The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released in 2011. The game is soon turning 10 years old, but its fan base continues to grow. Skyrim is rightfully considered one of the best open-world RPGs. It attracts gamers with its many features, including a large number of mods that improve the graphics quality and significantly change the gameplay. Something interesting is constantly being added to Skyrim, and that's the main reason why new players are drawn to the game. Specifically for them, a list of the most useful tips has been compiled to make the gameplay much more comfortable and interesting.

10. Everything Will Come in Handy on the Way

Any player familiar with the RPG genre knows that accumulating money, especially at the beginning, is very difficult. Skyrim is no exception in this regard. To avoid counting every penny, it is recommended to collect absolutely everything along your path. It doesn't matter what it is: pots, bottles, or baskets. Everything will come in handy. It is important, however, to keep an eye on not exceeding your character's carrying capacity.

All the collected items should be sold to merchants to accumulate a sufficient amount of money. Later on, you can spend it on buying a house, a horse, or weapons. However, it's not advisable to sell everything. Some items will be useful for creating potions.

9. Explore the World of Skyrim

Don't forget that Skyrim is a game with an open world. And in this world, there is a lot of interesting stuff. Right after escaping from Helgen, the player has plenty to do. You can build a house, establish romantic relationships, fight dragons, or engage in trading. In Skyrim, rushing through the storyline and trying to finish the game quickly is not recommended. It's better to explore all locations, visit dungeons or abandoned castles. Everywhere there is a chance to find valuable items and books that will allow you to learn more about all the events happening in the game. This will be interesting not only for fans of the series but also for newcomers.

8. Safety on the Road

Many players appreciate the beautiful landscapes of Skyrim. But that doesn't mean you should leave the road at the first opportunity and wander through the forest, admiring the mountains or lakes. In the beginning, the hero is weak and won't be able to handle serious opponents. The road, however, guarantees that no one will attack them. But venturing far from it increases the likelihood of encountering bandits, giants, and other enemies. They won't overlook the Dragonborn's weakness and will attempt to attack and wake them up. Therefore, until the hero becomes stronger, it's better to travel exclusively on the road.

7. Make More Use of Shouts

Shouts are a unique ability of the Dragonborn, available right from the beginning of the game. However, they can be overshadowed by the large number of spells and weapons. As a result, many players simply forget about shouts and deal with enemies using other methods. And that's one of the main mistakes made by newcomers. After all, shouts provide different additional possibilities. With their help, you can significantly ease your life. Shouts allow you to push back or subjugate the enemy.

6. Don't Pass By Guardian Stones

In the world of Skyrim, there are Guardian Stones. They are important objects that allow you to gain additional bonuses and speed up your character's development. The stones can be encountered by the hero on the road to Riverwood. It's not worth passing by them. You should stop and choose a suitable buff.

5. It's More Fun in Company

In Skyrim, companions will accompany the hero throughout the game. They will help fight enemies and try to protect the Dragonborn. And that's not all. Some companions can become the hero's spouse, and all of them can be used to carry even more items.

Each character is unique and has their own characteristics. Initially, you can acquire Lydia as a companion. This will happen after the Dragonborn helps defend Whiterun from a dragon attack. All other companions become available after completing certain quests. Alternatively, you can simply hire them for gold. The benefits of companions should not be underestimated. It's better to spend your time to get the best companions who will help you complete particularly difficult tasks.

4. Character Development Should Be Done Right

The entire character leveling system in Skyrim is significantly different from other similar games. To level up the Dragonborn, you need to improve a certain number of skills. Many players try to improve everything little by little. On one hand, it may be faster and easier. However, it is better to do it differently.

Not only will such character development quickly diminish the overall interest in the game, but it will also result in a slow level progression and a lack of useful bonuses. To avoid this, it is recommended to determine your character's style at the beginning of the game and only focus on leveling up the necessary skills for that style. For example, a warrior needs weapons, while a thief needs stealth. Therefore, it is important to prioritize the improvement of essential skills.

3. Smithing - an Important Skill

Of course, it may not be the best skill in the game, but it is certainly one of the most useful and applicable to any playstyle. It is better to level up this skill early on in the game. After all, smithing allows you to create powerful and unique equipment. Alongside smithing, enchanting should also be developed. The combination of these two skills allows you to obtain equipment with useful magical properties. This will help the hero to fight more effectively against both humans and animals.

2. Don't Complete the Civil War Questline

Despite all its merits, Bethesda is known for sometimes including something quite silly in any of their games. This applies to Skyrim as well. Here, the developers managed to add a quest that completely changes the storyline in the middle of the game. This quest is related to the events of the Civil War. Overall, it is quite engaging. The player has to choose one of the opposing sides and help them conquer the throne. Each decision made during the questline will have an impact on all subsequent events and alter their course.

So, why should you not complete this quest? The problem is that it becomes available too early when the player doesn't yet understand much and doesn't know which choice is better. To avoid making the wrong decision, it's better to postpone this quest for later and simply enjoy the game without fearing the serious consequences of your choice.

1. Shortcut - Through the Mountains

The game world in Skyrim is very large, and it can be challenging to move from one point to another. Often, mountains obstruct the direct path. However, there is a trick to significantly shorten travel time. You can climb the nearest mountain while on a horse.

But it should be done carefully. Although the horse can climb mountains, it can also fall off, resulting in the hero's death. If successful, you will be able to climb over the obstacle and cut a substantial portion of the path. This is made possible thanks to a minor bug in the game.