My level 12 Nord Warrior svcks : IV

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:07 pm

First up, I am using Realistic Leveling 1.13 as my leveling mod. My Nord is just the standard preset Warrior. So I've been playing a straight-up hack and slash kinda warrior - religiously using swords and blocking, and using nothing but potions (or resting) for healing. I let RL do its thing without worrying about my stats and stuff.

Now I'm at level 12, and am doing the "Siege at Kvatch" quest and BOY do I get pwned so easily. I couldn't even get past the first area just after entering the Kvatch city gate. All of the other soldiers get done in pretty quickly, and it'll only be a matter of time before the other monsters get me.

As far as mods go, I'm not using much: NPC Static Level.esp and G's Loot Mod. Everything else is pretty "vanilla" as far as NPCs go.

So here are my character's stats...

Race: NordBirthsign: The WarriorClass: WarriorLevel: 12Health: 252Magicka: 66Fatigue: 245Strength: 82Intelligence: 33Willpower: 36Agility: 42Speed: 50Endurance: 85Personality: 31Luck: 53

Skills:

MajorArmorer: 53Athletics: 46Blade: 68Block: 57Blunt: 40Hand to Hand: 40Heavy Armor: 64MinorAlchemy: 30Alteration: 5Conjuration: 5Destruction: 7Illusion: 5Mysticism: 6Restoration: 26Acrobatics: 16Light Armor: 9Marksman: 5Mercantile: 25Security: 35Sneak: 8Speechcraft: 25

And here are my mods:

Spoiler

Active Mod Files:00  Oblivion.esm01  All Natural Base.esm  [Version 1.2]02  Harvest[Containers].esm03  TNR ALL RACES FINAL.esp04  TNR - ShiveringIsles.esp05  Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp  [Version 3.3.4]06  Oblivion Citadel Door Fix.esp07  DLCShiveringIsles.esp08  Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp  [Version 1.4.1]09  MOBS SI.esp  [Version 1.3]0A  All Natural.esp  [Version 1.2]0B  All Natural - SI.esp  [Version 1.2]0C  Enhanced Economy.esp  [Version 5.2]0D  DropLitTorchOBSE.esp  [Version 2.4]0E  kuerteeCleanUp.esp0F  SimpleHUDClock.esp10  Spell Delete And Item Remove.esp11  Map Marker Overhaul.esp  [Version 3.8]12  Map Marker Overhaul - SI additions.esp  [Version 3.5]13  Guild Map Markers.esp14  Enhanced Hotkeys.esp  [Version 2.1.1]15  DLCHorseArmor.esp16  DLCHorseArmor - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.6]17  DLCOrrery.esp18  DLCOrrery - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.4]19  DLCVileLair.esp1A  DLCVileLair - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.6]1B  DLCMehrunesRazor.esp1C  DLCMehrunesRazor - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]1D  DLCSpellTomes.esp++  DLCSpellTomes - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.1]1E  Alchemy Book.esp1F  Dude Wheres My Horse.esp20  DLCThievesDen.esp21  DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.8]22  DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch - SSSB.esp  [Version 1.0.4]23  G_'s-Loot-Mod_v2.5[Scaled Version].esp24  G_'s-Loot-Mod_v2.5[Valkynaz Loot Plugin].esp++  Harvest[Containers] - SI - Ore Respawn.esp++  Harvest[Containers] - Vanilla - Ore Respawn.esp25  DLCBattlehornCastle.esp26  DLCBattlehornCastle - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]27  DLCFrostcrag.esp28  DLCFrostcrag - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]29  Knights.esp2A  Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.1]++  MOBS_Knights.esp**  DLC_MOBS.esp2B  Harvest [Flora].esp  [Version 3.0.0]++  Harvest [Flora] - Shivering Isles.esp  [Version 3.0.0]++  Harvest [Flora] - DLCVileLair.esp  [Version 3.0.0]2C  Harvest [Flora] - DLCFrostcrag.esp  [Version 3.0.0]2D  HUD Status Bars.esp  [Version 2.0.1]2E  Improved_potion_of_exploration_11.esp2F  MMDrink100Potions.esp++  more books teach.esp++  NPC Static Level.esp30  Respawning Varla & Welkynd Stones.esp31  SkycaptainsBloodTime.esp32  Toggleable Quantity Prompt.esp  [Version 3.2.0]33  Quest Award Leveller.esp++  Quest Award Leveller - Battlehorn Castle.esp++  Quest Award Leveller - Vile Lair.esp++  Quest Award Leveller - Mehrunes Razor.esp++  Quest Award Leveller - Knights of the Nine.esp34  SigilStoneSelector.esp35  Legendary Abilities-Shield MOJ.esp  [Version 2.0]36  Grandmaster of Alchemy.esp37  RealisticLeveling.esp38  Better Redguard v2.esp39  LandMagicPatch.esp3A  Bashed Patch, 0.esp

Did recently rebuilt my Bashed Patch and update my NPC levels just to make sure I'm getting the right settings...

So tell me, is this Nord warrior crappy? What about his stats - do they look good?

(I was thinking maybe using RL wasn't a good idea after all, but it's kinda too late to disable it, plus I wouldn't know how to restore my character's stats to "vanilla" numbers. As far as I know, RL changes my stats permanently and even if I disable the mod, my stats will be stuck at whatever numbers RL set them...)

EDIT: Oops, forgot my skills.

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:29 pm

Your character doesn't look particularly weak for his level. The battle for Kvatch can be quite tough at level 12.

I let RL do its thing without worrying about my stats and stuff.

This is a fine way to play, but if you are going to embrace this style, then you should also embrace the difficulty slider. Play how you feel, and adjust the difficulty so it offers the challenge you prefer. If you want to breeze through the battle for Kvatch at level 12 and not adjust the difficulty slider, then you may have to restart your character and 'worry about stats and stuff'. Good luck to you! :foodndrink:

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:46 pm

Yeah, your character is not particularly weak for his level. The thing here is that the scaled leveling makes it so the 'teen' levels are the hardest for any kind of character. The Battle for Kvatch is notoriously easy for characters between levels 1-8, difficult for characters between levels 10-15 or so, then it gets easier again.

Despite the fact you're using some mods to change the scaled leveling, these mods only apply to NPCs (human enemies) and loot. Oblivion creatures can and will be difficult for your character during those levels.

Try to stick with it and endure these few levels, soon things will get better again. Are you using any enchanted weapon? They are pretty much a necessity if you want to defeat those monsters.

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:54 am

Ah, so I guess it was meant to be this difficult then. I'll try and save the difficulty slider option for the last, if I absolutely can't handle it... =) I know the option is there for a reason, but sometimes I feel like it's kinda "cheating"... I don't know.

Earlier, I tried luring some of the Clannfears out of the South Plaza, and finish them off just outside Kvatch. I guess I could take advantage of how the game does not process combat AI if you're not actually in that specific place.

So I took care of the Clannfears, but the Dremora Mage and some Flame Atronachs still remain inside... the Chillrend sword which I got from the "Killing Fields" quest would've worked wonders against the atronachs, but its out of charges, and recharging is so darned expensive for me...

I'm a poor warrior.

Regarding weapons enchanting... since I am playing a pure fighter, and am trying to sort of roleplay that... I think that my warrior shouldn't join the Mage's Guild, which is the only way to make enchanted weapons (and even then, I'd have to go through the entire Mages Guild recommendation quests - a huge task IMO). If you were to roleplay a pure fighter, what are your ways of enchanting your weapons?

One way I can think of is through Sigil Stones, which requires me to close an Oblivion Gate. I have the Sigil Stone Selector mod, but it doesn't seem to work for the very first gate that appeared in front of Kvatch. I'm not exactly at the point in the questline where Oblivion Gates start randomly opening, so it's impossible for me to obtain Sigil Stones for now.

Thoughts and comments?

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:35 pm

Gates start appearing once you escort Martin to Weynon Priory. As the Main Quest continues, the rate of gate openings increases, then drops off. No more gates will appear after the Main Quest is complete. More info here: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Oblivion_Gates

Enchanted weapons. If you want to go beyond the pre-enchanted weapons you can find or ones you can create with sigil stones, there are a couple options besides getting into the Arcane University:

- Get the Wizard's Tower DLC. This provides you with enchanting altars. Whether it fits your RP seems doubtful. And you still have to know and be able to cast spells - another problem for your warrior. There are mods that provide altars, but those suffer from the same concerns.

- It would be great if a dumb warrior with plenty of gold could have custom weapons made for him by magic vendors. I'm not sure if a mod exists to support this, however you can use the command console to simulate this: Visit vendor. Open enchantment altar with command console. Make your weapon. Delete a bunch of gold to simulate paying for it. Done. The drawback with using the command console this way is that it still requires your character to know and be able to cast the effects you want to enchant with.

The game definitely encourages the young adventurer to at least learn the basics of magic.

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:25 am

I use RL, and I don't think there's anything "wrong" with your character's stats. As mentioned, no matter what your stats, the teens are tough for this quest.

Clannfears and other daedra are vulnerable to shock. One possible idea would be to raid one of the "named" Goblin caves, and get their totem staff. They do 20 pts shock damage, ranged.

The other thing I'd point out is that using the difficulty slider to rebalance an unbalanced leveling system is no more "cheating" than exploiting an AI weakness is.

That slider isn't even named right: It doesn't make the game harder or easier; it just alters the ratio of damage given/taken, thus changing the number of "hits" necessary to kill (or be killed.) Most of the time, turning up the difficulty just means that fights are longer and you need to heal up more often.

If you're running out of healing potions (or healing magicka) too quickly, and your enchanted weapon is running out of charges all the time, either you're going into battle unprepared, or the difficulty slider is set unreasonably high. (You have to decide which it is.)

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:44 am

Well it seems that MOBS is reducing my sword damages... I disabled all of the MOBS-related ESPs, rebuilt Bashed patch/update NPC levels and my Dwemer Long Blade is doing better damage now (used to be 11, now it's 14).

I guess I'll finish this run of the main quest without MOBS.

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:51 am

You need to lvl up your agility. Agility gives you bonuses in block I believe.

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:24 pm

It's difficult to specifically train Agility because of the way Realistic Leveling works. What was I supposed to do, use nothing but Block throughout my adventures, and miss out on the Strength bonuses provided from the usage of my Blade skill?

At this point I think I would have been better off using that other leveling mod where you always get +1 initially, then a menu comes up where you are free to distribute 7 more (or whatever was set in the INI) however you like.

Regrets, regrets...

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:40 pm

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=30962 is an excellent little mod that fixes one glaring flaw of Oblivion (IMO, of course): it makes it so that your warrior can have access to magical services without joining the Mages Guild. I always use it with my warriors and it is a nice mod for roleplayers.

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:39 pm

Arcane Services may be just exactly what I need. Thanks segvirion!

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 6:22 am

You should breeze it, I literally did that quest two hours ago with my wood elf level 11 with a black bow and iron/steel arrows( best I've got atm). The atronaches were a pain though.

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:05 pm

As you are a warrior class, have you become a knight of the White Stallion, way down in Leyawin?

Having the every three day respawn of good kit from Rockmilk cave will assist in access to various magical weapons and sometimes armour.

You become a "Knight" so this should not be too far away from the RP of the warrior class.

If you can find the beast / Monster Ayleid ruins, you might find Varla stones. These will recharge your magic items.

Good luck

» Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:49 pm

The Kvatch battle from the gate in to the chapel throws the most enemies at you in the shortest time of any in the game. You either need multiple enchanted weapons, or soul gems and/or Varla stones to recharge them, and plenty of health potions etc to recharge the character, because the creatures and Dremora are all coming for you. They'll either kill the guards if they're weaker than you, or ignore them if they're stronger, so you're the target pretty quickly.

With your stats you should be able to make it. The only one that's a bit worrying is the Agility, as you can easily get stuck being staggered repeatedly by multiple attackers. When in trouble, open your inventory and take time to think, because the game is paused when you do that. Check for potions to restore health or fatigue*, or recharge your weapon with a gem or stone. If you're getting a lot of damage from some specific attack (such as a Frost Atronach) look for a potion that will reduce its effect and then go concentrate on that particular enemy while it lasts, just don't attack him with Chillrend!

Which brings up another point. Those battles have a variety of enemies, and you may need more than one attack. If you only have a frost attack, you'll go down to a frost-immune enemy. Most Daedra are weak to shock, but some aren't (especially Storm Atronachs), so go in with a backup weapon or spell.

Being able to enchant your own weapon is a major advantage, as very few ready-made ones combine damage and soul trap, which is the most powerful combo. Not having to stop attacking to trap the enemy's soul for the recharge is priceless!

*Careful with the potions - you generally need the instant variety in these emergencies, not the slow-release ones you make for yourself. Use those between fights, or just before one starts.