Another Morrowind beginner's questions

[Dr.Dr3aM]

Hello there to everyone, my first post here
Recently, I've been hunting for some RPGs and after playing Planescape: Torment, I got recommended to pick up The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. I never really enjoyed first person RPGs, but I'll get used to it. Anyway, here's a series of questions for you experienced people :

1. I read about how to make the most from the leveling system and I tried to make some of the harder-skills-to-level-up my majors and minors. I picked Block/Mysticism/Alchemy/Heavy Armor/Speechcraft as my Majors, and Long Blade/Alteration/Security/Enchant/Armorer as my Minors. Does this build make any sense and should I change it? I really didn't get that far yet, I can replay those 4 quests I did in the first town anytime.Oh, and I picked Imperial female. Preferred willpower over speed, though I think im regretting it kind of. Favorited abilities are Personality and Luck, specialization is combat.

2.Also read that maxing endurance early is optimal. I find it hard though to just let a crab beat me till my heavy armor goes up, or run around piking stuff with a spear, does the bonus to HP really help ?

3.Concerning the mods, I read the stickied threads, but I'm not really sure what to install which won't change the content in the game, but rather just fix up minor annoying things. I got Herbalism Lite, Real Signposts, Rings&Amulets so far. Is there anything else ?

I've patched the game with the official patch and the two unoffical ones. Got the GOTY version if it matters for anything. Thanks in advance, Dr.Dr3aM. I might have more questions coming soon.

[lifeishell91]

Usually when you play a game for the first time, you just play for a bit and then soon enough you realize the playing style that you would prefer and just start anew. I wouldn't worry too much about putting the most difficult skills in general in your majors and minors; just stick to the skills needed for your preferred playing style.

And yes, people tend to try and max out their endurance early on. But it can be frustrating and not very roleplaying-ly friendly. It's just a tad weird to stand around slaughterfish wearing armour for hours on end or using a spear when you're better with a blade.

[GawainBS]

If you're playing the PC version (which I assume you do), maxing stats is easy. At level up, you get three points to add to your stats and each stat has a modifier, based on the number of skills tied by that stat being raised. It does *not* matter if these skill-raises came from major or minor skills, from usage or a trainer. So if you raised Long Blade 4 points during a level up, you'd get a x2 modifier to Strength. If you raised Long Blade 3 points and Armourer 2 points, and paid a trainer to raise Axes 1 point, you'd have a total of 6 increases in a Strength skill, and the stat modifier would be x3. A x5 modifier is the max.

For example, whenever you've leveled up, go and search for a trainer who raises one of your Endurance-based skills, and train one of them for 10 points, or several skills, for 10 points total. (5 Medium Armour, 2 Heavy Armour, 3 Spear, for example.) As long as you have raised an Endurance-based skill 10 times, you get a 5x modifier to Endurance at level up. This works for all the stats.

Since HP each level gain is based on your Endurance, raising Endurance first gives you more HP. (More Endurance earlier to base the HP on.)

Another important stat is Intellect, since it determines Magicka. The Magicka increasing starsigns are very good, but I'll let someone else explain those, since I'm not all too familiar with them.

[galraen]

As you've probably found out by now many of the skills you have selected are in fact the easiest ones to increase, especially alchemy; one skill I never put as a major or minor for that reason.

Whilst it is true that increasing endurance early is desirable it isn't really that difficult, just buy endurance related skills increases in the fighter's guild in Balmora; just make sure that it's in skills you haven't got set as majors or minors; medium armour and spear in your case.

I'd suggest playing through once with very few, if any, mods; that way you get to see the game as it was designed. Then when you make subsequent run throughs the mod will freshen the game up so that it's not so repetitive.

[GawainBS]

One mod I always recommend is one of those that alters Alchemy, so that it is easier to make your own health & mana potions in the beginning. It makes it more enjoyable, IMO.

[fable]

3.Concerning the mods, I read the stickied threads, but I'm not really sure what to install which won't change the content in the game, but rather just fix up minor annoying things. I got Herbalism Lite, Real Signposts, Rings&Amulets so far. Is there anything else ?

I would urge you to consider one of the recommendations for a Magicka Regeneration mod. In vanilla Morrowind, your magicka doesn't replenish if you don't sleep, or drink a potion, or use/wear an item that's been enchanted for this. (Or are an Atronach, and can gain back magicka through magical attacks that you absorb.) This can be tedious. The regeneration mods let you slowly regain magicka, so that you can sleep when you want. In effect, that means you can raise your levels when you want, and that in turn means you can get some of the nicer multipliers that come with leveling "correctly." By using a magicka regeneration mod, you no longer need to think as much about how much you've raised different skills. You can just do what you want, and sleep when you feel like it.

[Dr.Dr3aM]

But I was born under The Atronach sign, wouldn't that be mild cheating ?

[GawainBS]

But I was born under The Atronach sign, wouldn't that be mild cheating ?

The regeneration mods generally don't work when you're an Atronach.

[fable]

The regeneration mods generally don't work when you're an Atronach.

Correct. You can't add back to an effect that doesn't exist.