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Character Build: The Boiche Seeker

Tags: #Character Build Archer  #Character Build Acrobat  #Character Build Hero  #Race:Bosmer  #Rank:Legendary  #Hall of Fame Build 
  • Member
    September 3, 2013

    The Boiche Seeker

    3E249

    The Camoran Usurper begins his conquest of Valenwood and the province is divided: some are loyal to the Imperials but most support Camoran's cause. The Imperial Legion recruited the Bosmer who remained loyal to fight against the bands of Bosmer mercenaries of Camoran's armies. These Imperial loyalists developed close-ranged archery techniques to ambush the mercenaries in an unfamiliar form of combat. The name "Boiche Seeker" was given to the Imperial loyalists who hunted their own kind. The word "Boiche", being an old term for Bosmer, represents the Bosmeri that feared change.

    Despite their great efforts, the Boiche Seekers were the only resistance the Imperials had in Valenwood. The Camoran Usurper managed to conquer most of Valenwood, but not before the Boiche Seekers reinvented Archery...

    4E201

    Your father was one of the great Boiche Seekers who fought against the Camoran Usurper during his campaign. He taught you the revolutionary tactics he learned long ago. Unfortunately, he wanted to keep you from having to live the life of a soldier, like himself.

    After hundreds of years with the Legion, your father finally met his end, fighting in the Civil War against the Stormcloaks, in Skyrim. Now is your time to join the greater cause and fight for the Imperial Legion with everything you learned from your father and the Boiche Seekers. It is now time for a new brand of Seeker to rise. One proud and fighting for his heritage, if only the Imperials hadn't mistaken you for a spy...

    Race: Bosmer

    Stone: Lady - With a focus on Health Regeneration, the Lady Stone is the obvious choice.

    Stats: 0/1/0

    Placing all stats in Health appears excessive but there is really no need for Stamina. The Boiche Seeker engages enemies close range, never running away from the fight. None of the Seeker's archery techniques require Stamina and regular Bashing is rarely used because Power Shot takes care of the defensive staggering mechanic.

    Equipment: Red Vampire Armor, Imperial Light Bracers, Imperial Light Boots, Thieves Guild Hood, Amulet and Ring of Regeneration, Auriel's Bow

    Auriel's Bow may seem cliché but DPS was the main goal with the close-range tactics detailed below. Being able to draw an arrow in a split second allows the Boiche Seeker to react instantly in any situation. For armor, I wanted chose something that would reflect the Imperial Army but with a ranger-esque twist to it.

    Quests: Thieves Guild up to “Loud and Clear”, The Hidden Twilight (Mora's Boon), Dawnguard, Companions (Block Training), Imperial Legion

    Seeker Skills

    Archery
    Archery is the heart of a Seeker. Opting to only use a bow may seem like a disadvantage but the Boiche Seeker is actually more powerful in close combat. Mastering the Seeker's Bow Techniques will be key to your survival. Your Archery will truly flourish with the Power Shot, Ranger, and Quick Shot perks.

    Smithing
    The Boiche Seekers were taught to smith by their Imperial equals and dedicated their time to the more modern profession over Alchemy. Smithing perks are taken up to Advanced Armors for Vampire equipment as well as a good source of strong arrows (Nordic). Arcane Blacksmith massively curves the build's offense by gaining the ability to smith Zephyr and Auriel's Bow. Dwarven Smithing is merely a good way to train alongside the "Lost to the Ages" questline.

    Light Armor
    The thick forests of Valenwood required great mobility to weave in and out of trees during bouts. The Seekers knew this well and chose Light Armor to maximize agility. Once leveled and smithed, Light Armor provided plenty of protection for the close-ranged archer.

    Block
    Block may seem like a strange skill for an archer but the Boiche Seekers weren't your typical archers. The Seekers had to learn how to parry melee weapons with the upper limb of their bows, a very dangerous technique if the bow were to break. Blocking greatly increases survivability when coupled with three(ish) Health Regen enchants, the Lady Stone and a massive amount of Health. In order to unlock the Block Runner perk, Njada Stonearm will be crucial!

    Sneak
    More of an innate ability of the Bosmer, the Boiche Seekers initiated battle with the Bosmer mercenaries in close range, requiring them to sneak up to their encampments before unleashing their face-to-face flurries. While not heavily perked, it does help to scout out encampments before attacking.

    The skill set seems simple for an archer but I wanted the player to focus on close-range archery with NO other options. No swords, no summons, nor Illusion on which to rely. The player must depend on the bow techniques like a lifeline! I practiced the Seeker's tactics until my fingers felt as though I'd fired off a thousand arrows. I felt like I had put actual practice into the art and by the end of my playthrough I had mastered close-quarters archery!

    Level 20 Perk Spread


    Lvl 40 Perk Spread

    Bow Techniques

    Bow Blocking

    In order to block with a bow hold block, unequip and equip your bow via hotkey, never releasing block. When the archer re-equips the bow, he/she will take a blocking stance so long as block is held. Taking the Eagle Eye perk does not change the mechanic. This "Bow Block" is affected by Block Runner, Quick Reflexes, and Shield Wall perks. It follows the same block mechanics as one and two-handed weapons.

    Double Shot

    Master this technique; it is the go-to tactic of the build. After firing an arrow, tap attack/sheathe/attack to fire off a very short range, second arrow at a very quick speed. Continue to hold attack the second time, otherwise you will nock a glitched arrow.

    Exploit Bash

    Nock an arrow, sheathe the arrow, and bash in quick succession to simulate arrow damage with a bash. This bash does not stagger but does transfer poisons and enchantments. This technique is best used for a quick hit to finish off an opponent or a quick attempt to stagger the foe.

    The Boiche Seeker's bow techniques are what make this build shine. Bow Blocking provides great protection in close range battles, becoming even more useful once the Block Runner perk is taken. The Double Shot is the main damage dealer and can be difficult to master due to its short range and odd angles. The closer the opponent, the better for this one. Finally, the Exploit Bash does not deal full damage but can be executed very swiftly. I favor this for weak enemies I need to lay low immediately.

    The new Boiche Seeker is driven by vengeance. His willpower pulls the bowstring; memories of his father guide his arrows. Imperialistic to the core, the Seeker will hunt down every last Stormcloak. He dons Legion Armor proudly when operating under their orders or when slaying Stormcloak milkdrinkers.

    The Seeker has a great sense of justice and attempts to help when possible. Any heroic deed is right up the Seeker's alley, so long as it doesn't aid the Stormcloaks. The Thieves Guild and Glover Mallory quests are specifically for aesthetics.

    This build is solely an archer, and close-range at that. There is no time to heal in the heat of battle aside from natural regeneration. Shop for Health Regen apparel and enchant your armor for 10% Health Regen to keep the arrows whizzing! Once the Block skill is high enough, turtling for Health is a good option, depending on your enemies. Aside from this, Mora's Boon will be our second wind. Should all else fail, store-bought potions can be used.

    The Seeker's gameplay cornerstones are the three techniques detailed above. Learning how and when to use them will come with time. This Seeker has never seen combat and will take time to hone his skills. Combat should always be initiated up close (especially against archers) because these fighting tactics are only effective in close quarters. Since the creation of this build, many more archery techniques have been developed and are cataloged in the Advanced Archery Corner. It is a fantastic compilation of tricks that can greatly supplement this playthrough so check it out!

    Final Notes

    The main techniques of the build may seem like exploits but I assure you that they are very difficult to perfect and provide a unique experience. All three techniques work up to the latest patch and on all systems. If you have trouble with them, PM me for help.

    Boiche Seeker Gameplay

    This is my first build and I'm glad to have finally posted one of my own. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

  • Member
    March 1, 2017

    Great story here alistor, I was questioing whether you took this from long forgotten in game text or not. I've been looking around for a good archer build without much sneaking or spells and this really blew me away. Do you really feel as though blocking with your bow is fluid though? Just from the text it seems kinda like a clunky process without much real use mid battle. And coming from a guy who spends a point in restoration for literally every character, this character's regeneration focus seems like a great way to mix it up.

  • Member
    March 3, 2017

    I don't know if Al follows this thread regularly anymore, so I'll pitch in here. I've recently come off a build that uses a lot of these techniques, and I, personally, found blocking clunky and largely unnecessary considering just how powerful those exploit bashes are (especially the 2nd exploit bash which gives you that oh-so-wonderful stagger). There might, however, be others who've had a bit more success with the block... I like to dish the pain out rather than try to mitigate it xD

     

  • Member
    February 13, 2019

    Does anybody have access to the perk spread Alstor used for this build? I've always been interested in this build and want to give it a try soon.