I'm not going to go so far as to say I am a purist, but lore and immersion are important to me. As I was playing MW today, I was reminded of an annoyance of mine, and so am asking for help to fix it. So to the point..

Although gems are available in various places via loot, especially at a higher level, I find it very odd that in all those guilds and stores that I can gain services ranging from the purchase of a helm to intense training, but I can not usually find gems for sale. This is made even stranger when the lore and game play is considered. Supposedly MW can have problems with necromancers and wizards, as well as dabblers of the old way. Even the mages guild, sanctioned by the empire, is heavily focused on the study and practice of magic.

Yet, despite all this apparent knowledge and talent, no one provides this service.. No one sells these gems on a regular basis.. except for some reason, a single guy clear in Mornhold. And amid all of this many spell casters still sell soul trap spells. (which would be useless without gem vendors)

This to me is quite unbelievable, and bothers me. An outlaw can have a gem in his crates, but no mages have any in stock? :facepalm: Something got overlooked there!

Now, I have seen retexures for these gems floating around, but must admit I know nothing about which mods add soul gems themselves into the game. Certainly I could Iook around and see what I could find but I am aware that some mods may add soul gem sellers even if that is not it's main intent. And then that leads to a question.. is it under NPC's, enchantment, or tweaks? Could be any of those, so it's not so easy to categorize.

So once again I must turn to the knowledgeable community here and ask for some mod suggestions that may solve this.

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=5914

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=8246

having more sellers for soul gems is good but why bother when you can just as easily go to Tel Branora or Mournhold to get them from restocking merchants.

http://arcimaestroantares.webs.com/Antares%20Little%20Mods/Scrolls%20and%20SoulGems%201.1.zip

The enchanters in the 5 Guild of Mages in Vvardenfell, can now sell you blank scrolls with 180 enchantment points each, to enchant.
Moreover, they have now also SoulGems (filled and empty) to sell.
The scrolls and the SoulGems restock daily.

The enchantable scrolls is a pretty cool idea!

Between the Tel Branora merchant selling restocking Greater and Common gems, the one Redoran merchant selling a respawning Grand gem, the Foreign Quarter enchanter selling respawning or resocking common and petty gems, the merchant down in the VFQ canolworks level with a gem or two, and the one Caldera merchant selling respawning lesser and petty gems, there is "enough" of a supply, but only if you work at it. Mournhold adds another source of Greater and Grand gems, but takes a bit of travel time to get to and from. The respawning gems require leaving the region and returning another day. Those listed as restocking gems are replaced in inventory as soon as you complete the purchase.

I normally don't need more than one GSG per visit to Vivec as a low-level character, so the Redoran Quarter merchant is sufficient without chasing all the way to Mournhold, at least until GSGs start showing up in large numbers in loot.

I agree that the Mages Guilds should have a supply, but a limited one. Most of the mods offer unlimited amounts of everything, which makes things like the Telvanni enchanter's little quest all but meaningless, and makes all of the better quality gems a bit too available, in my opinion. A few respawning gems of one or two types (mostly petty) for sale at each hall might be more appropriate than unlimited restocking ones, so if you want to buy a large quantity of the mid-level gems, you'd have to go from one to the next and clean out the entire Guild (and not every last one needs to sell them, since they have easy access to the other guild halls), or leave for a day and then return to make another purchase. Availability of the Greater and Grand gems should remain "spotty", but still happen often enough that you can generally get them if you search or keep trying.

I'm slightly tempted to put something together in the CS, but I probably wouldn't use it myself. There's enough availability as is, in my opinion, even for a character who relies very heavily on enchanting, once you know where to find things.

I've got one called http://www.fliggerty.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=2019 that gives you a spell that allows you to convert other items into soulgems, At the bottom of the thread is a new version that adjusts the item value/weight to soulgem quality ratios.

Sorry for the slow reply, I just got a cat and have been busy keeping her out of stuff. I finally have her behaving so I have some time to reply.

Wheatthin

I took a look at your suggestions and they are decent. I did not like the sound of soul gems for sale because it adds to all the enchanters. I feared possibility of conflict, as well as it adding to ALL enchanter types. I do not like this, because it takes it to the other side of the spectrum. This is a problem.. all of them would not have stock. Installing this mod would not fix immersion.

I did however install the Sadrith Mora merchant. I liked the interesting take on the modder's vision. It makes sense that a soul gem seller would be in the house seat of the mage lords, and he's an argonian. This is allowed, but rare. He'd have to earn his place big time. So I found this refreshing. He was also balanced out with very high barter skills. (so it's hard to afford and thus risky to buy from him)

There is some problems with this mod though.. he has a LOT of books, many which are supposed to be very rare, and all but the grand gems are over stocked. It would also be nice if it was a daily stock and NOT an instant restock.

So in short, I use the Sadrith Mora merchant because I don't have a better vendor choice for there, but thank you.


Rajah

The point is not just "need more" but also for immersion. There are some vendors yes, but who has some as opposed to who doesn't can seem odd and back watered. For example, every time I make a new save, I always find it super odd the enchanter in balmora can have a winged twilight soul (and others) but not even be a journeyman rank.. yet no one else in the guild has or sells gems, filled or unfilled, and she can't even restock hers. Meanwhile, petty gems are lying in crates all over the city.. if not from the mage's guild, where did they come from?


Anteres

After adding the Sadrith Mora merchant that was suggested to me by wheatthin, yours seemed like a natural choice. It adds to the mage's guild, and now that the Tel have a supplier, the guild seemed like others who would have the knowledge of how to work with soul gems. I have to admit that part of the reason I installed it was for enchantment paper. (take that OB!)

As a matter of feedback, especially with it being your mod and all, I would have preferred if filled gems had been a rare supply or only held by a high rank enchanter in the guild. It makes them seem more adept than the Tel, and the filled gems are far too available and often are more powerful than it seems they should be. I find I have to maneuver around them. It doesn't really make a lot of sense. Thank you for making the mod however. I have had fun with it so far.


Kovacius

I know you wouldn't use it, but might I request it anyway? I am sure it would get several downloads, and it appears you would address the soul gem issue in a much more friendly manner. Your idea for it sounds pretty spot on to what I was hoping to find, but knew I prolly would not.. if your offering though, I would really like to have it.

I agree that the Mages Guilds should have a limited supply.. they aren't the mage lords after all.

Most of the mods offer unlimited amounts of the gems they add, which makes things like the enchanters, especially the Telvanni ones, all but meaningless.

Many mods sell all of the better quality gems in stacks that are too large or a bit too frequently.


I like the idea of most of them only selling one or two types each if they even sell them, and like a limited number of stock. A max of 5 gems of each type seems fine, and a need to wait till they get more in a day or two makes sense. After all, this helps role play and makes it appear they made more or ordered some from the Telvanni like the trader in balmora claims to do. As for the availability of greater and grand soul gems, is it possible for there to be like a random chance for them to be carrying some of those in addition to their usual stock? (which gets removed if you don't check that day so it doesn't stack)

Maybe even have the chance for them to spawn be a little higher than normal if they like you a lot or you're a certain rank or higher in the guild or something like that. That would make it seem like they made a special order.


Fligg

I like the sound of many of your mods, but I fear this one may make soul gems a little too available. You do tend to make quality mods, so I would try it out anyway as a test run of sorts, but my computer doesn't play along nice with MWSE. I was planning on a new computer in june, but a few unseen expenses have put my plans for a new rig behind schedule and I will likely have to wait till mid September to make such a purchase. Once I do so, I plan to add several of your mods as I had some in the past and really liked them. I will keep your suggestion in mind for then.

Maholix,

I like that you have asked this question as it is an area thats not really touched upon ( though I think there is a oul gme maker out there somewhere??)

Also to MD's post - I think you missunderstood. MD was saying what was already avalible in game - That wasnt his mod idea

hope that clears up the confussion???

I'm not sure what you are referencing here, but thank you for the comment. It's nice to know I bring up topics that are appreciated. Sometimes it can feel like all I do is glean info from this community, so I do my best to add insight where I think it could be useful and to ask my questions in an informed fashion. It's kind of my way of giving back for all the help I receive.