Can You Beat Morrowind with Only Poison Damage?

In this ambitious run of the classic game Morrowind, the player, Gila, challenges themselves to complete the game using only poison damage. This unique approach restricts the player from using traditional combat methods such as fire, frost, shock, magic, or physical damage. The player cleverly utilizes the game mechanics to their advantage, employing strategies like alchemy for poison creation, and leveraging the natural immunity of Argonians to poison. The summary of the transcript details the player's journey, including the challenges faced, the strategic use of spells, and the creative problem-solving involved in overcoming various obstacles and enemies while adhering to the poison-only constraint. The player's resourcefulness is highlighted as they navigate through the game's complex world, engaging in quests, battling undead enemies, and ultimately facing Dagoth Ur while maintaining the self-imposed limitation.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Playing Morrowind with only poison damage is challenging but possible, requiring strategic use of poison spells and mage skills.
• 🚫 The playthrough restricts the use of fire, frost, shock, magic, or physical damage, as well as summoning familiars.
• 🧙 Choosing Argonian as a race provides immunity to poison magic, which can be advantageous when poison spells are reflected.
• 💊 Utilizing poison spells from the Destruction school of magic is central to this run, despite their higher base cost and enemy resistances.
• 🧚‍♀️ Majoring in Destruction and minoring in other magic schools allows for a versatile approach, with many effects replaced by enchanted items.
• 🏃‍♀️ Acrobatics and Athletics are prioritized for increased movement speed, which is crucial for evading enemies and traversing the world.
• 💰 Financial resources are managed carefully, with creature merchants providing access to magicka potions, and gold used for purchasing spells and items.
• 🧙‍♀️ The character's progression involves joining the Mage's Guild, undertaking quests, and leveraging alchemy to increase intelligence for more magicka.
• 🔮 Experimenting with different poison types and effects is necessary to overcome various enemy resistances and vulnerabilities.
• 🛡️ The use of enchanted items and spells like Feather and Jump enhances mobility and provides tactical advantages in combat.
• 🤝 Interacting with NPCs in creative ways, such as using command spells to manipulate them for personal gain or convenience, adds a unique twist to the gameplay.

Q & A

What is the main challenge in beating Morrowind with only poison damage?

The main challenge is that all damage dealt must be poison-based, which excludes fire, frost, shock, magic, or physical damage. Additionally, the player cannot use familiars or exploit certain game mechanics like fortify-loops with alchemy or pause screen buffs.

Why is being an Argonian beneficial for a poison-only run in Morrowind?

Argonians are naturally immune to poison, which means that if any poison spells are reflected back at the caster, they won't be damaged. This is particularly beneficial because it eliminates a major concern when playing a mage in Morrowind.

How does the player plan to deal with enemies that are resistant or immune to poison?

The player plans to use the Dire Weakness to Poison spell to apply a weakness debuff to enemies, effectively reducing their resistance to poison and allowing poison spells to deal damage.

What is the significance of the Mud Crab Merchant in the context of the run?

The Mud Crab Merchant is used in a creative way to sell items in the city of Balmora. The player uses spells to command the merchant and a guild guide to teleport the merchant to Balmora, where he can then sell items for a higher price.

Why does the player choose the Atronach birth sign for their character?

The Atronach birth sign is chosen because it provides a significant boost to magicka, which is crucial for a run that relies heavily on magic, specifically poison spells.

How does the player plan to traverse the world in a unique way?

The player discovers an unconventional method involving a combination of jump and slowfall spells to traverse the world with increased mobility. This method allows for a significant increase in jump height and movement speed.

What is the role of the character Gila in the script?

Gila is the name of the player's character in the game. The character is an Argonian mage specializing in poison magic and is the protagonist of the narrative, guiding the viewer through the unique challenge of completing the game using only poison damage.

How does the player handle the requirement of not using on-target spells due to their high cost in magicka?

The player opts for on-touch spells instead of on-target spells to conserve magicka. They also uses strategies like applying a damage over time effect to enemies and then using quick 1-second spells to maintain consistent damage while preparing another spell.

What is the strategy for dealing with the Redguard, who resist a significant amount of poison damage?

The player uses the Immunity Crusher spell, which is a slow-acting but powerful poison spell that guarantees full damage, bypassing the Redguard's resistance to poison.

How does the player manage to sell all the expensive gear without going to the Mud Crab Merchant every time?

The player devises a plan to bring the Mud Crab Merchant to a city by using command spells on the merchant and a guild guide, allowing for easy access to sell items in the city.

What is the significance of the enchanted robe with feather and jump spells in the player's strategy?

The enchanted robe with feather and jump spells allows the player to have an exceptionally high jump and movement speed, which aids in navigation and potentially escaping from enemies or reaching otherwise inaccessible areas.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Poison-Only Challenge in Morrowind

The video script introduces a unique challenge in the game Morrowind where the player can only deal poison damage. This means no fire, frost, shock, magic, or physical damage is allowed. The player discusses strategies, including using the Destruction school of magic, and highlights the limitations and benefits of poison magic, such as Argonians' immunity to poison. The player also talks about their character build, including skills and attributes, and the importance of magicka for the run.

05:00

🐲 Argonian Character and Resource Management

The player chooses to play as a female Argonian named Gila, providing a backstory and reasoning for the choice. The script discusses the character's attributes and skills, emphasizing the importance of magicka pool size. It also covers the use of various in-game items and strategies for resource management, such as using the Atronach sign and purchasing magicka potions. Additionally, the player discusses their editing struggles and promotes Opera GX as a solution.

10:03

🌱 Gathering Ingredients and Questing in Seyda Neen

The player starts their journey in Seyda Neen, collecting mushrooms for a quest given by Ajira in the Mage's Guild. The script details the process of gathering ingredients and the decision to head to the Samaras Ancestral Tomb to obtain the Mentor's Ring, which provides bonuses to intelligence and willpower. The player also discusses the importance of these attributes for their mage character.

15:05

🛡️ Acquiring Gear and Preparing for Adventure

The player focuses on acquiring gear and preparing for their adventures in the game. This includes purchasing spells, stealing soul gems, and selling items for gold. The script also mentions the purchase of the Amulet of Recall for utility purposes and the strategy of using enchantments for movement enhancement. The player further discusses their approach to handling various in-game challenges and quests.

20:08

🔮 Mastering Magic and Overcoming Undead Foes

The player delves into the intricacies of magic use in the game, particularly the importance of the Dire Weakness to Poison spell for overcoming undead enemies. The script explains how to manipulate elemental resistances using weakness spells and discusses the strategy for defeating specific enemies like wraiths and skeletons. The player also shares their approach to completing Mage's Guild quests and leveling up their character.

25:09

💰 Gold, Enchantment, and Navigating Morrowind

The player discusses their in-game wealth accumulation and the use of gold for enchanting gear. The script covers the process of enchanting items using soul gems and the strategic use of alchemy and alteration spells. It also details the player's exploration of various locations in Morrowind, including their approach to navigating the world using jump spells and the acquisition of the Fists of Randagulf for added benefits.

30:10

🤝 Interacting with NPCs and Completing Main Quests

The player describes their interactions with non-player characters (NPCs) in the game, including escort quests and dialogue with various individuals. The script outlines the steps taken to complete main quests, such as obtaining the skull from the Andrano Ancestral Tomb and dealing with the challenges posed by different types of enemies. The player also shares their strategies for combat and problem-solving in the game.

35:15

🏆 Becoming Hortator and Nerevarine

The player embarks on the journey to become Hortator and Nerevarine, discussing the process of gaining recognition and completing tasks for various tribes. The script covers the challenges faced during escort quests and combat encounters, as well as the strategic use of spells and items to overcome obstacles. The player also reflects on their experience with the game's mechanics and the satisfaction of achieving leadership roles.

40:18

🏺 Acquiring Sunder and Keening

The player details their quest to obtain the powerful weapons Sunder and Keening. The script describes the process of completing trials and overcoming enemies to acquire these items. However, the player decides to drop off these weapons in Balmora due to their challenge rules of only dealing poison damage, opting instead to focus on their poison-only strategy for defeating Dagoth Ur.

45:20

🔥 Defeating Dagoth Ur and Claiming Victory

The player outlines their strategy for defeating Dagoth Ur, including the decision to avoid using Sunder and Keening to adhere to the poison-only challenge. The script describes the tactics used to defeat Dagoth Ur's first form and the clever use of in-game mechanics to navigate the second form encounter. The player concludes with the defeat of Dagoth Ur and the implications for the game world, celebrating their unique victory.

Keywords

Poison Damage

Poison damage refers to a type of damage in the game that is inflicted over time, dealing continuous harm to an enemy or character. In the context of the video, the entire challenge is based on dealing only poison damage, which restricts the use of other damage types like fire, frost, shock, or physical damage. This constraint significantly influences the strategy and playstyle throughout the game.

Morrowind

Morrowind is an open-world role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios. It is the third installment in The Elder Scrolls series and the video's main theme revolves around completing the game with a self-imposed challenge. The title 'Can You Beat Morrowind with Only Poison Damage?' suggests an unconventional approach to the game, emphasizing a unique gameplay experience.

Alchemy

Alchemy is a magic school in the game of Morrowind that allows characters to create potions and poisons. In the video, the player discusses the limitations of alchemy in Morrowind, particularly the inability to craft weapon poisons, which affects the strategy for completing the game with only poison damage.

Destruction

Destruction is a school of magic in the game that deals direct harm to enemies through various spells. It is mentioned as the most important skill for the character build in the video, as it is the primary source of pure poison damage, which is central to the challenge.

Argonians

Argonians are one of the ten playable races in Morrowind. They are known for their natural resistance to diseases and poisons. The video mentions choosing an Argonian character to take advantage of their racial immunity to poison, which is beneficial for a playthrough that relies solely on poison damage.

Magicka

Magicka is the magical energy or 'mana' in the game that is used to cast spells. The video discusses the importance of having a good deal of Magicka for the playthrough to effectively use poison spells, highlighting the resource management aspect of the challenge.

Atronach Birth Sign

The Atronach birth sign is one of the birth signs in the game that provides benefits related to magic use. In the video, it is chosen for its ability to absorb spells, which is advantageous for a mage character focused on poison magic.

Sunder and Keening

Sunder and Keening are powerful weapons in the game that are often used in the final battle against Dagoth Ur. The video mentions a plan for dealing with these weapons, considering the poison-only damage restriction, which adds an extra layer of strategy to the playthrough.

NPCs

NPCs, or Non-Player Characters, are characters in the game that are not controlled by the player. The video script includes interactions with various NPCs, such as the Mud Crab Merchant, and discusses how they can be used in creative ways to support the poison-only challenge.

Mages Guild

The Mages Guild is a faction in the game that the player can join to gain access to spells, training, and quests. The video mentions doing quests for the Mages Guild, which is a common aspect of character progression and obtaining new abilities in the game.

Dagoth Ur

Dagoth Ur is the primary antagonist in Morrowind and the ultimate boss that the player must defeat to complete the main storyline. The video's challenge culminates in finding a way to defeat Dagoth Ur using only poison damage, which requires creative problem-solving and strategic use of in-game mechanics.

Highlights

The challenge is to beat Morrowind using only poison damage, disallowing other forms of damage like fire, frost, shock, magic, or physical damage.

The player cannot use conjuring familiars to fight for them, adding to the challenge's restrictions.

Argonians are immune to poison, which can be advantageous if poison spells are reflected back at the player.

Destruction is the primary skill for this run, with other magic schools having limited use.

Acrobatics and Athletics are chosen as major skills to ensure movement speed is maximized.

The Atronach sign is selected for its magicka benefits, which are crucial for a mage-focused run.

The Mud Crab Merchant is used creatively to sell items in the city of Balmora, showcasing a unique strategy.

Alchemy is not chosen as a skill to avoid leveling up unintentionally, which could complicate the poison-only restriction.

The player uses a clever method involving spells like Command Humanoid and Frenzy to manipulate NPCs.

Poison damage is less effective against certain enemies like Redguards and undead, requiring strategic use of spells.

The player discovers that certain items, like the Ring of Sanguine Red Wisdom, can boost their poison damage.

The use of levitation and enchanted items to enhance mobility and avoid damage is a key strategy in the playthrough.

The player creatively uses the game mechanics to transport the Mud Crab Merchant to Balmora for convenience.

The challenge of fighting Telvanni wizards and navigating the game's mechanics with a limited skill set is addressed.

The player's character, Gila, is named after the Gila Monster, which is known for its potent venom.

The player discusses the effectiveness of poison magic in various situations and against different enemy types.

The strategy of enchanting gear with unique effects to enhance the character's mobility and combat capabilities is highlighted.

The player's innovative use of spells and game mechanics to complete the main quest and defeat Dagoth Ur is showcased.