According to my save data, I’ve come back for a stint of Skyrim every 4~5 years. This is probably not a very unique experience if word of mouth is anything to go by, but this time around I’m finding more enjoyment in theorycrafting builds as opposed to actually playing the game. There’s just something about the game system that lends itself really well to character creation, not dissimilar to deck building in a TCG. So on that note, here are some very vanilla ideas I’ve have been or will be toying around with.
Foreword
- Crafting skills won’t be mentioned. Forging, tempering, and enchanting gear is a given, so you figure out how or if you want to achieve that.
- Support skills (speech, lockpicking, etc) also won’t be included. You can decide for yourself what your character’s appetite for crime and manipulation is.
- Armor sets also won’t really be prescribed. We all know you’re just going to be wearing a CCBE 3BA HDT-SMP jiggle physics anime costume anyway.
- Attribute distributions are denoted in the same order as in-game interfaces and menus—Magicka:Health:Stamina.
Illusion Stealth Archer (Blankaex)
| Stats | Skills | Gear | Spells | Shouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial | Stealth | Invisibility | Slow Time | |
| Male | Archery | Muffle | Throw Voice | |
| 1:1:2 | Illusion | Calm |
The bona fide Skyrim build. Snipes enemies from the shadows, but twists the traditional Shadowscale build by replacing alchemy with illusion.
Any tempered and enchanted bow as the weapon, and illusion spells at the ready to make sneaking even more braindead. Clairvoiyance fitting into the skill tree makes the build even more beginner-friendly.
Paladin (Kanae)
| Stats | Skills | Gear | Spells | Shouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nord | One-Handed | Dawnbreaker | Fast Healing | Dismay |
| Female | Restoration | Stendarr’s Aura | ||
| 1:2:1 | Heavy Armor | Vampire’s Bane |
An attempt to escape the stealth allure and experience a more virtuous gameplay loop, while also taking advantage of several Dawnguard additions.
Dawnbreaker as the weapon of choice, and healing spells in the off-hand for survivability. Damaging restoration spells are also available for skirmishes with the undead. Heavy armor to round things out.
Dual Poison Daggers (Delta)
| Stats | Skills | Gear | Spells | Shouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breton | One-Handed | Mehrunes’ Razor | Become Ethereal | |
| Female | Alchemy | Ebony Mail | ||
| 0:1:2 | Sneak |
Another take on the hackneyed Shadowscale, but this time without sneak attacks. This build uses poisoned daggers in armed confrontations, and quietly plants poisons otherwise. Remember: no sneak attacking.
Take Mehrunes’ Razor and another dagger in-hand; armor can be whatever suits. The Ebony Mail enchantment is thematically appropriate, but the heavy armor category is not really, so it’s your call.
Bloodskal Blade
| Stats | Skills | Gear | Spells | Shouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orsimer | Two-Handed | Bloodskal Blade | ||
| Male | Block | |||
| 0:2:1 | Heavy Armor |
This build was conceived purely to play with the Bloodskal Blade. Block is also a skill tree that is often overlooked but has a modicum of synergy here, so it’s been included also.
Obviously Bloodskal Blade as the primary—and only—weapon. It’s quite versatile and limited at the same time, so spells and shouts don’t play a big role here. Heavy armor completes the build by helping with enemies that make it up close.
Pyromancer Battlemage
| Race | Skills | Gear | Spells | Shouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunmer | Destruction | Ahzidal’s Armor | Incinerate | Fire Breath |
| Male | Heavy Armor | Ignite | ||
| 2:1:0 | Flame Cloak |
A build that leans into the Dunmer’s inherent affinity for fire, focused on close-quarters combat to differentiate itself from a traditional mage.
Fire destruction spells in both hands for dual-casting bonuses, and heavy armor on body for a defensive buff. Ahzidal’s Armor has cool individual pieces like the mask and ring, but the whole set is not really necessary.
Daedric Priest
| Race | Skills | Gear | Spells | Shouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altmer | One-Handed | Mace of Molag Bal | Paralyze | |
| Male | Alteration | Dragonhide | ||
| 1:2:1 |
A chaotic-evil blunt weapon wielder. Essentially an amalgamation of two mechanics I wanted to play with: a high-stagger rate one-handed mace, and armor-boosting alteration spells.
This build uses the Mace of Molag Bal as its primary damage source, and supportive alteration spells in the off-hand for tougher battles. Clothes on the body for the best alteration armor boosts.