natolars wrote:baratron wrote:Tell us more about your current character. What level is he or she in each of the skills?
I've started a new game; currently playing at level 38. My charachter, Natolars, is a Dunmer and here are his skill levels.
Brilliant, thanks for typing that all in. Okay, if I understand it correctly,
this is your current build. I should have also asked what your character's Health, Stamina, and Magicka are. Please could you let us know, because that will be useful?
Before I give you advice, a word of warning. These are my opinions based on 1000+ hours of Skyrim, but
everyone plays their game differently. There is no single "correct" build for Skyrim. There isn't even a single "correct" build for a particular playstyle. For example, many people argue that putting
anything at all into the Speech tree is a waste of perk points, but I personally love the Merchant perk and am happy to spend the three points required to get it. Also, everything I'm saying is a
suggestion, not an order. But I don't want to waste time typing "You could try ..." before everything I suggest, since this post will be long enough already!
However, having read about the playstyle you prefer, I can see
one big problem with your build. I'm going to assume that you're playing with the 1.9 patch because there is only one reason that I know of not to. (It has blocked a certain exploit. You don't sound like the sort of person who likes to use exploits, so I'm assuming that isn't a problem).
natolars wrote:I have always prefered a "stealthy" style of play; spotting enemies before they spot you and avoiding as much close combat as possible.
...
Right now I'm using a Daedric bow with a shock enchantment. I use a Daedric dagger with a fire enchantment for close combat.
You've managed to fill
both halves of the Smithing tree, therefore wasting a number of perk points which would be better spent elsewhere. At later levels, this isn't a problem - my level 83 character has all the Smithing perks except Daedric (since it goes against his religion). But at level 38, you need all the perks you can get.
So, given that you're sneaking everywhere and using Light Armor, smith yourself a couple of spare suits of armour and a couple of spare weapons (at least two of each), using your best enchanted smithing gear and Fortify Smithing potions. Then go into your Skills and choose to make the Smithing skill "Legendary". This resets it from Level 100 back to Level 15 - which is why you must make several spare armour and weapon sets
first!
9 perk points will be released for spending elsewhere, and
your build should look like this.
1) Immediately take the
Eagle Eye perk in Archery. This is very useful to stealth archers because it lets you zoom in for more accurate targeting. I am personally not a fan of the Steady Hand perks, but some people love them. I would personally recommend at least the first
Critical Shot perk. (2 perks spent, 7 left).
2) All of my characters have taken the perks
Novice Alteration,
Apprentice Alteration, and
Magic Resistance (requires Level 30 Alteration skill). This provides 10% resistance to all magical attacks including dragons. Ultimately, you want to have all three of the Magic Resistance perks, but this requires Level 70 Alteration. (3 perks spent, 4 left).
3) All of my characters have the perks
Novice Restoration,
Regeneration (requires Level 20 Restoration skill), and
Respite (requires Level 40 Restoration skill). It's very useful to be able to heal yourself (and allies) 1.5 x as much for the same Magicka expense, and it's extremely useful to be able to restore Stamina. In fact, my characters mostly use healing spells to restore Stamina. You're a long way off Respite, but take the
Novice Restoration perk now anyway. Save one perk for
Regeneration because you're almost there. Magic skills level slowly, but it isn't much effort to get from Level 19 to Level 20 - or get one level's worth of training from someone. (1 perk spent and 1 saved to be spent soon, 2 left).
Note: These Alteration and Restoration perks are useful even if your character isn't intending to be a mage at all.
4) For your final 2 perk points, one must go into Alchemy immediately. Take the
Snakeblood perk. It isn't in itself that useful, but you need it for
Purity, which is
extremely useful. (1 perk point spent, 1 left).
5) Save the last perk point. Now go and do some Smithing - get that skill back to at least Level 20. Spend that last perk point on
Steel Smithing. (1 perk point spent, 0 left).
Your build at this point should look like this.
Deep breath
.
As for
where you want to go next,
- You definitely want the Light Foot perk from the Sneak tree. It is so useful to be able to avoid triggering traps!
- Continue working on Smithing whenever you feel like it. I presume by now you've realised that you get more experience points for making expensive items, so mine ores with a pickaxe to get raw materials. Create jewellery and the most expensive armours you can. Also "temper" (improve) everything you pick up from enemies that isn't a complete waste (don't bother smithing Iron or Leather anything once you're past Level 30).
- Keep going with Enchanting until you get to Level 100 and can place two enchantments on each item. That's why you made the spare armours and weapons - because you're likely to get your Enchanting up to Level 100 before you get your Smithing back.
- You may also want to take points in the Light Armor skill to protect yourself when you end up in melee.
Also,
it depends on whether you want to get back to magery. If so:
- Stealthy characters do well taking some of the Illusion perks (the four up to Quiet Casting), since that stops enemies responding to spells they cast, with the exception of "visible" spells like Candlelight.
- I would suggest levelling up Conjuration - Atronachs work well as "helpers", although they don't have a very good range at first. You will be able to level it up to some extent just by casting Soul Trap on enemies to get souls for enchanting.
- When stealth runs out and you end up in melee, Destruction spells such as Flame Cloak, Frost Cloak, and Lightning Cloak are very useful. Choose which one you use depending on the enemies you're fighting. Flame Cloak for Nords and Draugr, Frost Cloak against Dunmer on Solstheim (if you have Dragonborn), Lightning Cloak against mages. When in doubt, Flame Cloak is usually the right choice.
I'm thinking you might end up with
a build that looks something like this. Note that if you keep playing this character past Level 65, you still have plenty of possibilities to add more perks!
natolars wrote:That's why I also would like some tips/advice when it comes to what questlines to start/finish first. Three or four questlines open at the same time can be a little chaotic.
lol, I have at least 5 quests on the go at any given moment even before I get onto "miscellaneous objectives"! I like to save up quests that are in the same area and do them together. There is one particular Forsworn camp which is useful for both an Aedric and a Daedric quest...! Of course, it depends on how many spoilers you want. If you're playing through the game for the first time, I'd recommend simply exploring. Don't use fast travel, instead look for new places on your "radar".
I'd definitely recommend you do the Azura's Star quest, since either Azura's Star or the Black Star is far too useful for Enchanting and refilling enchanted weapons. Other than that, I'm not really sure. A lot of my favourite quests aren't part of a questline.
I can give you a list of dungeons which have quests that start when you get there, if that would be of interest?