Out of (h)arm's way

• Posted by zulfir July 2, 2012 - 2,101 views

  I'm thinking of starting new builds, but not really sure how to go about them. It might help clarifying I'm interested in less travelled, quirky or unexpected builds. My Blight Priest build was an attempt at that, and now I'm considering other stuff.
  
  One is a different take on the Monk/unarmed character. To say that unarmed in Skyrim isn't fleshed out is an understatement, but it's a type of combat, or a set of combat methods that have a place in the game. It's doable but I lament that most builds focus on Smithing and Enchanting to fill in the power gaps; both skills are definitely useful but they seem to close the wound with a hammer rather than a stitch. Khajiit claw damage is superior, but it's always the first suggestion I see. All this to say that the expectations placed on Unarmed, or what's left of it in Skyrim, seem based not only on what could be done previously in the series but on a strain of character mythologies that (even more so than Bards) have little place here. If one looks to the "spiritual warrrior that trades blows and kicks with adversaries" theme in other games, it's usually far from a universal definition. Not only because different games have different rules, but also because it takes into account other things. In D&D, the combat styles of a Monk depend on the character's past and trainer. Rarely does a player fully play a "standard" monk without multiclassing or using variant rules to diversify their role (consider the Monk/Sorcerer/Paladin or Monk/Psionic Fist differences). And while it's true a monk is at his or her best unarmed, reach weapons are actually encouraged somewhat to make up for them using fists. We complain about Unarmed being "gone" when we should accept it wasn't particularly "good" to begin with - not until we get the equivalent of Grapple or Improvised Weapon. We don't even kick.
  
  Which is why my semi-monk has been wandering Skyrim like this:
  
  Not exactly like this, mind - the picture isn't mine. I've been testing out a Redguard. So what's with the setup? My idea was to first visualize the unarmed fighter. Tsun's Armor fits what I had in mind almost perfectly, while also - like Fur Armor variations - provide both the aesthetics and enough defense. And while it's understandable to complain about how legitimate would be to wear this, the rating isn't spectacular (and there's at least one mod that makes it a craftable item). It provides 31 defense, exactly one point below Scaled Armor and two above Elven. The initial idea was to avoid dressing up all Daedric and punching enemies but still taking Fists of Steel. The damage output remains the same but armor rating doesn't. While taking advantage of two armor type bonuses seems good, it never becomes overpowered, actually, because the only heavy armor would be gloves (possibly boots) and light armor would be the (non-)chest piece. Since these two or three pieces are the only armor on the character, there's no taking advantage of full set Perks. There's only room for a circlet/helmet/mask and a ring too. Other than that, I'm trying Redguard for the Stamina regen. This means I can, at least once a day, use power attacks more often. Orc might be another good choice, provided Berserk Rage improves unarmed damage but I haven't tested that yet. Perks like Atronach, Magic Resistance, or the Lord and Atronach Stones are also viable.
  
  Another thing I've been trying is to boost attack/defense via Destruction, namely with elemental cloaks, but the Sneak branch is pretty good too - chiefly for Silent Roll. While it doesn't really suggest the acrobatic puncher style, it's handy to silently cover distances and get the drop on a couple of enemies. Since Elemental Fury can't be used (no weapons), this and Whirlind Sprint are good choices depending on situation (Silent Roll for stealth, Whirlwind for the thick of combat; though Silent Warrior wouldn't be entirely out of place either). Become Ethereal, specially with Paarthurnax's Word Focus, has plenty of uses and can undoubtedly be seen as a spiritual field of recovery as well.
  
  So that's just a couple of thoughts, really. Now to keep playtesting my Savage Skald and Cullinomancer builds.