This is where I think I go wrong but maybe I'm off. I'm playing a mercenary character, rough and rugged, no magic..just swords, heavy armor and sweaty beards. Anyway, in my travels I come across an Aspiring Mage who, long story short, I end up with his Staff of Renimation. He gave me a nice little explanation of how it reanimates dead bodies and that the magic is within the staff, not the wielder. So, I started to think..why wouldn't a common soldier/mercenary not try this out/experiment with it? In the context I acquired it, using it seems perfectly fine. I wouldn't just buy it and use it. What would you guys do?

(I sold it btw, but not before I killed him right after he explained how it worked and tested it on him. Was fun.)

Totally up to you. If your guy hates magic as a concept, I guess no, but if he just hates using his own magic, I guess yes, but it's all personal.

It all depends, I guess. If I played a diehard warrior, who was a Nord, I might not care at all. "Meh." No matter how powerful it was. I don't even see why a guy like this would bother with a lot of magic stuff, including daedric deals. Unless the daedra promised something useful for him specifically. Like Meridia's sword. She's all "Go out and preach and kill in my name!" My response was "Eh, just give me the sword. Find someone else to spread your religion."

Depends on the mindset of the Merc. Does he view magic with an inherent mistrust? Does he think it's all flash and no substance? Would this staff be enough to for him to realize that maybe he's had magic wrong?

Conversely, is he the pragmatic type? He doesn't like using his own magic simply because it's something *else* to be worried about, having to juggle between his health, stamina, and magic levels and carrying multiple potions? Would he be fine with scrolls and enchantments, as well as casting some utility magic while not in combat (such as transmutation)?

Can't really say what he'd do in this case without knowing a bit more about him.

My character is a die hard conan-esque warrior. He was born and trained to the blade. He also does mercenary. He will use prepared potions for healing and poisons. He is very much against magic, being taught from birth that magic is unnatural and wrong, but with a caveat that if it does good things then it is tolerable, but always to be watched for it can cross the line for evil.

With this mind, my charcater will never use magic staffs. He will give them to a Follower. If he comes across anything that raises the dead he will throw it away or sell it and won`t even let his Follower have it. this especially after he witnessed events with an undead person that has convinced him that any kind of raising a dead person is evil, even were it a loved one.

From what he heard he doesn`t believe the staff merely reanimates but also brings back the thoughts and memories of the victim involved and perhaps even the spirit. And he`s not about to believe what a mage conveniently says.

Well, I took that into account after I made the post like an idiot. The character I'm talking about is a Redguard who served in a local Hammerfell Militia (Dragonstar) for years, most of his life among his brothers-in-arms killing and witnessing terrible things. Physical combat is all he's ever known, though I liked the idea of him practicing Daedra worship during his time as a soldier. Maybe he'll go back to that. Probably not. Basically he was captured and brought over the Skyrim border, ambush+chain of events happens and now he's in a foreign land with no allies, so mercenary/self-serving work is all he knows. I make a lot of my own opportunities on this character and it's a ton of fun. I was reading a bit about Redguard lore and I was sort of interested in the Ansei. I might pick up Enchanting as an in-game way for my character to channel his soul (prob lightning damage) into an actual physical blade, rather than manifesting a deadly blade of his own energies, since the art of the Ansei is a lost art to him. Also, he's a true morally grey character, At one time he was a good natured person but the war changed him.

Considering how staffs can be used without skill, I think it's ok.

Personally, I only use scrolls if I want to cast spells with someone who doesn't use magic. Staffs are generally used by wizards to help them cast spells/less effort/more powerful. It's strange how in tes games this isn't the case, so I suppose in that respect it's perfectly fine.

Not related to your question, but it sounds like a cool character. I don't think you need help with rp'ing questions

Redguards hate magic more then Nords do they think of ANY magic as an abomination if your a typical Redguard you should be scared of the staff.

I ran into an Alik'r who used magic but I hear ya. My character is especially um...well experienced in the world and the ways you can die. He wouldn't be too scared of a staff without a wielder.

Hey thanks

That's exactly what a lot of Nords are, in a way (not that this thread is about Nords, but just saying). Listen to Farengar talk about his countrymen.

It depends on why your character doesn't use magic. However, if it's the staff I'm thinking about, I think the problem the 'mage' was having with it was it was out of charges so your character, even if curious about it, probably wouldn't know how to recharge it.

I believe it's late Saturday. Someone must be drunk.

I have rational explantions for everything.

does he just not know how to use magic? in that case play around with it and test it on random things, try to make a demonic devil bunny to be your side-kick (if he likes bunnys) just have a blast with it, untill it runs out of charge and you have no idea what the heck just hapend, then throw it in the river thinking it broke and is useless

See, that's the thing. I totally expected him to give me a staff with 0 charges, like he implies. I got it and it was 75% charged. Weird. Game has a lot of inconsistencies like that.

The guys story is he got the staff from his late grandfather and when he used the staff he thought he was powerfull because he could raise the dead, he went to Winterhold and got laughed at because he wasn't really a mage it was just his staff, so when you meet him he's trying to raise the dead without a staff to prove he was powerfull.

In this situation I would think about what my character's character is, does he not use magic because he hates/fears it or is it just a choice that is not based on any underlying factors.

If it is Hate/Fear, I would have dropped there and then, or sold in the nearest town as soon as I could.

If there is no reason for his choice, you could roleplay that he was just experimenting with the weapon to see how it could help him in combat, and if you enjoyed it then he could use it as a combat assistance tool in some situations.

See how it goes.

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't.

Like you said, it's not the character himself using the magic, it's the staff.

Unless, as others have said, the character is just anti-arcane talents in any fashion, then sure. But otherwise, I don't see any reason not to use it.

Is the character somewhat intelligent and thoughtful?

Even with fear and distrust, someone might be very curious to see what it does, curiosity can be a very strong motivator and even more so when it is something unknown and unsettling.

I don't think it would be something such a character would rely on and use very much, but perhaps bringing along to take out as a last-resort-you-never-know kind of thing.

Up to you. What does your inner sweaty beard tell you? Me, I sell stuff like that.