Part 32: The Elder Updates XXXI - Khajiit Hate to Cave

Khajiit Hate to Cave


Having changed back into our heavy armor, it's time to blaze a trail for Skingrad.


But not before a deer distracts me into exploring the Gold Coast a bit.





Hmmm...bandits?


Hrrrrah!
Actually, she was the Master Trainer for marksmanship. Guess we'll never get to pay out the nose for training in the upper echelons of bow-shooting.


Hmm...there's something here.


A little spelunking is in order, I think.
It's generally worth checking out a campsite if you see one on your compass. At the worst, you'll have to deal with a bandit or three, and they always seem to be near a dungeon of some sort.


And now, cave time.


We'll be using our Mithril Boots to make stealth a bit easier.



The gimmick to this dungeon? Undead things. Right off the bat we're given a ghost and some zombies to deal with.


Looooooots of these fuckers in this cave. We get up to journeyman Destruction, which will let us cast some more powerful spells.


The ghost is dealt with in much the same way.


We also run into some Headless Zombies, which are meaty and hit very, very hard.


To put it mildly, they are not to be trifled with.


Eventually, we come to a chasm full of Skeleton Guardians. There's six of the things down there, and with 170 HP a pop (about equal to a Headless Zombie!), I do not want to get into a direct fight with them. They're goddamn health sponges, and therefore bad at being skeletons, period. Fuck Skeleton Guardians.


So I shoot them with magic and arrows from above forever and ever and ever.


And I can do this with impunity, because they just don't know how to path to me. In a way I'm relieved to be able to take out these annoying enemies so easily, but at the same time, it's not the most fun way to have to do things.

So bad.


All gone!


Maybe these scamps are a bit TOO loyal.


Now, let's see what these skeletons were guarding.


...oh.


Well, there's this passage...







Bah.


This way, I suppose.


We're going higher and higher, by the way.


Of course there are more zombies.







...a hole?



Oh.
And that's how you get out of the skeleton chasm. Creative, I guess.


Might as well clear out this place.


Oh, damn it all.











And before long...


...three of these fuckers.



Gah...these things take a lot of punishment!


Just...


Go...


Down...!


DIE!


This is absurd.


Perhaps a better weapon is in order.
The Bound Dagger IS better than our Dwarven Longsword, but only just. It's a reason to use Conjuration, I guess.


Fortunately, it lasts long enough to take down this Skeleton Guardian, and another which I guess I forgot to get a screenshot of dying.


Khajiit just had a thought...perhaps these are offerings to the dead.


Nord, most likely.

A bit more cave-slogging later...


Graaaah! I HATE this!


Y'know what, I couldn't agree more. I pushed further and further and eventually found a Skeleton Hero, which, as you might imagine, was much like a Skeleton Guardian but betterworse. Skeletons should not be this much of a pain to deal with. In fact, let's go down the list, shall we?

Skeleton: 20 HP, 5 Power
Skeleton Guardian: 170 HP, 8 Power
Skeleton Hero: 280(!!) HP, 12 Power

I don't profess to know anything about game design, but that just seems like a huge leap in strength to me. And my GOD, why do these guys need to have miniboss-level health anyway? Even if you're prepared, ONE will take a minute to kill, if not more. This progression isn't just bad - it's boned.

Oblivion's Not That Bad Points: (-11 + - + (3 * ))/)


Also we got a Greater soul. YAY I guess.


Fuck that cave though.