skills focus

[Zefelius]

During my first week of playing as an Orc, I used both two-handed and one-handed weapons (as well as several other skills)---and increased perks for both. Then I went back to the guide which comes with the game and I reread how increasing higher level skills helps to level up faster. That made me think that practising and increasing two skills which overlapped (as with two attack skills) spread me out too much. So when I started over as a Dark Elf I decided to apply perks to only a few skills in order to better focus on certain skills and be more efficient at leveling up.

 

But now I think maybe I overthought it. Applying perks to only destruction, alchemy, and restoration seems to have left me weak in other areas. Now I'm thinking that it it could be okay to spread out the perks a bit and increase more skills---not too thin, but maybe within the range which typically fits your race, around 6 or so.

 

Is that how you guys play it as well? I'm pretty much a noob, so my hunch is that the pros out there know the best path forward. I'd love to know if there's a typical good balance to achieve in this game, or if you think it doesn't matter too much. Thanks!!

Edited January 23, 2012 by Zefelius

[chanchan05]

Personally, I focused on the skills that help me survive better initially, then start going for other skills when surviving wasn't too big of an issue.

 

My first playthrough is a Bosmer, playing as a "hunter" archetype. I started out fighting using bows and then a sword and shield whenever someone came too close and I had no maneuverability. If there was enough space to kite, I just run around and stick to using the bow. On the one hand weapons I only spent a couple of perks on the increase damage and focused on doing damage using my bow. Sneak was also being skilled, since as a hunter, I need to be able to sneak to my prey without being noticed. I also used perks on light armor, to increase chances of surviving in tight situations.

 

That's about it for me in the early levels. Surviving was the key to making my perk choices. For example, while lockpicking may seem a tempting tree to put into at first, I think its useless, since I can just buy all the lockpicks I see and break a lot to open a chest if I had to, since that would make the tree level up faster. Now I got a 100 skill in the tree and no perk, yet I open master locks with not much issues.

 

I also don't complete the perks in a tree. For example, in the sneak tree, I only maxed out the first perk (5pts), and went up to the increased bow damage, and that's it. No more perks used for that three. For enchanting, I only used the perks I needed to make dual enchant (left most line. You don't need to the middle line). For smithing, since I was using light armor, I only leveled up that line.

 

Get only the perks you need, and if you feel you can survive without a certain perk save it for later.

 

EDIT: I reread your thread, and you seem to think you need to put perks in a tree to level it up. You don't as I mentioned, I got 100 skill in lockpicking but not a single perk in it. Just pick a lot of locks and it will level up, and you will level up as well.

 

Also note that you really don't need to level up your character in Skyrim. The game scales with you. The stronger you are, the stronger the opponents are, and the weaker you are, the weaker your opponents. At level 25, there is probably no area left inaccessible to you. You can actually finish the main quest by level 20 if you rushed through it, and then at level 30 be wondering why is cave bear is even stronger than Alduin was.

Edited January 23, 2012 by chanchan05

[Zefelius]

Very, very helpful. Thanks. I like your approach: make use of what you need in a natural way---in terms of what helps. I myself tend to be anal retentive and think that I have to have a certain predetermined strategy for playing, but your way is more flexible and organic.

 

Although I didn't necessarily think that perks and increasing skills were connected in a direct way... just in the sense that if you have perks invested in a skill then I would think that you could do better with it and thus increase it indirectly through successful fighting/practice.

 

Also good to know that all the creatures level up with me. I didn't know that!

Edited January 23, 2012 by Zefelius

[chanchan05]

Very, very helpful. Thanks. I like your approach: make use of what you need in a natural way---in terms of what helps. I myself tend to be anal retentive and think that I have to have a certain predetermined strategy for playing, but your way is more flexible and organic.

 

Although I didn't necessarily think that perks and increasing skills were connected in a direct way... just in the sense that if you have perks invested in a skill then I would think that you could do better with it and thus increase it indirectly through successful fighting/practice.

 

Also good to know that all the creatures level up with me. I didn't know that!

 

1. I didn't notice the perks allowing the skills to level it up better due to perks. In all honesty my perkless lockpicking tree reached 100 faster then the perked sneak tree.

 

2. The creatures have a strange scaling though. Some won't go past a certain level (so you'll find them weaker as you get stronger), and it seems some wont go down beyond a certain level as well (I refuse to believe that Saber Cats who one hit kill me at level 16 despite wearing dual casted Stoneflesh with mage armor perk as scaled to my level). These however are based on experience. LOL.