Skyrim Character Building » Discussions


Character Build: The Salamander

Tags: #Character Build Battlemage  #Race:Argonian  #Rank:Legendary 
  • Member
    February 7, 2014

    @Raidriar

    No, I am not commenting on his builds just to "complain", that does not make sense to me. What would I gain from simply complaining anyway besides having him update some details? I actually like his builds quite a bit and he offers ways of preventing the game from being boring (and being the guy who created the Archive is quite helpful too). But my issue is the grinding. Having to make money to spend on training is grinding to me. Having to plan ahead and spend hours getting one skill up is grinding to me. Having to even devote time to particular skill rather than just naturally going through areas of the game with the skill(s) is grinding to me.

    @Mason

    I'm just saying that there should be a way to level the skills without having to devote time into them; you know, level the skills quickly enough while also just playing through the game. I mean, sure, RPGs are mostly about progressing your character, but what point is there in doing it if you can't have fun earning the abilities, but make it a housejob to do instead? And if anything, Runes level up your Destruction skill the quickest without needing to buy training or abuse it on an exploit somewhere in the game (like the immortal Shadowmere).

  • February 7, 2014

    If you don't like paying another npc for training then that's your call, it's part of the game in my opinion though and no I don't think visiting a trainer is grinding, you can only buy 5 ranks per level and alchemy provides plenty of cash which would otherwise probably go to waste...

    It's not like I'm asking people to jump up and down in a forge or stand in fire with a healing spell on.

    If you truly play through the game 'naturally' as you say and only made a potion when you need healing and only enchanted a weapon when you need it then your crafting skills are going to suffer.

    Are you saying that you have never had more than Steel Smithing? Because making 40 iron daggers for no practical reason is also grinding my friend, whether you like it or not.

    You're correct about runes providing plenty of experience so if you're happy with that then what's the problem? That I encouraged people to take extra training to get the fun spells quicker? It's a character build, it's supposed to hold peoples hand through the playthrough to a certain degree, otherwise they come here with stupid questions...

    "Mason my destructions only at 35 and I'm now level 29, what should I do?"

    People like this need telling to go get themselves some destruction training because they have been depending on their atronachs and not using runes enough. I can't play the game for people so I offer up advice in the build to make things easier and it's up to the reader if they then use that advice...

  • Member
    February 7, 2014

    Fair enough. I guess I just wanted a pre-determined path that would let me learn the skills without the need to pay attention to them that much (like a typical JRPG). But I see that I can't force a game to be something it is not. It is a western open-world RPG, with a flexible skill system, and I should be coming up with my own build.

    Actually, in fact, I looked at that "Shaper" build and thought it was a such a simple yet unique idea. I liked how balanced it is, using Werewolf for groups, and staying as a Mage for tough single enemies. But I also noticed that there's no build that dedicates a Thief or Warrior character that balances out his/her weaknesses by contracting vampirism and/or acquiring the Vampire Lord form.

    So, I decided I will make my very first build and post it on here fairly soon. It's going to be a "Barbaric Vampire"... a Barbarian with the Vampire Lord power (basically my motivation into making this is because of The Shaper build and that there is no build that's exactly what I got planned out). So... where could I go to finding matching pictures for my build in mind? Barbarians, vampires, etc.?

  • Member
    February 8, 2014
    Google/Deviantart. But these questions should really be asked in the helpdesk.
  • Member
    February 8, 2014

    Block: I tend to turn my difficulty up to Legendary and Block slow moving Horkers, takes a while but worth doing, or I just play the game

    Destruction: Faralda, or Casting runes on enemies is good

    Conjuration: Spam soul trap on a dead enemy, My record is half an hour for getting to 100

    Alchemy: Make the more expensive poisons and potions, or just pay for training you can get more money out of the merchant chests, using the merchant reset exploit to refill them

    Heavy armor: get into a brawl with heavy armor, set a healing spell in your hand and watch your heavy armor level everytime you get punched

    smithing: Get Transmute spell from Halted Stream Camp, then make Gold Rings

    Thats the best ways I've found to level every skill in this build so you've really got no problem, if you don't want to grind, don't play the build, theres not much grinding that needs to be done anyways

  • February 8, 2014
    I actually really like this build I've never thought of try to play with just a shield and magic. Im going to try this now and see how I like it and definitely a great job mason
  • Member
    April 8, 2014
    This slipped under my radar, a gem of a build, Mason... Might give it a go next olaythrough
  • Member
    April 8, 2014

    Great work, my friend. But I think it would be better with some questline and some potion/poison recipe

  • April 28, 2014
    Great build. I am a long time lurker of the blog. I really enjoy how cool the concept is. What a great display of creativity! Thanks for sharing this. Oh and + 1 for the like.
  • Member
    May 18, 2014

    Wow, this build is really creative and it gives me the urge to try it out. +1

    I do have a few qualms with it though.  It seems as though the early game for this build would be extremely hard to role play.  Meaning that I will be breaking character to gather materials for crafting or breaking character to train up 5 levels in 5 seconds with Feralda.  I find that when one of my characters breaks their role like this I just can't stay interested.  I am not the kind of person that will justify carrying 500 lbs of dwemer metal to level smithing or that will make 20 potions in one alchemy session so I will probably shy away from this particular build.

    I wonder if their are any turtley builds similar to this one that are extra light on crafting skills and extra heavy on roleplaying? 

    Btw Mason, all of your builds are absolutely amazing, you truly have  a gift for this type of thing.