Skyrim is one of the biggest RPGs in the industry. Its name has become synonymous with open-world RPG experiences, to the point that many modern game releases still feature map-size comparisons to Skyrim's. It is easy to see why the game has maintained such impressive staying power, as it gives players numerous options to encourage replaying it multiple times, it boasts one of the biggest libraries of mods available, and it is on nearly every platform for players to try.
All of this leads to players returning to Skyrim frequently, while many new gamers jump into it for the first time every year. Skyrim can be a long game, however, and some players may want to look for ways to get a step ahead at the early levels; especially if it is not their first time playing through it. There are countless mods available for Skyrim to improve aspects of the game or make the early levels go by faster, but not all players want to use mods or have access to them on their platform of choice. Luckily, there are some tricks that every Skyrim player can take advantage of to get ahead quickly.
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Many players prefer to approach Skyrim from the shadows, sneaking past areas with ranged strikes from a bow. One of the very best armors for this approach is the Blackguard Armor Set. The armor does not boast stats that are particularly great, but it does feature a number of enchantments that can alleviate many of the early growing pains for stealth-based characters. Thankfully, players can earn the Blackguard Armor Set in Skyrim at level one for an easy power boost early in the game. To do so, players have to do perform a series of exploits, but they are easy enough that any dedicated player should get their hands on the armor quickly.
For less stealth-focused characters, Daedric gear is one of the most coveted sets in all of Skyrim. Luckily, there are a few ways for players to get their hands on Daedric gear at level one in Skyrim as well. The process can take quite a while and does take advantage of a few different common exploits. However, following it through to the end is both a great way for new players to get some seriously strong gear as well as a fun challenge for experienced players to try when revisiting the game for the third or dozenth time.
Just like the real world, the world of Skyrim revolves around money. This means that some of the game's most coveted resources are often locked behind players being able to purchase them, such as unlocking houses. Having a house is a big benefit for players so that they have somewhere to sleep for free, as well as storing their resources that are too heavy to be carried around constantly. Luckily, there is a way to get any player house for free in Skyrim using the game's Slow time shout. This trick may not be possible until a little later in the game, but it is a big benefit for players who have other things they want to spend their money on.
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Besides accumulating a fortune, another one of Skyrim's most time-consuming activities is gathering resources for crafting recipes. High-level players tend to naturally have the resources available to them from playing the game or being able to buy them, but many new players may not know where to get the resources easily or will have trouble getting them. For players who do not want to spend hours grinding for alchemy components, there is a rather simple way for Skyrim players to duplicate any item. The glitch can take some time, but it is a great help for players who want to either fool around with some of the game's rarer items, or for players who don't want to waste time gathering items so that they can see more of what makes Skyrim great.
Another quick way for new players or save files to amass some starting funds is to hunt down Skyrim's numerous hidden chests. There are seven popular hidden chests across the game. The most valuable of these is in Windhelm, although it does require players to have recruited one of Skyrim's many followers. Once in Windhelm, players can clip under the map and access the hidden chests of the merchants in the marketplace. From below the map, players can have their followers loot the chests up above before collecting all of the goodies later on. Another hidden chest is located in the ground just outside the gatehouse at the front of Solitude, while another is accessible by glitching through the floor of Solitude's Blue Palace.
The most valuable of the single hidden chests, however, is the hidden chest in Skyrim's Dawnstar expansion, although its location near the Iron-Breaker Mine is incredibly specific. Another chest is hidden near the bride past the windmill outside Markarth, and yet another can be accessed by glitching out of the bounds of Whiterun and finding a chest just beneath the Skyforge. Finally, players can access two hidden chests within the Winterhold College, although it will likely take a number of tries as they have to be accessed while falling into the void below.
Either way, the chests are both a great way for players to get ahead early in the game while also offering a fun challenge for experienced players to try when they run out of factions to begin leading. It is really great to see how much enjoyment players can still find in Skyrim, and it will be very interesting to see if The Elder Scrolls 6 can manage to capture the same lightning in a bottle that Skyrim has.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now for PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
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