No Potions approach for more immersive combat?

[AnkhAscendant]

I also tend not to use potions, but, as much a fan of realism as I am (and as much as the game-pausing menu is concentration-breaking), it's not for any high-minded immersion reason... I just forget that I have them ^^; I make many many potions, but then I sell everything except restore health and restore magicka, and invisibility (honestly I've never seen a real use for the fortify skill or resistance potions. I suppose they're good for making me money.) Invisibility is really what I use most, since I can't cast a spell for it. I normally end up finding, when I empty my 'pockets', that I've accumulated 200 pounds of potions because I never use them.

 

My major strategy is having a healing spell either planted on one hand or favorited, running around and jumping and dodging like an idiot while my magicka recharges :P

[CalibanX]

Well, I've made it to Level 10 I think without using a single Potion or Poison and it has so made my gameplay MUCH more enjoyable. My character is a battle mage that's 80% Mage/20% fighter. With the mods I have, everything has been going really good. Lower level enemies consume my Magicka before I dispatch them and bosses kill me three or four times before I can figure out how to take them out. Which is just how I like it. If you haven't tried doing this, I recommend giving it a try. It feels like a welcome breath of fresh air. Turning to healing & magicka potions when facing a harder opponent now feels like a cheap short cut instead thinking about how you can change your tactics to win. Although, at Level 10 I haven't fought any Dragon Priests yet and had to run away when 3 Saber tooth tigers were chasing me. But overall, I'm REALLY digging my new character & No Potions play style. Try it! :)

[StayFrosty05]

There's always my solution.... :biggrin: ...if your health drops too low in battle, turn and run like a girl.... :biggrin: ....get yourself out of combat range and either heal without potions help or only swig the potions then...then charge back into the fray.... :happy:

 

Lol good tactic :P. I know this isn't what you were referring to, but she doesn't mean when you get low health to run far away enough to where the enemy automatically turns around and can't find you; even when you're 2 feet in front of him/her. She's referring to running a huge distance to the point where you could legitimately say the enemy would be unable to find you. I'm sure the OP has enough common sense to realize this, but I just wanted to clarify anyway :).

 

.... :biggrin: ....Pretty much as you say....or most usually the nearest difficult ledge and mountain goat it...best down not up, so those pesky Archers can't reach you.... :tongue:

 

I use mods that make silly, unrealistic Stealth opportunities impossible.

[StayFrosty05]

Well, I've made it to Level 10 I think without using a single Potion or Poison and it has so made my gameplay MUCH more enjoyable. My character is a battle mage that's 80% Mage/20% fighter. With the mods I have, everything has been going really good. Lower level enemies consume my Magicka before I dispatch them and bosses kill me three or four times before I can figure out how to take them out. Which is just how I like it. If you haven't tried doing this, I recommend giving it a try. It feels like a welcome breath of fresh air. Turning to healing & magicka potions when facing a harder opponent now feels like a cheap short cut instead thinking about how you can change your tactics to win. Although, at Level 10 I haven't fought any Dragon Priests yet and had to run away when 3 Saber tooth tigers were chasing me. But overall, I'm REALLY digging my new character & No Potions play style. Try it! :)

 

 

I never could get into Mages myself....aka, why the no magic with my Dovahkins...just never enjoyed using magic.... :blush: ....Am glad your enjoying the experience though.... :happy: ...give 'em hell and have tons of fun.... :biggrin:

[CalibanX]

I think I know what you mean about Mages. They're damage output isn't great and they're squishy. That's why my current battle mage wears light armor and wields an axe in the other hand. Although, I do enjoy some of the other Magic skills though. Illusion is a hell of a lot of fun to use tactically. Making your enemies fight each other is amusing even at high levels. Conjuration is really useful and the Bound Weapons it provides are much better than anything you're likely to find at low to mid level. Still, despite it's flaws, the one thing I really like in Destruction is the Runes. They are super fun to lay down and they do decent damage too. That being said, I'm usually drawn to the non-magic using character builds too.

[StayFrosty05]

I think I know what you mean about Mages. They're damage output isn't great and they're squishy. That's why my current battle mage wears light armor and wields an axe in the other hand. Although, I do enjoy some of the other Magic skills though. Illusion is a hell of a lot of fun to use tactically. Making your enemies fight each other is amusing even at high levels. Conjuration is really useful and the Bound Weapons it provides are much better than anything you're likely to find at low to mid level. Still, despite it's flaws, the one thing I really like in Destruction is the Runes. They are super fun to lay down and they do decent damage too. That being said, I'm usually drawn to the non-magic using character builds too.

 

... :biggrin: ....Tis a funny thing about the talk of 'realism'....as I think that's what I don't like about playing Mages....the lack of realism with Magic's.... :happy: ...I also have a personal IRL keen interest in Herbalism, Survivalism, Archery, Indigenous hunting techniques and life styles and Stealth.....and I get to RP those interests to some extent in Skyrim....Though with all that said, speaking of 'conjuration' the enchanted ring I mentioned does in fact conjure a Snowy Sabre Cat.... :blush: ...is the last resort back up plan if my dude is seriously overwhelmed....Liars Retreat much.... :dry: ....Liars retreat is a nasty little cave in the Reach, full of Falmer and nowhere to safely withdraw to....The cat is a very effective distraction and meat shield... :happy: ...and is my one magic concession.

 

From what I understand....don't Mages start off weak but end up kicking serious *ss at higher levels?...Sadly my Dovahkin, though he is light armored tends to be pretty squishy himself.... :ohdear: ....as a primary Archer, he rarely takes any serious damage...good at dodging... :tongue: ....Ambushing (lay Bear Traps, Oil Traps, etc...) and I play very tactics heavy...so his armor perks tree tends to be very slow to climb....that's fine on lower levels, but I pay for it dearly on higher levels.... :blink:

 

What do you usually play?

[CalibanX]

Dude! I LOVE Liar's Retreat! That place is one of the few super challenging fights in Skyrim. Way tougher than a mere Dragon. I think with my first Stealth-Mage, I snuck in and cast Fury on the Falmer to fight each other, then Calm to make some go away, then run around like a chicken downing tons of healing & magic pots while setting the whole place on fire. Good times. :)

[StayFrosty05]

Dude! I LOVE Liar's Retreat! That place is one of the few super challenging fights in Skyrim. Way tougher than a mere Dragon. I think with my first Stealth-Mage, I snuck in and cast Fury on the Falmer to fight each other, then Calm to make some go away, then run around like a chicken downing tons of healing & magic pots while setting the whole place on fire. Good times. :)

 

The front entrance (outside) of Falders Tooth also.... :ohdear: ....damned Archers and bandits flanking from right and left.... :biggrin: .

[CalibanX]

To answer your question, I usually play fighters because there's a lot of variety there. I like the Axes best. Both 2 and 1 handed. They don't feel as slow and clumsy as Maces & Hammers nor as light and swishy as swords & daggers. With every build I make I try to do something that I haven't done before. Turns out I never go around to doing a battle mage that uses Destruction, so I'm trying that out now. I'm also making him look like myself which is fun too. The character before this one I made to look like my girlfriend. I do suffer from restartitis. Usually I end up retiring a character in the low 20's. Then a make another, different one. With my newest one, I want to try to take him further into the 40's. We'll see how that goes. I'm thinking some fights will be really tough without out Potions (Dragon Preists, etc.)

[StayFrosty05]

To answer your question, I usually play fighters because there's a lot of variety there. I like the Axes best. Both 2 and 1 handed. They don't feel as slow and clumsy as Maces & Hammers nor as light and swishy as swords & daggers. With every build I make I try to do something that I haven't done before. Turns out I never go around to doing a battle mage that uses Destruction, so I'm trying that out now. I'm also making him look like myself which is fun too. The character before this one I made to look like my girlfriend. I do suffer from restartitis. Usually I end up retiring a character in the low 20's. Then a make another, different one. With my newest one, I want to try to take him further into the 40's. We'll see how that goes. I'm thinking some fights will be really tough without out Potions (Dragon Preists, etc.)

 

I'm boring....I always tend to play the same battle style....just change the RP story for each....I have tried the heavily Armored, heavy hitter full frontal brute force dude...but inevitably always end up back with my stealth dude....just new stories....Like you I suffer from 'restartitis' too.... :happy: ....though my dude always looks the same...found a look I like and sticking to it.....I have had him reach level 54 twice....that's leveled out for me, can't get him any higher....other than that, usually change out in the level 20's somewhere.