Dawnguard Review & Skyrim: Dawnguard Weapons and Armor Guide

[Archangel Tyrael]

 

You don’t dabble in Skyrim. You either throw yourself into dozens of hours of exploration and combat, or you stay away. As a result, most gamers interested in Dawnguard have probably already devoted a big chunk of time to Bethesda’s open-world masterpiece. Though the vampire plotline is a tonal step removed from the rest of the game, players should have no illusions; Dawnguard offers more of what you have already played, and it’s squarely targeted to folks who have exhausted the base game’s substantial storylines and still hunger for more. If that’s you, Dawnguard should sate your thirst.

 

Like the Civil War plot thread of Skyrim, Dawnguard’s story brings you into one of two opposing sides of a conflict. On one side is the Dawnguard, a legendary organization of vampire hunters who must prevent a looming undead apocalypse. You gain access to the new crossbow weapons, summon armored trolls into combat, and even develop new abilities as a werewolf, if that’s your thing. If you choose the other side, you become a fledgling vampire lord and attempt to bring unending night down upon the world as you drain your enemies’ blood. At least, that’s the way things start out. Bethesda has done an admirable job in both plotlines of offering meaningful choices at several junctures, letting you guide how things turn out. A few side quests are even peppered in for good measure. Different characters and missions are available in both story paths, but don’t expect entirely different experiences; most locations and general goals echo each other.

 

Whether delving into the life of a vampire lord or exploring the new werewolf perk tree, I wasn’t totally sold on the experience. Your actions in these alternate forms help to improve your monstrous abilities, from turning into mist as a vampire to increased healing from your feedings as a werewolf. The problem is the mechanics themselves; in the heat of battle, transforming takes precious seconds, and you’re then forced to play in third-person as you wreak havoc – not Skyrim’s strong suit. Moreover, the increased size of your monstrous form doesn’t fit through the tight spaces of many corridors, so you have to change back before proceeding. Frankly, I was happy to stick with my powered-up weapons and magic skills when things got really challenging.

 

I appreciate that no matter your choices, Dawnguard doesn’t cling too tightly to its gothic vampire milieu. The Elder Scrolls universe is vast and interconnected, so seeing the tale veer into other planes, long-lost elven races, and forgotten hidden vales is thrilling. New dungeons and outdoor areas provide the sense of discovery and wonder at the heart of the Elder Scrolls experience, and new monsters help the combat feel fresh. The expansion deserves a special nod for a particularly striking combat scene on the surface of a frozen lake.

 

Dawnguard is limited in scope, and its 10-plus hours of playtime (for one path) is significant, but only a drop in the bucket when compared to its base game’s hundreds of hours of quests. Lore enthusiasts will appreciate several significant developments, and no matter your choice, both new organizations have memorable characters and conversations. I had a blast returning to Skyrim after a few months away. Even so, Bethesda did such a fine job of entertaining me the first time out that Dawnguard feels more like an added bonus than an essential ingredient of the whole.

 

Click here for Site and video. http://www.gameinformer.com/games/the_elder_scrolls_v_skyrim__dawnguard/b/xbox360/archive/2012/07/02/skyrim-diverts-into-the-macabre.aspx

 

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Skyrim's new expansion, Dawnguard, adds a ton of new content for you to explore, but sometimes you just need a really good weapon. We've already shown you the new Dragon Shouts, the new abilities ofWerewolves, and the undead power of Vampire Lords. It’s time for you to hit the forge and find that sharp new thing to stab into the hearts of your enemies. For this guide, we’ve scoured every corner ofDawnguard so you won't have to.

 

You might want to empty out your pockets before you get started on this guide for new weapons and armor in Dawnguard.

 

 

Zephyr -- This unique Dwarven Bow can be found during the "Lost to the Ages" quest in Arkngthamz. It's enchanted with a unique ability to fire 30% faster than normal. It's a solid choice for a middle tier bow, but there's a better unique bow in Dawnguard.

 

Auriel's Bow -- You get this during the main questline in the Forgotten Vale. Not only is it a pretty strong option for a bow with its fast draw time, but it also does extra damage to undead creatures. You can also equip two different types of unique arrows with it: Sunhallowed and Bloodcursed.

 

Sunhallowed Elven arrows cause the sun to shoot sunbursts at nearby enemies when you shoot them at the sun. Bloodcursed Elven arrows temporarily blot out the sun for a day if you happen to aim for that big ball of fire in the sky. Both arrow types only perform their special abilities when you use them with Auriel’s Bow. You can get more Sunhallowed arrows from Gelebor in the Forgotten Vale, and Serana gives you Bloodcursed arrows after the questline is over.

• Dawnguard Video: First 15-Minutes of Vampire Lord Walkthrough
  

 

Auriel's Shield -- You'll need to find one of the hidden Jewel Paragons in the Forgotten Vale and insert it into the Paragon Portal. Once you use the Ruby Paragon and enter the portal, you'll have to kill a Falmer Warmonger to obtain the unique heavy shield for your own use. Like a lot of the new items, it has a unique enchantment. This massive shield stores up the energy from blocked attacks, and then releases it when you do a power bash.

 

Shellbug Helmet -- This heavy armor comes from combining Shellbug Chitin and Iron. There's only one instance of Shellbug Chitin in the game: The Forgotten Vale. Head there and search for a group of Falmer and a Shellbug. You have to mine the shellbug to get the material, so try to remember to bring a pickaxe when you go. Taking a pickaxe to this mighty creature will give you enough chitin to make one helmet.

 

Saint Jiub's Locket -- You'll get this as a reward for finding all 10 pages of Jiub's Opus in the Soul Cairn. It might look like just a necklace, but it has an armor rating, plus it fortifies your Stamina and carry weight by 50 points. This little trinket is a great addition for middle level characters.

 

 

Harkon's Sword -- Harkon has it on his body after you kill him. It's not super useful if you've been playing a Vampire Hunter, since its enchantment of absorbing 15 points of Health, Magicka, and Stamina only works for those of the Vampire persuasion.

 

Aetherial Items -- Completing the quest "Lost to the Ages" gives you the chance to make a one-of-a-kind item. You'll have the ability to make the Aetherial Crown that lets you use the powers of two Gurdian Stones: the Aetherial Shield that makes you ethereal for 15 seconds after blocking, or the Aetherial Staff that gives you the power to summon a Dwarven Spider or Dwarven Sphere of a limited amount of time. If you don’t like any of those options, you can always sell the item for a lot of gold.

• Dawnguard Guide: Achievement and Trophies Guide
  

Vampire Royal Armor -- This piece of light armor is a slightly better version of the Vampire Armor. You can find a set in the ruins beneath Castle Volkihar as well as a set on Harkon.

 

Crossbows -- As one of the major additions to Skyrim, members of Dawnguard will be able to undergo a number of quests to get upgrades for this automated weapon, including various ammo types. Jump through enough quest hoops and you’ll eventually obtain the Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow, a crossbow that ignores 50% of the enemy’s armor.

Dawnguard Armor -- Created in Light and Heavy variants, a full set of either will grant you 25% less damage from Vampire Attacks and Drain Life spells.

 

 

Falmer Hardened Armor and Heavy Gear -- These heavy armor versions of Falmer gear are tempered with Chaurus Chitin. This is a relatively strong heavy armor if you haven't quite reached full Ebony sets yet.

 

Dragonbone Weapons -- Other than the crossbows, these are the only non-unique items added, but they're still worth getting. Not only do they look pretty amazing, these bone white weapons are the strongest in the game from a base damage standpoint. For example, a Dragonbone sword starts three points stronger than a Daedric one. Throw an enchantment on one, and you're all set for just about anything.

 

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[WonderWombat]

I haven't played it (probably never will) because I'm assuming that it follows Skyrim with the sub-par writing, and the "easier is better" philosiphy Bethesda wants to follow.

 

Their games are like.... Michael Bay Movies I guess. They had some good games like Dawnguard and Morrowind (which would be Michael Bay's Rock), then they got sloppier like Oblivion and Fallout 3, but still decent (like Michael Bay''s the Island). Then it Skyrim was made just to be cool (which would be Transformers).

 

But I did have a question believe it or not

 

Bethesda seems to have better writing in DLC's. Like the Shivering Isles for Oblivion. And the Pitt and Point Lookout for Fallout 3. So does this actually have some interesting charaters and a decent story?

[Zelda]

I haven't played it (probably never will) because I'm assuming that it follows Skyrim with the sub-par writing, and the "easier is better" philosiphy Bethesda wants to follow.

 

Their games are like.... Michael Bay Movies I guess. They had some good games like Dawnguard and Morrowind (which would be Michael Bay's Rock), then they got sloppier like Oblivion and Fallout 3, but still decent (like Michael Bay''s the Island). Then it Skyrim was made just to be cool (which would be Transformers).

 

But I did have a question believe it or not

 

Bethesda seems to have better writing in DLC's. Like the Shivering Isles for Oblivion. And the Pitt and Point Lookout for Fallout 3. So does this actually have some interesting charaters and a decent story?

 

 

Decent characters, yes. Story???......... No. I was a beta tester, and it was a pretty easy run through. I ended up beating well before the other testers did. It was easy, fast, and well, almost boring. The only part that took awhile to do was in the oblivion realm. No quest markers = a bit of searching for things and almost sleepy like state. Other than that, it was ok. Hearthfire on the other hand, I love it to death. Yeah, I know, its a simple small $5 DLC, but I love it to death. I love building my own house, I love the fact that I have to go out of my way to get supplies and build my own supplies. I really do love it. The only disappointment that I have with it, is the fact they don't offer much customization. Like different stone textures, wall textures, building architectural, and being able to put what I want in furnishings and where I want to put them. But in all, the Hearthfire DLC is the best so far!