Just finished The Lost Expedition quest behind Markarth. Was a bit of a pain as I was only level 12. Had to do a lot of sneaking and picking off the Falmers with a bow and after I re-activate Nchuand-Zel's automated defenses, I just legged it. Now at level 15 and in the middle of the Under Saarthal quest.

 

I've barely had time to play over the last week. What do you need 30 nirnroot for?

 

The return to your roots quest is not really worth the effort. I spent ages looking for 30 ninroots in black reach. All I got for completing the quest was SPOILERa book and an active effect for alchemy..

 

Whats the most effective way to kill an Ice Dragon?

 

i recommend you save your game beore you fight if you are a really low level. if you are nord you have a 50% resistance to frost anyways. make some resist frost potions and take them before you interact with the dragon. enchant a bow with fire or shock damage and pick him off from long range ( easier said than done btw). wait till he drops to the ground and use your favourite melee weapon at this tail or sides. the business end of the dragon is not recommended if you are at a low level.

if you have the "Dragon Rend" shout you can pull him from the sky then lay into him. you can conjure familiars to fight with you. do you have a companion that can help you fight the dragon. make them bait for the dragon and pick him off with arrows or attack from the rear while your companion attacks elsewhere. just some of the things i have found to be effective in battling 60 or so dragons of all shapes and sizes during my reign of terror in skyrim

 

seriously. i have 27 of these things now. your spoiler items i both have anyway. i suppose completing it will get it off my menus.

trying to do dragon masks now. 4 so far. going down Riften way tonight for another.

 

Whoa! Thanks for the tips. My first Dragon was killed quite easily just outside of Whiterun. I've bumped into another though, an Ice dragon and I just can't kill him. I'm only level 9. Still getting to grips with different types of armour and I haven't learned how to enchant anything as yet. What an enormous game! It's hard to know what skills to concentrate on improving really.

 

better get started then. smithing, enchanting and alchemy. two handed or one handed depending on what your favourite weapon is. take a look through the 15 odd pages in this thread for some good tips and cheats. speech and block you can get to 100 skill using slightly dubious methods. use the chap in alvor's house (riverwood) to practice all your magic and weapon on. make sure alvor's wife and daughter are out of the house (8am - 4pm). he is a non killable character.

there are only 81 level ups so choose your perks wisely. you will not make all the perks in all the perk trees. concentrate on either warrior, mage or thief. you will level up quite quickly at the beginning. buy the house in whiterun asap. as you can't cart all your dragon bones and scales about with you all the time. 5000 gold to buy 1500 gold to fit it out. enjoy

 

well that wasn't too hard. Forelhost, just south east of Riften. Nord ghosts and Draugr Dethlords with unrelenting force shouts. 1 sneak attack arrow for the Dragon Priest as well. Next..........

 

Sneak is probably the easiest skill to max out. All you need is a rubber band.

I was struggling with a load of Forsworn on a sub-quest the other day, ***** kept killing me.

Thought "**** it", used the Call Dragon shout and let that take care of them all.

 

Ahh, You've just touched on something there, I've been trying to buy the house but didn't realise until a few days ago that I could sell some of the things I find and so as I became heavier I dropped a load of weapons and armour Whats the easiest way to get a lot of gold other than searching chests and corpses?

 

you want to make a load of iron daggers, get a load of petty soul gems, take the daggers to dragonsreach and use the arcane enchanter to enchant the daggers. put some sort of enchanting damage on them (fire,frost,shock) then sell them in warmaidens, arcacia, belthanor or the mage in dragonsreach.

this increases your smithing and enchanting. you will need to buy the soul gems already filled unless you have an enchanted weapon or the soul trap spell. most of the basic spell tomes can be bought from the mage in dragonsreach.

 

Ok, Really daft question - how do I get an enchantment?

 

to learn an enchantment you need to have found an enchanted item already. go to any arcane enchanter and disenchant the item. the item will be destroyed in the process. the learned enchantment can then be applied to jewellry, weapons or gear.

 

Not all though, I can't enchant armour for instance to fortify carry weight.

Not sure if there is something further up the perk tree though.

 

Ok, Let me get working on it then. I destroyed a Novice Robe but the enchantment that I gained I wasn't able to use on a dagger.

I'll get there in the end

 

I think enchantments you learn from armour, can only be used on armour. You need to disenchant a weapon to use on a dagger.

 

got the skeleton key now

 

If your keeping it you cant complete the thieves guild sideline quest. you have to return the skeleton key to the twilight seplucure. i kept mine and it has helped no end getting into expert and master locks. too many perks wasted to get the unbreakable lockpick.

 

Yeah I know gave it back and didn't realise I lost it

 

So it's pointless upgrading lockpicking then as there is a skeleton key?

 

You need to hand in the skeleton key to complete the thieves guild quest.

 

plus you will still have major trouble getting into master locks without upgrading lockpicking

 

I honestly can't see the point of the skeleton key - I have over 400 lockpicks and can happily pick any lock (ish). You just need to be a little patient and delicate with the keys

 

the skeleton key is handy, but not necessary. if you have loads of lockpicks i.e. hundreds, you can pick a master lock with time and effort. sometimes you don't have the time as enemies are near at hand or a chest is under water. as has been said you cant complete the thieves guild sideline quest if you decide to keep the skeleton key. it will remain in your inventory as an unfinished part of the story. no biggy for me but for those with OCD it might prove too much.

 

i seem to have lost Shadowmere somewhere. He's probably back in Dawnstar. Haven't been to the Night Mother in a while now.

 

I was thinking about hanging onto the key when I find it, then just complete as many other quests as I can before going back to finishing the thieves guild later on.

 

I think that's what most people do anyway.

 

*sigh* Another one bites the dust - ordered it today.....

 

Takes a good while to properly finish the thieves guild quests after returning the skeleton key.

I still haven't finished it yet, as you have to keep doing jobs for Vex and Delvin until you get a "special" assignment for each hold.