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Character Build: The Archer

Tags: #Character Build Dual-Wield  #Character Build Archer  #Character Build Scout  #Rank Exemplar 
  • Max likes this
  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    With the recent introduction of the Character Build Archives and their sorting system, I have been inspired to play through a few archetype builds, based on the Oblivion counterparts, along the lines of the Classes of the Elder Scrolls series Albino is doing. Here is my take on the Archer.

    The Archer

    A marksman, adept at combat at great distances. Able to take down most foes before they have a chance to draw sword.

    Born the son of a hunter, the Archer has been using a bow since he was strong enough to draw one. His father also taught him the value of the axe and the dagger, not only as the tools of a forester but as weapons, and his woodcraft, the ability to track and to see without being seen. But with the forests of his homeland becoming crowded, he knew he would have to move on. Skyrim, sparsely populated, rife with game, and teeming with armies that will pay well for the service of a ranged soldier seemed like the best option. Yet he never expected to run into those armies quite so soon…

    Race: I chose Bosmer for the focus on Archery, but Khajiit would work just as well or better, with their bonus to One-Handed and boosted Unarmed attack power

    Stats: 0:3:2 in Magicka Health and Stamina. You’ll need that stamina for long range sniper shots and when you get up close and personal.

    Standing Stone: Lord is my personal choice here, for a magic resist since we don’t have enchanted gear and an armor boost to our light armor, but the Lady stone could also work, or even Atronach if you really hate mages.

    Gear:

    Light Armor: At lower levels, I would use Hide, Fur, Studded, Leather, or Forsworn Armor for aesthetics, and the ability to improve them with hunted hides. When I got higher up, I swapped it out for Dawnguard light armor, mostly because it looks nice and soldierish which was what I was really going for. If you prefer it, obviously you can use whatever light armor you want, scaled or glass or whatever.

    Bow: You are an absolute Marksman, devastating at all ranges, and your bow should reflect this. I went with an Elven bow, which when smithed is pretty powerful, and I planned to eventually invest in a Glass one, but you can grab the smithing perk up to Dragon if you are so inclined. I also always had Auriel’s Bow on hand after I got it. (Side note: You can use crossbows easily with this build, but I just like the look of bows better for this guy. You can also carry multiple situational bows, like a crossbow for the road and a powerful bow for long range shots.)

    Axe and Dagger: Two tools that would be in any hunter’s belt, this combo is very fun, and represents that the Oblivion Archer had both Blunt and Blade skill. Power attacks are very fast and still have a good chance to stagger, as well as inflict bleeding damage. I preferred a Skyforge Steel War Axe and a Steel Dagger (I can’t get the Skyforge dagger to improve) but go with what you prefer. Elven also works nicely.

    Major Skills:

    Archery: Ya think? The Archer is of course a master with the bow, and I took the entire tree with the exception of Ranger. Power Shot is probably the most critical perk, however, allowing you to do plenty of damage to a foe before they reach you. I left Ranger on the board only because I like my archer more like a marksman than a shoot-and-scoot type, and wanted to get more focus on melee, but it’s up to you.

    One Handed: Your other offensive skill, a lot of emphasis is placed on dual wielding and power attacks, as they are your only form of stagger, important when wearing light armor. Key perks are therefore Dual Flurry (and later Dual Savagery) and Savage Strike. Hack and Slash is also nice for the bleeding damage to go through armor, but not essential.

    Light Armor: Though it levels somewhat slowly, perks in this should be taken as soon as possible to avoid getting dropped by guys with two-handers that don’t get staggered. Wind Walker looks sexy but I have not quite gotten that far, so for now the protection perks are fine.

    Minor Skills:

    Sneak: I kept this to a minimum for the same reason I didn’t get Ranger in Archery; I wanted to fight. I got all the way to Deadly Aim, but I preferred not to use Sneak shots unless I was facing a boss, someone in a hallway at close quarters, or a big group of foes. You can also pick up Muffled Movement, but honestly it’s not necessary.

    Smithing: Replacing Oblivion’s Armorer skill, this allows you to vastly improve your weapons and armor, vital for an otherwise vulnerable character. It also helps that improved weapon damage is multiplied during sneak attacks, unlike Enchantments or (I think) poisons. I went up to Glass, But Dragon Smithing is fine as well, or only to Advanced Armors, but you’ll be stuck with lower tier weaponry.

    Unarmed: Not a true skill, but as the Oblivion Archer had Hand to Hand skill, I felt compelled to wear the Gloves of the Pugilist in tribute to this. This is also where it helps to be an Argonian or Khajiit. Useful for brawls, or when you just want to punch out a wolf or skeever for kicks.

    And you have my bow. And my axe. And my dagger.

    Factions: I had two potential path options with this guy, depending on how I wanted to play him. The first one is my personal playstyle.

    The Soldier of Fortune:

    Companions: Opens up plenty of contract opportunities for killing bad guys and making money doing it. Fits in well with the semi-mercenary vibe I was going for, and also opens up Skyforge Steel weapons, my chosen set. Werewolf Form is handy for those times when enemies threaten to overwhelm you at close range, and fits with the Hunter background. Aela the Huntress is a great quest-giver and potential follower for you.

    Dawnguard: Another faction that fits being a soldier, this is great for getting to hunt down foul creatures, and there are plenty of side quests to go along with this. It also opens up plenty of good gear, including nice axes for hunting undead, good soldierish light armor (which I chose as my endgame apparel), crossbows if you like those, and Auriel’s Bow. Happy hunting.

    Civil War: You can really choose either side here. Some Wood Elves, such as Faendal from Riverwood, support the Thalmor and the Empire, and he is a good follower if you choose this side. Alternatively, other Bosmer like Malborn from the main questline hate the Thalmor and have a grudge against the Empire. I chose Empire mostly because I could be on the defensive in the Battle for Whiterun (Helm’s Deep anyone?), but it’s totally optional. Build it into your backstory and go with it.

    Now for the darker side.

    The Nighthunter:

    Dark Brotherhood: Raised as a hunter, a little boy in Windhelm showed you more money could be made hunting men than beasts. This gives you big boosts to your sneak attacks in the form of your Shrouded armor, as well as tons of sidequests to put gold in your pocket. It also provides you with a nice introduction to…

    Thieves’ Guild: Another solid way to start boosting your stealthiness, this faction is all about the money. Plus, Nightingale Armor looks sweet, as does the regular guild armor, most of the enchantments fit well, and the Nightingale Bow is always nice. And of course there is plenty of shooting to do in the various quests.

    Volkihar: The ultimate hunters, vampires are master predators, and offer you the gift of immortality and a very powerful alternate form, helpful at close range as this path is much more focused on Archery than melee combat, as well as giving magic abilities lacking otherwise. However, you do have several weaknesses, such as the lack of stat regeneration and the weakness to fire, and while you get a sneak boost and more powerful unarmed damage thanks to your venomous claws, bonuses to Illusion and some nice spells are lost on the Archer. Bloodcursed Arrows are nice though.

    Special Moves:

    Quickdraw: Requires Dual Flurry, Weapons, Steady Hand (optional)

    This serves to let you get in one extra shot on a charging enemy. As he closes, keep shooting even when he gets dangerously close. Use Steady Hand to get in a few extra shots if you have it. On the last shot, as soon as you release, step into his swing (they generally do a running power attack) and bow bash. As soon as this makes contact, swap to your axe and dagger and use a dual power attack. In this way you can change weapons without risk, and a lot of the time your power attack will activate a second stagger.

    Arrow Storm: Requires Power Shot, Slow Time

    A classic, but it sure does work. Excellent for trimming the fat in a boss battle with a horde. Find a spot with a clear view of all targets. Use your stealth shot on the boss, then immediately shout. Begin firing at the weaker enemies, focusing on the closer enemies first. The slowing effect should ensure every shot is a hit, and the 50% stagger should keep them off you. This almost invariably turns a room full of baddies into a mano a mano matchup against a weakened foe. This is also a brilliant way for dealing with a shoot-out with mages or other archers, as you can dodge incoming projectiles and even catch arrows. Very badass.

    Reprieve: Requires Ice Form or all three words of Unrelenting Force

    Another basic one, but I used it all the time.  This is especially effective at lower levels, with quicker shooting bows, and I loved using it on trolls. Use the general strategy of shooting your approaching foe as they close, but before they reach you, shout. The advantage of Ice Form is that it only requires one word to be effective, and thus can often be reused multiple times in a fight. However, if you use this, you then have to run away to find a new spot, reducing your effective shooting time. With Unrelenting Force, you have to use all three words, but the foe is blasted away from you, saving you time. In either case, fill them with arrows as they try to rise.

    Level 35 Perk Build:

    http://skyrimcalculator.com/#296122

    Well that wraps it up. This was a very entertaining build, even if it was somewhat basic, and it fits very nicely into the world of Skyrim. Enjoy.

  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    Not another class recreation build...

  • May 26, 2013
    Ben is right, Steady Hand and Slow Time don't stack.
  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    Aye, hopefully we won't see them if the Skyrim Blog does a character building group for the next TES.

    This is getting out of hand

  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    I'd have nothing against these if Skyrim was just out fresh, but it's been almost a year and a half now.. No one should have to resort to copypasta from wiki pages to make a build...

  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    yeah *sigh* I look forward to the next Era of tes character builds though

  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    Still a few more years before we've got to worry about that, but it would be nice to see some fallout builds..

  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    not that long fotunatly, and yeah fallout builds sound fun

  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    yeah, good point

  • Member
    May 26, 2013

    Perhaps it'll change with Fallout 4... For now it's true, Fallout builds are nowhere near Skyrim ones