My current character uses Smithing to make traps (PERMA) and has a few perks invested in that line to increase their damage. She is level 28 w a 68 Smithing skill. The best bow she has found is the entry level wood longbow she has improved. She did find an ebony sword that surpasses anything she can improve in Iron. Still, it doesn't matter as much, because her main thing is Alchemy and weapons are more of a delivery system than anything.

However, by not making a sound investment in Smithing, it can lead to many "Oh, lookie!" moments. Looted items continue to be of interest. Where as, having the ability to craft something more powerful than you can find, does have the disadvantage of removing or at the least nullifying to some extent, that element of reward.

My current character is happy with some smithing, by making arrows and tempering up the items she finds, (and wants to keep) or *groans* buys. The items she makes are the armor and cloaks she and a follower wear, and camping gear. She is a hunter, so also makes lots of leather gear, including leather armors, to sell. She has a few perks in it.

I do believe smithing can easily overpower a game, if abused, but I'm glad Bethesda gave US the choice, as with the other crafting options.

Indeed. I think it's an important part of the games versatility. It is almost a necessity in some cases where one finds that favored enchanted piece of gear and wants to keep it with them as they progress.

It is also required as the only means to access the cool armors in some mods that may not be added to the level lists.

I had one playthrough as a sword and board and smithed the hell out of everything. It was fun. I had another as a Light Armour/Two-Handed fighter. Before Lengendary, there was Master. I *needed* Smithing for that character... otherwise... death.

I'm on a playthrough now where I'm sticking to Adept. I've decided to only perk Smithing to get Arcane Smithing so that I can upgrade enchanted weapons and armour found/acquired in the game but I will not smith my own.

Feiros,

I don't understand your gripe with smithing.

Once I reached the point that armour and weapons were making it too easy, I upped the difficulty to master and sometimes legendary. If I want more of a challenge in some dungeons, I simply use a bog standard weapon that I've looted off the first recently deceased bandit and see how I go with a 'dull old blade', as the guards would say.

You're not forced to use a weapon with 230 damage just because you can make it. In real life I have a 1000 cc V-twin Italian stallion of a motorbike. It can do 160 mph but I can still cruise around at 50 and take in the scenery.

You know what I mean?

You may as well say that there's no point in progressing in any skill in case it makes the enemies easier to defeat. "Ooh, I'd better not use my master destruction spell because it might be deadly to that frost troll!"

Sorry, I'm not trying to be rude...I just don't see why smithing is so bad. Personally, I love looking at a sparkly elven blade that I've just crafted, or donning a set of stalhrim armour fresh off the workbench.

Edit: I got a bit carried away there and didn't answer the original question.

Smithing (despite the strong objections of some people) is useful for several reasons. You can make improved weapons and armour. You can use it to level up by building hearthfire properties if you have them. You can make jewellery to sell or enchant. As you acquire more perks you can make that set of armour you've always wanted rather than hoping to collect it piecemeal from enemies. There are limits to what you can do with it, such as the 567 armour cap but that's fair enough. There's something quite satisfying for me to make a set of armour to counter a certain enemy and surviving to tell the tale, as Grelka might say. Plus, when you're needing to get ore to smelt to build your home you get to learn where all the mines are and have to rack your brains to try to remember where that last corundum vein was. I like it (you can probably tell) but then again I'm an engineer, so I guess it was always going to appeal to me.

Absolutely! A character (and follower) must for me, to get the 'right' look.

I don't have a gripe with smithing, as an idea is fine but the implementation is broken. Even my master playthrough becomes a cakewalk from midgame onwards when i use that skill so something is wrong with the numbers. When you play a game that usually span 80 hours and the only enemies that can challenge you are high level mages and ancient dragons then again, something is not working as it should.

Also don't worry about being rude because i was doing the same thing back in the day to anyone who was criticize smithing. I can totally understand the reaction from the people here and a little bit of irony is not that bad in comparison with other big gaming forums. I have seen people wishing cancer to each other because they had different opinions in a similar topic as ours.

FeirosTelYokum, no offense, but smithing is a choice given to players. How it's used is up to us. Over using it, or not, is a choice we as players make, and I don't feel we should complain that it overpowers the game if it's something we did ourselves. I see nothing broken about it. Bethesda gives the options, they don't 'police' the players on how they use that option.

Also, 80 hours? Maybe, if one only plays 1 time, grinding to complete every quest like in the FPS or other games, I couldn't say for certain. I do believe that most who play this long term know the effects of over-powering on their game, and if it makes them unhappy, they adjust their play style, as I learned myself.

Well said! And.... only 80 hours? Not in my games....