I just wanted to give some advices on how to make a pure barbarian immune to almost anything but physical damage.
My build does not rely on crafting loops tha i consider as "cheating" or at least absusing the crafting system. I was not interested in using a serie of alchemy/enchating loops to end up with an overpowered smihting kit.
I completed the main quest at 22 with the following skills :
Smithing ~ 70
Light armor 55
Restoration ~ 45
Two Handed ~ 80
Alteration ~ 50
Some other skills are high (enchating 40, speaking 45) but i never really focussed on them.
Race : Breton for the 25% magic resistance.
Explanation of the choices :
Light armor : The perks are much better than heavy armor ones (there are 2 useless perk in the heavy armor tree that must be taken) , moreover you can carry much more things, you run fast and perk give you stamina regeneration.
Two handed : Mainly because they stagger the opponent much more and do have a much larger range. I usually used a two handed sword. Note that even if you don't smith you get a nice 2 H sword during the companion quest line (when farkas turn into a werewolf).
Smithing : To improve your damage output and counteract the lack of heavy armor. I got steel skill perk at level 3, elven around 12, advanced around 16, glass around 20. I was unlucky since i found only one smithing item (+12%) and I used only basic smithing potions from shops. Around the end of the main quest i finally found smithing filter on sale (rank 2 potions).
When i completed the main quest the damage of my weapon was around 155. and it was more than enough.
Alteration : Allow you to significantly raise your amor before charging in, and later to increase your magic resistance by 10-30%.
Restoration : For the mana regeneration and to self heal (typically fater using unrelentin force or whlle running away if things get a bit bad).
Early game (level 1-8):
a) Pick up a cool sign :
As soon as you can buy a horse simply rush to the Lord stone.
=> from then you magic resistance is 50% and you absorb 50 damage. The stone is guarded by 3 bandits that will have your level.
b) Agent of mara :
Go to riften and do the agent of mara quest line (simply go to temple there).
The quest does not involve any fighting but may be some random wild animals that you may encounter.
=> your magic resistance is now 65%.
As your alteration skill grow you will be able to raise it to 75% and then 85% (2 perk).
c) Dealing more damage :
Look for fortify two handed items in each shop you visit.
I first got one (heavy armor gloves), then light armor glove (so i broke the first one). Then 2 others : ring and necklace. Late in the game (~20) i made my own boots with fortified two haned on them.
d) Poison ( Falmer cat and dogs)
Around 15-18 find valthume and go there. Kill Hevnoraak and get his helm that provided immunity to poison. The dagon priest is very easy to kill since he deals no damage, the undead bosses that deal physical damage were quite harder.
e) Choice when leveling up :
80-90% in health, the rest in stamina or magicka.
Perk choice are quite obvious :
light armor : max out your armor rating,running speed and stamina regen.
two handed : max out your two handed damage ,decrease stamina cost.
restoration : Get apprentice restoration (at least), regenerate, respite.
Alteration: apprentice then 10, 20 or 30% magic resistance (if you go to 30% you may decide to change the Lord stone for another one).
Smithing : Left tree, i completed the main quest before reaching the Dragon armor (100).
Indeed i got glass smithing only a bit before killing alduin.
f) Usefull shouts : Unrelenting force, the one that freeze your target. Some other shouts : become ethereal, whirlwind are occasionnaly usefull.
=> the two most important shout (unrelenting force and whirlwind are automatically obtained).
I found breath spells to be very weak.
Dragonrend is nice but you get it way too late in the game.
Other cool items/quests :
Weapons :
There are plenty of quest giving nice 1 handed weapons and cool shields, but almost none -- but an horrible one that i refused to do : ebony blade -- providing a 2 hander. When completing the compagnons quest you get a quite decent axe, but if your smithing is above 50 your selfmade weapon may be better. This is due to the fact that the compagnon axe cannot be tampered (sadly).
Completing the game with a skyforge 2 hander tampered with a moderate smithing skill is certainly possible.
Armor :
The Darkbrotherhood armor is good early in the game, but my barbarian refused to kill an old lady so i never got it. Destroying the thalmor ambassy or freeing the dragoreach prisonner from the thalmor will provide you with ton of elven armor.
The thieve guild armor is not impressive at all, but i enjoy that quest line.
Misc.
Morrokei mask is one of my favorite (end of mage quest line).
Saving the nice dog (a daedra best friend) is one of the rare Daedric quest that does not require the character to murder anyone. It can be done at any level and can help with money (since the mask allow you to get better prices). You cannot miss the quest if you go to Falkreath.
My build does not rely on crafting loops tha i consider as "cheating" or at least absusing the crafting system. I was not interested in using a serie of alchemy/enchating loops to end up with an overpowered smihting kit.
I completed the main quest at 22 with the following skills :
Smithing ~ 70
Light armor 55
Restoration ~ 45
Two Handed ~ 80
Alteration ~ 50
Some other skills are high (enchating 40, speaking 45) but i never really focussed on them.
Race : Breton for the 25% magic resistance.
Explanation of the choices :
Light armor : The perks are much better than heavy armor ones (there are 2 useless perk in the heavy armor tree that must be taken) , moreover you can carry much more things, you run fast and perk give you stamina regeneration.
Two handed : Mainly because they stagger the opponent much more and do have a much larger range. I usually used a two handed sword. Note that even if you don't smith you get a nice 2 H sword during the companion quest line (when farkas turn into a werewolf).
Smithing : To improve your damage output and counteract the lack of heavy armor. I got steel skill perk at level 3, elven around 12, advanced around 16, glass around 20. I was unlucky since i found only one smithing item (+12%) and I used only basic smithing potions from shops. Around the end of the main quest i finally found smithing filter on sale (rank 2 potions).
When i completed the main quest the damage of my weapon was around 155. and it was more than enough.
Alteration : Allow you to significantly raise your amor before charging in, and later to increase your magic resistance by 10-30%.
Restoration : For the mana regeneration and to self heal (typically fater using unrelentin force or whlle running away if things get a bit bad).
Early game (level 1-8):
a) Pick up a cool sign :
As soon as you can buy a horse simply rush to the Lord stone.
=> from then you magic resistance is 50% and you absorb 50 damage. The stone is guarded by 3 bandits that will have your level.
b) Agent of mara :
Go to riften and do the agent of mara quest line (simply go to temple there).
The quest does not involve any fighting but may be some random wild animals that you may encounter.
=> your magic resistance is now 65%.
As your alteration skill grow you will be able to raise it to 75% and then 85% (2 perk).
c) Dealing more damage :
Look for fortify two handed items in each shop you visit.
I first got one (heavy armor gloves), then light armor glove (so i broke the first one). Then 2 others : ring and necklace. Late in the game (~20) i made my own boots with fortified two haned on them.
d) Poison ( Falmer cat and dogs)
Around 15-18 find valthume and go there. Kill Hevnoraak and get his helm that provided immunity to poison. The dagon priest is very easy to kill since he deals no damage, the undead bosses that deal physical damage were quite harder.
e) Choice when leveling up :
80-90% in health, the rest in stamina or magicka.
Perk choice are quite obvious :
light armor : max out your armor rating,running speed and stamina regen.
two handed : max out your two handed damage ,decrease stamina cost.
restoration : Get apprentice restoration (at least), regenerate, respite.
Alteration: apprentice then 10, 20 or 30% magic resistance (if you go to 30% you may decide to change the Lord stone for another one).
Smithing : Left tree, i completed the main quest before reaching the Dragon armor (100).
Indeed i got glass smithing only a bit before killing alduin.
f) Usefull shouts : Unrelenting force, the one that freeze your target. Some other shouts : become ethereal, whirlwind are occasionnaly usefull.
=> the two most important shout (unrelenting force and whirlwind are automatically obtained).
I found breath spells to be very weak.
Dragonrend is nice but you get it way too late in the game.
Other cool items/quests :
Weapons :
There are plenty of quest giving nice 1 handed weapons and cool shields, but almost none -- but an horrible one that i refused to do : ebony blade -- providing a 2 hander. When completing the compagnons quest you get a quite decent axe, but if your smithing is above 50 your selfmade weapon may be better. This is due to the fact that the compagnon axe cannot be tampered (sadly).
Completing the game with a skyforge 2 hander tampered with a moderate smithing skill is certainly possible.
Armor :
The Darkbrotherhood armor is good early in the game, but my barbarian refused to kill an old lady so i never got it. Destroying the thalmor ambassy or freeing the dragoreach prisonner from the thalmor will provide you with ton of elven armor.
The thieve guild armor is not impressive at all, but i enjoy that quest line.
Misc.
Morrokei mask is one of my favorite (end of mage quest line).
Saving the nice dog (a daedra best friend) is one of the rare Daedric quest that does not require the character to murder anyone. It can be done at any level and can help with money (since the mask allow you to get better prices). You cannot miss the quest if you go to Falkreath.
