Dainty Sload - completed except .....

[Frodo-Baginses]

I've completed the Dainty Sload. Everything triggered as though I'd never been there.

Went back to Solitude to report and receive my reward, which was not much that I hadn't already got, and went back outside with the intention of fast travelling back to Riften. Unfortunately, there's an Ancient Dragon marauding the Solitude and particular targeting me. I can't seem to escape and I'm running out of ammo and ideas. The Ancient Dragon seems to be quite formidable and I am struggling to get it's health bar down.

It's a case of one well aimed arrow at a time and then run for cover and heal, then have a another go.

I seem to be ill-equipped for this battle. I am now level 30 in Archery, (I went back from 100 using the Legendary option and I wish I hadn't).

What is the best strategy with this beast?

What is the point of the Legendary option anyway?

[Dark Spark]

Use the Marked For Death shout. You would have gotten one of its Words from the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary. When used, the Shout will make the victim more and more vulnerable to physical damage. The damage increases the longer that time passes by, so hit the dragon with the shout, hide/survive for a minute, then you will find your arrows inflict more damage than usual.

[Frodo-Baginses]

I'll try that next time I switch on.

Been reading a bit about "Legendary". It seems this option is used if you want to jncrease your levels in other skills or actually increase your overall level above 80. The downside is that if you Legendary a combat skill that you have maxed out it lowers your ability against opponents who actuablly retain their level which was increasing on your way upto 100 first time around.

So lesson to be learned.

If I Legendary say Lockpicking, having gained the Skeleton Key already, can I build my level again using the Skeleton Key?

I'm not giving it up just in case - not yet anyway!

[Frodo-Baginses]

Use the Marked For Death shout. You would have gotten one of its Words from the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary. When used, the Shout will make the victim more and more vulnerable to physical damage. The damage increases the longer that time passes by, so hit the dragon with the shout, hide/survive for a minute, then you will find your arrows inflict more damage than usual.

Many thanks for the advice. Managed to get past this bit and move on. I haven't done much with the shouts yet so I had no idea what this one did.

It doesn't seem to appear to work straight away but then a short while on you witness the dragon's health bar decreasing at which point you can move in with the arrows.

On completion I stripped and cleared the casualties, flogged all of the spoils and then fast travelled to Falkreath where another dragon attack was in progress - wash and rinse!

[Frodo-Baginses]

Use the Marked For Death shout. You would have gotten one of its Words from the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary. When used, the Shout will make the victim more and more vulnerable to physical damage. The damage increases the longer that time passes by, so hit the dragon with the shout, hide/survive for a minute, then you will find your arrows inflict more damage than usual.

I'm having a bit of a mare with another dragon, maybe you can help.

I've been requested to go to Shearpoint to take out a dragon for a Jarl. I know the area because I already defeated a similar dragon there along with a dragon priest in the side quest "Masks of the Dragon Priests".

The latest dragon seems to be several levels above me. When I completed the side quest, it was easuer than I thought it would be. I didn't even use the help if a follower.

Thus latest one is really vexing me. He seems to be able to get close and besides firing his breath at me, he also picks me up with his mouth and beats me down before I can a Marked for Death shout in or any arrows. I took Lydia with me laterly but even that doesn't seem make any difference.

Any tips?

[Lord Timster]

General dragon-fighting advice:

Firstly you ideally want your Resist Fire/Frost to be 85%. So make yourself (or buy / find) some enchanted stuff and a load of potions and you should be able to shrug off most of the breath attack.

Secondly always keep your health as high as possible - if it drops below a certain point the dragon can insta-kill you with its next bite. The 'picks me up with his mouth' I think means your health got too low. Take a huge amount of health/stamina potions and don't wait until you need them before using them. Health Regeneration isn't bad either.

Personally I find that running from cover to cover and shooting them with arrows mostly works fine.

*edit: Easiest way to kill dragons (imo) is to have a follower/summon aggro the dragon (The 'wrathman' spell from Dawnguard is fantastic) while you just shoot it from one side. Job done. *