So here I am designing my first Skyrim character, Valshea, a Female Nord Shieldmaiden. I’m working on a spreadsheet (because I just have to), reviewing the known One-Handed and Blocking perks and noted the Smithing skills.

Well after reviewing what we have on the Smithing skills I begin to wonder if there is ever any character I would play that wouldn’t want to max out the Smithing skills? Seriously crafting or improving weapons and armor. Even a rogue would value this skill highly I would image. I played many characters in MW and OB that were not that good at making potions (though most did) but all would want better equipment. I realize at this point we really don’t know what would be available in game to someone who has no smithing skills of their own, but I fear that the advantage of having these skills might as well make them required (kinda like Repair was in OB).

I also am wondering if these smithing skills build on themselves, meaning in order to pick Glass Smithing, I have to first have Steel, Arcane, Dwarven, Elven, Orcish, Advanced picked first. That’s a lot of perks taken just to get to the Glass smithing I want.

Does anyone have any details or ideas about how this will work yet?

Thanks.

Smithing would definately not be required. First of all, there's probably plenty of strong loot. Secondly, to make proper armour/weapons or properly improve them, you probably need a high smithing skill. That time and energy could also be put into other skills that are actually useful during combat.

Pure mages wouldn't really have a use for the smithing skills. If anyone decided to make just a normal villager type character it is very possible they wouldn't have much use for the skill either.

Also I don't think we will have to take heavy armor perks just to get to the glass perk. I don't actually know that we wont but it makes sense that we wouldn't need to.

There are NPC smiths for your smithing needs if you don't know any smithing.

Someone said here, and it makes sense, that it will split into light and heavy branches.

Well one concern I have with the Perk system is that there may be perks that, while are not required, are just dumb not to have (or it makes life a whole lot harder). There are other games with simular problems like this, like once you hit a certain level it's time you add the 'X' perk/skill because you really really need it. These 'required' perks take away from the idea of making each character completely unique.

For example, in Dragon Age Origins, if you play a Rogue, you nearly have to take the Lethality skill at level 8. You don't have to, but it's bonus's for a rogue are just too important to ever pass up.

Well some points.

The function of smithing is twofold. First bit is crafting armour and weapons and the 2nd part is improving said armour.

Assuming you can find armour on people, shops, instances,... the whole creating bit will most likely just make it easier to get the pieces you need, but won't the only source of items.

The other bit you can do is improving items. Now by putting perks in the smithing tree, you can improve more than you could otherwise, so by putting perks you gain some benefit at the cost of the points you can't put in a different perktree.

Will smithing be useful for everyone? Probably yes.
Will putting perks be useful? Sure.
Am I obliged to put perks in said tree to not get a gimped character? We'll see when the game comes out.

Not sure if the Smithing perks are sequentially unlocked or not. I'm hoping it isn't. However, I believe the perks apply bonuses to stuff you can already do. So you can already craft XYZ armor, but taking the perk makes the finished product better than a perkless construct.

In this fashion, smithing only becomes a "must have" skill for...
i) people who are captivated by it for RP purposes
ii) people who focus on armor as their competitive advantage

I never repaired my own armor. Most of the time when my armor broke, I just got new armor, until the very end when I'd have something godlike.

<--- soooo lazy

From what I gathered, though I might be wrong.

Smithing allows you to improve armor and weapons. I assume by increasing damage/armour rating. This everyone can do assuming their smithing skill is high enough. The next step is getting perks to be able to craft your own armour. Assuming you can find armour elsewhere, it would be just a convenience to craft yourself, thus by adding perks in the tree, you can improve more than someone who didn't put perks in the tree.

I really hope so. Crafting is a bit pointless in a single player game, if you "have" to do it, they can just as well give you less perks and make crafting level-based.

But I don't *want* to play a craftsman. Most of my chars are too clumsy, too arrogant or too lazy for handicraft. If adventurers surpass craftsmen at their job, everyone would be an adventurer, and armor and weapons would be less valuable than the raw materials.