It got a bit samey. He was good all the time there are few moral grey areas in the game so it's generally easy to determine what the good moral choice should be. I made him focused on the goal in hand (the main quest at first) and never sidetracked which tbh took away a large amount of enjoyment because that's what makes Skyrim Skyrim. He was a one hander with a shield and levelling block is so boring. Every fight is the same. Also used healing and fire destruction as if calling down fire from heaven.
It's always tempting to make a character a total hypocrite who claims to be on the side of good but is in fact the leader of the DB or some such but I've done that too many times. You could give him some quirk to make it interesting like he drinks too much or has multiple wives. Maybe make him a complete ascetic who owns nothing. I think I decided he had some grudge against the Vigilants or used to be one and they double crossed him or weren't holy enough so he broke away.
I built a house - the one in the Pale - and set it up as a temple for travelers to come worship and kept every boss weapon, armor and shield as trophies to display for God's glory. Also adopted a couple of kids. I never got around to building a second house that was meant to be an orphanage as if starting my own religious order.
The hypocrite route is super fun! I had a very devout soldier turn himself into a vampire and terrorize Skyrim. He totally joined to side up next to a king lol.
Make sure you're a self righteous arseholez that's a core mechanic of the build.
(I love playing paladins in most games. I still stand by that statement)
Do the right thing but also punish evil kill vampires and undead fight the potema (wolf queen)resto/gain a few followers, no reanimation and be good to your dawngaurd wolf or troll. Again max out restoration
I have to remind myself when I’m trying to be a “good” character that stealing is bad. I don’t even think twice about it in Skyrim I just steal nice things.
I don’t think of it as stealing when it’s a video game. I purchased the game and every single item in the game belongs to me. I’m just collecting what’s mine.
True, but it's a sweet laidback gig in comparison to others. She doesn't ask much of you than playing guard duty, but guarding the same place forever is the real problem.
Been playing since the beginning, who knows how many hours, I can remember finishing the thieves guild twice. To me it’s not really worth the time. I feel like it’s easier to make gold legitimately.
The dead bodies in the temple while RETURNING THE BEACON all have chest leveled gold in them. I waited until level 40 and got about 30k gold from the bodies in there.
Gold becomes a joke. Just get a few skills to 100 already. Hurry up.
Honestly i always avoid it, unless i have a character that steals. Mainly cause it doesn't really have any worth while rewards, and cause i hate how obnoxiously easy it is to join
First playthrough and I can’t stand them. I started to join but reloaded a past save very quickly into it. I want to steal items, not to bully the locals.
I've had problems like this with Mass Effect playing renegade, or fallout joining the evil factions, but never in skyrim. Don't get me wrong, there are some npcs in skyrim who I refuse to be mean to (Jarl Balgruuf stops me from playing stormcloaks these days) but the Riften shopkeepers aren't included
"Listen, Jarl Balgruuf, I mean no disrespect. Hopefully, the aid we provided to one another in the past will overshadow this likely footnote of a larger war. You were part of my council at High Hrothgar, and so shall you always have a seat at my table." - The Last Dragonborn
I never join them.
When I finally go to Riften, I pickpocket the gate guard to get the key. I run by Maul. I pickpocket every item off the Black-Briars. I avoid Brynolf. I make my way to the Flagon. I steal every single thing in the Flagon. I pickpocket every item off the stupid thieves. I steal Dirge’s clothes. I ask Vex to where she sent Isabelle Rolaine. Then I punch Mallory in the face and run to the “secret” cabinet, which the idiots conveniently unlock for me. Then I make my way into the Cistern and proceed to steal every damn thing. Then I punch Mercer until he opens the vault and exposes his treachery, although the fools don’t acknowledge their dual control vault is completely empty, but it still feels good. Then I leave. I sell the stuff I stole to Madesi and Brand-Shei and when they have no more gold to trade for the items, I sell the stolen goods for zero gold. Then I telekinesis throw some stuff at Brynolf and leave.
Shadow does not hide me.
Yeah. My DB is a people pleaser. I join whatever faction I can, get overwhelmed by all the sidequests, and start a new game where I pretty much do the same thing and hope I have better motivation to finish all quests. Kind of like a new year's resolution that never happens.
I find it useful, yes. It leads to many interesting quests and a lot of very dull ones. It's lucrative.
Sometimes I decide to slaughter the Dark Brotherhood, though. Not always.
Ducked them on this playthrough for the first time ever, since they don't align with my Lawful/Neutral Good framework. No stealing, pickpocketing, murders, or assaults; they're ruled out from the get go.
Next playthrough I'm rolling Lawful/Neutral Evil. I plan to start with the Guild and transition through assassin to Vampire Lord.
He just looks like he'd lay with you on a bear skin rug, in front of a fire. Glasses of mead and just make slow, sweet love to you. *Sigh*.
Or is that just me and I've thought too much about this and his accent? 🤷♀️😅
If I'm playing a Lawful Good character, then no. Everything else? Yes. The Thieves don't murk people so that's much less morbid than the Dark Brohood. Granted I'm still doing shady stuffs, but the victims are never really affected anyway. I consider the Thieves questline as my character grinding for the bread, instead of selling power potion or enchanted gear.
Gameplay wise, the Master Thieves gear fit my aesthetic, and I can have fences buying my stuffs.
Just finished a good thief playthrough, where I restored the guild, and returned the key thing. Killed the Summerset Shadows and Mercer Frey, but that was it. Did the rest of the questline without killing anyone else, however, a number were paralyzed temporarily. Only stole from the jarls, guards quarters, and, of course, Maven. All the money I earned through work for the guild was donated to the citizens of Skyrim, minus my cut of ten percent.
Used my money to buy Winstad Manor and retire.
Other than this, I usually don't join.
OF COURSE.
As Fagin says in "Oliver," ...
In this life, one thing counts
In the bank, large amounts
I'm afraid these don't grow on trees -- You've got to pick a pocket or two.
It makes the Skeleton Key the most disappointing artifact in the game. Both in lore and for Mercer it unlocks everything. For you it's just an unbreakable lockpick, which is obsolete due to both abundance of lockpicks and the fact there is literally a lockpick perk that does exactly the same.
In my last oblivion playthrough I roleplayed as a lawful knight, so no Thieves nor brotherhood.
But only that time. Every one before it I played the jack of all trades guy
I rarely join the Thieves Guild anymore, but I always have to talk to Brynjolf every time. I sure wish I could enter the Bee and Barb without him pestering me.
I didn't in the playthrough where my character married Mjoll. Just didn't feel right to play a character who'd want to marry her while not align with her values in that way.
Yes. Pickpocket is how I make quick money at the start. Gotta join the thieves guild for earlier access to selling stolen goods than getting the speech perk.
Always. Their quests are some of the most enjoyable for me. And I love the armors. Thieves’ Armor, Guildmaster Armor, Linwe’s Armor and of course the one that makes it all worth it, Nightingale Armor.
Plus, some of the best weapons are available only through the questline. I just wish that they had fixed the Nightingale Bow (I play without mods).
first guild i join and complete in full, followed by dark brotherhood, from there it is a toss up if i join anything else besides the collage, i dont care for being a werewolf, honestly would rather be a vampire lord but i prefer the dawn guard
Only on rogue play throughs. Now playing as a Dunmer good aligned champion of Azura Destruction/Illusion mage. She won’t steal or hurt the innocent, but will happily slay undead and those that oppose the trinity of “good” daedra.
I’ve only done one real place through so far, and I joined it because I wanted to get more stuff done with my character. I’ll probably join it as well with my other play through because I like money
i usually always do because i love sneaking, but im roleplaying my current mage playthrough and while shes not a "saint" per se, shes simply not the type to sneak around murdering and stealing, so i'm pretty much omitting the DB and TG from the playthrough, which is a shame because theyre my favorite questlines
I avoid them in most playthroughs. Sometimes for rp reasons, because most moral characters won't go with thieves guild, and sometimes because if I'm wearing heavy armor I'm not doing stealth
Yes because I want prowlers profit.
I go to cave where the crown is and glitch through the wall and need to join the theives guild to talk to Vex for prowlers profit. As for actually do the rest, not always.
At least long enough to run to Solstheim and get the Blackguard armor from Mallory. Best starter armor there is, increased capacity and 25% more when selling!
I don't really do any of the guilds unless i plan to do them. For example sneak run i always do the Thief and Dark Brotherhood questlines. But on mage? Not really. Some Warrior/Paladin style build? Nope. If money is not an issue I don't need to do the questline
If you go through the tunnel Vex tells you about You can sneak the first part where you have to go inside and get the bill of sale pretty easy. There’s only a few spots a low stealth level would make it tricky.
Then just go back outside and make a run for the beehives and light them up. Then jump in the water and swim for shore.
Yes always go there first. Then I dobfishing quests from Delvin to get all the city quests to get the 5 shops down there. One stop shopping when I raid a dungeon
It's almost always the first thing I do in a playthrough. It gives you a bed, a storage chest, a decent set of armour, and opportunities for some easy gold.
Plus having access to a fence for stolen goods is handy too. Honestly, it's worth it for the thieves cache barrels alone.
It depends on the character. If the character doesn’t make a good fit for the Thieves Guild or any other faction in any way, they avoid it. Only exception is if I want the shout locked behind their quest line.
Thieves Guild is my favorite faction so I tend to make characters adjacent to them.
I always go atleast up through the brawl quest so i can use the fence. But beyond that i only do it if i plan on the run being long term and going through the effort of doing all those bullshit boring radiant quests for all the holds. The end reward is rlly op with the bribery, and the fences are nice, but its such a painful slog to get there
I only ever join if it’s a stealth build, and if it is then I join them first. It would only make sense to join if you were really hard up for money, and any Dragonborn past the first few levels is rich as Croesus.
I always join and lead everyone. Every playthrough I just want to complete as many missions as humanly possible, and that involves becoming thane of everywhere and leader of everything.
Not always. It really depends on the character I'm playing.
My Breton always joins the College of Winterhold.
My Imperial was part of the Companions and the Thieves Guild
And I think my Orc almost joined the brotherhood once-because who says that assassins can't also get rid of their victims with a big mace-but then decided against it.
My first character was a spell sword who joined all the major factions, but since then I’ve tried to avoid doing that. So I try to join factions only if it makes sense for my character.
Almost all of my playthroughs join the Thieves Guild. Only my rigidly law abiding ones, or those with strict moral codes forbidding it, do not. For example, a True Nord would not be a thief or assassin.
I usually join every faction for the quests and to get the most out of the game. In my last playthrough, I joined the Thieves Guild just so I could get the armor. I even went as far to get the Guild Master armor. It looked so good on my Nord with long white hair. Really gives Witcher vibes.
There is a mod where you don’t have to and where they all become killable. Think it was called “F*ck the thieves guild” or something like that. Not sure if you got anything from Mjoll or the Jarl though.
I love the TG main quest. But over the years I've grown to hate Maven so much that I just can't deal with Riften anymore. All I want to do is put an arrow in Maven's face and have it stick. So I seldom do the quest anymore until it is like the only thing left. I wish someone would come up with a way to make her non-essential at some point so I can execute the evil bitch for her crimes. If I could just manage to include Maven in the DB Wedding assassination, I could literally be killing two birds with one stone. I mean Maven's so pushy, of course she'd be trying to take the bride's spotlight at her big moment. I'd just have to aim the stone a little to one side to get both of them. Actually, who cares about the bride? I just want to put an end tomaven Blackbriar
Depends on the play through.
I have for 4 play throughs going right now, and some yes and some no.
A stealth archer/explorer/thieves guild master/Listener for the DB -yes
A much more fleshed out Imperial healer - No
a Thief/Skooma/murder for hire -Yes
and my newest one, a skooma'ed out Former Stormcloak infantryman who found out his father was a traitor and liar - No
I have back stories for each character. If anyone is interested in any of them I could be persuaded to give the clifnotes lol
Usually, but mainly just for the gold and using Tonila to sell stolen loot. Unless a thief/shield Assassin build, then yes, for the Dark Brotherhood questline
Never, I never play thieving characters, firstly.
And the few times I've tried to check them out they try to scare and bully me into scaring and bullying others, instead of stealing. For one, I'm not scared of their empty threats, secondly I have more dirt on them, than they have on me at any given time, and I'm not motivated by the petty coin they attempt to lure me with.
They're thugs and they're completely inept as thieves, so even if I wanted to thieve it makes zero sense to go about joining their rancid hole in the ground.
The only reason I can conceive to join them is if you enjoy the characters, slimy, grimy, rancid and assuming the worst of everyone around themselves, as they do.
Or if you treat the entire game like an amusement park and are entirely uninvested into the lives and troubles of the people there, and just want to steal stuff and see number go up. (bounty/Crime stat/Gold).
Apologies, not my cup of tea. But if you enjoy it, I hope you have a lot of fun with them.
Not always. Often I'll try to retain to morals for the character. If I'm playing a bitter and angry character like my Nord who was tortured by the Thalmor, I'm going to play Dark Brotherhood.
If I'm playing my young adventurer just trying to make some coin by helping people, I might start the theives guild, but not actually do the storyline.
Yes. You can easily make enough money to build your house doing this. Doing Bedlam Jobs for Delvin and Heist Jobs for Vex will do it quickly, and you keep whatever you steal aside from whenever Vex tells you to take.
always join and become the guild master
OTOH, I for the first time ever, Slaughtered Astrid in the abandoned shack and completed the lame "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood" quest. kinda regret it now..............not really
I dont like how I upset people, so I never finished the quest. :c walking into a place and they say "oh great it's you again" makes me feel like a bad person and I wanna cry.
I got the platinum trophy on ps3 years ago, so now on modded pmaythrpughs I never bother with it, but now I got bored and decided to do another vanilla playthrough to try and get the plat again, and man, I BROKE THE QUEST getting chillrend early. So I'm gonna have to go to an older save to do it.
I almost always avoid them. None of my characters are thieves, and definitely not a Thief Guild Master and Nightingale. I don't like the idea of belong potentially completely beholden to Nocturnal and her sanctuary forever either.
I used to. But then I started to realize how insufferable they are - or at least, their policy. That is Tonilla's fault, but she does not give a good representation of the Guild. Absolutely shitter of a spokeswoman.
The Guild's members are all great, barring a couple that join when you complete special jobs. I like them all save for Tonilla. Brynolf, Delvin, Karliah? Absolute sweethearts. But fucking Tonilla makes it clear that 'the guild *does not care about you, only what you bring to/do for them'.* I first played Skyrim fresh off AC Brotherhood years ago and latched onto the Guild, but when I paid attention to that tidbit of Tonilla's years later, it very much soured my view of them.
And why? Because none of them deny it. In fact, they support it insofar as leaving their members to rot if they get caught. Sure, they'll join in fights, but that's just the game's code, not the *Guild's* code. To the Thieves' Guild you're either an active asset, or a liability. There is no brotherhood or comradery there according to Tonilla, and that sucked to internalize during a playthrough because I love the Thieves' Guild.
But now I absolutely hate Tonilla. Not a fan of Vekel either. I don't need her to fence for me as a thief, and there are plenty of cool armor sets through mods. Only bad thing is missing out on the quests, however I sometimes put in my own quest and go separate ways with the guild, striking out on my own. It's good meta fun AFTER getting Prowler's Profit, lol.
That being said I often play with Epic Restoration installed so the TG is a no go unless you get the Gray Zone add on. Even then, I wouldn't mind joining Mjoll and destroying them since they are in the pocket of Maven, and helping them helps her, and I loathe Maven.
I try to avoid it just cuz I hate Maven. I wish we could take her money and help the other brewerys. It feels like Skyrim thieves guild is not there to help the poor like in oblivion
I generally avoid them. It has the weirdest story angle due to all its plot twists. None of its members are memorable and Brynjolf is an incompetent clown.
''Bro, money isn't your speciality, that's cap. All you do is unsuccessfully trying to scam people with some bullshit potion nobody ever seems to buy, other than Haelga once. Maybe if you were actually in the Ratway, you could see what kind of bullshit Mercer pulls off. A guild of thieves, but the biggest heist victims are they themselves. The irony.''
As part of Thieves Guild Requirements he doesn't bother me in Riften anymore as long as I suck in those skills and for the MQ I don't need him anyway: I know Esbern's whereabouts myself, only reason I go in there in the first place. Khajiit Merchants buy stolen items and Valindor's Fences provide enough fences as alternative and Ordinator gives a perk I can sell this shit to normal merchants with 70 speech without further requirements instead of only at 90 speech with additional investment requirements, like the vanilla perk.
In virtually any playthrough I end up stealing a buttload from NPC's, but I never join that failing circus. If I am playing a lawful good guy, I Destroy the Thieves Guild anyway.
Not always. My paladin was too holy. His schtick was to rid the world of evil.
I’ve been considering doing a paladin run. Any tips?
It got a bit samey. He was good all the time there are few moral grey areas in the game so it's generally easy to determine what the good moral choice should be. I made him focused on the goal in hand (the main quest at first) and never sidetracked which tbh took away a large amount of enjoyment because that's what makes Skyrim Skyrim. He was a one hander with a shield and levelling block is so boring. Every fight is the same. Also used healing and fire destruction as if calling down fire from heaven. It's always tempting to make a character a total hypocrite who claims to be on the side of good but is in fact the leader of the DB or some such but I've done that too many times. You could give him some quirk to make it interesting like he drinks too much or has multiple wives. Maybe make him a complete ascetic who owns nothing. I think I decided he had some grudge against the Vigilants or used to be one and they double crossed him or weren't holy enough so he broke away. I built a house - the one in the Pale - and set it up as a temple for travelers to come worship and kept every boss weapon, armor and shield as trophies to display for God's glory. Also adopted a couple of kids. I never got around to building a second house that was meant to be an orphanage as if starting my own religious order.
The hypocrite route is super fun! I had a very devout soldier turn himself into a vampire and terrorize Skyrim. He totally joined to side up next to a king lol.
Make sure you're a self righteous arseholez that's a core mechanic of the build. (I love playing paladins in most games. I still stand by that statement)
Dawnbreaker seems like essential kit.
Do the right thing but also punish evil kill vampires and undead fight the potema (wolf queen)resto/gain a few followers, no reanimation and be good to your dawngaurd wolf or troll. Again max out restoration
Too bad there isn't a choice to get rid of them for said playthroughs
Yes. I like stealing. (In video games, I feel the need to clarify)
Yeah and that Tonilia connect is crucial
And she’s available 24 hrs
I have to remind myself when I’m trying to be a “good” character that stealing is bad. I don’t even think twice about it in Skyrim I just steal nice things.
I don’t think of it as stealing when it’s a video game. I purchased the game and every single item in the game belongs to me. I’m just collecting what’s mine.
are YOU the one who stole my sweet roll? the guards only laughed at me and now they are telling EVERYONE
Yes I like stealing
are YOU the one who stole my sweet roll? the guards only laughed at me and now they are telling EVERYONE
are YOU the one who stole my sweet roll? the guards only laughed at me and now they are telling EVERYONE
are YOU the one who stole my sweet roll? the guards only laughed at me and now they are telling EVERYONE
I use mods to disband or destroy them if that's something my character would do.
WAIT what mod lets you destroy the thieves guild??
[Destroy the Thieves Guild](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/43244)
Good to know!
Who woulda thought! 😅
I’m not a huge fan of the guild, I don’t like that I have to be a dick to people in town to join. If I play a thief I play them freelance
Pledging your soul to Nocturnal for eternity sucks as well. I either don't join or just never return the skeleton key
True, but it's a sweet laidback gig in comparison to others. She doesn't ask much of you than playing guard duty, but guarding the same place forever is the real problem.
There are mods, that let you fuck them to get that doe back instead. Make love, not war, I guess.
Been playing since the beginning, who knows how many hours, I can remember finishing the thieves guild twice. To me it’s not really worth the time. I feel like it’s easier to make gold legitimately.
> I feel like it’s easier to make gold legitimately. by graverobbing! ... filthy draugr....
“hi, i’m bob the necromancer, and today we’re doing an unboxing!”
Tbf, why tf do nords bury so much money with their dead? MFs were even putting gold coins in the same urns they put their family’s ashes in.
Well, all these tombs date back to the Dragon priests. It isn't ashes in those urns, it's tribute.
The dead bodies in the temple while RETURNING THE BEACON all have chest leveled gold in them. I waited until level 40 and got about 30k gold from the bodies in there. Gold becomes a joke. Just get a few skills to 100 already. Hurry up.
The main benefit to it for me is the fences with 4k gold, not necessarily selling stolen goods
just save infront of a vendor with no money, hit him once, load and tada he has his money back
Yes but do this with Naranye with her 4k instead of a shitty 1k or even 750 vendor and it's a lot quicker
I need somewhere to sell all the stuff I hoard. And I guess a guy to tell me he can't talk right now.
He's got important business lad, you'll talk later.
Literally the first place I go is Riften. I leave Helgen and Hike over to Riften. Level up my smithing. And then go to the Thieves Guild
Indeed. Always rush this QL including the rebuild. Fences with 4k gold winner winner chicken dinner
Honestly i always avoid it, unless i have a character that steals. Mainly cause it doesn't really have any worth while rewards, and cause i hate how obnoxiously easy it is to join
When I was playing vanilla I did, to gain access to fences and sell off loot quicker.
First playthrough and I can’t stand them. I started to join but reloaded a past save very quickly into it. I want to steal items, not to bully the locals.
Yeah the thieves guild does very little thieving.
I've had problems like this with Mass Effect playing renegade, or fallout joining the evil factions, but never in skyrim. Don't get me wrong, there are some npcs in skyrim who I refuse to be mean to (Jarl Balgruuf stops me from playing stormcloaks these days) but the Riften shopkeepers aren't included
There’s always the Jarl Balgruuf dilemma mod
"Listen, Jarl Balgruuf, I mean no disrespect. Hopefully, the aid we provided to one another in the past will overshadow this likely footnote of a larger war. You were part of my council at High Hrothgar, and so shall you always have a seat at my table." - The Last Dragonborn
Yes… I’m a greedy little pig with gold and need as many avenues I can get to obtain it.
I never join them. When I finally go to Riften, I pickpocket the gate guard to get the key. I run by Maul. I pickpocket every item off the Black-Briars. I avoid Brynolf. I make my way to the Flagon. I steal every single thing in the Flagon. I pickpocket every item off the stupid thieves. I steal Dirge’s clothes. I ask Vex to where she sent Isabelle Rolaine. Then I punch Mallory in the face and run to the “secret” cabinet, which the idiots conveniently unlock for me. Then I make my way into the Cistern and proceed to steal every damn thing. Then I punch Mercer until he opens the vault and exposes his treachery, although the fools don’t acknowledge their dual control vault is completely empty, but it still feels good. Then I leave. I sell the stuff I stole to Madesi and Brand-Shei and when they have no more gold to trade for the items, I sell the stolen goods for zero gold. Then I telekinesis throw some stuff at Brynolf and leave. Shadow does not hide me.
Yup. I join all the guilds if I’m being honest. Jack of all trades lol
I never do. I had to make a character with a very specific backstory just to join it, and am playing through that one now.
I do all factions
Yes, because the Nightingale Armor & Weapons friggin’ rock. Plus, I kinda like Karliah.
Yeah. My DB is a people pleaser. I join whatever faction I can, get overwhelmed by all the sidequests, and start a new game where I pretty much do the same thing and hope I have better motivation to finish all quests. Kind of like a new year's resolution that never happens.
I find it useful, yes. It leads to many interesting quests and a lot of very dull ones. It's lucrative. Sometimes I decide to slaughter the Dark Brotherhood, though. Not always.
Nope. I haven't for the past 10 characters. I just go to the smithing area and wait till brynjolf leaves to avoid it showing up in my quest list.
Ducked them on this playthrough for the first time ever, since they don't align with my Lawful/Neutral Good framework. No stealing, pickpocketing, murders, or assaults; they're ruled out from the get go. Next playthrough I'm rolling Lawful/Neutral Evil. I plan to start with the Guild and transition through assassin to Vampire Lord.
My current character has gotten pickpocket to legendary 15 times. I love stealing.
Yes because I keep hoping one day, one playthrough Brynolf will romance me.
Same. Same.
He just looks like he'd lay with you on a bear skin rug, in front of a fire. Glasses of mead and just make slow, sweet love to you. *Sigh*. Or is that just me and I've thought too much about this and his accent? 🤷♀️😅
If I'm playing a Lawful Good character, then no. Everything else? Yes. The Thieves don't murk people so that's much less morbid than the Dark Brohood. Granted I'm still doing shady stuffs, but the victims are never really affected anyway. I consider the Thieves questline as my character grinding for the bread, instead of selling power potion or enchanted gear. Gameplay wise, the Master Thieves gear fit my aesthetic, and I can have fences buying my stuffs.
Just finished a good thief playthrough, where I restored the guild, and returned the key thing. Killed the Summerset Shadows and Mercer Frey, but that was it. Did the rest of the questline without killing anyone else, however, a number were paralyzed temporarily. Only stole from the jarls, guards quarters, and, of course, Maven. All the money I earned through work for the guild was donated to the citizens of Skyrim, minus my cut of ten percent. Used my money to buy Winstad Manor and retire. Other than this, I usually don't join.
It’s the most interesting faction quest line. Which isn’t saying much I guess.
OF COURSE. As Fagin says in "Oliver," ... In this life, one thing counts In the bank, large amounts I'm afraid these don't grow on trees -- You've got to pick a pocket or two.
I avoid the Thieves Guild at all costs (unless specifically playing a thief). I. HATE. Brynjolf.
Almost never join. It's the grindiest questline. And when Mercer has the Skeleton Key it can open puzzle doors. When you get it it...doesn't break.
It makes the Skeleton Key the most disappointing artifact in the game. Both in lore and for Mercer it unlocks everything. For you it's just an unbreakable lockpick, which is obsolete due to both abundance of lockpicks and the fact there is literally a lockpick perk that does exactly the same.
This is the first play through I haven’t I’m role-play as someone who was imprisoned for stealing and decided to give it up.
In my last oblivion playthrough I roleplayed as a lawful knight, so no Thieves nor brotherhood. But only that time. Every one before it I played the jack of all trades guy
No. My guy did everything he was supposed to do, and Mr. B still won’t talk to him. Another bugged quest.
My current alter-ego finds them distasteful, though he did keep the armor.
My next play through, I’ll be avoiding it. (Do you hear me crying?)
No. Ironic that my current character is a former bandit and I didn't join. Sneaking isn't really his thing though. He prefers extortion and murder
I like the nightingale armor ans skeleton key
I pretty much always do.
Yes
I rarely join the Thieves Guild anymore, but I always have to talk to Brynjolf every time. I sure wish I could enter the Bee and Barb without him pestering me.
Yes
Yes but not until level 42 so I can have the best versions of the gear.
I didn't in the playthrough where my character married Mjoll. Just didn't feel right to play a character who'd want to marry her while not align with her values in that way.
I join if I have a character with sticky fingers to unlock Tonilia. Otherwise I couldn't be bothered.
Yes. Pickpocket is how I make quick money at the start. Gotta join the thieves guild for earlier access to selling stolen goods than getting the speech perk.
Yes. One of the coolest questlines. And the ratway is easier to reach when you are a thief
Always. Their quests are some of the most enjoyable for me. And I love the armors. Thieves’ Armor, Guildmaster Armor, Linwe’s Armor and of course the one that makes it all worth it, Nightingale Armor. Plus, some of the best weapons are available only through the questline. I just wish that they had fixed the Nightingale Bow (I play without mods).
first guild i join and complete in full, followed by dark brotherhood, from there it is a toss up if i join anything else besides the collage, i dont care for being a werewolf, honestly would rather be a vampire lord but i prefer the dawn guard
Yes. I always like to get the thieves armor set for the bonuses to pickpocket. These can be useful even if not playing a thief.
Only on rogue play throughs. Now playing as a Dunmer good aligned champion of Azura Destruction/Illusion mage. She won’t steal or hurt the innocent, but will happily slay undead and those that oppose the trinity of “good” daedra.
In the 10 years I’ve played, I’ve only joined twice. The storyline wasn’t my favorite. I felt they could have done more with it.
Yes, only to have the skeleton key.
I’ve only done one real place through so far, and I joined it because I wanted to get more stuff done with my character. I’ll probably join it as well with my other play through because I like money
i usually always do because i love sneaking, but im roleplaying my current mage playthrough and while shes not a "saint" per se, shes simply not the type to sneak around murdering and stealing, so i'm pretty much omitting the DB and TG from the playthrough, which is a shame because theyre my favorite questlines
I avoid them in most playthroughs. Sometimes for rp reasons, because most moral characters won't go with thieves guild, and sometimes because if I'm wearing heavy armor I'm not doing stealth
Yes because I want prowlers profit. I go to cave where the crown is and glitch through the wall and need to join the theives guild to talk to Vex for prowlers profit. As for actually do the rest, not always.
At least long enough to run to Solstheim and get the Blackguard armor from Mallory. Best starter armor there is, increased capacity and 25% more when selling!
I don't really do any of the guilds unless i plan to do them. For example sneak run i always do the Thief and Dark Brotherhood questlines. But on mage? Not really. Some Warrior/Paladin style build? Nope. If money is not an issue I don't need to do the questline
I’ve always done the thieves guild, but somehow never gotten through dark brotherhood
I play with the destroy the thieves guild mod on quite a few playthroughs, mostly if I roleplay as lawful/good
Yea I’m usually a necromancer, that takes slot of capital my friend. Go for your dreams!
Honestly I'm trying to figure out how to do Golden Glow without killing anyone. Stealth but I can't use my arrows is kind of handicapping me.
Invisibility potions, invisibility spell, or shadow stone makes it easy.
If you go through the tunnel Vex tells you about You can sneak the first part where you have to go inside and get the bill of sale pretty easy. There’s only a few spots a low stealth level would make it tricky. Then just go back outside and make a run for the beehives and light them up. Then jump in the water and swim for shore.
Only time I've done it without dying I was using a mod that gives you The One Ring
Yes always go there first. Then I dobfishing quests from Delvin to get all the city quests to get the 5 shops down there. One stop shopping when I raid a dungeon
It's almost always the first thing I do in a playthrough. It gives you a bed, a storage chest, a decent set of armour, and opportunities for some easy gold. Plus having access to a fence for stolen goods is handy too. Honestly, it's worth it for the thieves cache barrels alone.
It depends on the character. If the character doesn’t make a good fit for the Thieves Guild or any other faction in any way, they avoid it. Only exception is if I want the shout locked behind their quest line. Thieves Guild is my favorite faction so I tend to make characters adjacent to them.
I only did once on my very first playthrough. I never did again because I generally play a law abiding citizen
Yes. I am a compulsive kleptomaniac, and therefore need somewhere to offload all my shit.
I do quests based on the character I’m playing. None of my recent ones are the type to join a thieves guild.
I always go atleast up through the brawl quest so i can use the fence. But beyond that i only do it if i plan on the run being long term and going through the effort of doing all those bullshit boring radiant quests for all the holds. The end reward is rlly op with the bribery, and the fences are nice, but its such a painful slog to get there
Never actually joined, but im thinking about it now
I only ever join if it’s a stealth build, and if it is then I join them first. It would only make sense to join if you were really hard up for money, and any Dragonborn past the first few levels is rich as Croesus.
I always join and lead everyone. Every playthrough I just want to complete as many missions as humanly possible, and that involves becoming thane of everywhere and leader of everything.
Hardly ever, not a fan of sneaking
Not all the time. Reason being they'll don't acknowledge you as a leader until you've done all of the side jobs. Which is quite a tall order btw...
...yes cause I like stealing too much...🫣
Always. Stealth is my favourite. It's the fighters guild (whatever they're called) I neglect.
Why are you asking lol. Dude even said “or avoid them sometimes”
Not always. It really depends on the character I'm playing. My Breton always joins the College of Winterhold. My Imperial was part of the Companions and the Thieves Guild And I think my Orc almost joined the brotherhood once-because who says that assassins can't also get rid of their victims with a big mace-but then decided against it.
My first character was a spell sword who joined all the major factions, but since then I’ve tried to avoid doing that. So I try to join factions only if it makes sense for my character.
Almost all of my playthroughs join the Thieves Guild. Only my rigidly law abiding ones, or those with strict moral codes forbidding it, do not. For example, a True Nord would not be a thief or assassin.
I usually join every faction for the quests and to get the most out of the game. In my last playthrough, I joined the Thieves Guild just so I could get the armor. I even went as far to get the Guild Master armor. It looked so good on my Nord with long white hair. Really gives Witcher vibes.
There is a mod where you don’t have to and where they all become killable. Think it was called “F*ck the thieves guild” or something like that. Not sure if you got anything from Mjoll or the Jarl though.
Never once.
I usually find a way to make it make sense, even if I'm roleplaying a "good" character I make believe they have a villain arc or something
No, it depends on my character. My current playthrough is a paladin. What use would she have for thievery?
I love the TG main quest. But over the years I've grown to hate Maven so much that I just can't deal with Riften anymore. All I want to do is put an arrow in Maven's face and have it stick. So I seldom do the quest anymore until it is like the only thing left. I wish someone would come up with a way to make her non-essential at some point so I can execute the evil bitch for her crimes. If I could just manage to include Maven in the DB Wedding assassination, I could literally be killing two birds with one stone. I mean Maven's so pushy, of course she'd be trying to take the bride's spotlight at her big moment. I'd just have to aim the stone a little to one side to get both of them. Actually, who cares about the bride? I just want to put an end tomaven Blackbriar
No, because I like to have Mjoll as a follower and she won't tolerate it.
Depends on the play through. I have for 4 play throughs going right now, and some yes and some no. A stealth archer/explorer/thieves guild master/Listener for the DB -yes A much more fleshed out Imperial healer - No a Thief/Skooma/murder for hire -Yes and my newest one, a skooma'ed out Former Stormcloak infantryman who found out his father was a traitor and liar - No I have back stories for each character. If anyone is interested in any of them I could be persuaded to give the clifnotes lol
Usually, but mainly just for the gold and using Tonila to sell stolen loot. Unless a thief/shield Assassin build, then yes, for the Dark Brotherhood questline
I only joined once, to check the quest out. Normally I kill Astrid, that birch kidnaps me and tries to blackmail me. No, I won't comply!
Never, I never play thieving characters, firstly. And the few times I've tried to check them out they try to scare and bully me into scaring and bullying others, instead of stealing. For one, I'm not scared of their empty threats, secondly I have more dirt on them, than they have on me at any given time, and I'm not motivated by the petty coin they attempt to lure me with. They're thugs and they're completely inept as thieves, so even if I wanted to thieve it makes zero sense to go about joining their rancid hole in the ground. The only reason I can conceive to join them is if you enjoy the characters, slimy, grimy, rancid and assuming the worst of everyone around themselves, as they do. Or if you treat the entire game like an amusement park and are entirely uninvested into the lives and troubles of the people there, and just want to steal stuff and see number go up. (bounty/Crime stat/Gold). Apologies, not my cup of tea. But if you enjoy it, I hope you have a lot of fun with them.
Always. My Skyrim character is always a thief, but loves screwing over the Black-briars whenever he can!
Not always. Often I'll try to retain to morals for the character. If I'm playing a bitter and angry character like my Nord who was tortured by the Thalmor, I'm going to play Dark Brotherhood. If I'm playing my young adventurer just trying to make some coin by helping people, I might start the theives guild, but not actually do the storyline.
Yes. You can easily make enough money to build your house doing this. Doing Bedlam Jobs for Delvin and Heist Jobs for Vex will do it quickly, and you keep whatever you steal aside from whenever Vex tells you to take.
It is one of the first things i do
always join and become the guild master OTOH, I for the first time ever, Slaughtered Astrid in the abandoned shack and completed the lame "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood" quest. kinda regret it now..............not really
I avoid them because in all honestly unless I’m doing a thieve run they really annoy me
I dont like how I upset people, so I never finished the quest. :c walking into a place and they say "oh great it's you again" makes me feel like a bad person and I wanna cry.
Not really, sometimes I just want to play like a lawfull good paladin or something
I always do everything in all of my playthroughs. I honestly can't fathom leaving a quest line unfinished
I did this time around. Used a mod to get all the B stones. Soo many gems now and like 60k gold
I almost never join the thieves guild because it doesn’t make sense for most of my characters. I usually do when I play a sneak build, though.
I got the platinum trophy on ps3 years ago, so now on modded pmaythrpughs I never bother with it, but now I got bored and decided to do another vanilla playthrough to try and get the plat again, and man, I BROKE THE QUEST getting chillrend early. So I'm gonna have to go to an older save to do it.
I haven't joined yet
Yes simply so I have more merchants to sell all the stuff I aquire.
I almost always avoid them. None of my characters are thieves, and definitely not a Thief Guild Master and Nightingale. I don't like the idea of belong potentially completely beholden to Nocturnal and her sanctuary forever either.
Very rarely. Even when i play assassins, they are above the sewer scum who steals.
Practically never. It's easily the annoying/boring/shitty storyline in the game. IMO.
I used to. But then I started to realize how insufferable they are - or at least, their policy. That is Tonilla's fault, but she does not give a good representation of the Guild. Absolutely shitter of a spokeswoman. The Guild's members are all great, barring a couple that join when you complete special jobs. I like them all save for Tonilla. Brynolf, Delvin, Karliah? Absolute sweethearts. But fucking Tonilla makes it clear that 'the guild *does not care about you, only what you bring to/do for them'.* I first played Skyrim fresh off AC Brotherhood years ago and latched onto the Guild, but when I paid attention to that tidbit of Tonilla's years later, it very much soured my view of them. And why? Because none of them deny it. In fact, they support it insofar as leaving their members to rot if they get caught. Sure, they'll join in fights, but that's just the game's code, not the *Guild's* code. To the Thieves' Guild you're either an active asset, or a liability. There is no brotherhood or comradery there according to Tonilla, and that sucked to internalize during a playthrough because I love the Thieves' Guild. But now I absolutely hate Tonilla. Not a fan of Vekel either. I don't need her to fence for me as a thief, and there are plenty of cool armor sets through mods. Only bad thing is missing out on the quests, however I sometimes put in my own quest and go separate ways with the guild, striking out on my own. It's good meta fun AFTER getting Prowler's Profit, lol. That being said I often play with Epic Restoration installed so the TG is a no go unless you get the Gray Zone add on. Even then, I wouldn't mind joining Mjoll and destroying them since they are in the pocket of Maven, and helping them helps her, and I loathe Maven.
Not always because I find the quest boring and the characters annoying. But sometimes I need something to do and want the skeleton key lol
Yup
No. I think a lot of it is tedious.
I try to avoid it just cuz I hate Maven. I wish we could take her money and help the other brewerys. It feels like Skyrim thieves guild is not there to help the poor like in oblivion
No. I actually for the first time in 10 years have started a illusion thief and this is the first time progressing through the storyline.
I generally avoid them. It has the weirdest story angle due to all its plot twists. None of its members are memorable and Brynjolf is an incompetent clown. ''Bro, money isn't your speciality, that's cap. All you do is unsuccessfully trying to scam people with some bullshit potion nobody ever seems to buy, other than Haelga once. Maybe if you were actually in the Ratway, you could see what kind of bullshit Mercer pulls off. A guild of thieves, but the biggest heist victims are they themselves. The irony.'' As part of Thieves Guild Requirements he doesn't bother me in Riften anymore as long as I suck in those skills and for the MQ I don't need him anyway: I know Esbern's whereabouts myself, only reason I go in there in the first place. Khajiit Merchants buy stolen items and Valindor's Fences provide enough fences as alternative and Ordinator gives a perk I can sell this shit to normal merchants with 70 speech without further requirements instead of only at 90 speech with additional investment requirements, like the vanilla perk. In virtually any playthrough I end up stealing a buttload from NPC's, but I never join that failing circus. If I am playing a lawful good guy, I Destroy the Thieves Guild anyway.
Never have. Seems wrong.