Skyrim – The Crusher Chronicles Pt.1

I have now officially had it with playing Elder Scrolls games as a stealth archer.

I’ve tried many times to play an interesting character and then by the time I step blinking out of the starter dungeon I’m somehow wearing a full set of leather armour and carrying a bow. Not entirely sure how that keeps happening but what can you do.

It’s not that I don’t like the stealth archer, there’s something deeply satisfying about clearing an entire bandit fort without a single guy spotting you, but it does lead to playing the same game over and over again. And on top of that some high level baddies can be a nightmare for the stealth archer. Anything that can survive a critical and then spot you can very rapidly violate you with a sledgehammer. On top of that I always end up a werewolf as well. And usually play as a wood elf or similar. Basically “Shouty Hairy Legolas”.

So I want to play something completely different. In fact I want to play two completely different things. A full on walking tank and a magic only wizard. For now its tank time.

Ive settled on a couple of rules for this run through:

  • Never equip a bow or crossbow.
  • Never equip light armour.
  • No becoming a werewolf (ive never done vampire, might go for that)
  • No magic (potions and food for healing).
  • No fast travel via the world map, but carts are OK (I will almost definitely abandon this one once I get bored).

I think there’s a clear correct answer on what race to play as for this type of character.

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This is crusher. Likes include heavy bladed and blunt weapons, huge lumps of meat, shouting at things and running shouting at people waving a heavy bladed weapon. Dislikes include non-violent resolution, small hard to hit things and enemies that arent dead yet.

Pretty soon I’d settled on axes as weapons. The swords seemed a little too close to my backup weapons from the stealth archer days. Hammers were frustratingly slow.

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As soon as I left the starting dungeon I settled on a nice stroll to Whiterun, stopping on the way only to upgrade my weapons and armour in that town with the mill in it. Well I was going to go to Whiterun but Bleak Falls Barrow was right there where I could see it and do the Golden Claw quest.

Luckily by the time I finished that and made it to Whiterun I had money enough for an extravagant purchase.

Sad Donkey
OK, not quite but not THAT far off the cheapie starter horse.

I never usually buy a horse this early, if at all, but if I’m swearing off of fast travel then he should be a help, in that traditional Skyrim “my horse is walking down a vertical cliff face, holy shit the thigh muscles my guy must have to hold on”.

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Fun Bonus: Now that I’m playing a melee tank mounted combat isn’t as bad as I remembered. Riding through a group of weaker enemies, circling them and smashing them with a big axe is kind of satisfying. I feel like I should have a lance and shout a lot.

The first dragon was quite the change of pace too, I’m used to hiding behind a tree stump until they stop shouting at me and then shooting them in the personals but that’s obviously no longer an option. Things went to a much less controlled “OH SHIT ITS LANDED, HIT IT HIT IT, SMASH ITS FACE IN SON WAAAAAGGGHHH” kind of style (this is NOT a complaint by the way).

It wasn’t too hard for the first one but I’ve a feeling that later on when they spend more time in the air it’ll become a challenge.

Then I picked up Lydia to carry all my shit around (at least until I buy a house) and rode off into the sunset for a nice jaunt around looking for some side quests. And immediately lost Lydia. She didnt even turn up when I rested at inns or waited. I might have to console her back…Why cant she have a horse?

You know what I feel like this run needs some mods….