A Couple Things I Don't Fully Understand...

RatsnevE

1. My character's armor is colored 'orange' and rated now at '1026' with a downward arrow that indicates it's growth potential is slowed unless I do something to increase other skills? What? I'm wearing heavy armor. I don't understand what or why I need to do anything!

2. I'm not using the TAB key. When I have used it in a battle a box outlines the foe but for what purpose? Is it really needed? Does it assure the success of a 'stealth attack' or focus the battle on only that foe or those foes?

Really...I think I maybe should make a greater effort into using it? Doesn't this fall under battle tactics and isn't it something that could have been better demonstrated in the beginning tutorial so it wouldn't be so forgotten by the time I reached level 29 and through some pretty tough battles?

Thanks.

Censorious

The orange/downward arrow means it's capped. Basically, you have too much armour and you are wasting attribute points on it. (Think of it as you've got so much armour you can't hardly move.)

The tab key, 'locks' your target. If there are several players running around it's often best to fix on one of them and keep hitting him till he goes down. The tab allows you to do that.
It's also very useful in that it will follow him for a short time even if he tries to stealth or hide behind something.
(You might have noticed yourself that sometimes you think you are stealthed but the 'hidden' eye keeps opening and closing? - somebody has you tabbed!)

These are things you have to figure out as you play the game unless you are lucky enough to have someone explain them to you
I just see it as part of the fun.

RatsnevE

Regarding the orange armor. I'm heavy armor oriented 100% at this point. Does that mean I should switch some gear to medium or light even and does that mean I will get offered more passive skills in medium and light?

I have all my active skills set and don't want to switch actives around for different battle strategies. I am basically playing a melee PC in the NB.

Is another way of saying this that if I let my defense down a little by using lower level armor and/or medium or light armor pieces that usually don't carry as much armor rating that my offensive damage will increase with offensive skill increases...that that can't happen when I'm wearing my "tank" outfit?

More often then not it works better to focus on and kill one foe at a time. I will start using TAB to help me stay focused better to this end.

Thanks.

DenverRalphy

Using TAB to lock the target allows you to attack your target without having to constantly keep your reticle focused on the target. Especially when there are several mobs around that can steal focus when they run across your reticle/field-of-view and cause your spell/attack to hit an unintended target. It peeves me when my Sorc intends to lay a Daedric Curse on a particular target, and some garbage minion gets in the way and gets it instead.

Censorious

RatsnevE wrote: »

Regarding the orange armor. I'm heavy armor oriented 100% at this point. Does that mean I should switch some gear to medium or light even and does that mean I will get offered more passive skills in medium and light?

I have all my active skills set and don't want to switch actives around for different battle strategies. I am basically playing a melee PC in the NB.

Is another way of saying this that if I let my defense down a little by using lower level armor and/or medium or light armor pieces that usually don't carry as much armor rating that my offensive damage will increase with offensive skill increases...that that can't happen when I'm wearing my "tank" outfit?

...
Thanks.

Well take my build for example. I'm a Sorcerer wearing light armour for the magicka passives. But since my magicka hits the soft cap (orange) easily, I wear 2 pieces of medium armour for the stamina passives.

Remember, the game isn't built around the 'holy trinity' of tank DPS and healer. If you try to build a pure version of those classes, you will just hit a cap and miss out on the available attributes in the other skill lines.
This is why people have such problems with the solo content.

Personally, I re-evaluate my active skill set almost for every fight. Sometimes I swap weapon sets and even armour. There are enough skill points available to max everything in the game on one character so there is no reason to ignore the other weapons, armour sets and active/passive skills that you can have.