So I have been using most of the items offered by the game so far, potions included, but I can't help but notice that there is one thing I simply don't use - poisons. Now let me start by saying that my character specializes in combat and smithing, so after improving my weapons out the wazoo, I have very little need for such things. Usually enemies I fight die too fast for poisons to have a proper use, or I forget about using them when I am in the middle of a long battle. I use potions quite a bit, and not just health and stamina, but others as well. However, poisons are just not something I ever think about.

I play on expert, so it's not as if I'm not challenged to use them, I just never really need to. But I am wondering if any of you theif-type players utilize these poisons, and if so, which types do you find most useful and for what purposes?

I play on master, all the poisons Ive come across are weak and useless, so no I dont use them.

I try to use potions and shouts as little as possible.


When I drink a potion, I feel like cheating and admitting that the opponent has beaten me/is simply stronger.

... still miles better than eating dirt.

When I use a shout, I just feel unfair vs anything that isn't a Dragon.

I'm a mighty warrior, I don't need shouts to vanquish evil!

... except if I get jumped by a kiting frost mage, then I'll respond unfair tactics with unfair tactics and open my shouts!

Nope. Not really. I have a gun-ho attitude when it comes to battles as a sneak character. Silly right?

The damage over time poisons decimate dragons. Most thief builds that arent awful forego the bow usually, myself included - but being able to apply a DoT poison from range and then hiding from the dragon while it dies? Flawless victory.

that and paralysis poisons are super powerful for dagger weilders

I tend to save mine for stronger enemies. The frost troll on the way up to High Hrothgar is a prime example of an enemy that I blew all my poisons on.

I only use poisons that directly lower my target's health. The other -stamina/-magicka poisons I find useless.

Often they have saved me. For example, a quest giver gave me some "Wraith's Bane" poisons to defeat an ice wraith. Each poison was an extra 50 damage. This most likely saved my hide, it was a close battle.

yes, im chugging them away



dont judge me, i have a skooma addiction....


im working on it... honestly !

i use them all the time with pickpocket perk so i can place them on people its
kindof cool to sneak up on someone reversepickpocket a paralysis poison on them
especially considering i cant do this with a spell anymore

I do with my thief. I don't use any magic though, so the poisons help. Alchemy is one of my sub-skills as well, albeit I'm still early level in game (12). I don't use shouts either, I feel potions and poisons are not only necessary but perfectly acceptable for my play style.

I typically add them for a little extra oomph... But havent had them make or break a fight yet. A stamina damaging poison seemed to work quite well against a heavily armoured bandit chief though.

i use them for those really tough battles.

I play on master difficulty and occasionally i run into situations where i need to use poisons to quickly deal with my enemies if they are vast or simply even the playing field if they are strong.

99% of the time I wouldn't dream of using the poisons when something dies in 2 hits it seems useless to poison it. But there are times when I can't fell an enemy quickly, I'm low on health potions and food, THEN i will poison my enemies untill their guts fall out, they puke black and their skin boils off

Too tedious to apply them all the time (why can't we just prepare x poisoned arrows in advance?), but when I started out they were useful. Nowdays I burst arrows faster than a machinegun so why bother.

I use them sparingly currently. Once i get more ingredients, especially for paralysis poison, I'll use them more often on my thief.

I use both paralysis and damage poisons, with the occasional magicka poison. Playing an assassin, I don't use them unless I've been spotted, in which case they're the only thing giving me a fighting chance to survive. My assassin usually gets his ass handed to him in straight up combat if I don't use a paralysis poison, especially against those pesky mages who kite me to no end. And, as another benefit of alchemy other than poisons, is invisibility potions. These amazing things are invaluable to me as a stealth character, as dragons will destroy me if they run across me solo. Furthermore, they function as emergency-escape potions.

speaking of poisons.. why isn't there a quest where we get people addicted to skooma for a drug lord in riften or something?

Wrong. A paralysis spell still exist,but its an expert alteration spell.

Paralysis poisons come in quite handy at times. As in, "I have tried all other tactics with no luck". :biggrin:

The only time I find myself using it is against bosses/dragons. Like others said its just too out of the way to apply it, especially arrows. I apply it to an arrow when I know I have a 100% chance of hitting because last thing I want to do is apply the poison again. I wonder if its quicker if the poison is added to the quick key, but heh, already got more important things there.

I barely use potions, don't really see the need to add damage to a 100+ damage sword.

Does anybody notice how hard farmar are?

Specifically the pack that ambush you at Liars Retreat?

I've been trying to clear that dungeon on master going solo but I think its impossible lol

I'm a lvl 45 and I get 2 shotted by them.

Paralysis poisons are quite good on master if I the stealth approach goes wrong (not likely with maxed sneak tree and blind AI) and a strong DOT poison works well against those irritating dragons with a fetish for flying around their opponent. Just wish I could apply a load of poison to a quiver of arrows or a weapon so I don't have to keep pausing combat and reapplying it.

That or give the stealth tree a perk where poison on a blade lasts x amount of time or hits. And a way to apply poison to a quiver of arrows WOULD be nice. Even if it was only 4-5 per vial I'd be happy.

If I find a poison or craft it ill use it.

Yeah, there is a alchemy perk where it last for two hits but it's still a pain, also annoying how you cant have poison on your off hand weapon unless you put it in your main hand, apply poison, change it back to off hand then re equip your main hand. Pain in the ass.

*cast summon flame atronach*
*run away*
*shoot arrows*

... win.