This might seem like an odd question on the 29th page. I've never played an Elder Scrolls game before. How accessible is this game to a newcomer? Outside of the more recent Final Fantasy games, I don't have much experience in the RPG genre.

It is pretty accessible due to being so open ended and unlike the other Elder Scrolls games it clearly marks your objectives on your map which greatly cuts down on that lost wandering feeling. Unless of course you want to get lost and wander.

You also can ask any questions in here and there are plenty of us dorks to help you out. The biggest confusion i've seen have been people misunderstanding some of the interface (like how to set quests as active quests, how to wait with the back button, or how to poison a weapon).

Actually it's the 30th page, but who's counting

It is easy to pick up for a person new to the Elder Scrolls line. I've never played on either, but I'm having a blast playing Oblivion.

Duster: You can raise your skill by keeping on making potions. If you buy items from a shop, make potions and then sell. Keep repeating that, not only will you raise your alchemy, but your mercantile as well.

The other way is to find skill books. I think each skill has a book that raises it a point or so.

The last way is to find a person that can train you in alchemy. There are 2 people at each level that can teach you. You will have to pay for the training, but you can train 5 times(5 points) per character level. Meaning if you are level 10 and train 5 times. When you raise to level 11, you can train 5 more times. Keep in mind, the master level trainers usually have you do a quest before they will train you.

I found a master trainer for one of my major skills. Before she will train me, I have to close more Obilvion gates.

Or you can wear items that raise your stats.

About the training five times per character level... does that mean if I haven't trained at all by level three, I can train 15 times, or do I have to train 5 times at level 1, 5 at level 2, and 5 at level 3?

Still haven't been able to get totally immersed in this game, as I'm working on finishing DragonQuest VIII...

You only get 5 training slots per level. If you don't use them, you lose them, basically.

So, if you train for 5 times at level 1, forget to at level 2, and then go to train at level 3, you'll still only have 5 times available.

I apologize if this question was already asked: By not chosing alchemy as a major skill, do I just start out lower overall but level at the same rate as if it was a major skill. Or is it harder to level overall. In other words, if having it as a major skill would require me making 10 potions to level up, does having it as a minor skill require more than 10 to get the same bump.

I'm currently at 26 alchemy and am wondering if it's going to be very hard to get it to journeyman if its not a major skill.

Anyone know what the max level is on skills, attributes and character?

Your major skills start off at 25, while the minor ones start at 5. I don't believe it makes a difference going from one level to another, just that they start off with a significant head start.

Also, you can up your minor skills as much as you want without affecting your level... you have to be careful with major skills, since every 10 points in major skills will increase your level (after you rest) and thus increase the level of all the enemies, too.

That is REALLY funny! Wanna hear something even more funny? Thats news to me. I had the EXACT same thought process you did. Why would I want to drink poison? Its like wiping before you poop, it makes no sense.

Thanks for enlightening me!

Not all the enemies, just the human ones. The enemy creatures don't level up, the game just throws bigger, badder and meaner enemies at you.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. It still means, however, that you should be careful in how you grow your major skills. If you just do lockpicking, for instance, as a thief character, which doesn't help you at all in combat, you're going to get slaughtered when you venture out, right?

No you just have to play them like a thief. Sneak up on the baddie - backstab and do something to turn invis (spell or potion) and repeat. Or sneak and hit with a poisoned arrow and fill them with arrows while retreating. You just have to play a thief like a thief - not a paladin.

But if you're a thief, and your sneak skill is low, and your marksmanship is low, and you've gained levels solely by lockpicking, you'll have a tough time, won't you?

WTF! I just got demoted from a Guardian to a Defender in the fighters guild!!! The quest that I was on was the Trolls of Forsaken Mine and the guy I was susposed to find was already dead. When I reported back for my next quest in Anvil, I was demoted. Has this happened to anyone else?

Edit: Nevermind, I got my rank restored after completing 2 more quests.

I can't seem to find this info anywhere........

It's part of the story line.
You get your rank back, as you saw. One more quest, and you gain a rank as well.

Anyone else have their horse stolen??
I bought one for 500 gold from the Nord stables outside one of the first cities you visit, then rode it to Skingrad. You can't take a horse inside a city so it tells you that it's kept in the nearby stable. But when I go to collect my horse it's not in the stable, and they only offer to sell me another. I go inside to see if I can collect my horse by talking to the lady who sells them, and she locks me inside her room!!! I had to lockpick my way out and pay a fine!!!
If this is AI and not a bug, then that's amazing.

I wish someone would steal my friggen horse He keeps magically warping everywhere I go. I still have that free one you get from that priest guy after you do the VERY first task in the game after you come out of the sewers. I hate the controls on the horse. Is there a glue factory in the game I can take him to?

If it stills says your horse is stabled outside the city gates every time you enter or leave the city, then your horse is still around somewhere. If you fast travel from the city where your horse is to another location (not in a city) you should arrive either on the horse, or with it just behind or to the side of you.

I'm guessing she left to go work and locked her house after leaving. That's pretty funny though.

You can kill it or find a monster strong enough to kill it for you. I think if you leave it when you aren't in a city it won't follow you. Not sure about that last though.

The controls aren't very good though. I keep looking around and losing track of where I'm going. Not to mention the motion sickness.

I got tired of my horse too, but he has armor on now and is a pain to kill, maybe I can dive him off a cliff like I did my last horse. btw third person view may help you when you ride your horse.

I caught someone at the waterfront in the imperial city stealing my horse. Bastards. They got away with it too.

If you dont want your horse anymore steal its soul to put into a soul gem!

Ok so I thought I'd read enough to make vampire livin a snap... but now all I'm doing is frying like and egg and paying sponsoring a blood donation fund. Any more experienced players mind sharing their wisdom for making life bearable as a vampire. I like the angle of playing one, I just need to figure out how to make it convenient - ie any good places for eats (besides the blood room of the arena - I don't recommend it, tough crowd ) or even better, maybe a way to bottle some of the stuff.

Any and ALL advices would be greatly appreciated!
(even for things this fledgling may be encountering down the road)

Muahaha, er I mean thanks