Why would you restrict the way you use smithing?

Whatever who cares, its a game of choice. Its fixable.

Currently I give a invisible restriction on when you pick the perk. I do this by only allowing the perk to be chosen 4 levels after it shows up randomly as loot. This is sorta hard considering armor is mixed in with everything, but currently whatever.

smithing level - character level

Steel - 10
Dwarf - 16
Elven - 23
Advanced - sorta like, after 23..... even though steel plate shows up at level 18 (which would make me choose it at 22) its behind elven. whatever
Orcish - 29
Glass - 30
Ebony - 40
Daedric - 50
Dragon - not sure yet. but id like to add *only after completely the main quest* to that restriction.

What im looking for in this post is your opinions on my restrictions, some of your own restrictions, mabye some ideas on improving on things.

P.S. Im also considering simply not using the smithing skill (which presents the problem of weaker weapons). supplement the weaker weapons with enchanting (sorts works, still loot driven equipment finding but with weaker results that smithing) or another skill. or just lowering the difficulty one notch down.

Another problem i find with just ignoring the skill is that im largely stuck with ebony, which to me looks UGLY as all sin in first person.

P.S.S. I also just dont use skyforge weapons =p.

I don't use it at all becuase I feel doing so absolutely destroys any challenge the game has to offer.

i like the increased challenge idea, but dang. dem ebony weapons are ugly (and you can find them WAY before they show up, on drauger)

None, my restrictions are none lol

On some of my characters I only get Arcane Blacksmith. I like ebony weapons but I end up finding them on so many draugr deathlords.

I roleplay so some of my character smith and some do not. The ones that do smithing, however, smith without restrictions. It does not make any sense to me to step in, as player, and restrict my character from doing a thing that makes roleplaying sense but that which I disagree with for some reason. That is meta-gaming to me, not roleplaying.

If one of my characters is going to set out to be a smith in his or her life on Nirn it makes perfect sense that they would try to be the best smith they could possibly be. Unless they are stupid or aren't ambitious enough to aim high, it is likely they will eventually become good at what they do, if they study and apply themselves. That's how roleplaying works.

If I don't like that, I will come up with a different roleplaying concept for my next character. But interfering, god-like, in the progress of my character once I have designed a character is the opposite of roleplaying to me, and I avoid it. If I, as player, decide that I don't like smithing I will simply make characters who are not interested in being smiths.

i guess theres that to. i dont really role play that much in my "role playing games". I would call borderlands a role playing genre, but im not playing a character. im using a certain type of combat style, getting better at it and gaining better loot with those skills. And with that loot better skills, and it LOOPS.

I dont know, smithing in this game just destroys that

No restrictions. That Leather costs a pretty penny. I get it when I get it.

I'm paying to get more powerful, I figure. The closest thing I get to restrictions in terms of smithing is that I only use Steel stuff (until I get to Ebony. No Daedric unless it fits the character.) because I hate the look of Dwarven and Orcish. Same goes for Light stuff. (Elven )

I’ve only had one character who took more than the two perks to get Arcane Blacksmith. Most do no Smithing at all, because it's not part of their character. I’m glad I tried Smithing, but it’s not for me. As you mentioned, it takes the fun out of looting. Plus I feel cheap knowing that my Smithing guy couldn’t kick such tail without his special gear. Although he’s getting there now that he spends less time at the forge and more time in the fight.

As far as other people’s restrictions, I think you should do what you want to do. There are enough tools to make the game very easy if you use them all, or you can choose from them to create an interesting character.

i feel like smithing is almost required to do any real damage at higher levels, and that just not using it kinda limits you to just that ebony weapons you got off of that drauger deathlord. also im not trying to make the game easyer, harder. im trying to find the perfect balance =p.

I do apprenticeships. I don't just spam smithing until I can make Dragon level gear, it has to come more naturally than that.

So I start out in Riverwood, training with Hadvar's uncle, either until I can smith Steel, or more often, until I've learned how to make a complete set of Iron.

Then I try to learn how to smith from Erolund, but he's not impressed by my skills, and sends me to Adrianne to teach me how to make Steel.

After I finish learning how to make Steel, I go to Falkreath, where Lod teaches me how to smith Elven, or to Calcemo, to learn about Dwemer smithing techniques.

After that, War-Anvil teaches me how to make Advanced Armors, and I go to various Orcs to learn how to make Orcish equipment.

Once I reach that point, I can go to Erolund Grey-Mane, who will take me as his student from that point, and will teach me how to make Glass, Ebony, and Ancient Nord/Nord Hero gear.

After I've completed my apprenticeship under Grey-Mane, I have to keep on my journey to learn more about smithing. This eventually leads me to the College of Winterhold, where I learn about Arcane Smithing, as well as learning how to make Daedric Gear.

Finally, after I've explored all over and learned everything else there is to learn about smithing, I return to the Skyforge and, after enhancing it with my Fire Breath, I successfully craft my first set of Dragon weapons and armor.

I simply do not use any fortify smithing enchantments or potions. It makes the game much more interesting.

I use the same rules with enchanting and alchemy. No boosting any of the crafting skills.

I really like this idea.

how do you space out traveling to different smithings? do you just take breaks in between learning how to smith or what.

also, i couldnt exactly tell if you meant this, but it seems like you would craft EVERY piece of iron *or whatever* before moving onto steel. and then you would need to smith every kind of steel BEFORE doing elven or dwarven. I might start doing all of these things.

waiting for the right level, traveling to the smiths, and then making all the materials before advancing

I do something similar to this aswell.
My usual proceedure is mine ore of the desired material to make armor, then smelt it to learn the material's properties.
Then I'll have to do some research about that kind of armor, whether it's exploring dwarven ruins or doing field work on an orc stronghold or just wearing/using a piece to learn from personal experience.
Lastly I always have a copy of "Forge, hammer, and Anvil" and "Heavy armor Forging" so that my character knows the combination of materials.