Guild Wars.

[Lord Cattow]

Do the Mages know any spells that would be able to make things double? Like, making one bit of venisson two bits of venisson?

Yes, they summon a dagger and cut the venison into half to make two pieces of venison. No, but really, creating something out of nothing is impossible, so unless they summon venison from somewhere, they will not be able to.

[Redguard_Master]

I'd say companions. They are the only guild of those that is built around and trains for direct force on force confrontations.

[TiberSeptimsGrandma]

I'll have to finish up on my mage playthrough to see if there's any holes in their defense. But if not I'll concede to that theory. Then ofcourse the question is starving them out/extended seige.

actually mages have the ability to create water magically. not to mention the ability to levitate would make a siege pretty much useless

If i recall there was a levitation act passed among the empire..

[Wolfie]

If i recall there was a levitation act passed among the empire..

All is fair in war, and its not like the others obey the laws.

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Especially the DB and Thieves Guild..

[Hissien]

Besides most of the mages guild and mage laws in general are not enforced in winterhold as it is separate from politics

[Syrkin]

I seem to recall that I couldn't even get past the first 30 feet of the ramp to the Mages College without being able to cast a spell that took 130 magicka.

Let's see any of the other guilds get that many fighters past that.

[Da_BossMaN69]

again, Spells=Weapons, lore-wise and gameplay wise so you can't just default on the magic trumps all.

Secondly, again, no one in their right mind would funnel their troops through that bridge, they'd tear it down first if anything, and with levitation, good luck, you're just making yourself an easy target for Aela and her archers to hit, secondly you'd waste so much magicka just levitating by the time it came to fighting you'd be too spent to cast anything.

So not a good, plan and the companions could shrug off a few spells, especially since 60% of such spells would be cast by lower ranking members, the fresh blood that would make up the front line soldier. Also holding up in the College isn't a good idea either. Look at the terrain. There's a mountain literally yards away from it, just set up camp there and at the base near the bridge, which would be destroyed by now.

Yes there's some force around it, but to what extent? Clearly its not a full fledged shield of protection since if this were the case not only would you see it, but one wouldn't be able to simply walk into it, because if a person can just walk in, whats stopping an arrow/boulder. The barrier is made to block off all attacks on it? Not happening, its not a sentient being, not only that but the fact that some of the bridge and college itself is broken up and damaged in several places it shows it can only take so much damage.

Bottom line, a siege would work, but the companions would need large amount of gold to get supplies needed to fund such an attack. The college's only defense would be mages who would cast spells, but in long range fighting whose to say spells are reliable? A volley of arrows would come faster and more unexpected than a fire ball coming at you yard away, the mages couldn't hit them since the companions would just move out of the way.

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Well, of course, why would the mages levitate towards the enemy at the College of Winterhold? No reason to do so. Also, barriers can be invisible. It's not like every single one of them is visible. And if a person can walk in? That's sorta gameplay, isn't it?

[Hissien]

This IS magic we are talking about, ancient magic at that. And how will you get the college members to leave their fortress? They won't.

Secondly Kodlak White-Mane said that they face their enemies directly, not sneaking or using magic.

Thirdly what exactly will the companions use to besiege them? Catapults? Ballista? From where? They can't have THAT much gold or they wouldn't be a band of mercenaries. Who is to say the college can't find some mercenaries? Or raise the dead of the companions?

The mages are more versatile, with the eye in their hands they can not be attacked at all.

Also just curious on the off chance a dragon appeared do you think they would fight it together?

Note: I am arguing to argue. I made a point to stand by the college

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Oh yeah, maybe the mages, one they kill a Companion, they can use it as a Thrall. Dead Thrall. The spell is sold by a guy in the College, so that works out fine.

[i-m-so-ghett0]

The mages are just so much more versatile and effective. The mages wouldn't even have to leave the College- even if the Companions did get in the mages could ambush them anywhere and with their wide range of spells, could easily defeat a Companion in combat. If a Companion managed to get too close, they might be able to kill a mage but the mages have powerful destruction spells, ranged attacks and runes for traps. The mages just have too wide a range of offense and defense and the Companions too little a range.

[Hissien]

The mages are just so much more versatile and effective. The mages wouldn't even have to leave the College- even if the Companions did get in the mages could ambush them anywhere and with their wide range of spells, could easily defeat a Companion in combat. If a Companion managed to get too close, they might be able to kill a mage but the mages have powerful destruction spells, ranged attacks and runes for traps. The mages just have too wide a range of offense and defense and the Companions too little a range.

While I agree that I think the mages would win, I don't think it would be easy by any means. They all use bows and Aela is a master Archer. It would be close but with sufficient resources and proper planning the companions could win.

[i-m-so-ghett0]

Their bows can't do guar dung. The mages would see them coming so no chance of an ambush, and the mage's magical shields and armor could easily protect them, while invisibility and chameleon could keep them hidden easily. For me it all comes down to, if the Companion's invaded, how they would get into the College (only one way-a narrow bridge with a barrier) and what they would do once inside (the courtyard is a perfect place for them to get boxed in by an ambush from the mages).

[Hissien]

Like I said earlier, if they besiege the college, mages stomp. Outside of it and it is a toss up.

[OBLIVOWIND]

The following text demonstrates what might happen to a bard at war:

Bard: "Oh there once was a hero named Ragnar the..." (ARROW TO THE HEAD)

I would pick the Mages. If they can take out half a city, they can handle a war.

[Hissien]

Well this is the one time I hope the mages caused the great collapse.....

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

The following text demonstrates what might happen to a bard at war:

Bard: "Oh there once was a hero named Ragnar the..." (ARROW TO THE HEAD)

I would pick the Mages. If they can take out half a city, they can handle a war.

There once was a hero named Aela the Huntress, who came riding to Whiterun from ole Jorrvaskr!
...
...
...
...
And the braggart named Aela was boastful no mooooore... when her ugly wolf head rolled around on the floor!

[Incarnal]

I think we can't count out the Thieves Guild from this battle. They're quite a bit more martial than most give them credit for, and although I don't believe for a second they could take on the Companions in an open fight, they strike me as much more likely to be able to infiltrate and destroy the College than any but the Dark Brotherhood. As for the Dark Brotherhood, I'm fairly sure that the current Thieves Guild could defeat the extremely frail DB you meet at the beginning of the quest line, especially if we factor in the Nightingales.

In the end though, I think we have to acknowledge that the College is clearly the Goliath of the guilds in Skyrim, with other guilds requiring far more finagling to find success.

[Syrkin]

One thing I have found is that the Thieves' Guild start out pretty pathetic, but by doing the TG questlines and the miscellaneous quests for Vex and Delvin, you upgrade the guild quite a bit.

Not that they would be able to challenge the Mages, but they could certainly last a bit longer than under ole Mercer Frey. (don't RIP, [@#@])

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

In reply to the College being the Goliath, couldn't everyone just find a sling and stones?

[RaverzZ (SWE)]

The Thieves Guild should win the war!!
They will sneak in the enemy camps and steel their weapons and their securities!!

[Masked Pillow]

Couldn't some guilds team up?

[Hissien]

Couldn't some guilds team up?

I suppose its possible. But who would team up? The thieves guild and dark brotherhood could easily team up. But the companions would never team up with sneaks or mages. And the other guilds have a general distrust of magic.

[Masked Pillow]

The Thieve's Guild and the Bards could team up, as they both use sneaky means to get their ends. The Bard's would use propoganda.