I Smith for better gear and I pickpocket for free stuff but are the warrior stone Or thieves stone necessary to reach certain levels or get certain types of random gear?

I noticed that the gear that I find or am given corrosponds with what I am currently doing,like im spamming muffle now to help level so im finding illusion gear but does the stone have a effect like that?

I was about to enchant armor with stamina but I accidently got the Lady Stone which gives a health and stamina bonus thats like if I enchanted with both so its actually better than enchanting with just stamina so I was thinking that maybe Ill keep the stone because prolonged life is ultimately the best effect

Does this sound like a good idea?

The loot drop is not relative to any action and is sheer random influenced only by a % drop rate. Higher end items gradually gain a chance to drop after certain levels have been reached.

The Warrior, Mage, Thief stones only increase XP gains and are not related to any other in-gem mechanics. Alternatively, the other stones do not influence gear and/or gear drops.

1) None of the Stones are necessary at all. To my knowledge they do not influence drop rates at all, despite what individual anecdotal evidence might say (i.e. your individual subjective perception). Large sample size, RNG, almost anything is possible.

2) a: As with #1, no. b: No (rather a repeat of #1).

3) Not really a question but Combo enchantments tend to give less of each, for an equivalent maximum (at least as far as Skyrim's designer's perception of value is concerned). This is therefore something only you can answer as it simply about your preference, we should not tell you whether it is 'better' or not for you. Happy for you that you like it though.

4) Mostly..... No. Sorry. Only because I am sure that the things you guess/suppose earlier are incorrect, at least as far as all my experience shows me. But it's good that you 'connected different dots' for your evolving play style, after finding a particular Standing Stone. That is a good idea.

I haven't ever seen any evidence that one particular stone or another has any effect on gear drops. I usually start off using the warrior stone until I get up north of Solitude and can get to the steed stone,it has the most beneficial effects for my character builds with the 100 lbs. extra carry weight and the cancelling armor weight effect.....

None of my characters activate the Guardian Stones outside of Riverwood. I'm not interested. My goal is usually to slow down my character's leveling, not speed it up. Some characters activated some of the other stones though. Some have never activated any of them.

Most of the time I use a mod that gives my characters a stone power during character creation, like Birthsigns in the two prior games.

Thanks Pseron, thats EXACTLY what I was asking I was just using random gear as a example and I guess for only me activities DO influence random gear because my first guy was a 2 handed Tank and because I did'nt know how to play I just ran around hacking everything so my gear that I found and was given reflected that gameplay with heavy armor and 2h weapons

Now that Im constantly spamming muffle I've found and was givin so far 4 IIlusion enchanted items thats SOME coincidence dontcha think?

In general, the only stone I'm ever interested in is the Steed Stone. And that's only until I gets Boots of Hauling or something to DE to learn the enchant.

I'm sorry my friend, but I don't want you to be mislead. The game's mechanics just don't work that way. It may seem like it is catering to your actions. Alas, that is not the case. I just don't want someone to be misinformed in thinking things work a certain way and spend hrs grinding for something that is not.

Every item in the game that drops, does so from a leveled list.

No matter the case, I'm glad things are working out well.

@petester. Don't listen to these folks telling you it's not influencing anything. They are correct as far as game mechanics go -- the game is not designed that way. But they are not accounting for the influence of the dice gods.

Ah, ye God's of chance. Tis scripture of truth.

Cinco thats Exactly what I am saying,drops are leveled I guess im being confusing as you all seem to be missing the point.

You are the 3rd person that has addressed this like you have , plse tell me if its all random then why have I gotten all illusion gear and illusion is what I am mostly using?

And why did I get primaraly 2h gear when 2h was what i was using most?

Like I said I guess its just me thats special like that.

Petester, the leveled lists that dictate which items appear in containers and on NPCs are keyed not to skill levels, but to character level. The leveled lists that distribute items throughout the game world are attached to specific containers and inventories. When your character opens one of these containers or inventories the game checks your character level and then randomly selects items that are appropriate to your character's level. The game does not take your character's highest skill into account when choosing from these leveled lists.

If you think the game is giving your Illusionist character illusion gear or your Two-Handed warrior Two-Handed gear, it is purely an illusion.

I'm simply trying to help you understand how the game actually works. I realize it may be what you don't want to hear but the fact remains that we know how it works from the process of making mods. It's all defined under certain tabs within the Creation Kit. ( the tool the developers used to create the game)

You don't have to believe me or anyone else. If you are enjoying yourself, then that is all that matters. However, I cannot idle in thinking someone reading this thread might leave here believing something that is not.

In the end... it is what it is.

Cinco and Pseron are correct. You can verify for yourself by examining the game in the CK or XEdit to peek under the hood and see how the game actually works. The reason you got all illusion gear is coincidence.