Want to do a build - need advice

[Daelon DuLac]

So now that my Nord Sorceress is over level 60 and my Werewolf tank is over level 50, I'm ready to branch out.

I want to create a build that concentrates heavily on illusion, restoration and transmutation with cryomancy.

What, in your opinion would be a good race for this? Going for a classic D&D Cleric type of build.

I'm assuming it would be male, heavy, one-handed.

 

[khazan99]

I made an Orc character similar to what you're describing: Heavy Armor, no shield, wielding a mace in his right hand, but using Restoration and Alteration in left hand. He worked pretty well, and honestly, after awhile, you know how it goes: you barely notice the racial bonuses anyway.

 

[sticky runes]

High elves start off with with the illusion spell Fury, so that makes early play a little bit interesting, setting enemies against each other.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

High elves start off with with the illusion spell Fury, so that makes early play a little bit interesting, setting enemies against each other.

That is true. I like playing Altmer as they get the bonuses in all the magic, but I wonder from an RP perspective if a High Elf would fit as a "Cleric" like character that spends time hunting down vamps and the undead (although he doesn't have a problem with conjured beings at all) (He's kind of a Meridia kind of guy). Thoughts?

 

[sticky runes]

Maybe he could be associated with Runil, the priest of Arkay in Falkreath. You help him make sure Skyrim's dead stay at rest, and seek Meridia's help to do it. Actually, I wish I had thought about that when I did my high elf cleric type.

But that's how I do my RP now - if I'm gonna create a new character, i think about which NPCs of the same race I could be related to or associated with.

 

[Lucid]

Ooh ooh - let me see if I can find my old build guide for a Redguard Paladin-type I did in Oblivion. It would easily be modified for a Skyrim cleric-type character.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Maybe he could be associated with Runil, the priest of Arkay in Falkreath. You help him make sure Skyrim's dead stay at rest, and seek Meridia's help to do it. Actually, I wish I had thought about that when I did my high elf cleric type.

But that's how I do my RP now - if I'm gonna create a new character, i think about which NPCs of the same race I could be related to or associated with.

That's a great idea! Runil would be a great choice.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Ooh ooh - let me see if I can find my old build guide for a Redguard Paladin-type I did in Oblivion. It would easily be modified for a Skyrim cleric-type character.

Cool! Thank you.

 

[Lucid]

Turns out my build guide is on my home laptop and not available in the cloud, but using my trusty d20 Tamriel plugin I would think about something like this:

• Race: Redguard
• Class: Cleric, battle mage
• Alignment: Chaotic good
• Deity: Meridia
• Favoured Enemy: Undead
• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Medium or Heavy Armor, and all basic martial weapons. I would avoid two-handed weapons and would think about Dawnbreaker and Spellbreaker, alternating one with spells as needed.
• Primary Spell Classes: Restoration (turn/repel undead, Stendarr's aura, Vampire's Bane etc.), Alteration (Detect Dead, Detect Life)
• Secondary Spell Classes: Conjuration and Illusion
• Other Skills: Craft (your choice), Speech

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Turns out my build guide is on my home laptop and not available in the cloud, but using my trusty d20 Tamriel plugin I would think about something like this:

• Race: Redguard
• Class: Cleric, battle mage
• Alignment: Chaotic good
• Deity: Meridia
• Favoured Enemy: Undead
• Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Medium or heavy Armor, and all basic martial weapons. I would aviod two-handed weapons and I would think about Dawnbreaker and Spellbreaker, alternating one with spells as needed.
• Primary Spell Classes: Restoration (turn/repel undead, Stendarr's aura, Vampire's Bane etc.), Alteration (Detect Dead, Detect Life)
• Secondary Spell Classes: Conjuration and Illusion
• Other Skills: Craft (your choice), Speech

Thankyou so much! This is great! Do you do enchanting as well and smithing?

 

[Lucid]

Thankyou so much! This is great! Do you do enchanting as well and smithing?

Yes. I don't think a character like this would be repelled by the soul trade enough to avoid enchanting, and I do smithing with all characters except dedicated thief and/or assassin builds (to maintain soft hands).

Happy to help, you had me at D&D

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Thankyou so much! This is great! Do you do enchanting as well and smithing?

Yes. I don't think a character like this would be repelled by the soul trade enough to avoid enchanting, and I do smithing with all characters except dedicated thief and/or assassin builds (to maintain soft hands).

Happy to help, you had me at D&D

Perhaps I could limit him to only gathering the souls of the undead (drauger and vamps), that would certainly RP in well. Recycling and all that...

 

[Lucid]

Perhaps I could limit him to only gathering the souls of the undead (drauger and vamps), that would certainly RP in well. Recycling and all that...

That's a great RP angle. You'd of course want mudcrab and other animals at lower levels, until you could afford gems big enough to capture the undead souls.

There's no reason to choose Redguard over any other race, it just seems like a fitting if non-traditional pick. Altmer or Breton would also be good.

Playing a restoration-heavy battle mage is a fun challenge. It's not something that gets focused on much, but the higher level Dawnguard spells I mentioned above really play well for this type of build. It may be very different than what you've done previously.

I'm interested in hearing what else you come up with for RP purposes, backstory, etc.

 

[LotusEater]

Or... since you are following old D&D archetypes, you could ditch the Cleric and build a true holy avenger... a Paladin!

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Perhaps I could limit him to only gathering the souls of the undead (drauger and vamps), that would certainly RP in well. Recycling and all that...

That's a great RP angle. You'd of course want mudcrab and other animals at lower levels, until you could afford gems big enough to capture the undead souls.

There's no reason to choose Redguard over any other race, it just seems like a fitting if non-traditional pick. Altmer or Breton would also be good.

Playing a restoration-heavy battle mage is a fun challenge. It's not something that gets focused on much, but the higher level Dawnguard spells I mentioned above really play well for this type of build. It may be very different than what you've done previously.

I'm interested in hearing what else you come up with for RP purposes, backstory, etc.

Most regular draugers are petty anyhow and they don't really get to be lesser or common until their wights, I don't think it's a big issue at lower levels. I'll keep you posted. I am looking forward to the higher level Dawnguard spells and am even thinking about stocking up on J'Zargo's Flame Cloak scrolls (apparently you can buy more than the original 10 from him), which I love! BOOM!

 

[drjunkie]

http://theskyrimblog.ning.com/group/character-building/forum/topics/character-build-the-paladin

This may be more of a paladin than you want, but the website has lots of cool builds with RP and....stuff...

 

[Twiffle]

Ah good old Illusion play-style build, my absolute favorite.

Well IMHO you can forget armor of any type if you specialize in Illusion, use it along with alchemy, sneak and conjuration with alteration and restoration as minor schools with some enchanting as and when you feel like it and your good to go.
You don't even need to know invisibility spell, average skill of sneak with some potions, cast fury/rage and an atronach tank, watch the carnage, if anything gets close calm/fear it. Last man/thing standing and its playtime, fear it for a chase scenario, or calm it and just chill and chat before lopping its head off, this can be done with any mediocre sword or just blast its brains out with a fireball, rinse and repeat. oh and dont forget alchemy will make you rich beyond belief so owning all the houses, spells, clothing etc etc will be a realistic goal to attain.

This would be my build if your interested.

Race would be either Dunmer or Breton, either is good for the build, your choice for bonus in either conjuration or sneak.

Main skills, Illusion, Conjuration, sneak, alchemy.

Secondary skills, Alteration, restoration and enchanting. Although if your hidden or the enemy cant get near to you alteration is redundant apart from passive magic resist perks, restoration is to turn undead etc, and then maybe the odd perk in one handed for a little damage, but with a potion of 120% extra damage one handed i wouldnt worry too much.
The main key IMO to this build is using illusion to crowd control to your advantage and alchemy to buff your offense and spell duration, as well as buff your sneak skill or even invisibility even from level one. And with no armor it makes it more important to be cunning and not get caught. If you do get caught i hope you have lots of stamina or potions because it will be time to .. .. .. .. RUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN