Is there any point in collecting food ingredients? I've cooked some stuff, but most of it gives crap health it just seems like a waste of space to me.
Oh and what's with all the books? More wasted space?
Food is useless I have found. In my "General Stats" I have eaten 2 bits of food. Something that heals 2 HP and weighs more than a potion well that just seems stupid to carry it lol. And if you get your alchemy up and select the positive traits (potions you make are 25% more powerful) and combined with either "Krosis" or any alchemy +20% or more item makes your potions awesome. I used Krosis and a 22% alchemy necky and my "smallest" potions I make heal well over 50 hp now instead of 25.
I am currently collecting soul gems to make an enitre "Alch Set" as I call it to make super potions. :P Same with a "Smithing Set" aswell. Only problem is lack of greater or better soul gems.
Hahahaha, a mate of mine ruined a DragonPlate set by using petty soul gems on it and now it only has +1 of whatever he added to it. Mine is +22% to +26% added on mine. :P And this was before I had the perks to make what I add 25% more powerful so I now have two sets of DragonScale armour lol.
A little tip of how to level Alchemy (As I had no idea untill 3 days ago)
1. Eat one of each ingredient you have.
2. Go to any Alchemy store (Arcadias Couldron in Whiterun for example)
3. Buy every ingredient she has.
4. Eat anything you don't know what the item does.
5. Turn around and use the alchemy table.
6. Make everything you can.
7. Sell what potions/poisons you don't need or want.
Rinse and repeat as often as you like as 90% of the time I make a profit doing this from shops.
Also investing in a shop you intend to visit often is a good idea as it gives that shop owner more money for you to sell things for and gets you one step closer to being friends with that person. (once you are friends you will be able to take specific items from thier houses or workplaces.)
Books aren't useless, well most of them are but some do level skills. I collect books and fill my houses bookshelfs with them. But am a bit of a collector in these games. If it ain't nailed down am away with it.