The Mad God’s Bargain Quest (SPOILERS) (Quest contains 2 missable skill points!!)

Govalon

For those who do not know: in this quest you are given a choice. The outcome will either be crappy staff, or 2 skill points. I am sure that there is no-one who would rather choose the staff over 2 skill points so I am here to inform which choice is the correct one.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Spoilers are minor but you really need to know this if you wan't to get the correct reward. If you actually follow the quest and dialogues you will know which one of the choices gives you skill points. It is really obvious so you don't need to read this if you read the dialogues while questing.

This is mages guilds last quest, level 43.

You will be given a choice:
1. Cure Valaste and do not let her go with Shegorath. - This choice gives you crappy staff.

2. Let Valaste go with Shegorath to Shivering isles. - This choice gives you a book that cointains "power of half a dozen of skyshards" - as Sheogorath himself says.

Choice numer two (2) gives you 2 skill points when you read the book. Choose this.

I hope they are not more quests like this and if there is, I hope the choices are as clear as in this quest so I don't miss skill points. This guide is for those people who skip text in quests so they dont miss out on skill points either.

Shimond

I don't typically skip quest text but I was not under the impression quest rewards would vary to that extent, certainly not where skill points are concerned. Good to know my options ahead of time!

Bweefk

I have to say this was one of the best quests I've come across. and ol' Shegorath talked me into letting her go with him.
i just wish you could keep the book instead of it dissapearing when you use it tho.

drwoody44b14_ESO

Seems like a poor design choice to have one reward that so severely outweighs the other. A better choice would have been 2 skill points vs 2 attribute points.

Yankee

Opps, I missed two skill points for being a nice guy.

Oh well, after I reset my points at VR1 to get rid of unused skills I ended up with more than 40 in reserve.

pysgod1978b14_ESO

Its because the reward comes from Sheogorath. He's a certifiable nut. If he were human he'd be in a medieval sanitorium.

Pyatra

Sooo, you post a warning to people who don't read or listen and you tell us to choose the 2 skill points like it's the only choice. You hope there aren't more quests that make you think that may be more difficult and you post this in the wrong section? Well, I'm glad I didn't have to think about moral choices or anything or bother paying attention. Also change the title, if you post something in new player questions, people don't know "Mad God's Bargain" means the end of the Mage's guild quest line.

Jynai

Thanks for the info, I'm currently skipping dialogue, so this is very helpful to me!

Nasuradin_ESO

Also the end of the fighter's guild quest will give you a lvl 43 purple/epic quality fire destruction staff if you choose "staff" out of the list of weapons, so even more reason to skip the moral choice and choose the book with +2 skill pts from ol' Sheo. (The crappy staff you get instead of the +2 skill pts is a blue quality ice destruction staff)

(Although if you don't read dialogue and just hit 1 to skip it all you'll probably get the longsword or something.. I think that was the top choice, don't remember. You do however get to choose it twice, mid-quest and at the end when you turn the quest in, to pick something new or reaffirm your choice.)

Esha76

I've seen people in other forums say things like waiting to do the quest until Zen changes it to balance out the rewards. I'm afraid these people are missing the entire point of this quest. As nice as it would be to have equal rewards for the choice you make, life doesn't work that way. The developers really make you look at yourself and your moral character.

Then my next question is, why on Earth am I being so sentimental about dots of light on a screen??

Can't say I like this choice, but that is the entire point...

Upon further consideration, here is my rationale. Maybe it can help others who are debating this as well.

As one guy stated, once he re-specs at 50, he's going to have a ton of points left over. I am also leveling one character in each class. With my crafting spread out across those characters, I'm going to have a ton of points left over at 50 as well. Once you focus your character's combat or healing build, and not try to craft everything under the sun, at level 50 two skill points really won't make a difference. You'd probably end up dropping them in some ability that you would rarely use, "just in case", or a passive with a small % of going off in certain rare cases. I'm pretty sure Zen knows if they made this a game/character breaking choice, people will cancel, and they won't be able to keep their lights on.

On the other hand, it's just some dopey video game with no impact on important stuff in the real world, so what does it matter what you choose in the end anyway?

Kl3v3rMonk3y

I thank you for posting this good sir. I had heard about this but not the details so I was wondering if I had already made the mistake. I havent, nowhere near that part.

yetskiiub17_ESO

Nasuradin_ESO wrote: »

Also the end of the fighter's guild quest will give you a lvl 43 purple/epic quality fire destruction staff if you choose "staff" out of the list of weapons, so even more reason to skip the moral choice and choose the book with +2 skill pts from ol' Sheo. (The crappy staff you get instead of the +2 skill pts is a blue quality ice destruction staff)

(Although if you don't read dialogue and just hit 1 to skip it all you'll probably get the longsword or something.. I think that was the top choice, don't remember. You do however get to choose it twice, mid-quest and at the end when you turn the quest in, to pick something new or reaffirm your choice.)

I got a crappy blue bow that was 10 points less base damage than my crafted Blue, and did not have my fire damage either...I decon'd it for the turpin

Sorpaijen_ESO

While I DO like me some skill points, I also like to roleplay my characters "properly" and there are many of them who would flip Sheogorath the finger and help the lady. Most, actually, Even the hard-nosed pragmatists in the roster are unlikely to side with the Mad God...

It DOES seem to be a rather harsh alternative, though. Perhaps later on there is a quest to counterbalance where BECAUSE you passed on the skill points, you later get a choice to get them where those who picked the skill points DON'T get the option for more skill points (because they helped madgod).

Glurin

Remember, you're dealing with the daedric prince of madness here. That "crappy staff" you get could very well be the Wabbajack in disguise. Or the Staff of the Everscamp.

Or just a big stick he found on the ground...

Nasuradin_ESO

yetskiiub17_ESO wrote: »

I got a crappy blue bow that was 10 points less base damage than my crafted Blue, and did not have my fire damage either...I decon'd it for the turpin

You begin with a crappy blue item which you loose in the process of doing the quest and are then rewarded with a purple version by the end. Which actually will magically appear in your hands even if you get rid of it, when the quest calls for it, but it was only because I abandoned the quest and the blue weapon vanished along with the quest, and I never got it back after picking the quest up again.

I believe this weapon from the fighter's guild is also a unique model.

Mulk

2 skill points = less than 1% of the total available skill points out there. It's not as big a bump as you think it is. If you're being diligent about obtaining skill points by skyshard, instances and storyline quests, you'll have 100 or close to it already by the time you get to this quest.

It's the closest a game can come to presenting you with the dilemma of whether you can be bought off or not - in case that is unclear, the point is to determine whether you will always do the "right" thing (which would be freeing Valaste, nothing she did deserves punishment by madness for eternity with Sheogorath) or whether you have a price at which the morality of the situation doesn't matter. You can't have both the "right" ending (and unique weapon model) and the power you want at the same time this time. Kudos to them for trying.

It's clear a number of people completely missed the point of the wildly different rewards. Honestly, though, to make a fuss over two skill points in a game that is replete with chances to earn them is kinda silly. If you think they're that important, by all means, take them. If not, save Valaste.

ClaudiaMay

Well, there's 2 skill points I'll be missing on my mage gosh darnit Darn nice characters.

My DK, on the other hand, is going to love this.

illuzian

Do you also get the facility to read all previously read books via 'J' if you choose not to save Valaste? I was under the impression that you either got skill points or the book memory.

Alyrn_Grey

Oh no if you pick choice 2 you only get 328 skill points instead of 330 possible skill points. Oh no.

Esha76

Of course, there is a much more alarming notion at work over this whole quest.

Look at all of us looking for a reward for being a good person.

People have said it above, and I have thought it to, maybe in a later update Valaste will "reward" you with something better than 2 skill points. Like a special crafting motif you can only get for saving her, for example.

So, is this where humans have evolved to this day in age. We wish to be paid for being moral and good. Of course, like stated in my original post, this is just some video game with no ramifications. But still the fact remains, this quest is a lovely sociological experiment, and should cause one with some cognitive activity to think a little...

Anzaman

Today I spent 20 minutes starting there... 2 skill points or cure her...

I hate this kind of decisions, IMO they should have not tied the skill points into this kind of matter and the reward should have been something else, like an purple item.

Ended up taking the skill points... Hoping that some day I could save her.

Nasuradin_ESO

yetskiiub17_ESO wrote: »

illuzian wrote: »

Do you also get the facility to read all previously read books via 'J' if you choose not to save Valaste? I was under the impression that you either got skill points or the book memory.

You get a stern look from shally and he then teaches you the memory recall technique anyway.

Hukk3

I believe you also get different craftable set bonuses if you choose to save valaste or not, however I have not confirmed this. But according to this page there are two craftable set bonuses at the end of the mages guild quest line. I chose to save valaste becuase I suspected that you would only get one depending on your choice and I wanted the "eyes of mara" and I got it and I can not find another place in Eyevea where you can make a craftable set. So I conclude this is also affected by your choice.

Edit: NVM my ramblings it seems like you get both whatever you choose the other one is just harder to find, I have not confirmed this yet thou since server is currently down for maintenance.

jeremylthb14_ESO

I believe the difference is only 1 skill point. You get 1+staff to save her, while you get 2 for not saving her.

Antonie

I knew about the skillpoints since Sheo says"....worth 5 or 6 skyshards" and yet i happily choose to pick up the staff+saving valaste from the grasp of a mad deadric prince. It should be player preferences on how to play and giving tips out should be totally legimative as to how one can progress a character and its choices.

So if people wanted to skip dialogues and gain 2 skillpoints it is a fair tip for Govalon to hint that out for those people. I do wish though that Govalon would have added the information what is going to happen to valaste depending on one`s choice since he did mention about spoilers anyways.

Kiputytto

Hukk3 wrote: »

I believe you also get different craftable set bonuses if you choose to save valaste or not, however I have not confirmed this. But according to this page there are two craftable set bonuses at the end of the mages guild quest line. I chose to save valaste becuase I suspected that you would only get one depending on your choice and I wanted the "eyes of mara" and I got it and I can not find another place in Eyevea where you can make a craftable set. So I conclude this is also affected by your choice.

Against my better judgment I choose the book so I could expand on this theory. I really wanted to save Valaste since my character is "good" being a role player and all that matters to me. Either way, I choose to let her go with Uncle Sheo and did not get the "other" crafting station. I still have the Eyes of Mara set behind the guildhall to the west of the map. I hope this helps other players make the decision they want for themself/their character instead of for a crafting set.

Hukk3

Kiputytto wrote: »

Hukk3 wrote: »

I believe you also get different craftable set bonuses if you choose to save valaste or not, however I have not confirmed this. But according to this page there are two craftable set bonuses at the end of the mages guild quest line. I chose to save valaste becuase I suspected that you would only get one depending on your choice and I wanted the "eyes of mara" and I got it and I can not find another place in Eyevea where you can make a craftable set. So I conclude this is also affected by your choice.

Against my better judgment I choose the book so I could expand on this theory. I really wanted to save Valaste since my character is "good" being a role player and all that matters to me. Either way, I choose to let her go with Uncle Sheo and did not get the "other" crafting station. I still have the Eyes of Mara set behind the guildhall to the west of the map. I hope this helps other players make the decision they want for themself/their character instead of for a crafting set.

I am truly sorry, Selene. That you felt you had to step out of your moral boundries, to test my foolish theory. I was so sure that I was right. Will you ever find it in your heart to forgive me.

Signed be a regretful breton.
- Rascal Shorn

Frimlin

Spellbreaker's Staff - Frost Staff - Damage: 88 - Level: 43 - 26 Frost Damage - Trait: Powered (40%)

The staff was actually 2 damage points higher than my existing crafted one, so I swapped to it.

I'd had a long story with Velaste and I couldn't bear to think of her being lost, potentially forever, with Sheogorath. There's Skyshards everywhere if I need more skill points.

nerevarine1138

So you posted here to tell us that you can't understand human speech?

(Spoilers incoming, in case anyone hasn't already noticed)
Sheogorath tells you exactly what the book will give you. For those of us who actually listen, he says "it's worth about a half-dozen of those skyshards." A half-dozen is 6. Which is 2 skill points.

If you can't be bothered to listen to dialogue, don't complain about the consequences of your actions.

drwoody44b14_ESO

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

So you posted here to tell us that you can't understand human speech?

(Spoilers incoming, in case anyone hasn't already noticed)
Sheogorath tells you exactly what the book will give you. For those of us who actually listen, he says "it's worth about a half-dozen of those skyshards." A half-dozen is 6. Which is 2 skill points.

If you can't be bothered to listen to dialogue, don't complain about the consequences of your actions.

I bolded the part I find ironic, as it seems you havent read a single post in this thread, or even the original post for that matter.


Fanboi'ing it up again I see.

nerevarine1138

drwoody44b14_ESO wrote: »

I bolded the part I find ironic, as it seems you havent read a single post in this thread, or even the original post for that matter.


Fanboi'ing it up again I see.

I'm sorry, I must have missed the part in the OP where he indicated that you would know that you get 2 skill points for letting her go with Sheogorath. Oh, I know. I missed the one post earlier in the thread which referenced the dialogue, but that everyone ignored.

If you listen to Sheogorath, he tells you exactly what the book gives you. Presumably, if you don't take the book, you're giving up that option. If you don't understand that, I suggest buying a dictionary.

Oh, and every time you say "fanboy," an angel loses its wings.