Playing "Pure" builds hardcore style

[SilverSorcerer]

Has anyone played pure builds, where they create a character that uses all of the skills of one of the three archtypes, and uses perks in all of the skills in that type?

Warrior

One-Handed, Two-Handed, Smithing, Block, Heavy Armor, Archery

Mage

Destruction, Illusion, Enchanting, Conjuration, Alteration, Restoration

Theif

Light Armor, Sneak, Lockpocking, Alchemy, Speech, Pickpocket


And by being pure to it, I mean the Warrior uses both 1hand and 2hand, and the thief puts perks into lockpicking, and all of the classes destribute the perks evenly within the the skill set. So no one perk in lockpicking for a thief and 5 in light armor.

Has anyone attempted anyting like this? I imagine the Theif would be the toughest, since you have no way to deal direct damage, just sneaking and planting poisons. The main problem for warriors would be no enchanting which isn't that hard to overcome, and many mage types like to wear armor, so of course that'd be out.

 

[BIGwooly]

I pretty much do this all the time. I find these characters more fun to play than a character that specializes in everything.

Currently I'm playing characters that are not only limited in their skills, but are only allowed to use 5 perk points TOTAL.

 

[BigBad]

What would be the point of using both 1handed and 2handed? Investing in both is a waste of perks. Much more efficient and 'pure' to use a sword-and-board OneHanded+Block setup.

 

[SilverSorcerer]

What would be the point of using both 1handed and 2handed? Investing in both is a waste of perks. Much more efficient and 'pure' to use a sword-and-board OneHanded+Block setup.

And its much more efficient to use all three crafting skills as well. I'm not talking about any type of powergaming, this is playing in a manner that provides MORE challenge.

 

[Shouts-At-Dragons]

Out of all the characters I've created, none of them I consider "pure" and rp with them. While the one started off as a high elf mage, soon enough he found himself having a high two-handed and archery skill.

I plan on creating a pure thief character, it would make the thieves guild and the dark brotherhood much more enjoyable. Playing as somewhat of a mage sure did make my College experience a lot better than my first play through. Like seriously, how do I become arch-mage when my destruction skill is less than 35?

 

[SilverSorcerer]

Out of all the characters I've created, none of them I consider "pure" and rp with them. While the one started off as a high elf mage, soon enough he found himself having a high two-handed and archery skill.

I plan on creating a pure thief character, it would make the thieves guild and the dark brotherhood much more enjoyable. Playing as somewhat of a mage sure did make my College experience a lot better than my first play through. Like seriously, how do I become arch-mage when my destruction skill is less than 35?

You became archmage because the guilds are by and large poorly designed. Honestly the test to get into the college should involve you having at least a 25 in one mage skill, and at least a 75 in one skill to be guild master. They could have a simple check where they tell you to continue training, and then once you hit certain points, you can continue each stage in the quest.

 

[BigBad]

The closest I've come to a 'pure' was Torak, my orc warrior. One Handed, Block, Heavy Armor, Smithing. No stealth at all, and the only magic was some Enchanting, the Transmute Mineral Ore spell, and lots of Shouting.

 

[SilverSorcerer]

The closest I've come to a 'pure' was Torak, my orc warrior. One Handed, Block, Heavy Armor, Smithing. No stealth at all, and the only magic was some Enchanting, the Transmute Mineral Ore spell, and lots of Shouting.

Transmute is pretty much an "unlimited money" spell.

 

[BigBad]

Which makes it pretty much impossible to resist. Torak never cast any other non-starter spells, and virtually never used magic in any other way, but he still wound up with an Alteration skill almost as high as his Smithing.

 

[SilverSorcerer]

Which makes it pretty much impossible to resist. Torak never cast any other non-starter spells, and virtually never used magic in any other way, but he still wound up with an Alteration skill almost as high as his Smithing.

Yeah but you can do that with alchemy as well. I find I normally have more fun playing a non-alchemy build then collecting every ingredient I come across and making high power potions.

Plus money comes so easily in skyrim you really don't need transmute or alchemy to be reasonably rich. Try making a paladin who never steals, and doesn't use transmute or alchemy. Then you actually have to go out an earn your money. Much different style of game doing that.

 

[TamrielsSavior]

As far as playing a pure thief, you could level your pickpocket, get the poisoned perk and start putting really nasty poisons on people. Damage and ravage health, weakness to poison, blocking stamina and/or magika regen, paralyze, slow, lots of good ones to use.
And just because you are a theif doesn't mean you can't use a dagger, otherwise half of the sneak tree is pointless. Although if you truly can't use a weapon as a pure thief, then punch people to death after poisoning them.
Spend the first 10 or so levels just building sneak, alchemy and pickpocket and you should be able to do some damage after that!
It would be really hard and you would have to be really patient, but it is do-able.