I ask this because i am already planning of playing the mainquest as Dovahkiin, and have other characters that "roleplay" that isnt Dragonborn, and with those charaters, I want to kill dragons, but NOT learn their powers at all.

Well, anybody know something about this?

This is a good question. Don't think we have the answer yet.

Ok I'm bringing back the classic "if you don't like it, don't use it" argument here. But I think you automatically absorb the dragon's soul, but you also have to look at the word walls in order to learn shouts. And even if you do learn one by accident you don't have to use it if you don't want.

There's my answer. Thanks.

I don't care much for the whole Dragonborn concept at all, so i'm just going to ignore that whole aspect of the game in general and pretend it's not there. When the Greybeards shout "Dovahkiin", I won't answer, because that's not what i'm calling my character. :rolleyes:

hey man if you dont want to use the dragon powers, just dont go lookin for the dragon words. they are scatter throughout the wolrd and the game probably wont require you to go and learn them. the only one you'll hav to use is the fus ro dah one and you dont mind using that on one time, right.

So wait, does that mean you don't want to fight the dragons?

Not really, no. Having a conversation with some of them might be cool, but generally with most of them i'd like them to be so hard to kill that seeing one would mean run and hide or die.

Shooting one out of the sky might be a bit of fun, but I imagine slaying them will get old fairly quickly.

I see your point, but couldn't do it myself personally.

I can imagine you walking out of the forest and seeing a dragon attacking a village, all those poor villagers screaming for help, hoping someone will save them. A villager will run up to you, bleeding and battered and say "By the gods! A dragon is attacking the village, please help us!!!!" You will respond " ohhhh yeh..... about that, i'm kinda late for my afternoon nap, i'll be going now." *turns around and sprints away*

*a dragon attacks a village just as the dragonborn arrives near said village. He watches in awe for a few seconds, then says "I... I forgot to take out the trash" as he quietly turn around and goes back to his house in another village, hoping no one saw him*

off-topic I know, but Dionysiou's post gave me the inspiration for it and I HAD to say it

now, On-topic, I think you'll only get the dragons' powers if you actually seek the walls on which the words of power are engraved. Absorbing dragon souls only makes you able to learn them

you could just not use them. ignore they exist. that what you kinda have to do if you are RPing in OB but want to stay far away from the MQ as possible, in that situation you always had the amuelet of kings in your inventory. its not that hard to ignore spells (if the powers are just like birthsign spells) especially when you get alot of them.

The topic got me thinking, I don't think we'll have a new shout everytime we kill a dragon, what if there's a "gauge" to fill.

Kind of like gaining XP for killing a dragon, so to learn a new shout we have to fill "Shout gauge 1" which should be filled quickly, let's say killing 1 dragon ... but "Shout gauge 17" should be harder to fill, maybe killing 7 to 8 dragons?

Just a thought...

Can't we swing swords, and NOT level up? I ask this because I am already planning on playing the main quest as a master swordsman, and have other characters that "roleplay" that aren't master swordsmen. And with those characters, I want to kill enemies with swords, but NOT level up my sword skill at all.

Can't we mix herbs, and NOT level up? I ask this because I am already planning on playing the main quest as an alchemist, and have other characters that "roleplay" that aren't alchemists. And with those characters, I want to mix herbs, but NOT level up my alchemy skill at all.

Can't we lockpick, and NOT level up? I ask this because I am already planning on playing the main quest as an lockpickersman, and have other characters that "roleplay" that aren't lockpickersmen. And with those characters, I want to pick locks, but NOT level up my lockpicking skill at all.

Instead of designing their game around contained missions/levels (CoD, Ninja Gaiden, etc.), Bethesda made a completely open game world. Instead of making pure combat the only way for a character to advance the story, Bethesda made magic and stealth equally viable options. Instead of making all weapons play alike, Bethesda is differentiating types of weapons from each other (axes, maces, bows, fire/ice/shock magic all have fundamental differences in how they play out in-game). Instead of locking you into a particular way of leveling the entire game, Bethesda gave you the freedom to play however you want without feeling like you are wasting time by not leveling major skills. Instead of telling you how your character's personality develops over the game (any Rockstar game, all of which are incredible), Bethesda gave you the room to create a character from a completely blank slate.

The logical progression to OP's argument leads to things like "I don't want to steal [item] to be head of the Thieves Guild." May as well say that various quests ask your character to do something that you don't want to interest him/her. The game gives you the legitimate possibility of playing as a woodcutter. All the components are in place for you to make a virtual living by cutting wood. Or mining. Or whatever else floats your proverbial boat. Can anyone name another game that gives you as much freedom? Minus MMOs? Bethesda is making a game. They're not making individual virtual reality tools for each of their users. They're making a game, and with that comes some rules. In this case, one of the rules is that you happen to have the soul of a dragon. Whether or not you choose to do anything with that is up to you. But that's really the premise of the game entirely.

Any other thing in the game, dual-wielding, learning magic, is up to the player whether or not you take advantage of it. Absorbing the soul of a dragon is the only definite thing. That is the only aspect of your character over which you have no control. There's an open world which slightly tailors itself based on the player's level, which changes some of its quests based on the player's actions, and in which the player can do pretty much anything they want except not absorb the soul of a dragon if they decide to kill it. Oh, and you are forced to get better at a skill when you use it. Yes, you have to pick a perk, but you can pick something unrelated to how you play, if that keeps the sanctity of your roleplay intact. Bethesda can't account for every possible roleplay, but they can come damn close. Think of soul-absorbing as a 19th skill, if you want. But it's a game mechanic same as any other. If the only obstacle to your ideal roleplay is being forced to absorb dragon souls if you decide to kill them at all, I'd say Bethesda has done a fine job.

Anybody know something about this?

I know something about that.

YES. That is all.

:foodndrink:

@eurokardigan
thats just taking what the op said to the furthest extreme possible. the op just wants to rp without doing the main quest, and that means he doesn't want to use any powers associated with the mq. that doesn't merit having a whole wall of sarcastic text.

Edit: removed quote. too long/unneccesary

I don't see why they couldn't make it optional for those that don't want to be "dragonborn". I can't say I enjoy that being forced on the player whether or not they are doing the MQ. Dragons are infinite anyway, so you wouldn't lose anything from not taking their soul.

Yeah, this was uncalled for. First, the OP didn't make an argument. An argument is a series of propositions consisting of premises and a conclusion. The OP posted a statement about his preference and a question. Second, he didn't say he wanted to be the leader of the Theives guild and not have to steal. He said he wanted to kill dragons and not have to be the Dovakiin. I might want to play as a theif and not be a member of the thieves guild. I might want to play as a mercenary and not be a member of the fighters guild. I might want to play as a sadistic murderer and not be a member of the Dark Brotherhood. Those are appropriate anologies., yours are not. Third, why so rude?

But it isn't a power associated with the main quest. It's a power associated with the character, same as the ability to shoot a bow and arrow. The dragons are a part of the world like any other enemy, not just the main quest. It just happens that when you kill them, something special happens. Not because of the main quest. Because of the single rule the game has for the character. I get the impression that you don't get shouts until you read a wall, anyway. And the shouts aren't even unique to the player and dragons. Draugr use them as well. Is the complaint that the OP wants his character to have fewer abilities than NPCs and draugr?

your incorrect. the dragon shouts are associated with the character (true) but that character is the dragon born, which is half of what the MQ is about. and you seem to have missed the point of the OP saying that he wants to role play a character other than what the game is giving him. a character that is not the dhovakin (however its spelt) he can play the game that way if he wants. it has nothing to do with the things you mentioned. its role playing. and it wasn't necessary to post just a huge post mocking some one who was such* asking a question on the forum. its not good for the communty to make posts like that.

EDIT: changed just to such*

The complaint is that having the power to slay a dragon has nothing to do with being dragonborn and absorbing their souls.
Your examples were ridiculous compared to what the OP was talking about.
Lockpicking should improve your lockpicking skill because you're using your skill yes I agree
Making potions should increase alchemy because you're using your skill yes I agress
Killing things with a sword means you level your sword skill because you're using your skill yes I agree
Kill a dragon because you have the power to and suddenly you absorb their soul because you are dragonborn whether you want to be or not..wait what? What does that have to do with skills?

Killing a dragon and not taking its powers sounds an awful lot to me like taking a hot chick out on a date and then not nailing her when the opportunity arises.

I'm sure you can guess how I feel about either prospect.

@OP - In all seriousness, what don't you understand about the fact that Bethesda makes each TES player character a part of a grand scheme as the prophesied or otherwise "special" hero of the game's story?

Skyrim is about being a Dragonborn. Mass Effect is about you being Commander Shepard. Assassins Creed is about being Altair/Ezio/Desmond, etc., etc., etc.

Be happy Skyrim will be the least limiting on your character that is possible in a game aside from an MMO. Because every other game out there makes you play with more and more restrictions.

And yet we have people complain about being a Dragonborn..... You get to choose absolutely everything else about your character in the game, and THAT bothers you??? :blink:

Also, what's with the sig? What is your problem with The Infernal City? :confused:

Probably something to do with the mess it left Morrowind in.

Can't say I disagree with the sentiment.

Nor do I lol