmm...yeah. They've obviously learned the way of the voice at some point in their lives.

I'm just concerned with whether standing stones (as they're presented in ES V) can be interacted with by npcs.

Is there a logical reason why it only works for dragonborn??

[perylousdemon]

Mmmmm...yeah. They've obviously learned the way of the voice at some point in their lives.

I'm just concerned with whether standing stones (as they're presented in ES V) can be interacted with by npcs.

Is there a logical reason why it only works for dragonborn??

My guess is game mechanics. It would probably require a massive amount of scripting to allow NPCs to use the standing stones. I'm probably completely wrong, though. *shrug*

[Marelo]

Naw, all they'd have to do is put the abilities on the actor spell lists.

Personally, I hate being paralyzed by enemies in pretty much any game. Other status effects, sure, but keeping me from controlling my character is just annoying.

[perylousdemon]

Naw, all they'd have to do is put the abilities on the actor spell lists.

Personally, I hate being paralyzed by enemies in pretty much any game. Other status effects, sure, but keeping me from controlling my character is just annoying.

And I'm sure enemies feel the same way when you do it to them.

[Alarra]

The book "Watcher of Stones" begins with the following:

Long have I waited at the Guardians. I must know: are the stories true? Surely you've heard them. Tales of the stones granting powers to Heroes of old, those special few being able to choose any stone to rewrite his fate.

So that implies that it's very rare for someone to actually be able to use the stones. Maybe it's so few that you never meet any others (if there even are any at the time.)

[SpikeSpeigel]

Naw, all they'd have to do is put the abilities on the actor spell lists.

Personally, I hate being paralyzed by enemies in pretty much any game. Other status effects, sure, but keeping me from controlling my character is just annoying.

And I'm sure enemies feel the same way when you do it to them.

Ha! Exactly!

It's just that in Oblivion these stones are "chosen" at "birth" so, maybe we could assume that some NPCs did the same. It just was never revealed to us.

In Skyrim, they're free access. From a dev perspective, I can see some gameplay issue with having NPCs lined up to tap the Lord stone. BUT, I just would at least like to be able to explain this situation away.
For rp-ing purposes.

[dragonfett]

The book "Watcher of Stones" begins with the following:

Long have I waited at the Guardians. I must know: are the stories true? Surely you've heard them. Tales of the stones granting powers to Heroes of old, those special few being able to choose any stone to rewrite his fate.

So that implies that it's very rare for someone to actually be able to use the stones. Maybe it's so few that you never meet any others (if there even are any at the time.)

It seems to me that everyone still has a birth sign, they just gain no ability from it whereas the hero can choose his destiny. Does any of that make any sense?

[SpikeSpeigel]

The book "Watcher of Stones" begins with the following:

Long have I waited at the Guardians. I must know: are the stories true? Surely you've heard them. Tales of the stones granting powers to Heroes of old, those special few being able to choose any stone to rewrite his fate.

So that implies that it's very rare for someone to actually be able to use the stones. Maybe it's so few that you never meet any others (if there even are any at the time.)

It seems to me that everyone still has a birth sign, they just gain no ability from it whereas the hero can choose his destiny. Does any of that make any sense?

OK. So, to everyone else these stones are lifeless representations of their own birthsigns... the hero can choose destiny. I like it. I can live with that explanation...

[legoless]

If activating the Stones is such a rare occurrence, then why is your Helgen buddy completely nonchalant when you send a beam of light up into the sky and rewrite your own destiny?

"Mage, eh?"

[Br3admax]

Also the books about the standing stones and birth signs makes it pretty clear that everyone has a born "gift."

[Dohva.]

I'm glad npcs don't use those standing stones. The last thing I need is for one of them to resurrect a handful of dead bodies laying around them in the heat of battle. Only Dohvakiin can do such cool things.

[legoless]

The last thing I need is for one of them to resurrect a handful of dead bodies laying around them in the heat of battle. Only Dohvakiin can do such cool things.

..as well as every novice necromancer in the province.

[Dohva.]

My point exactly.

[Yaije]

The last thing I need is for one of them to resurrect a handful of dead bodies laying around them in the heat of battle. Only Dohvakiin can do such cool things.

..as well as every novice necromancer in the province.

one at a time.. I raise them by the tens

[Dark Spark]

If activating the Stones is such a rare occurrence, then why is your Helgen buddy completely nonchalant when you send a beam of light up into the sky and rewrite your own destiny?

"Mage, eh?"

Those are the Guardian Stones after all: representing one of the three higher houses of the birthsigns: Warrior, Mage, and Thief...

...and they do impart relatively unspectacular blessings compared to the other, more esoteric, Birthstones.

Maybe anyone can access these particular three, but not neccessarily be able to use the others.

Heck, when you companion asks you to try one, he essentially isn't asking you to choose. He's wondering which one you'll declare yourself to be.

[MaKo]

If activating the Stones is such a rare occurrence, then why is your Helgen buddy completely nonchalant when you send a beam of light up into the sky and rewrite your own destiny?

Maybe the effect is only visible to you?

The last thing I need is for one of them to resurrect a handful of dead bodies laying around them in the heat of battle. Only Dohvakiin can do such cool things.

Well, there are few that can do it (raise bodies in larger amounts), Potema and Lu'ah Al-Skaven, if I remember correctly. But of course, they probably do it by very ancient power named "scripting"

[Theificka]

If they added the ability for enemies to use more abilities and spells, that would be great, to see my allies as enemies because I was furied is a good idea, or to forcibly sheathe until 'provoked' because I was calmed and then they appear to be allies, or for them to seem like incredibly powerful enemies because you were hit with fear.
It would be so interesting if a lot of features almost exclusive to the player were available for npcs. Admittedly, I don't think that the AI would be smart enough to handle proper usage of one-a-day abilities, or to sneak up on you out of sight, I know that some manage to imitate it, but they're just ambushing, not attempting to stay undetected (Just like followers).

[sevenindasun]

Spoiler:

the boss necromancer in llinalta deep used a power similar to the ritual stone powers during the black star quest, he raises the dead skeletons in the water in the room he's in with one spell...

[SpikeSpeigel]

Spoiler:

the boss necromancer in llinalta deep used a power similar to the ritual stone powers during the black star quest, he raises the dead skeletons in the water in the room he's in with one spell...

but this is all we need to see more of.

If Bethy programs the npcs/enemies to mimic powers inherent in the stones then the player's imaginations can make the connections.

I wanna see npcs with Serpent Stone ability (better dodge that one!) and Atronach. It'd be cool to see npcs accessing the stones too. (there's bandits camped out in front of one for cryin out loud)

[Unionhack]

This question kinda bugged me for a while. I had tried to command my followers to interact with the stones, but to no avail. They'd walk up to it, but nothing would come of it.

So I just had to add the powers the old-fashioned console way.

[ZackyZombify]

Has anyone tried to fill the aetherium crown and give it to a follower?