Rebuilding the blades

[copykakashi]

Which 3 people are the best choice to recruit for the blades?

I was thinking of hiring Aranea Ienith from Azura's shrine because she is a mage type and I thought 1 mage in the team with access to all types of spells is good.
But recently I read than once they become blades they only wear blade armor and use blade weapons. Is that true? If she joins wont she use spells at all?
And if I give her better armour like glass after she has been recruited will she wear it?

[House of the Wolf]

(IMO) The Blades aren't worth the sacrifice of any follower.

That said, one or two of the Companions, and/or one or two from the Thieves Guild would be easy enough to recruit. Outside of them, there are independent followers like Uthgerd the Unbroken, Faendal, Sven, and numerous other followers that have nothing better to do once you finish their respective quests/objectives.

As far as their armor, the wiki page makes it sound like that's the case, though I've never really explored them that much because they're the second of two groups I really despise in Skyrim.

[BunBun299]

They will use better armor if you give it to them. Blades armor just becomes their new default. I recruited Eola and Ilia into the Blades. Both still used their spells when we went on the dragon hunt.

Forgetting his name, but the Khajiit follower who guards the caravan is a good choice. Makes him easy to find if you want to use him.

[The SheoDovah]

The Blades are not worth rebuilding as they are short sighted fools who won't let one dragon live despite helping mankind to rebel against the dragons as wel as helping the Dovahkiin to send Alduin back to Akatosh. Thus my previous Dragonborn Character giving them the middle finger and trying to FUS RO DAH Sky Haven Temple. He believed he was very powerful and could destroy it. Instead, he sent them flying to their deaths as he believe that they posed a threat to Odaving as well as believing that the Blades could try to murder him for refusing to kill that dragon. He disappeared 1 month after he killed Alduin. Some say that he joined Akatosh others say that he has gone to Alinor to try and take them down. All we know that he is not in Skyrim.

You are probably best off ignoring the blades as they are not that helpful to you unless you are roleplaying. That said, i've not used them so i could be wrong.

[urthdigger]

I think the primary reason for rebuilding the blades would be for RP reasons. In which case I'd ask the question: Which follower do you think most wants to join? I imagine most of the followers who aren't doing anything currently (so, not guild members), yet who have ambition. The ones who join you for a sense of adventure, rather than just because you did them a favor.

[BunBun299]

The Blades are not worth rebuilding as they are short sighted fools who won't let one dragon live despite helping mankind to rebel against the dragons as wel as helping the Dovahkiin to send Alduin back to Akatosh. Thus my previous Dragonborn Character giving them the middle finger and trying to FUS RO DAH Sky Haven Temple. He believed he was very powerful and could destroy it. Instead, he sent them flying to their deaths as he believe that they posed a threat to Odaving as well as believing that the Blades could try to murder him for refusing to kill that dragon. He disappeared 1 month after he killed Alduin. Some say that he joined Akatosh others say that he has gone to Alinor to try and take them down. All we know that he is not in Skyrim.

You are probably best off ignoring the blades as they are not that helpful to you unless you are roleplaying. That said, i've not used them so i could be wrong.

For role playing purposes, I rebuild them before meeting with Parthurnaax. That was a get the quests done before having my falling out with them. Still tell Delphine and Esbern to go frak themselves once they demand I go kill a pacifist monk over a grudge older than anyone alive (except maybe Serana). But I like them before I grow to hate them.

[The SheoDovah]

They don't give us a good reason to do so either. If they had evidence that Parthy was gathering an army or that he plans to take Alduin's place as world eater, then i may have been inclined to kill him but at the same time, would feel very guilty and have my Dragonborn mourn his death for 3 in game weeks by drinking at a tavern. Plus, they could be hypocrits as the COC may have been a theif and a murderer that killed thousands of innocents. Depending on how you roleplay your character. As i've said, they are best suited for a roleplayer. It would have been nice if we could have reported them to the Thalmor in exchange to stop them from hunting us down or just out of spite.

[CBR JGWRR]

And her family don't forget, but they could have been from any point before the dragon war or at some point in the second era. (Harkon mentions ruling a kingdom, something that could only happen in those times without being known to history. IMO)

For me, I never rebuild the Blades, largely due to the Paarthurnax issue, but also because Delphine is a female dog at times. As Angeir said, maybe there would be more dragons on our side were it not for the Blades/Akaviri. (or brunikke as Paarthurnax terms them - savages)


Will use the Blades armour though, it is usually better than whatever else I've got at that point.



ETA - Their only justification he should die boils down to he killed lots of people, and helped Alduin.

By the way, with good enough restoration spells and dragonrend to keep Alduin down, it is possible to have Paarthurnax defeat Alduin at the throat of the world.

[soda popinski]

So if hitler was 185 years old today and came out of hiding, and then he donated a bunch of money to charity, you guys would leave him alone?

[Avron the S'wit]

Can we not go there? That'd be super.

[Duderino Abides]

Delphine is an epic [&@%!]. I wouldn't help her rebuild the Sleeping Giant.

[Alnevar Odai]

My 3 favorites are, the Imperial Witch in the Rift Illia, The Redguard headsman in Solitude Ahtar, and the Argonian from Darkwater Crossing Derkeethus.

But for RP purposes, I like deadra worshipers... Eola, Aranea Ienith, and Erandur.

Sometimes I like all dunmer. Athis, Aranea Ienith, Jenassa

If you want to waste good followers as blades, J'zargo, Mjoll the Lioness, and Erandur

I dont put questgivers, or people that populate places I frequent as blades followers. So if you dont want to run around fetching the dungeon followers Illia, Erandur or Golldir you may want to make them blades. IMO Golldir is annoying so I dont trek with him.

[Mr.Argonian]

Once I had a female Orsimer Warrior, and I made a crack team of Orcish Blades. Consisting of Borgahk, Ghorbash and Ugor, I called the Shazgor's Angels, and we kicked Dragon butt all over Skyrim.

But roleplay wise I find Erik the Slayer to be a good candidate. He wants to be an adventurer, see the world, but he also needs to training. What better way to do that than be trained by Delphine, and eventually go out defeating all types of menaces like bandits, giants, wispmothers and dragons.

[Brannarch]

Mercenaries can be recruited as blades, which means that you can then use them as followers for free.

It can make sense from a RP perspective, depending on how you view the blades. If you see the blades as the Dragonborn's personal bodyguard then mercenaries make sense, if you regard it as a purpose-of-life thing then you might want characters who fit the hunter/warrior ethic.

[11Justin93]

I went with Erik the Slayer, Benor, and Erandur. Erik wanted to be an adventurer and he had Slayer in his name so he was a good choice. Erandur wanted to help people and yes, he stll uses spells. I don't know why I chose Benor though.

I'm glad I killed Paarthurnax. He deserved it.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

(IMO) The Blades aren't worth the sacrifice of any follower.

You can, obviously, still use those people as Followers once they become Blades. The only "downside" is their location moves and they equip Blades armor and weapons, which isn't a downside at early levels since that stuff is mid-range.

The way I do it on my characters who support the Blades is to create a well rounded team. I go for a Mage, an Archer and a Melee specialist. I know that's contrived DnD mechanics from way back in the day and doesn't serve much of a purpose, but I enjoy building my Dragon slaying team that way. It's the nerd in me.

[Br3admax]

Easy

Housecarl(any)

Mage(any)

Member of choice

I also go for the Cloud Ruler trio: one Nord, one Imperial, one Redguard. That way every race from Cloud Ruler is in Sky Haven.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

So Elves and Beast People can't be Blades? Poorly played, sir.

I prefer the Morrowind Blades - they could be anyone, of any trade, in any town using any equipment. Now that's a spy network.

The combination Byzantine/Samurai battle armor from the newest two games is iconic...and a spy should not have an iconic or easily identifiable look.

[Br3admax]

It's just nostalgia, Pilaf. I don't really use the Blades. And a certain level-capless Khajiit is the best character base-game. Period. He's there sometimes.

Thieves' Guild is my spy network.

[truman]

"Soul fissures are another common feature of the Soul Cairn; they are gaps in the ground with air rising visibly out of them, which causes them to emit a hissing noise. If you activate a soul fissure it will fill the largest soul gem in your inventory."

[The SheoDovah]

I think you may have posted in the wrong thread.

It is a massive shame that they didn't give the blades an entire questline and actually make it feel like you are helping to bring them back to their former glory instead you being the only person who recruits people and i use that word lightly as it's just people who you can use as followers. In fact, i believe that rebuilding the blades could have played a minor part in the main quest. Such as, once they are fully rebuilt and their questline is complete, they will charge into battle with you against Alduin who is currently attacking Whiterun. This could be the point where you discover that everything you throw at the World Eater does nothing but to annoy him as well as having him be more effective and more of a threat. Imagine fighting him and then realising that despite you being a demi god, you can't do a single thing to him. But i'm getting a bit off topic and have already mentioned what i would change about the main quest in that thread.

It would have been nice if we found some old records of the first Blades in Skyrim in the temple and learn more about the Akaviri. If they had made Esbern be an avatar for Akatosh, that could be interesting but at the same time, could be a let down.

I suspect in the next game, they will be a dead faction as i can't see them gaining enough members in order to operate outside of Skyrim. Although if it's set 100 years after Skyrim, i suppose it would be acceptable for them ot have been reformed and now have a presence in a few provinces.

[copykakashi]

Success! All of they wear better armour if you give them after they join! I got Aranea Ienith in. She's a superb follower. Vast array of skills, keeps out of harms way and summons Frost Frost Atronachs The rest two I hired to mercenaries because I didn't wanna shift NPC's from their original places. This girl was all alone in the mountain, her talents wasting away. And those two didn't interact anyway

I suspect in the next game, they will be a dead faction as i can't see them gaining enough members in order to operate outside of Skyrim. Although if it's set 100 years after Skyrim, i suppose it would be acceptable for them ot have been reformed and now have a presence in a few provinces.

Next game will be set a millennium before the events of the previous game in the series, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, with the Daedric Prince Molag Bal appearing as the main antagonist as he attempts to conquer all of Tamriel. NO blades then

I wonder if we'll get to see more of the Dwemer I hope so!

[philfredobob]

I suspect in the next game, they will be a dead faction as i can't see them gaining enough members in order to operate outside of Skyrim. Although if it's set 100 years after Skyrim, i suppose it would be acceptable for them ot have been reformed and now have a presence in a few provinces.

Next game will be set a millennium before the events of the previous game in the series, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, with the Daedric Prince Molag Bal appearing as the main antagonist as he attempts to conquer all of Tamriel. NO blades then

I wonder if we'll get to see more of the Dwemer I hope so!

thats the elder scrolls Online, not TES VI

[copykakashi]

thats the elder scrolls Online, not TES VI

You mean apart from that there is another TES VI?????!!!!

[CBR JGWRR]

Yes, TES:O is completely seperate from the main series, they aren't even being developed by the same people.