Is EVERYONE using the smithing exploits?

[Yaije]

Well technically the difference between Ebony and daedric tempered is the same as ebony and daedric pre-tempered.

You're simply adding the same tempering bonus to each item's base number.

[Spiney]

I wonder if these balancing issues would be solved with simply adding dimishing returns...

[Yaije]

You mean increasing diminishing returns. They're in place already and the reason cycling through alch/ench isn't worth it after about 3 times.

The restoration effect just allows you to bypass the diminishing returns by obscene amounts.

[Spiney]

I wasn't aware there was any at all.

[Yaije]

They do exist. Through normal means at maximum Alchemy (with the 6 perks for +effect and beneficial effects) and max enchanting with appropriate perks you can only get to about 33% effect for any fortify skill, 54~ for weapon skills. That effect may be higher if you're a vampire with the necromage perk (increase all effects by 25%), but anything higher than those is most likely due to a glitch.

The main problem as I see it is that every award for skill proficiency is a fat % increase to whatever that is factored in on top of everything. The damage formula is just chock full of parts that basically double or possibly triple the outcome.

[Pandamatak]

Well technically the difference between Ebony and daedric tempered is the same as ebony and daedric pre-tempered.

You're simply adding the same tempering bonus to each item's base number.

Yes, but it makes daedric less valuable since it will beat ebony by a certain constant, rather than the range increasing as damage does.

For example;

If Iron did 1 damage and Orcish did 2 damage (hypothetical situation), Orcish is very good compared to iron since it does double the damage.

Temper them both for +41 and you have Iron tat does 42 damage and Orcish that does 43 damage. Orcish doesn't seem that appealing anymore since it is only a marginal improvement when compared to iron (in terms of % damage increase).

Which is why, via tempering, you can basically use whatever weapon you think looks most aesthetically pleasing, since the difference in damage at the end will be at most 2-3%.

[kuken13]

I do use the exploit, to some extent. I haven't done the fortify restoration glitch though. The reason I do this is because when I get to the endgame, I raise the difficulity to master. My current characters sword does 108 damage, which I think is reasonable enough, because it seems I do about the same amount of damage that the enemies do to me.

[Jet]

I don't use the fortify restoration exploit, but I do wear a circlet and a falmer helmet when I create my potions because technically those two pieces could be worn together. My daedric warhammer does around 675 damage, which is the most powerful base damage weapon I can make right now since I don't have Dawnguard.

[Erior]

Meh, balance you say? In a single player game? And said exploit requiring you to inverst in 3 trees that do not provide a direct benefit, and you'll need to use at least 20 perks?

I say it is a fun way of playing the game.

[Ranga360]

I can honestly say I have never used an exploit in skyrim. I go to do it but I always get sidetracked. I end up just doing more quests.

[The Drunken Elf]

I don't like to use smithing that much seeing as how much it breaks the game. D: Unless I can use it in a way which doesn't break the game, or control myself while smithing so I don't do that.

[Yaije]

Meh, balance you say? In a single player game? And said exploit requiring you to inverst in 3 trees that do not provide a direct benefit, and you'll need to use at least 20 perks?

I say it is a fun way of playing the game.

QFT, the perks you need:

Enchanting - 8
Alchemy - 7
Smithing - 1*

16 right there not counting in the Armor and Weapon perks you may or may not take to further abuse stacking % buffs. Note that those skills above are also expected to be lvl 100 for maximum effect

Spoiler:

If they aren't then you won't be getting close to those high 200+ numbers without adding in enchants and poisons

*only need one to make steel armor that is maxed. Most players want Daedric or Dragon or something else

I don't like to use smithing that much seeing as how much it breaks the game. D: Unless I can use it in a way which doesn't break the game, or control myself while smithing so I don't do that.

Smithing on it's own doesn't break the game as much as Archery/One-handed/Two-Handed when all are maxed and fully perked out. I say this because lvl 100 smithing and appropriate material perk grants roughly the same bonus as lvl 100 <weapon skill> with the % damage perk.

[Pandamatak]

Meh, balance you say? In a single player game? And said exploit requiring you to inverst in 3 trees that do not provide a direct benefit, and you'll need to use at least 20 perks?

I say it is a fun way of playing the game.

QFT, the perks you need:

Enchanting - 8
Alchemy - 7
Smithing - 1*

16 right there not counting in the Armor and Weapon perks you may or may not take to further abuse stacking % buffs. Note that those skills above are also expected to be lvl 100 for maximum effect

Spoiler:

If they aren't then you won't be getting close to those high 200+ numbers without adding in enchants and poisons

That's because with all those perks you get that 200 damage you referred to. That's not that overpowered considering you can make poisons which do that much damage with 100 alchemy. The exploit I'm referring to is fortify restoration.