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Character Build: The Wolf

Tags: #Character Build Werewolf  #Race:Redguard  #Rank:Legendary 
  • Member
    December 18, 2012

    My inspiration to make the master of Werewolf builds stemmed from the disappointing lack of any pure wolf builds. Compared to the sheer volume of Vampire builds that seem to exploit every aspect of their mechanics, I was startled. To that end, I present:

     

    The Wolf

    The sword is not as fast nor as sharp as the fang. They fight to kill, we fight to live. That is why my mouth runs wet and warm with the thickness of his lifeblood. That is why we live to see the moon set once again and they do not.” Miev's First Hunt


    The concept behind this build is to allow for a pure Werewolf build. The build has attempted to do two things; One, take the strengths of a werewolf and enhance them. Two, to find solution so to the mechanical flaws of the wolf.

     

    The ultimate lack of armor faced by wolves is accounted for with the Lord stone and Alteration.

    The lack of high end scaling damage has been fixed through a series of methods to maximize Stamina and Stamina regeneration as well as several percent damage increases.

    The lack of health regeneration or combative healing has been helped with added life abosorption.

    Small defense vs ranged spell attacks has been compensated for through the Lord Stone, Agent of Mara and the Atronach and Magic Resistance Perks. (And more for those with DB!)

    There is even an answer to silver weapons: Having a higher enchantment level slightly raises the player's defense stats against enchanted weaponry. This can be anywhere from 1%-15% and is an invisible stat.

    In response to the wolfs inability to generate experience all skills are leveled outside combat so it doesn’t matter you don’t get experience while in wolf form.

     

     

     

    Level 30

    Stats: (Wolf) 100 Mana, 600 health, 300 stamina

    Race: Redguard

    Stone: Lord

    Major Skills: Lycanthropy, Alteration

    Minor Skill: Enchanting, Restoration

     

    Armor: Blessed Ring of HircineHircine's Bonds: Bracers with -40% Alateration casting cost. (you may use more items each with a smaller percent incrfease.)

     

    Weapon (Optional): Hircine's Claws: A pair of swords with Silent Moons Enchantment

     

    Shouts: Totem of Brotherhood, Totem of Hunt, Totem of fear, Animal Allegiance, Slow Time

    Powers:Adrenaline Rush, Force without Effort, Agent of Mara & Dibella, Sailor's Repose, (DB Only, Seeker of Sorcery, Lover's Insight, Blessing of Azura)

     

    Quests: Compaion's Questline (The Silver Hand), Ill Met By Moonlight, Totems of Hircine

     

     

     

    Custom Abilities:

    Name: Howl of the Night Pack

    Skills: Animal Allegiance + Wolf Form + Improved Totem of Brotherhood

    Effect: Let loose a terrifying howl, calling all nearby wolves and feral beast-brothers to your aid as the Change takes you. Hearing the call, at least two of your pack-brothers will answer to lend aid in the hunt.

    "He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time."
    - Jack London, "The Call of the Wild,"

    Name: Bestial Fury

    Skills: Slow Time + Adrenaline Rush + Wolf Form

    Effect: Unleash a bestial roar, moving at super-human speed, the Change takes you quickly, and, for the next 76 seconds your stamina regenerates at 200%. (in wolf form it is 20% to a human's 5%... Adrenaline rush is a x10 multiplier) May only happen once per day.

    Name: Undying (Passive)

    Skills: Respite + Sailor's Repose + Regeneration + Avoid Death Restores

    Effect: Cornered, fur matted with your own blood, claws, dripping with theirs, your animal tenacity grants you a second wind. If you fall below 10% health, 400 Health and Stamina will be instantly restored. May only happen once per day.

    Name: Champion of Hircine (DB Only)

    Skills: Dragon Aspect + The Ring of Bloodlust + Bestial Fury (see above)

    Effect: Once a night you may take on the form of Hircine's avatar, granted fierce powers by the wild god, you gain Dragon Aspectfor 8 minutes, granting you 100 bonus armor and 63% (50% + 25%) more damage but take 50% more damage for the duration. Your stamina regenerates at 200% for 76 seconds. 

     

     

     

     

    Subject's bodily proportions were thoroughly measured before, during, and after the transformation. As expected, the proportions were identical while in true form, but some minor swelling of the head was observed immediately after the return. Changes observed during transformation:
    23% increase in shoulder width
    17% narrowing of hips
    47% lengthening of arms
    7% increase in finger length (not accounting for claws)
    As for the legs -- the lengthening of the foot to several times its normal length seems to account for the otherwise negligible changes in the thigh region.”

    Experimentation in the Physicalities of the Werewolf ~ Reman Crex

     

    Gameplay & Roleplaying:

    The Build (Lycanthropy perks do not display, but max the tree)

    Imagine a man, he could be a young traveler, a pilgrim or wanderer, or an old, blind beggar man, journeying across Skyrim, with only the robes on his back, a dagger at his side, and a few coins unde his belt. He sits in an Inn, next to an armored mercenary and makes small talk with the bard. Little does anyone know, that he is a master. Neither of sword nor bow, nor any arcane craft or guile. Rather, he is the most powerful creature for miles around. It would take him less than a minute to Change, less time than that to kill them all. He is a master of the beast within.

    A short rationalization for masculinity: As a male character, your scale as a wolf, regardless of race, is 1.13 (a Redguard male is the standard of 1, so is a female wolf). .13 bigger means you will do 13% more damage, run 13% faster and jump 13% higher.

     

    Dragonborn Rings:

    There exist in the world many powerful artifacts belonging to the cult of the wolf, among them, several powerful rings, crafted ages ago to be born on a hand far from human...

    Note. The rings may only be used effectively once per day, as subsequent transformations will require the Ring of Hercine. Think of them as First Hunt powers, most potent during the first and most primal shift.

    The Ring of Bloodlust - A permanent Orc berserk, as far as damage is concerned. Can be used on an Orc Werewolf to stack multiplicative. (75% more damage dealt and received)

    The Ring of Instinct - A slow-time for your shift and a little while thereafter. This ring is not really worth when you could simple cast slow time and have the benefit of another ring.

    The Ring of the Hunt - Regenerates health. Useful for an Argonian as it makes histskin essentially an immortality buff for the first few minutes of wolf form. Probably the most useful ring.

    The Ring of the Moon - Increases howl duration. It is alright, but not when compared to the other options.

     

    Skills Explained:

    Your Restoration should be grinded to 90. Only 6 points are invested. This does not mean you have to approach it gameistly. You can simply use it in short bursts to heal yourself, though very little of your combat should ever take place in human form. Rather, think of your restoration as a meditation on life, and change, the rippling of flesh and the knitting of muscle, the shift of bone, under tooth and moon and volition.

    Your Enchanting will ultimately become 100. In an attempt to control the beast within, it has been your life's work to imbue forge magical shackles to attempt to control the beast within. It may be leveled as you progress. Since you cant loot as a wolf, clear a dungeon, then rest until human form retakes you before backtracking and picking up the treasures you passed.

    “Among those of us to whom Lord Hircine bestowed his most precious gift of Lycanthropy, there are legends that he also set into the world specific artifacts of his power. They date to a period when men could neither write, nor speak, nor barely think, but the powers of blood of the beast were yet flowing strong among the selected.”

     

    Your Alteration is essentially another Beast Tree. Your powers in it stem from your deep meditations on and control of the best inside you. The older you grow as a wolf, the thicker your hide, the easier it is for it to turn blades and spells alike. Use alteration armor spells right before you transform. With Dual cast and stability they will last for 3.3 minutes. Which equals the duration of 2.5 of wolf form plus two human bodies.

     

    If you follow this progression, you will transition from a mere pup, not understanding or able to control his gifts, to a zen master of the beast within, a hunter, leader of the pack.

     

     

    Combat:

    Between the Armor and Magic resist gained form various sources, and the points invested in health, you should be a fairly tanky creature, taking, at level 30, 66% less physical damage and 50% magic resistance, plus a 30% chance to block spells altogether.

     

    • Your Stamina regeneration is increased to 20% of your total stamina per second instead of the usual 5%. Use power attacks. You'll have a lot of stamina and it regenerates fast!

       

    • You sprint faster than horses, in a fight versus ranges assailants, sprint in. Though you have no ranged attacks yourself, you can play the distance game better than any archer or mage.

       

    • Sprinting attacks hit for vastly increased damage and cause all enemies smaller than mammoths (including giants) to ragdoll. Pounce people.

       

    • You will not stagger when attacked or when attacking an enemy with a raised shield, feel free to slash away.

       

    • Directional power attacks (all power attacks made while moving) also cause enemies to ragdoll. Using this to your advantage, it is possible to bring down even a giant early on.

       

    • Standing power attacks will hit with a frenzy of strikes; useful against high armor targets.

     

     

    Bonus Tricks

    •  Lightning Reflexes (Whirlwind Cloak) can cast by those with DB for 40 mana, remaining for the first 40 seconds of wolf form, tossing small foes as you rampage.

    Nightfall... Moonrise... Huntcall.”

     

     

    If you liked this, be sure to check out my other builds!
    Jack of Dreams - Party Leader -Dwemereth - Windhelm Butcher - Beastmaster

  • Member
    April 9, 2013

    Aye, Werewolves are a different race all together. That said, look at the post I just said to No Snakes above.

  • Member
    April 9, 2013

    :) Its cool. I thoroughly enjoy comments, especially yours. In fact, Since you've taken such interest I think I'm going to do an update, DB style. Thanks for the inspiration, friend. 

    (See attached below for the aforementioned snake-oil)

  • April 9, 2013
    Not that I wouldn't look forward to it... But what could you add to this from dragonborn other than the rings? They didn't really do much for werewolves (and out of the 4 rings, only 2 are truly useful)
  • Member
    April 9, 2013

    Only two of them are useful? I find them all to be useful, in their own way, some more than others perhaps. If you just know how to use them to their full extent

  • April 9, 2013
    Ash spells can give you time to transform. Other than that I got nothing that isn't usable with the current skillset.
  • Member
    April 9, 2013

    Only two are useful in my opinion as well. Howl duration is just plain bad. At least slow time can be used to combo out by prolonging buff duration, especially when coupled with slow time.

  • Member
    April 9, 2013

    There are! more to come, but I've got to run to work. Check back in a couple hours.

  • Member
    April 9, 2013

    Soon!!

  • April 9, 2013
    I keep forgtting that ash spells exist :P