Oblivion talk:Essential NPCs

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Information Relocation?[edit]

  • Before I go and finish off the NPC pages replacing the provided information with "Sometimes".

I was wondering if I should just leave the info there or do replace it with [[Oblivion:Essential NPCs|Sometimes]] thus referring the user to this page yet keeping that part of the NPC's page simple with a "Sometimes" or an "Always".--Most Honored Listener 02:33, 18 July 2007 (EDT)

I think the NPC's page should provide complete information on the NPC, and therefore information should not be deleted from the article just because it's also listed on Essential NPCs. In particular using a generic link to the Essential NPCs page is particularly unhelpful to readers, because they then have to search through the entire page to find the information that they want. Therefore, I've reverted several NPC pages where I noticed that information had been deleted. If the details are too complicated to easily fit into the NPC summary, then a note should be added to the NPC page providing the complete information, IMO. --NepheleTalk 02:38, 18 July 2007 (EDT)
I agree for the most part first feeling as though the "Essential" part of the NPC page was like a yes or no question, but now thinking at how it would be allot easier for the user to simply look at the page and know. With that said.... Whats the point of this page?--Most Honored Listener 02:42, 18 July 2007 (EDT)

Drunk and disorderly[edit]

I removed the 'doesn't exist after drunk and disorderly' comment because it's a blatant lie. All 3 fighters guild members can be found hanging around near the entrance to Undertow Cavern. --Saruuk 03:05, 18 July 2007 (EDT)

OK that works, thank you but may I ask why you don't have a user page or a discussion page I know they are not required but it makes it easier on other users to leave you comments about your edits, and to call it a Blatant lie doesn't folow through with assume good faith.--Most Honored Listener 03:10, 18 July 2007 (EDT)
Sorry about that. I just got a little cranky that you reverted my edit, and then requested that I validate my previous actions, rather than the other way around. --Saruuk 03:17, 18 July 2007 (EDT)

BlackWood Company[edit]

I counted there are 201 essentials in total including three essential NPCs all named "Black Wood Company Guard" you meet when you join the Company.--Most Honored Listener 02:25, 20 July 2007 (EDT)

Termanwe[edit]

Does Termanwe really disappear after Sanguine's quest? I can't see any scripts that disable her at any point, so I don't see what would make her disappear. --NepheleTalk 00:18, 21 July 2007 (EDT)

I don't think she does for some reason things are coming of differently then I add them. I am field testing all the NPCs seeing if they are killable after any related quests I write down the info and for some reason it comes up differently I am quite positive that things are different hacking maybe? hope not.--Most Honored Listener 01:48, 21 July 2007 (EDT)
OK, I suppose there's a bit of confusion here. You made this edit to the page, in which information was added stating that Tandilwe lives in Leyawiin and disappears after Sanguine's quest; in the same edit you posted that Termanwe lives in the Imperial City. Saruuk then realized that Tandilwe does not live in Leyawiin and has absolutely no connection to Sanguine's quest; also, Termanwe does not live in the Imperial City. He therefore inferred that you had reversed the information for these two NPCs, and in this edit tried to fix the information. If the comment "never but after the Sanguine's shrine quest she no longer exists" was not supposed to apply to Termanwe, then who is it supposed to describe? --NepheleTalk 02:23, 21 July 2007 (EDT)
Yes I can see how a mistake could be made seeing how closely related the names are. I also remember looking at the editing page and the NPCs page and seeing how they were different and it was very confusing. it looks like double checking is going to be a top priority after new info is posted.--Most Honored Listener 02:31, 21 July 2007 (EDT)
I'll take that to mean that you can't confirm the information about Termanwe, so I've gone ahead and deleted it from the page. --NepheleTalk 02:37, 21 July 2007 (EDT)

Ma'Raska[edit]

Even after the shrine quest I still couldn't kill him so I would say that he is always essential.--Most Honored Listener 16:18, 28 July 2007 (EDT)

See Ma'Raska's page for details. He is not always essential. There are often multiple possible outcomes, which is why the construction set is used to find out what all the possibilities are, instead of counting on one single player's experience to provide complete information. --NepheleTalk 17:14, 28 July 2007 (EDT)

Varulae[edit]

If my memory serves me right, and I'm sure it does, Varulae (the altmer female that had you retrieve her crystal ball from the haunted ship in Anvil) is essential, right? And she becomes killable after she gives you Redwave. I would put it up, but I had installed some new mods, and wanted to be sure that hasn't been changed, because that info is not on her NPC page. --Vesna 7:54, 18 August 2007

Yep, she is essential during the quest. She was previously overlooked because, unlike most essential NPCs, she does not start out as an essential character. I've added the info. --NepheleTalk 23:50, 18 August 2007 (EDT)

Antus and Rallus Odiil[edit]

Are they ever essential? I don't seem to recall them existing in the game until you start The Killing Field, and I don't think they're essential then. --Aldage 18:43, 12 October 2007 (EDT)

They both start the game as essential characters, and lose that status early in the quest (quest stage 40, when all three of you first arrive at Odiil Farm). However, they only become enabled when you first start the quest (quest stage 10), so the essential status seems to primarily be in case you opt to wait a long time to proceed with the quest, they won't get killed while standing on the road waiting for you. --NepheleTalk 00:22, 29 September 2007 (EDT)

Thanks for clarifying.

A few questions[edit]

First: There are 8 NPCs who are essential until a scripted death, as follows:

I'd like to change the infoboxes on the NPC pagees to say something like:

Any opinions?

Second: There are 7 NPCs with a conflicting essential status; all of the following have "Essential=Sometimes" in their infoboxes on their NPC pages, but Essential NPCs lists them as "Becomes Killable=never":

I was wondering if anyone could clarify their essential statuses.

Third: There's only 29 NPCs that still only have "Essential=Sometimes." The majority of these are Daedric Shrine Worshippers. I noticed that it seemed like most of the Daedric Shrine Worshippers lost their Essential status when the Daedric Shrine quest is completed, and I wondered if anyone could prove or disprove it.

--GuildKnight (Talk) contribs 18:42, 3 October 2007 (EDT)

I totally agree with you on the first point. I think it will be very helpful. I am not sure about the second point. It will take a bit of research. About the third one, from what I have noticed, though there are 3 worshippers in every shrine, only the worshipper who gives the quest is essential, and they lose their essential status when their quest is completed. --Mankar Camoran 09:09, 4 October 2007 (EDT)
I just looked in two different finished saves and only Kud-Ei and Melisande were killable. I can't work out when that happens though. I've set the status on the others' pages to Always essential. As far as the "scripted death" addition is concerned... it makes sense to me but it's possibly a touch too much for most players? On balance I'd say it should go on but I'd also add a note to the Essential NPCs page explaining exactly what it means. --RpehTalk 01:58, 7 October 2007 (EDT)
When setting up the NPC pages I used "sometimes" for NPCs who clearly started out as essential but who weren't listed on the Essential NPCs page (at that time) as never becoming killable. In other words, it was basically the most conservative choice in the absence of more complete information. Checking the construction set for the seven you've listed, I come up with:
As for Daedric Shrine worshippers, yes, each "head" worshipper does generally lose his/her essential status at the end of the Daedric quest. Specifically, all of the people who are set to non-essential after each Daedric quest are:
I hope that helps. --NepheleTalk 11:19, 7 October 2007 (EDT)
Yes, that was a great help! So, all of that is settled. There's only 22 8 NPCs left with unknown essential statuses. Here's the list, in case anyone knows their statuses:
--GuildKnight (Talk) contribs 17:46, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

By my investigations:

--TheRealLurlock Talk 19:10, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

Awesome job! But just one thing I noticed. I don't think Kud-Ei ever becomes non-essential, as I completed the quest and she is still essential. None of the other Mages Guild chapter leaders become non-essential either. --Aldage 11:23, 13 October 2007 (
I just added details to Kud-Ei's page about her essential status. She can become non-essential, depending upon the order in which you do her quests. --NepheleTalk 12:09, 13 October 2007 (EDT)
Also, to finish off this list, the remaining 8 people in the list (including Savlian Matius and Vilena Donton) never become unessential . --NepheleTalk 12:28, 13 October 2007 (EDT)

Respawning people[edit]

Does anyone have a list of respawning named npcs? Sorry if this is asking too much, but if anyone does can they please tell me. --Aldage 18:43, 12 October 2007 (EDT)

Yeah, just to bump this on the recent changes list, this seems like a pretty important thing to have on the site. Do we have one? I'd be pleased to help make it if we don't --M'aiq the Liar 17:58, 9 September 2008 (EDT)
The best way to get new tasks added to the Task List is to add them. Relying on posts on talk pages often won't work. –RpehTCE 01:01, 10 September 2008 (EDT)

Creating essentials[edit]

Just wondering, is there any way to make an NPC person or creature into an essential one? If so, please link to it. Dr. Kilereren 15:37, 24 June 2008 (EDT)

The console command setessential should do what you're asking, check its entry on the Console Command Tutorial page for more information. --Volanaro 16:02, 24 June 2008 (EDT)
hello, i have a problem, i dont understand the code, i write the actor id but it ask about a parameter

is this the correct way  : setessential id 1? it do not want this way...— Unsigned comment by 66.50.61.244 (talk)

You need to either have selected, or input the id of, what you want to make essential.-Puddle TalkContribs. 23:43, 1 July 2008 (EDT)
i write the ID but it do not work, it ask about the "actor base" but i write the correct ID :(
my companion's id
setessential (ff009d8f) 1
— Unsigned comment by 65.23.250.254 (talk)
That's not a base id. Look at Countess Millona Umbranox's page for instance. Her base id is clearly marked in the infobox. You need to look up whatever NPC you're trying to make essential and use their base id. –RpehTCE 02:00, 2 July 2008 (EDT)

so...there is no way of making essential a created NPC? they have to be original? {unsigned|65.23.243.15}

There is. It just requires the construction set and Oblivion Mod Manager. Well, not really the mod manager, but it's much easier with OBMM. Basically, fire up the CS and load the .ESP mod and find the NPC you want. At this point, it's actually easier to just tick the 'Essential' checkbox, but failing that, you can drag open the ID column (it's initially hidden) to get the respective ID for your NPC. You can then use this ID to make the NPC essential using the console. --Saruuk 03:45, 2 July 2008 (EDT)
i cant find my NPC in the CS,   is there   a way to check the    actor baseID  from the console?

Disabled people[edit]

I doubt this, but would it be possible to have a page which lists NPCs who are disabled (disappear) after a certain event or quest? Aldage 23:41, 28 December 2008 (EST)

I don't see why not, but it would be much harder than Essential or Respawning NPCs as there's no simple way of listing them in the CS. Would it really be necessary though? Dr Jones 03:46, 29 December 2008 (EST)
No, but I just thought people would want to know what happened to them after a certain point, or why they can't find them or something. Aldage 12:16, 29 December 2008 (EST)
Though it would be fairly simple to compile a list of NPCs who start disabled and are enabled later by quests/events. Those who get disabled it might be possible to find them all by running a search for the word "disable" in the CS (You'll find a lot more than just NPCs, but I can't think of any better way.) --TheRealLurlock Talk 00:25, 30 December 2008 (EST)

bForceReloadOnEssentialCharacterDeath=1[edit]

I was scrolling through the Oblivion.ini and found this line. But essential characters can't die? Is it possible that it was supposed to be like you can kill essential characters, and this would make you forced to reload?

Anyways.. how did Morrowind handle this? I checked the page Morrowind for Oblivion Players, but it only said that there would be a messagebox with a 'nasty message'. But what does it say? --87.52.71.146 13:58, 6 September 2009 (UTC)

It says:
With this character's death, the thread of prophecy is severed. Restore a saved game to restore the weave of fate, or persist in the doomed world you have created.
From which point on you can just continue playing, you only have been warned. --Timenn-<talk> 17:56, 6 September 2009 (UTC)

Knights of the Nine SetEssential[edit]

Hey guys, got quite a problem here. I want to make one of the Knights of the Nine (Sir Thedret etc.) essential. However, no matter what I put in for the BaseID, it always comes up with the error about "Invalid actor base". Is there anything special you have to do for plug-in NPCs or is it just not possible to make plug-in NPCs essential and/or not essential through the console? — Unsigned comment by 222.152.166.101 (talk) on 15 May 2010

See this information for more on how to determine the full baseid. rpeh •TCE 10:09, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

I don't think this works[edit]

I was reading and I saw it say you can kill Essential NPCs in to the Abbys, they dont die they just cant get out of there Can we make this more clear? or if its the other way around we need to change the Abbys page cause it says they only get stuck. one or the other is wrong — Unsigned comment by Wolfi (talkcontribs) at 22:35 on April 10, 2011