Before beginning your speedruns

Please make sure to read through the rules and understand what is allowed or banned.

• Game Rules: https://www.speedrun.com/skyrim?h=Glitchless_Main_Quest-novice-pc&rules=game&x=9kvpvekg-7891rq9n.rqv09g6l
• Category Rules: https://www.speedrun.com/skyrim?h=Glitchless_Main_Quest-novice-pc&rules=category&x=9kvpvekg-7891rq9n.rqv09g6l

Cap the frame rates.

Because of the Havok engine, you have to limit the FPS to 60 otherwise the game must be extremely glitchy with higher frame rates.

If you are Nvidia graphic card user, you can use its control panel to cap the frame rates.

Open NVIDIA control panel -> Manage 3D settings -> Click 'Program Settings' -> Click 'add' ->Choose 'Skyrim' -> Click 'Max Frame Rate' tab and limit to 60. Done!

Excuse me, but I don't know the option to cap the frame rates other than this way.

Join our Discord!: https://discord.gg/V34pEGm

When you can't understand what you are doing while you speedrun or practice it, the participants may help you.

Choose your race and make a start save file.

• You must choose High Elf (Altmer) to gain the fastest movement speed. Sex doesn't affect on a record, probably.
• Make a hard save right before getting the player's control. I recommend you open the console and type 'save start'.

Note: I don't handle settings in Livesplit in this guide. Please check Niceas's one for more information about it. https://www.speedrun.com/skyrim/guides/rvt4s

Preparation is done. Let's start your speedruns!

Helgen

• Jump on Alduin's wing to skip the way to the entrance of Helgen Keep.
• Stagger Hadvar twice and jump to cancel the player's animation
• Grab wines on the shelf.
• Take restoration potions from the barrel (not necessary).
• Grab Novice Hood, Novice Robe, and 25 golds from the body in the cage. These will be sold later.
• Take 4 lockpicks from the knapsack.
• Grab 2 coin purses and wines on the way to the exit.

Wines are ESSENTIAL items, especially at the end of this category. They restore your stamina and save a huge lot of time.

Throat of the World

You can wait after escaping from Helgen, which means you can restore stamina in only a second. So, running method is the repetition of sprinting and waiting from now on.

• Get fast-travel points (Anise's Cabin, Riverwood, and Pelagia Farm).
• Get Dragonsreach's fast-travel point by Guard Warp. (Guard Warp: You can get into a city wherever you are by committing a crime and surrender)
• Get more fast-travel points. (Whiterun Stables and Windhelm Stables)
• Steal a horse. You can stand next to the horse and ride on it without sneaking at this point unless the player's collision touches the horse.
• Fast travel back to Riverwood and climb to Throat of the World through High Hrothgar with the horse.

Bleak Falls Barrow

It's possible to wait only for specific positions because of many enemies in dungeons. It's hard to write the exact positions, so I'd like you to check out them where you can wait watching records adapting the current route.

• Fast travel to Anise's Cabin and enter Bleak Falls Barrow
• Solve the puzzle. (Activate pillars: left -> mid -> right -> mid -> right)
• Burn skeevers and grab a Fire Ball scroll on the table.
• Burn Arvel and take the Golden Claw.
• Take another Fire Ball scroll from the chest near glowing mushrooms.
• Go down the cliff. If a draugr is nearby after that, burn it to make it possible to wait.
• Enter the sanctum.
• Do the shortcut.
• Unlock the door (Activate each ring twice) and equip Fire Ball scrolls.
• Learn Unrelenting Force (FUS) and defeat the boss. If it's too early to get away from the word wall, the boss doesn't appear.
• Get a weapon used by the boss, Dragonstone, and golds before exiting.

Mirmulnir

• Get into Dragonsreach.
• Skip Balgruuf and Proventus talking. (After reporting the Helgen to the jarl, commit a crime and press the tab key right after paying the fine.)
• Give Farengar the stone and then sell possessions and buy Bound Sword.
• Go outside by Guard Warp
• Get the Western Watchtower's fast-travel point and the Winterhold's one through a carriage.
• Equip the weapon from Bleak Falls Barrow before fast traveling back to the watchtower.
• Quick save right after arriving. Then, repeat quick load until getting the flying course which lands soon.
• Defeat Mirmulnir and grab golds.

High Hrothgar

• Get fast-travel points through carriages. (Markarth Stables -> Riften Stables -> Katla's Farm -> Morthal)
• Equip Unrelenting Force and get into High Hrothgar.
• Wait and shout to Arngeir.
• After skipping the Arngeir's dialogues, go outside and go inside to skip the word appearing.
• Learn the 2nd Unrelenting Force word (RO).
• Attack Greybeards to bring up one-handed weapon skill.
• Learn Whirlwind Sprint (WULD) as well as RO.

Ustengrav

• Adjust the time on the way to Ustengrav in order not to see sleeping NPCs at the endgame. I always adjust it to 12 p.m.
• Summon Bound Sword and kill only the Conjurer near the entrance of Ustengrav.
• Run to the depths summoning Bound Sword to raise your conjuration skill. You can gain conjuration skill XP with bound weapons only in combat.
• Do the shortcut with Whirlwind Sprint
• Mash the wait key rapidly right after going into the depths otherwise you can't wait because the enemies chase you soon.
• Head for the end of this dungeon summoning Bound Sword. I think it's enough to grow your conjuration skill up to 24.
• Read the letter put on the altar and go to the exit.

Septimus

• Fast travel to Riverwood and get into Sleeping Giant Inn.
• Talk to Delphine.
• Grab lots of wines.
• Fast travel to Winterhold and get into a jail.
• Jailbreak.
• Enter Septimus Signus's Outpost.
• Sneak behind Septimus and steal Attunement Sphere and Blank Lexicon.

Sahloknir

• Fast travel to Windhelm Stables and head to the dragon's tomb near Kynesgrove.
• Search for an Amulet of Talos from bodies around the tomb. If you can get it there, the next segment will be about 10s faster than without the amulet.
• Defeat Sahloknir and grab golds.
• Talk to Delphine.

Thalmor Embassy

• Fast travel to Katla's Farm and do Guard Warp.
• If you couldn't get an Amulet of Talos at Kynesgrove, attack someone before entering Winking Skeever. Don't sheathe until get another amulet from Rogvir's body. Give wines and golds to Malborn, but you need to leave 40 golds in your inventory because you have to pay the fine.
• If you could get an Amulet of Talos at Kynesgrove, you needn't attack anyone. Just give Malborn the amulet, wines, and golds.
• Fast travel back to Katla's Farm and talk to Delphine.
• Put on the amulet if you get it from Rogvir's body, and wear Party Clothes, and Party Boots before going to the embassy.
• Grab wines to hand one of them to Razelan.
• Head for the interrogation chamber grabbing wines and getting the items you gave Malborn and quest items.
• Read the book, Thalmor Dossier: Esbern, to spawn the soldiers who have Trap Door Key.
• Kill one of them with flames and take it. When you shoot flames, you should do a little at a time. You can gain more DPS with flames by doing so.
• Escape from the embassy.

Esbern

• Gurad Warp into Riten.
• Do Ratway Skip setup. Attack guard nearby and sheathe right before entering the Ratway. You have the amulet in your inventory at this point if you gave the amulet to Malborn, so you have to equip it.
• Jump across the bridge with Whirlwind Sprint.
• When you run out of your stamina, level up to increase your stamina and take Armsman perk twice to make one-handed weapons do 40% more damage.
• Talk to Esbern.
• Pay the fine to the guards. If they come early and force you to quit talking, attack Esbern and surrender after completing to talk with him.

Elder Scroll

Now that you put on the Amulet of Talos and increased your stamina, the running method will be changed (Shout Whirlwind Sprint -> Sprint -> Shout again -> Wait)

• Fast travel to Ustngrav and head to Mzinchaleft.
• Get into Mzinchaleft.
• When you run out of your stamina and can't wait, drink your wines to restore it.
• Mash the wait key rapidly right after entering the depths.
• Do the shortcut with Whirlwind Sprint.
• Head to the Tower of Mzark.
• Solve the lexicon puzzle. (After inserting the lexicon, press the 2nd button from the right 4 times, and then press the 3rd button twice. Lastly, press the leftmost button once.)
• Get the Elder Scroll.

Alduin's Wall

• Fast travel to Markarth Stables and run to Karthspire
• Do the shortcut.
• After get the Sky Haven Temple's fast-travel point, fast travel to Riverwood and go to the Sleeping Giant Inn.
• Grab wines and skip Esbern and Delphine talking by entering and exiting the inn.
• Fast travel back to the temple.
• Get the Dragonbane and talk to Esbern and Delphine.

Clear Skies

• Fast travel to High Hrothgar.
• Learn the last word of Unrelenting Force (DA)
• After talking with Arngeir, you can hear the effect sound of completing a quest. It's at that time that you should wait to make him go to the courtyard.
• Open the door when a quest log fades out. Then the all words of Clear Skies appear already.
• Learn Clear Skies.

Alduin 1

• Fast travel to Throat of the World.
• Talk to Paarthurnax.
• Learn Fire Breath and shout it to him. You can stop his fire breathing immediatly just by talking to him.
• Read the Elder Scroll and Learn Dragonrend.
• Beat Alduin. Tactics to fight him: attack him behind his wing to induce him to do tail attacks. You can easily bypass it just by moving to the side. When you can hear the line "You may have picked up the weapons of my ancient foes, but you are not their equal!", do him the last damage to skip this line right away.
• When you can see the subtitle "Meyz mul, Dovahkiin. You have become strong.", fast travel to High Hrothgar and fast travel back to Throat of the World.
• Talk to Paarthurnax and fast travel to Dragonsreach.

Peace Council

• Talk to Balgruuf. You can wait to make him stand up, and then stagger him if you're there at 4-6 a.m.
• Fast travel to High Hrothgar and talk to Arngeir.
• Fast travel to Solitude and Guard Warp to the Castle Dour.
• Talk to Tullius.
• Fast travel to Windhelm Stables and Guard Warp to the Palace of the Kings.
• Talk to Ulfric
• Fast travel back to High Hrothgar.
• Do Peace Council Skip (STFU Skip) Here's a tutorial video https://www.speedrun.com/skyrim/guides/pr7s0 by TODDs_Telemedien.
• Learn Call Dragon.

Odahviing

• Fast travel to Dragonsreach.
• Talk to Balgruuf and shout Call Drgaon grabbing wines.
• When the quest is updated, open the door to the great porch.
• After shooting Dragonrend at Odahviing, approach the door you entered.
• When you can see the dragon steps to the player 4 times or so, get inside and go outside to skip his animation being trapped.
• Talk to Odahviing.
• Right after telling him to be ready to fly, press the tab key and fast travel somewhere to skip the player's animation.

Skuldafn

• Climb and run to the gate to Sovngarde.
• When you exhaust your stamina, start a drinking party.

Sovngarde

• Beat Tsun. (Shoot flame before being talked to and attack 4 times with Dragonbane)
• Enter the Hall of Valor and start the heroes talking go outside and re-enter. After hearing the effect sound of their unsheathing weapons, go outside and get inside again. Repeat entering and exiting until they go across the bridge.
• Clear the fog three times.
• After that, climb the left side of the hill and see the southwest direction to define the position where Alduin spawns.
• Defeat Alduin with power attacks restoring stamina with wines.