Need Tactical Advise from a Master-Level Player

[Lite8888]

Hi, I need some tips and hints on how a 1-Handed Shielder can beat the game on Master difficulty.

(without using exploits)

 

Here is my situation.

 

When the game was released, I played an archer and beat the game on masters too easily.

 

My tactics during that time were to simply kite against melee, shoot & side-step against ranged, and stay behind rocks & shoot against dragons... lame.

 

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Now, an year later, the modding community has revamped my interest in the game, and after 2 weeks of reading, planning, and testing, I've carefully hand-picked and installed a set of mods, and am ready to embark on a truly high-quality gaming experience.

 

However, (this is actually a good thing), the game has become too difficult. I wanted to create this thread to see if my tactics can be improved.

 

Firstly, my 2 major game-play mods are as follows:

- Deadly Combat (stamina management, very smart enemy AI, better blocking system, timed-blocks, etc)

- Deadly Dragons (dragons have slightly better stats, and slightly more abilities)

 

My tactics are as follows:

 

(I use equip set hot-keys, and avoid breaking immersion by opening menus, or drinking potions)

Shield & Weapon Setup (Main)

- used against non-casters

- carefully time my power attacks, or else they will dodge (mod feature)

- usually try opening with a timed-block + follow up

- shield bash ONLY IF I am too low on stam to time-block, and I am too close to back-peddle in time; I must be fast before they get a full swing going

- if enemies decide to turtle, I try to distance myself and either switch to my heal spell or finish them off with my Sparks spell (however, this is hard, because the enemies will sometimes charge you full-force the second they see your weapon go bye-bye 8)

 

Ward Spell & Weapon Setup (Secondary)

- I use this against casters & dragons

- I cast ward when they cast spells at me, then go in for some hits, back off, and repeat (have to do this perfectly for about 10 minutes, and if I mess up just ONE TIME, I'm gonna get slammed hard :ohdear:

- when I run out of mana for spell ward, I have to do some dancing until I regenerate, and avoid being hit in the process

- Deadly Combat mod adds "Timed-Ward" which reflects the spell back in the direction of my cursor; but so far, it has been very difficult to perform, and I don't think it works against continuous spells (could anyone confirm this?)

 

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Here is my main problem: Dragons are too powerful. They cast their Fire Breath NONSTOP, and even if I play perfectly, and negate their damage with my Spell Ward, they keep casting and casting until I run out of mana, and then it's time for them to tear me a new anus.

 

Here are some tactical options I've developed, let me know your thoughts on them:

 

1) This is my preferred strategy, but, by God, it's difficult to perform. When the dragon lands, I approach them with my spell ward until I'm up close and personal, and them I quickly switch to my Shield + Wep. They tend to do more physical attacks when your close to them, allowing me to perform timed-blocks & followups. But every once in a while, they will cast their Fire Breath even when your up-close, which screws me, because my shield hardly negates any of the damage, and I end up being 1-shotted. I have tried to switch back to my ward when I get the sense that they will do this, but there isn't enough time. Any idea if shield bashing might interrupt their breath? (I have not tried this yet)

 

2) Position myself in a rocky/wooded area, and use my surroundings as my tools. I will have to use just my Spell Ward & Wep, and simply Ward off their spells, hit them 1-2 times, back off, repeat, and them hide behind a rock/tree until my mana regens (since I can't dance around their Fire Breath). But this is a little lame (better than my Archer experience, but still lame).

 

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If you guys could give me some tips.. perhaps I'm ignoring a certain spell that would help me out, etc. I would appreciate it.

 

Also, does anybody know the EXACT delay-time of casting Spell Ward? It seems that the animation and the actual spell are off by a second. I have 60 fps, and there have been many times that I time my ward so the animation is completed right before a spell hits me, and then I get hit by it anyway. If I time it about a second before, then it works fine. I guess I just answered my own question :hurr:

 

Also, one last thing. If anyone has used the TK Dodge mod, with a 1-Handed Shielder, please let me know what your game experience was like. I'm hesitant with this mod for 2 reasons: It might end up being over-powered and too easy once I get used to it. And it adds more variables to my character, which I currently can't manage, since I already have my hands full, trying to switch between equipment sets, timing my attacks & blocks perfectly, managing my stamina, etc.

 

Thanks,

-Lite

Edited December 12, 2012 by Lite8888

[zyg0tic]

On your original archery play through did you abuse smithing and enchanting so that you had OP gear?

 

I don't think you should rule out the use of bows entirely as being easy mode. They are essential to survival. I think you should instead mod your game's difficulty so that you must diversify, and archery then becomes just one of the tools in your toolkit.

 

I have made a package of mods that makes Master harder without spoiling the vanilla feel of the game. Just search Nexus mods section for Make Master Harder and that should bring it up.

 

Also I think you should spend more time making potions. Especially lingering damage magicka and damage magicka. Also lingering damage health is good too. Try and get become Ethereal as soon as possible for the invuln and remember to use Whirlwind Sprint as it will help you I get to cover.

 

And you use shield bash right?

 

Everything else you described seems good.

[Lite8888]

On your original archery play through did you abuse smithing and enchanting so that you had OP gear?

 

I don't think you should rule out the use of bows entirely as being easy mode. They are essential to survival. I think you should instead mod your game's difficulty so that you must diversify, and archery then becomes just one of the tools in your toolkit.

 

I have made a package of mods that makes Master harder without spoiling the vanilla feel of the game. Just search Nexus mods section for Make Master Harder and that should bring it up.

 

Also I think you should spend more time making potions. Especially lingering damage magicka and damage magicka. Also lingering damage health is good too. Try and get become Ethereal as soon as possible for the invuln and remember to use Whirlwind Sprint as it will help you I get to cover.

 

And you use shield bash right?

 

Everything else you described seems good.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I did not enchant anything or use smithing at all during my first play-through with Archery. I did however, put points into sneak, so I could pick and choose my fights, as well as do triple damage on my first attack. I attacked enemies from a far, and kite them well.

 

And as for everything else I wrote in my initial post, I've found out what I was doing wrong the whole time. Shield bashes will interrupt any continuous/charging spells, including Dragon Breath (so stupid for not realizing this sooner). So, if I perfect my timing, I should be able to beat the game the way I want.

 

I'm sure it will still be extremely difficult, especially with Deadly Combat, but it will be 100% doable.

[Dudeman325]

Shields are easy. Powerbash stunlock, almost every enemy in the game is vulnerable to it. Keep a form of ranged damage as backup, and make sure you have lots of stamina.

[jack013]

I usually avoid warlocks till I get the perk to help at 50. You need to get magic defences to deal with that stuff, wards are for mages.

[zyg0tic]

You can also use a mod like Improved Sneak Detection which rebalances and increases the difficulty of sneaking

 

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/23353

[Lite8888]

Shields are easy. Powerbash stunlock, almost every enemy in the game is vulnerable to it. Keep a form of ranged damage as backup, and make sure you have lots of stamina.

 

I don't think so, not with Deadly Combat, the mod author enabled the enemies to perform anti-stun-lock abilities. Also, on top of that, playing on masters will give enemies so much life that you will never have enough stamina to spam powerbash the whole fight, you'll have to improvise and do some 'dancing' to regen your stamina; if you don't, your blocks will be weaker, and you'll get slammed pretty quickly.

 

I usually avoid warlocks till I get the perk to help at 50. You need to get magic defences to deal with that stuff, wards are for mages.

 

Yes, the perk with 50% magic resist on shields will help later on, but I don't think Ward is just for mages, it has helped me kill casters by totally neglecting their magic attacks, and then following up with weapon attacks. (especially good while you're approaching them from a distance)

 

You can also use a mod like Improved Sneak Detection which rebalances and increases the difficulty of sneaking

 

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/23353

 

Yeah, that may have balanced the game for me a little bit during my first play through, but won't need it with my new character, since he doesn't use sneak; thanks.

[korun]

no secret, shield bash is a good tip, even you are stop by your stamina regen, i've re-discovered my warrior with shield bashing on tactic basis,

of course, you must improve the most you can your stuff with smithing and enchant as well.

remember, Skyrim works with stats not with the skills, deadly combat improve the combat ok, but you don't have to use shield bashing all time, only to stop a cast or a power attack, then slamming dodge, move etc..

[Dudeman325]

I don't think so, not with Deadly Combat, the mod author enabled the enemies to perform anti-stun-lock abilities. Also, on top of that, playing on masters will give enemies so much life that you will never have enough stamina to spam powerbash the whole fight, you'll have to improvise and do some 'dancing' to regen your stamina; if you don't, your blocks will be weaker, and you'll get slammed pretty quickly.

 

I never said it was foolproof, but just having a shield to time a bash every now and then can make sweeping changes to combat in general. Time your bashes to interrupt the enemy, then attack. It isn't that complicated.

 

Have fun!

[zyg0tic]

Also playing with permadeath will greatly increase the tension and concentration required for every fight (: