Skyrim What Does Making A Skill Legendary Do

Skyrim: What Does Making a Skill Legendary Do?

So, you've poured countless hours into your Skyrim character, mastering archery, enchanting, or maybe even that elusive Speech skill. You've reached level 100, the pinnacle of proficiency… but then what? That's where the Legendary skill system comes in. This guide will break down exactly what making a skill legendary in Skyrim does, its benefits, and when it's strategically best to do so.

This article will cover the mechanics of legendary skills, the advantages and disadvantages, and optimal strategies for managing your skill progression in Skyrim. We'll also delve into how this impacts your overall gameplay experience and character build.

Understanding Legendary Skills

In Skyrim, when a skill reaches level 100, it becomes eligible to be made legendary. This isn't just a cosmetic upgrade; it fundamentally alters the skill's progression. Making a skill legendary resets its level back to 15, while retaining all of the perks you've already unlocked. This is a critical point: you don't lose your hard-earned perks.

This reset allows you to continue leveling the skill further. You don't lose your progress; you're simply offered another opportunity to climb that 100-level mountain again. Think of it as gaining a fresh start while maintaining all the advantages you gained during your previous climb.

Benefits of Making a Skill Legendary

• Continued Skill Progression: The most obvious benefit is the ability to continue improving your skills beyond level 100. This is particularly beneficial for skills you heavily rely on in your playstyle, such as One-Handed, Two-Handed, or Destruction magic.
• More Perks: With each legendary skill, you unlock the opportunity to earn even more perks. These perks can significantly enhance your character's abilities and provide an edge in combat or other gameplay aspects.
• Increased Efficiency: While leveling a skill from 1 to 100 can be time-consuming, the subsequent leveling after making it legendary can be more efficient, especially with well-chosen perks and playstyle. Essentially, you're optimizing the efficiency of your skill training.
• Flexibility in Character Builds: The ability to reset skills provides unmatched flexibility in character building. You can experiment with different builds without feeling restricted by earlier skill choices, even after many hours of playtime.

When to Make a Skill Legendary

There's no single "right" time to make a skill legendary. The optimal moment depends entirely on your playstyle and character build. However, here are some factors to consider:

• High-Level Play: The most common time is when a skill reaches level 100. This ensures you've maximized your perks from that skill tree before resetting.
• Skill Specialization: If you heavily rely on a particular skill, making it legendary allows you to continuously improve it. This is especially crucial for skills central to your combat style.
• Over-Leveling: If you find yourself significantly over-leveled for your current quests or opponents, making a few skills legendary can help to balance your character's growth, ensuring that each level feels significant.

Drawbacks of Making a Skill Legendary

While there are significant advantages, consider these points:

• Time Investment: Although it provides a path to even greater power, it still demands more time investment for additional level ups.
• Potential for Inertia: Players may feel less incentivized to try new skills, focusing exclusively on re-leveling already legendary skills, potentially limiting their overall gameplay experience.

Conclusion

Making a skill legendary in Skyrim is a powerful tool for character progression. It offers significant advantages, allowing for continued skill improvement, more perk unlocks, and enhanced character flexibility. However, careful planning and consideration of the time investment are crucial for maximizing the benefits of this system. By understanding both the pros and cons, you can strategically leverage legendary skills to create a truly formidable and uniquely customized Dragonborn.