10 awesome things to do in Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is all sorts of awesome. It’s also a very vast game that offers players a ridiculous amount of content. This can be a bit daunting to newcomers so if you find yourself flummoxed with all the game has to offer, ease into it with this initiation guide of sorts.

Explore

Probably the best game world ever made

Yes, this one is painfully obvious but I actually know a few people who’re just burning through the plot to finish the game. This isn’t Call of Duty people; exploration is the name of the game here and if you just stick to the plot, you’re missing out on what really makes this game so special.

Join a guild

Guilds FTW!

The best way to experience the plethora of content Skyrim has to offer would be to align yourself with a guild ASAP. If you have a thing for magic or the dark arts, join the Mages College. If you prefer assassinating people for money, The Dark Brotherhood beckons. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of stealthy gameplay, the Thieves guild is more up your alley. Best of all, you can undertake missions from pretty much every guild at the same time. Doing so makes you visit some pretty exotic places, get access to sweet armour and inherit a wealth of powers you wouldn’t otherwise.

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Become a werewolf

Slap their faces off

Ok this is kind of a spoiler so if you’re real anal about these kind of things, skip right ahead. While questing with the Champions guild you’ll be bestowed the gift of Lycanthropy which basically allows you to mutate into a badass werewolf. This will increase your melee damage, allow you to sprint as fast as animals and wolves in the wilderness will no longer attack you. Your werewolf blood will also allow you to resist all diseases so it’s really a win win situation. Also fighting a dragon in your werewolf avatar is one of the coolest gaming moments ever. Still if for some reason you wish to give up this gift (or as some call it, a curse), the final quest in the Champions story line will allow you to do so.

Craft badass armour

Work Work

Once you kill and loot a dragon, you’ll find yourself in possession of dragon bones and scales. No, these are not decorative items you can adorn your living room; they are in fact pieces of armour that can be crafted to make one bitching Dragon Armour suit. Of course you need really high smithing skills to do so but trust us, it’s worth the effort.

Pick a fight with a Giant

Yeah I’m talking to you

Fighting with dragons is one thing but there’s something special about picking a fight with a dude thrice your size. Normally giants roam the country side with their faithful mammoths and are pretty harmless but if you pick a fight with them, you best be packing some real heat since they are insanely powerful capable of killing you with one blow. Of course, the bigger they are, the harder they fall bestowing you with some XP, gold and a bunch of other stuff you can loot off their dead bodies.

Make a giant fight a dragon

Winner fights with me

So you’ve fought a giant and you’ve fought a dragon but now it’s time for you to let these tanks take each other on. This will obviously only be possible if a dragon attacks you while you’re close to a giant camp. As the dragon starts attacking you, run toward the closest giant and the dragon by default will start attacking him as well. Then, move out from the hot zone for a few seconds and watch them tear each other to shreds. By the time the battle ends, one of them will emerge victorious with very less health. That’s when you of course make your move. Why fight hard when you can fight clever right? 

Become Sam Fisher

Sam fisher would be proud

Roaming around Skyrim bashing people’s faces in is fine and all but sneaking up to slit someone’s throat from behind is a very rewarding experience as well. And let’s say you’re not into heavily stealth based characters, the game’s flexible enough to allow your 200 pound mammoth Redguard to adopt the ways of the Shadow as well. Work on his/her sneaking kills along with his/her bow and arrow skills and you can become a deadly archer who can take down enemies in a single shot.

Shout stuff off cliffs

Fly away

If you play the first two or three story based missions you’ll be required to go visit the Greybeards up in High Hrothgar. They’ll give you a few quests after which they bestow upon you a fully upgraded shout. Press down the shout key for a few seconds to charge it up and unleash it on anyone in your path and watch in glee as your Unrelenting Force sends them flying back. And yeah, if they just happen to be precariously perched next to the edge of the cliff, even better.

Pimp your crib

Home sweet home

Every major city in Skyrim allows players to purchase a house, that is once you perform a few favours for the Jarl in charge (no, not those kind of favours). Once you purchase the property, you can meet the Jarl’s advisor to pimp it out with armour racks, weapons racks, book stands and lots more. In some cases (especially in Whiterun), your house comes with a lovely companion who will loyally serve you in battle and more. Ahem.

Make the undead fight for you

Why hello there

There are certain spells in this game that allow players to resurrect the dead for a few seconds. Once that’s done, the undead will fight for you till they perish or your enemy dies. And even if your character isn’t heavily inclined toward magic, you can find (or buy) certain staffs that allow you to do so as well. It’s really heart warming to see the wolf you just slaughtered to come back from the grave and fight for you.