Skyrim Build: The Witch
Race, Standing Stone, Skills & Stats
Name: Laelyn
Race: Breton
Age: 24
Standing Stone: Lover (early), Ritual (mid-late game)
M/H/S: 60/40/0
Alignment: Chaotic Impure
Shouts: Bend Will, Summon Durnehviir, Soul Tear, Unrelenting Force, Disarm & Drain Vitality
Major Skills: Illusion, Conjuration, Alchemy
Minor Skills: Enchanting, Sneak, Pickpocket
Back Story
Laelyn was born in a small village several miles north of Wayrest in High Rock. Her village was under the thumb of a greedy and corrupt young lord who would ride in every month and threaten the villagers with imprisonment and death if they did not hand over the majority of their crops and dried foods to him. This went on for years until one day, Laelyn's father got the nerve to rally the village to fight against the lord. The rebellion would turn sour though and both her father and mother were arrested and later hung as a result while half the village was slaughtered.
Laelyn, in total despair, ran off into the woods. She came across a seemingly abandoned cabin and when she knocked, only heard a scowling voice asking who it was. An old hag answered the door and looked down to see Laelyn standing before her in fright. "Well aren't you a precious little one. What are you doing all the way out here?" Laelyn explained what had happened to her village and parents and the witch gave her a rather disgusted look. She knew that young man. She was the court wizard to his father and after he died of a rare disease, the first thing the new lord did was banish the hag from his manor. She saw this as a chance for revenge for both of them to get back at the lord who ruined both their lives. She agreed to let Laelyn stay but was expected to help with the chores and household work. In return, the hag taught Laelyn all she knew about Alchemy and Illusion magic.
Days became weeks, weeks became months, and as Laelyn got older, so did her magical prowess and intelligence. The hag became like a mother to her but sadly would pass away. Laelyn, now an adult, gave her a proper burial and vowed to put an end to the evil lord. That night, she left the cabin and went off to go take care of the lord. She made it there the following day in the evening when a big dinner party was going on. Security seemed light so Laelyn was able to slip by the guards unnoticed. She proceeded to the kitchen where she donned a servant's uniform to disguise herself. Then when no one was looking, she took a specially crafted frenzy poison out of her bag and doused some meat cubes with it. She picked up the plate and proceeded into the dining hall.
The lord was too caught up in his own laughter to notice that the one serving him was not a regular servant. In his typical greedy fashion he grabbed a handful of meat cubes and shoved them into his mouth. A minute went by but the lord did not seem to be reacting to the poison. Laelyn began to worry if she did something wrong in the mixture. Then, out of nowhere, the lords attitude began to change. He started accusing his guests of insulting his mother. He only got angrier the more they denied his accusations. Then the poison finally took hold. The lord unsheathed his blade and began to go on a kill frenzy. At this moment, Laelyn struck. She hurled several rage spells at the lords guests and soon everyone was either trying to kill someone or defend themselves from being killed.
When it was all said and done, all but three of the lords guests were dead and Laelyn had vanished. Laelyn was enthralled by her new power. She thought she had no control over her life when her parent died, but now she had realized she had more control now then ever before and wanted to continue it. She would be queen over all creatures, living and dead or otherwise. She proceeded east through the Druadach Mountains and came across a group of Stormcloak Soldiers. Followed them for awhile waiting to strike, but a group of Imperial Soldiers go to them first. She cast her spells and came down the hill pretty fast. It was in that moment she realized she was no warrior and was subdued and arrested. She was taken to an Imperial outpost at the Skyrim Border where she was put onto a cart with Stormcloak Soldiers bound for Helgen.
Playstyle
The Witch is all about command and control. When you come across some enemies (ex: a bandit camp), you have options: 1) You can cast Rage Spells from a distance and watch as they tear each other to bits. 2) You sneak in and plant some poisons on enemies one by one until they all die. 3) Throw Rage Spells on your enemies then join the battle using a poisoned dagger and the Skull of Corruption (if you choose this option, it is a good idea to carry restore health potions). After casting your illusion spells, summon either two atronachs/dremora, two soul cairn minions or raise two undead zombies or a combo of any of these. After that, use your Skull of Corruption to finish off any opposition
Essential Perks (Level 60)
Illusion: The Witch is a master manipulator of minds. She can have unwilling subjects do her bidding and tear apart their allies one minute, then having the flee in terror
Novice-Expert Illusion, Illusion Dual Casting, Animage, Kindred Mage, Quiet Casting, Hypnotic Gaze, Aspect of Terror, Rage & Master of the Mind (12)
Conjuration: In continuing with the theme of manipulation, the Witch can also command the forces of Oblivion and even bend the will of the dead to her own.
Novice-Expert Conjuration, Summoner 1-2, Atromancy, Elemental Potency, Necromancy, Dark Souls & Twin Souls (11)
Alchemy: The Witch knows exactly what she does and how she does it. Her intelligence truly shines in her ability to brew the most benefical potions and deadliest poisons.
Alchemist 1-5, Physician, Benefactor, Poisoner, Concentrated Poison, Green Thumb, Snakeblood & Purity (12)
Enchanting:Defensively, the Witch is vulnerable to most attacks, physical or elemental. She needs to be cunning and quick on her feet and let those she has command over do the work for her. With Enchanting, you can bolster your own defenses or even make your spellcraft even more poweful.
Enchanter 1-5, Soul Squeezer, Insightful Enchanter, Corpus Enchanter & Extra Effect (9)
Sneak: The Witch knows how to keep a low profile in places where she isn't wanted; and there are a lot of those. With her bare feet and muffle ability, sneaking around is as second nature to her as her spellcraft abilities.
Stealth 1-5, Muffled Movement & Light Foot (7)
Pickpocket: The Witch found an alternative method to poisoning her enemies instead of open combat. She learned to place poisons on an unsuspecting person and watch them silently die or do whatever it is her poisons are meant to do.
Light Fingers 1-5, Night Thief, Poisoned & Extra Pockets (8)
Gear
Weapons: Skull of Corruption (main weapon), Blade of Woe (secondary weapon w/ poisons)
Apparel: Mourner's Clothes, Bone Hawk Necklace & Ring, Mourner's Hat (optional). She will not be wearing any shoes or boots, only bare foot.
Potions/Poisons:
Commanding Illusionist (Dragon's Tongue, Dwarven Oil & Garlic)
Commanding Conjurer (Bleeding Crown, Blue Butterfly Wing & Lavender)
Elemental Resistance (Dragon's Tongue, Hawk Beak & Snowberries)
Physical Invigoration (Boar Tusk, Giant's Toe & Lavender)
Magical Duelist (Tundra Cotton & Void Salts)
Rejuvenation (Blue Mountain Flower, Charred Skeever Hide & Mudcrab Chitin)
Magical Madness (Human Heart, Hagraven Feathers & Fly Amanita)
Waking Nightmare (Giant Lichen, Jazbay Grapes & Scaly Pholiota)
Neuro Toxin (Human Flesh, Imp Stool & Scathecraw)
Deadly Toxin (Imp Stool, Scathecraw & Skeever Tail)
Main Factions
Civil War: You have no desire to join either side. If you must, it is the player's personal choice.
Main Quest/Dragonborn DLC: While your role as Dragonborn is uninteresting to you, you still revel in the thought of learning a shout that can command Dragons.
Companions: You have nothing to gain from them so don't join them.
College of Winterhold: Learning better Illusion and Conjuration spells is a must for this character so joining is mandatory.
Thieves Guild: Optional guild. Acceptable if you plan on stealing a lot.
Dark Brotherhood: Joining them is a great bonus to your playthrough. Plus it grants you access to the Blade of Woe.
Bards College: Aside from gaining a perk point in every skill for retrieving the three missing items, there is nothing here for you.
Dawnguard/Volkihar: Even though you are evil in nature, you will still reluctantly join the Dawnguard as you just can't subject yourself to vampirism.
Side & Daedric Quests
Waking Nightmare: Help a priest of Mara lift a nightmare curse from the people of Dawnstar... then kill him for the Skull of Corruption.
Forsworn Conspiracy: To you, Madanach is useful and you will unleash him upon the world to unknowingly do your bidding.
Laid to Rest: Expose a plot by a Master Vampire and eliminate him in his own lair.
A Return to Your Roots: Complete the research a legendary alchemist.
The White Phial: Retrieve a legendary artifact to fulfill a dying alchemist’s final wish.
Discerning the Transmundane: Receive Hermeaus Mora's gift and choose the path of Shadow.
The Heart of Dibella: Find the Temple of Dibellas newest Sybil
Black Book Quests
Epistolary Acumen: Through the knowledge of the first of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Dragonborn Force ability, which makes your Unrelenting Force shout more powerful and has a chance to instantly kill non-essential targets.
Filament and Filigree: Through the knowledge of the second of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Secret of Protection power, making all physical attacks inflicted on you do 50% less damage.
The Hidden Twilight: Through the knowledge of the third of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Mora's Boon power, restoring your magicka, health & stamina by 1000 each.
The Sallow Regent: Through the knowledge of the fourth of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Seeker of Sorcery ability, permanently making all your spells cost 10% less and enchantments 10% more powerful.
The Winds of Change: Through the knowledge of the fifth of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Scholar's Insight ability, granting you an extra skill point whenever you read a skill book.
Untold Legends: Through the knowledge of the sixth and final Black Book, you will elect to receive the Secret Servant power, which summons a Dremora Butler to you that can carry your excess items (up to 248 lbs).
What are your thoughts? Let me know what you think in the comments.
Skyrim Build: The Witch
Race, Standing Stone, Skills & Stats
Name: Laelyn
Race: Breton
Age: 24
Standing Stone: Lover (early), Ritual (mid-late game)
M/H/S: 60/40/0
Alignment: Chaotic Impure
Shouts: Bend Will, Summon Durnehviir, Soul Tear, Unrelenting Force, Disarm & Drain Vitality
Major Skills: Illusion, Conjuration, Alchemy
Minor Skills: Enchanting, Sneak, Pickpocket
Back Story
Laelyn was born in a small village several miles north of Wayrest in High Rock. Her village was under the thumb of a greedy and corrupt young lord who would ride in every month and threaten the villagers with imprisonment and death if they did not hand over the majority of their crops and dried foods to him. This went on for years until one day, Laelyn's father got the nerve to rally the village to fight against the lord. The rebellion would turn sour though and both her father and mother were arrested and later hung as a result while half the village was slaughtered.
Laelyn, in total despair, ran off into the woods. She came across a seemingly abandoned cabin and when she knocked, only heard a scowling voice asking who it was. An old hag answered the door and looked down to see Laelyn standing before her in fright. "Well aren't you a precious little one. What are you doing all the way out here?" Laelyn explained what had happened to her village and parents and the witch gave her a rather disgusted look. She knew that young man. She was the court wizard to his father and after he died of a rare disease, the first thing the new lord did was banish the hag from his manor. She saw this as a chance for revenge for both of them to get back at the lord who ruined both their lives. She agreed to let Laelyn stay but was expected to help with the chores and household work. In return, the hag taught Laelyn all she knew about Alchemy and Illusion magic.
Days became weeks, weeks became months, and as Laelyn got older, so did her magical prowess and intelligence. The hag became like a mother to her but sadly would pass away. Laelyn, now an adult, gave her a proper burial and vowed to put an end to the evil lord. That night, she left the cabin and went off to go take care of the lord. She made it there the following day in the evening when a big dinner party was going on. Security seemed light so Laelyn was able to slip by the guards unnoticed. She proceeded to the kitchen where she donned a servant's uniform to disguise herself. Then when no one was looking, she took a specially crafted frenzy poison out of her bag and doused some meat cubes with it. She picked up the plate and proceeded into the dining hall.
The lord was too caught up in his own laughter to notice that the one serving him was not a regular servant. In his typical greedy fashion he grabbed a handful of meat cubes and shoved them into his mouth. A minute went by but the lord did not seem to be reacting to the poison. Laelyn began to worry if she did something wrong in the mixture. Then, out of nowhere, the lords attitude began to change. He started accusing his guests of insulting his mother. He only got angrier the more they denied his accusations. Then the poison finally took hold. The lord unsheathed his blade and began to go on a kill frenzy. At this moment, Laelyn struck. She hurled several rage spells at the lords guests and soon everyone was either trying to kill someone or defend themselves from being killed.
When it was all said and done, all but three of the lords guests were dead and Laelyn had vanished. Laelyn was enthralled by her new power. She thought she had no control over her life when her parent died, but now she had realized she had more control now then ever before and wanted to continue it. She would be queen over all creatures, living and dead or otherwise. She proceeded east through the Druadach Mountains and came across a group of Stormcloak Soldiers. Followed them for awhile waiting to strike, but a group of Imperial Soldiers go to them first. She cast her spells and came down the hill pretty fast. It was in that moment she realized she was no warrior and was subdued and arrested. She was taken to an Imperial outpost at the Skyrim Border where she was put onto a cart with Stormcloak Soldiers bound for Helgen.
Playstyle
The Witch is all about command and control. When you come across some enemies (ex: a bandit camp), you have options: 1) You can cast Rage Spells from a distance and watch as they tear each other to bits. 2) You sneak in and plant some poisons on enemies one by one until they all die. 3) Throw Rage Spells on your enemies then join the battle using a poisoned dagger and the Skull of Corruption (if you choose this option, it is a good idea to carry restore health potions). After casting your illusion spells, summon either two atronachs/dremora, two soul cairn minions or raise two undead zombies or a combo of any of these. After that, use your Skull of Corruption to finish off any opposition
Essential Perks (Level 60)
Illusion: The Witch is a master manipulator of minds. She can have unwilling subjects do her bidding and tear apart their allies one minute, then having the flee in terror
Novice-Expert Illusion, Illusion Dual Casting, Animage, Kindred Mage, Quiet Casting, Hypnotic Gaze, Aspect of Terror, Rage & Master of the Mind (12)
Conjuration: In continuing with the theme of manipulation, the Witch can also command the forces of Oblivion and even bend the will of the dead to her own.
Novice-Expert Conjuration, Summoner 1-2, Atromancy, Elemental Potency, Necromancy, Dark Souls & Twin Souls (11)
Alchemy: The Witch knows exactly what she does and how she does it. Her intelligence truly shines in her ability to brew the most benefical potions and deadliest poisons.
Alchemist 1-5, Physician, Benefactor, Poisoner, Concentrated Poison, Green Thumb, Snakeblood & Purity (12)
Enchanting:Defensively, the Witch is vulnerable to most attacks, physical or elemental. She needs to be cunning and quick on her feet and let those she has command over do the work for her. With Enchanting, you can bolster your own defenses or even make your spellcraft even more poweful.
Enchanter 1-5, Soul Squeezer, Insightful Enchanter, Corpus Enchanter & Extra Effect (9)
Sneak: The Witch knows how to keep a low profile in places where she isn't wanted; and there are a lot of those. With her bare feet and muffle ability, sneaking around is as second nature to her as her spellcraft abilities.
Stealth 1-5, Muffled Movement & Light Foot (7)
Pickpocket: The Witch found an alternative method to poisoning her enemies instead of open combat. She learned to place poisons on an unsuspecting person and watch them silently die or do whatever it is her poisons are meant to do.
Light Fingers 1-5, Night Thief, Poisoned & Extra Pockets (8)
Gear
Weapons: Skull of Corruption (main weapon), Blade of Woe (secondary weapon w/ poisons)
Apparel: Mourner's Clothes, Bone Hawk Necklace & Ring, Mourner's Hat (optional). She will not be wearing any shoes or boots, only bare foot.
Potions/Poisons:
Commanding Illusionist (Dragon's Tongue, Dwarven Oil & Garlic)
Commanding Conjurer (Bleeding Crown, Blue Butterfly Wing & Lavender)
Elemental Resistance (Dragon's Tongue, Hawk Beak & Snowberries)
Physical Invigoration (Boar Tusk, Giant's Toe & Lavender)
Magical Duelist (Tundra Cotton & Void Salts)
Rejuvenation (Blue Mountain Flower, Charred Skeever Hide & Mudcrab Chitin)
Magical Madness (Human Heart, Hagraven Feathers & Fly Amanita)
Waking Nightmare (Giant Lichen, Jazbay Grapes & Scaly Pholiota)
Neuro Toxin (Human Flesh, Imp Stool & Scathecraw)
Deadly Toxin (Imp Stool, Scathecraw & Skeever Tail)
Main Factions
Civil War: You have no desire to join either side. If you must, it is the player's personal choice.
Main Quest/Dragonborn DLC: While your role as Dragonborn is uninteresting to you, you still revel in the thought of learning a shout that can command Dragons.
Companions: You have nothing to gain from them so don't join them.
College of Winterhold: Learning better Illusion and Conjuration spells is a must for this character so joining is mandatory.
Thieves Guild: Optional guild. Acceptable if you plan on stealing a lot.
Dark Brotherhood: Joining them is a great bonus to your playthrough. Plus it grants you access to the Blade of Woe.
Bards College: Aside from gaining a perk point in every skill for retrieving the three missing items, there is nothing here for you.
Dawnguard/Volkihar: Even though you are evil in nature, you will still reluctantly join the Dawnguard as you just can't subject yourself to vampirism.
Side & Daedric Quests
Waking Nightmare: Help a priest of Mara lift a nightmare curse from the people of Dawnstar... then kill him for the Skull of Corruption.
Forsworn Conspiracy: To you, Madanach is useful and you will unleash him upon the world to unknowingly do your bidding.
Laid to Rest: Expose a plot by a Master Vampire and eliminate him in his own lair.
A Return to Your Roots: Complete the research a legendary alchemist.
The White Phial: Retrieve a legendary artifact to fulfill a dying alchemist’s final wish.
Discerning the Transmundane: Receive Hermeaus Mora's gift and choose the path of Shadow.
The Heart of Dibella: Find the Temple of Dibellas newest Sybil
Black Book Quests
Epistolary Acumen: Through the knowledge of the first of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Dragonborn Force ability, which makes your Unrelenting Force shout more powerful and has a chance to instantly kill non-essential targets.
Filament and Filigree: Through the knowledge of the second of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Secret of Protection power, making all physical attacks inflicted on you do 50% less damage.
The Hidden Twilight: Through the knowledge of the third of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Mora's Boon power, restoring your magicka, health & stamina by 1000 each.
The Sallow Regent: Through the knowledge of the fourth of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Seeker of Sorcery ability, permanently making all your spells cost 10% less and enchantments 10% more powerful.
The Winds of Change: Through the knowledge of the fifth of the six Black Books, you will elect to receive the Scholar's Insight ability, granting you an extra skill point whenever you read a skill book.
Untold Legends: Through the knowledge of the sixth and final Black Book, you will elect to receive the Secret Servant power, which summons a Dremora Butler to you that can carry your excess items (up to 248 lbs).
What are your thoughts? Let me know what you think in the comments.
