Realism vs Cheat Mods

[afa]

But is the vanilla game even "balance" to begin with?

And at which difficulty is it balance?

 

And there's also stages of character/enemy progression to consider when majority of the encounters are "leveled" in various ways.

[Shadowhawk827]

I'd say iin the case of Skyrim, yes the vanilla game is balanced.  With the screwed up way Oblivion leveled mobs against your level, that would be a different argument.  Non tanks were at a definite disadvantage there.

 

Which difficulty is balanced does depend upon your skill level,  That's why they have them.  If you need a weapon that does 2 or 3 times the damage as the health points monsters you're running into in any given level have though, then there's an issue of balance to me.  In short, lack of balance or cheating is when you no longer have to put any effort into the game. 

[...0...]

I fight dragons for sometimes 20min or longer (very hardcore mode nightmare)and still sometimes i can't beat them with all my gear and weapons crafted to legendary and enchanted with 2 enchants on my weapon lvl102 character.

 

Fighting mobs and survive is what i like have hardcore fights thats for me fun.

 

But i give damn about using codes to get a easy home or some mats and gold.

[Tekmon_Xonic]

It's a solo game lol.

 

There is no cheating there will always be mods that make it easy Skyrim is made for that or realism hardcore it make no difference IT'S A SOLO GAME.

 

Luckly in solo game i make the rule i play how i want with a million cheat mods or not nobody will say to me what i should do or not or whats right or worng.

 

Multiplayer or MMO is complete different story im zealot agains cheaters I HATE CHEATERS with a passion in multiplayer and MMO.

 

But solo games specially games like skyrim with thousends of mods i don't care at all what others do if they cheat i would never say anything thats there business.

 

And OP why you complain about cheating and play game in easy mode if you yourself play in master mode and its easy.

 

I play in legendary and i have mods installed that make it even alot harder with dragons mod ENHANCED MIGHTY DRAGONS on nightmare lvl.

 

Believe me if you play on lv i play you tear your hair out so hardcore then comeback and complain about master mode.

 

Nuff said.

 

[Shadowhawk827]

I fight dragons for sometimes 20min or longer (very hardcore mode nightmare)and still sometimes i can't beat them with all my gear and weapons crafted to legendary and enchanted with 2 enchants on my weapon lvl102 character.

 

Fighting mobs and survive is what i like have hardcore fights thats for me fun.

 

But i give damn about using codes to get a easy home or some mats and gold.

 

That's exactly what I'm talking about.  When you DO beat those dragons after a 20 minute fight, there's a sense of accomplishment, right?   It's like back in Baldur's Gate 2 when I beat the red dragon (Firkragg) at level 7 without using cheats, only the right mix of spellcasting.  It feels great when you actually earn something instead of just using a kill command.

 

The small stuff, like a house at level 102, I can undertand it becoming as much a nuisance as an achievement, but I just push myself into the mindset of wanting to earn everything I have in Skyrim.

 

 

 

Oh and for those who have gone back to Baldur's Gate 2 thanks to the Enhanced Edition being released...  The trick is:

 

 

Have 3 mage characters, for me it was Minsc, Aerie and one other.  Load them up with web abd cloud kill spells and then keep nuking Firkragg's cave.  You'll have to space the castings out so that they barely overlap to take Firkragg down.  Eventually the combination of webs limiting his movement and stacked cloudkills will beat his magic resistance though.

 

[Captain Cobra]

Most realism mods make things more tedious than fun for me, and considering how unrealistic TES games are, why even bother?

 

Besides, I love blastin' fools with my Flintlock Rifle.  Being able to take down most non-boss enemies with one or two shots means I have to deal with Skyrimjob's combat mechanics less, which is always a good thing.

[Tekmon_Xonic]

Most realism mods make things more tedious than fun for me, and considering how unrealistic TES games are, why even bother?

 

Besides, I love blastin' fools with my Flintlock Rifle.  Being able to take down most non-boss enemies with one or two shots means I have to deal with Skyrimjob's combat mechanics less, which is always a good thing.

 

You're not the only one who enjoys the flintlock rifle. I'm thinking about changing one of my catgirl compaion's crossbow to a dwemer machine gun.

[Taskmaster]

Personally I look at it a bit differently when it comes to this game(Skyrim). The "difficulty" and the "challenge" comes from trying to stay true and maintain my initial idea of how my character should play out, as per the role I've conceived(or even inspired by). It's got to be believable in my own mind, consistent, with just enough unpredictability for maximum enjoyment(also goes back to believable)... otherwise I've failed the character and should start a new one.

 

It's essentially as if I'm writing my own story - the game world and the mods being the guidance.

 

At times it's thought up, mentally prepped beforehand; other times it's off the cuff and impromptu. Of course it comes down to my own idea or fantasy about what this type of character I've created, would do.

 

A run full of god mode options isn't very entertaining to me personally, yet I can also understand the appeal for many. A run with full on 100% realism is not interesting enough for me(because that's what we're already escaping from while playing), yet I also understand that appeal and why players love running Frostfall(I've used it before) and RND, etc. I also like to feel I understand those that choose to break the game's presentation of lore, and the loremongers that swear by it for immersion purpose. 

 

Everyone is trying to accomplish the same thing, anyway.

It's gameover when you break your own rules.  

 

So, whatever I install, is installed with the idea of trying to maintain the fantasy or enrich it. Vanilla Skyrim already has enough god mode in it as is, where we all can break the game within the first 2 hours easy. You have to know where to positive and negative reinforce, both are necessary.

 

I have my own personal opinions about gaming theory and balance. Push pull with gaming mechanics, risk reward and all that. I feel like this game is a canvas more than anything else, though... if I want to paint a happy little tree, I'll do it.

[Captain Cobra]

 

I'm thinking about changing one of my catgirl compaion's crossbow to a dwemer machine gun.

 

Mow em' down.  Mow em' all down.

[Tekmon_Xonic]

 

Mow em' down.  Mow em' all down.

 

 

[Shadowhawk827]

I have to agree with Vol2.  I said in my intial post I don't go for total realism myself.  I don't criticize people for playing on any given difficulty level either (unlike some posters apparently).

 

My point / rant was that I don't understand people who just want to walk thru it and not even have their skills tested and grown at all.  Too many mods are designed to do just that.

[Guest Omega1084]

I dunno, I use SPERG and a few others to pump up difficulty reasonably and its pretty damn hard for me. I also play by the hardcore rule, which essentially means no save loads if you die. You have one life to live! It makes the game much more fun for me because the element of danger is always there. What I wont do however, is use a bunch of lore-unfriendly mods. If I can see something in game that very obviously couldn't exist in vanilla skyrim; Then I usually tend to stay away from it. I'm pretty happy with my game right now and I think its fairly balanced (seeing as how I have gone through like 6 characters in the past 2 weeks), even with 240+ mods active. The only thing that I really wish skyrim had was more character depth, with specific regards to followers and the npcs. I killed a dragon once and Lydia was just like , she wasn't at all impressed. And the parents in falkreath who were burying their savagely murdered daughter were all stricken with grief, and then happy as a clam as soon as I asked them about the city. Maybe I am asking for too much, but in regards to the thread, I would probably have to agree with Omega, even though I really dislike anything remotely anime in skyrim.

I was like you once.

A lore purist.

But it's been 4 years, broham.

I need spice in my adventures.

It's not all that lore-breaking anyway, just some spells and armor that could easily fit into TES.

[Kpnut]

Skimmed most of the second page but thought I'd put my thoughts into this debate: since I primarily take screenshot after playing through a game's storyline a few times (and even then I'll still take a few shots during my initial few runs of the storyline) what are considered "cheat" mods (weapons and armour with 2X the stats of the strongest armour in the game) don't really impact on my game all that much, all they have to do is look nice and if it helps me get rid of pesky hostiles faster in the process yay.

 

As for realism mods, I steer clear of those as I don't want to have to deal with real life shit in my games, I enjoy having the level of unbelievability in games.

 

So yeah, I've never really seen any problem with the various cheat mods available (although I am a weak willed individual, give me access to cheats and I WILL use them so I may not be in a position to talk.) 

[StayFrosty]

I guess it also depends on what a person see's as cheating...I don't like an unbalanced game, PC and NPC using Hunting Bows with steel Arrows and wearing same unsmithed Armor I expect equal damage, and then build my game on that condition ( I find Expert difficulty close enough to that criteria).

 

After that I play a bit of a trade off among the Mods I use. Smarter combat AI, stronger actual deadly swarming Dragons, many extra deadly Boss NPC's, much more difficult Stealth...into that mix I throw my Stealth Archer (in both long range and melee...Bow Bash a blessing... ...), a lone wolf (no followers) in medium grade Light Armor (something of a squishy, a one hit wonder against Bosses), no enchantments...(aside from an Amulet giving reasonable protection against fire and frost), no magic what so ever, no Healing/Regeneration Potions or Skill Buffer Potions, no vanilla regen (he has to escape battle and apply bandages), perma-death....What he has in his arsenal though is a Heavy Bow with great damage, though is much slower to shoot, a Repeater Crossbow (low damage, but high output, 5-6 bolts in fast succession...great for staggering and applying poisons), deadlier Poisons, but that goes both ways... ...better Shouts, though not OP. But his great secret to success is his agility, is a greased pig to corner and very hard to hit...can Front Flip (including over the heads of most NPC's), as a Werewolf he has 6th Sense with Slow Time (that includes in human form), a Dodge Mod and though I play a Nord, he has 'Bererker Rage' as a lesser power (no longer has Nord Racial Powers)...uses 'Berserker' if a swarm does manage to corner him and in Dragon Combat.

 

The whole aim of the game for me is to 'not get hit' and I love Tactics and Strategy, as a lone wolf and squishy he has to rely completely on Battle plans and taking the time to watch and study hostile NPC's, their positions, movements, specialties (such as who's the Mage, the Archer, etc...), plan out his approach and who his initial targets are before his discovered (aka. wait for the Mage's and Archer's to separate themselves from the group before shooting them) ...is an ambush artist and a dirty fighter, but can't afford to just run in....I run a slooowww game...

 

As for Needs, I love immersion, but find the Mods available tend to be more designed to punish and not so realistic, so just RP it myself in game. Though I do use and love the 'Need to Pee' Mod, I use the Bathing element...I figure he would get pretty stinky with a combat blood and sweat build up...so has to bathe regularly and has to apply Scent Masks from another Mod when in stealth...the 6th Sense Mod also adds wind direction, so NPC's can smell him if he hasn't prepared (bathing and Scent Masks) and ignores wind direction. as for Houses, Weight, Loot, etc... He doesn't loot or buy a House, so weight stays minimal and money un-necessary.

 

I don't know if my set up would be considered cheating or not, but I find it a challenge I really enjoy, have done my best to balance my game and very happy with my set up...lots of great challenges to think around and overcome, keeps me on my toes...

[Shadowhawk827]

Cheat?  No, just the opposite, lol.  You and I actually have very similar play styles.  You take it a step or two further though

 

As I've said elsewhere, cheating to me is using things that majorly unbalance the game.  Mixing things up, or creating a different feel for the game is all good as long as there's some challenge left to it.

 

Guess part of the problem is the title I gave the thread.  Apparently people are taking that to mean that any game not run per lore nazi standards and loaded with Frostfell and RND (or worse) is cheating.  NOT my view.  I just get annoyed with mods that essentially are the same thing as opening up the console commands and typing TGM.  I mean for crying out loud, you can fistfight dragons and win on Novice mode.  How much easier do you need it to get?

[Shadowhawk827]

Armor, Clothing, ENB, Weapons mods Body and Texture mods only no better then vanilla. If Skyrim had an insane mode that's where it would be set. My gameplay reflects my mood and I make it as un-grindable as possible. Realism is for RL not a fantasy game, no way in hell am I going to clutter up my game with RL. that's why I play a video game in the first place, to escape RL for a while to do shit I could never do in RL nor would I even think of doing some of the shit I do in a fantasy game in RL. I've never been able to grasp the idea behind trying to make a fantasy game realistic, what's the fucking point. since when were Dragons realistic, since when were Draugr realistic. The only things that even come close to looking realistic in Skyrim is grass, water, trees rocks and dirt and many times even those don't look even close to realistic. But then they are not supposed to. they only give the illusion of walking, climbing, swimming and shit to run into. at no time in real life have I fallen through a crack fallen for miles only to end up standing some place close to where I fell through or hit the ground without so much as a grunt, get up dust off and carry on. But if you want to have your game close to whatever you consider realistic then more power to you, you did in fact buy the game (I hope) it is yours to do with however you see fit and it is no other persons business how you play your game. realism is to ones own interpretation in a video game and that is in no way biblical, it is not written in stone to be force feed to others.

 

That's nice, now why don't you go back and read a few of my posts, particularly my LAST ONE RIGHT BEFORE THIS, and actually pay attention to what I'm saying instead of just making up something to reply to in such a nasty, derogatory manner.

 

[StayFrosty]

Cheat?  No, just the opposite, lol.  You and I actually have very similar play styles.  You take it a step or two further though

 

As I've said elsewhere, cheating to me is using things that majorly unbalance the game.  Mixing things up, or creating a different feel for the game is all good as long as there's some challenge left to it.

 

Guess part of the problem is the title I gave the thread.  Apparently people are taking that to mean that any game not run per lore nazi standards and loaded with Frostfell and RND (or worse) is cheating.  NOT my view.  I just get annoyed with mods that essentially are the same thing as opening up the console commands and typing TGM.  I mean for crying out loud, you can fistfight dragons and win on Novice mode.  How much easier do you need it to get?

 

You would have to see his agility in action... ...I sometimes wonder if I over did it... ...but is whole lotta fun... ...and after watching the speed of various real life Martial Artists, I think his feasible...isn't Matrix, but is fast.

 

I will admit I do use a Cheat Chest...ended up installing it because I got fed up with not being able to level up enough to get the top level Vanilla Bosses spawning without sacrificing stamina and health, while still maintaining my dudes narrow skill base and it makes sense to me that with such a small skill base, he would master those skills...So cheat force other unused skills up (don't use them in game) and use the extra perk points on the skills he does use...and of course lots of stamina and reasonable health for him...

 

But, I do hear and get your drift, there are people who like God Mode play, but like you I don't see the fun in it and don't get it, but each to their own. I have tried Godly in a couple of games of Skyrim but get bored and loose interest fast.

 

But if you want a REAL and very different kind of challenge... ...I did play one game as a complete Pacifist, it changes the whole game completely and REALLY makes you think about what your doing... ...I only played the one game with her, but proved a very unique take on Skyrim play and posed many very unusual challenges, was a lot of fun. She specialized in Illusion, Restoration, Alteration, Stealth, Pick Pocket, Lock Picking and Speech Craft...I did have to use an Illusion Tree Mod and had to use that Cheat Chest to push some of her skills up enough to be of use from the start, but was well worth the time taken....She couldn't have any followers (then it's just her hiding behind them while they kill, no fun in that). I managed to complete quite a number of quests with her, fetch quests, etc...and a lot of roaming and exploring. But activating the MQ broke her game play, the Dragons had it all over me, I couldn't work out how to get around their attacks and so ended up having to throw in the towel with her, up until that time though, was a very good game... ...A favorite moment for me, she had to pick pocket a key off a Bandit (to retrieve a fetch quest item), she got the key and got the item, but had also pick pocketed the Bandit of all his money...I thought she got away with it clean, but within a few Skyrim days some Hired Thugs came after her, she seduced them (a sexlab mod) and then pick pocketed them too...left me wondering how they explained that one to the Bandit... ...Her final kill count at the end of that game were two accidental Humanoid deaths and about 5 Draugr.

 

[Shadowhawk827]

Interesting run description in that last paragraph.  That WOULD present a real challenge.  Unlike Deus Ex: HR, Skyrim wasn't made at all with that kind of option in mind.  That would be mind blowingly challenging, at least till you got your sneak skill up around 90.  At that point I imagine it's "Ninja Vanish" and hiding in plain sight.    I may have to give that option a try at some point.

 

What did you do about dragons though?  A few of the fights with them are scripted into the game, and they're pretty aggressive in random encounters.

 

Agility and speed I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on.  I did martial arts for 17 years myself so I know what's possible.  Michael Echanis was one of Bruce Lee's top students and he could hit a guy 16 times in one second, faster than even Bruce himself.  Kind of funny though reading his book on self defense, all of his techniques are based on the assumption the reader has the same kind of speed.  A few of his knife defense techniques in particular are daring with lightning reflexes, but would get the average person gutted like a horker, lol.

 

Gettign back on track though (I can talk martial arts all day), yeah little cheats dont bother me, esp if it's to balance out a harder game.  The recently released Staff of Magus overhaul is a good example.  Overkill in some games, but given it's lore, perfectly appropriate for legendary difficulty.  I didn't tear down the author.  I said nice job, I'd just have to dial it down if I were to use it at my difficulty level.

 

 

Oh yeah; random note related to the mostly pacifist run...  I always got a huge kick out of the idea that healer used to be a player class in TES games.  Tried it in Morrowind, and Daggerfall and got eaten alive by the purely defensive build of the class, lol.

[Symon]

 

These are role-playing games. It isn't possible to cheat, same as it isn't possible to 'beat the game'. You aren't competing with anyone or anything so who or what is there to cheat? The aim is to enjoy yourself. If a mod enhances your enjoyment, it's good. If it doesn't, take it off your load list.

 

You have a computer, not a console, so make the game yours.

 

There is no cheat, only enjoyment or not

 

A single player game, RPG or not, you're competeing against the game itself

<snip>

and your previous personal best.

 

The game doesn't care, how can you compete against it?

 

Previous best what? There's no score, and even if there was, there is no audience. I don't keep track of how many blows it ever takes me to demonstrate the error of his ways to a Daedric Prince, I'm not interested, so no contest here.

 

Honestly, some of us DON'T try to make everything a competition you know. We just don't care at all. RPGs don't have winners and losers.

 

[Shadowhawk827]

 

 

These are role-playing games. It isn't possible to cheat, same as it isn't possible to 'beat the game'. You aren't competing with anyone or anything so who or what is there to cheat? The aim is to enjoy yourself. If a mod enhances your enjoyment, it's good. If it doesn't, take it off your load list.

 

You have a computer, not a console, so make the game yours.

 

There is no cheat, only enjoyment or not

 

A single player game, RPG or not, you're competeing against the game itself

<snip>

and your previous personal best.

 

The game doesn't care, how can you compete against it?

 

Previous best what? There's no score, and even if there was, there is no audience. I don't keep track of how many blows it ever takes me to demonstrate the error of his ways to a Daedric Prince, I'm not interested, so no contest here.

 

Honestly, some of us DON'T try to make everything a competition you know. We just don't care at all. RPGs don't have winners and losers.

 

 

 

Look, you can rationalize using overpowered mods all you want.  I never said it shouldn't be allowed, just that it didn't make sense TO ME in a game that's relatively easy.  Seriously, EVERY one of the other TES games was harder than this one.

 

The game puts NPC opponents in front of you though, and there is an end game.  The fact that TES games, like MMOs, let you continue on after the game is beaten doesn't change that Skyrim is "beaten" when Alduin is dead, Dawnguard is beat when Harkon is dead, and Dragonborn is beat when Miraak is Tango Uniform.  If it never truly ended there'd be no reason to start a new game other than a new character concept.

 

If you get better at dodging a dragons attacks and landing your own, you know you're improving against your earlier skill level.  Did you lose half your health the last few fights against monster type X, but are taking them out with only 1/4 health lost; you're improving.  Competition, pfeh.  Life is about learning, growing and achieving.  Otherwise you're just stagnating and atrophying.

 

Oh and I could care less about audiences also.  Those are for low self esteem glory hounds seeking valdation.

 

[Shadowhawk827]

 

 

Armor, Clothing, ENB, Weapons mods Body and Texture mods only no better then vanilla. If Skyrim had an insane mode that's where it would be set. My gameplay reflects my mood and I make it as un-grindable as possible. Realism is for RL not a fantasy game, no way in hell am I going to clutter up my game with RL. that's why I play a video game in the first place, to escape RL for a while to do shit I could never do in RL nor would I even think of doing some of the shit I do in a fantasy game in RL. I've never been able to grasp the idea behind trying to make a fantasy game realistic, what's the fucking point. since when were Dragons realistic, since when were Draugr realistic. The only things that even come close to looking realistic in Skyrim is grass, water, trees rocks and dirt and many times even those don't look even close to realistic. But then they are not supposed to. they only give the illusion of walking, climbing, swimming and shit to run into. at no time in real life have I fallen through a crack fallen for miles only to end up standing some place close to where I fell through or hit the ground without so much as a grunt, get up dust off and carry on. But if you want to have your game close to whatever you consider realistic then more power to you, you did in fact buy the game (I hope) it is yours to do with however you see fit and it is no other persons business how you play your game. realism is to ones own interpretation in a video game and that is in no way biblical, it is not written in stone to be force feed to others.

 

That's nice, now why don't you go back and read a few of my posts, particularly my LAST ONE RIGHT BEFORE THIS, and actually pay attention to what I'm saying instead of just making up something to reply to in such a nasty, derogatory manner.

 

 

 

WTF is your problem?? what I said was my opinion nothing more, if you want to be butthurt by it then there is nothing I can do about that. It was in no way directed at you, did I once mention your name??? No. If I was going to direct something your way you would sure as hell know it. You have your opinion and stated it, I have mine and stated it. if the words I used offended you in some way then so be it, I make no apologies for my own opinions. nor should anyone.

 

 

My problem is you were so intent on picking a fight you were attacking for crap nobody even said.   You want to debate the merits of Frostfall and heavy realism, much less accusing people of force feeding that view to others, you MIGHT want to start with a thread where that idea was actually voiced.

[Guest Mogie56]

There, deleted. easy enough.

[dje34]

 

 

 

Now the real question is this.. "What is a cheat to you?"
I love adding new spells and powers to my game.
I love having different perks and classes to work with.
My biggest gameplay mods are Colorful Magic, and SPERG.
Some think they're cheat mods, I think they're awesome.
"Cheat" is arbitrary, my friend.
After playing the game for four years I can't stand JUST going through the motions of Vanilla Skyrim.
I HAVE to do something to spice it up, y'know?
Shit, right now I'm even using some random anime mods to fuck around with because it's fun.
It's a game, games are supposed to be fun, and fun is in the eye of the beholder.
A single true answer to your question is impossible because everyone thinks differently.

 

Oh I know there's no one answer.  The beauty of 54,000 mods on the Nexus alone is there's something for everybody.

 

New spells, weapons, etc...  I use a TON of them myself.  What I personally look for in a mod is "does it fundementally screw up the game balance?".  New spells are freaking awesome.  The vanilla ones are boring and unimaginative.  You'll never catch me using a mod that adds a novice level spell that hits for 100 points of damage though.  Not much of an exageration either in terms of what's out there.

 

Anime mods, Tropical Skyrim...  Completely lore unfriendly, but who cares if you've beaten the game multiple times and want to add a twist to it.  Again what I'd look for there is does it screw up the game balance?

 

So I'd argue that "cheat" isn't TOO arbitrary.  It can be defined as anything that makes the game overly easy to play.  That's why god mode in any game is known as cheat mode to old school gamers.  Working one's butt off for the gold to buy and upgrade Breezehome is what makes getting it meaningful.  There's a sense of accomplishment when you walk in after it's finally done, and you say "wow I did it".  It's meaningless when you just player.additem 0000000f 50,000 and take it.
 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, but for roleplay reasons, you could start with a character having an awful amount of money and a full build house.

 

Then, use your imagination and the game and mods 'tools' to create something interesting with a character with that much money, like house being destroyed by dragon and character enslaved by bandits, or a meeting with Sanguine ordering you to fuck the whole Skyrim in order to save your favorite puppy named 'Scumbag' from a horrible death in Oblivion...

 

Everything in a game is up to you, this is the magical side of computers. You have tools, you have story, then do what you want to use both the way you want. These are the games I like.

[StayFrosty]

Interesting run description in that last paragraph.  That WOULD present a real challenge.  Unlike Deus Ex: HR, Skyrim wasn't made at all with that kind of option in mind.  That would be mind blowingly challenging, at least till you got your sneak skill up around 90.  At that point I imagine it's "Ninja Vanish" and hiding in plain sight.    I may have to give that option a try at some point.

 

What did you do about dragons though?  A few of the fights with them are scripted into the game, and they're pretty aggressive in random encounters.

 

Agility and speed I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on.  I did martial arts for 17 years myself so I know what's possible.  Michael Echanis was one of Bruce Lee's top students and he could hit a guy 16 times in one second, faster than even Bruce himself.  Kind of funny though reading his book on self defense, all of his techniques are based on the assumption the reader has the same kind of speed.  A few of his knife defense techniques in particular are daring with lightning reflexes, but would get the average person gutted like a horker, lol.

 

Gettign back on track though (I can talk martial arts all day), yeah little cheats dont bother me, esp if it's to balance out a harder game.  The recently released Staff of Magus overhaul is a good example.  Overkill in some games, but given it's lore, perfectly appropriate for legendary difficulty.  I didn't tear down the author.  I said nice job, I'd just have to dial it down if I were to use it at my difficulty level.

 

 

Oh yeah; random note related to the mostly pacifist run...  I always got a huge kick out of the idea that healer used to be a player class in TES games.  Tried it in Morrowind, and Daggerfall and got eaten alive by the purely defensive build of the class, lol.

 

Skyrim not being designed for a Pacifist was the fun in finding ways around it... ...and going up against the odds. The Stealth didn't get as easy as that... ...I left the Stealth Mod I use for my main character (the Archer, Ro'aan Kane) on, you can get 100 but still need to watch every step, stay in shadows, keep an eye on where NPC's are looking and move slow. As I mentioned, the Dragons eventually broke that game, made the Pacifist impossible to play, she had nothing to use against them, all she could do was charge for the nearest Bandit, Soldier or Giant Camps and hope they could bring the Dragons down, my conclusion on that one: The Pacifist makes for a really interesting and fun game full of completely new challenges, but can't be done with Dragons activated, (unless your willing to let the Pacifist at least kill Dragons) I couldn't find a way around it anyway, maybe someone better at it could....Luckily I had decided not to activate the Dragons until I was well into that game.

 

Your comments about this Micheal Echanis makes me happy... ...my Kane isn't quite that fast...lol...not to strike anyway, nor defense, but fast enough for Skyrim...You have made me think about upping the ante' though, there's a Mod on Nexus I used when Kane was also wielding a Two Handed Katana (Mod)...I hated him swinging the Katana like it's a Warhammer...slow and heavy...so used a Mod to speed him up, it offered an option for NPC's to do the same...I am thinking install the NPC version and see how Kane's dodge does then...

 

I did Martial Arts for about 5 years (Ninjukai Taijutsu), but hurt my foot at work and had to stop... ...Loved it until then.

 

I played Oblivion (XBox... ...)...but no other Elder Scrolls

 

[Guest Omega1084]

 

But Skyrim's NPC stats are completely arbitrary, every fucking stat is completely arbitrary and the only person limited by stats is the Dragonborn .-.

You could be level 300 with 9999 HP and Guards will still kick your shit around and murder you.