Morrowind Madness

[Daeval]

I was driven to load up Morrowind again recently when Gryph mentioned his attempted worldwide murderous rampage. A few months ago, I had been playing it frequently and hatched a crazy scheme for instant and supreme power, but never "put it to paper." Some unspeakable force drove me to do it this time. I've submitted it to GameFAQs, and I thought I'd post it here too just to see what people had to say, if anyone bothers to read through it.

 

 

A brief explanation: I'd seen a lot of tips and tricks about how to become powerful in Morrowind. Most of them involved glitches, thief skills, or "rock-on-a-button" overnight skill building. I had an idea for a power-tripping technique that you could do right away with any type of character, without cheating or abusing glitches, and that wouldn't take very long.

 

 

I present to 1Emulation: The Universal, Glitch-Free, Level 1 Power Trip FAQ.

 

(I'm going to make a second post to make it easier to read. I'll try to keep it formatted nice.)

[Daeval]

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Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind

------------------------------

The Universal, Glitch-Free, Level 1 Power Trip FAQ

 

Version 1.0 - 09/15/04

By Daeval

 

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= Table Of Contents =

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Part 1: What is this Guide?

 

Part 2: The Method

Step 1 - Prologue

Step 2 - The Sword of White Woe

Step 3 - A Two Man Job

Step 4 - The Fence

Step 5 - Supplies, Part 1

Step 6 - Supplies, Part 2

Step 7 - Not Your Mother's Meat and Potatoes

Step 8 - Alchemical Education

Step 9 - Sword and Steed

Step 10 - The Not-So-Epic Journey Begins

Step 11 - The Pilgrimage

Step 12 - The Descent to Hell

Step 13 - A Cowardly Assassination

Step 14 - The Twin Grails

Step 15 - Your Wildest Dreams

 

Part 3: Further Resources

 

Part 4: Tips and Tricks

 

Part 5: Contacts and Legalese

 

 

 

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= Part 1: What is this Guide? =

===============================

 

Morrowind is a huge game, with tons of different ways to play. There are also a ton of ways to abuse the game and make insanely powerful characters. There are a lot of FAQs on "power gaming" or "cheap play," and most of them call for the abuse of glitches in the gameplay, such as the Soul Gem bug, or for specific sets of skills, especially Thief skills. I wanted to find a shortcut to incredible power that any character could use, without abusing any of the well-known glitches in the system.

 

What I put together is a 15 step process, that will probably take a little over half an hour, that ANY character can use, without cheating or abusing glitches. It requires no special patches or expansions. The result of this process is the ability to create your own magic items, using any effect you can find, for any duration. With a little creativity, this makes you nearly unstoppable. It's not hard to make yourself impossible to hit, become able to steal anything without recourse, or to travel unimpeded by terrain.

 

To say that this guide contains spoilers may be an understatement. It won't take you through any of the main quest, aside from the first encounter with Caius Cosades. However, you will be so potentially powerful when you finish that the game itself should be dreadfully easy. Basically, play the game first, and come back and try this once you've had your fun with the story.

 

 

 

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= Part 2: The Method =

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Step 1 - Prologue

------------------

Make your character however you like. Talk to Sellus to get your package and head outside. On your way out, grab one each of the following from around the swamps in Seyda Neen: Luminous Russula, Violet Coprinus, Bungler's Bane and Hypha Facia. There is a tree near the stone wall that surrounds the Census Office that has both Bungler's Bane and Hypha Facia. Luminous Russula and Violet Coprinus can be found near the lighthouse. Follow the trail out of town to the west, towards Hla Oad. Before long, Tarhiel should fall from the sky. Grab his Scrolls of Icarian Flight and his Extravagant Shoes (or his Extravagant Robe if you're a beast race), then head back to town.

 

 

Step 2 - The Sword of White Woe

--------------------------------

Take the silt strider to Balmora and make your way to the northeastern most tower. Head to the top of the stairs and get the guard's attention. Get him to look down the stairs towards the weapons on the wall. Make sure he's watching and grab the dagger on the wall at the base of the stairs. As soon as you grab it, run like hell to the very bottom of the stairs, then let the guard catch you. Pay him the 10 gold and head up the stairs to the top story. Look at the top left edge of the closet. You should see the pommel of the Sword of White Woe sticking over the edge. Grab that and walk out. While you're in the neighborhood, go deliver your package to Caius Cosades and talk to him about Orders for 200 gold.

 

 

Step 3 - A Two Man Job

-----------------------

Head to the Mage's Guild and join it by talking to Ranis Athrys. Go downstairs to Ajira and ask her for duties. She'll ask for mushrooms. You should have grabbed all four in step 1. Give her those and ask for duties again. She'll tell you to plant a fake soul gem in Galbedir's desk. Stay downstairs and wait for Galbedir to come down. Once she's down, head to the top story, where her desk is. Drop the fake gem in her desk. Now, we're going to do a little more to help Ajira. Take the Grand Soul Gem (Winged Twilight) and the Greater Soul Gem (Dremora) from Galbedir's desk. Head back to Ajira to report your success.

 

 

Step 4 - The Fence

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Talk to Masalinia Merian, in the room with Ajira, and have her teleport you to Caldera. Exit the Caldera Mage's guild and take the street to the right, following it down until you hit a stone wall. Turn to your right and you'll see a door to Ghorak Manor. Go in there, and head upstairs to meet Creeper, one of the two best buyers in the game. Sell him your Greater Soul Gem (Dremora), and take his Ancient Dagoth Brandy in exchange. Then, rest for 24 hours to let his cash replenish. Next, sell him the Sword of White Woe, taking your Greater Soul Gem and his Skooma in exchange, then rest again. Finally, sell him back his Brandy and Skooma. You should end up with about 11K, and you should have both your soul gems. Head back outside.

 

 

Step 5 - Supplies, Part 1

--------------------------

Across the street from Ghorak Manor is Verick Germain's Trader shop. Buy the Ring of Aversion (10 second Invisibility) from him and head back to the Mage's Guild. Look for Medila Indarin near the entrance and buy the spell "Spirit Knife" from her. Open the door near the stairs and climb the tower. At the top are a Master's Mortar and Pestle, Alembic, Calcinator, and Retort. Grab those and get Emelia Duronia to teleport you to Ald-ruhn.

 

 

Step 6 - Supplies, Part 2

--------------------------

In the Ald-ruhn Mage's Guild, head downstairs and through the wooden door to find Tanar Llervi. Buy a Scroll of Mark and a Scroll of Leaguestep from her. Have Erranil teleport you back to Balmora. In the Balmora Mage's Guild, buy the spell "Soul Trap" from Masalinia Merian, and the spell "Water Walking" from Marayn Dren. Now you need two Scrolls of Almsivi Intervention, and one Scroll of Divine Intervention. First, search the supply chest near the main entrance. If that doesn't have all three scrolls, buy the rest from Galbedir. Head to Milie Hastein's clothing shop near the northeast end of town. Buy an Exquisite Amulet and an Extravagant Ring. Head back to the Mage's guild and have Masalinia teleport you to Sadrith-Mora.

 

 

Step 7 - Not Your Mother's Meat and Potatoes

---------------------------------------------

In Sadrith-Mora, exit the Mage's Guild and head down the stairs. The door to your left at the bottom of the stairs is the Imperial Shrine. Go in and find Aunius Autrus. He carries an infinite number of Ash Yams and Bloat. Buy about 125 of each. If your alchemy skill is good, you may need fewer, but this is a safe number for characters with Alchemy 5. You'll have to hit "offer" and then "barter" again to get enough. See Part 4 of this FAQ for an optional tip you can use here.

 

 

Step 8 - Alchemical Education

------------------------------

What you're about to do is the core of this entire "trick." Equip your Mortar and Pestle and toss in one Ash Yam and one Bloat (hold CTRL to add 1 at a time), then hit Create. Do this until you succeed, creating a Fortify Intelligence Potion. Drink it (remember to get out of menu mode for a second to let the potion take effect), and then make another one. You will have a better chance at success this time because your intelligence has been boosted. You see where this is going yet? Each time you make one, drink it and make another. As your intelligence rises, you'll succeed more frequently, so you can start making them 5 or 10 attempts at a time. Before long, you will rarely fail on a potion regardless of your alchemy skill, and you should have an intelligence in the thousands. It sounds daunting, but it shouldn't take more than a few minutes. With 125 of each ingredient, I was able to get my Intelligence well over 2500, which should be enough for our purposes. Before we continue, SAVE! Make a new save right now! Just incase...

 

 

Step 9 - Sword and Steed

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Ok, now that you make Einstein look retarded, it's time for the fun stuff. You remember those soul gems you stole? And the fancy clothing? And those spells you learned? MMhhmmm.. Time to do some enchanting! But your enchantment skill is at like 5 you say? Skill means nothing, your brain is using brute force with an Intelligence in the thousands! We're going to make two items for now. The order of the effects is apparently important:

 

The Amulet of Eternal Servitude

Item: Exquisite Amulet

Soulgem: Grand Soul Gem (Winged Twilight)

Cast Cost: 86

Charges: 300

Effects:

Soul Trap for 2 Seconds on Touch

Damage Health, 100-100pts, for 2 Seconds on Touch

 

Mistwalkers

Item: Extravagant Shoes (or Robe)

Soulgem: Greater Soul Gem (Dremora)

Cast Cost: Varies (20 or less)

Charges: 100

Effects:

Water Walking on Self for as long as you can get for 20 charges or less per cast, which should be over 2 minutes.

 

 

Step 10 - The Not-So-Epic Journey Begins

-----------------------------------------

You can leave your alchemy equipment here if you need to lighten your load. Then, head out the door you came in, down the stairs to the very bottom, and out the door to your left to reach the water. You may want to save, then activate your Mistwalkers and head southwest over the water towards the largest island in the southwest corner of the bay. You should see the tower of Tel Fyr, probably coming up on your right. You shouldn't run into much, but you can use your Ring of Aversion to avoid fights. Head past the boat, into the mushroom shaped doorway of Tel Fyr Tower. Once inside, make your first right and follow that hall to the door. Go into the room on your right and grab one of the Grand Soul Gems off of the shelf there (you can take the others, but you need only one). Then, use a Scroll of Almsivi Intervention.

 

 

Step 11 - The Pilgrimage

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The scroll will put you in Molag Mar, which is the city closest to the Shrine of Azura, our next destination. Head out of the city to the east, you should be able to survive the dive off of the top platform, using the Mistwalkers to speed travel over the water and islands. Again, use the Ring of Aversion to avoid fights. The Shrine looks like a large statue of a woman holding the sun and moon in her outstretched arms. It will be perched at the top of a cliff at the very southeastern corner of the peninsula on the main continent. You will need to get up behind the statue, facing over the ocean, and then walk around it to the left, dropping down to the ledge where the door is. Go inside and talk to the statue. Once your journal is updated, use the Scroll of Mark. Now would be a good time to rest and let your items recharge. Finally, use the Scroll of Divine Intervention.

 

 

Step 12 - The Descent to Hell

------------------------------

You will end up back at the Wolverine Hall in Sadrith-Mora. Head east out of the hall and follow the path west through town, then north until you reach the Gateway Inn. Head through the stone door and down to the docks, and have Gals Arethi take you to Dagon Fel. Save, then, using the Mistwalkers and your Ring of Aversion, head to the large circular island just off the northwest corner of the island you're on. You'll probably want to go over the sea to the north, and then swing west to hit the island. That seems like the safer route. However you get there, make sure you approach the island from the east or you will have to deal with tons of powerful monsters. Once you reach the east side of the island, get on dry land, but don't crest the hill just yet.

 

 

Step 13 - A Cowardly Assassination

-----------------------------------

Before you head over this hill, rest to let your items recharge and then save. For the love of god and all that is holy, do not forget to save! What you're about to do, regardless of your combat ability and without gaining a single level, is take on a Golden Saint. Creep up to the top of the hill until you can see the mushroom-like trees around a small hut. Whatever you do, do not enter the hut! If you do, you will not be able to complete the quest for Azura. In front of the hut, in the middle of this valley, should be a Golden Saint known as Staada. Get a little closer, being careful to avoid any other scary enemies that might be there, and use your Ring of Aversion to quickly sneak up on the Golden Saint. Then, arm the Amulet of Eternal Servitude and nail her with it, twice if you have to. If you're lucky, she hasn't reflected the 200 damage back at you and you're still alive. However, there are probably other unsavories looking to kill you at this point. Quickly loot Staada's body for "Sheogorath's Signet Ring" and then use the Scroll of Leaguestep to escape.

 

 

Step 14 - The Twin Grails

--------------------------

You will now be back at Azura's Shrine, where you should talk to the statue again to get your reward. She will give you Azura's Star, which is essentially a re-usable Grand Soul Gem. Use a Scroll of Almsivi Intervention to get back to Molag Mar. From there, take Rindral Dralor's boat to Tel Branora. Head east to the tower, crossing the bridge and staying to the left on the greenish path, all the way to the door marked "Upper Tower" at the very top. Head down the stairs and take the path to your left at the bottom. Follow that up to the room with a door on either side, each marked "Therana's Chamber." Take the door on the right, and use a Scroll of Icarian Flight to get up the tunnel. Talk to Felen Maryon there and buy the spell "Summon Golden Saint." Head back outside and take the boat to Sadrith-Mora.

 

 

Step 15 - Your Wildest Dreams

------------------------------

In Sadrith-Mora, make your way back to the Imperial Shrine in the Wolverine Hall. Remember that Grand Soul Gem you took from Tel Fyr? It should now hold the soul of Staada, the Golden Saint. Buy more Ash Yams and Bloat and get your Intelligence back into the 2500 range, then make this item, or similar, with Staada's soul:

 

Ring of the Valkyrie

Item: Extravagant Ring

Soulgem: Grand Soul Gem (Staada)

Cast Cost: 61

Charges: 400

Effects: Summon Golden Saint for 21 seconds on Self

 

You now have all the tools you need to create any enchanted item you could possibly dream up, including Constant Effect items. All you need is the item to enchant and the spell effects. If it's not obvious, here's how you do it:

 

1) Summon a Golden Saint with the Ring of the Valkyrie.

2) Kill it with the Amulet of Eternal Servitude, trapping its soul in Azura's Star.

3) Use the Ash Yams and Bloat trick to boost your intelligence to ~2500.

4) Use Azura's Star to enchant any item you wish.

 

There is only one catch. Summoned Golden Saints have a strong tendency to reflect the damage from the Amulet of Eternal Servitude. There are a few ways to get around this, but here's what I recommend: Obviously, you should save first, then summon one and try to kill it until you succeed. Sometimes it seems to help to load a save in a different town, and then re-load the one you just made, but that might be voodoo. In order to avoid this repetition in the future, use the first soul to make an item with a strong Resist Magicka effect. This is the one I made:

 

Ward of the Careful Hunter

Item: Exquisite Amulet

Soulgem: Azura's Star (Golden Saint)

Cast Cost: 95

Charges: 400

Effects: Resist Magicka 100% for 12 seconds on Self

 

In the future, just use that before you try to kill summoned Golden Saints and you should be fine.

 

 

 

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= Part 3: Resources =

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Now that you have the ability to enchant whatever you want, where do you go to get your components? What are good enchantments to use? Well, other authors have covered these topics pretty well, so I'll refer you to some of them:

 

An awesome list of Spell Effect locations can be found in Alexander M. Kay's "Shop FAQ" on GameFAQs.

 

A list of Enchantment Points for each Item can be found in Quanze13 and Death XI's "Enchantment Points FAQ" on GameFAQs.

 

There are lots of original enchantments to give you ideas in Travis Olson's "Enchantment FAQ" on GameFAQs.

 

You can make the awesome "Saint's Cloth" from Mochan's "Cheap Play Guide" on GameFAQs for about the cost of the clothes.

 

 

 

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= Part 4: Tips and Tricks =

===========================

 

This might technically count as a glitch, but it's really just a timesaver:

When dealing with Aunius Autrus, your source for Ash Yams and Bloat, any Ash Yams or Bloat you sell to him will become permanent items in his inventory. To take advantage of this, buy 100 or so of each, then barter with him again. Buy whatever he has on him, then sell him 100 of each and stop talking to him. Now, whenever you barter with him, he should carry 100 of each, which will replenish when he's out. This way, when you go to enchant things in the future, you can buy them all at once.

 

 

 

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= Part 5: Contacts and Legalese =

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If you would like to send comments, suggestions, corrections, or anything else, please email Daeval@gmail.com. Put "Morrowind FAQ" in the subject, and make sure you mention whether you're using PC or XBox for a quicker response. Thanks!

 

This guide would not have been possible without the work of the other authors on GameFAQs. Many of the locations used in this method were referenced from their FAQs.

 

This file may not be posted or sold, complete or in part, on any website or media without my expressed written consent. Likewise, this file may not be altered in any way, except by myself, without my expressed written consent.

Edited September 16, 2004 by Daeval

[Gryph]

Hahaha! Oh man that's great! I read to Step 8 so far and I plan to start a new game this weekend and use this guide. Thanks very much.

[-VIOLENCE-]

i think i know this game...

 

like you need some super computer to run this huh.

 

[Daeval]

Hahaha! Oh man that's great! I read to Step 8 so far and I plan to start a new game this weekend and use this guide. Thanks very much.

Thanks, glad you liked it! Let me know how the new character goes. I'm pretty sure I've got all the bases covered, as I ran through it a time or three, but tell me if I missed something or if something is unclear.

 

And Violence, I used to run this on a 1 GHz machine, which wouldn't be a supercomputer nowadays, but I guess it depends on what you're working with.

[random guy]

How does this help you with stats-building though?

[Daeval]

It won't help with stat-building, not directly. But frankly, with the crap you could make, you won't NEED ridiculous stats. And if you really want them, you could make items that make them easier to build.

 

If you wanted to build a combat skill, for example, you could make items that make you harder to hit, or that regenerate your health constantly. Basically, it makes stats much less of an issue, since you can make items to do pretty much anything your stats would have.

Edited September 16, 2004 by Daeval

[random guy]

It won't help with stat-building, not directly.  But frankly, with the crap you could make, you won't NEED ridiculous stats.  And if you really want them, you could make items that make them easier to build.

 

If you wanted to build a combat skill, for example, you could make items that make you harder to hit, or that regenerate your health constantly.  Basically, it makes stats much less of an issue, since you can make items to do pretty much anything your stats would have.

Yeah, that makes sense.

Oh well, I'm kind of sick of morrowind anyway - having to restart with zero stats really robbed me of my enthusiasm to play the game.

[Daeval]

Did you lose a save or something? That would suck... Restarting is only fun when you do it intentionally.

[random guy]

Did you lose a save or something?  That would suck...  Restarting is only fun when you do it intentionally. 

No but I got an upgrade so I could run it on my pc. But also the version I used to have installed was modded to crap anyway - I had a casino, a vampire sword, a patch to add some of the superfluous nudity from Daggerfall that was missing in Morrowind, a banking system, a real-estate system, swords like the blade sword and the gunblade from Final Fantasy 7, a newspaper addon with interview quests...

and those were just some of the bigger ones!

Once I got back to having to play only the core game, I lost interest.

[Daeval]

Did you lose a save or something?  That would suck...  Restarting is only fun when you do it intentionally. 

No but I got an upgrade so I could run it on my pc. But also the version I used to have installed was modded to crap anyway - I had a casino, a vampire sword, a patch to add some of the superfluous nudity from Daggerfall that was missing in Morrowind, a banking system, a real-estate system, swords like the blade sword and the gunblade from Final Fantasy 7, a newspaper addon with interview quests...

and those were just some of the bigger ones!

Once I got back to having to play only the core game, I lost interest.

That's cool! I never really explored the mod community because I was busy playing other things when I first got the game, and didn't really get back to it until recently. I should check some of those out.