Hey guys,

This is not a big question, just looking for some advice

Currently on another major playthrough (main quest + everything else) and I started thinking about the Blades.

My question is, would you say it's worth it to do all them Blades quests (recruitment, Dragon Infusion, etc.) EVEN THOUGH I know that I'm gonna be siding with Paarthy?

As I gather (correct me if I'm wrong), the whole glitch surrounding Esbern's 'Dragon Infusion' potion quest was fixed in one of the most recent patches - so this got me thinking that maybe it's worth pursuing.

And I've never done the recruitment stuff, so that's new to me.

Anyways, just wondering if I should take advantage before dropping them like yesterday's anti-dragon newspaper.

I'm sure I'll get a few "Do it yourself and find out"-s, but any other advice would be appreciated.

That's what these forums are for anyways, right?

Hear the blades out. perhaps you can find an ally. or perhaps you can find a threat quelled.

Maybe. Since the potion was supposedly fixed, I'd give it a try.

Unfortunately, I could never join the Blades or do anything after they used me.

Yeah, in general I find it hard to get over the the Blades - Delphine in particular - being self-serving pr*cks.

Also, I apologize Molec, but my 'cryptic' is a bit rusty these days .

Is it true that you can do ABSOLUTELY nothing with the blades after refusing to kill Paarthurnax?

I don't need to further convince myself about the fact that were it not for Paarthy, we (Nirn-collectively speaking) would be sitting neatly in Alduin's gut right about now, so I don't see myself flat-out choosing to side with the blades, but is it worth it to use them (like they used me) and then forget about 'em.

And, although this is probably a stupid question, would there be any point in doing the recruitment missions?

If you are going to side with the dragon then there aren't going to be any blades quests. Also, that is the only quest. The others are just random radiant things to do if you get bored.

just going to point out, the Blades were just as important to Alduins defeat as Paarth, if not more so...

all Paarth did was tell you "Hey, if you read an Elder Scroll here, you will get a vision of the past!".

the blades are the ones that told you about the Dragons Return meaning the return of Alduin the world-eater, and gave you a map with locations of where Dragons are being resurrected from. it was the Blades who lead you to Alduins wall and translated it, which is the only reason we know Dragonrend exists (I mean, the Greybeards refuse to tell you of its existence when you question them afterwards, even though you know it exists from Alduins wall.. what makes you think they would have helped you learn a shout they consider Blasphemous if you had not learned of its existence on Alduins wall beforehand). good luck slaying Alduin without Dragonrend.

I think people over-estimate what Paarth actually did simply because "Hey a Dragon is talking to me and not trying to eat me...coool!".

Well Bunny, that doesn't explain why the Dragonborn bends his/her knee to Delphine.

I don't think it is 'worth it' in pure min/max terms of benefits you get. The Dragon Infusion is okay, but when you are high level killing dragons is pretty easy anyway. I only do it with characters who, for rp, are dead set on being a blade, usually pro Empire types. Although I did join with a character who was a SC. She got convinced that P deserved death for all the Nords he had killed and she was going to attempt to use the Blades for her own purposes as she continued to advance the goals of Ulfric and the SC after the execution of Tullius.

umm, like every other questline?


MQ has Delphine
Companions have Aela and Kodlak
DB has Astrid
Thieves Guild has Mercer and Karliah
Volkihar has Lord Harkon
DG has Isran
Dragonborn has Hermaeus Mora


its kinda hard to progress through any questline without a person to give you quests and orders, now isn't it?

she gives you orders just like crucial characters in EVERY questline gives you orders.. its the way the game works...

The dragon teaches you the call the other dragon shout and if Alduin were an actual threat, the greybeards and the dragon would eventually be forced into helping the dragonborn defeat Alduin. No need to translate a wall when there is a person that was actually there when Alduin was defeated the first time. So the blades are just crammed in there maybe because Bethesda didn't know where else to put them.

Of those people in that list, nearly all of them die. The ones that live appreciate everything you do, and made leader of whatever it is there in.

Except the Blades. I'm not arguing or anything, nor attempting to start something. But you never gain a single position among the Blades.

It can be kinda fun collecting recruits from around Skyrim and then doing the dragon hunt quest IF it doesn't glitch.

The Blades are pretty much useless for the MQ, any relevant information could've been given to you by the Greybeards or Paarthurnax or even Mr. "I love dragons so much and my voice actor svcks!" in Dragonsreach. Seriously.

"Let's go to Kynesgrove to learn...something that you knew already!"

"Let's go to the Thalmor Embassy to learn...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!"

"Let's go to Sky Haven Temple to learn...something you could've totally gotten any other way!"

"Let's go back to Sky Haven Temple to be bossed around into possibly being a [censored] and backstabbing one of your loyal allies!"

yeah, you can also learn call dragon by returning to Alduins wall, its written there...

umm, Alduin was an actual threat... he is "the world eater".. and Paarth never leaves Throat of the World, as staying there is his self imposed punishment. and even though Alduin is a threat, when you ask the Greybeards about Dragonrend they respond "Where did you hear of that! no such shout exists, now leave me be". until that other Greybeard gives him a scolding... they consider Dragonrend Blasphemous, as it was made my man and not Dov.. they would not have acknowledged its existence if you had not questioned them with the knowledge from Alduins wall...


The only thing Paarth does that only he can do is say "Hey, that spot there, read an elder scroll there and you will get a vision of the past"..

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

I guess you make a sound point funnybunny, in that the Blades WERE also vital (although I don't see Paarthurnax trying to manipulate me for his own agenda...)

Either way, when it comes down to it, I much more the 'meditative' kind of guy, and the Greybeards just straight up do it for me.

I find it sem-bizarre considering the fact that the blades essentially exist FOR the dragonborn (useless otherwise - as evidenced by Delphine running an inn and Esbern amusing himself as a dungeon-squatter) are so willing to - without a blink - completely and utterly shun their 'master' for possessing a seperate stance on killing a scaly friend.

If it's simply their old dragon-slaying instincts kicking in, they should go back to calling themselves the Dragonguard, as they ain't doin' me anymore favors.

ALSO, this just occurred to me.

Why the hell do the Blades make such a stink about cutting down ole' Paarthy yet seem to be willing to turn the other way whenever the 'recently right-hand man' of Alduin - Odahviing - comes 'round?

Do they ever realize the irony, or is it just 'who cares' - cuz that seems like blatant hypocrisy on their part.

someone didn't pay attention the the MQs dialogue...

1) you went to Kynesgrove because the only way she would know for sure you are Dragonborn is to see you slay a dragon. no soul absorbtion, no Dragonborn. it was not about YOU learning something, it was about you PROVING something

2) we learnt something very Important from the Thalmor Embassy, the location of Esbern. the only man with knowledge of the Location of Alduins wall and how to translate it.

3) umm, we couldn't have learnt it any other way. ONLY reason we know of Dragonrends existence is Alduins wall, the Greybeards would not have told you about it. you ask them about it after learning its existence and they deny it even exists until they begin to argue among themselves if they should help you or not. if you did not have the knowledge from Alduins Wall, they would have never given you access to Paarth to learn Dragonrend.. they consider it Blasphemous as its not created by Dov and acknowledging its existence would go against their beliefs.

this is the issue with "Alduins Wall is not important" Arguments.. Its THE ONLY reason we would ever be able to Learn Dragonrend. if we did not confront the Greybeards with knowledge of its existence they would never have helped us. as shown by how they react when you first ask them..

Alas, the noble Blades from the 3rd era truly are dead. All that is left is rusty armor and katanas.

Here's my view on this matter.
IIRC you really don't get anything extra for helping the blades out. You can get their gear with out "siding" with them. The only bonus you get from killing P is a few radient "fetch" quests.

If you help out P by not cutting his head off you still get the Blades gear but I believe there's no real reward for siding that way.

Honestly I think it all comes down to who the player prefers and personally I don't like how demanding Delphine comes off as and really she's the deal breaker for me. I only killed P once just to see how hard it was and afterwards I loaded to before the fight and kept it that way.

Like I said, IMHO it's really just an issue if who you like more.... And I surely don't like being given ultimatums like that.

with Alduin down, Paarth is the remaining most powerful dragon.. it is believed he eventually will no longer be able to suppress his Dominant Nature, and would become a major Threat.. if this happened after the LDBs death by war or from old-age, no one would be able to Slay Paarth. its believed with Paarths Immense power, only a DB can slay him.. and if he loses Control after the LDB dies.. well Nirn is ******

Odahviing is not nearly as strong as Paarth from a lore point of view.. while the Blades could slay a dragon of Odahviings power, a dragon as powerful was Paarth would be beyond their skill...


So in reality, a cautionary measure...

Wow! You are really fired up about this. And after all that 1 2 3 nonsense, where do they point you? To the greybeards. After that you find out that all of those things you did where a waste of time. You were just following the ramblings of a woman who is more lost than Private Ryan. The greybeards find dragonrend sooo blasphemous that the dragon very politely points you toward the scroll that teaches you Dragonrend. Anything else the blades tell you, the dragon already knows. He would have eventually told you all of that, without wasting times in stupid parties that have nothing to do with you but with the agenda of an old hag.

wow, you need to go replay the MQ...

if it was not for Alduins wall, you would never have met Paarth...


you go to Alduins Wall, learn of Dragonrend.. when you talk to the Greybeard he clearly says hes not going to tell you, so go away. until another Greybeard says to him, its not his place to decide.
it is only then that they open the gate to the top of The Throat of the World, for you to meet Paarth..

It does not matter what Paarth knows, because if you had not confronted the Greybeards with knowledge of Dragonrend FROM ALDUINS WALL they would not have given you access to the throat. you would have never met Paarth, you would have never known to read the Elder Scroll at the time scar, or even the time scars existence..


your whole "Paarth was much more important" argument may have Merit if HE flew you to Skuldafn, or took a few of the Dragons there off your hands.. but no...

but Paarth NEVER leaves the throat of the World, so he would not have come to find you.. if it was not for you demanding the Greybeards the knowledge of Dragonrend, they would not have sent you to Paarth, and likely would never have known his existence...




Like I said, people seem to head-canon his role being more crucial then it is because "Ohh, a Dragons talking to me and being nice, cool!"

Since I've already stirred up one thread I'll abstain from debating this one.

As for how far to go with Delphine's faction I say take them to Skyhaven Temple and leave them.

However there is one dialogue option I haven't seen mentioned in a long time and it is that you can return to Delphine and lie to her about killing Paarthy thus retaining your nominal status as it is with them and continue to recieve their aid while Paarthy continues to breathe Nirn's crisp, chill air at the top of Snow Throat. This gives you the assistance of both sides should you want it along with dragon hunting with your ex followers, Esbern's potion et all.

After all she can't very well travel there herself to check out your story.

Interesting! I didn't even know that that was an option.

Unfortunately, I'm generally an honest Nord, and I prefer to be straight up with most people (even someone like Delphine), so I probably won't be able to justify this option for RP reasons. But thanks man, nonetheless. I'm always happy to find alternate solutions like this actually implemented into the game.

Anyways, I feel kind of bad for potentially inciting such an argument, although I have no problem with a debate as long as it is kept within good sport.

Now I know it pains some to realize this, but do note that these are factions in a video game we are talking about .

I don't mean that it is a pointless conversation, but let's just make sure not to take it too personally.

On that note:

@funnybunny - I thought that the Blades' stance was in general for the destruction of ALL dragons. I can see them making Paarthurnax a much higher priority, but that doesn't mean that they would in ANY way be cool with the Dov keeping Odahviing around. Half the point behind their hate for Paarthy is that they tend not to discriminate between dragons.

Also, iirc, the idea of potentially meeting Paarthurnax first occurs before you even get involved with the Blades - Arngeir says you will meet him when you are powerful enough or something along those lines. So saying that you wouldn't have met Paarthurnax without the Blades' guidance seems like quite a stretch to me, but THAT'S JUST ME .

I just do it so my collection of swords wont be stolen.