Is doing the other guilds worth it?

[Theificka]

I play as a thief/assassin, so of course I'm in the TG and DB, but is it worth it to go through the Companions or MG quests? Is there anything that my playstyle would appreciate? Magic is generally a a big no-no, I use alchemy for invisibility and stuff.

[CBR JGWRR]

Save it for another character IMO.

[Unionhack]

If you want more to do, sure.

If you're in to roleplaying and don't want to break the immersion, no.

[Br3admax]

There is a Companion and a member of the Collage of Winterhold in the Dark Brotherhood, so even in game there is no immersion breaking. I still don't see why people think joining more than one guild breaks immersion. It may not make since to us, but even to the people of Skyrim, it is fine. Just RP that you quit.

[Haravikk]

It's really about what your character is specialising in as each guild has access to unique equipment that can complement your build. The stories are fine but personally I don't think any of the guilds are anything special. The companions aren't really necessary for a warrior type unless you want to become a werewolf, though the wolf armour and skyforge weapons aren't exactly bad, but they're better for an early game warrior.

[ZackyZombify]

I agree with bread in this one. Some members in guilds have ties to other guilds and/or are members of them also. Immersion shouldn't be a problem unless RPing, and even then you could say you just quit which has been said. Or caught for something and kicked out.

[soda popinski]

To me, you're asking "should I play all of skyrim, or just a couple parts of it"

Its all good, so give it a go

[Yaije]

there is no answer to this topic that would apply to more than a single person on a single character. IMO there's no reason not to complete multiple guild story lines or as many miscelaneous quests as you can.


Personally though I personally think lycanthropy/vampirism is a boon to any build you can think of in some way

[Witchery]

There is a Companion and a member of the Collage of Winterhold in the Dark Brotherhood, so even in game there is no immersion breaking. I still don't see why people think joining more than one guild breaks immersion. It may not make since to us, but even to the people of Skyrim, it is fine. Just RP that you quit.

They're not the rule, they're the exception. And to be honest, each Guild has several different classes it caters to. The College can take Scholars, Enchanters, and Alchemists as well as Mages. The Companions take several kinds of Warriors, Scouts, Rangers, Smiths . . . those who valor honor and bravery, not necessarily just sword+shield Warriors. The Thieves Guild is kind of limited to . . . well, thieves. The Dark Brotherhood can take anyone who will kill for the Family. Sneaking is the traditional and easiest way to be an assassin, but classes aren't limited in any way in that guild.

It is very difficult to roleplay successfully when you join more than one guild. I'd buy a Companion/Mage/Thief quitting their respective guilds and joining with the Dark Brotherhood, if their disposition allows. . . but a Companion becoming a student at the College? Or a mage switching and becoming a thief?

If you like to roleplay I wouldn't. Make a new character for each Guild, it is more worthwhile to someone who appreciate TES lore. If you don't care about that, do whatever. No restrictions.

[Yaije]

The thieves guild takes anyone wanting to make some gold with out care of it's source, the college cater's to anyone seeking knowledge of the arcane in ANY capacity.

Those two on their own aren't mutually exclusive unless you the player are forcing it to be so. The companions and dark brotherhood are the only groups that actually hold their members to a certain standard, but even then they aren't definitively "NO non-<insert whatever>"


Does it make sense for say my character to join multiple factions? IMO yes. Does it make sense for yours? You have to answer that yourself.

Yes there are still going to be some odd wtf moments depending on what tasks you do in what order. (I.E. Arch Mage of the college stealing valuables from someone's home) But that's more about order of progression than wierdness of being part of multiple groups.

IMO Companions and the Thieve's guild are where you'd start getting your character's feet settled and set out making a name for yourself. But that's my opinion.

[Chessalavakia]

My character had no real interest in joining the Mages guild, but I wanted to see what was inside. I followed them around a bit and snuck around a few of the places they sent me out of curiosity after all Mage's aren't good at understanding what things are worth before I knew it I was being declared Arch Mage by these weird people that kept suddenly appearing and talking to me. I just went along with it because it gave me more power without getting my name too well known.

I'd recommend against the companions as the risk involved with working with them is too high they are not going to be happy if they catch you. Besides, I doubt the thieves guild would approve of your actions with them if they knew.

While the Arch Mage might not be known or respected the Harbinger of the Companions is known and respected.

[urthdigger]

Do the companions. You get a sweet alter ego you can use to just murder dudes when sneaking just won't work.

[Mr.Argonian]

If were are talking roleplaying than joining more than guild normally wouldn't fit. Sometimes it does though.

For example I roleplayed my Argonian started out as theif, and after he botched a job, accidentally killing someone, Delvin sent him off to the Dark Brotherhood. Another time my Orc necromancer was an apprentice at the College for access to the spells, but her true loyalty was to Sithis.

In roleplaying terms the most you could normally pull off would be two guilds. In gameplay terms you can play all, but the rewards given by the College would not be very beneificial to a thief, or Companions rewards don't help out a mage.

[TheManiac]

If you are playing a thief/assasin type, then you could join other guilds in order to extend the guild's influence, or even rob them blind from within.

If you are a mage type, you could easily flee the college because they thrust so much responsibility at you are once and you can't handle the pressure. Same could be said if you went through the companions already

[Theificka]

There is a Companion and a member of the Collage of Winterhold in the Dark Brotherhood, so even in game there is no immersion breaking. I still don't see why people think joining more than one guild breaks immersion. It may not make since to us, but even to the people of Skyrim, it is fine. Just RP that you quit.

Well, I never mentioned RPing, I don't do that. I was asking what could be of use to my playstyle from the other guilds.

It's really about what your character is specialising in as each guild has access to unique equipment that can complement your build. The stories are fine but personally I don't think any of the guilds are anything special. The companions aren't really necessary for a warrior type unless you want to become a werewolf, though the wolf armour and skyforge weapons aren't exactly bad, but they're better for an early game warrior.

Thank you for answering part of my question, but I was asking for what could be beneficial to my assassin.

[Br3admax]

Wait, how do you play a role playing game, without role playing? Like Call of Duty without explosions.

To answer your question, your get the benefits of doing any faction, but if you aren't a mage, you won't appreciate it. Obviously if you are only an assassin/thief, it won't help you much. If you are a nightblade, it might help. If are just playing this game to go through quest, it shouldn't matter. Just do what you want.

[Haravikk]

there is no answer to this topic that would apply to more than a single person on a single character. IMO there's no reason not to complete multiple guild story lines or as many miscelaneous quests as you can.

I think part of the problem is that no matter which guild you join you're "the chosen one"; this is the main thing that's become very formulaic about the guilds in that no matter how bad you are at magic, fighting, thieving or assassinations, you're destined to become the leader of the guild after you've rescued it from some terrible threat. So if you join multiple guilds then you're somehow the chosen one for more than one guild, as well as the dragon born.

At least in Dawnguard there's no particular reason why you're the one who has to complete the quest-line; though you still end up as the leader if you do the vampire side of the quest but it's by being the stronger vampire. But aside from rescuing Serana there's nothing that really makes you any different from the other vampires/Dawnguard, other than the fact that they're all extremely lazy and never do anything themselves.

Thank you for answering part of my question, but I was asking for what could be beneficial to my assassin.

Oh sorry, I was just giving a general answer. Personally I'd say no; nothing you gain from the Companions will help with being an assassin, unless you want to be able to turn into a werewolf in a tight spot, though generally the Vampire Lord is a better fit for assassins if you have the Dawnguard DLC, or just being a vampire in general, though day-walking is a pain in the ass. There is an expert one handed trainer in the Companions guild though, who doesn't offer his services unless you're also a member, but that's not really a big deal IMO.

College of Winterhold again doesn't really have much of interest to an assassin except that you may have to join in order to progress other quests since they don't let you in without joining. They only offer training in magic, and there are no must-have quests in there, just the usual dungeon delving stuff. It is however the only way to learn the third word of the Slow Time shout.


If you're just looking for stuff to do then by all means, but otherwise there's nothing that really makes them ideal for an assassin. I'd save them for a more relevant future character type. After all there's tons of stuff to do in Skyrim, and while guild stories make some of the quests feel a bit different they're all largely the same stuff in the end, so you're best off just focusing on what your character needs.

[urthdigger]

If we're talking straight up benefits for joining the guilds, I wasn't joking when I recommended becoming a werewolf. It's like the Cowl of Nocturnal from Oblivion, you can do as you please while it's on, and then when it's off nobody will care. Though, it does have the downside of not being able to switch without penalty while people are around.

As far as the College goes, I think that's probably the guild with the least benefit for joining. The staff isn't terribly impressive, the robes are more a convenience piece, and I never found the master level spells that impressive. Even for a mage, there seems to be little benefit for joining, as I think perhaps Dead Thrall is the only master level spell that seems significantly more useful than their lower level counterparts and/or isn't made invalid or redundant by one thing or another.

[Yaije]

If we're talking straight up benefits for joining the guilds, I wasn't joking when I recommended becoming a werewolf. It's like the Cowl of Nocturnal from Oblivion, you can do as you please while it's on, and then when it's off nobody will care. Though, it does have the downside of not being able to switch without penalty while people are around.

As far as the College goes, I think that's probably the guild with the least benefit for joining. The staff isn't terribly impressive, the robes are more a convenience piece, and I never found the master level spells that impressive. Even for a mage, there seems to be little benefit for joining, as I think perhaps Dead Thrall is the only master level spell that seems significantly more useful than their lower level counterparts and/or isn't made invalid or redundant by one thing or another.

Well the real benefit of joining the college of winterhold is access to the 5-7 (the magic school trainers, the "shady" dealer, and the book seller) vendors to trade with, which is easier to get than all the thieve's guild bonus vendors (fences and the extra additions to the Ragged Flaggon). That alone makes it a valuable place to consider gaining access to

Spoiler:

though you might also consider completing the first quest so Tolfdir actually stays back in the college grounds

And that's just for walking up and passing a simple test and saying "I want to see what's inside! "
edit: granted that benefit really only shines for someone who spends some time with speech craft and gets the perks to sell anything to anyone and makes any vendor a "fence"

My thieves have been operating inside the college of winterhold laundering gold for months and turning profit by sending "custom enchanted" goods to every hold.

[Theificka]

Wait, how do you play a role playing game, without role playing? Like Call of Duty without explosions.

To answer your question, your get the benefits of doing any faction, but if you aren't a mage, you won't appreciate it. Obviously if you are only an assassin/thief, it won't help you much. If you are a nightblade, it might help. If are just playing this game to go through quest, it shouldn't matter. Just do what you want.

When I hear 'roleplaying', I think of what people tend to mean on this forum, i.e. the creation of a a character in itself, not just to play the game.
Ty.

College of Winterhold again doesn't really have much of interest to an assassin except that you may have to join in order to progress other quests since they don't let you in without joining. They only offer training in magic, and there are no must-have quests in there, just the usual dungeon delving stuff. It is however the only way to learn the third word of the Slow Time shout.

If you're just looking for stuff to do then by all means, but otherwise there's nothing that really makes them ideal for an assassin. I'd save them for a more relevant future character type. After all there's tons of stuff to do in Skyrim, and while guild stories make some of the quests feel a bit different they're all largely the same stuff in the end, so you're best off just focusing on what your character needs.

So there is no point to doing the other guilds for my character, ty, and I do plan on doing the mages guild quests with an illusionist sometime.