What personal rules do you play?

[Thath]

My rules:

 

1. Don't steal unless I really need it

2. Don¨t kill unless I really need it or really really want to

3. Give a coin to those who beg, exept for that witch in Winterhold

4. Don't talk to thieves

5. Kill animals for fun or when you need to farm souls.

6. Never kill Paarthunax

7. Kill dragons on sight

8. Never kill dogs.

9. Side with whatever side you want (imperial/stormcloak).

10. Do the bidding of the Daedric Lords (I like their gifts)

[Indigoblade]

1. Never talk about Fight Club.... Skyrim, I meant Skyrim

2. Play tag with kids

3. Eat all the sweet rolls

4. Religiously kill bandits

5. Hide bandits' bodies in a river

6. Watch said bandits float down the river

7. At least try to play the main story line (maybe walk there, that's good enough)

8..... Kill more bandits?

9. Find sweet loot

10. Get off Skyrim and mod a new type of bandit from that day's experience (Of eating sweet rolls and body-river-floating)

[Roane]

The character determines the rules, as this keeps the game interesting by affecting whether or not radiant quests are accepted, how strangers on the road are treated, how wealth is acquired, etc.

 

The ruthless, callous Altmer woman of my last playthrough had no scruples. She was pretty much a sociopath, quite capable of watching the town guard take on a dragon, then stepping over the bodies to absorb the dragon soul. If she wanted something, she made it hers if at all possible. Definitely an 'end justifies the means' type. She wasn't pro-Thalmor because she saw them as idealistic fools.

 

My current character is a kind-hearted, bumbling, wannabe Nord mage. She's also shy, more than a little forgetful, and easily distracted. Because of this, after running into her old friend Vilja, she forgot to tell the Jarl about the dragon attack on Helgen until she heard someone else talking about it, then figured he'd been told already, so why bother someone so important with old news? Eventually, she will feel so guilty about not taking him the message, she'll go to apologize and we all know what that first visit leads to. I'm toying with the idea of her putting on the first Amulet of Mara that she finds, and marrying the first guy that mentions it.

 

Absolutes, regardless of character, are minimal: no fast travel (carriage use depends on the character's finances) and when a Daedric prince says jump, ask how high on the way up.

[Zygen360]

I don't really have much in the way of real set rules I can think of, I kind of just do whatever I feel is right for the character or situation or whatever most of the time.

 

One thing I do tend to do however is only play Elf type race characters, so basically I only play Dark Elf, High Elf, Or Wood Elf's. Atleast generally speaking. I will play another class on a rare ocassion to test something, or for fun or something, but typically the characters I play regularly are all Elf's of some type. This is really not that big of a deal even as far as feeling hindered ever, besides with melee warriors of any type really, because Elf's don't really have any Elf races that benefit melee users. They have High elf for mage, and Wood elf for archers, but not really anything for melee. Although I normally just play dark elf, since they have the fire cloak thing, which helps sometimes.

 

I do kinda wish there was a melee based elf class of some kind sometimes, I haven't really run across any mods for such a thing, but whatever, it's not really a huge hindrance, I usually get up to speed relatively fast in my melee skills. And I hardly notice the difference.

 

I try to avoid fast travel, but sometimes I still do it, sometimes I just don't feel like walking super far, or at all really, and I just fast travel, it kinda depends on my mood, sometimes I feel like exploring, and other times I don't.

 

I usually have separate characters for all different classes, so for instance I have a mage character, and a archer character, and a melee character, and sometimes I get even more in depth and make stuff like necromancers, and Paladins, and stuff like that.

 

I try not to make myself OP, so anything I feel is just kinda broken I try and avoid, that said I still play on Adept difficulty, so maybe I should just up the difficulty some.

 

The funny thing is I kinda suck, so even if I was "OP" i might still die lol.

 

I usually only join like 1 or two different groups, but it depends upon the character and group.

 

Of course, most of these rules I don't even always follow, so there more just tendencies, not set rules really. My rules kinda change depending on my mood and character.

 

And I also have some completionist tendencies at times, so I need a character who I can complete whatever questlines and stuff for. Of course I doubt I could complete skyrim really, and even then I'm sure with mods and new characters I can still have fun playing ;p.

 

Overall I just do whatever I find enjoyable, whether it be enforcing rules, or not.

[Hyacathusarullistad]

As others have said already, my rules change from playthrough the playthrough. And sometimes, as in the case with my current game, even within a single playthrough for roleplaying reasons. I'll discuss the rules for my current playthrough only for the sake of brevity (ahahaha).

 

Short version:

• No looted armour unless he's "fitted" it at a workbench; only two pieces of any type of armour at a time - one equipped, one carried.
• Looted swords are for selling only; he can only carry four swords in total, including the one he has equipped.
• No looting in Nordic ruins. Loose objects/gold and chests are okay, but nothing on draugr or in burial urns.
• Pick up and magpie any and all Daedric items, Artifacts or otherwise.
• No theft, trespassing, or assault. No lockpicking or pick-pocketing.
• No attacking unarmed - or disarmed - melee opponents. Doesn't apply to draugr. Disarmed archers are fair game.
• No magic. Shouts are the exception, obviously. And he's recently begun using Restoration.
• No alchemy.
• F*** the Companions.
  

Long version:

 

Joran's a big guy. His armour really needs to be custom fitted, a process to which he entrusts only his own hands. So he very rarely takes armours from dead opponents - it doesn't fit him, it's covered in blood and excrement, and it's probably too damaged to be worth much anyway. If he finds a piece of armour he likes he'll take it with him, but won't wear it until he's fitted it at a workbench. He'll also only carry two pieces of any type of armour (two chestpieces, two sets of boots or gauntlets, etc.) - one to wear now, and one to try and make fit at a workbench. Arissa can carry an extra set as well, if need be. He's incredibly attached to his sword, too, which he took from the hand of a Draugr Deathlord within Ustengrav. So he doesn't bother looting swords or weapons, either, though he'll take the odd hunting knife or other such utilities, as they're worth good money most of the time.

 

He also refuses to search draugr or burial urns, as he sees this as disrespectful to the honoured dead. He'll still enter Nordic ruins (usually in search of Words of Power) and has no beef with putting down risen draugr - he sees their rise from the dead as an affront to their honour, and seeks to restore them to their sleep - but he leaves them where they fall and doesn't disturb bodies that don't rise. He broke this rule only once, when he claimed his sword from the heart of Ustengrav. He christened it Windshade, in honour of the man from whose tomb it removed it, as a sign of respect.

 

In his travels across Skyrim, he's also found a number of weapons and armour pieces infused with Daedric power. These items are perversions that he wants to destroy, but has no means of doing so. So he hides them away whenever he finds them. He never wields them, and refuses to sell them. But of course rules are made to be broken, and he has on many occasions wielded Dawnbreaker against vampires and other undead, including draugr. This is (so far) the only exception he's made or expects to make for Daedric items.

His strict code of honour has historically meant that he was firmly opposed to theft, trespassing, and "under handed" combat techniques - sneaking, bows, and poisons are the weapons of cowards. Recently, however, Arissa has heard word of a new brand of thieves guild forming in Windhelm, one that crosses the line between common theft and senseless murder. With the assurances of the only person in the world he counts as a friend, he's set aside the persona of the Wyrm Slayer, donned a hood to mask his identity, and delved into the criminal underworld of the Rift in the hopes of at least placing crime in Skyrim securely into the hands of the far lesser of many evils. But when he takes jobs for Delvin and Vex he does what has to be done and nothing more.

 

While there does exist a Shout to disarm an opponent, Joran finds doing battle with an unarmed opponent to be dishonourable. He doesn't use this shout, and when his attacks disarm an opponent (mods) he waits for them to pick up their sword before continuing to attack. He would rather see an unarmed opponent escape than strike them down without allowing them to adequately defend themselves. He's of course been forced to kill unarmed opponents on occasion for various reasons, and this rule generally doesn't apply to draugr as they aren't actually people anymore anyway. Archers are also generally exempt from this rule as well - they fight without honour themselves, and thus surrender any right they have to defend themselves.

 

Magic is little better than archery in most respects. The Voice is an obvious exception, but even that he reserves mostly for dragons and defense of the innocent (or Arissa). He abhors necromancy and illusion in particular. He decided some time ago however that restoration magic, at least, may indeed have a place in the arsenal of an honourable warrior so long as it's used to safeguard others rather than bolster oneself. Poisons are cowardice, plain and simple, and he considers alchemy to be a useful science that may have its place in war, in the treatment of the wounded, but has absolutely no place in personal combat.

 

One would think the Companions would be the perfect guild for this character. Quite the opposite. The Companions are an antiquated group of drunks, little more than a mercenary's guild. Some individuals themselves may fight with honour and valour, but demean themselves by their lifestyle. They're lucky he doesn't know that half of them are daedra worshipping beasts, or he'd be waging a one-man war against Jorrvaskr. He'll leave them be when he encounters them, but pays them no respect either.

[duwenbasden]

Male Khajiit Mage:

- If there is an option to receive more money for a quest, take that option, even if he is swimming in cash.

- Hang out with the J'Z.

- SKOOMMMMMAAAAAAAAA.

- Melee weapon schmelee weapons, claws are for real punchers.

- Never hurt the followers with destruction.

- Conjure quietly, and watch the chaos.

- MOAR SKOOMMMMMAAAAAAAAA.

- Wait for followers.

- Never fast travel.

- Always function over form.

- Coward; runs from dragons.

 

Male Nord Noble:

- Never steal anything.

- Always take the honourable option in a quest. If one needs saving, so be it.

- Two handed weapons FTW. Crossbows for the annoying people.

- Expensive clothes ONLY. Ebony/Glass/Daedric and Fine clothes are in, leather and rags are out.

- Wait for followers.

- Never fast travel.

- Drinks all the wine.

 

Female Nord Rogue:

- If there is an option to receive more money for a quest, take that option, even if she is swimming in cash.

- Only summon the dual swords if necessary; dagger + blind otherwise.

- Wait for followers.

- Never fast travel.

- Steal like a sir.

- Always form over function.

- Always gets crafts from Eorlund GM.

- TAKES ALL THE MEAD.

- Only fights dragons if has followers.

[phantompally76]

1). I never fast travel.

2). I only use the console when I have to deal with a bugged quest or the game crashes before I can save and lose loot.

3). I don't use any exploits like the resto loop or invisible chest.

4). I stick to original character concept until that concept's skills/perks are maxed.

[UKImperium]

My rules:

• Sleep between 8-12 hours a day (if no inn is nearby I will set up camp)
• If possible try to avoid adventuring at night
• eat once or more a day(also drink)
• I walk everywhere, I will only run IF Archers and Mages are around
• Stick to the roads
• Never fast travel
• Never cheat
• ​Never steal unless necessary

Edited May 25, 2015 by UKImperium

[SilveriaMoon]

My rules:

 

• Don't kill Paarthurnax
• Give beggars a coin
• Don't kill wildlife unless attacked
• Kill draugr, daedra, hagravens and Nazeem
• Buy from merchants I pity and sell junk and useless stuff to merchants I dislike (Belethor, Grelka etc.)

[Relativelybest]

A new rule for my current character is that she refuses to use black soul gems, and collects them exclusively so she can stash them away in a safe location so others can't get to them. This is because she

doesn't want to send anyone to the Soul Cairn, regardless of who they were or what they've done.

 

 

Kind of an inversion of my standing rule regarding not feeling bad about killing nords, since I'm just sending them to Sovengard.