You don't have to do the main quest...

Sorry you don't like being dragonborn. Although the fact that you are special was made VERY clear in every preview and every trailer. I guess this isn't the game for you.

You do not become superman by being dragonborn, you become superman by using perks on a few skills. That is, if by superman, you mean that you are pretty much invincible. In this regard, the main quest is like any other quest in the game.

So to solve that, change difficulty to master.

If anything, what stinks about doing the main quest and finishing it, you do not get anything great out of it, not even a t-shirt. But that is OK, did a good deed, feel good about yourself, move on.

Everyone's favorite Skyrim defense: "Just don't do it?"

I'm currently avoiding the main quest until later-- closing in on level 20 and I'm just exploring and traveling. I haven't seen the Jarl of Whiterun yet. I agree it kind of svcks, because you were specifically told to go see the Jarl to warn of dragons and it feels like you're procrastinating...

You're only told to do that if you go to Riverwood first.

Truer words were never spoken... a game can't please EVERYONE! I feel that TES games do leave a lot open for the imagination of the player. They do not give you a linear path to follow. You escape "your prison" and the world is open to you! What you do with your new won freedom, well... THAT is up to YOU!

See, you already went too far into the Main Quest. Don't even do It is much easier to roleplay out ignoring the Main Quest that way; besides,

Reading all this stuff about superman really makes me wish they had capes in game

[censored] it.

So let's compare the superman-like abilities in the different games here...

Flying Ability:
Morrowind - Check
Oblivion - Nope
Skyrim - Nope

Super Strength
Morrowind - Check
Oblivion - Check
Skyrim - Nope

Super Speed
Morrowind - Check
Oblivion - Check
Skyrim - Nope

Invulnerability to all forms of common damage
Morrowind - Check
Oblivion - Check
Skyrim - Nope

Super-laser (or equivalent spell-like ability)
Morrowind - Check
Oblivion - Check
Skyrim - Nope

X-ray vision (or equivalent spell-like ability)
Morrowind - Check
Oblivion - Check
Skyrim - Check

So the conclusion is that Skyrim dragonborn is the least superman-like of all the main characters in the TES series...

Do random people walk up to a random wall and randomely acquire random shouts? No!

Main quest or not, the character is still made to be dragonborn or whatever.

I always felt like 'Superman' in previous games, too. Every character I've played in any TES game started out as a skill-less nobody who in just a few weeks rose to godlike power, mastered skills that normal people dedicate their entire lives to learn, and went on to save the world. The only difference this time is the game tells you what it is that is special about you.

And you always do what you're told?
Griselda thought wheres the coin in that and headed off to find riches elsewhere.

Hilarious! Thank you.

Well, I met a Guard who thinks he might be the Dragonborn, maybe it is him....

Semantically, if we replaced the term "Main Quest" with "Dragonborn Quest," would that un-bunch some undergarments?

The trick here is to go to the Jarl and warn them about dragons, but when his Housecarl suggests sending reinforcements to Riverwood you back out of the conversation so that you aren't close enough to the Jarl for him to address you again. That way, you've fulfilled your obligation to warn Whiterun and satisfied RP, but delayed actually being given a task you want to ignore.

My point is that "just don't do it" is a weak solution to the lack of choices and consequences in this game.

Just dont do the MQ, I dont see what is so difficult to understand about that. I dont like being an overly aggressive, steroid pumping, space marine...therefor I dont play Gears of War. Seems pretty simple to me.

And for the record, technically you were a superman in Morrowind, you were the Nerevarine, the reincarnation of Lord Nerevar, whose destiny was to end the blight, etc etc etc. So not entirely sure I get where you are drawing your conclusions from when you say Bethesda's previous sandbox games. Personally I would take a Bethesda game over an Obsidian game any day of the week, but that is neither here nor there.

But it is a completely viable option, unless you are playing "Boy Scout" character, it is perfectly legitimate to "get your ducks in order" before trying to tackle a dragon. After all, you did just escape a death penalty and have no gear except what you quickly scavenged in a rush to not get killed.

And if you are not a "Boy Scout" type, it is even more viable to just say "screw you hippie" and bound off to "do your own thing" once you get out of the cave.

I guess it's easy for me. My character is the nondescript loser turned adventurer. Son of most uncertain lineage. How am I the dragon born? Well, somewhere in the family tree one of those randy Septims got a commoner in a family way. Not that it much matters to Arriere.

I guess Snow is a good name for a Skyrim bastard too...

Just another guy? Oblivion?
"You were a friend of Martin" etc. It's basically the same thing.
There was less of it in morrowind, but it was still there, and it was all text so it didn't feel like people treated you like superman or whatever.

To "do" or "don't do" is the question but thankfully skyrim is a game that offers the CHOICE how you answer that question and do as you please....i think you mistake skyrim for dragon age 2, more dialogue choices but less choices on how to proceed (you cant visit many areas in DA2 without doing the quests).

People who say there isn't choices must not be playing the same game i am. Not once have i been forced to choose to do something i don't want to do...except maybe return the jagged crown but i dont have to return it and progress the quest yet

Topics like this are what fill me with disdain for a very vocal portion of the gaming community.

Do you know what being Dragonborn means? It means you can absorb dragon souls and learn shouts without training. It doesn't make you superpowered any more than using magic spells does - the level one shouts aren't even very strong.

I hear people talk about how the people in the game practically worship you. What a load of nonsense. Walk into a town and tell me how many people treat you as someone special. OBVIOUSLY the greybeards do because they're all about the Dragonborn, but other than that you're a traveller or adventurer etc. What game are these people playing?

Then a couple people (usually the same couple people) will agree with them and disregard any solutions offered them (such as DON'T be the Dragonborn then). What do they want? Do they even try to think realistically or do they decide what would please them and then come here to say that's how it should be even if it doesn't make sense to make a game that way? People suggest that if the OP wants to just be a regular guy he should not become the Dragonborn - he responds "but then what would I do?". Pick your [censored] nose all day like a regular person.

The choice? How can you have the choice? Why would the Dragonborn lore exist if the game asked the player "Be the Dragonborn?", you select no and then go on to prove that the entire Dragonborn legend is pointless as some regular dude destroyed the world eater without it.

Here's a thought, if the idea of playing as a person who fulfils some sort of prophecy IF you choose to play the ancient prophecy based storyline bothers you that much, *maybe* you're one of very few people who feel that way and *maybe* not all games were designed specifically for YOU the tiny minority. This is why I can make a joke post so ridiculously over the top (I complained that the menus were too easily navigated for the love of God!) with stupid complaints and a damn near regal sense of self importance and arrogance, and most people will assume it's genuine.

This vocal minority are so spoiled that I might be done with this place. That's not a threat, as I know I'm no commodity, but they just don't deserve good things. I'm done ranting, screw these people.

-RiC