Where do you buy Open Very Hard (or just hard) lock, scrolls? All i can find is Open Easy.

Yes I would like to know this aswell, remember seeing them in "Edgar's Discount Spells" with a MMM + OOO setup. But I can't find any with my FCOM setup.

I would have to check as i also run FCOM but these guys are suppose to have the Hard lock ones... Gaspar Stegine, Orintur, Raminus Polus. Gonna check in a bit as I also have a need for a couple as i cant open the Locks in a Fort im in right now...lol

You have to make a spell for opening very hard locks at the Arcane University.

A few bits of advice for those with slow reflexes, extreme paranoia, or who have added http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=20850 http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=25616 http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=26012 to the game:

• Mudcrabs have diseases, and curing diseases is expensive early on. Yeah, they're easy kills and crab meat has its uses, but it's amazing how badly they can cripple you. Practice your weapons with them, but not your armor skill!
  
• Speaking of expensive: you're gonna want better gear ASAP. In all likelihood, you're going to want it even more than you want to raise your alchemy skill, if you get my drift.
  
• On the other hand, there is no such thing as too many healing potions.
  
• You're not good enough for the arena yet. No, seriously.
  
• Chasing deer is the best way to meet wolves. Meeting wolves ends predictably.
  
• Slaughterfish are aptly named.

I feel like cheating because I'm using a sword from RealSwords Khajit, which is horribly unbalanced for lower levels even though I'm using the low-damage version of the mod.

I may end up ditching it.

The only reason I don't feel bad about using it is because even in areas where the sword lets me kill things faster than they kill me, i'm still somewhat of a glass cannon.

Yes, that Bandit Ringleader sure is difficult! Managed to kill him, but only with numerous Skeleton summons, healing spells, and mace.

And everyone listen to that last bit of advice Edvardelis had; everytime I think I'm safe, I'm blown to smithereens by a container trap!

I agree. Always have some furniture or corpse or other obstacle between you and the chest whenever you try to open it.

I believe that Open scrolls are considered levelled items, so they will show up rarely for low level characters, even in shops.


Keep in mind that Realswords are distributed to NPCs as well, so they'll have high damage weapons as well.

I've always found Open Hard and Open Very Hard scrolls for sale from Lvl 1. (Otherwise my tip above on a starting dungeon spree wouldn't work.)

That really didn't help the khajit who was carrying my Knucklebow saber

Pretty much every Scroll in the game is leveled Check the WiKi

The # 's in Bold are the Levels. So guessing thats why at level 14 I havent seen any yet...lol

But still - I've always found them at Lvl 1. And I've started OOO/FCOM games like 15 times by now. :shrug:

In fact, I only check for/buy them on low levels as I use a short duration Fortify Security spell as soon as I can obtain/make it. I check Mystic Emporium, Edgar's Discount Spells and that guy that sells stuff close to the Chestnut Handy Stables.

EDIT: My guess (haven't checked in the CS) is that OOO changes the leveling of them as it overhauls locks/lockpicking. Guess Sotobrastos wanted some way for low levels chars to actually be able to open Hard and Very Hard locks on lower levels.

One advise I could give (never played OB in my life, and started with a FCOM install) is to NOT use Alchemy as a major skill. I tend to create a lot of "random" potions (selling for lots of septims) which caused me to level up way too fast. I have been reconsidering to re-level my character with a no-class setup, but I think this will screw up my (save) game.

If fire does not work, shock will.

Quote for emphasis. Yes yes they are... That bridge across from vivlerin, I always jump off that and dive in the water. Upon my first greeting with the fish, I was like "oh piece of cake". Nope.. I had to RUN from it and the other 2 that were coming @_@.

I had a look in the CS with my bashed patch loaded. The nested leveled lists are confusing, but they do appear in a couple of places without level requirements.

Shady Sam is the most accessible. Then there is a chance of them turning up in some vendor containers. And a chance of them turning up in some boss containers.

From my two years of playing OOO (without MMM of FCOM) I have concluded that the following skills are essential to have as majors in order to survive, (given the way I naturally play)-

Conjuration. A conjured scamp or similar can really help in taking the heat off when thinks get difficult.
Marksman. I always start a fight with a poisoned sneak bow-shot if at all possible.
Alchemy. Make as many restore health and damage health potions as possible. Nightshade and peony are available in huge quantities around Skingrad, combining them at apprentice level gives a basic damage health poison. I make this stuff in industrial quantities.
Illusion. The control spells can make all the difference when mobbed. I particularly enjoy turning opponents' summons against them.

Also it is essential to have a good attack skill, destruction, blade or blunt depending on playing style.

Above all, use your majors. trying to play major is minor to control leveling will result in being crushed. Essential skills should be developed as quickly as possible, and that means using them. As opponent difficulty is capped it it quite difficult to 'fall behind the difficulty curve' in OOO so don't worry about levelling too quickly. In my view in OOO there is no such thing as leveling too quickly.

Remember to use all available tools. It's easy to forget about greater powers, if things get tough use them, also don't forget about spell scrolls or potions you may have picked up as loot. The answer to a current problem may be lurking forgotten in your inventory.

Finally, as many have said, don't be afraid to run away.

It is also nice to have a Hotkey mod so that you have quick access to more spells.

I disagree about using Alchemy as Major, unless you use a mod like http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27610 that nerfs Alchemy. The problem with Alchemy is that it advances too fast and is not really a skill that directly helps you survive againts enemies. So you end up leveling rapidly, and (even with OOO) will face tougher enemies wihtout your own character getting much tougher. Alchemy is an important skill, especially if you don't have Restoration and/or Alteration, but not as a Major.

I've found that a Sniper works very well with OOO.
My previous character was a Khajiit with the skills Marksman, Blades, Blocking, Light Armour, Acrobatics, Sneak and Security. With Let There Be Darkness, Actors Have Torches, Real Lights and most standard Stealth mods, she was able to snipe some formidable opponents that a typical warrior of the same level in Heavy Armour would have had trouble with.
My first character was a Nord warrior in Heavy Armour using 2H Blunt weapons, and whereas I found my sniper a bit too powerful I found the warrior too frustrating to play and retired him at lvl 18.

Although I try to vary it, my characters (all using OOO) tend to follow a similar pattern.

I use the Goblins at Fatback (first level) for training. Usually Heavy Armor for endurance, healing why they hit me. Also attack skills (blade, bow, blunt). And picking up alchemy ingredients. Fatback is a great training cave.

Near the IC I tend to make a run through Fort Virtue and Fansceceul for some quick and much needed cash.

Also start the Collector questline, usually with Cullotte first.

And I pick up the Tower stone (island east of the IC) in order to open hard locks.

Well, I've probably played long term characters with OOO at least half a dozen times, and I always have alchemy as a major. I don't use a levelling mod, and use OOO's default 3x slower leveling rates. It is the case that a huge alchemy session, making say 150 potions may advance my alchemy skill 2 or 3 times when the skill is in the 20's, but I'd have to make thousands of potions to seriously gimp my character.

my current character is a level 24 woodelf with about 220 hours playtime. Yesterday she made expert level in alchemy. I wouldn't call that advancing too fast.

(Although what I don't do is make junk restore fatigue potions to sell, all my potions and poisons are made because I need them, that may have something to do with it).

36 hours played, 2.7k potions created and a 135 Alchemy skill. Believe I am level 17 right now (got at least 14-15 levels out of the alchemy).

What I did wrong is ignoring the potion descriptions, and just throw everything together.

+ 1. I tend to have Alchemy as Major but I don't make potions just to sell them either - and then it levels fine IMO. Alchemy can almost be overpowered. I killed Lord Volmyr on Lvl 13 once with Reflect Damage over 100. Or rather, he killed himself in ten seconds or so.

Before I added mods many years ago, I got to lvl20 in a few hours by leveling up 2 skills.. Alchemy and sneak. Between those 2 skills, you're bound to be very weak if you don't watch out.

But this is assuming you're leveling alchemy for reasons other than defense abilities.

Also it seems, Alchemy is slightly underrated.

In my mind there's no question that melee classes are the most difficult to develop successfully, but when you do succeed in making him viable it certainly gives enormous satisfaction.
Just a few very quick tips - No two handed weapon regardless of it's damage potential is worth the trade-off that a high block skill offers when a shield is properly used.
I've tried a couple of barbarian type characters and the constant staggering during combat and death by snipers makes one almost impossible to play with anything other than disappointment.
Use a shield spell often - really!
Like others I find alchemy levels way too quickly when chosen as a major, but healing/curing of some type isn't an option.
Take it or Restoration as a major skill.

I disagree. I find 2H weapons very effective with OOO as they are heavier so more stagger effect on enemies. With 2H power attacks they seldom get a chance to retaliate because they're constantly being staggered, so no need to block in the first place. Plus they look much cooler.