22 Things We Wish We Knew Before Playing Skyrim For The First Time

Highlights

• Try different character builds and classes to make a playthrough more diverse and dynamic. Don’t just stick to the usual melee combat.
• Regularly visit merchants to sell items and ease the burden of carrying too much weight. Traveling merchants can be particularly helpful.
• Use Wabbajack, an automated mod loader, to easily enhance the Skyrim experience with a wide range of mods.

It’s hard to imagine that after all these years, some players haven’t given Skyrim a try yet. But there are some holdouts or new gamers who are coming around to explore what this iconic game has to offer.

For fans looking to play a classic, or maybe a long-time veteran who has taken a break and wants to come back fresh, here are some things that should be kept in mind when playing Skyrim. Although it isn’t a particularly hard game, these are some important details fans should know before starting this fantasy epic.

Updated January 2, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Skyrim is a game that most players would love to experience for the first time, given how magical the first playthrough in this game is. Players will get transported into a realm of fantasy that is written well and features many great moments that players will love to experience firsthand.

Anyone lucky enough to not have tried out Skyrim yet should keep some things in mind to not get too overwhelmed by this massive RPG.

1 Try Playing As A Unique Class

There’s More To The Game’s Combat Than Just Melee Strikes

Most people would assume that running up to opponents and hacking them to bits is the best way to enjoy Skyrim. While this is true in a sense, the magic of Skyrim is also in the many varied builds that players can try out if they wish.

The schools of magic are pretty interesting in their own right and can help players multi-class to make battles more dynamic. This is just one of the many ways players can make their playthrough of Skyrim more diverse instead of just sticking with what works in a game that isn’t all that challenging anyway.

2 Visit Merchants Regularly

Selling Items And Easing The Dragonborn’s Load Is Important

Early on, players strapped for cash would want to loot and sell items as much as possible. However, players end up focusing on the former so much that they can get caught in a tough spot if they’re encumbered in the middle of nowhere.

So, it’s recommended to seek out merchants as quickly as possible whenever players enter a settlement. Traveling merchants are also quite helpful if players want to relieve their load and earn some cash on the go.

3 Use Wabbajack To Make Modding A Single-Click Affair

An Automated Mod Loader That Makes Modding As Painless As Possible

Wabbajack is one of the best tools any player can use to make their modding experience a fairly painless one. Instead of going to Nexus Mods to download each mod individually, this tool allows players to mod games easily with a single click!

It helps that there are several curated modlists on Wabbajack, so players can choose precisely those mods that adhere to their interests. That being said, there’s another step that players need to take to simplify their modding journey…

4 Subscribe To The Premium Membership In Nexus Mods To Make Your Life Easier

Mods Can Be Downloaded Quickly At Unrestricted Speeds

Do keep in mind that Nexus Premium is also required to make the act of installing mods fairly seamless. Wabbajack auto-installs all the mods on a Premium account without the player needing to intervene too much.

Even with a free Nexus Mods account, players can still use Wabbajack to make modding easier… even if it still might require way more mouse clicks than before. However, this process is incredibly lengthy and will easily test the patience of most players.

5 Increase The Difficulty After Gaining Great Equipment And Some Levels

Helps Counter Skyrim’s Inverted Difficulty Curve

Skyrim isn’t a hard game by any means, even if the beginning can feel a bit rough with enemies that can send the player flying. Over time, players who gain levels and equipment will start trivializing most of the challenges in the game.

To avoid this, it’s recommended that players increase the difficulty after gaining some levels. Enemies become more of a threat and traps become something to take into account instead of just powering through like one normally would.

6 Stealth Builds Are Really Strong

There’s a reason why being a stealth archer is one of the most popular ways to play Skyrim. The damage bonus afforded by sneaking around coupled with the range afforded by arrows makes it a powerful build that anyone should experience.

That being said, any stealth build is bound to be quite powerful in its own right. Backstabbing someone with dual daggers is pretty much a guaranteed kill once players get some points and perks in this skill tree.

7 Don’t Ignore The Main Quest For Too Long

Losing Track Of The Main Story May Hurt A Player’s Enjoyment With The Game

A big mistake most players make while playing Skyrim is getting distracted by everything that’s going on around them. It’s easy to see why this is the case, given just how much content is crammed into Skyrim at every step of the way.

However, keep in mind that the main quest should not be forgotten either. A big reason why people drop Skyrim midway is that the main quest has lost all urgency, which is a shame since it leads to some of the most memorable moments in the game.

8 Character Builds Aren’t Rigid

Players Can Switch Classes If Combat Is Becoming Too Monotonous

A common mistake that most veterans of The Elder Scrolls made while playing Skyrim for the first time was sticking to one build. Unlike the games in the past, there’s no need to stick to one particular skill in Skyrim.

Instead, players can just choose to try out different skills and see which ones suit their fancy. It’s an easy and engaging way to play this title without reducing the fun factor.

9 There’s No Need To Level Up Using Cheap Exploits

It Doesn’t Take Too Long For Players To Become Strong

Most people would find out about the leveling system of Skyrim and how easy it is to exploit with a few workarounds. However, veterans recommend against pursuing this particular course of action.

The major reason for this is that Skyrim isn’t a particularly hard game, and players can easily level up and tackle more dangerous threats as they progress through the game at a natural pace. There’s no need to break the leveling system, especially since it might make certain fights and quests rather trivial further down the line.

10 Mods Can Substantially Enhance The Game’s Quality

Players Can Modernize The Experience With A Few Choice Mods

Any player who tries out Skyrim should understand just how important mods are to this game. If anything, mods are the sole reason why Skyrim is still relevant to this day!

Everything from bug fixes to new content can be integrated into Skyrim through the use of mods. Players are recommended to mod the ever-living stuff out of Skyrim before they even contemplate the notion of starting a new game!

11 Try Getting As Much Gold As Possible Early On

It’s Easier To Go Through The Game Without Worrying About Money

Skyrim‘s economy isn’t the strongest, with most players being able to hoard vast reserves of gold at a moment’s notice. However, that doesn’t mean that players should take it easy from the get-go.

Surviving early on in this brutal world can be quite a major task, and players need to be ready to tackle all the threats that lay within. This can be made possible with the use of gold, which players should gather as much as possible early on to make the starting of this title easier.

12 Don’t Grab Anything And Everything That Can Be Taken

Encumbrance Is A Huge Pain

Of course, just because players need to earn money doesn’t give them the right to take anything and everything they see fit. Skyrim‘s world is still bound by rules, and over-encumberment is one of the most annoying ones in this regard.

Players should understand the value of the items they’re taking and shy away from useless loot. Doing so will reduce the number of frustrating trips players need to make to a merchant in the game.

13 Save Often

Death Can Arrive At Any Corner

Saving often is by far the most important thing that players should do in this game and there’s a reason they give players a quicksave option on PCs. The game has an autosave feature, but it only kicks in whenever players rest, wait, fast travel, or enter a new area.

If players take a quick nap and then spend two hours exploring the countryside, fighting bandits in the wilderness, obtaining a lot of loot, and then getting slapped by a giant, players are going to be reset back to when they wake up from the nap. Make sure to save now and then.

14 Don’t Lower The Difficulty

The Game Is Already Easy Enough

One temptation new players have is to change the difficulty to an easy setting and many long-time RPG players will crank it to the max difficulty. Don’t do either of these things. The game’s creatures level up with the player’s character, meaning, for the most part, players won’t encounter a fight they can’t handle at normal difficulty.

There are a few instances where the enemies are simply too powerful no matter the difficulty setting. This is intentional, so don’t worry about these areas until players are a little stronger. The game is fair for the most part and if players are working on combat skills consistently, they shouldn’t have too many problems.

15 Try Everything

Variety In Skyrim Is Prevalent, But Players Need To Actively Engage With The Systems

A great thing about Skyrim is that players are not restricted to particular class archetypes or builds. All of the skills are available to players at all times and there’s no penalty for progressing with any or all of them. If players find themselves getting bored of melee combat then feel free to dive into spells with that same character.

There is a finite amount of perks in the game that dramatically boost a character’s strengths. However, players receive a lot of them, and many of the perks are handy to have, so it’s hard to mess up and almost impossible to break a character unless players are actively trying to.

16 Avoid The Temptation To Optimize

Min-Maxing Isn’t Necessary Here

On that topic, players must avoid the temptation of optimizing their character. Many players will pull up guides and study the game mechanics to create the perfect character before they’ve ever played the game. Don’t do this.

The game is fair, and players will find themselves challenged and entertained regardless of which skills they use, which race they pick, or what order they complete quests in. Players shouldn’t feel like they have to join every faction, do a boring side quest, or even pursue certain skills. Players should do what they want and have fun with it.

17 You Can Change Stones Later

Standing Stones Are Prevalent And Abound In Skyrim

One choice players are asked to make at the beginning of the game is to pick an ancestral stone based on one of three archetypes; mage, warrior, or thief. Depending on which stone players pick determines which skills progress the fastest. In the end, it doesn’t make a huge difference.

Standing Stone blessings can be changed whenever players want. When players get out into the main world they’ll discover there are 13 different ancestral stones that they can choose at any time with no penalty. Players should just go with the one that benefits what they’re interested in at the time and switch when they change their mind.

18 Do Some Side Quests

The Optional Quests In The Game Are Pretty Entertaining

Many players, especially those coming from more linear-based gameplay experiences, will feel like they need to prioritize the main quest before pursuing any side quests. This isn’t the case in Skyrim and players may find the game harder in spots as a result.

Players are expected to pursue at least a few side quests and sometimes the rewards will be better than the main quest. Many of the more interesting storylines and powerful loot are found at the end of a seemingly random quest. Don’t get so tunnel-visioned and ignore these side activities.

19 Grab A Companion

A Partner Makes The Journey Easier And More Entertaining

While the game is largely fair and players will be able to handle most encounters, they can opt to have a companion join them in their quest to share the load. These individuals can tip the scales in the player’s favor when it comes to difficult battles and keep the heat off their character, though some are better than others.

If a man or woman at arms doesn’t appeal to players then they should still consider having a companion at their side to act as a pack mule. Players can offload some of the loot they find into their inventories, allowing them to carry more.

20 Avoid Fast Traveling

The Beauty Of Skyrim Lies In Exploration

It can be tempting to utilize fast travel to expedite quests and reach areas sooner but avoid the temptation. This game rewards players who take the time to explore, and players never know when they’ll stumble across an ancient tomb with a powerful sword inside.

As players progress further in the main story, they’ll also find themselves on the hunt for dragons. These winged beasts randomly spawn in the world and often between locations, meaning players can miss these engagements if they’re constantly fast-traveling. Be patient, get a horse, and wander the beautiful areas of Skyrim.