Someone convince me that a Skyrim melee-oriented character is interesting to play!

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dderidex

Supreme [H]ardness
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Oct 31, 2001
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As above.

So far I've created 3 characters in Skyrim, and got them up to level 4...roughly a short point after killing the first dragon...
...outside Whiterun, where you 'learn' you are dragonborn

...and I can't tell you how boring it was to do as a melee character vs magic characters. Of course, the magic characters feel ALMOST unbalanced. Even a khajiit running with a magic set...that dual-wielding fire is insane. Blast a group of enemies, set them on fire (so they burn down some) while back-pedaling down a hallway (or down a mountain), as they start closing you blast them again...rinse, repeat.

I've had no problems killing anything I've run into between the fire and/or sparks spray spell...using the occasional 'restore health' or 'restore magic' potions if it's a particular tough opponent or large group.

In any case, while vaguely overpowered feeling, I'm sure that will change as I run into tougher foes. But...it's at least INTERESTING. Combat has a lot to manage. When to switch a hand to healing, when to switch both to fire or sparks, keeping an eye out for when to pull back so magic can start recharging some, etc.

With the melee character...buy the best armor you can, but the weapon weapon you can...charge at the enemy and...click. Click. Click. Click. Is he dead yet? Am I? Click. Click...oh, okay, there, he's dead.

Do the melee weapons get more interesting? I've found an enchanted weapon, which seemed like it might be real fun to play with the different effects on it (and open up the possibility of wanting to swap weapons around in battle...which could be very cool), but...one or two hits on an enemy, then it's "empty". And doesn't seem to recharge. And filled soul gems don't exactly abound.
 
Need more power attacks and/or better weapons. melee should invest in smithing too imo. get those weapons epic!
 
Gooch3008 said:
Need more power attacks and/or better weapons. melee should invest in smithing too imo. get those weapons epic!
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Can you describe some of the things that happen in power attacks?

I've done a few power attacks (basically just holding down the 'click' for a moment or two to let it build up), but they just seem like...regular attacks, with more damage. Nothing really fancy, like, for example (at least, not that I've seen) things like chaining attacks together. Or attacking multiple foes with one 'attack' (something like D&D's "cleave" feat).
 
You burn up quite a bit of stamina for a much more damaging attack. I bet there is more to it as far as combat mechanics go but thats the gist. Also focus on the skills/perks that pertain to your style of melee, there are lots of options.
 
If you strafe left or right while doing a power attack it is a wider arc and hits more in front of you, at least for 2h weapons. I got a friendly NPC mad at me this way.
 
limitedaccess said:
If you strafe left or right while doing a power attack it is a wider arc and hits more in front of you, at least for 2h weapons. I got a friendly NPC mad at me this way.
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Oh, you CAN hit multiple targets with a melee attack? That's good to know - one of the things I really liked about the magic 'flame' attack is that it was very much area-of-effect. I could easily set 3 or 4 bandits on fire with a single, short, burst...then follow that up with a few more blasts at whichever portion of the group charged me to wipe them all out without any of them getting a single hit in.

Area effect FTW! And it didn't really seem like the melee weapons had that option.

That's actually REALLY interesting to know, if I'm reading that properly. Do any particular weapons do better at it? Does that ONLY work with power attacks? Do you have to have a particular perk earned in order to get that?
 
I might have jumped the gun on that bit. I'm trying to lab it, but either arc is very small or something else happened.

I noticed it while using a 2h greatsword. It was only in the game and I ran into the part where the group was attacking that one giant. I ran in to help and decided to try a strafe power attack, and it killed the giant and then the other people turn on me so I assume I hit them.

Just trying it out against wolves again, and I saw I had all of them damaged. But I couldn't reliably reproduce it. Trying it out against guards just gets me killed in town at the moment. I'm not really that far into the game, only in Whiterun.
 
Well, I do see a perk called "Sweep" that is available at skill '70' in two-handed weapons...it does seem to do something like what we are talking about, in damaging multiple opponents at once.

Impossible to get that before level 4, though...it's a four-deep perk in the 'Two handed' tree, and at a skill of '70' is going to take a heck of a long time to get up to (even for a Nord, who starts at +10 to two-handed).
 
I always had to play a 'paladin' type character to make melee not be a complete bore in Oblivion, not sure if you can do the same in Skyrim since magic consumes a hand. Alteration + Restoration and the rest in melee skills. Gives shields and heals. Also provides feather which made walking around with heavy armor significantly faster. Water walk, open lock and water breathing also proved invaluable. Restore Fatigue also lets you spam heavy attacks.

Another option would be whichever magic school they gave paralysis to, or, if spellmaking is still broken, 100 pt 1 sec duration damage fatigue spells in a small aoe. Provides crowd control and another button to press in combat.
 
It's definitely the lack of 'area of effect' stuff that seems to make the pure combat classes the least interesting to me.

Perhaps some of the potions or something that can be used on the arrows might be area-effect? Or enchanting of the weapons might do area-effect 'on strike' or something?

Dunno.
 
I just enjoy one shotting everything with my warhammer. That alone provides the amusement. Playing a hulking Nord just hammering the hell out of everything makes my day. No shield, no tactics, just SMASH. I would agree on the awesomness of magic though.
 
Playing as a thief and I am able to 1 shot most enemies with a sneak attack with a dagger. It helps that there is a perk that allows daggers to do 15x damage in the sneak tree.
 
CryingGod said:
Playing as a thief and I am able to 1 shot most enemies with a sneak attack with a dagger. It helps that there is a perk that allows daggers to do 15x damage in the sneak tree.
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As a thief/assassin this is a lot of fun, I stumbled on to it later in the game once my sneak was high enough for the x15 and decided to switch from bows to melee kills where possible, also allowing me to improve pickpocket, you get the cool takedown animations most of the time as well which makes you feel badass.

Regular sword and board I wouldn't really advise, I never find that stuff interesting personally, and to top it off the melee combat feels clunk and fairly awful. Overall I just prefer the stealth mechanics of the assassin, it adds more risk but if you're good you can clear areas way easier.
 
CryingGod said:
Playing as a thief and I am able to 1 shot most enemies with a sneak attack with a dagger. It helps that there is a perk that allows daggers to do 15x damage in the sneak tree.
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better yet is that you can double this to 30.
 
Hmmmm Considering my buddy is playing sword/shield heavy armor route, he has no problems killing any dragons at all going Melee. (hard difficulty)

Just use alot of Magic Res gear against monsters/dragons....and block alot!
 
My first character is 2-hander, heavy armor, and smithing (a must have for this type of character). Melee combat isn't that exciting but I can dish out some serious damage. What is there to say? You just run around, chop people up, and scream at them. My next character will be a either be a mage or a thief type character.
 
Valshistixol said:
My first character is 2-hander, heavy armor, and smithing (a must have for this type of character). Melee combat isn't that exciting but I can dish out some serious damage. What is there to say? You just run around, chop people up, and scream at them. My next character will be a either be a mage or a thief type character.
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Yea Melee is fun.,....but fuck I love sneaking around and headshotting someone from a LONG ways away with a arrow...sticking out of there head and killing em in 1 shot. It really never gets old!
 
im destruction and archery...

Shit's rigged.

I keep a 2H in my pocket for when the bitches try to fuck with me up close.

And by bitches, I mean the dumbasses that killed Lydia.
 
What I like is that you really don't have to focus entirely on one aspect...right now I'm playing a one-hander w/ shield, heavy armor, with a bit of magic and archery thrown in.
 
Thinking I might try a battlemage sort of thing. One hand sword on my right and a fireball on my left sounds fun lol.
 
I'm playing a battle mage (both melee and destruction spells) and I'm getting the best of both worlds.
Dual cast the spells, and if the enemies get close, switch to sword/shield. I quickly discovered having one hand with a spell and the other with a sword, isn't very helpful, since usually you want to be using one or the other, but never both simultaneously.

It's a good way to make use of the hotkey system.
 
UtopiA said:
I'm playing a battle mage (both melee and destruction spells) and I'm getting the best of both worlds.
Dual cast the spells, and if the enemies get close, switch to sword/shield. I quickly discovered having one hand with a spell and the other with a sword, isn't very helpful, since usually you want to be using one or the other, but never both simultaneously.

It's a good way to make use of the hotkey system.
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Thanks for the tip :D I still cant play till Tuesday so im kinda preplanning my character lol
 
LOL isn't this a shift from TES4? I remember trying to play a magic user and getting destroyed. Maybe it was the leveling system?
 
I am curious - I haven't read a lot about the gameplay on boards - specifically avoid those threads. However I remember Oblivion and the horrible mess that it had with the leveling system. Especially if you wanted to skill up a skill from very low once you got some levels under you. So I have been doing some wierd stuff. I am not leveling up, just going through the game as a level 1. I killed the first dragon (so I could buy a house) and I am leveling up all my skills. I have smithing to 85, alchemy is in the 40s enchanting low 30s sneaking 70 two-handed is 40 one handed is 40 and magic - destruction is in the 40s.

I wonder if I can go through the whole game without leveling up.
 
If you mistakingly hit a friendly NPC, and they turn hostile, press "R" to sheath your weapon and they should stop being hostile.
 
JayteeBates said:
I am curious - I haven't read a lot about the gameplay on boards - specifically avoid those threads. However I remember Oblivion and the horrible mess that it had with the leveling system. Especially if you wanted to skill up a skill from very low once you got some levels under you. So I have been doing some wierd stuff. I am not leveling up, just going through the game as a level 1. I killed the first dragon (so I could buy a house) and I am leveling up all my skills. I have smithing to 85, alchemy is in the 40s enchanting low 30s sneaking 70 two-handed is 40 one handed is 40 and magic - destruction is in the 40s.
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Well, by not leveling up, you are missing out on the 'perks', which are definitely nice to have to add flavor to the game. They add various attacks or modifications to attacks, bonuses, damage increases, accuracy increases, benefits to potions and spells created, etc.

And since the creatures aren't matched to your level like they were in 'Oblivion', there really isn't any advantage to holding back on leveling.
 
MavericK96 said:
What I like is that you really don't have to focus entirely on one aspect...right now I'm playing a one-hander w/ shield, heavy armor, with a bit of magic and archery thrown in.
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Yeah, I put some points into restoration too. I can knock my enemies down with a shout and dual cast heal.
 
UtopiA said:
I'm playing a battle mage (both melee and destruction spells) and I'm getting the best of both worlds.
Dual cast the spells, and if the enemies get close, switch to sword/shield. I quickly discovered having one hand with a spell and the other with a sword, isn't very helpful, since usually you want to be using one or the other, but never both simultaneously.

It's a good way to make use of the hotkey system.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good method...Are you using heavy armor? Have you considered/tried switching to sword/sword instead of sword/shield?
 
dderidex said:
Well, by not leveling up, you are missing out on the 'perks', which are definitely nice to have to add flavor to the game. They add various attacks or modifications to attacks, bonuses, damage increases, accuracy increases, benefits to potions and spells created, etc.

And since the creatures aren't matched to your level like they were in 'Oblivion', there really isn't any advantage to holding back on leveling.
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What about skill ups though. For example if you got to level 10 in Oblivion and tried to start using a 2handed weapon with say 10 skill it would literally not work its way up.
 
The melee combat in TES games has always been poor and one of the weakest parts of the games.

Beth even bought out Arkane studios (who made Dark Messiah) which had it's own better first-person m melee combat and then they didn't even bother letting them teach them/use their talent for Skyrim.

The main problem with melee combat in thees games is that there's just no depth, the way you do combat moves (moving around) is CLUNKY and stupid and feels wishy washy. There's no combo's to learn, no moves dependent on the weapon you use, etc (a mace should feel/control vastly different then a slashing sword type, vs a piercing one, etc.).

There's no way to dodge attacks, or block them wisely..

If they had taken the melee combat of Severance it woulda been perfect, sadly no developer seems to have ever played that game and it's brilliant melee combat system (Which to this day imo is still the best) seems to have had no impact on the melee action genre as it should have.
 
I suggest focusing on two handed axes and warhammers and playing a lot of Led Zeppelin while you play.
 
This is weird because I've always played "melee" characters. I never really enjoyed magic so never tried it in TES games. Right now I am doing 1hs. Sometimes with fire, sometimes dual-wield.

I also like using 2handers and summoning zombies to play a "Shadow Knight" type of class.

I'm getting tempted to try full mage now though...
 
speedrat said:
That sounds like a good method...Are you using heavy armor? Have you considered/tried switching to sword/sword instead of sword/shield?
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Possible, but dual wielding only works if you buy the perks.
Dual wielding without the Dual Wield perks, is pointless.

Also, on the PC, keybinding with dual wield doesn't work. It's not a viable spec at all, in my opinion.
 
IMO in terms of the most "fun" melee, sword/shield is the best but only when you rank up your blocking and get the upgraded bash, the ability to run with the shield raised, and then the shield knock down.

It just adds more versatility to the combat when you can charge into a group with your shield, knock them down, hit them with your sword, then shield bash them. More then dual weild/two handing and just swinging for the fences over and over an dover.
 
Blackstone said:
I suggest focusing on two handed axes and warhammers and playing a lot of Led Zeppelin while you play.
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I have seen a truckload of posts describing .ini changes, newly available mods, all manner of tweaks and this is the single greatest advice to be had.

Now, to queue up some Led Zeppelin. :cool:
 
I'm trying to use a health mix of single handed weapons, bows, and destruction magic. I'm very pleased by how all three feel. If I am trying to be stealthy, bows and daggers and preferred. I'll still make sure to have something more powerful on hand though if I end up in a fight. For up close encounters, a combination of melee and destruction seems to work very well. While magic is powerful, I tend to feel like I have to keep my distance to survive, and that isn't fun for me. I like to dry and get a good hit with magic and then switch to melee when I'm close enough. Power attacks with quality weapons will finish off a target a lot faster than anything else in my arsenal will. That, and decapitation kills are always, without fail, the most satisfying kills in the game.
 
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