The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a massive open world that allows players to craft their own adventure, but the level of freedom also comes with the ability to make mistakes that can sour and ruin a playthrough. While these mistakes are easily avoidable, they come with enticing invitations and rewards during their associated questlines that can seem worthwhile at the moment, but later prove otherwise. These can have major consequences during a playthrough of Skyrim, as certain moves can block quests and other content.

Some players may never encounter these choices due to the open-ended nature of Skyrim, as even the main quest is ignorable. It is also possible that players could make some of these choices and not be inconvenienced by the results, again due to the nature of the game. The consequences listed generally outweigh the benefits in a standard playthrough and can cut players off from bits of lore and fun gameplay mechanics. It is possible to try out multiple options by using the save feature, but not every player may be so careful, meaning they could choose something they later come to regret.

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It is possible that some of these decisions could benefit players depending on how they are proceeding with their playthrough. It's a roleplaying game based on choice at the end of the day, and the internet has even created tutorials on how to create different archetypes and character builds in Skyrim to enhance the roleplaying experience. That, combined with the manual save feature and the ability to play different characters at the same time make potential consequences fairly light. These choices are namely problematic for first-time players that wish to experience Skyrim in its base form and all of the supplemental content that the game has to offer.

Skyrim's Worst Choices - Becoming A Vampire At The Soul Cairn

While Serana’s charming personality and the power of Lord Harkon make vampirism in Skyrim seem appealing at a first glance, players may greatly regret becoming a creature of the night in the long run of a playthrough. While the vampiric powers granted can be nice at times overall it turns into a massive inconvenience. As the Sanguinare Vampiris disease progresses, the player's sensitivity to fire and sunlight increases making adventuring during the daytime near impossible.

There are both pros and cons to becoming a vampire in Skyrim, but the negatives outweigh the positives. Vampirism also makes most if not all Skyrim NPCs incredibly hostile towards the Dragonborn, limiting how players can interact with the in-game world. Allowing Serana to turn the Dragonborn into a vampire before entering the Soul Cairn can also limit the player's interactions with the Dawnguard, which is unfortunate with how much lore revolves around the faction. If players do wish to become a vampire during the Dawnguard expansion, then it would be best to accept Lord Harkon's offer on the first occasion. 

The Giants & Mastodons Of Skyrim Should Be Left Alone

Being the sole Dragonborn with incredible, otherworldly power at one’s disposal can sometimes make playing Skyrim feel like an easy venture, but players should think twice about fighting every random creature they encounter in the wilds. Giant encampments and their mastodon herds dot the landscape and will be marked on the map by a tusked mammoth skull. Skyrim's giants will knock players into the sky with ease, and their herds are notoriously difficult to fight as well. However, neither will attack unless outright provoked. All picking a fight with mastodons and giants will ensure is sending players back to their last save file.

Skyrim Players Should Let Paarthurnax Live

Although slaying and absorbing the souls of dragons is one of the main objectives of Skyrim, players should avoid killing Paarthurnax lest they reap the consequences. After defeating Alduin and healing the Time Wound, the Dragonborn will be contracted by either Esbern or Delphine to slay Paarthurnax on behalf of The Blades. While players will not receive aid from the faction unless they kill Paarthurnax, they also run the risk of alienating themselves from the Greybeards and losing a host of potential power if they do.

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There are other reasons not to kill Paarthurnax in Skyrim as well. The small bit of help that players get from The Blades is dwarfed in comparison to the constant guilt and reprimand they will receive from the Thu’um masters at High Hrothgar. Paarthurnax also proves to be a valuable ally during Skyrim's main quest, and while he may have once led an evil life, he is one of the wisest beings the Dragonborn will encounter.

Skyrim Could Do Without Mythic Dawn Cultist Silus Vesuius

Mercy is always an option, but sometimes it might not be worth it compared to rewards Skyrim's Daedra will give players for their aid in destruction. Such is the case with Mehrunes Dagon and the associated quest given by Silus Vesuius to retrieve the various pieces of Mehrunes Razor. After finding all of the pieces and bringing them and Silus to the shrine of Mehrunes Dagon (who featured in Elder Scrolls Online and played a role in the Oblivion Crisis) the Daedra will task the Dragonborn to kill Silus as a sacrifice in order to take the blade for themselves. Players can choose to let Silus live, and they will be rewarded with three hundred gold and some loot from the shrine while Silus takes the Razor and locks it away in a case inside of a museum in Dawnstar. If they kill Silus, they will receive three thousand gold, the blessing of Mehrunes Dagon, as well as the Razor, which has a chance to instantly kill opponents when used in combat.

Skyrim Needs The Dark Brotherhood

While The Dark Brotherhood of Skyrim has a less than savory reputation, and their operations less than moral, destroying the shadowy organization could cut players off from a large part of Tamriel lore. The reward for destroying the Dark Brotherhood is a hefty three-thousand gold, but that comes at the cost of eliminating the entirety of the Brotherhood’s questline. Players will never gain access to Shadowmere, Summon Spectral Assassin, the Dark Brotherhood Initiate followers, the Master trainers for Alchemy and Light Armor, or the ability to contract Cicero as a follower. There is also no real benefit to destroying the Brotherhood, save suiting a player’s roleplaying purposes.

There are no explicitly defined mistakes to be made in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, nor is there any surefire way to ruin gameplay. Elder Scrolls 6 needs to improve player choices, as although Skyrim's do affect the immediate questline they are in, most of the world will remain ultimately the same regardless. It has even been noted that killing off major NPCs can go unnoticed if players are stealthy enough. Most of the aforementioned are more inconveniences than anything whose losses outweigh the rewards.

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