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Event Build: Deaths Advocate

Tags: #Character Build Alchemist  #Rank:Event Exemplar  #Event:Deities  ##TeejioknoNoodlelords  #Character Build Defender 
  • July 27, 2015

    Inspiration for this Build came from playing the characters created by the Master Builders on the blog, whose builds have given me so much pleasure, fuelled by a desire to put something back, I reverted to the character archetype, The Defender, so without further ado I am proud to present my contribution.

     Taking a break from fighting, Deaths Advocate remains ever Vigilant

    Deaths Advocate

    She had escaped the attack by quickly fleeing the scene, sat and watched in horror as both her parents were cut down with a savagery she found hard to believe, tears of guilt blinding her eyes to the true extent of the carnage before her, only when the attackers finally sated their blood lust did she emerge from her hiding place, dropping to her knees and lifting her head to the heavens she swore vengeance against those who had wronged her so violently.

    As a mark of respect to her mother, who was a Priestess of Arkay she joined a Monastery of the order, where, along with her religious studies, learned the Martial Arts of combat, and healing from the Priests. Her constant studying in the monastery library, revealed the most likely clan of Vampires responsible for her family’s slaughter The Volkihar of Skyrim, she would kill them all or perish in the attempt.

    Arkay is the God of life and Death, and I, I am his Advocate...

     

    Race: Imperial

    Stone: The Atronach, plus 50 Magika, 50% spell Absorption.

    Major Skills: One Handed, Heavy Armour, Restoration.

    Minor Skills: Block, Alchemy, Smithing.

    Weapons: Steel Mace

    Armour: Dawnguard Heavy Armour (large pauldrons) /Gauntlets/Boots/Helmet, Ysgamors Shield

    Stats: After level 10 1/3/1 Magika, Health, Stamina

    Shouts: Unrelenting Force, Become Ethereal, Marked For Death, Frost Breath, Elemental Fury.

    Essential Quests: Main Quest, Dawnguard, The Companions, Evil in Waiting, College of Winterhold, Agent of Mara, Sybil of Dibella, Civil War, Dragonborn, The Man who Cried Wolf, A Taste of Death.

     

    The Build

    Deaths Advocate is of the archetype that I play the most; a Defender. While perhaps lacking the skill set of the more versatile or complex characters, Deaths Advocate prefer a much more direct approach to combat. High defence and the ability to heal consistently is all this character needs to dominate the battlefield.

    The Imperials natural affinity to Restoration allows you to cast fast healing straight out of Helgen once you buy it, repairing damage efficiently and with no additional investment to base Magika. This allows you to invest in Health from the outset, while Voice of the Emperor, combined with one word of Animal Allegiance, gives you control of Men, Mer and Beasts throughout. Combining an Amulet of Arkay and his blessing will grant you 35 points of vital Health

    At the pinnacle of its power Deaths Advocate will exploit a brand new synergy, as yet unseen within the context of a build. While the Dragonborn Frost ability transforms the standard Frost Breath shout into an advanced version of Ice Form it unfortunately grants paralysed enemies a very high armour rating making it very difficult to properly capitalise on.

    While the Bone Breaker perks from the One Handed skill tree are often seen as completely useless they carry the ability to bypass the resistance granted to enemies encased in ice from Dragonborn Frost!

    All 3 Perks of Bone Breaker combined with Dragonborn Frost makes you insanely powerful, your foe is not only paralysed in ice that doesn't break, but your weapons ability to ignore 75% of their AR allows you to simply demolish them with your mace! This is something that no other build has ever done, and I am proud to be the first.

    With this terrifying ability in its arsenal and the power to heal so easily during combat; Deaths Advocate is a force to be reckoned with. Its skill set is able to support a follower if you wish, but is equally at ease being the lone Wolf, regardless of the difficulty you play on.

    You will enjoy fast and furious traditional style Sword and Board gameplay, use your shield to deflect the hardest of blows, before countering with a couple of your own, buff your defence and offence with potions, against melee attackers, use fortify One Hand and/or fortify Block.

     Mages are a different matter, use resist magic/fire/frost/shock potions, use shouts like, Drain Vitality, Unrelenting Force is great for crowd control, during combat switch out your Shield for a Healing Spell, you will absorb, in part at least, some of the hostile spells that Mages throw at you, allowing you to heal efficiently using the enemy’s Magika, my main reason for choosing the Atronach stone for this character. Whirlwind Sprint will move you away from battle when death is imminent, allowing you precious seconds to heal. 

    Dragons are a problem,  in flight, and on the ground, use Drain Vitality to limit their breath attacks, when they do use them, use Wards to nullify or become Ethereal, it’s not difficult to predict when they will bite, use your shield to prevent serious injury, time your attacks, and you will survive the encounter.

    Level 46 Perks

    During the first 10-15 levels of gameplay, your Melee skills are your priorities, on levelling put everything into Health, keep your Shield handy, but for most early encounters run in with Fast Healing and Mace, we will be taking Perks in Armsman to increase its damage, and just soak up the pain, this conditions your characters Armour, allows you to more quickly gain Protection Perks, and also puts you closer to the Respite perk.

    You also have access to alchemy which allows you to buff your resistances as well as a secondary or emergency healing skill; therefore some early investment to gain proficiency in the skill is essential.  When things get really rough and you don't think you can get a restoration spell off in time to avoid death, you can take one of your healing potions instead.

     Once things start feeling more comfortable, use your shield more often to bring up the Block skill, by this point enemies are hitting harder so Block levels quicker, and you are better able to deal with the damage, Shield Wall, Deflect Arrows and Elemental Protection are key Perks mid to late-game.

    From around levels 25+ ensure you give Bandit Chiefs and Droger Deathlords, the respect they deserve, be tactical, encase them in ice (Dragonborn Frost) DB. Or hit them with Marked for Death, while you mop up the minions, if you do run into trouble Elemental Fury, will help you regain the advantage, incidentally Elemental fury also adds 10 points of damage to your weapon when using all 3 words of the Shout.

    Nightstalker, and Ancient Vampire classes, are very dangerous, they appear around level 38, with the Necromage perk your Restoration spells do 25% more damage, Dual cast Stendarrs Aura, Sunfire or Vampires Bane, augment them with potions, and you will find their effects devastating, be sure to carry Potions of Cure disease or some Hawk feathers, just in case you become infected.

    Toward the end of your play through, when your offence/ defence are at their best,  Deaths Advocate need fear nothing, with AR sitting nicely at 482 including Shield, and the Steel Mace hitting at 80 per strike, Deaths Advocate has truly become a force to be reckoned with.

    Some Useful Potions

    Fortify Block. Tundra Cotton, Bleeding Crown

    Fortify Heavy Armour. Thistle Branch, White Cap

    Fortify One Handed. Canis Root, Hanging Moss

    Fortify Restoration. Abercean Longfin, Salt

    Special Combos

     

     

     

    Icy Tomb: Requires Dragonborn Frost (DB) All 3 Bone Breaker perks, Optional potion,  Fortify One handed for extra damage

     

     

     

     

    Arkays Holy Fire: Requires Stendarrs Aura, Restoration Dual Casting, Optional Potions, include fortify Destruction for extra DPS, and fortify Restoration for extra range.

     

     

    Final thoughts and Credits

    Firstly thanks for reading this build, It has been a real pleasure making it as it’s my first, this experience has been a real eye opener as to the time and dedication required to make a build, and I take my hat off to the people who churn out quality builds by the bucket load, especially those of Legendary rank. A big thank you to a special person, who helped make this build what it is (does not wish to be named here) Thanks Mate for everything, all the advice, perk spread, and artwork, above all your patience in working with a total newbie.

  • July 27, 2015

    This looks really good.  A bit like a MMORPG tank? That Bone Breaker synergy is brilliant; also Marked For Death maybe could further weaken enemy armour, if you could get it in 

  • July 27, 2015

    It really is OP the 3 Bone breaker with dB frost is a wrecker, the problem being the cool down to use both shouts but your right it would be devastating, thanks for the comment mate

  • Ed
    Member
    July 27, 2015
    Very nice! Sort of character I could actually be bothered to play.
  • Member
    July 27, 2015

    This is an excellent start for a first character build! :D +1 ! :D

  • July 27, 2015

    Which is what I meant by 'if you could get in', believe it or not. Yes the cooldown is probably too long

  • July 27, 2015

    @Ed, Many thanks for the comment

  • July 27, 2015

    Thanks Noodles, coming from you, that's a real compliment,

  • July 27, 2015
    This is pretty good especially for your first build. Definitely keep it up and make more.
  • July 27, 2015

    Thank you Curse very much for the comment, much appreciated mate.