Ignoring the Dragonborn’s Dilemma: Can You Sidestep Skyrim’s Civil War?
Yes, you absolutely can ignore the Civil War in Skyrim, at least to a significant extent. While the main questline and the Civil War questline intersect at a crucial juncture, the game doesn’t force you to fully commit to either the Imperials or the Stormcloaks unless you actively choose to do so. You can largely ignore the conflict, focusing instead on slaying dragons, exploring ancient ruins, and mastering your Thu’um. Let’s dive into how you can achieve this, and what the consequences (or lack thereof) might be.
The Dance Around Destruction: Navigating the Skyrim Conflict
Skyrim is built upon the idea of player choice. The designers at Bethesda knew players loved the freedom to roleplay and choose their allegiances. That freedom extends to the Civil War. You can, if you choose, meander through Skyrim, becoming a master thief, archmage, or fearsome assassin, all while the battles between the Empire and the Stormcloaks rage on mostly without your involvement.
The Main Quest and the Civil War’s Intersection
The key point of interaction comes during the main questline. At a certain stage, you’ll need to broker a temporary truce between the warring factions to deal with the greater threat of Alduin, the World-Eater. This quest, “Season Unending,” forces the leaders to the negotiating table. This is where you’ll discover your ability to navigate the Civil War without fully committing to it.
Even during “Season Unending”, your choices are mostly dialogue-driven. You facilitate the meeting, but you don’t necessarily declare unwavering loyalty to one side or the other. This “third way,” if you can call it that, allows you to continue the main quest without becoming a soldier in the Imperial Legion or a zealous Stormcloak warrior.
Consequences of Apathy: What Happens When You Stay Neutral?
The beauty of Skyrim is that your choices, or lack thereof, have consequences. However, in this case, the consequences of ignoring the Civil War are minimal in terms of the overall game.
- Story Progression: You can still complete the main questline. That’s the most important thing for many players.
- Faction Rewards: You miss out on the unique armor, weapons, and quests associated with each faction.
- Thane Status: You can become a Thane in holds ruled by both factions, but the process might be slightly different depending on who controls the hold.
- World State: The war will continue to play out in the background. Cities may change hands if you don’t intervene. This affects the Jarls that rule the cities and the soldiers you encounter on the roads, but not much else.
- Missed Experiences: You’ll miss out on a potentially rich storyline filled with engaging characters and intense battles.
Choosing Your Own Adventure: A Recommended Approach
So, should you ignore the Civil War? That depends on your playstyle and what you want from Skyrim.
- Roleplaying Focus: If you are playing a character that has no reason to care about the internal politics of Skyrim, ignoring the war makes perfect sense.
- Completionist: If you want to experience everything the game has to offer, eventually engaging with the Civil War is recommended.
- Dragonborn First: If you want to focus on the main quest and saving the world, you can put the Civil War on hold and address it later. You may find relevant information at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Skyrim provides the flexibility to shape your own destiny.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Ignoring the Civil War
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify your options regarding the Civil War in Skyrim.
1. Is it possible to completely avoid the Civil War questline?
Yes, it is entirely possible to avoid joining either side of the Civil War. You can simply not speak to the initial quest givers (Galmar Stone-Fist for the Stormcloaks and Legate Rikke for the Imperials) and focus on other questlines.
2. Will ignoring the Civil War affect my ability to become Thane in different holds?
The Civil War can affect the Jarl of a hold. If a hold’s Jarl changes due to the war, you may need to complete quests for the new Jarl to become Thane. However, you can still become Thane in most, if not all, holds regardless of the Civil War’s outcome.
3. What happens if I start the Civil War questline but then abandon it?
If you begin the questline but then stop, the war will simply continue in the background. There are no penalties for abandoning the questline, and you can resume it later if you choose.
4. Can I join one side and then switch to the other?
No, once you take the oath to join either the Stormcloaks or the Imperials, you become an enemy of the opposing faction. You will not be able to join the other side. However, there is one unique instance you can choose to betray the Stormcloaks. After acquiring the Jagged Crown, instead of returning it to Ulfric, you may betray the stormcloaks and hand over the crown to the empire instead.
5. Does the Civil War have an impact on the availability of certain merchants or trainers?
The Civil War can affect the availability of some NPCs, particularly in cities that change hands. Some merchants or trainers might temporarily disappear or be replaced, but this is usually temporary.
6. If I ignore the Civil War, will the cities of Skyrim still be affected by the conflict?
Yes, even if you don’t participate, the cities can still be attacked and change hands. You might encounter battles happening in the wilderness or near cities, even if you are focusing on other quests.
7. Does the Civil War affect the difficulty of the game?
The Civil War doesn’t directly affect the game’s overall difficulty. However, encountering battles in the wilderness might increase the frequency of combat encounters, especially in contested areas.
8. Is it possible to end the Civil War without joining either side?
No. You can not end the war without joining either side. The only way peace comes to Skyrim is when one side defeats the other. It really is not making peace, it’s actually a temporary truce and the war will resume(and thus, the civil war questline) immediatley after the main quest is over.
9. If the Stormcloaks win, will that drastically change the game world?
A Stormcloak victory results in Ulfric Stormcloak becoming High King and Skyrim seceding from the Empire. This leads to some changes in dialogue and potentially affects the political landscape, but the core gameplay experience remains largely the same.
10. If the Imperials win, will that drastically change the game world?
An Imperial victory maintains the status quo. Skyrim remains part of the Empire, and Imperial influence remains strong throughout the land.
11. Does my race affect which side I should choose in the Civil War?
Your race can play a role in deciding which side you would like to pick, especially in roleplaying scenarios. Pick Imperial if you want to play a character who is originally from a place aside from Skyrim, as it doesn’t make sense to fight under a banner that ultimately won’t accept you. Pick Stormcloak if you believe the Empire has no right to say what Skyrim denizens can and can’t do, especially if you are a Nord.
12. Can I become Thane of Windhelm if I didn’t help the Stormcloaks during the Civil War?
You can only become Thane of Windhelm after completing the Stormcloak quest line, if you join the Stormcloaks. If you joined the Imperials, you can only become thane when you’ve completed the imperial’s Civil War quest line.
13. Will ignoring the Civil War prevent me from completing any other major questlines?
No, ignoring the Civil War will only stop you from becoming a part of either the Stormcloaks or Imperial faction story lines.
14. Is there a “best” side to choose in the Civil War?
There is no objectively “best” side. Both factions have their pros and cons. The choice depends on your personal values and the kind of character you want to play.
15. Will siding with the Stormcloaks or Imperials affect my relationship with other factions, like the Thieves Guild or the Dark Brotherhood?
No, siding with the Stormcloaks or Imperials does not affect your standing with other factions like the Thieves Guild, the Dark Brotherhood, or the College of Winterhold. These questlines are independent of the Civil War.