Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood First? A Skyrim Dilemma Decoded!
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Choosing between the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood as your initial foray into the seedy underbelly of Skyrim is a rite of passage for any adventurer. While there’s no single “right” answer, a strategic approach considers your playstyle, character build, and desired early-game advantages. Generally, starting with the Dark Brotherhood is often advantageous for players aiming for a powerful early-game boost. This is primarily due to acquiring the Blade of Woe, a potent dagger perfect for stealth characters, relatively early in the questline. However, the Thieves Guild offers valuable passive skills and easier access to wealth, making it appealing to those prioritizing financial gain and less “morally questionable” activities. Ultimately, the optimal choice hinges on your individual priorities and preferred gameplay experience.
Weighing Your Options: Dark Brotherhood vs. Thieves Guild
The decision isn’t just about which faction to join first; it’s about how you want to shape your Skyrim experience. Let’s break down the key considerations:
- Early-Game Power: The Dark Brotherhood arguably offers a more immediate power spike with the Blade of Woe. This dagger, enchanted with Absorb Health, is a formidable weapon for stealth characters and can significantly enhance your damage output early on. The Shrouded Armor set also boosts archery and sneak skills, which can be incredibly useful.
- Financial Independence: The Thieves Guild is all about generating wealth. With practice and the right perks, you can become incredibly rich through stealing, pickpocketing, and completing lucrative side jobs. The Guild also provides access to fences, allowing you to sell stolen goods without incurring the wrath of the law.
- Character Alignment: The Dark Brotherhood is undeniably evil. Joining them requires you to commit murder, and many of their quests involve morally reprehensible acts. The Thieves Guild, while still engaging in criminal activity, is generally considered less overtly evil. If you’re roleplaying a “good” character, joining the Thieves Guild first (or at all) might feel more palatable.
- Quest Complexity: The Thieves Guild quests often involve intricate infiltration and stealth challenges, demanding patience and skill. The Dark Brotherhood quests are more straightforward, focusing on assassination.
- Leveled Rewards: Some factions in Skyrim have leveled rewards which means the gear that you receive will scale based on what level your character is at when the quest is completed. This could impact what faction you want to consider going to first.
A Step-by-Step Approach
Here’s a suggested strategy based on maximizing early-game benefits:
- Begin Innocence Lost: Start the Dark Brotherhood questline by speaking with Aventus Aretino in Windhelm.
- Obtain the Blade of Woe: Complete the initial Dark Brotherhood quests until you acquire the Blade of Woe.
- Switch to Thieves Guild: Shift your focus to the Thieves Guild in Riften.
- Leverage Wealth: Use the money earned from the Thieves Guild to improve your skills, purchase better equipment, and enhance your overall character build.
- Return to Dark Brotherhood (Optional): Once you’ve established yourself financially, you can return to the Dark Brotherhood and continue their questline, if you so choose.
This approach allows you to benefit from the Blade of Woe early on while simultaneously developing your thieving skills and accumulating wealth through the Thieves Guild. This also allows you to build up your character’s skill and level before going into the Dark Brotherhood if you find the missions too challenging to do early on in the game.
The Moral Compass: A Key Consideration
Ultimately, the “best” choice depends on your character’s moral alignment. If you’re playing a character who strives for good, joining the Dark Brotherhood might feel incongruous. In that case, the Thieves Guild provides a more morally ambiguous option, allowing you to engage in criminal activity without necessarily becoming a cold-blooded killer.
The ethical implications of your choices can also influence the overall narrative experience. For example, a player studying the ethics of decision-making in games might find analyzing the consequences of joining either faction a compelling case study. The Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org) provides resources for exploring these kinds of educational opportunities.
Skill Enhancement
Both factions present unique opportunities to enhance your character’s skills:
- Dark Brotherhood: Focuses on stealth, archery, one-handed (dagger) combat, and alchemy (poisons).
- Thieves Guild: Focuses on sneak, lockpicking, pickpocketing, speech, and light armor.
Consider which skills align best with your desired character build and choose the faction that provides the most relevant training and equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify your decision:
1. Can I join both the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim?
Yes, you can absolutely join both! In fact, Skyrim encourages you to explore multiple factions simultaneously. There are no restrictions on joining both, as well as the Mages Guild, Fighters Guild, Psijic Order, Undaunted, and Antiquarians Circle, all on a single character.
2. Does it matter what race I am when joining the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood?
While certain races have inherent skill bonuses that might make them slightly better suited for specific roles (e.g., Khajiit for stealth), any race can excel in either the Thieves Guild or the Dark Brotherhood. Race choice is more about roleplaying preference than a strict gameplay limitation. However, some races are better equipped for a certain playstyle than others.
3. What are the benefits of joining the Thieves Guild?
The Thieves Guild offers several benefits, including:
- Access to fences for selling stolen goods.
- Improved stealth and thieving skills.
- Lucrative quests and opportunities for financial gain.
- Special armor and equipment tailored for stealth characters.
- Passive bonuses like increased carrying capacity and improved pickpocketing success.
4. What are the benefits of joining the Dark Brotherhood?
The Dark Brotherhood provides:
- Access to powerful weapons and armor, such as the Blade of Woe and the Shrouded Armor set.
- Unique assassination quests with diverse objectives.
- Opportunities to improve your stealth, archery, and one-handed combat skills.
- Access to poisons and alchemy ingredients.
- A compelling storyline with memorable characters.
5. Is the Dark Brotherhood evil?
Yes, unequivocally. The Dark Brotherhood is a guild of assassins who engage in morally reprehensible acts. Joining them requires you to embrace a darker path and commit acts of murder.
6. Can I destroy the Dark Brotherhood instead of joining them?
Yes, you can. If you kill Astrid when you first encounter her, you’ll initiate a questline to destroy the Dark Brotherhood. This is a viable option for players who want to roleplay a “good” character and rid Skyrim of this sinister organization.
7. What level should I be before joining the Dark Brotherhood?
There’s no minimum level requirement, but it’s generally recommended to be at least level 5-10 before tackling the Dark Brotherhood quests. This will ensure you have sufficient skills and equipment to survive the encounters.
8. How do I join the Thieves Guild?
To join the Thieves Guild, travel to Riften and speak with Brynjolf in the marketplace. He’ll give you an initial task, and completing it will grant you access to the Guild.
9. How do I start the Dark Brotherhood questline?
To start the Dark Brotherhood questline, you must first complete the quest “Innocence Lost”. You can initiate this quest by hearing rumors about Aventus Aretino performing the Black Sacrament in Windhelm, speaking to Aventus directly, or overhearing the orphans from Honorhall Orphanage in Riften talk about him.
10. What if I accidentally killed an essential NPC for the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood?
If you accidentally kill an essential NPC (a character crucial to the questline), you may be unable to complete the associated quests. However, Skyrim has a system in place that will allow you to speak to a Jarl’s advisor in whatever city that NPC was from, and get the ability to continue your quest. It’s also smart to save your game often.
11. Can I get kicked out of the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood?
You can be expelled from the Thieves Guild if you steal from its members or attack them. You can also be kicked out if you do not follow the rules of the guild. It’s harder to get kicked out of the Dark Brotherhood, but betraying the family will have dire consequences.
12. Which faction has the better storyline?
This is subjective and depends on your personal preferences. The Dark Brotherhood storyline is often praised for its dark humor, memorable characters, and shocking twists. The Thieves Guild storyline offers a more grounded and intrigue-filled experience, focusing on corruption, betrayal, and the struggle for power.
13. Does joining one faction lock me out of any other quests or content?
No, joining either the Thieves Guild or the Dark Brotherhood does not lock you out of any other quests or content in Skyrim. You can still complete all other main quests, side quests, and faction questlines, regardless of your affiliation with these two guilds.
14. Can I become the leader of both the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood?
Yes, you can become the leader of both factions. Becoming the leader typically involves completing the main questline for each guild.
15. What are some good mods to enhance the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood experience?
There are many mods available that can enhance your experience with either faction. Some popular choices include mods that add new quests, expand the guild headquarters, improve the AI of guild members, or add new equipment and abilities. It’s essential to research mods thoroughly and ensure they are compatible with your game version.
Conclusion: Embrace Your Inner Adventurer
Ultimately, the decision of whether to join the Thieves Guild or the Dark Brotherhood first is a matter of personal preference. Consider your playstyle, character alignment, and desired early-game advantages. Both factions offer unique and rewarding experiences, and you can always join both! Embrace the freedom Skyrim offers and forge your own path through this immersive world. Consider the implications of gaming choices, and explore relevant resources like those found at the Games Learning Society (https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/). Happy adventuring!