When is it time to start a new game?

[ZurinArctus85]

I'm getting bored with my current character. Too powerful, too many spells, too many quests too bugged to complete.

I've finished the main quest, Dragonborn, and am halfway through Dawnguard. I'm afraid I abuse the console a bit much (adding gold, soul gems, crafting materials, shouts, etc) and can't seem to stop myself. Oblivion and Daggerfall are the only games I've completed fully without the help of the console. Skyrim's too buggy (even with USLEEP) to not have to use the console.

 

Is it time for a new game? How do we decide when to scrap a character?

[LeddBate]

Well, it sounds like you already have decided. If you're losing interest in your current character, best to start a new one.

 

But no need to scrap your current character, just start a new game with a new character. Be sure to create a new profile in NMM so that you can keep your mods for each character separate. Why is this important? Well, for example, lets say you want to use Arthmoor's "Alternate Start - Live Another Life" and perhaps a bunch of new mods for the new game. By using a new profile, if you ever decide to go back to the old character to play some more, all you have to do is switch profiles. Well, okay. SOME mods might make it a bit more complex than that, but the mod authors usually warn you about that sort of thing if their mod has... special needs.

 

One of the best ways (for me anyway) to create a new character is to first come up with a background story, then build a character and a mod list to embellish that background. By way of example: On a recent play through, I decided to make a "soldier of fortune" character from Cyrodil that traveled to Skyrim because he'd heard about the rebellion flaring up and decided to join the Legion as an Auxiliary. I simply treated the Helgen intro sequence as a bad decision on my part to go to Skyrim BEFORE joining the Legion that caused me to be mistaken for a Stormcloak sympathizer/follower. Since I wanted to be an already experienced mercenary, I game myself about 10 levels worth of appropriate skills and stat boosts. This seemed a good level that made things challenging, but did not let me feel overpowered. Amongst the mods I put in my mod list, I made sure to install Civil War Overhaul, Warzones2015 and Civil War Aftermath. I waited to activate the plug-in for Aftermath AFTER I completed (and disabled) CWO. The result was a fantasy war movie that I was effectively starring in. Loved it.

 

Of course, this may not be your cup of tea. I was just offering it as an example.

[twiztedmongoloid]

There really isn't a definitive answer.

 

Before I start a real playthrough I always make sure my game is stable. (do the fly around skyrim for 10 minutes stress test)

 

And also make sure it's as bug-free as possible doing some play testing. But keep in mind skyrim will never be truly bug-free. Even with conflict resolution.

 

Lastly, make sure your mod list is exactly how you want it. Don't add or remove mid-playthrough.

 

Not using console commands is a matter of discipline. You shouldn't really have that many broken quests where it's needed to use console commands.

 

If you're bored with the character and or your mods....nothing wrong at all with starting a new game. I do it often myself lol. I rarely make it past level 30.

[PeterMartyr]

When ever you want too

or

Time to Change this Build so I'll need a new game save.