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Event Build: The Templar of Synod

Tags: #Character Build Crusader  #Character Build Sorcerer  #Character Build Battlemage  #Race:Breton  #Rank:Event Exemplar  #Event:Factions 
  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    My primary inspiration for this build was the Templar class from the Final Fantasy Tactics series and I decided to focus on it's "Mage-Breaker" Aspect. Given the lack of information about the Synod group of mages, I decided it would be a great way to use my imagination.

    And with that, I present to you my Second ever build....

     

    The Templar of Synod

    The Synod being a relatively new order is often seen as nothing but a bunch of mages trying to win the emperor's favor. Few outside know the great lengths they have taken in their true goal of protecting Tamriel from all those who would abuse magic.

    You are one of these mages. With the growing distrust on the use of magic your order has taken up the call to become the "Magical Authority" of the Empire. As such, the Synod have created an enforcer group known as the Templars of Synod with the primary directive of combating any magical threat that would threaten the Synod, The Empire or any of its interests. 

    As one of the prominent members of these "Enforcers" you have been sent to Skyrim for three reasons.

    1. To Assist the Imperial Legion in eliminating the threat to Skyrim not only in the Civil War but also anything Magical in nature. (I hear Wolfskull cave is busy this time of year.)

    2. To establish a formal base of operations for the Synod in Skyrim. (You can try asking the college like so many others in the past, but don't expect to become Arch-Mage or anything...)

    3. To meet up with a forward team of researchers who are looking for a "Map of powerful and magical Artifacts" and collect such artifacts. All in the name of making sure they aren't misused of course!

    Unfortunately on your way to Skyrim you found Ulfric and his Lieutenants and decided to finish the job quickly, only to have a run in with an Imperial Patrol who thought the same thing. Next thing you know you're in a Cart riding into Helgen...

     

    The Build

    Race: Breton. Their Racial bonuses reflect the perfect Anti-Mage. Also, being the most magically attuned race of men, the Synod would be insane not to seek out these people as the perfect members of their Organization.

    Stone: Mage -> Atronach

    Primary Skills: Destruction, Enchanting, Illusion

    Secondary Skills: One-Handed, Alteration, Restoration (Note, Conjuration is only used for Soul Trap because summoning spells conflict with Magic Absorbtion (Dragonskin). Way to go Beth, give Conjuration bonuses to the guy who can't use them.)

    Stat-Spread: 3:2:0

    Shouts: Slow Time, Become Ethereal and Whirlwind Sprint are the only necessary shouts. Feel free to use any you like though, this build is not for or against shouts.

     


    We kind of look like that guy except the shield.

    Templar's Armaments

    If you've ever seen a Vigilant of Stendarr walking around you should have an Idea of the aesthetics we want to achieve with this build. I think they have achieved the perfect Templar look, combining awesome looking Steel with the Humble robes to make the perfect look.

    Armor: Steel Plate Helm, Boots and Gloves, Novice-Expert Robes/Custom-Enchanted College Robes.

    Weapons:

    Magnus Bane: 

    Custom-Enchanted One-handed sword of choice (Did a play through with Iron)

    Chaos-Damage + Absorb Magicka

    The Ultimate Up-close Mage-Breaker Weapon.

     

     

    The Staff of Magnus:

    Absorb 20 points of Magicka, If out of Magicka, Abosrb health Instead. (Note Unofficial Skyrim Patch recommended for the Absorb effect but NOT required)

    The Legendary Artifact of Magnus himself. Rumored to be the only weapon capable of Absorbing the strength of Magnus, it's uses should be obvious to any sensible Anti-Mage.

     

    The Ultimate Anti-Mage

    (Perk Spread)

    The Secret of the Templars of Synod lies with their higher knowledge of Magic. With the dissolution of the Mages Guild, most of their research went down with them. This not only exacerbated the people's fear of magic but also made it difficult for the Synod to conduct proper research. The most logical approach for the Synod was to go to the next best thing, The Schools of Julianos.

    In order for the Synod to take advantage of the knowledge in these schools they would send aspiring members to serve as Knights Mentors in these schools for a time before being inducted to the Templars. These new members would then spread the knowledge and research they learned over time thus greatly improving the Synod's collection in the process. What they gain is not only Knowledge, but Martial-Trained Recruits with a great disposition for magic, the Perfect "Templars" for the Synod in short.

    Basically, this reflects to your Game-play in your Martial Training with a sword and heavy armor, plus your intricate knowledge of how to destroy mages. This leads us to two types of Gameplay, Short-ranged and long-ranged.

     

    Short-Ranged Combat

    In a typical Combat scenario, you start from afar, cast up your flesh spell and open with illusion (fear, frenzy or calm) in order to distract your foes and create an opening. Most likely you'll be out of mana at this point and this is where you charge in with your absorb magicka enchantment. Your mana is fueled exclusively by your close-ranged offensive so you want to make sure you go up-close and personal most of the time.

    But you may notice without a chest piece, you can't take a giant beating. By creating a very powerful offensive front the goal is to end the battle before you take that giant beating. Since you gain more mana the more you're hitting your foe with a blade, you can improve your damage further by using cloak spells and up-close destruction spells. 

    Though you have alteration to bolster your defenses, you are far from impregnable. If you feel that the battle will lengthen beyond what you expected, you can still maintain decent survivability in close-ranged upfront combat. Combining a healing spell in one hand and a sword in the other guarantees protection from non-burst damage however, against heavy-hitters like 2-handed weapons, this will probably increase your survivability only by 2-4 hits. It's a risky move but those 2-4 hits may make a big differences in taking out a huge burst-damage dealer.

    Against Mages (the point of the build), your passive Magicka absorption is more than enough to bring the fear of the nine eight against anyone who dares through a Firebolt at you. But in situations where there is too much magic for your Atronach stone to handle that's when you can use Dragonskin to become completely immune to magic for 60 seconds. More than enough to wreck havoc against those pesky mages.

    Should the battle last longer than your 60 second window, your drain magicka is what keeps you sustained in the fight and it's also what whittles away your opponents offensive capability (Their Magicka). If you survive long enough, you'll see the battle turning in your favor.

     

    Long-Ranged Combat

    After Collecting the Staff of Magnus, Battling in Medium to longer ranges becomes viable. But I would use this scarcely as the Staff of Magnus is hard to recharge and would take lots of soul traps to fill.

    There are two versions of this one with Unofficial Skyrim Patch and one without.

    (BASIC) Your staff becomes an impressive mana-draining weapon perfectly befitting and Anti-Mage such as yourself. This approach is designed to destroy enemy mages from afar combining your staff draining effects and serious lightning magic to take out key-targets. By staying from afar you make yourself harder to hit by those Mages until you yourself run out of mana and that's when you transition to your sword and commence short-ranged Combat.

    (USP MOD) The premise is to take advantage of the unlimited magicka the staff can provide in order to deal a devastating first impression upon your foes. I wouldn't spare a second of not dealing damage as this is your opportunity to deal the most damage with your best destruction spells. The limitations of this side is similar to short-ranged combat, and that is scarcity. Eventually your staff will run out of magicka but fear not as you can easily transition from your staff to your blade and charge in to replenish yourself and begin Short-ranged Combat as discussed above.

     

    Roleplay

    You are highly devoted to your cause believing that Magic is a force that must be controlled and you are the one to control it. As such, your efforts throughout Skyrim should be dedicated to fulfilling your three primary objectives.

    Becoming the Arch-Mage of the College means you give the synod control over one of the most prestigious magical institutions on Tamriel even if it means you have to lie about your membership status to get in the College in the first place.

    The Civil War and The Dragon Crisis are also high on your to-do list both are very real threats to the Synod, the Empire and even Tamriel as a whole so despite the misunderstanding at Helgen you are still prepared to serve your leaders.

    As for your behavior, you believe you are a force for good so obey the law unless it conflicts with your directive to protect Synod and the Empire.

    Clear out bandit and Mage forts as it is your sworn duty to provide order.

    On the matter of Daedric/Unique Artifacts, It is your duty to collect as much as possible for your Order. They are extremely powerful weapons that could be deadly in the wrong hands. Obviously you're not the wrong hands (right?) so you should collect them in order to "Safeguard" them.

    But this often leads you to making moral choices for taking that power. You feel that if you do not make those questionable choices, someone else with darker intentions may choose to do so and so you feel it is necessary for the benefit of magic of course. Anything less would be treasonous to the Synod.

    By Manner of Spell or Blade, those who use Magic to harm others will face the wrath of the Templars of Synod.


    Thanks for Reading!

    Check out my Other Builds!

     

  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    Just letting you know that in the events, we use a different rank and not the normal bloodworks one 

  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    Cool. Except I have no Idea what the ranking system for the events are... Anyways gonna start looking thanks for the heads up!

  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    We don't have one yet, still waiting on Mason to create one

  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    Ohhh, no wonder I can't find it. Again, thanks for the heads up I'll change it when Mason creates the new one.

  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    I love the inclusion of the Staff of Magnus, and the incredibly fitting RP of it. You've made a really fun character, awesome job!

  • Member
    May 16, 2014
    I just put Event: Factions as my tag
  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    Thanks! I found it pleasantly surprising that as I was piecing the build together the College of Winterhold Quest-line fit perfectly with the build in every way possible and I'm glad you agree! 

  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    Does the Staff of Magnus actually transfer Magicka to the player, though?  I thought it only drained the enemy's reserves...

  • Member
    May 16, 2014

    No it actually gives you the Magicka you absorb. The Description says "Absorbs 20 points of Magicka..."