I’ve always kind of hated Orcs for some reason. I was never much of a sword-and-board player, and that seemed to be all they were good for. A combination of other players orc-character traits gave me an idea however, and I think I’ve been able to make a fun-to-play Orc that puts a new twist on an old idea:
Behold the sneaky Orc…
The Goblin Heath-Stalker
Loner, outcast; a pariah from the Orc Stronghold he was born in, the Heath-Stalker hunts at night in the wilds, mastering his skill in stealth and archery and fulfilling his devilish and insatiable curiosity in the dark arts, as well as his spiteful anger for his rejection from his home. A student of alchemy and sorcery, he experiments with what he can take from the living, always seeking to perfect his arts in complete disregard for others. He visits the city only occasionally, and often ends up in prison soon afterwards…
A master tactician, the Goblin Heath-Stalker is not dissimilar from CryptStalker’s Crypt Stalker, but he isn’t a necromancer. With the intent to become the ultimate master of his arts, his focus is on absolute overkill in sneak damage with the bound bow. He is a master of alchemy, which he uses to bump his enchanting (in which he is also skilled), to make deadly poisons to accompany his deadly-accurate shots, and to make powerful potions that increase his archery skill, as well as his stealth in the form of sneak and invisibility. In conjunction with his ability to double his power (by the power of his sorcery… you can be creative), there is nothing that the Heath-Stalker cannot dispatch with a single, well-prepared arrow.
A note on appearance, we’re designing a Goblin, not an Orc. While most Orcs are huge, macho beasts, the Heath-Stalker is a wiry, sneaky guy. A long, crooked nose would fit him well. Obviously, this is up to personal taste, but I thought of something between Halloween hobgoblins, Gollum from Lord of the Rings, and Slenderman (and other similar sneaky, skinny mythical figures).
Race: Orc (he’s a freakin’ goblin)
Stone: Steed or Lover, perhaps Shadow early on
Shout: Racial Power
Major Skills: Alchemy, Archery, Sneak
Minor Skills: Enchanting, Conjuration, Pickpocket
Weapon: Bound Bow and Poison
Quests: The Black Star, No One Escapes Cidhna Mine (for some initial items)
Equipment: Black Star, Custom Enchanted Clothes
The Heath-Stalker has two sets of clothes: his “field” wear, and his “city” wear. Ideally as ragged-looking as possible.
Field
Head: Archery/Conjuration
Body: Conjuration/Stamina Regeneration
Hands: Archery/Sneak
Feet: Carry Weight/Sneak
Necklace: Archery/Sneak
Ring: Archery/Sneak
City
Head: Alchemy/Price
Body: Carry Weight/Price
Hands: Alchemy/Pickpocket
Feet: Sneak/Pickpocket
Necklace: Alchemy/Price
Ring: Alchemy/Price
Perks (lvl 45):
Archery: Overdraw (5/5), Critical Shot (3/3), Eagle Eye, Steady Hand (1/2), Power Shot, Quick Shot, Bull’s-eye
Sneak: Stealth (5/5), Backstab, Deadly Aim, Muffled Movement
Pickpocket: Light Fingers (1/5)
Alchemy: Alchemist (5/5), Physician, Poisoner, Concentrated Poison, Benefactor
Conjuration: Novice – Adept, Mystic Binding, Soul Stealer
Enchanting: Enchanter (5/5), Insightful Enchanter, Corpus Enchanter, Extra Effect
Stats (M/H/S): 3/1/2
The Build:
The main trait that sets the heath-stalker apart from most traditional sneaky sharpshooters is the stacking bonuses, notably the Orc racial power. With maxed out gear (easily achievable by level 50, probably much sooner), you’ll have 4 x 47% archery bonuses in apparel. A similarly maxed out potion can give a 120% archery bonus, and this is of course stacked on top of the 300% sneak bonus. This comes out to 1,353.6% bonus on your Mystic Bow (Bound Bow + Mystic Binding) and if that somehow isn’t enough, you can throw some extremely powerful poisons on your arrows. Thus, from the shadows, it is entirely possible to one-hit-kill Elder Dragons.
Yes, you heard that correctly. Elder Dragons (especially if you use Jarin Root poisons).
Obviously, without armor, this build is extremely reliant on stealth. A couple of obvious questions:
1.) Why no quiet casting? – You won’t be needing illusion for anything else, since you’ll be extremely quiet naturally and won’t need invisibility given your distance from your ‘prey.’ As long as you cast bound-bow far enough back, enemies hearing the casting cost shouldn’t be an issue. If they get too close, you should have invisibility potions to pop in a tight spot.
2.) Couldn’t necromage make this build more powerful? – Yes, but there are too many necromage builds up right now. Besides, the heath-stalker doesn’t need the boost in enchanting and effects (potions etc) to be extremely powerful, and leveling up restoration would be difficult and a waste of perks since his whole strategy revolves around not getting hit.
3.) If he’s using enchanting and alchemy, why not go smithing? – Partially for story (it suits a magical rogue archer goblin better, and looks awesome), but in all honesty, you’re set late game in either case. What the bound bow provides is a phenomenal mid-game transition, a transition that smithing is slow to provide, and takes more perks to do.
4.) Why no summoning? – Because he doesn’t need it. Besides, he’s a loner, and anyways sneak attacks become more difficult if the enemy is fighting your summons. Obviously, this could be a later game addition, but half the fun is hiding and taking people down in one shot from the shadows.
5.) Why so few perks in sneak? - The fact that you're an archer and not a dagger-assassin means you don't actually need to perk much into movement stealth, since you'll almost always be pretty stationary (relative to the traditional assassin). Besides, in clothing, you'll naturally be nearly silent anyhow, and you have potions to assist you, so there are better perks to invest in.
Good Poisons to Use:
Damage Health + Lingering Damage Health: Imp stool, Orange Dartwing, River Betty
Damage Health + Lingering Damage Health + Paralyze: Imp stool, Human Flesh, Slaughterfish Eggs
Damage Health + Damage Magicka + Damage Magicka Regen + Frenzy (For Wizards): Falmer Ear, Hanging Moss, Human Heart
Paralyze: Briar Heart, Canis Root, Human Flesh, Imp Stool, Swamp Fungal Pod
Frenzy: Blisterwort, Falmer Ear, Fly Amanita, Hagraven Feathers, Human Heart, Troll Fat
Fortify Marksman: Canis Root, Elves Ear, Juniper Berries, or Spider Eggs
Invisibility: Chaurus Eggs, Nirnroot, Crimson Nirnroot, Ice Wraith Teeth, Luna Moth Wing, Vampire Dust
Fortify Sneak: Abecean longfin, Beehive Husk, Frost Mirriam, Hawk Feathers, Human Flesh, Powdered Mammoth Tusk, Purple Mountain Flower
General Tips and Strategies:
- Use arrows to lure people where you want them to go
- Pick off the toughest enemies first; if you are caught (somehow), you want to be fighting the weaker guys in the open without sneak, not the strong ones
- Watch SephXXforXXLife for general strategies on sneaky, assassin play
- Don’t be afraid to use your potions! Especially the invisibility and paralyze ones.
- KILL EVERYTHING!
Enjoy!
I’ve always kind of hated Orcs for some reason. I was never much of a sword-and-board player, and that seemed to be all they were good for. A combination of other players orc-character traits gave me an idea however, and I think I’ve been able to make a fun-to-play Orc that puts a new twist on an old idea:
Behold the sneaky Orc…
The Goblin Heath-Stalker
Loner, outcast; a pariah from the Orc Stronghold he was born in, the Heath-Stalker hunts at night in the wilds, mastering his skill in stealth and archery and fulfilling his devilish and insatiable curiosity in the dark arts, as well as his spiteful anger for his rejection from his home. A student of alchemy and sorcery, he experiments with what he can take from the living, always seeking to perfect his arts in complete disregard for others. He visits the city only occasionally, and often ends up in prison soon afterwards…
A master tactician, the Goblin Heath-Stalker is not dissimilar from CryptStalker’s Crypt Stalker, but he isn’t a necromancer. With the intent to become the ultimate master of his arts, his focus is on absolute overkill in sneak damage with the bound bow. He is a master of alchemy, which he uses to bump his enchanting (in which he is also skilled), to make deadly poisons to accompany his deadly-accurate shots, and to make powerful potions that increase his archery skill, as well as his stealth in the form of sneak and invisibility. In conjunction with his ability to double his power (by the power of his sorcery… you can be creative), there is nothing that the Heath-Stalker cannot dispatch with a single, well-prepared arrow.
A note on appearance, we’re designing a Goblin, not an Orc. While most Orcs are huge, macho beasts, the Heath-Stalker is a wiry, sneaky guy. A long, crooked nose would fit him well. Obviously, this is up to personal taste, but I thought of something between Halloween hobgoblins, Gollum from Lord of the Rings, and Slenderman (and other similar sneaky, skinny mythical figures).
Race: Orc (he’s a freakin’ goblin)
Stone: Steed or Lover, perhaps Shadow early on
Shout: Racial Power
Major Skills: Alchemy, Archery, Sneak
Minor Skills: Enchanting, Conjuration, Pickpocket
Weapon: Bound Bow and Poison
Quests: The Black Star, No One Escapes Cidhna Mine (for some initial items)
Equipment: Black Star, Custom Enchanted Clothes
The Heath-Stalker has two sets of clothes: his “field” wear, and his “city” wear. Ideally as ragged-looking as possible.
Field
Head: Archery/Conjuration
Body: Conjuration/Stamina Regeneration
Hands: Archery/Sneak
Feet: Carry Weight/Sneak
Necklace: Archery/Sneak
Ring: Archery/Sneak
City
Head: Alchemy/Price
Body: Carry Weight/Price
Hands: Alchemy/Pickpocket
Feet: Sneak/Pickpocket
Necklace: Alchemy/Price
Ring: Alchemy/Price
Perks (lvl 45):
Archery: Overdraw (5/5), Critical Shot (3/3), Eagle Eye, Steady Hand (1/2), Power Shot, Quick Shot, Bull’s-eye
Sneak: Stealth (5/5), Backstab, Deadly Aim, Muffled Movement
Pickpocket: Light Fingers (1/5)
Alchemy: Alchemist (5/5), Physician, Poisoner, Concentrated Poison, Benefactor
Conjuration: Novice – Adept, Mystic Binding, Soul Stealer
Enchanting: Enchanter (5/5), Insightful Enchanter, Corpus Enchanter, Extra Effect
Stats (M/H/S): 3/1/2
The Build:
The main trait that sets the heath-stalker apart from most traditional sneaky sharpshooters is the stacking bonuses, notably the Orc racial power. With maxed out gear (easily achievable by level 50, probably much sooner), you’ll have 4 x 47% archery bonuses in apparel. A similarly maxed out potion can give a 120% archery bonus, and this is of course stacked on top of the 300% sneak bonus. This comes out to 1,353.6% bonus on your Mystic Bow (Bound Bow + Mystic Binding) and if that somehow isn’t enough, you can throw some extremely powerful poisons on your arrows. Thus, from the shadows, it is entirely possible to one-hit-kill Elder Dragons.
Yes, you heard that correctly. Elder Dragons (especially if you use Jarin Root poisons).
Obviously, without armor, this build is extremely reliant on stealth. A couple of obvious questions:
1.) Why no quiet casting? – You won’t be needing illusion for anything else, since you’ll be extremely quiet naturally and won’t need invisibility given your distance from your ‘prey.’ As long as you cast bound-bow far enough back, enemies hearing the casting cost shouldn’t be an issue. If they get too close, you should have invisibility potions to pop in a tight spot.
2.) Couldn’t necromage make this build more powerful? – Yes, but there are too many necromage builds up right now. Besides, the heath-stalker doesn’t need the boost in enchanting and effects (potions etc) to be extremely powerful, and leveling up restoration would be difficult and a waste of perks since his whole strategy revolves around not getting hit.
3.) If he’s using enchanting and alchemy, why not go smithing? – Partially for story (it suits a magical rogue archer goblin better, and looks awesome), but in all honesty, you’re set late game in either case. What the bound bow provides is a phenomenal mid-game transition, a transition that smithing is slow to provide, and takes more perks to do.
4.) Why no summoning? – Because he doesn’t need it. Besides, he’s a loner, and anyways sneak attacks become more difficult if the enemy is fighting your summons. Obviously, this could be a later game addition, but half the fun is hiding and taking people down in one shot from the shadows.
5.) Why so few perks in sneak? - The fact that you're an archer and not a dagger-assassin means you don't actually need to perk much into movement stealth, since you'll almost always be pretty stationary (relative to the traditional assassin). Besides, in clothing, you'll naturally be nearly silent anyhow, and you have potions to assist you, so there are better perks to invest in.
Good Poisons to Use:
Damage Health + Lingering Damage Health: Imp stool, Orange Dartwing, River Betty
Damage Health + Lingering Damage Health + Paralyze: Imp stool, Human Flesh, Slaughterfish Eggs
Damage Health + Damage Magicka + Damage Magicka Regen + Frenzy (For Wizards): Falmer Ear, Hanging Moss, Human Heart
Paralyze: Briar Heart, Canis Root, Human Flesh, Imp Stool, Swamp Fungal Pod
Frenzy: Blisterwort, Falmer Ear, Fly Amanita, Hagraven Feathers, Human Heart, Troll Fat
Fortify Marksman: Canis Root, Elves Ear, Juniper Berries, or Spider Eggs
Invisibility: Chaurus Eggs, Nirnroot, Crimson Nirnroot, Ice Wraith Teeth, Luna Moth Wing, Vampire Dust
Fortify Sneak: Abecean longfin, Beehive Husk, Frost Mirriam, Hawk Feathers, Human Flesh, Powdered Mammoth Tusk, Purple Mountain Flower
General Tips and Strategies:
- Use arrows to lure people where you want them to go
- Pick off the toughest enemies first; if you are caught (somehow), you want to be fighting the weaker guys in the open without sneak, not the strong ones
- Watch SephXXforXXLife for general strategies on sneaky, assassin play
- Don’t be afraid to use your potions! Especially the invisibility and paralyze ones.
- KILL EVERYTHING!
Enjoy!
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