Thanks for featuring the Loup-Garou, Mason. Much appreciated, amigo!
Man, I forgot about hr Blackguard. That's a classic right there ... Though not as classic as your Blackguard, eh? 
@Domanik, I think this thread is a good place to chat about how we design our builds. Truth be told, it's a very different process for each of us, and for me at least, it tends to be too nebulous to really nail down into a simple structure. One thing that I will say is that you need to look for cohesion. If you discuss roleplay at all, does it inform the gameplay? Does the gameplay reconcile with the character's backstory? Does the gear make sense, both functionally and thematically? Is the artwork consistent and in keeping with the character concept? These are the overarching questions to ask yourself as you work. While working on each specific component, there are more specialized things to look at: Are the special moves interesting, unique, and effective? Do the feel special? Are they too complex to remember or too convoluted to consistently pull off in mid-battle? How many potion recipes is too many? Does reaching my proposed "max level" require investing in additional skills?
For most people here — and probably you as well — we have a good grasp of how Skyrim works. The combat, the leveling, the balance, etc. So we can theorycraft very efficiently and minimize testing/replaying characters. But even still, don't be afraid to totally rewrite a build if you discover something better, or that one of your ideas didn't quite work out. I've actually just had an idea that fundamentally changes the nature of my next build plan, so now it's "back to the drawing board" for me. But it's exciting stuff, because I'm not trying to consider what I can do to strengthen the new idea, in terms of supplementary mechanics, backstory, gear selection, skillset, etc.
It's all about creativity and having fun! Don't let it be a chore, or you're doing it for the wrong reasons.
Thanks for featuring the Loup-Garou, Mason. Much appreciated, amigo!
Man, I forgot about hr Blackguard. That's a classic right there ... Though not as classic as your Blackguard, eh?
@Domanik, I think this thread is a good place to chat about how we design our builds. Truth be told, it's a very different process for each of us, and for me at least, it tends to be too nebulous to really nail down into a simple structure. One thing that I will say is that you need to look for cohesion. If you discuss roleplay at all, does it inform the gameplay? Does the gameplay reconcile with the character's backstory? Does the gear make sense, both functionally and thematically? Is the artwork consistent and in keeping with the character concept? These are the overarching questions to ask yourself as you work. While working on each specific component, there are more specialized things to look at: Are the special moves interesting, unique, and effective? Do the feel special? Are they too complex to remember or too convoluted to consistently pull off in mid-battle? How many potion recipes is too many? Does reaching my proposed "max level" require investing in additional skills?
For most people here — and probably you as well — we have a good grasp of how Skyrim works. The combat, the leveling, the balance, etc. So we can theorycraft very efficiently and minimize testing/replaying characters. But even still, don't be afraid to totally rewrite a build if you discover something better, or that one of your ideas didn't quite work out. I've actually just had an idea that fundamentally changes the nature of my next build plan, so now it's "back to the drawing board" for me. But it's exciting stuff, because I'm not trying to consider what I can do to strengthen the new idea, in terms of supplementary mechanics, backstory, gear selection, skillset, etc.
It's all about creativity and having fun! Don't let it be a chore, or you're doing it for the wrong reasons.
