You are an honored Soldier of the Imperial Legion and loyal to the emperor. As a little kid, you witnessed to the Aldmeri Dominion’s conquest of Imperial City.
As you grew up, you were determined to keep the peace in Tamriel and therefor join the Imperial Legion with hope that you can change things.
You were as a trained soldier and have now mastered the bow, as well as shield-and-sword tactics. Not to mention fighting from horseback and defensive tactics.
With the Civil War in Skyrim, you decide to join the Civil War because you know a United Empire can stand better against the Aldermi Dominion with a secure support base.
For the Emperor!
The Build
I wanted to make a common Soldier build, that would fight for a United Empire for roleplaying. I did not want to make a paladin freak with magical stuff or a Dragonborn that can sneeze enemy away.
My build is inspired by the real Roman Legion and some other character builds here on the site
Race: As an imperial soldier, you can use all race but for RP reason, Imperial race prefer. With an Imperial, you have some good start skill as heavy armor, block and one-handed.
Stone: Warrior stone in early game and Lord Stone in late game
Divines: Stendarr is the patron of the Imperial Legion and the Soldier of course favors Stendarr as his Divine. With a buff from the amulet and the temporary blessing, you add 20% more block with your shield.
Stats: 0 | 1 | 1 - Magic | Health | Stamina
Shouts: You do not believe or do not want to accept that you are Dragonborn and therefore you favor the common shield-and-sword combat style over shouts.
Quest: In this build, we had two important quests. You can’t start the battle of Whiterun before you have completed Dragon Rising. If you go too far into the main quest, the civil war quest will be uncompleted until you are finish with main quest.
I recommend stopping the main quest after Dragon Rising, but if you wish, you can make a ceasefire under Season Unending after you have completed the battle of Whiterun, but not later than Rescue from Fort Kastav.
The Break of Dawn is also an important quest because you can get two special Imperial Helms. Dawnbreaker is also a cool supplant to your Legion Soldier gear.
Equipment
I want to base my Legion Soldier on the real Roman Legion. Sadly we do not have spear, because this was one of the important weapons for a Legion Soldier. Instead you can use an Imperial Bow with steel arrows.
You have a simple gear set. Armor set, one Legion Sword, Legion Bow and a Steel Dagger, some potions (Heath and Stamina) and food rations.
Imperial Legion has five ranks that can be earned during the civil war quest on Legion’s side. With a higher rank, you get a better gear. In other words, do not start out with the heavy armor set. Start out with light armor and then Studded armor after completed Battle for Whiterun. Capture the next fort and you gain rank and better armor. See picture below.
I recommend getting the heavy armor from the blacksmith, because you already have an Imperial Light Armor from Helgen Keep and you get the studded Imperial armor from Jarl Balgruuf or from another fallen soldier.
Imperial Sword, Imperial Bow, officer’s helm, light shield and the closed helm are more difficult to get without stealing them.
Two Imperial Swords can be found in Whitewatch Tower near Whiterun
The officer’s helm can be found in Alfand, in Salvianus’ room on a table, or in Kilkreath Ruins during the quest The Break of Dawn.
The closed Imperial Helm can be found just inside the entrance to Kilkreath Temple during the quest The Break of Dawn.
You can also get the closed helm, Sword and Light Shield from an unmarked Shrine of Talos near Ivarstead. From Autumnwatch Tower, head east up the mountain side and past Froki’s Shack and at the end of the way can you will find the Shrine. Be careful. A bear and/or a sabre cat have territory there.
Level 20 Perk Spread
Combat tactics
I have again based my combat tactics on the Roman Legion. One of their specialties is hiding behind theirs shield and using swords as a stab weapon.
The Roman Legion used their swords as a stab weapon and not as a thrust or cut weapon. Their tactics were to stay in a defensive position and drive a war of attrition with their enemies.
You start out with your bow to pick enemies out or deal damage to near-combat enemies, so you can take them down with your sword.
As an Imperial Soldier, you do not plunge into the battle but just stay behind your shield and let your enemies use all their stamina on the shield.
When you are in stealth-mode, you are more difficult to be chopped down and would receive less damage.
If you can see, the enemy used a power attack, then used shield bash and a power attack with your sword – still in stealth mode. Do not use all of your stamina at one time, but just hide behind your shield again.
See the picture to right for inspiration.
Roleplaying
Choose a race after your style. You can be a Bosmer Scout, Orc Vanguard or a Thalmor Soldier. The possibilities are endless as the Empire frequently hires mercenaries. Side with Hadvar, escape Helgen and join up with the Imperial Legion.
As you slowly progress the ranks you can uprgade to better armor and helm – look at my Equipment Sector. Make sure to stretch out the civil war as long as possible. Think of it as your Main Quest.
When you’re not completing the quests, you’ll need to do the everyday things a soldier would do at Imperial Camps or Forts.
Every day eat 3 meals, sleeping in the tent, unless you’re an officer so get up bright an early. Patrol between camps, hunt for your camp/fort, cooking food, or repair/update your gear. Create your own daily task.
If you are finished with the civil war and the death of Ulfric, you will be a Centurion (not an ingame rank). This is your duty to patrol Skyrim on horseback and keeping the peace from hold to hold, helping people with their problems, sentencing any bandits or attack hidden Stormcloak Camps.
You can also destroy the Brotherhood, doing the “Forsworn Campaign” and help Brunwulf Free-Winter with assimilating the Argonians and Dunmer in Wildheim.
If you wish, you can also continue the main quest, become an Agent of Blades, infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy and make a ceasefire between Imperial and Stormcloaks under the Season Unending.
This was my first build. Hope you enjoy reading.
The next upcoming buld will be a Stormcloak Soldier
You are an honored Soldier of the Imperial Legion and loyal to the emperor. As a little kid, you witnessed to the Aldmeri Dominion’s conquest of Imperial City.
As you grew up, you were determined to keep the peace in Tamriel and therefor join the Imperial Legion with hope that you can change things.
You were as a trained soldier and have now mastered the bow, as well as shield-and-sword tactics. Not to mention fighting from horseback and defensive tactics.
With the Civil War in Skyrim, you decide to join the Civil War because you know a United Empire can stand better against the Aldermi Dominion with a secure support base.
For the Emperor!
The Build
I wanted to make a common Soldier build, that would fight for a United Empire for roleplaying. I did not want to make a paladin freak with magical stuff or a Dragonborn that can sneeze enemy away.
My build is inspired by the real Roman Legion and some other character builds here on the site
Race: As an imperial soldier, you can use all race but for RP reason, Imperial race prefer. With an Imperial, you have some good start skill as heavy armor, block and one-handed.
Stone: Warrior stone in early game and Lord Stone in late game
Divines: Stendarr is the patron of the Imperial Legion and the Soldier of course favors Stendarr as his Divine. With a buff from the amulet and the temporary blessing, you add 20% more block with your shield.
Stats: 0 | 1 | 1 - Magic | Health | Stamina
Shouts: You do not believe or do not want to accept that you are Dragonborn and therefore you favor the common shield-and-sword combat style over shouts.
Quest: In this build, we had two important quests. You can’t start the battle of Whiterun before you have completed Dragon Rising. If you go too far into the main quest, the civil war quest will be uncompleted until you are finish with main quest.
I recommend stopping the main quest after Dragon Rising, but if you wish, you can make a ceasefire under Season Unending after you have completed the battle of Whiterun, but not later than Rescue from Fort Kastav.
The Break of Dawn is also an important quest because you can get two special Imperial Helms. Dawnbreaker is also a cool supplant to your Legion Soldier gear.
Equipment
I want to base my Legion Soldier on the real Roman Legion. Sadly we do not have spear, because this was one of the important weapons for a Legion Soldier. Instead you can use an Imperial Bow with steel arrows.
You have a simple gear set. Armor set, one Legion Sword, Legion Bow and a Steel Dagger, some potions (Heath and Stamina) and food rations.
Imperial Legion has five ranks that can be earned during the civil war quest on Legion’s side. With a higher rank, you get a better gear. In other words, do not start out with the heavy armor set. Start out with light armor and then Studded armor after completed Battle for Whiterun. Capture the next fort and you gain rank and better armor. See picture below.
I recommend getting the heavy armor from the blacksmith, because you already have an Imperial Light Armor from Helgen Keep and you get the studded Imperial armor from Jarl Balgruuf or from another fallen soldier.
Imperial Sword, Imperial Bow, officer’s helm, light shield and the closed helm are more difficult to get without stealing them.
Two Imperial Swords can be found in Whitewatch Tower near Whiterun
The officer’s helm can be found in Alfand, in Salvianus’ room on a table, or in Kilkreath Ruins during the quest The Break of Dawn.
The closed Imperial Helm can be found just inside the entrance to Kilkreath Temple during the quest The Break of Dawn.
You can also get the closed helm, Sword and Light Shield from an unmarked Shrine of Talos near Ivarstead. From Autumnwatch Tower, head east up the mountain side and past Froki’s Shack and at the end of the way can you will find the Shrine. Be careful. A bear and/or a sabre cat have territory there.
Level 20 Perk Spread
Combat tactics
I have again based my combat tactics on the Roman Legion. One of their specialties is hiding behind theirs shield and using swords as a stab weapon.
The Roman Legion used their swords as a stab weapon and not as a thrust or cut weapon. Their tactics were to stay in a defensive position and drive a war of attrition with their enemies.
You start out with your bow to pick enemies out or deal damage to near-combat enemies, so you can take them down with your sword.
As an Imperial Soldier, you do not plunge into the battle but just stay behind your shield and let your enemies use all their stamina on the shield.
When you are in stealth-mode, you are more difficult to be chopped down and would receive less damage.
If you can see, the enemy used a power attack, then used shield bash and a power attack with your sword – still in stealth mode. Do not use all of your stamina at one time, but just hide behind your shield again.
See the picture to right for inspiration.
Roleplaying
Choose a race after your style. You can be a Bosmer Scout, Orc Vanguard or a Thalmor Soldier. The possibilities are endless as the Empire frequently hires mercenaries. Side with Hadvar, escape Helgen and join up with the Imperial Legion.
As you slowly progress the ranks you can uprgade to better armor and helm – look at my Equipment Sector. Make sure to stretch out the civil war as long as possible. Think of it as your Main Quest.
When you’re not completing the quests, you’ll need to do the everyday things a soldier would do at Imperial Camps or Forts.
Every day eat 3 meals, sleeping in the tent, unless you’re an officer so get up bright an early. Patrol between camps, hunt for your camp/fort, cooking food, or repair/update your gear. Create your own daily task.
If you are finished with the civil war and the death of Ulfric, you will be a Centurion (not an ingame rank). This is your duty to patrol Skyrim on horseback and keeping the peace from hold to hold, helping people with their problems, sentencing any bandits or attack hidden Stormcloak Camps.
You can also destroy the Brotherhood, doing the “Forsworn Campaign” and help Brunwulf Free-Winter with assimilating the Argonians and Dunmer in Wildheim.
If you wish, you can also continue the main quest, become an Agent of Blades, infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy and make a ceasefire between Imperial and Stormcloaks under the Season Unending.
This was my first build. Hope you enjoy reading.
The next upcoming buld will be a Stormcloak Soldier
