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Character Build: The Daedric Doctor

Tags: #Character Build Summoner  #Character Build Alchemist  #Character Build Villain  #Race:Bosmer  #Rank:Exemplar 
  • March 13, 2015

    The rich, clean air of the north grows bitter at his approach. Flowers wilt, food spoils, and a dark plague falls over all who cross his path. Where he walks, death will follow, as will pain, filth, and darkness. He is the embodiment of uncleanliness, of the gnawing fever and the wretched abyss. And though none in Skyrim know his true name, those who lay their eyes upon this evil omen simply call him...

     

    Greetings, all! For this build, I wanted to make something a little different from the standard fare; inspired by the plague doctors that haunted medieval Europe in 1346, and influenced by the Daedric prince Peryite, I bring you a build that relies on an unlikely combination: alchemy and conjuration magic. This is especially interesting to work with because alchemy is often overlooked in the Elder Scrolls series, so a build that focuses on this skill may lead to all sorts of creative possibilities. So to begin with, let's discuss who exactly we'll be playing as...

    While the land of Skyrim is fretting over the petty disputes of elves, war mongers, and an Empire on the verge of collapse, you know better than to invest in the societal drama playing out around you. On the contrary; as the province revels in chaos, you're free to pursue your craft undisturbed and unnoticed. Ever since being acquainted with Peryite, you've had a strange fascination with disease and poison; their destructive properties and insidious symptoms drive you to learn more, out of some twisted obsession... of course, you reason, this is all being done in the name of your master. After all, it's only fair to carry out his will after having bartered your soul for the knowledge he's given you! And so you wander aimlessly across Skyrim, delivering an infectious death to all those who are unfortunate enough to stand in your shadow...

    RACE: BOSMER

    Why the Bosmer? Because their 50% resistance to poison is perfect for a character whose whole life is centered around crafting poisons. And with the Snakeblood alchemy perk, you will be rendered 100% immune to poison effects.

    STATS

    It'll be a mostly-even spread; for every two bonuses to your magicka, you'll add a bonus to your health and then to your stamina.

    STANDING STONE

    Kind of obvious, don't you think? The Serpent Stone lets you paralyze opponents from a distance for 5 seconds, and deals 25 points of damage. This ability can only be used once per day, however, so be wary.

    MAJOR

    Alchemy: You are a professional (albeit unlicensed) alchemist who knows for certain what he's doing. Be creative and study your craft as best you can -- you don't even need funding, since you can find research materials all over the place!

    Conjuration: Got yourself in a bad spot? Well, it's a good thing you've made some friends on the other side who would be more than happy to kick some tail in order to keep you safe while you carry out their bidding.

    Pickpocket: Why focus on pickpocketing when we're not playing as a thief? Simple: for the Poisoned perk. With this, you'll be able to discreetly inject your sinister toxins into an unsuspecting victim, and the concoction will take care of the rest.

    MINOR

    One-Handed: This takes a major back seat to most of the other skills, because this is a character who will not engage in direct combat most of the time. However, there's always that one jerk who can't be bothered to leave you alone, and so must be dealt with accordingly. Good thing you've got a full stock of poisons at your disposal.

    Alteration: While not the most useful school of magic for this build, there are some nifty tricks that may prove handy in a pinch, such as Telekinesis (adept spell) and Paralysis (expert spell).

    Conjure Familiar
    Conjure Flame Atronach
    Conjure Frost Atronach
    Conjure Storm Atronach
    Conjure Dremora
    Command Daedra
    Expel Daedra
    Raise Zombie
    Reanimate Corpse
    Revenant
    Dread Zombie
    Telekinesis
    Paralysis

    Restore Magicka

    Invisibility

    Restore Health

    Poison

    Magicka Poison

    Recovery Poison

    Stamina Poison

    Vigor Poison  

    Lingering Poison  

    Lingering Magicka Poison

    Lingering Stamina Poison

    Paralysis Poison

     

    As the sinister champion of Peryite, your main objective is to do his will by spreading disease and pestilence across Skyrim. And even though Skyrim doesn't allow you to unleash a contagion throughout an entire city, it DOES give you the freedom to craft a wide array of toxins, which is exactly what you'll be doing here. Seek out the trainers who can help you to further your craft (Arcadia in Whiterun, Lami in Morthal, and Babette in the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary) and practice on whatever you can find. If you found a new ingredient, sample it. If you found an assortment of ingredients, mix them together. And, if you ever find the opportunity, take advantage of whatever... test subjects might come your way.

    Testing your poisons will most certainly be the most fun part of this build, though you must be cautious; if you do not act wisely, you're bound to accrue a bounty in the blink of an eye. To get ready for field tests, we must first seek out the various pickpocket trainers available to us (Silda the Unseen in Windhelm, Ahkari of the caravan which can be found between Dawnstar and Riften, and Vipir the Fleet in the Ragged Flagon Cistern - should you decide to join the Thieves Guild, of course). Once you've got your pickpocket skills up to 40, you're ready to go to work. But you cannot pick your targets at random just yet; you must be calculated and precise. Seek out the weak, the needy, and pretty much anyone who needs a doctor in the area. In Whiterun, for instance, the Temple of Kynareth has two people that the priests have foolishly left vulnerable to any evil-doers that might take a fancy to their plight. Another place to check out is the Warrens of Markarth, where you'll find a few others rendered immobile by their condition. Military camps across the province also have at least three wounded soldiers in need of medical attention... and what kind of a doctor would you be if you didn't offer your services?

    Of course, this is Skyrim, so there's always gonna be a threat or two just waiting to cut you down to size. Fortunately you've come prepared; if you are attacked by anything stronger than a wolf or a mudcrab, summon a daedric being and let the thing take care of your attackers. If someone decides to ignore the hideous hell-beast and instead charges in your direction, knock them off-guard with a block-bash before poisoning your dagger and slashing them to bits. Fortunately you're wearing a little bit of armor, so you aren't entirely defenseless here, but you're definitely not a warrior. And if you don't feel like fighting, you could always chug an invisibility potion while your daedra slaughters whoever was dumb enough to cross your path. I would also suggest investing in the Alteration armor buffs, but that's not a requirement for this build (since, being an alchemist, you can craft potions that raise your armor rating).

    The College of Winterhold is essential for this build. It's there that you can learn all the vital spells, and even some non-vital ones that simply peak your curiosity. As for the suggested quests, Peryite's daedric quest instantly comes to mind. Granted his shield won't be of much good to someone who isn't a warrior, but you can still win your master's favor regardless (though be prepared for the longest Dwemer dungeon crawl you've ever done in your life). The Dark Brotherhood storyline might also be of interest, as it essentially gives you an excuse to put those poisons to work. Plus it lets you train with Babette, which is a nice bonus. Namira's daedric quest is also a fitting one, if you want to make your Daedric Doctor even more repulsive and disgusting (though, with you being a Bosmer, it's appropriate anyway).

    You are nobody's savior, and you are no champion of the people. You are grim, you are sick, and your lifestyle is a thing of evil. You make it a point not to make yourself very well-known, although if you can make money from your specialized craft, you will of course jump at the chance.

    You are frightening by design, so when you are interacting with others, try to choose the "intimidate" option if it is available.

    If you plan anything massive -- like, say, wiping out a small village or killing the stragglers of a military camp -- try leaving some kind of a calling card, such as killing your victims with the exact same poison every time. Make it something special, unique... and above all, chilling.

    Got Skyrim on the PC? Want some lore-friendly mods that would help make your Daedric Doctor look more threatening? Well, I can recommend two: the first is Cloaks Of Skyrim, which is pretty much self-explanatory; it will allow you to give your doctor a cape or cloak, which is always imposing and just plain cool to look at. The second is the Tribunal Robes and Masks mod, which adds new armor sets to the game that would fit this sort of character. However, if you wanna go for broke and try something completely non-lore-friendly, yet absolutely perfect for this character, I recommend the Plague Doctor Outfit from the Steam Workshop.

     

    Well, that about wraps up this character build. Questions? Comments? Criticisms? Let me know what you think down below; I'm still learning as a character builder, and I could use all the tips I can get. Adventure awaits!

    ~M.M.T.

     

     

     

     

     

  • March 13, 2015

    Hey, Markus, awesome build. There is always something cool about characters with focus on poisoning. +1

    And this alchemist character could really use some poison and potions list you used the most.

    And your tags. You can have only 3 Character tags and they should look like this: "Character Build Alchemist" with quotations. + you have to add Rank:Bloodworks. :)

  • Member
    March 13, 2015

    Might I recommend Miraak's mask as a possible substitute for a plague doctor's mask?

  • March 13, 2015

    Ah, thank you! I'll definitely make those additions to the Build. 

  • March 13, 2015

    Oooh, good call! 

  • Member
    March 13, 2015

    I live to serve, lol

  • March 13, 2015

    O.O

    Dat mask. Honestly, it's one of the only things that truly frightens me these days. So, aside from speeding past those pictures, I have to say that I like this. Alchemy based with a cool (read: disturbing) atmosphere. For a character so intensely focused on the Craft, though, I'd recommend listing some of the poisons or potions you used, rather than their effects.

    Also, I don't know who needs to know this, but I've heard talk around the Art Group that Ning is brightening pictures and this build was the first I noticed it. I was wondering why you used white font on such a light background before I opened it in a new tab. Is there any confirmation whether this is Ning/my internet/my display settings?

  • Tom
    Member
    March 13, 2015

    I'll be honest. I'd thought it'd be Sheogorath in a Tardis.

  • March 13, 2015

    That... sounds awesome.

  • March 13, 2015

    Thanks for your feedback! And there's been no confirmation as far as I know. My personal guess is that it has to do with the bright Meridia theme that we have right now, and that it'll go away when the site drops it. But I have no idea when that'll be, so I'm just waiting it out.