imaginepageant
Slytherin Alumni
I'm considering using bound weapons (specifically a sword, and a dagger for stealth kills) as the primary weapon in a new playthrough. I've never used bound weapons before, so I'm somewhat confused as to how they work.
My main concern is that, without being able to temper them like you do with real weapons, their damage output, though high at first, will quickly become low in comparison to what you could have with physical weapons. For example, a bound sword with the Mystic Binding perk has a damage rating of 14—the same base damage as a Daedric sword. But (if I'm doing the math right), with a smithing skill of 40, and the Steel Smithing perk unlocked, you should be able to temper a steel sword to a damage rating of 13. Suddenly the bound sword isn't looking all that great anymore.
So, is exclusively using a bound sword a viable option, past level 20 or so? I know that improving your one-handed skill and unlocking perks in that tree will improve your damage output, but that's true of physical swords as well, so it doesn't give the bound sword any sort of advantage. Is there anything that can help keep the bound sword from going obsolete in later levels?
My main concern is that, without being able to temper them like you do with real weapons, their damage output, though high at first, will quickly become low in comparison to what you could have with physical weapons. For example, a bound sword with the Mystic Binding perk has a damage rating of 14—the same base damage as a Daedric sword. But (if I'm doing the math right), with a smithing skill of 40, and the Steel Smithing perk unlocked, you should be able to temper a steel sword to a damage rating of 13. Suddenly the bound sword isn't looking all that great anymore.
So, is exclusively using a bound sword a viable option, past level 20 or so? I know that improving your one-handed skill and unlocking perks in that tree will improve your damage output, but that's true of physical swords as well, so it doesn't give the bound sword any sort of advantage. Is there anything that can help keep the bound sword from going obsolete in later levels?