The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

"For Skyrim! For Shor! For Sovngarde's freedom! Defeat Alduin!"

- Hadvar

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the three pinball tables in the Bethesda Pinball mini table pack, released in 2016 and available for Zen Pinball 2, Pinball FX 2 and Pinball FX 3. It is based on the 2011 fantasy role-playing game of the same name, released as the fifth installment of the Elder Scrolls series. This table follows the adventures of a Dragonborn warrior as he must defend Tamriel and Skyrim from the rising threat of Alduin, a powerful dragon prophesied to bring great destruction and death.

Table overview[]

The upper half of the table and raised mini-playfield[]

The table consists a mix of environments from the world of Skyrim. The back left corner of the table contains a bumper area consisting of three columns with animal markings on them, found in Saarthal, the former capital of Skyrim. It can be accessed via a left lane. Once the ball goes up to the bumper area, it snakes down to a one-way exit gate leading back into the main playfield, in front of a lane used to access a watchtower right next to the bumpers. This watchtower can also lead the ball down a wall habitrail that crosses the table onto a stone mini-playfield containing a dragon word wall, with drop targets representing runic symbols of the dragon alphabet. A sword that rotates 180 degrees every time the flippers are operated lies at the bottom of this playfield.

In between the bumper lane and the watchtower lane is a ramp whose habitrail snakes over the bumpers and passes through a tunnel in the left wall, leading down to the leftmost inlane. A magnetic trap can stop the ball midway through the ramp, inside the tunnel. A mini-flipper lines the right side of the ramp's entry. To the right of the watchtower lane is a chest in front of a large cave. The chest can sink into the playfield to reveal the cave's slot-shaped entrance where balls can be shot into. In front of that is a row of three tracks where enemy drop targets may appear and move sideways. To the right of the chest is another lane gated with a flag that leads to an area behind the rock and in front of the watchtower wall, which the ball eventually exits via a sinkhole. The right side of this lane also has a sinkhole that can be accessed with the left flipper or mini-flipper.

To the right of that lane is another ramp that similarly leads to the right inlane, and right besides that ramp is a dead-end lane leading to a trainer's room with walls lined with slingshots that bounce the ball with a bumper-like mechanism. It also contains a locking mechanism where balls can be locked for Chest Multiball. To the right of this room is a sinkhole, right near the one-way gate that the ball passes through to enter play after being shot out of the plunger. 5 targets that spell FORCE, based on the Unrelenting Force dragon shout ("fus ro'dah"), are placed throughout the table, with the F and O targets at the corners of the left ramp, the R and C targets at the corners of the other ramp and the E target in between the trainer area and the sinkhole.

The lower half of the table and underside mini-playfield[]

A figure of the Dragonborn whom the player customizes throughout the game stands on the left side of the table, near the bumper lane. A target bank is also positioned here, hiding a saucer behind it. Another similar target bank and saucer is set up on the other side. A scale model of a house is placed behind it, covering the plunger exit.

There is a hidden mini-playfield beneath the lower half of the table that consists of a randomized cave maze that can be tilted with the flippers and launch button.

There are 5 return lanes, 3 on the left and 2 on the right. The left return lanes have 3 dragon runes that spell the word DOV (the first three letters of the Dragon word "Dovahkiin", which translates to Dragonborn in English), while the right return lanes have 2 watchtower seals. There are two rebounds laden with various combat weapons and also two flippers. Each outlane also has a low power spring-loaded kickback, powered by the Unrelenting Force dragon shout, to save the ball from being drained.

The score multiplier, as well as the standard health, magicka and stamina meters of the character, are placed on the left apron. The attack charge meter, experience meter and current level counter are placed above the outhole. A book on the right apron contains pages stating prompts on how to access status report and character inventory.

The plunger[]

The plunger is a straight shaft that takes a diagonal left turn and if it is used with sufficient force, it can take the ball to the mini-flipper for a chance to perform a skillshot by using it to make a cross-shot into the small sinkhole to the left of the right ramp. A successful skillshot will award a random item (which may be extra gold or a random gem, raw material or minor potion) that is added to the character's inventory. The dragon Alduin himself uses his fire breath to provide the plunger's power.

Objective and missions[]

The goal of the table is to either explore the world of Skyrim freely, or embark on a series of quests to save it from the menacing return of the great dragon Alduin the World-Eater, who is prophesied to destroy the world of Skyrim, Tamriel and beyond. To start a quest, the player must hit the chest in front of the cave at least once (the number increases for each quest completed and resets when the ball is drained) to lower it and lower the chest blocking the cave entrance where the ball must be locked into to start a mission. (Note: When the player begins a session with a new character, the first quest, Unbound, will start immediately after the player finishes customizing him, and the player cannot defer this quest. If this quest fails, it will restart immediately when the next ball is shot into play.)

All missions must be completed in story order and the player will be asked to confirm whether he/she wishes to start a main quest once the ball is shot into the cave entrance. A mission will fail if the ball is drained, or when the character's health fully depletes from enemy attacks. The player can also choose to cancel a mission during a battle by choosing to escape (see Combat below). Once a mission is completed successfully, it cannot be played again until the wizard mode is beaten. The reward for completing a mission can increase when targets at the trainer target area are hit.

The following 10 quests must be completed successfully in order to access the wizard mode. (Since this table saves character data, the player does not have to finish all quests in a single session and can work on the next quest in the story upon starting a new session.)

ACT I

Unbound: The Dragonborn's story begins when his life nearly ends when he is about to be executed in the Septim Empire along with other Stormcloak rebels for insurgency against the Empire. But before he could be put to death, Alduin appears and unleashes terror and destruction. The Dragonborn manages to break free and escape in the ensuing chaos. The player must carefully shoot lit lanes to escape, dodging Alduin's deadly fire-breathing attacks by keeping the ball away from flames on the table. Hitting the flames will cause the character to take damage. The safe and dangerous lanes will change every several seconds. The player is encouraged to shoot safe lanes fast to claim a lot of points from a dwindling score pool shown on the display. Once this score shrinks down to 100,000, the player must hit the chest to pick up a one-handed weapon of choice (dagger, sword, mace or war axe) and will be prompted to equip it. Then, the player must defeat a guard that tries to capture the Dragonborn, then shoot the ball into the cave entrance to escape, but can shoot the sinkhole to gather loot from the fallen soldier before continuing. Once the ball goes inside the cave, the player must maneuver the ball through the cave to finally reach safety.
Bleak Falls Barrow: The Dragonborn is tasked by Farengar Secret-Fire to find the Dragonstone, which is said to be in Bleak Falls Barrow, so that he could better understand the dragons and anticipate their movements to avoid danger. The player takes the Dragonborn to the Barrow by shooting six of the eight lit lanes. Once he arrives, bandits will block the way and the player must defeat one to continue. After that, the Dragonborn must solve a puzzle to go inside the barrow, which is done by hitting the bumpers 30 times. After the puzzle is solved, the Dragonborn descends into the barrow's dungeon and must fight a spider, then once it is defeated, the Dragonborn will need to advance to the barrow's crypt to finally get to the dragonstone, which the player accomplishes by shooting one of three lit lanes six times. There, the dragonstone will be found, but it is guarded by a powerful draugr (a zombie) that must be defeated to take it and finish the quest.
Dragon Rising: After the Dragonborn obtains the dragonstone and gives it to Farengar, Irileth warns them that the dragon Mirmulnir has been spotted at Whiterun's Western Watchtower. The Dragonborn then goes there to confront and defeat Mirmulnir. The player must win a dragon boss fight against him on the table to complete this quest.
The Way of the Voice: After slaying Mirmulnir, the Dragonborn hears voices from the mountains of the watchtower and Jarl Balgruuf tells him that they are coming from the Greybeards, an order of secluded monks who are summoning him to High Hrothgar so that he can realize his abilities as a Dragonborn. To get to High Hrothgar, the Dragonborn must go to Ivarstead and ascend a long 7,000-step flight of stairs with enemies on the way up. This is accomplished by shooting either of a pair of lit consecutive lanes 7 times, with every shot moving the lit lanes from the left side of the table to the right as the Dragonborn goes up the long stairs. He is eventually stopped by a troll that blocks the way and must be defeated in battle - the only consistent enemy that will always appear on every trek of the stairs in addition to other enemies. After the troll falls, the Dragonborn will finish the trek to High Hrothgar and will meet the Greybeards. He then must work with one particular Greybeard, Arngeir, to master his shout. The player does this by shooting any of three lit lanes that change every second as many times as possible to collect points from a dwindling score pool shown on the scoring display. To finish the quest, the player must keep the ball alive until the score pool dwindles to 50,000 points, then shoot one last lit lane to master the shouts and ascertain the Dragonborn's abilities.

ACT II

A Blade in the Dark: The dragonstone, being a map of dragon burial sites, can also predict where the next dragon will resurrect. Delphine, the keeper of the Sleeping Giant Inn, deduces that this will happen at Kynsegrove and she wants to go there with the Dragonborn and witness his ability to defeat dragons and absorb their souls. The player takes the Dragonborn there by shooting all 8 major lanes once. Once the Dragonborn gets there, Alduin appears and resurrects the dragon Sahloknir himself and the player must defeat him in a dragon boss fight on the table to complete the quest.
Alduin's Wall: The Dragonborn later finds Esbern, a Loremaster of the Blades, who then tells that it can be possible to find a way to defeat Alduin if one searches for Alduin's Wall, which the Blades have created at the Sky Haven Temple. A 2-ball multiball begins as the Dragonborn and Esbern walk together to Riverwood, and the player must shoot all 8 lanes twice (for a total of 16 shots) to take them there. The two then go inside a cave to reach the entrance to the Sky Haven temple, where the ball will go to the cave mini-playfield and must be manuevered through it to get there. After that, the player must find Alduin's Wall inside the temple while battling any enemy that was encountered in the cave. One of the 8 major lanes is hiding it, and the player must shoot different lanes until it is found to end the quest.
The Throat of the World: The Dragonborn deciphers the messages on Alduin's Wall to determine that he was last vanquished with a particular dragon shout. After learning the Clear Skies shout from Argenir back at High Hrothgar, he must then listen to Paarthurnax, a dragon who leads the Greybeards and was once Alduin's ally, to learn more about how Alduin could be defeated. This is done by shooting 8 lit lanes, but after the first lane is shot, the remaining lit lanes change positions every several seconds and must be hit to maintain firm attention.
Elder Knowledge: Paarthurnax tells the Dragonborn that he needs to find the Elder Scroll to have any chance of beating Alduin. He must travel far and wide to find it, searching in as many as five different locations. The player must shoot different lanes to find the Elder Scroll, but every time a lane where it isn't there is shot, the score for searching it will increase. The Dragonborn will have to defeat two enemies en route to finally finding it. After the Scroll is found, the player can fight a third enemy as the quest ends.
Alduin's Bane: With the Elder Scroll, the Dragonborn can finally learn the Dragonrend to bring Alduin down from the sky. To do this, the player must hit the trainer target area 20 times to learn the shout, then shoot the watchtower ramp three times to unleash it. After that, Alduin will descend to the ground and the player must engage in a dragon boss battle against him on the table, but Alduin will stay on the ground in close proximity to the Dragonborn and can be hit with any attack. Once the player lands enough hits on Alduin, he will flee.

ACT III

The Fallen: After Alduin has fled, the Dragonborn must search for a way to get back to him and finish the fight against him. The only way to get to Alduin is to trap one of his ally dragons and convince them to take the Dragonborn to him. The Dragonborn then uses the Call Dragon shout to summon Odahviing and lure him into a trap, which the player does by hitting all the drop targets on the dragon shout mini-playfield a total of 20 times. During this quest, it can be accessed by shooting either ramp, or the two lanes flanking the chest sinkhole, which are all reconfigured to divert and jump the ball onto the playfield. The player must swing its sword to knock the ball up to the targets. Once Odahviing is lured into the trap, the Dragonborn makes a deal: he will free Odahviing in exchange for him giving safe passage to Alduin's temple of Skuldafn, which cannot be accessed on foot. The player must then free Odahviing to hold up his end of the deal by shooting the watchtower as many times as possible to claim points from a dwindling score pool on the scoring display, then shooting it again once more once it drops to 500,000.

After all 10 of the above quests are completed, the player will gain access to the final quest, Dragonslayer, to end Act III and the game's main story. This is a 4-ball wizard mode in which the Dragonborn must finally confront and defeat Alduin once and for all with the help of the Nord heroes who first defeated him, represented as the extra balls launched into the playfield at the start of this quest. Before Alduin can be fought, the Dragonborn and his new allies must use the Clear Skies shout to neutralize a magical mist that Alduin unleashes to gain greater power. The player does this by shooting lit lanes 10 times with the balls given. After that, the Dragonborn will finally be able to confront Alduin and must finally destroy him in a final dragon boss fight on the table with the remaining balls to save the world of Skyrim. After completing this quest, the main quests will reset and the player will begin again on the first one.

Combat[]

To accomplish the quest of defeating Alduin, as well as survive the hostile world of Skyrim, mastery of combat is essential. Enemies can be encountered during mandatory quests, exploration or particular side quests that involve defeating an enemy for a reward. Defeating an enemy will grant a chance to loot items that could be useful later.

During a battle, it is important to keep an eye on the Dragonborn's heads-up display, placed on the left apron. It contains three meters, a red health bar, a blue magicka bar and a green stamina bar. The health (HP) meter indicates the current vitality level of the Dragonborn, which decreases from every successful enemy attack. If it reaches zero, the Dragonborn will be defeated, ending the current mode. The magicka (MP) meter shows how much magic energy the Dragonborn has available for casting spells. If it is too low, he cannot use any magic. The stamina (SP) meter decreases when the Dragonborn uses physical attacks, and the lower it drops, the less damage they inflict. All three can be rapidly replenished or augmented by using items from the inventory, in addition to the Dragonborn's ability to slowly replenish them over time (0.7 HP per second, 3 MP per second and 4 SP per second outside of battles, or 0.49 HP per second, 0.99 MP per second and 1.25 SP per second in battles by default). Health can also be replenished with a healing spell activated by hitting the bumpers, but this will cost some magicka and should be used carefully. Leveling up will instantly replenish all three.

Regular enemies will appear as drop targets in front of the mission hole that move sideways. (See page 24 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide for a full list of possible enemies.) In a dragon boss fight, a more intense fight will ensue against a large, 3-D animated figure of a dragon that will move and fly around.

The player can attack enemies anytime by hitting the target with the ball itself with any weapon or spell. How a dragon must be attacked during a dragon boss fight depends on where he is from the player during a dragon boss fight. If he is far away (perched near the dragon shout mini-playfield), the dragon is immune to melee weapons since he is out of the Dragonborn's reach and the player needs to reach and shoot him with a bow and arrow or magic spells by shooting the watchtower with such weapons equipped and hitting a dragon shout target after the ball goes into the dragon shout mini-playfield. (Bow and arrow attacks will require arrows as ammunition, and magic attacks will cost magicka, which are both in limited reserves that must be managed carefully, especially with the former.) If the dragon is close, the player can just hit him with the ball with any weapon or spell as he lands directly on the playfield, just like the enemy targets. (In a dragon boss fight, the dragon will alternate between being far away from the Dragonborn and being very close to him, requiring the player to switch between ranged and melee attacks as the battle progresses via the inventory.) The current health of the enemy or boss is shown on the scoring display. A pop-up number will show how much damage each hit inflicts.

Note: It is important to consider which weapon the Dragonborn is currently equipped with at the moment an attack is executed. When a battle begins, the player must be sure to confirm which weapon to use through the inventory before landing the first blow to avoid the chance of running of ammunition or magicka when it is needed most.

If he is armed with a melee weapon, he will swing it and this can be done as many times as desired to inflict damage, although it will decrease as stamina is consumed.
If he is armed with a bow, but does not equip arrows to go with it, then nothing will happen until arrows or another weapon are equipped.
If he is armed with a bow and arrows are equipped, one will be consumed for each successful attack.
If he is armed with a magic spell, then magicka will be consumed to cast it. If there isn't enough magicka to cast it, then nothing happens.

Attacks can also be made stronger through the following two methods:

Sneak: At the start of a battle, if the enemy is not a dragon, the right sinkhole can be shot within a limited timeframe (doubled if a bow is equipped) to allow the Dragonborn to enter stealth mode. While in stealth mode, he can inflict double damage for a limited time, based on one third of his Sneak skill level. If any other lane or target is hit, or the timer expires, the sneak attack will fail and be disabled until the player hides by attempting to flee the battle.
Power attack: If the player holds a flipper for some time so that the yellow power meter above the outhole completely fills before the ball is shot at the enemy, a power attack or dual cast will be attempted for extra damage. Dual casts can only work if the player does not have a shield equipped.

A timer on the left side of the scoring display will show how much time is left before the enemy attacks and inflicts damage on the Dragonborn. The amount of damage the enemy can potentially inflict is shown below the enemy health counter on the scoring display. Enemies will attack at various speeds, and it is possible to block an attack if the Dragonborn is armed with a shield and the trainer target area is shot while the block lamp is lit (represented by a shield icon in front of it), which will cost some stamina. If the block lane is shot at that time, the player can hit the targets inside 10 more times to perform a bash counterattack. If the player's block skill level is at least 50, this will also become a power bash that can disarm (stun) enemies for several seconds. The player can also extend the attack timer by hitting the side target banks. Some successful enemy attacks can also "stagger" the Dragonborn, causing the ball to move very slowly.

The Dragonborn can hide from an enemy by hitting a side target bank to open an escape saucer, then locking the ball there. He will flee from battle if the ball is drained, or the player chooses to escape after hiding. If the player instead chooses to come out of hiding instead of escaping, the ball will be released back into the playfield and the Dragonborn will have another chance to perform a stealth attack if the enemy is not a dragon (see above).

To change weapons, the following procedure must be completed:

Hold the launch button to open the inventory and pause the game.
To equip melee weapons or bow and arrow, select Weapons with the flippers and press the launch button. To equip a spell, select Spells with the flippers and press the launch button.
Choose the weapon you want to equip:

To equip a melee weapon, select the weapon you want to equip in the Weapons menu with the flippers and access its info screen with the launch button. Then, select "Equip" to equip it. Be aware that battleaxes, greatswords and warhammers are two-handed and cannot be used in conjunction with a shield. You can also equip a one-handed weapon (daggers, swords, maces or war axes) and a shield by selecting a one-handed weapon in the Weapons menu with the flippers, access its info screen with the launch button and then select "Equip", then repeat the same procedure for the desired shield, which will also be in the same list.
To equip bow and arrows, select the bow you want to equip in the Weapons menu with the flippers and access its info screen with the launch button. Then, select "Equip" to equip it. Then, repeat the same procedure for the arrows you plan to use as ammunition in the same menu.
To equip a spell, select the spell you want to equip in the Spells menu with the flippers and access its info screen with the launch button. Then, select "Equip" to equip it. (For more information on what spells can be learned and used, see page 8 and 9 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide.)

To use a potion, hold the launch button to open the inventory and pause the game. Then select Potions with the flippers and press the launch button. Highlight the potion you want to use with the flippers and press the launch button to bring up its info screen. Then select "Consume" to use it. (A full list of possible potions that can be found and used, along with their effects, can be found on pages 15 and 16 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide.)

When an enemy is defeated, it will leave behind loot that must be collected by shooting the right sinkhole. The player must decide which loot items to pick up and any that are not picked up are lost forever. Items can only be picked up if the weight limit is not reached (see Inventory below) If the ball is drained before the loot is claimed, the loot will be lost as well. If the Dragonborn runs out health and falls in battle, 10% of the player's gold is lost, membership to any guilds is forfeited and there is a 20% chance of losing his horse if there is one.

Customization and saving progress[]

This table automatically saves data for one character profile across table sessions, provided that they end naturally (that is, the player does not quit or restart one midway through the general pause menu). At the start of a session, the player will be asked whether to continue playing with an existing character if saved data exists, or discard that data and create a new character. When the player chooses to create a new character at the start of a session, any existing character data is overwritten and the player must choose the race of the Dragonborn and if the race is human or elf, choose what role he will be and which of three perks to start with. (While it is possible to play as a female Dragonborn in the game, it is not possible to do so in the pinball adaptation - the Dragonborn is always male.)

The following races will impart the following effects:

A human knight or mage Dragonborn will start with either 10% physical resistance, 10% magical resistance or the ability to find 10% more gold than usual, depending on player choice.
An elf archer or mage Dragonborn will start with either 150 max MP instead of the usual 100, 10% more magic damage resistance or 10% faster magicka regeneration, depending on player choice.
A Khajiit (feline-like humanoid) Dragonborn's stamina regenerates 10% faster.
An Argonian (reptilian-like humanoid) Dragonborn's health regenerates 10% faster.
An Orc Dragonborn's non-magic attacks inflict 10% more damage.

The Dragonborn's race (as well as the role if the chosen race is human or elf) will also determine the base level values for all of the Dragonborn's skills, with each skill's level starting at either 15 or 20 (see Skills below). Page 8 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide lists all the starting skill level values in detail for each race and role.

A level 1 Dragonborn begins with 100 HP, MP and SP. (If he is an elf, the player may choose to raise his base max MP to 150, instead of the usual 100 as described above.) He will only be wearing ragged robes that cannot be sold or dropped and will be unarmed until he picks up a one-handed weapon midway through the first quest, Unbound.

Side modes[]

The following side modes can be activated during play:

Dragon Shout: A Dragonborn always has the power to unleash dragon shouts, or Thu'um. If the player shoots the watchtower lane several times, a side mode will begin where he will have a chance to learn a dragon shout and then use it to bring a dragon down to the sky to fight. Immediately at the start of this mode, the ball will travel up the wall next to the watchtower and go right into the dragon shout mini-playfield at the back right corner of the table. The player must use the sword flipper at its bottom to hit all the dragon runes at the top within a time limit. If the ball drains from the mini-playfield, it can re-enter the mini-playfield through a full shot through the watchtower lane. After all targets are hit, a dragon will be summoned and the player must defeat it in a dragon boss fight (see Combat above) for extra points.
Watchtower Visit: Watchtowers can be used to surveil the surrounding landscape for potential dragon attacks. If the player lights both right return lane rollovers, a hurry-up side mode will begin where the player must shoot the watchtower lane as many times to extra points within a time limit. The second time the watchtower lane is shot, the table will divert the ball to the bumper area where bumper hits award larger scores. The third time the watchtower lane is shot, the table will divert the ball atop the wall and into the dragon shout mini-playfield for a chance to hit dragon shout targets for extra points.
Side Quests: During the Dragonborn's long journey, he may encounter individuals who seek his help and ask him to do a favor for them in exchange for a great reward. Every time the Dragonborn goes to an inn via a left ramp shot when an inn is available, the innkeeper will greet the Dragonborn and tell him about a side quest he can choose to complete for a reward as the ball is magnetically locked midway through the ramp. This side quest will be added to a running pool of side quests. To start a side quest from this pool, the player must then shoot the ball into the sinkhole to the left of the right ramp, mainly with either left flipper when "side quest" is lit next to it. Then, the player uses the flippers to choose a side quest to work on, or may choose not to work on one at all. Each side quest has specific instructions that need to be followed in order to be completed. (See page 27 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide to learn more about all types of side quests and how to complete them.) Successfully completing a side quest will award gold.

Travel and exploration[]

The world of Skyrim is a vast place with many locations to explore and many things to do. There are thus several side modes that can be started simply by traveling to a different area. To travel, the player can hit either side target bank while no modes are running. The score display will show how close the Dragonborn is now to the next location. After the indicated distance decreases to zero with enough hits of the target banks, the Dragonborn will stop at that area and the scoring display will show what locations he has just arrived at. The player must then shoot the watchtower lane to explore the new area further before the Dragonborn will be able to go anywhere else. As he begins to explore the area further, one of the following side modes will randomly occur:

Enemies: A number of areas feature either hostile wildlife or otherwise unpleasant enemies that the Dragonborn must dispatch to defend himself. If he does encounter an enemy, it will appear on the table and must be defeated in combat to continue.
Caves: Some places may have underground caves filled with secrets. If the Dragonborn finds a cave, the ball will go into the cave mini-playfield beneath the main playfield, which will contain a random maze in which the ball can be moved through. A large score pool will appear on the display and shrink over time as the player explores the cave, and whatever amount of it remains will be awarded once the ball exits the cave. The player can choose to traverse through the cave quickly for a lot of points, or take a lot of time exploring all the dead ends to find potential treasures, including gold, chests or even an extra ball. (If a locked chest is discovered, the player will be prompted to attempt to open the chest with lockpicking skills if lockpicks are available. However, if there are no lockpicks available, if all lockpicks are broken or the player gives up on lockpicking the chest, the chest will be abandoned and cannot be recovered.) Caves may also have at most one enemy that can be encountered in one part of the maze. If one enemy is encountered, the battle will begin once the end of the maze is reached. The flippers are used to tilt the cave sideways, while the launch button is used to tilt the cave forward or backward.
Mines: The best physical weapons and armor that can enhance one's combat efficiency are created with raw materials and precious ores that can only be obtained in mining sites deep in the earth. If the Dragonborn finds one, there will be a time-limited chance to forage the mining site for such material that would come in handy later. The player must shoot the trainer target area as many times as possible (while the pickaxe icon is lit in front of it) within a time limit to gather as much precious ores as possible, with each hit representing a pickaxe swing. The scoring display will show how many target hits are needed to obtain a particular material, adding it to the inventory. On rare occasions, an extra ball can be mined here as well.
Chest Lockpicking: Chests can contain helpful loot, but a number of them are locked to keep them away from potential thieves. However, a Dragonborn can use a lockpick to defeat the physical lock of a secured chest...if he has the skills. When a locked chest is found in any mode and the Dragonborn has lockpicks, a minigame will begin where the player must use as many lockpicks from his stock of them to try and defeat the lock. The player can adjust the angle of the lockpick by using the flipper button and guess which angle will correctly open the lock, then attempts to pick the mechanism by holding the launch button. If the lock itself does not budge, the angle is wrong and the launch button should be released immediately before the lockpick breaks. Lockpicking attempts will eventually increase the lockpicking skill level. The difficulty of a lock (as well as the amount of remaining lockpicks available) is shown on the scoring display. Easier locks typically have more angles where the lockpick can be positioned to defeat the lock and harder ones will have fewer positions where the lockpicking will succeed, although the chance of finding a correct angle will increase with the lockpicking level. At the maximum lockpicking skill level of 100, lockpicks will never break. Locked chests will be abandoned once all lockpicks are broken, or the player decides to quit lockpicking to save lockpicks for later by holding both flipper buttons and confirm the decision to quit lockpicking, although once abandoned, a locked chest cannot be revisited.

Multiball[]

The following two multiball modes can be activated:

Dragonborn Multiball: Shooting the side ramps a total of 9 times to spell DOVAKHIIN will immediately light three locks, which are the two escape saucers behind the side target banks plus the watchtower lane. Once three balls are locked there (the word only needs to be spelled once), a 3-ball multiball will start. Jackpot lanes will be lit, and every time a jackpot is collected, the remaining jackpot lanes will change positions. The jackpot value increases every time the target banks or the loot sinkhole are hit. After all jackpot lanes are hit, the player can shoot the cave entrance for a super jackpot, which will reset all jackpot lanes and the jackpot value. This multiball can start anytime and works with any mode.
Treasure Chest Multiball: The three bumpers contain columns with animal symbols and rotate with each hit outside of battle. If they are aligned in a certain position, so that a certain combination of symbols are displayed like in the pillar puzzle at Sarthaal, a secret lock will open at the trainer target area where one ball can be locked for a limited time. The symbols needed to open the lock will be shown on the scoring display. After four balls are locked in this way, they will be released from the cave entrance and for a certain time limit the player can juggle them around to shoot jackpot lanes that also increase a pool of gold that can be redeemed by hitting the chest. After that time limit ends, the player can lock the balls inside the chest or allow them to drain to end the mode. Locking 3 of the 4 balls back in the cave entrance for the first time will award an extra ball.

Perks[]

The following perks can be activated during gameplay:

Unrelenting Force Kickbacks: The Unrelenting Force, which is wielded with an utterance of "fus'ro dah", is the first dragon shout the Dragonborn learns. It unleashes a powerful telekinetic blast that can save the ball from the outlanes. To charge up the Unrelenting Force, the player can spell FORCE on the target posts placed throughout the table. Spelling it once activates the left kickback and spelling it again will activate the right kickback. Since the shouts simply push the ball out of an outlane, they are classified as low power spring-loaded kickbacks. Kickbacks, once activated, will persist until they are used, or when all balls are lost.
Shout Ball Saver: A 30-second ball saver is awarded at the start of each ball and when a multiball starts. (Note: Since the table considers it unfair for ball drains to occur from hitting targets in combat or while the ball moves slowly while the Dragonborn is staggered, a free ball saver will be awarded in such situations.)
Score Multiplier: Spelling DOV on the left rollovers will provide a time-limited chance to shoot the right ramp to raise the multiplier level once, which is only good for the current ball.
Skill Training: The Dragonborn learns skills slowly throughout his own experiences, but can learn quickly from a trainer who knows better than him. If the player hits the targets in the trainer target area enough times, the sinkhole inside the area will open up and the player can lock the ball there for an offer to level up a random skill for a fee of gold (see Skills below). The player can choose to accept or refuse the offer.
Level Up: As the Dragonborn builds up his skills, he can eventually level up and become more proficient in combat. This will occur after a certain number of skill level increases are earned, with each skill level increase filling up the experience meter. (see Skills below) At the moment a level-up takes place, the game will pause and the player will be asked which of the three main attributes to augment: health, magicka or stamina. The chosen attribute's maximum limit will then be increased by 10.
Extra Ball: Extra balls can be obtained from locking 3 balls back in the chest to end Chest Multiball, defeating a dragon in a boss battle for the first time, maxing out the score multiplier, or finding one in a mining site or cave. Extra Balls must be claimed by hitting the sinkhole to the left of the right ramp.

Guilds and Factions[]

During the journey, the Dragonborn can gain a sense of camaraderie and belonging by joining any of eleven various guilds/factions in the world of Skyrim. Guilds/factions can impart various scoring perks. To join a guild/faction, the player can shoot the guild flag a certain number of times at the lane to the right of the cave entrance. The player can join multiple guilds/factions and continues to become a member of them until the next time the Dragonborn is defeated in battle. When the sufficient number of spins is achieved, the game will pause and the player will be prompted to join one of any the following factions that they were not previously in at that point.

Guild/Faction	Lore	Awards more points for
Bards College	A band of bards, poets and public speakers	Bumper hits and flag spins
The Blades	Dragon hunters and the bodyguards of Tamriel's rulers	Vanquishing a dragon
College of Winterhold	Mages and sorcerers	Using magicka
Dark Brotherhood	Assassins for hire	Performing sneak attacks
Dawnguard	Vampire hunters	Defeating vampires
Greybeards	An ancient order of monks who master the Thu'um	Collecting dragon shouts
House Telvanni	A Great House of Morrowind full of wealthy wizard-lords	Defeating enemies with spells
Imperial Legion	Soldiers of the Septim Empire who want to quash the Stormcloak Rebellion	Wearing light armor in a battle
Stormcloaks	A band of rebels and separatists who revolt against the Septim Empire and seek to secede Skyrim from it	Escaping a battle
The Companions	Skilled warriors	Performing melee attacks
Thieves Guild	Professional thieves that elude the law for great fortune	Opening chests

Inns and Towns[]

The Dragonborn can also randomly visit inns and towns while exploring and traveling (see Side Modes above). He may find an inn by itself and can choose to rest there with a shot at the left ramp while the Inn icon is lit. When an inn is visited, the innkeeper will give out a new side quest that can be done later and the player can pay a small gold fee to rest and advance the time of day, which is 60 times faster than real time (i.e., one hour passes per minute of play).

Towns (which are encountered every 4 to 6 locations traveled to) feature more amenities and services that can be beneficial to the Dragonborn, in addition to inns:

Shops: The Dragonborn can visit shops to exchange items for goods that can aid him in his journey. A shop can be accessed by shooting the sinkhole to the left of the right ramp whenever the current time of day is between 7:00 and 22:00. If the shops are closed, the player can wait several minutes for them to reopen or go to an inn and rest to advance the time to when they do so. Once the ball is locked into that hole, the player then navigates a shop menu in the scoring display, using the flippers to highlight choices and the launch button to confirm choices. In a shop, the player can choose to buy new items such as weapons, armor and potions for gold (or learn new spells for a similar fee, with the available list of spells to learn increasing with the Dragonborn's magic skill level), sell unwanted items, trade gold for points (5,000 points per gold piece traded, for a maximum of 5 million points and 1,000 gold) or visit the stable to buy a horse, if a large amount of gold is available. Purchasing a horse will result in faster travel, but it can be lost if the Dragonborn is defeated in battle.
Workshops: The Dragonborn can also use raw materials to create better weapons and armor for greater combat efficiency. If the player has sufficient materials, the player can visit the workshop by shooting the right sinkhole to be taken to a workshop menu on the scoring display. The player can choose to build a weapon or build armor. A list of possible weapons or armor items will then be shown. Lit list items are craftable with the current inventory and darkened list items are uncraftable due to insufficient resources or lack of Smithing skill level. The player highlights an item with the flippers and presses the launch button to learn more about the item to craft. Pressing the launch button on a currently uncraftable item will show what Smithing level or materials are needed to craft the currently uncraftable item.

When a town is visited, the Dragonborn will stay in that town until the player chooses to leave it by hitting either target bank and choosing to confirm the decision to leave the town. Once the player leaves town, it is not possible to return to it.

Inventory[]

The Dragonborn will need to make great use of items to survive. The player can access his inventory at any time by holding the launch button to pause the game and open the inventory menu. The inventory is divided into six sections: weapons, apparel, potions, magic, skills and miscellaneous. The player chooses a section with the flippers and press the launch button to confirm. The chosen section then opens a list of items in that category that are available. Weapons and apparel can be equipped, unequipped or dropped, while magic can be equipped or unequipped. Potions can be consumed or dropped. (For instructions on how to equip weapons or spells or consume potions, see Combat above.)

In terms of apparel, the Dragonborn can wear armor that reduces damage or magic robes that boost magic abilities. He can also wear rings or amulets that provide stat boosts, but he can only wear one amulet and one ring at any given time. (For a full list of possible apparel and armor materials, see page 14 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide.)

The skills list shows the current levels of all skills. Miscellaneous items include crafting material, gems or lockpicks that can be discarded if so desired. (The full list of possible gems and raw materials can be found on page 16 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide.)

The Dragonborn can only carry a limited amount of items without being encumbered, as each item imparts a certain amount of weight. If the combined weight of the items he carries reaches a limit, he cannot pick up anything that will exceed that limit and must discard, sell or consume items to free up more space. Be aware that discarded items cannot be picked up once again.

Skills[]

The Dragonborn must learn a variety of skills to survive, earn resources and fight more effectively. Each major action he takes will eventually build up and increase the level of a particular skill. To level up, the player must earn a certain number of skill level increases for any skill. This number starts at 3 for the first 10 levels, then increases by 1 for each of the next 10 levels. (For example, the player can level up from level 5 to 6 by raising the skill level for blocking by 2 and then raising the skill level for melee by 1 for a total of 3 skill level increases necessary for the next character level.) As skill levels grow, they can impart increasingly valuable benefits that can facilitate the Dragonborn's journey in many ways.

The number of actions required to raise the level of a particular skill depends on how many times it was raised, with the exception of Smithing, whose level always increases when 3 crafting "actions" are completed. (Example: If the Dragonborn's melee level starts at 15, it will take 3 melee attacks to raise it to 16, 4 melee attacks to raise it to 17, 5 melee attacks to raise it to 18, et cetera.) Skill levels can also be instantly increased by purchasing training from a found trainer (see Perks above).

The following table shows all the skills that can be grown, the general benefits each skill confers and the requirements for growing them:

Skill	Benefits	Action required to manually raise skill level (where x is the number of times the skill level was previously increased)
Smithing	Higher smithing levels allow crafting of more precious materials.	Perform 3 crafting "actions". (Crafting a single-handed weapon counts as 1 action, crafting a two-handed weapon counts as 2 actions and crafting an armor set counts as 3 actions.)
Armor	Reduces damage from enemy attacks and increases armor efficiency in doing so.	Withstand (3 + x) melee hits in a battle.
Block	Increases blocking efficiency.	Block (2 + x) melee attacks in a battle.
Melee	Strengthens melee attacks and may even cause them to inflict additional effects.	Make (3 + x) successful melee attacks in a battle.
Archery	Increases archery damage and proficiency, causing shots to even inflict additional effects.	Shoot (3 + x) arrows at an enemy in battle.
Sneak	Facilitates sneak attacks and makes them even more potent.	Perform (2 + x) sneak attacks successfully in a battle.
Lockpicking	Decreases the difficulty of picking locks and can even increase likelihood of better loot from them.	Make (1 + x) lockpicking attempts.
Magic	Increases spell damage and efficiency and allows more advanced spells to be learned from shops.	Cast (3 + x) spells in a battle.

For more details on which specific benefits will unlock as skill levels surpass certain milestones, please refer to pages 10 and 11 of ShoryukenToTheChin's PDF table guide.

Tips[]

Since draining balls during a main quest will result in failure of the quest, you will need to be careful with the ball to avoid drains. It would be helpful to try to get kickbacks turned on to protect the ball from outlane drains, especially when they stay on until they are used. You can also try to activate Dovahkiin multiball during a quest to increase ball survivability even further.
With nearly a dozen of main quests and a few tough boss fights, plus the ability to save character and quest progress across sessions, you are encouraged to take your time and don't expect a quick path to beating the wizard mode. Since none of the main quests have hard time limits, don't feel any pressure to hurry through them. Make careful shots to avoid quest-ending drains. It is especially unwise to rush into the mandatory dragon boss fights because you will need to be armed and ready to battle these intimidating foes, which will call for spending a lot of time outside of main quests exploring and gathering skills, items and weaponry so that you have much more confidence in fighting them. Explore more of the world of Skyrim and battle enemies to develop better combat skills, find mining sites to obtain material that can be used to craft better gear and visit towns to buy other items that can aid you in your quest. Take as much time as you need to raise your skill levels and unlock better perks to facilitate your journey. It is also imperative not to forget to get a bow or arrow or learn some spells before you go off fighting a dragon because he can't be hit with melee weapons when he flies away from you in a fight.
Consider how your Dragonborn has a limit to how much he can carry in his inventory. To avoid problems with running out of space for things, once you get stronger weapons or armor, you can sell (or discard, if you're in a hurry) older and weaker armor and weapons. You should also get rid of duplicate weapons and armor since there is no need for them.

External links[]

Table walkthrough by ShoryukenToTheChin (PDF)

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