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Character Build: The Skaal Outcast

Tags: #Race:Nord  #Skaal  #Character Build Necromancer  #Character Build Witchhunter  #Character Build Agent  #Rank:Exemplar  #Skaal Outcast 
  • Member
    January 28, 2013

    ***SPOILER*** Note: The Skaal Outcast build takes parts of both Dawnguard, Hearthfire (optionally) and Dragonborn. If you are a PS3 player, or have not downloaded the DLC yet, do NOT look at this

    This idea was something has I've been working on for quite a while. Originally a skaal-based paladin style build, it quickly turned into something else all together, dealing more with a Skaal thrown out of the village. However, after a month break from Skyrim (my xbox broke my disk) and after learning about duality in my philosophy class, the idea of good paths vs. evil paths, the idea behind this build changed. So, this build has two paths for the same character. I give you:

    THE SKAAL OUTCAST

    Table of Contents:

    1. The Backstory:
       What's the Same?
       The Use of Necromancy
    2. The Build (Good):
       The Story
       Additions/RP
       Level 35 Build
       Level 65 Build
    3. The Build (Evil):
       The Story
       Additions/RP
       Level 35 Build
       Level 65 Build
    4. Level 81 Skills
    5. Conclusion

    1. The Backstory:

    You were once a young Skaal Archer on the island of Solstheim. You were the most gifted during the hunt, you respected the land, you were young and willing to learn, and Skaf the Giant has chosen you to become the new chief of the village when he passes away. However, all of that changed when you decided to secretly delve into a dark magic: Necromancy. Seeing this as a powerful tool, you decide to learn how to use necromancy to your advantage and use it to help the village with hunting more powerful game, and to help protect the village from threats such as the werebears.

    A few years later, a group of werebears attack the village and you join the fight to stop them. A fellow Skaal falls at the hand of a were bear, and you use your knowledge of necromancy in order to raise the young fallen warrior so he can still help keep the were bears at bay. You and the other Skaal finally drive the werebears out of the village, only to have the other Skaal turn their blades on you. You instantly are banished from the Skaal village for using what the Skaal consider to be the darkest of magics, and you are sent to the mainland of Skyrim. Angered and depressed, you decide that you are going to head to Cyrodiil to live out your life in peace.

    What's The Same?

    Although there are two paths that you can take, the two paths are brought together by these common traits that both builds should have.

    Race: Older Nord
    Major Skills: Archery, Sneak, Conjuration, Alteration
    Minor Skills: Enchanting, Restoration, Smithing
    Questlines: Main Questine, Dragonborn, The College of Winterhold, Dawnguard (differs depending on Good/Evil), Unfathomable Depths Paarthurnax (This is optional, on my evil build I killed him)
    Shouts: Bend Will, Soul Tear, Slow Time, Dragon Aspect

    RP Notes:
    - On either build you still believe in the Skaal traditions; therefore, do not attack wolves or bears unless you are sure you would die if you didn't
    - No worshiping Gods, you only believe in The All-Maker

    The Use of Necromancy:

    Necromancy in this build, whether you are playing as the good side of the build or the evil side of the build, plays a huge role. In either role you should be finding yourself constantly reviving undead and using Necromancy to your advantage; the way you are supposed to use it, however, differs depending on the path that you have decided to take.

    If you decide to be on the good side, necromancy should be used in a more defensive role. If you are in a battle and you are outnumbered, raise a fallen foe to draw their attention as you heal yourself behind an ethereal shout or use some potions. Then, you'll be good to go again and will have the upper hand of being completely healed.

    On the other hand, if you choose the evil build, you are going to want to use it offensively. Use the Ritual stone to raise an undead army, and use your new undead army to attack your opponents. If you want, you can take the most powerful of the bodies and Thrall them, making them permanent allies to your cause. In either case, use Necromancy often.

    2. The Build (Good)

    The Story:

    It's been 40 years since you were exiled, and although you wish the Skaal would have given you a chance, you understand why they had banished you. After eras of thinking one way, how could you possibly change their mind about necromancy? However, you yourself have come to your own conclusions about it. You believe as a tool for good, it would be looked upon favorably by the All-Maker, and deduce the same about being a werewolf.

    Suddenly, you hear the All-Maker, beaconing you back to Solstheim, but on your way there through Skyrim, you get caught up in many struggles, including a The Civil War, Dragons, and stopping a vampiric prophecy. You also must deal with the Daedra on Solstheim, and decide to set up residence there to ward them off.

    Additions/RP: 

    Additional Skills: Heavy Armor, Alchemy

    Additional Quests: Companions, Dawnguard (The Dawnguard), Dawnguard Side Quests, Obtain a house in Raven Rock, Book of Love, Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!

    Optional Quests: Civil War (Imperials), Book of Love, any way to help the Skaal, Conjuration Master Spells

    Standing Stone: Lord

    Additional Shouts: Call of Valor, Call Dragon, Animal Allegience, Become Ethereal

    Followers: Frea, Aela

    Form: Werewolf

    Role-Playing:
     - Do not kill anyone
     - You are a hunter, hunt to make money; enchant a steel dagger with hunters prowess, name it "Hunting Knife" and carry it with you to skin animals
     - Use all of the All-Maker stones except the Beast stone, as you harbor a deep hatred for WereBears after they attacked The Skaal Village. The rest are there to help you.
     - Marriage is optional in the game; however, if you do decide to marry someone, only marry Morwen, in Skaal village.
     - If you build a Hearthfire house build a house in Dawnstar, or if not just use Hjerim. If you make a house in Dawnstar, Add in a greenhouse.

    Level 35 Build:

    Level 35 Skills: Level 35 

    Spread: 220/270/150

    Armor: Nordic Carved Armor/Boots/Gauntlets, Adept Hood, Silver Necklace/Ring

    Weapons: Crossbow w/ Bolts

    Level 65 Build:

    Note: By this point, you should have your armor made; therefore, use the Black Book to take your points out of smithing and put them into destruction; that way you can defensively cast fire and lightning cloak/rune spells.

    Level 65 Perks: Level 65

    Spread: 300/400/240 

    Armor:
    Adept Hood
    All-Makers Cuirass (Nordic Carved Armor, Fortify Alteration + Magicka Regen, Fortify Health Regen)
    All-Makers Touch ( Nordic Carved Gauntlets, Fortify Archery, Fortify Unarmed)
    All-Makers Feet (Nordic Carved Boots, Muffle, Fortify Carry Weight
    All-Makers Heart (Silver Necklace, Fortify Health, Fortify Health Regen)
    All-Makers Soul (Silver Amethyst Ring, Fortify Conjuration, Fortify Magicka Regen

    Weapons:

    Auri-El's Bow, Sunhallowed Arrows

    Hunting Bow (Nordic Bow, Hunters Prowess, Soul Trap), Nordic Arrows
    Enhanced Crossbows:
     - Undead's Bane: (Fiery Soul Trap, Fire Damage) + Exploding Fire Bolts
     - Wispmothers Touch: (Frost Damage, Soul Trap) + Exploding Ice Bolts
     - All Makers Fury: (Lightning Damage, Fiery Soul Trap) + Exploding Ice Bolts
     - Daedras Bane: (Banish Daedra + Paralysis) + Steel Bolts (Only use on daedra)
     - NightFire: (Silent Moons Enchant, Fiery Soul Trap) + Exploding Fire Bolts (Only use at night)
     - Viper: (Paralysis + Health Absorb) + Steel Bolts

    3. Build (Evil):

    The Story: 

    After 40 years, you still couldn't believe that you were exiled from The Skaal. You had done nothing wrong; in fact, you had saved all of them, and those werebears would have killed everyone in the area if they were allowed to live and if you did not use necromancy. Why in the world did they turn on you for that? You have decided to show them how wrong they were about Necromancy, and how it could be used to become a feared individual. Eventually, you hear of Dragons, Vampires, and Civil War in Skyrim, and decide to change your fate in this inhospitable land. You also learn of Ash Magic and Poison Magic being taught on Solstheim, and decide to use those as well.

    Additions/RP:

    Additional Skills: Light Armor, One Handed

    Additional Quests: Lost To The Ages, Dawnguard (Vampire Questline, Vampire quests, House Telvanni Quests (For Ash Magic/Poison Magic) Civil War (Stormcloaks), Theives Guild, Destroy Dark Brotherhood, Blood on the Ice, The Black Book Quests

    Optional: Frostflow Abyss, Dragon Priest Masks, Shalidors Maze, Alteration and Conjuration Master Spells

    Standing Stone(s): Atronach + Ritual Stone

    Additional Shouts: Frost Breath, Disarm, Summon Durnehviir, Marked For Death, Drain Vitality

    Followers: Serana, The Undead

    Transformation: Vampire Lord

    Role Playing:
     - Make your money through dishonest ways such as killing, stealing, and sell to khajiit merchants/fences
     - You are a Vampire Lord, and therefore you are better than a mere mortal. ACT LIKE IT.
     - Use the Black Books, they are there to help!
     - Again, marriage is optional, but not ideal on this part of the build. There is only one good marriage candidate, Jenassa, and she is outclassed as a follower by Serana. So, I advise against marriage.
     - Make a home in either Dawnstar, or Hjerim. If you make a house, add in an armory.

    Level 35 Build:

    Level 35 Perks: Level 35

    Spread: 200/290/150

    Armor: Vampire Armor, Vampire Gauntlets, Boots, Bonehawk Ring/Amulet

    Weapons: Nordic Bow, Nordic Arrows, Nordic Dagger

    Level 65 Build:

    Note: By this point, you should have your armor made; therefore, use the Black Book to take your points out of smithing and put them into destruction; that way you can defensively cast frost/whirlwind cloak spells, along with frost/poison/ash rune spells.

    Level 65 Perks: Level 65

    Spread: 350/440/150

    Armor:
    Vampire Royal Armor
    Aetherial Crown
    All-Makers Claws: (Vampire Gauntlets, Fortify Unarmed +Fortify Archery)
    All-Makers Soul: (Bonehawk Ring, Fortify Magicka Regen, Fortify Conjuration)
    All-Makers Dark Veil: (Bonehawk Amulet, Fortify Health Regen, Fortify Alteration)
    All-Makers Shadow: (Vampire Boots, Fortify Fire Resist, Muffle)

    Weapons:
    Auri-El's Bow + Bloodcursed Arrows

    Daggers:
    - Blade of Woe
    - Mehrunes Razor
    - Ice Wraith Fang: (Stalhrim Dagger, Frost Damage, Soul Trap)
    - Venom: (Nordic Dagger, Paralysis + Health Absorb)
    - Daedra Bane: (Nordic Dagger, Paralysis + Banish Daedra) (Use only on Daedra)
    - NightFang: (Nordic Dagger, Silent Moons Enchant, Fiery Soul Trap) (Only Use At Night)

    The Black Books:

    - Winds of Change: Scholars Insight (Skillbooks give one more skill point)
    - Untold Legends: Black Market (Summon a Dremora merchant for 15 seconds)
    - The Sallow Regent: Seeker of Sorcery (10% less spells, 10% better enchanting)
    - Hidden Twilight: Mora's Boon (Regain health, magicka, and stamina)
    - Filament and Filgree: Secret of Arcana (Magicka costs nothing for 30 seconds)
    - Epistolary Acumen: Dragonborn Frost (Your frost breath encases foes in ice.)

    4. Level 81 Skills:

    The two level 81 builds are in their own section for this. This is because not many people get up to level 81, and the armor would be pretty much the same, along with the weapons, so I felt no need to put them in their own sections. Here are the perk spreads and skill distributions:

    Werewolf: Level 81
    Spread: 400/400/300

    Vampire: Level 81 
    Spread: 400/450/250

    5. Conclusion

    Well, That's the two builds in a nutshell, and with less fluff (hopefully) this time. Both these builds were tested by my friends up to level 40, and both work phenomenally (Although the vampire one is harder to get started.) I am also playing the vampire build at the moment and I can say that this build is an absolute blast to play as, it is a ton of fun and I hope you guys have fun playing with this build as well. I hope you guys enjoyed the build!

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    CHECK OUT SOME OF MY OTHER BUILDS!

    - Mzund - The Nightstrider -The Ash Hunter -The Telvanni Mechromancer

  • Member
    January 28, 2013

    Thanks! Added a little bit more to each story and fixed some small formatting things

  • January 28, 2013

    Nice job I really like the fact that you outlined the story you had while playing and actually rooted the character to elder scrolls lore.

    You deserve a like and some cookies

  • Member
    January 29, 2013

    Thanks! It's a ton of fun playing off the Skaal lore and beliefs, not being able to kill bears and wolves makes the game surprisingly harder haha

  • Member
    January 29, 2013

    good I might change my current build im using to be like this a bit never tried the ash conjures

  • Member
    January 30, 2013

    All the new spells are fun! just added a bit in the vampire part about them (i touched on it a little but never went into detail)

  • January 30, 2013

    *slowly starts clapping*

    Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

  • Member
    January 31, 2013

    Thanks dude! Just updated with more weapons for each side to use, special moves, different shouts, etc.

  • Member
    January 31, 2013

    Changed the RP a bit, as I realized that Stalhrim Armor was frowned upon era's ago, not this era. Also added a little bit of other RP bits

  • February 2, 2013

    I shall attempt to save you from the Ben The Kind C. *Likes build*