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These occurrences can often be manipulated, or at least observed, by the player in some way, shape, or form; sometimes for one’s benefit, other times for a laugh. That’s what video games are all about, after all, as finding more such novel and quirky choices can give any game significantly more replay value.
Updated on August 21, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman:Delving deeper into the lore of misunderstood characters and abusing mechanics are just some of the things that players can do to make each new playthrough unique and interesting. Those bored and looking for fun things to doing Skyrim should try making the opposite decisions that one normally would and experiment with how to twist the game’s engine’s logic to create advantageous scenarios.
There is a tremendous amount of detail that goes into the lives, backstories, and even the motivations of both NPCs and enemies that one can encounter in the northernmost province of Tamriel. Everyone seems to have a schedule and has been programmed to tell those interested about their dreams, hopes, and sometimes their fears. Even individuals who don’t always seem like they would have a lot of dialogue can have a surprising amount to say if they are given the chance.
12 Spare The Champion Of Boethiah
Usually, during the infamous questline surrounding the Daedric Prince Boethiah, players will be tasked with tracking down and slaying the former Champion of Boethiah at the command of the prince herself. This will lead the Dragonborn to a bandit camp where they must clear out the thugs located there as well as their leader, the former Champion. Since this character is immediately hostile upon encounter the player, it is logical to assume that they are an enemy meant solely to be fought and defeated, however, if players have a sufficiently powerful Calm spell, they can force the Champion to cease fighting, which, in turn, will allow players to speak with them to see some rare dialogue. These lines of text are surprisingly in-depth for being ones that most people will never see and actually develops the former Champion of Boethiah’s character to the point where they are somewhat relatable.
11 Become The Most Powerful Undead Mage
Players who have sufficiently leveled up their Restoration skill will likely be familiar with the Necromage perk which grants a useful boost to all spells cast on the undead. Even if one is not specializing in Restoration spells, this can still be handy for any mage build as there are tons of undead enemies in the game, such as draugrs, vampires, skeletons, and more. However, it is not only enemies who can be classified as undead, as players can become a vampire through various means.
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After doing so, the game’s engine will grant the player the sub-race of “Vampire” which will allow the Necromage’s perk to affect the player as well. This means that all spells that the Dragonborn casts onto themselves will benefit from the same buff, exponentially strengthening all spell-based boosts. Additionally, since Skyrim also classifies many potion effects, dragon shouts, and gear enchantments as spells, these can also get boosted by the Necromage and vampire player combination.
10 Rob People Blind
It likely comes as no surprise to anyone that NPCs see with their eyes. They use these programmed organs to interact with their environment and do things like stare at other NPCs gormlessly or to identify when someone is trying to steal their possessions, the latter of which can be avoided by obstructing an NPC’s line of sight. Simply plop a bucket, basket, or similarly shaped container upon their head to steal as much as one desires; no sneak skill investment is required.
9 Farm Infinite Arrows
As the Dragonborn travels, they’ll sometimes come across individuals practicing their archery skills. In order to save on game memory, and likely a few other reasons, the developers gave NPCs doing target practice a way to infinitely duplicate the arrows in their quiver. This, as one would expect, leads to an infinite amount of arrows being shot into targets, which can be picked up by the player. To make the best use of this knowledge, simply reverse-pickpocket a single higher-tier arrow, like the mighty daedric arrows, onto someone training with a bow for free arrows forever. Simply wait by the target and collect them as they are shot.
8 Breathe Underwater
Waterbreathing is an adept level Alteration spell players can cast on themselves to stay underwater longer. Though, Argonians have this as a Racial Ability, meaning that they can automatically breathe underwater from the start of the game.
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This is an incredibly exploitable skill when near rivers, lakes, or coasts since most landlocked enemies cannot swim or attack in water properly. This means that one can implement hit-and-run tactics against stronger foes with near impunity; an ideal strategy if one is a low-level archer or magic user.
7 Gallop Across Mountains
There are a lot of mountains in Skyrim, and sometimes it is a pain to go around them. Thankfully, horses don’t seem to be bothered by sheer, rocky, nearly vertical inclines.
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One would only expect such a feat from goats, but the mighty mares and stallions of the northern province appear to be the true masters of the mountains. Just be careful about venturing too close to cliffs…unless one has an immortal horse.
6 Instantly Kill Lesser Foes
Miraak’s robes grant the player multiple helpful effects. The first being the ability to absorb some Magicka from incoming dragon breath and spells, while the other is that whenever a foe strikes the Dragonborn, there is a chance that an explosion of tentacles will erupt and outright kill lower-level enemies. This is a convenient trait for one with little time to waste on peons. Though, beyond these effects, these robes offer little protection compared to true armor.
5 Phaze Through Walls Without Using Console Commands
There is no potion for walking through walls, sadly, but there are still hilarious and easy methods to pass through solid matter. The greatest technique for getting past a locked door or through a stubborn wall is to utilize a platter; an ordinary, everyday platter. If the Dragonborn is holding one in front of themselves and presses it, top-side-out, against most walls or locked doors, they can press their player model’s hitbox against it, which somehow forces the object through the wall. Though, since the player is holding the platter, they get taken through the wall or locked door as well.
4 Slay Dragons With A Single Punch
Dragons are some of the toughest enemies in the game and bare-fisted punching is one of the weakest kinds of attacks, but ending one of these thu’um throwing foes with a single hook or jab is very possible. This next trick just goes to show how broken of a game Skyrim truly is.
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The Marked for Death shout allows the Dragonborn to decrease an enemy’s armor value. This can be stacked not only until an adversary’s armor value reaches zero, but beyond. This is due to armor values being able to go into the negatives, which makes enemies take more damage. If applied enough to a single target, they can become weak enough to one-shot with even the weakest of attacks.
3 Transform Anything Into Almost Anything Else
Thanks to the Wabbajack, the staff of the mad Daedric Prince Sheogorath, the player can unleash untold kinds of whimsically random effects. Sometimes, this staff will cast regular spells like Fireball, Thunderbolt, or Ice Spike, but its true power lies in its ability to transfigure any target. With no requirement criteria to meet before one can use it, this weapon is dangerously overpowered. With it, the player can turn mammoths into mudcrabs and giants into gold coins.
2 Duplicate Any Item
Due to how the game remembers where certain items are, one can use fast-travel, companion inventories, and doors to trick Skyrim’s coding into making copies of any item. First, drop whatever needs to be duplicated on the ground. Next, tell one’s companion to pick up the item or items in question. Following this, enter and exit any building quickly before fast-traveling out, and then back into, the city. When one reappears to where the items were initially dropped, they will find them lying ready and waiting. In the Dragonborn’s companion’s inventory will also be the same items, since they picked them up beforehand.
1 Soar Like A Dragon…By Using A Bucket
Buckets once more reveal themselves as the most overpowered item of all. Not only can they blind any man or mer to thievery, but can grant one the ability to reach the highest points of the northern province. This works on the same principle that allows one to pass through walls with a platter as clanging one’s hitbox against certain objects can cause strange things to happen. Jumping upon a bucket while one is holding it will allow the player to elevate themselves in the air while simultaneously lifting up a ‘platform’ below them in the form of a bucket. The troll-science-like method can make it possible for the Dragonborn to ascend even High Hrothgar in a way unseen by any on Tamriel.
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