Skyrim: Blocking and you, or This is why you keep dying.

[DustyDrB]

There is one wrong way to play:
Play a crafting build.

By the time you've levelled Smithing and Enchanting to 100 or thereabouts, you're at a high enough level that the fancy dragon armor you just made is pretty much useless. Bandits can one-shot you with iron arrows, for crying out loud.

Oh, well. I can think of worse fates than starting over with a different build.

You can still improve those armors more when you have a high Smithing skill (at least you can with Elven armor, which what I'm currently wearing). It's also good for money making. Between my Alchemy and Smithing, I'm never short on coin. And I'm not stingy in the game. I'll buy certain items just so I can set them on display in my houses.

 

[svenjl]

I started of wanting to play with one-handed weapons and a shield. I like the ebb and flow of combat with this combination. But after getting a big fricking battleaxe I decided to go two-handed all the way. Nothing beats charging into the midst of bandits or undead swinging my huge axe with Nord abandon. However, on the topic of blocking - I do still block occasionally as even just a weapon block reduces damage taken. I don't bother blocking with dragons though. I just leap in and go at them like a woodchopper!

 

[svenjl]

Who needs block when you have a time-pausing inventory and health potions?

The only excuses anyone has for dying in Skyrim are, "I didn't hit the inventory button fast enough" and, "I ran out of health potions."

Or you can just grab a bow and take advantage of the fact that you're the only being on the planet who can jump. One tall rock and you're all set.

Or use the "stealth" mechanic to effectively become invisible and get one-hit kills on almost anything.

Given the alternatives, I conclude that blocking is for boring people.

Indeed, especially since you can just leg it when things get hairy and cast the heal spell til your mana runs dry, the return to the bow.

And besides, my shield works perfectly fine without having to level anything. Her name is Lydia, and she never dies yet has a remarkable ability to draw ridiculous amounts of aggro.

Yep...until she DIES! So please consider that before you sit back and have her take all the heat :-( I have lost 2 followers so far, Lydia and the elf from Riverwood. I have a third now (a female miner, forget the name) that I have decked out with some armor and weapons from my stock and I look after her as if every drop of her blood is precious!

 

[kouriichi]

Raj thinks shields are nice! Look good on wall.
But i would never pick one up for combat. To heavy, need the extra space for all the stuff Raj l00ts off of corpses.

What? Is not unethical! They try to stab Raj! Only right i get something for troubles!

But can see use for shield. Make great plate for sweet roll! Keep frosting off floor! Wife Mjoll complains when i make mess eating.

Besides, no use for shield if enemy never get to attack you! Dagger to the spleen tends to drop enemies faster then fireball to Cliff Racer!

 

[brunothepig]

Please, my battle mage blocks with motherfucking magic. You think it's cool cowering behind your shield? Try standing there, like a boss while the dragons flames course harmlessly by. Then I embed a massive spike of ice through it's head. That said, next time I'll probably roll a warrior type, and I will make use of blocking.

 

[Deadyawn]

You know the whole "best defense is a good offense" thing? Yeah well thats bullshit but I generally find that combat gets really easy if enemies can't see you. So I just snuck around for the most part getting X30 damage sneak attacks.

 

[thespyisdead]

since i started the game i have gone through one handed ,2 handed, and dual wield, but now my melee is a shield with and ax... can't say how effective it is yet...

PS: for me the 2 handed weapons were the best so far (and i am a rouge, or trying to be)

 

[MarcBRO]

I don't need block with my 100 one handed skill and 100 restoration skill

 

[lex.nero]

Point is moot, being heavily biased towards one skill usually reaps huge benefits

I however try and train skills an equal amount and block is one of my largest skill increases since starting skyrim.

 

[Denariax]

I don't need to block, I have the tilde key and a bunch of infinite health codes

 

[TsunamiWombat]

right now I've got a mage at lvl 20 or so. Destruction and Conjuration, but i'm upping restore and alteration now so I can abuse those perk passives

I think i'll try a pure diplomacy/trading character at one point, maxing speech and pick pocket etc. Bob the Travelling Salesman.

 

[Wekub]

Oh, I'll go Block when I make a Warrior, aye. 'Tis fun. But I'm not sure whether to go 2h or 1h+shield (or take both and end up having both a bit weaker). My assassin still has a lot of faces to stab and sinuses to decorate with arrows, so I still have some time to decide. :]

 

[Tokzic]

My strategy definitely does consider defense without any points in Block. Train 1H, Heavy Armor, Resto, Alteration, Smithing. Take perks for 30% Magic Resistance, huge armor, and huge healing. Cast +Armor spells. Proceed to soak ALL THE DAMAGE. Heal if < 50%. Win the game.

 

[BryceS62]

I prefer Axe and healing/destruction combo it keeps me alive

 

[The Code]

I'm an avid Morrowind player, and genuinely annoyed by the way blocking is done in said game. In Skyrim, however, the shield has become my new best friend (So has dual-wielding a fire spell and being a feline flamethrower of doom, but I digress) and something I ALWAYS have with me. Blocking is a useful, and sometimes necessary skill when playing games like this, and the perks that go with the skill make it all the more awesome.

 

[Count Igor]

...You're silly. I can cast Master-level spells for 0 Magicka. Can I laugh at your 500 Magicka now?

Don't be mean. I'm only level 22 -_-

 

[Meatspinner]

just power level smiting and the rest of the game becomes so trivial that you don't need to block

 

[Darth_Dude]

I find Skyrim ridicolously easy to where its dull, really the few times blocking would be handy they usually do so much damage it goes straight through anyways. Also the time stopping dring to your full hp inventory makes it a joke. The people that call this game hard obviously never played any other similar Rpg other then somth like ezmode fallout 3.

A few examples would be Divinity 2 and Gothic 3 with all patches, both a million times harder and also open world. I mean i gave up playing even on the easiest difficulty just because of the sheer stupifying 2 shots of some spell you dead. In divinity it was whatever mob was equal level would pummel you to near death with drinking a bunch of potions.

I guess i have to start playing some naked mage with daggers to have some challenge. running around with Ebony armor with +100% weapon dmg enchants total and a Legendary Daedric sword when i just met the Blades kind of makes it a bit boring. Pretty much 1 hit anything dies. Just some dragons that are a little annoying cause they refuse to land.

Up the difficulty?

 

[The_ModeRazor]

I can't block shit when existence is torn asunder from my radiant aura of hilarious and fucked-up console commands. I don't need them, but they're sure as hell fun.