Quest Rewards & Consequences

Quest Rewards & Consequences

Every choice you make in Skyrim, every quest you undertake, comes with rewards and consequences. Understanding these outcomes is key to shaping your character, your reputation, and the very world around you.

Skyrim's quests are not always straightforward. While many offer tangible rewards like gold, unique items, or skill increases, others carry sificant consequences that can alter the game world, affect your relationships with factions or individuals, and even change the availability of future quests. Being aware of these potential outcomes can help you make more informed decisions as you play.

Here's a breakdown of common quest rewards and consequences:

• Tangible Rewards:
  • Gold: The most common reward, essential for purchasing homes, gear, and training.
  • Items: This can range from common weapons and armor to unique enchanted items with powerful effects. Daedric artifacts are particularly sought-after quest rewards.
  • Skill Increases: Some quests directly grant skill points or unlock new abilities.
  • Followers: Completing certain quests can recruit new followers to aid you in combat.
  • Player Homes: Completing faction questlines or specific quests can grant you ownership of player homes.
  • Reputation and Faction Standing: Successfully completing quests for factions will increase your standing within them, unlocking new opportunities and quests.
• Consequences and World Impact:
  • Faction Alliances/Enmities: Your actions in certain quests can lead to alliances or bitter rivalries with factions. For example, siding with the Stormcloaks in the Civil War will make you an enemy of the Imperial Legion, and vice versa.
  • NPC Relationships: Completing quests for or against specific NPCs can affect their disposition towards you. This can influence dialogue, their willingness to trade, or even lead to them becoming hostile.
  • Changes to Locations: Some quests can permanently alter locations. For instance, clearing out a bandit camp might lead to it being occupied by a different faction or becoming a safe haven. Completing the Dark Brotherhood questline leads to the destruction of the Thieves Guild in Riften.
  • Availability of Other Quests: Certain quest choices can lock you out of other questlines. For example, if you join the Stormcloaks, you might not be able to complete certain quests for the Imperials.
  • Moral Dilemmas: Many quests present moral choices with no clear 'right' answer. These choices can affect your character's alment and how certain NPCs perceive you.
  • Bounty and Law Enforcement: Committing crimes during quests can result in bounties, leading to confrontations with guards and bounty hunters.
  • World State Changes: Major questlines, like the Civil War or the main quest, have sificant impacts on the overall state of Skyrim, determining who controls which holds and the general atmosphere of the province.

Strategies for Navigating Quests:

• Read Quest Descriptions Carefully: Your journal provides details about quest objectives and sometimes hints at potential outcomes.
• Talk to NPCs: NPCs involved in or affected by quests can offer insights into the potential consequences of your actions.
• Save Before Major Decisions: For quests with sificant branching paths or moral choices, it's wise to save your game beforehand so you can explore different outcomes.
• Consider Your Character's Alment: Think about the kind of character you want to play. Will they be a noble hero, a cunning thief, or a ruthless mercenary? Let your choices reflect this.
• Be Prepared for the Unexpected: Skyrim's world is dynamic. Sometimes, consequences can arise from seemingly minor actions.

By understanding that your actions have weight, you can approach quests with a greater sense of purpose and truly shape your own legend in Skyrim.