Why can't you have a small dagger or something out while swimming? I understand not having a bow, shield, etc. but I mean, a small dagger is all I ask. Something to kill those dumb Slaughterfish (they can be annoying on master difficulty if you are a low level). Also, why no "sprinting" in water? This makes no sense, especially for Argonians. What do you think?

I agree absolutely. I think one of the most annoying decisions Bethesda made was to disable underwater combat. They went to the trouble of putting a few interesting things to look at underwater (unlike Oblivion, which was a barren wasteland underwater) which lures us under there...and then they don't let us defend ourselves. This is feels like a really big, extremely unpleasant "Gotcha!" from Bethesda. It's unworthy of them

I know! You can tell they put a TON of work into the underwater landscape, complete with some loot and chests, but the slaughterfish annoy the hell out of you while you can't deal with them unless you go out onto the shore... WTF?

Well it`s slightly realistic in that you can`t swing swords underwater with much power to do anything, but I agree a simple dagger just to keep fishes off you would help. This also tends to mess up NPCs. I`v ehad my Follower and an NPC both stuck underwater staring at each other with no idea what to do next.

It`s like the underwater stuff wasn`t finished.

Even with a dagger, I feel like it would be hard to fight a slaughterfish (Argonians should be able to fight underwater easily). I guess with swift swim or something like that it could be viable, obviously power attacks would drain your breath.
For that matter, lack of a breath meter seems a bigger issue.

Agreed. This was an epic fail on Bethesda's part. I can understand it from a realism perspective, but at the very least, let us either have a dagger while underwater, or give us water-walking back (or both). Being completely defenseless is no fun. Besides, how else are we supposed to collect slaughterfish scales in the wild?

Ever tried fighting underwater in real life? It's very hard even with a dagger. But I get what you're saying, it's annoying to have to find a shore and then wait for the slaughterfish to get close enough for you to be able to actually hit them They should give you the ability to use your fists underwater, strangle the fish or something xD

I jumped in some water last night at Chillwind Depths I think it was called... in The Reach. Slaughter fish attacked and I hopped right out. My companion started started shooting arrows at them. I joined in. We killed a few of the buggers that way.

yeah it kinda sux, but you can lure them near the coast and kill them

Ways to deal with a Shark Attack

Punch it's nose
Punch it's gills.
Stab it in the nose
Stab it in the gills.

Issue with fighting Slaughterfish answered?

Also, I play underwater hockey. You'd be surprised how much damage the human body can inflict underwater. And how much precision we have with a dagger shaped object. With a dagger, it's easy. All you've got to do is stab or cut. And with a fish, all you have to do is stab it in the gills/anywhere in the soft underbelly. If it's stupid enough to bite you, you've already won because it can't hit and run faster than you can insert a knife into its body..

Likewise, to strange a fish, insert two fingers into its gills on one side. I've heard thats one way to kill a fish. You do, after all, have your fingers next to a lot more vital organs then would be comfortable.

I agree that fighting underwater would be hard, but the introduction of a new weapon would solve all problems. A crossbow would fit in with the world and you could fire it underwater.

I can understand why you aren't able to fight with weapons underwater but IMO you should be able to use at least your fists underwater.

Unless the string is 100% waterproof (which means not at all related to leather) submerging a crossbow in water and then firing it is a HORRIBLE idea.

Magic, on the other hand.... spells & staffs should work, maybe with some alteration to effect. I could see spells designed specifically to work under water. Even if none of the combat spells work (cold, electricity, and fire all interact with water in ways that could reduce their effect) you could have illusion spells to calm / drive away anything that attacked you. Or hell, an alteration spell that allowed free motion under water, so you can fight as normal with any weapon you like.

I bet that would be a great Idea to use that in water

Do you know how hard it is to swing anything while underwater?Seriously,go diving a bit and try to swing a metal bar or something underwater.You would have to be a hulk to swing anything at half-decent speed,and even then it would hardly have enough power to hurt anything.

Why can't we pick up slaughterfish like regular fish?
I'm an Orc with muscles bursting out of my skin and I can't grab one`?

Dagger yes.

Sprint probably not, especially with armor/robes on.

Magic, electric (damage caster too?) and frost (very short range?) maybe?

I hate that too. I have to swim all the way to the shore, and then range-hit them with spells. Plus my follower glitches in the water and won't get out to help unless I kill all the slaughterfish first.
I wish we could kill them underwater, this way or the other. Gut that fish where it stands swims and have a nice dinner!

For pete sakes at least be able to try to punch the fish.

We could use a weapon on Slaughterfish in Morrowind and Oblivion, so there is no reason to not use a weapon in this game.

However, in this game we can catch fish with our hands, can we catch Slaughterfish?

When you enter the ocean, you enter the food chain!

Strange. In 500+ hours I've never been attacked by a slaughterfish. I saw one once when I was swimming underwater but it didn't do anything.

I had a thread up about under-water combat and how bethesda could make it much better.. But instead they removed it completely.

*shrug*

However, I've never died to a slaughterfish.

At least be able to use a dagger!!!! like CCNA said, in Morrowind and Oblivion you were able to defend your-self under water, but now I try not to stay to long under water and I might be missing out on some nice loot under the sea of ghosts.

not that hard really i lived in Azores for a few years and while i lived there i learned underwater fishing whith weigths and enougth laungh you can easelly manouver a fishing knife (same size has a daguer)