Highlights

• Don't focus too much on earning gold in Skyrim - exploration can easily provide enough riches.
• Stay on track with the main quest in Skyrim to avoid getting sidetracked by side activities.
• Be mindful of mods in Skyrim - too many can stray too far from the original game's feel.

The open-ended nature of The Elder Scrolls games is partly what makes them so special. Players can create any character they wish, do what they desire, and explore the hundreds of locations dotted throughout Tamriel. Skyrim does this exceptionally well thanks to its fluid leveling system and streamlined gear.

That amount of choice can result in some small roadblocks throughout a new player's journey, though. There is no incorrect way of playing an Elder Scrolls title, although there are a few ways players can make the game harder on themselves. Here are some mistakes many newer Skyrim players make on their first playthrough.

Updated April 12, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Skyrim continues to be one of the most popular video games of all time. It's a shame that Starfield wasn't the evolution that Bethesda had promised, but fans can always go back to this game and check out a fun title that ticked all the boxes when it comes to immersing players in a massive world that allows them to go bonkers and do almost whatever they want.

In fact, Skyrim can be a bit too overwhelming at times, leading to beginners committing mistakes that are all too common.

1 Being Way Too Focused On Earning Gold

The Dragonborn Will Get Rich Naturally, There's No Need To Push Things

Gold makes the world go round in Skyrim, with players using this resource to purchase everything from potions to equipment. So, it's easy to see why some players would focus a bit too much on earning as much gold as possible when they start in this game so that they don't face a dearth of this resource at any given moment.

Sure, gold can be hard to come by in the early goings of Skyrim, but prioritizing this resource isn't necessary at all. Players need only explore for a few hours to get a ton of gold in no time, making for a more organic way of getting rich than stealing and pawning off everything in sight.

2 Getting Sidetracked Over And Over Again

It's Easy To Forget The Details Of The Main Quest

There's no denying that the inherent beauty of Skyrim is getting lost in a massive open world that never stops wowing players with a wealth of content they can access at any given moment. However, this can work against the game at times, especially when it comes to the main story.

Players can get so busy trying to become Guild Leaders and Thanes that their purpose as the Dragonborn can be lost in the grand scheme of things. It's fine to focus on the side quests from time to time, but moving the main plot forward should take precedence if the quest has been left on the back burner for too long.

3 Obsessing Over Mods

Too Many Mods Can Spoil The Proverbial Broth

On top of DLCs that shake up Skyrim gameplay and graphics are quite a ton of Mods in the Creator Workshop that can alter anyone’s iteration of Skyrim in ridiculous ways. While some Creator Workshop Skyrim mods add new and neat quality-of-life features, others just get so out of theme that there isn’t a lot left that preserves the “original” Skyrim feel.

In that regard, players are better off skipping crazy-looking mods they see - be it simple ones that add many new appearance options or even those that provide substantial graphical improvements. While these can make a Skyrim playthrough seem prettier, first-timers may appreciate the game more when it’s played on its blankest slate. That way, players can see and witness firsthand precisely the kinds of things they want to change with mods.

4 Sell Enchanted Items

Disenchanting Is A Great Way To Learn Useful Enchantments

Given the game’s new focus on weight, it’s easy for players to see themselves overwhelmed in their Skyrim playthrough that they’d even consider getting rid of enchanted items. Selling enchanted items is especially tempting given the high pricing associated with them, which is also the reason why players shouldn’t sell them at all.

Players who are hoping to custom tailor their Skyrim armors and weapons to their exact gameplay styles shouldn’t sell the enchanted items they’re not using. Rather, they should disenchant these items in an enchanting table instead. That way, players will be able to “acquire” the knowledge on how to enchant items with the properties of the item they had just disenchanted. This is especially useful when wanting to equip weapons with certain elemental properties attached to weapons they’re not using.

5 Fighting Guards

Getting Caught By The Law Has Annoying Consequences

While guards aren’t the rarest Skyrim opponents that players will encounter, guards all around the region will almost always be pesky enemies to face. This is especially the case for players who want to wreak havoc in cities and want to see just what the extent of their criminal potential could reach.

However, this isn’t advisable - as not only are guards fairly formidable, but they’re also programmed to call on other guards if players get to kill enough of them or do more serious crimes. Moreover, this “warning” status on players also carries over to other cities, making it difficult for players to travel from place to place. In situations where players commit crimes, it’s much better to pay the fine or spend time in jail.

6 Putting Their Belongings In Another Person’s Home

Items Go Missing After A Few Days

Given how players only need to go inside inns and spend nights there to level up, there’s not much reason for them to add rest to much of their Skyrim experience. Moreover, given how players get to see their items on the floor whenever they drop them, there’s also not much reason to keep a personal stash of their items. At the very worst, players can simply visit an NPC and drop their items in a part of their home and make the unsuspecting character their bank.

However, players who do this might find their items suddenly missing after a few days of stashing them there. In turn, it may make sense for players to just invest in a home or a personal chest to ensure they always have a means of storing their items in the game.

7 Killing The Cragslane Cavern Bandits

Can Make Becoming The Thane A Bit More Complicated

Players of older Elder Scrolls titles such as Morrowind may remember that killing certain NPCs may interrupt even the main storyline, preventing players from ever fulfilling their quest of saving the world. While Skyrim provides unkillable major NPCs, some enemies that people kill may still interrupt major quests.

For instance, players en route to their political career to become the Thane of Riften will get a quest that needs them to fight the bandits at Cragslane Cavern. Unfortunately, Cragslane Cavern is likely one of the first locations players may visit during their first few hours of exploring the game. Killing the bandits preemptively will prevent the quest from resuming, stopping the players from becoming the Thane. To force these bandits to respawn, players need to rest for at least 10 days. And while this allows them to resume their career to become Thane, the process can still kill the suspension of disbelief.

8 Neglecting Roleplay

Immersion Is A Huge Part Of What Makes This Game Special

While there’s no “right way” to play any game, fans of RPGs trying Skyrim for the first time might fully appreciate it when they take the “roleplaying” element of the title more seriously. Thanks to mechanics such as Encumbrance, resting, and even fatigue, players can probably enjoy their first time in Tamriel’s Skyrim from the perspective of an actual character.

Doing so can allow players to get more “involved” and feel more “relevant” in the world of the game. This factors in greatly throughout the plot, as the player’s character may end up having to save Skyrim after all. Instead of feeling detached from the experience, a player immersed in Skyrim’s affairs might feel more fulfilled after finishing the game.

9 Ignoring The DLCs

They Add More Flavor To The Game

Being a game released in 2011, Skyrim already released its fair share of DLCs. Thanks to “Dawnguard,” “Hearthfire,” and “Dragonborn,” players can not only access new areas but also get new features as well. These include options to become a Vampire, get a house, and even ride their own dragon!

Players trying Skyrim for the first time might want to try the game with all the DLCs installed. While there’s always the option to further improve game quality with Mods, players might want to skip this out for later. Instead, they can get the “full original” Skyrim experience with the original game and its official expansions. That way, the players can experience authentic Skyrim first before going all out with their Mods and other customization choices.

10 Getting All The Items

Getting Encumbered Is No Fun

Minus the moral debacle towards stealing, an open world such as Skyrim gives players a ton of items to gather and pocket. Aside from consumables and gear, players can pick up crafting materials and even outright books. While there’s nothing wrong in this regard, players with a knack for “collecting” can fill their inventory quickly and get Encumbered.

This slowing mechanic aside, players who love getting all the items they see can ruin the game’s immersive value. After all, players don’t necessarily carry backpacks that represent the items in their storage. Granted, such a thought might seem nitpicking. However, players who value Skyrim’s potential as an immersive experience may want to stay faithful even when it comes to the items they’re realistically carrying.

11 Pickpocketing All Of A Sudden

Can Incur Negative Consequences For No Reason

Given how most NPCs are “holding” their equipment in the same way as players, then a character with a high enough Pickpocket can steal any item they like. While proactive pickpockets do catch the eye of the Thieves Guild, constant pickpocketing might ruin the game’s immersion.

Unfortunately, spamming the pickpocket action enough can raise a character’s Pickpocket level fairly quickly. Not only can this make Thieves Guild missions much easier on the get-go, but it can also become a bit of a quick exit out of other game features. Most affected by this mistake would be the game’s in-depth crafting mechanic, which is designed to help players create gear and items through Enchanting, Smithing, and Alchemy.

12 Trying To Murder Everyone

Ruins Immersion And Cheapens The Experience

Any Bethesda fan who played their open-world RPGs knows the absolute mayhem they can cause as players, and the same applies to Skyrim. Given the right build, players might be surprised how easily they can kill creatures in dungeons. Of course, this exhilarating moment can encourage players to try their hand at murdering as many people as possible. After all, they can just reset a save point, right?

As entertaining as this seems, going murderhobo in Skyrim can definitely ruin the game’s immersion. The game won’t allow players to kill crucial NPCs, meaning any accidental “kills” can spoil players on the importance of certain characters. Moreover, the sheer giggles in randomly sniping NPCs from rooftops can waste a player’s time instead of appreciating the rest of Skyrim’s story and environment.

13 Becoming An All-Rounder

Makes It Harder To Engage With The Late Game Mechanics

Every skill tree in Skyrim provides some impactful bonuses. It isn't uncommon for first-timers to spread their perks around six or more skill trees.

Do not do this. Perks are where most of a build's power comes from. Splitting it amongst multiple skills will cause a build's core combat skills to fall behind. Instead of investing perks into any skill tree that seems useful, use that skill for a short while and decide if that should be a cornerstone of the build. Focusing on just a few skill trees results in a much smoother leveling and gameplay experience.

14 Buying Weapons And Armor

Players Who Loot Diligently Will Be More Than Loaded With Equipment After A Point

Buying weapons and armor from vendors might be the largest scam in Skyrim. Most guards will tell the player to upgrade their gear to Steel when talking to them, which directs players toward purchasing a full set of armor and weapons from local smiths.

This is a scam. Most enemies that wander Skyrim will have gear on par or leagues beyond the capabilities of Steel. Gold should instead be invested towards a home, preferably a Hearthfire DLC home that can be expanded on.

15 Horse Diving

A Single Slip Can Lead To A Player's Doom

Horses have the unexplained ability to bend gravity itself to climb up 85-degree slopes. Plenty of players climbed the Throat of the World by using a gravity-bending horse instead of hiking up the mountain.

While horses might be great at getting up steep inclines, they are awful at going downhill. Walking down any incline will cause the horse to slip on a pebble and begin to fall to the ground, ragdolling the player and usually killing them in the process. Horse diving is not as safe as one would think.

16 Avoiding Ralof Or Hadvar

A Great Way To Get A Decent Introduction To The World

Depending on who the player sides with inside Helgen will determine who escorts them to safety. Players can leave with either Ralof or Hadvar, each aligned with a major faction tied to the Civil War.

Regardless of who the player sides with, they will thank the player and tell them they will be heading to Riverwood. If the player follows them, they will be guided toward the first three Standing Stones of Skyrim, pass a dungeon, and learn more about Skyrim. It's not a massive deal if players decide to go their own way, but it is nice to get a guided introduction to Standing Stones and exploration.

17 Rushing Through The Main Quest

The Magic Of The Game Is In Its Side Content

Skyrim's main quest is entirely optional. That might sound counter-intuitive, but it's true. Nothing in Skyrim's quest is time-gated or requires the player's immediate attention despite what the story might imply. Some story-driven RPG fans spend their first playthrough rushing through the main story in hopes of receiving a deep, compelling plot.

For all of Skyrim's strengths, its story is not one of them. Skyrim has so many enthralling side quests, guilds, and activities to partake in that it easily becomes the core focus of the game. Take the game slow and enjoy the dozens of dungeons and vistas that inhabit Skyrim.

18 Fighting A Giant Too Early

Getting Yeeted Is Only Amusing The First Few Times

Don't feel bad about dying to a giant during the early game. Virtually every player decided to head west of Whiterun on their first playthrough and encounter Bleackwind Basin, the first giant camp players stumble across.

Slowly chipping away at its health with iron weapons, the giant typically flings players into the stratosphere with a single club swing. It's one of the most memorable encounters in Skyrim but one that could have easily been avoided if the Dragonborn gained a few levels.

19 Not Saving Often

An Untimely Demise Can Have Dire Consequences Without A Proper Save

Newer players need to build the habit of saving whenever possible. There are many moments in someone's first playthrough where they either die or wish to reload a previous save. Skyrim's autosave feature doesn't always create saves when one would expect.

One poorly-timed death is all it takes to lose hours of progress. PC players should get used to QuickSaving when possible (F5 by default) and QuickLoading when necessary. Console players should save their game whenever possible.

20 Killing A Chicken

Incurs A Bounty For No Reason

When players first stumble across Riverwood, they will usually see a chicken walking around the main gate. Do not kill this chicken under any circumstances! Since it is the property of the town, killing this chicken will incur a small bounty on the player's head.

The thing is, the bounty total does not influence how guards treat the Dragonborn. A bounty as small as 20 Gold is enough to have every guard in the town draw their swords and attempt to kill the player. Getting away with stealing is easier than dealing with the consequences of killing a chicken. Don't do it.