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Character Build: The Windwalker

Tags: #Character Build Spellsword  #Character Build Nightblade  #Character Build Acrobat  #Race:Altmer 
  • Member
    December 17, 2013

    This build is a sequel to my Songbird! To fully understand and enjoy the build make sure to read the Songbird, or at least the lore. I will provide a brief summary of the original Songbird, but I heavily recommend looking at the original build. This build is perfectly balanced on legendary at later levels. I would also like to thank Teccam, our conversations together lead to the idea for this build! With that said, I am happy to present:

    The gameplay of the Windwalker is focused around the use of “wind magic”. A Windwalker has complete control over the wind to dictate the flow of battle. The idea is to always keep enemies off of their feet or at least staggered. Wind magic includes:

    • Windshear
    • Unrelenting Force
    • Whirlwind Cloak
    • Elemental Fury
    • Cyclone
    • Become Ethereal
    • Stagger from power attacks & bashes
    • Whirlwind Sprint
    • Stagger from a staff of chain lighting
    • Disarming Bash

    The combat that the Windwalker uses really is incredible. Imagine as you play enemies constantly being flung this way and that, always off balance from powerful winds, the raw power of the sky unleashed. It is a sight to behold.

    Windshear is amazing in its own right. While the stagger from every hit is nice and fits the wind magic theme, the bash attack is really where it shines. A 50% chance to paralyze (knock down) for every bash? Yes please! Utilizing a stamina regeneration of +136%, and a HUGE stamina pool augmented even further by enchanting, enemies should never be on their feet. That is not mentioning the insane amount of dual wielding power attacks granted by that amount stamina and stamina regeneration…

    Lore

    Again, I heartily encourage you to read the original build if you really want to enjoy the Windwalker to its fullest.

    Origins of the Songbirds

    The Songbirds are a society of Altmeri travelling bards hailing from the Summerset Isle. They mimic the majestic hawks that roam the skies of that land. The signature weapon of the Songbirds, and the only weapon they are allowed to use other than daggers, is the Scimitar. The curve of the weapons represents the curved beaks and claws of the hawks. When Tiber Septim conquered the Summerset Isle, he brought the worship of the 8 divines with him. In particular, Kynerath appealed to the Songbirds. She is the goddess off the skies, her symbol is the hawk, and she is the patron of travelers. As travelling bards the Songbirds were naturally inclined to worship her, and her dominance over the sky and the hawks only furthered that link.

    The Windwalkers

    The reverence the Songbirds have for Kynerath varies from person to person. Those who truly love her and wish to serve her, in this life and the next, become Windwalkers. Though the Windwalkers abandon the bardic lifestyle of the Songbirds, they still honor the Songbird traditions. They are paladins of sort; religiously devote warriors sworn to the protection of the innocent and upholding the honor of Kynerath. Using powerful the wind magics gifted to them from Kynerath herself, the Windwalkers patrol to lands of Tamriel. Their sworn duty is to protect travelers, whoever and wherever they are.

    The Build

    Race: Altmer

    Stat Distribution: 0 : 1 : 2 (Magicka : Health Stamina)

    This is an extremely approximate number, Just make sure to have a LOT of stamina.

    Standing Stone: The Lady

    Blessing: Blessing of Talos

    Shouts: Unrelenting Force, Whirlwind Sprint, Elemental Fury, Cyclone, Become Ethereal, Dragon Aspect

    Equipment: Whiterun’s Guard Armor, Elven Helmet, Boots, & Gauntlets, Amulet of Talos

    Weapons: Windshear, Unenchanted Ebony Dagger, Staff of Chain Lightning, Scimitar w/ Soul Trap

    Ebony daggers are great for dual wielding. They have the same base damage as a dwemer sword, and one can be found very early on in a playthough on Cicero's corpse. 

    Major Skills

    One Handed: Using the training with schimitars they received as Songbirds, the Windwalkers are master swordsmen.

    Light Armor: As a beacon of hope for travelers, the Windwalkers were a distinctive golden chainmail along with a golden hawk styled helm. The bright colors make Windwalkers easily identifiable while providing protection. Also, light armor provides an additional + 50% stamina regeneration from the Wind Walker perk.

    Block: The bash attacks performed by Windwalkers not only summon powerful gusts that disarm foes, but they are also quite painful.

    Enchanting: Windwalkers enchant their equipment to increase their already incredible level of physical endurance to nearly immortal levels. Once I crafted my endgame gear I made enchanting legendary to re-use the perks.

    Minor Skills

    Alteration: It is said that to test themselves, Windwalkers stand unclothed in terrifying storms. The continuous lighting, hail, and debris that hit their bodies’ ends up giving them skin of steel.

    Destruction: The mere presence of a Windwalker is more than enough to sweep even the largest opponent off of their feet. Also, they are skilled at conducting sky energy through lightning rod-like staves. I only used whirlwind cloak and staves of chain lighting in combat, I used trainers to level up destruction.

    Smithing: As a lonely traveler, the upkeep of their own weapons and armor is expected of a Windwalker. Only 3 perks to have a much better armor rating and higher damage? Yes please! As with destruction, I only leveled smithing with trainers.

    Restoration: The priests and priestesses of Kynerath are skilled healers, it is only right for the Windwalkers to share that skill.

    Level 25

    Stat Distribution: 150 (201) : 180 : 260 (311) (Magicka : Health Stamina)

    The numbers in parenthesis are the stat after being affected by enchantments.

    Level 50

    Stat Distribution: 220 (344): 290 (352): 320 (444)

    The numbers in parenthesis are the stat after being affected by enchantments. 

    Enchanting is in parenthesis because it was made legendary.

    Enchantments

    I advise drinking a potion of fortify restoration before you equip you amulet of talos. Even just going from 40% shout cooldown reduction to 50% is extremely helpful.

    Magical Effects

    Make sure to get these effects/black books:

    • Dragonborn Force
    • Force Without Effort
    • Bardic Knowledge

    Combat Stances

    The Windshear- I would say this is the standard style of combat for the Windwalker. You have Windshear in you right and and nothing in you left hand. This allows you to make use of the bash effect that Windshear has.

    The Skyshock- This is Gandalf style combat. Windshear in one hand, staff of chain lighting in the other. The staff of chain lighting provides ranged offense that also staggers. Great against groups.

    The Whirlwind- The Whirlwind combat stance is dual wielding. WIndshear in the right hand and an ebony dagger in your left. Leave the ebony dagger unenchanted so that you can use elemental fury.

    Battle Tactics

    Disarming Gust- Disarming Bash + Unrelenting Force

    Conjuring up a great wind, the Windwalker rips the weapons from the hands of his enemies. Disarming Gust separates the weapon from the wielder, permanently. Unrelenting force will send the weapon shooting off into the distance. 

    Tempest Aura- Whirlwind Cloak + Windshear Bash

    The mere presence of a Windwalker is enough send even the largest enemies flying, for strong gale force winds surround him. Combining the chance to send enemies flying with whirlwind cloak and the knockdown effect that bashes from Windshear have, no enemy should be standing long enough to even hit you. 

    Lighting Conductor- Staff of Chain Lighting

    Using a mystical conductor, the Windwalker can channel the power of storm energy to blast enemies off their feet. While it is just a weapon, the use of the staff of chain lighting is worth its own move. Every single spell cast from a staff of chain lighting will stagger enemies 100% of the time. Using this, you can keep large groups stagger locked while you fight the strongest enemies one-on-one.

    Roleplay

    The duty of the Windwalkers is to protect travelers. That means your top priority should be keeping the roads safe. Bandits and wild animals are the greatest threats to travelers. Seeking out and destroying such dangers will consume most of your time. 

    As for justifying doing the Dark Brotherhood questline, just blaze through the questline as fast as possible, and when it is done pretend it ever happened. This seems cheap, but it really is worth it getting through the questline to get Windshear. 

    Suggest Quests

    • The Main Questline
    • Dragonborn
    • The Blessings of Nature
    • The Dark Brotherhood (an unfortunate necessity to get Windshear)
    • The Black Star

     

                                             Thanks for reading! Feel free to like and comment.

  • December 17, 2013
    Think you have enough links to your Songbird? This has more shameless plugs in it than the amount of product placement that's in man of steel...
  • Member
    December 17, 2013
    *gasps* Do my eyes decieve me? Was that third picture a picture of a drow elf? My favorite DnD character of all time is Drizzt Do'Urden a dual scimitar wielding drow elf. Awesome build, +1
  • Member
    December 17, 2013

    Hehe. It's to encourage people to actually read the old build so they understand this one. 

  • Member
    December 17, 2013

    Not sure about the drow thing. Also, don't forget to hit the *like* button :P. 

  • Member
    December 17, 2013

    Nicely done. Reminds me of Ponty's Skystrider, except with more of a focus on wind.

  • Member
    December 17, 2013
    Whoops didn't see that like button there
  • Member
    December 17, 2013

    Not enough links to your Songbird at the start, definitely needs more!

  • Member
    December 17, 2013

    This is so, COOL. Lol, get it? cool? wind? HAHAAHAHAHAhahahaha.. I'm gonna shut up now.

  • Member
    December 17, 2013

    Maybe I could link every image in the build to the Songbird.... lol