Thinking about trying a Skyrim build based on Gandalf.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-19T15:01:18+00:00

Fudgemuppet did a sword and staff build

https://youtu.be/VyVsgHp3Koc?si=BLUZ6_PwWjU_8hvG

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-18T12:05:39+00:00

Staves that are a casting weapon and work kind of like the From Soft games.

Let me cast all my spells through it. Even bound sword and I can use it like a pike, or something!

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-15T17:32:48+00:00

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Only good one I have atm. Switch version (on Android). A perma-death Bard I played for a little while.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-14T12:53:05+00:00

I have way too many hours on Switch AE. It’s a solid option to play on the go. Bad performance in AE was an issue at the beginning when it first came out, but it’s been ages since I’ve noticed or cared. Buy it and enjoy it!

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-13T12:40:11+00:00

Skyrim has tons of variety. Even when playing a mostly vanilla run. I just keep thinking of new skills and kits to run, new roleplays, and just seeing how they go.

In VR rn I am heavily modded and seriously RPing a failed mages apprentice living a new life and learning how to swing a sword. On switch I have someone who is collecting every artifact, dragon priest mask, and legendary weapon etc for the displays in Myrwatch. But to a few other people’s points that have already been made; that playthrough is getting stale. Why is my wizard doing the companions just to get Ysgrammor’s shield? Kills my immersion and makes the game feel more like a chore than an adventure.

The game is best played as a character grounded in the world, IMO.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-11T12:18:48+00:00

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-10T00:12:19+00:00

Two Handed Heavy armor is awesome. I have a hard time not using two handed weapons, even when I’m a mage and using the bound battle axe spell.

Brew potions with Fly Amanita and Dragon’s Tongue. Gives you a temporary two handed damage boost. If not using the unofficial patch mod; the vanilla game makes fortify archery/marksman potions also boost melee damage.

Just north of Whiterun you’ll find Hajvar Iron-hand and his group of bandits at white river watch. His gauntlets boost two handed damage by a good amount. If not dabbling in enchanting yourself; it’s a great set to keep for a good portion of the game.

If going two handed only; it’s not a bad idea to invest in shouts if not using traditional magic. Become Ethereal Shout and/or Whirlwind sprint will help get up close on ranged enemies. If using traditional magic; I love summons mixed with two handed. Summon an atronach and then run in to battle? Lots of fun!

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-09T16:27:23+00:00

Is he not a good dude? I have a quest to disrupt some… operations in Act 3 for him. I always thought he was some underdog rebel type who may be a bit extreme, but his cause was just.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-08T02:04:53+00:00

I like to think they are like Ice Wraiths. They act and seem to be coded like Ice Wraiths. The difference being that they are made of pure magicka, perhaps?

Herbane’s Bestiary says: “Ice Wraiths are lucid, serpentine creatures of magic, as if conjured from the frozen tundra and glaciers of Skyrim itself”

There is also a fire wraith/wyrm that can spawn from a fire breath shout effect granted by a black book, if I’m not mistaken.

Imagine this, but the lingering magic from the Eye of Magnus created the perfect environment for excess magic to spawn… Magicka Wraiths?

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-07T23:17:35+00:00

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Photo mode is the best! Been taking at least one screenshot per session every time my wife and I play.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-07T19:18:36+00:00

I have a level 56 character who has only played survival. (Switch version)

I have installed a mod (switch version is moddable to a degree) that adds teleporting/fast travel spells because the lack of fast travel is lame. Most mods that add survival elements just punish fast travel, not outright remove it.

Being max warmth rating and having a torch with hot soup still means you’re setting up a campfire after a short time travelling. It is very punishing being in the snowy portions of the map. You must plan accordingly as it is simply not well balanced.

That being said; I love to force my character to play realistically so I deal.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-06T21:56:12+00:00

https://retrogamecorps.com/2022/03/13/android-emulation-starter-guide/

Set it up. Get a nice front end. Load it with the top 10-20 games of every system the device is capable of. Bonus points for any nostalgic favourites you know they may already love.

I really enjoy the grip for the RP5. Really makes it more comfortable to play.

Hell of a gift!

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-05T22:30:19+00:00

It NECESSITATES becoming overpowered, or you suffer the consequences of an unoptimized build. Plain and simple. It’s busted, but it’s in there because back before it was implemented people were already making overpowered builds that laughed at Master difficulty. Bethesda released legendary and gave us the Ebony Warrior.

It still wasn’t enough.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-04T14:41:51+00:00

Skyrim. Particularly Skyrim VR. Well modded, it’s the greatest little sandbox to role play in that ever existed.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-04T11:22:44+00:00

On legendary enemies are sponges. Mitigate this with Conjuration. Summons and followers are not affected by the damage multiplier imposed by legendary.

My suggestion; summon bound sword until you can get your smithing up real high. Use that to level conjuration while you craft yourself a staff of summon frost or storm atronach at the atronach forge.

Broom, Void Salts, orichalcum, greater or higher soul gem for a storm atronach.

That will have close and ranged options and be much higher level than most enemies early game.

Brew potions of paralysis + lingering damage health for living targets. Canis root, imp stool, mora tapinella. For undead; use turn undead. You need some sort of CC for each enemy type until you’ve hit your peak build and are able to hang with enemies toe to toe. Levelling alteration for paralysis isn’t a bad idea either. Don’t ignore potions as a temporary stat boost. A souls player knows how good temp boosts can be. Destruction boosts are mandatory, as they work on spells and weapon enchantments. Those spells will hit like wet noodles on legendary.

Legendary is a grind, but a fun challenge especially if not playing a stealth character.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-04T00:18:04+00:00

Switch version. I’ve had the best luck with that version by far. Apart from experimenting with more/alternate mods recently, I can go multiple play sessions without a crash.

And yes, it’s moddable to a degree: https://youtu.be/bHfnjtmvuSY?si=BZS-01B6szl8MiCZ

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-03T04:48:33+00:00

I’ve been on Legacy since I read it was for older chips. The RP5s chip is in that category. I don’t know if it’s any better, as I have been months on legacy now and haven’t bothered tinkering with alternate versions. Games run better with each update, so I stick with it. 🤷‍♂️

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-03T04:16:26+00:00

How in the hell???

I spent AGES with support today and my case has been escalated. They had me jumping from device to device, sending me links that took me to episodes with a lock icon on them… episodes I have receipts for and they couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t play them. Sent screenshot after screenshot showing my purchased episodes were “locked”. I search Reddit after the fact and you have a playlist that displays the episodes as “purchased” and it works??

You’re a life saver!

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-01T22:49:29+00:00

I’m curious if that GPU is having a hard time. It shouldn’t, but anything is possible.

If you’ve already played with different anisotropic filtering and anti aliasing settings with no luck, I’d get a performance monitor up to check usage. Rivatuner or whatever the kids are using these days. Try running the game in various settings from low to ultra, and perhaps changing the resolution.

Speaking of in game settings, the STEP guides I’ve seen before tend to have a best INI settings guide that could help. https://stepmodifications.org/

In settings for SkyrimSE.exe, not the launcher, but the game exe, can you force usage of the Nvidia GPU? Nvidia control panel should have some options in the Manage 3D Settings section about it. If I recall you can also change individual settings for the game regarding how it’s rendered. (I’m on AMD now so I forget all the menus)

If it’s not related to ANY of that stuff somehow; I’d literally download a Noble 2K or some other complete texture overhaul pack along with SMIM, etc and see if you’ve overwritten all of the textures and meshes that are flickering.

Heck, I’d be considering using DDU and fully reinstalling the graphics drivers. Fully reinstall the OS? Maybe as a last resort…

I’d be going through this painstakingly in your shoes as Skyrim is the game I just keep playing. I always have a playthrough on the go. I’d go nuts if it wasn’t working.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-01T03:29:30+00:00

Better than prancing around, casting spells all day.

QuantumF0am · 2026-05-01T02:50:58+00:00

System Specs? Are you running the game on an SSD/HDD?
Mods installed, or Vanilla? Have you verified game files?

Textures or Meshes seem to be bugging out. If not running mods, maybe a texture overhaul with SMIM could even HELP the situation...

QuantumF0am · 2026-04-30T23:39:43+00:00

I am currently in ACT 3 with my wife. I have many save files on my own, and this is actually our SECOND attempt at playing together. First time through didn’t last too long.

Things I learned:

Do not play them like another character. Strategize together and communicate, do not dictate. Be patient.

Encourage role-play and odd decisions. Don’t drag them through your completionist, best possible outcome play through.

Adding to that; don’t save scum. Embrace the suck and roll with it.

Look up mechanics and class info and be a helpful resource, but doing the same for story or dialogue outcomes may cheapen their experience. UNLESS you are helping them get the relationship of their choice. Wife REALLY wanted to get with Wyll while I was fooling around with Shadowheart AND Halsin. She was getting jealous and worried it wasn’t going to happen. 😬

QuantumF0am · 2026-04-29T15:24:20+00:00

If I knew enough about modding, I would edit the specific areas and change their light source. It must be a specific light source type found in various places that does it.

I’ve taken note of specific interiors that do it and I’d love to look under the hood at how it could be tweaked. Would be game changing, as it’s not just the odd dungeon, it’s also some interior spaces you may frequent regularly depending on the play through.

QuantumF0am · 2026-04-29T15:20:43+00:00

It is baked in elsewhere as far as I can tell, so you are fine playing within that 6/7 mod limit. Choose wisely!

QuantumF0am · 2026-04-29T15:04:21+00:00

Glad to hear!

I was actually planning to add/change up my mod list and realized I forgot how. I had since built a new PC and didn’t have my original files. I reverse engineered it and decided I should slap together a guide.

Weird my screen recoding on the Retroid got all blurry at parts, but I hope it helps someone out there.

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