Actually daedric claymores deal a bit more thrust damage than the daikatanas. But they are 21 lbs heavier and less resistant. So, if you have turned the "use best attack" option on, use daikatanas. Otherwise, if you like claymores, you can use claymores with minor or no disadvantage.

I haven't stolen the Grand soul gem from the Caldera mages guild (though I did steal the one in Balmora,...)- but I can't find anyone who sells them in the Caldera guild, despite this. I've tried bartering with everyone (and I've reached conjurer status, so people who didn't used to barter with me, now do) but no one seems to have them. Do they get topped up and refreshed?

Is there anywhere else I can buy the grand gems? I found a list of dungeon locations on a FAQ where I can find them...but haven't found anybody who actually sells them..I've just been given a couple of summon golden saint scrolls ...I wanna charm, I wanna charm

I'm sorry, I posted something wrong. Steal that gem if you want. I double checked and nobody in Caldera sells gems, so it doesn't matter. I got confused and read -1 instead of 1.

Also I checked if someone sells those things, and actually, nobody does. Unless I'm mistaken, of course... :D
Actually it seems to me that Maren Uvaren was designed to sell those gems, but his desk containing the gems was never put into the game, and so was the ability of the guy to sell soul gems. Too bad.

Go out and raid those smuggler caves. I've found up to 6-7-8 grand soulgems in some of them.

C

What am I doing wrong with my charming? I just charmed a claymore so that it would cast soul trap and also deal poison damage. I set the button to "touch". However when I went out and started hitting the monsters with it, nothing happened. It appears that I have to activate it everytime by accessing it with my magic menu-ie press "R" on the keyboard, click left on mouse - and then switch back to "F" and hit them with it.

Which isn't what I had in mind. HOw do I enchant an item so that it automatically deals out the extra damage or spell when I hit something with it? (Like all the magic weapons in the game do?)


Oh, yeah, someone higher up in the therad said that it was possble to buy the Golden SAint spell in Caledra MAges guild... I've been able to buy the scroll there, but no one's offered me the actual spell... is this another mistake? Or am I asking the wrong people? Can you buy the actual spell in the game, or is it only the scroll?

"Touch" means you must activate the item like a scroll and touch the target with your hands while casting the spell.
The effect you want is "Cast on strike": the spell is released when your blade touches the target.

Nobody said that you could buy summon golden saint spells in caldera.
SPOILER - highlight to read:
<span style="color: #3D2F1B;">The Summon golden saint spell can be bought from Felen Maryon at tel branora. You'll be visiting this guy in one of thief guild qeust. (posted by Kakero)