Fireball might have just been a stronger Firebolt with area effect, but scattering clutter, flying corpses and the orange-tinted screen sold Fireball for more than just that, making the explosions more immersive and addictive. From that moment of realization was this build born. What follows is debut of a brand new Glitch extension and the biggest Ekrixiphile around, so without further ado, I Introduce:
Amidst the blazing ruins of a small Redguard village, an Altmer strolled past smoldering huts. When he would see any survivors, he would enchant the nearby ground with a rune, walk a couple of metres and click his fingers. Bodies and piles of burning rubble in graceful parabolic flight followed by melodious crunch of bone under stone, such was the Art he created, the Art he savored. Wearing a satisfied grin, he would continue.
A Wood Elf was redirecting a Redguard woman and two children to an unmanned route out of the village. Watching the Bosmeri soldier stand guard at the mouth of the path, waving for the other three to head through it, the Altmer approached them. Shortly thereafter, an explosion further down the path muffled cries of despair and horror. The Bosmer’s legs collapse under him as he stared at the ground, his eyes wide with terror. “Letting the enemy escape can get you punished severely,” the Altmer warned as he reached out to help the Bosmer up, “but it’s alright now, I won't tell anyone, go get some rest.” A warm smile greeted the Bosmer who looked up.
A bolt of lightning tore Wood Elf’s chest, leaving a gaping hole through the leather armor and the wearer. The Altmer turned around to see a pair of men, dressed strangely even for Redguards, their eyes drilling into him, sparks coiling around their fists. Suddenly aroused by his bloodlust, the Altmer’s mind went numb, but his passion for Art burned as strongly as ever. In seconds, a dark, looming shadow stood where the Altmer had been, and in a couple more, a blinding explosion followed. The settling dust revealed a fresh, empty clearing, around a dozen meters in radius, where a third of the village’s infrastructure had been a moment ago. There were no traces of civilization or life, apart from the lone Elf who stood in the middle, a great beam gracing his clean-shaved visage.
And then his expression vanished as he remembered that he was scheduled to leave for Skyrim next. That his superiors were jealous of his quick ascension up the ranks, and had decided to send him where the land was as cold as the denizens were dense, with no sense for art. That they probably planned to conveniently eliminate him there. That he would breeze past those feeble attempts.
He had to, for there was no other soul who indulged in his Art: they would scorn decoration by demolition, they were deaf to the lullabies in death cries, they just would not understand a concept so grand. But he did, and it was his duty to ensure everyone else did too, for that is the duty of an artist. His Art had to be seen by the people, felt by the naysayers and heard across the lands, because after all, his Art… was an explosion!
---
Boom boom boom boom, I wanna double boom! Let's spend the night together before your looming doom!
Race: Altmer. The Magicka boost & Racial power are very useful to a glass-cannon build. I could only embody the suave and shrewd Flintfang as an Altmer. Regardless, Bosmer or Dunmer can also function decently.
Spread: 4 Magicka and 1 Health every 5 levels. Magicka will be the most important resource the Flintfang has, and should be prioritized over health. The base 100 stamina will suffice for any sprinting.
Destruction is the core skill. Runes and Fireball are almost exclusively used once unlocked. Dual Casting + Impact turn offense into defense at the cost of Magicka consumption. To reduce the burden on your Magicka pool…
Enchanting is the main supporting skill. Resist Magic & Fortify Destruction/Conjuration/Sneak will help greatly. The Soul Squeezer perk keeps emergency staves functional.
A natural partner of Enchanting, Conjuration is a well-rounded combat and utility skill, with Soul Trap helping out Enchanting and summoned units taking attention off the Flintfang. The explosions from Flaming Familiars and Flame Atronachs add more flair to the Flintfang’s arsenal.
Speech is a fantastic role-playing element which also has utility in gameplay. The Flintfang would have had to convince many people so as to bypass tedium and practice his Art undisturbed, so persuasion perks are taken. The left side of the tree allows maximal exploitation of trainers, and coupled with Enchanting, nets tons of dough.
Light Armor is there for times when the armor boost can spell the difference between a 1-hit death and a chance at retaliation. Since heavy armor didn’t really have a white color theme armor set, I went ahead with Ancient Falmer. Oh, and Light armor offers the chance to wear a Fedora.
Sneak and Illusion have always gone hand-in-hand. Sneak is lightly perked, but heavily used, allowing this glass-cannon build to get those initial blasts off without retaliation, or even mount guerrilla warfare. Muffle is a great spell for both leveling and utility. Finally, Aspect of Terror adds some much-welcome damage to the Fireballs (sadly, not to Runes or Staves).
Lycanthropy offers extra health, mobility and stamina, and should be picked up early. Lycanthropy might seem like a contradictory playstyle to the typical pure mage, but a small modification to lycanthropy keeps it mostly true to the mage spirit.
"It's too co~ld outside for foes to oxidize..."
In order to keep up his façade as a functional, well-mannered member of society, the Flintfang has to dress as well as he speaks. Apart from being aesthetically appeasing, they must also have utility.
When Enchanting, I used Enchanter’s Elixirs boosted by Philters of the Healer, bringing the total Fortify Enchanting effect up to +35. This, along with Ahzidal’s Genius and Seeker of Sorcery, gave strong enchantments with nice numbers for Fortify Magicka.
The first set of apparel is for human form, when the Flintfang focuses on spell cost reduction, while the latter set of apparel is for Werewolf form, with focus on defense.
Artist’s Apparel
White Fedora: Skaal Hat (Fortify Magicka +85, Regenerate Magicka +85%)
Kenja Pendant: Silver Jeweled Necklace (Fortify Conjuration +34%, Fortify Magicka +85)
Cracker Coat: Red Robes (Fortify Destruction +34%, Fortify Destruction +17% and Regenerate Magicka +42%)
Catalyst Grip: Ancient Falmer Gauntlets (Fortify Light Armor +42, Fortify Magicka +85)
Crimson Lotus Band: Silver Ruby Ring (Fortify Destruction +34%, Regenerate Magicka +85%)
Guardian Galoshes: Ancient Falmer Boots (Resist Frost & Fire 51%)
Rampant Raiment
Rocskull Resistor: Bone Hawk Amulet (Resist Magic 27%, Shield of Solitude Resist Magic 34%)
Gouger’s Grip: Dragonscale/Glass Gauntlets (Fortify Light Armor +42, Fortify Health +85)
Hungering Hoops: Bone Hawk Ring (Fortify Light Armor +42, Fortify Health +85)
“I came. I saw. I obliterated. Then...maybe repeated step one.“
History
Born to simple merchants, the Altmer was a genius at Destruction magic even as a child. Enrolling into a prestigious institute at the tender age of twelve, he became the pride of his teachers, despite the several facilities he blew up. He quickly grew bored of academics, and joined the Third Aldmeri Dominion army. Proving himself as a capable tactician and deadly front-line mage, he rose up the ranks with great speed, gaining his nickname “Flintfang”. Being the target of his superiors’ envy and insecurity, he was sent to remote and dangerous locations to do the Thalmor’s bidding, and while he himself did not take to their doctrine too much, he gladly overlooked his misgivings for the many canvases he could use during his missions to practice his Art.
Beliefs
The Flintfang is a firm believer in “Survival of the Fittest”, and enjoys observing conflicts from the sidelines, only participating when he needs to or feels like it, savoring the clash of convictions and strength. Race, stature, age, experience – none of that matters if there is sufficient drive to force a victory, and that tranquility appeals to the Flintfang, and is one of the reasons why he does not subscribe to the Thalmor’s views. Morality tends to spoil the fun during such observations, therefore he tends to conveniently ignore it, and as such, has no concern for lives lost during the conflicts. In fact, he held his own life in low regard, putting it on the line during many of his Art sessions.
However, it was hard to be an individual with ideals varying from the majority, and while his actions on the field were often pardoned due to his indispensable skill, the rumors were very harmful to his pursuit of Art. To deal with this, he honed his verbal skills and mannerism to shroud his unpopular opinions with his classy decorum, witty words and warm demeanor. Those who know him consider him to be a respectable gentleman and those who have witnessed him on the field often refuse to believe that they are looking at the same person. Don't run in cities unless necessary, or even dirty your hands with blood. The citizens must feel as if you are of noble decent, and would be completely incapable of harboring bloodlust or destructive inclinations. Persuade whenever possible, especially when in civilization, since people tend to agree if they think its their idea. But at times, intimidation can be used: not all naysayers to his Art could be silenced with a fireball to the face, so he would have to use clever rhetoric to shut their artless mouths.
Endeavors
The Flintfang is not one to actively involve himself in conflicts and tedium. Unless under orders, overcome by curiosity or expecting returns, he would not go out of his way to complete a task.
He would appreciate connections with all sorts of people, from a band of warriors to portray himself in honorable light to the public, to a coven of thieves for unpopular sources of information, to an institution of mages to further his arcane assets. When helping people who have nothing to return, he would ensure that they owe him a favor in the future or that there are bystanders to witness his “act of kindness” to spread his name. He isn’t truly loyal to the Thalmor either, and will betray them if it benefits him (or entertains him). While he could observe the civil war as an outsider, he would be able to just dismiss such a great opportunity to express his Art, especially with that many beholders to its greatness. Several crypts hold good loot, and Daedric taskmasters tend to reward their champion’s generously, and the Flintflang can be coaxed to follow such quests.
Specific side quests to follow include The Black Star, Affairs of the Hagraven, Mind of Madness, Cleansing the Stones, Ill Met by Moonlight, A Scroll for Anska, The Wolf Queen Awakened, Black Book: The Sallow Reagent , Black Book: Untold Legends and No Stone Unturned.
Also, don't hang around the same cities for long, change up the schedule. According to wagon riders and innkeepers, a certain man with a large scar was looking for the Flintfang. Barely suppressing his laughter at how well his facade had worked, considering how worried his informants looked, the Flintfang understood that this one was no simple goon or one of his superior's peta, and he isn't gonna wait to find out.
“If you won’t put your hands together for my Art, then I guess I would have to do it myself”
Spellbook
Spells: Firebolt (pre-Fireball only), Fireball, Fire Rune, Frost Rune, Shock Rune, Fire Storm, Soul Trap, Flaming Familiar, Flame Atronach, Command Daedra. Ash Guardian, Muffle (saves enchanting slot), Exploding Spiders, Jumping Spiders, Oil Spider,
Shouts: Fire Breath, Become Ethereal, Throw Voice, Slow Time
Powers: Sun Flare, North Wind, Highborn, Beast Form/Ring of Hircine, Secret Servant, Secret of Arcana
Abilities: Seeker of Sorcery, Ahzidal’s Genius (out of battle), Ancient Knowledge (extra AR), Agent of Dibella, the Fire Within, Dragonborn Flame, Lover’s Insight, Prowler’s Profit,
Combat
Combat is started from sneak mode whenever possible, since the build is not particularly durable, and Muffle helps well with that. Fire Storm is worth every overpriced bit of Magicka when the Killcam activates. Impact-Dual-casted Fireballs will keep foes at bay while melting faces, turning offense into defense. Runes can cover greater areas and have great sniping potential, and add a tactical option to be placed before battle.
Flame Atronachs can dish out good damage on their own, and even go out with a bang. Flaming Familiars make cheap, effective homing missiles. Ash Guardians summoned with Heart stones make great tanks and have an explosion attack when enemies approach melee, and those summoned without Heart stones serve as on-demand Greater Souls. I roleplayed Command Daedra as an extension of the Flintfang’s oratory skills, enabling him to persuade a Daedra to his side, but the exorbitant Magicka cost means that it isn’t used often.
Spider scrolls are very interesting critters who add flavor to the Flintfang’s arsenal. Exploding Flame/Frost/Shock spiders all serve as colorful traps which can be stacked atop runes. Although I did not use Jumping Spiders much, they are just as fun as their dead counterparts, possibly even more so. Oil Spiders are incredibly fun to use and just as effective, you’ve gotta try this one yourself. The only limiting factor is that the spider pods are elusive, and once supplies run out, only 1 respawning sample exists. While I would usually shy away from cloning glitches, this is probably the only time I suggest it. Prowler’s Profit keeps the Flawless gems coming.
Combat itself is simple: blasting foes left and right, dropping Atronachs to slow enemy advance, occasionally becoming consumed by passion and turning feral. Simple stuff, really. Just remember, the most important part of combat is having fun, creating explosions and admiring the things you’ve blown up. Combat should never be treated seriously, but more like a painting, expressive and unbound, except that paint is replaced by Fireballs and the canvas is your opposition. In the end, what is Art if it isn’t enjoyed?
Special Moves
Crimson Lotus Cataclysm: Fire Breath (3 words, Dragonborn Flame, The Fire Within) + Fire Storm + Sun Flare
As the Firefang radiates explosions from his body, a beautiful flower blooms. Fire Breath staggers enemies for a bit so that Fire Storm can be casted with less interruption. The beauty is that all of the components are affected by Augmented Flames, making them stronger that they already are, ending up at over 500 damage. A North Wind can be added to the end to simulate an implosion after the explosion, but the self-damage is a bit of a turn-off for me.
Firework Succubus: Fire Rune + Flame Exploding Spider + Frost Exploding Spider + Shock Exploding Spider + Flame Atronach
The Daedra entices brutes into their untimely, though undeniably colorful, ends. An expensive, yet fun trap usually reserved for stronger bosses in closed areas.
Saint Zen’s Comet: Slow Time + Secret of Arcana + Dual-Cast Fireballs
Borrowing strength from an ancient ancestor, let hell loose upon your enemies with a strong, fast volley of Fireballs. Slow Time maximizes efficiency in charging and releasing Fireballs, while Secret of Arcana makes sure you needn’t use a single point of Magicka to do so.
And then there are two special special moves which depend on the Werewolf-Chat glitch. As an extension, the Secret Servant is used to summon and on-demand follower to initiate conversation, meaning that even Lone wolves (pun unfortunately intended) like the Flintfang can use the glitch without the hassle of having a full-time follower. However, a while ago, I managed to find something more amusing: staff-wielding Werewolves. Yes, that is right, it is possible to equip and use staves in Wolf form, and with great effectiveness. I introduce to you…
The Werewizard Glitch Extension
How to Morph:
- Use Secret Servant power to summon Daedric Butler
- Start conversation with Butler an activate Beast Form/Ring of Hircine simultaneously
- Wait for animation to end, then exchange items with Butler
- Use follower inventory GUI to equip your gear and staff in the right (main) hand
- Exit conversation and Go Wild!
Before I introduce the two forms of the Flintfang, let’s go over the pros and cons of this form:
Pros
- Staff activates whenever a claw-attack is used (Only activates if your crosshair is on an enemy or corpse, but that’s pretty much the whole point).
- No staff charging delay, spell is immediately cast upon clawing. This also means that the three-swipe power attack activates the staff at every. Single. Hit.
- No charges are consumed from staff if used in Werewolf form. Meaning that the rampage never has to stop.
- Werewolf power attacks work as usual, with their regular ragdolling and such. Wizardwolves can’t be staggered either.
- As with the usual follower-chat glitch, gear can be worn for the enchantment bonuses and armor.
Cons
- No real ranged combat. The staff only activates when the crosshairs recognize the target as a corpse/enemy, which is just a bit over melee range.
- No physical damage, since the only damage coming from the Werewizard will be the spell effects, and Claw damage will be set to the damage of the staff held, which is usually zero. Basically, fighting a Steam Centurion as a Frost-staff Werewizard is futile (unless you can knock it off a cliff)
- Much more tedious than a regular Werewolf transformation. It can leave the character more vulnerable during the transformation, and even slight timing mistakes can spell disaster (do quicksave before transforming)
- Too overpowered.
Having gone over that, it’s time for the morphs themselves.
Fiery Flint Fang: Werewizard Morph with Eye of Melka
As Artistic passion and Daedric magic surge into the Flintfang , his body undergoes a metamorphosis. His size doubles, his skin chars, his breath becomes saturated with volatile gases and his fingers turn to claws of flint, setting the gases alight when they click. Destruction incarnate stands where an aristocrat mage stood moments ago.
The main form the Flintfang would use. Words cannot describe the satisfaction of landing a pounce-power attack on enemies in this form. Do not hesitate to use Ragdoll attacks and wolf howls (just not Totem of Brotherhood, you’ll most likely kill your own summons). Gouge down on tasty charred foes when health requires attention.
Crazed Catalytic Claw : Werewizard Morph with Wabbajack, equip Rocskull Resistor, Gouger’s Grip and Hungering Hoops.
With assistance frome the Daedric Prince of Madness (and cheese), the Flintfang augments his metamorphosis. He fills in the final gap which makes his Art truly complete: A burst of Colors, an explosion of Flavors, and most importantly, a generous dash of Madness.
The second and stronger version of the Werewizard. There are several properties of the Wabbajack which make it better than an average staff: its elemental explosions bypass resistances, it actually has base damage of 27(so enemies swiped will take more damage on top of the spell effect), its elemental blasts bypass immunity and are unaffected by difficulty and it adds a ton of fun to the daily mundaneness of Skyrim. Its weaknesses are covered by the Werewizard form too: the low charge capacity means nothing in wolf form, the staff charging time is the same as a claw swipe and the wolf’s speed lets it dodge most counterattacks from a transformed Dremora Lord. In all, it’s almost as if the Werewizard form and Wabbajack were made for each other.
In all, the build was a blast to play, pun probably intended. The basis of the build was Solf J. Kimblee from Fullmetal Alchemist, with influence from Deidara from Naruto (for his exploding summons) and Jackal from Fairy Tail (for his explosive lycanthropic form). This was the first Mage build I played to the end of the game, and the first Enchanter I have used (I usually favor alchemy). There are few substitutes to unadulterated destruction magic and Lycanthropy action in Skyrim, and this build full well sates the hunger for exactly that. I hope you guys have wild fun with this build, thanks for stopping by! :D
Fireball might have just been a stronger Firebolt with area effect, but scattering clutter, flying corpses and the orange-tinted screen sold Fireball for more than just that, making the explosions more immersive and addictive. From that moment of realization was this build born. What follows is debut of a brand new Glitch extension and the biggest Ekrixiphile around, so without further ado, I Introduce:
Amidst the blazing ruins of a small Redguard village, an Altmer strolled past smoldering huts. When he would see any survivors, he would enchant the nearby ground with a rune, walk a couple of metres and click his fingers. Bodies and piles of burning rubble in graceful parabolic flight followed by melodious crunch of bone under stone, such was the Art he created, the Art he savored. Wearing a satisfied grin, he would continue.
A Wood Elf was redirecting a Redguard woman and two children to an unmanned route out of the village. Watching the Bosmeri soldier stand guard at the mouth of the path, waving for the other three to head through it, the Altmer approached them. Shortly thereafter, an explosion further down the path muffled cries of despair and horror. The Bosmer’s legs collapse under him as he stared at the ground, his eyes wide with terror. “Letting the enemy escape can get you punished severely,” the Altmer warned as he reached out to help the Bosmer up, “but it’s alright now, I won't tell anyone, go get some rest.” A warm smile greeted the Bosmer who looked up.
A bolt of lightning tore Wood Elf’s chest, leaving a gaping hole through the leather armor and the wearer. The Altmer turned around to see a pair of men, dressed strangely even for Redguards, their eyes drilling into him, sparks coiling around their fists. Suddenly aroused by his bloodlust, the Altmer’s mind went numb, but his passion for Art burned as strongly as ever. In seconds, a dark, looming shadow stood where the Altmer had been, and in a couple more, a blinding explosion followed. The settling dust revealed a fresh, empty clearing, around a dozen meters in radius, where a third of the village’s infrastructure had been a moment ago. There were no traces of civilization or life, apart from the lone Elf who stood in the middle, a great beam gracing his clean-shaved visage.
And then his expression vanished as he remembered that he was scheduled to leave for Skyrim next. That his superiors were jealous of his quick ascension up the ranks, and had decided to send him where the land was as cold as the denizens were dense, with no sense for art. That they probably planned to conveniently eliminate him there. That he would breeze past those feeble attempts.
He had to, for there was no other soul who indulged in his Art: they would scorn decoration by demolition, they were deaf to the lullabies in death cries, they just would not understand a concept so grand. But he did, and it was his duty to ensure everyone else did too, for that is the duty of an artist. His Art had to be seen by the people, felt by the naysayers and heard across the lands, because after all, his Art… was an explosion!
---
Boom boom boom boom, I wanna double boom! Let's spend the night together before your looming doom!
Race: Altmer. The Magicka boost & Racial power are very useful to a glass-cannon build. I could only embody the suave and shrewd Flintfang as an Altmer. Regardless, Bosmer or Dunmer can also function decently.
Spread: 4 Magicka and 1 Health every 5 levels. Magicka will be the most important resource the Flintfang has, and should be prioritized over health. The base 100 stamina will suffice for any sprinting.
Destruction is the core skill. Runes and Fireball are almost exclusively used once unlocked. Dual Casting + Impact turn offense into defense at the cost of Magicka consumption. To reduce the burden on your Magicka pool…
Enchanting is the main supporting skill. Resist Magic & Fortify Destruction/Conjuration/Sneak will help greatly. The Soul Squeezer perk keeps emergency staves functional.
A natural partner of Enchanting, Conjuration is a well-rounded combat and utility skill, with Soul Trap helping out Enchanting and summoned units taking attention off the Flintfang. The explosions from Flaming Familiars and Flame Atronachs add more flair to the Flintfang’s arsenal.
Speech is a fantastic role-playing element which also has utility in gameplay. The Flintfang would have had to convince many people so as to bypass tedium and practice his Art undisturbed, so persuasion perks are taken. The left side of the tree allows maximal exploitation of trainers, and coupled with Enchanting, nets tons of dough.
Light Armor is there for times when the armor boost can spell the difference between a 1-hit death and a chance at retaliation. Since heavy armor didn’t really have a white color theme armor set, I went ahead with Ancient Falmer. Oh, and Light armor offers the chance to wear a Fedora.
Sneak and Illusion have always gone hand-in-hand. Sneak is lightly perked, but heavily used, allowing this glass-cannon build to get those initial blasts off without retaliation, or even mount guerrilla warfare. Muffle is a great spell for both leveling and utility. Finally, Aspect of Terror adds some much-welcome damage to the Fireballs (sadly, not to Runes or Staves).
Lycanthropy offers extra health, mobility and stamina, and should be picked up early. Lycanthropy might seem like a contradictory playstyle to the typical pure mage, but a small modification to lycanthropy keeps it mostly true to the mage spirit.
"It's too co~ld outside for foes to oxidize..."
In order to keep up his façade as a functional, well-mannered member of society, the Flintfang has to dress as well as he speaks. Apart from being aesthetically appeasing, they must also have utility.
When Enchanting, I used Enchanter’s Elixirs boosted by Philters of the Healer, bringing the total Fortify Enchanting effect up to +35. This, along with Ahzidal’s Genius and Seeker of Sorcery, gave strong enchantments with nice numbers for Fortify Magicka.
The first set of apparel is for human form, when the Flintfang focuses on spell cost reduction, while the latter set of apparel is for Werewolf form, with focus on defense.
Artist’s Apparel
White Fedora: Skaal Hat (Fortify Magicka +85, Regenerate Magicka +85%)
Kenja Pendant: Silver Jeweled Necklace (Fortify Conjuration +34%, Fortify Magicka +85)
Cracker Coat: Red Robes (Fortify Destruction +34%, Fortify Destruction +17% and Regenerate Magicka +42%)
Catalyst Grip: Ancient Falmer Gauntlets (Fortify Light Armor +42, Fortify Magicka +85)
Crimson Lotus Band: Silver Ruby Ring (Fortify Destruction +34%, Regenerate Magicka +85%)
Guardian Galoshes: Ancient Falmer Boots (Resist Frost & Fire 51%)
Rampant Raiment
Rocskull Resistor: Bone Hawk Amulet (Resist Magic 27%, Shield of Solitude Resist Magic 34%)
Gouger’s Grip: Dragonscale/Glass Gauntlets (Fortify Light Armor +42, Fortify Health +85)
Hungering Hoops: Bone Hawk Ring (Fortify Light Armor +42, Fortify Health +85)
“I came. I saw. I obliterated. Then...maybe repeated step one.“
History
Born to simple merchants, the Altmer was a genius at Destruction magic even as a child. Enrolling into a prestigious institute at the tender age of twelve, he became the pride of his teachers, despite the several facilities he blew up. He quickly grew bored of academics, and joined the Third Aldmeri Dominion army. Proving himself as a capable tactician and deadly front-line mage, he rose up the ranks with great speed, gaining his nickname “Flintfang”. Being the target of his superiors’ envy and insecurity, he was sent to remote and dangerous locations to do the Thalmor’s bidding, and while he himself did not take to their doctrine too much, he gladly overlooked his misgivings for the many canvases he could use during his missions to practice his Art.
Beliefs
The Flintfang is a firm believer in “Survival of the Fittest”, and enjoys observing conflicts from the sidelines, only participating when he needs to or feels like it, savoring the clash of convictions and strength. Race, stature, age, experience – none of that matters if there is sufficient drive to force a victory, and that tranquility appeals to the Flintfang, and is one of the reasons why he does not subscribe to the Thalmor’s views. Morality tends to spoil the fun during such observations, therefore he tends to conveniently ignore it, and as such, has no concern for lives lost during the conflicts. In fact, he held his own life in low regard, putting it on the line during many of his Art sessions.
However, it was hard to be an individual with ideals varying from the majority, and while his actions on the field were often pardoned due to his indispensable skill, the rumors were very harmful to his pursuit of Art. To deal with this, he honed his verbal skills and mannerism to shroud his unpopular opinions with his classy decorum, witty words and warm demeanor. Those who know him consider him to be a respectable gentleman and those who have witnessed him on the field often refuse to believe that they are looking at the same person. Don't run in cities unless necessary, or even dirty your hands with blood. The citizens must feel as if you are of noble decent, and would be completely incapable of harboring bloodlust or destructive inclinations. Persuade whenever possible, especially when in civilization, since people tend to agree if they think its their idea. But at times, intimidation can be used: not all naysayers to his Art could be silenced with a fireball to the face, so he would have to use clever rhetoric to shut their artless mouths.
Endeavors
The Flintfang is not one to actively involve himself in conflicts and tedium. Unless under orders, overcome by curiosity or expecting returns, he would not go out of his way to complete a task.
He would appreciate connections with all sorts of people, from a band of warriors to portray himself in honorable light to the public, to a coven of thieves for unpopular sources of information, to an institution of mages to further his arcane assets. When helping people who have nothing to return, he would ensure that they owe him a favor in the future or that there are bystanders to witness his “act of kindness” to spread his name. He isn’t truly loyal to the Thalmor either, and will betray them if it benefits him (or entertains him). While he could observe the civil war as an outsider, he would be able to just dismiss such a great opportunity to express his Art, especially with that many beholders to its greatness. Several crypts hold good loot, and Daedric taskmasters tend to reward their champion’s generously, and the Flintflang can be coaxed to follow such quests.
Specific side quests to follow include The Black Star, Affairs of the Hagraven, Mind of Madness, Cleansing the Stones, Ill Met by Moonlight, A Scroll for Anska, The Wolf Queen Awakened, Black Book: The Sallow Reagent , Black Book: Untold Legends and No Stone Unturned.
Also, don't hang around the same cities for long, change up the schedule. According to wagon riders and innkeepers, a certain man with a large scar was looking for the Flintfang. Barely suppressing his laughter at how well his facade had worked, considering how worried his informants looked, the Flintfang understood that this one was no simple goon or one of his superior's peta, and he isn't gonna wait to find out.
“If you won’t put your hands together for my Art, then I guess I would have to do it myself”
Spellbook
Spells: Firebolt (pre-Fireball only), Fireball, Fire Rune, Frost Rune, Shock Rune, Fire Storm, Soul Trap, Flaming Familiar, Flame Atronach, Command Daedra. Ash Guardian, Muffle (saves enchanting slot), Exploding Spiders, Jumping Spiders, Oil Spider,
Shouts: Fire Breath, Become Ethereal, Throw Voice, Slow Time
Powers: Sun Flare, North Wind, Highborn, Beast Form/Ring of Hircine, Secret Servant, Secret of Arcana
Abilities: Seeker of Sorcery, Ahzidal’s Genius (out of battle), Ancient Knowledge (extra AR), Agent of Dibella, the Fire Within, Dragonborn Flame, Lover’s Insight, Prowler’s Profit,
Combat
Combat is started from sneak mode whenever possible, since the build is not particularly durable, and Muffle helps well with that. Fire Storm is worth every overpriced bit of Magicka when the Killcam activates. Impact-Dual-casted Fireballs will keep foes at bay while melting faces, turning offense into defense. Runes can cover greater areas and have great sniping potential, and add a tactical option to be placed before battle.
Flame Atronachs can dish out good damage on their own, and even go out with a bang. Flaming Familiars make cheap, effective homing missiles. Ash Guardians summoned with Heart stones make great tanks and have an explosion attack when enemies approach melee, and those summoned without Heart stones serve as on-demand Greater Souls. I roleplayed Command Daedra as an extension of the Flintfang’s oratory skills, enabling him to persuade a Daedra to his side, but the exorbitant Magicka cost means that it isn’t used often.
Spider scrolls are very interesting critters who add flavor to the Flintfang’s arsenal. Exploding Flame/Frost/Shock spiders all serve as colorful traps which can be stacked atop runes. Although I did not use Jumping Spiders much, they are just as fun as their dead counterparts, possibly even more so. Oil Spiders are incredibly fun to use and just as effective, you’ve gotta try this one yourself. The only limiting factor is that the spider pods are elusive, and once supplies run out, only 1 respawning sample exists. While I would usually shy away from cloning glitches, this is probably the only time I suggest it. Prowler’s Profit keeps the Flawless gems coming.
Combat itself is simple: blasting foes left and right, dropping Atronachs to slow enemy advance, occasionally becoming consumed by passion and turning feral. Simple stuff, really. Just remember, the most important part of combat is having fun, creating explosions and admiring the things you’ve blown up. Combat should never be treated seriously, but more like a painting, expressive and unbound, except that paint is replaced by Fireballs and the canvas is your opposition. In the end, what is Art if it isn’t enjoyed?
Special Moves
Crimson Lotus Cataclysm: Fire Breath (3 words, Dragonborn Flame, The Fire Within) + Fire Storm + Sun Flare
As the Firefang radiates explosions from his body, a beautiful flower blooms. Fire Breath staggers enemies for a bit so that Fire Storm can be casted with less interruption. The beauty is that all of the components are affected by Augmented Flames, making them stronger that they already are, ending up at over 500 damage. A North Wind can be added to the end to simulate an implosion after the explosion, but the self-damage is a bit of a turn-off for me.
Firework Succubus: Fire Rune + Flame Exploding Spider + Frost Exploding Spider + Shock Exploding Spider + Flame Atronach
The Daedra entices brutes into their untimely, though undeniably colorful, ends. An expensive, yet fun trap usually reserved for stronger bosses in closed areas.
Saint Zen’s Comet: Slow Time + Secret of Arcana + Dual-Cast Fireballs
Borrowing strength from an ancient ancestor, let hell loose upon your enemies with a strong, fast volley of Fireballs. Slow Time maximizes efficiency in charging and releasing Fireballs, while Secret of Arcana makes sure you needn’t use a single point of Magicka to do so.
And then there are two special special moves which depend on the Werewolf-Chat glitch. As an extension, the Secret Servant is used to summon and on-demand follower to initiate conversation, meaning that even Lone wolves (pun unfortunately intended) like the Flintfang can use the glitch without the hassle of having a full-time follower. However, a while ago, I managed to find something more amusing: staff-wielding Werewolves. Yes, that is right, it is possible to equip and use staves in Wolf form, and with great effectiveness. I introduce to you…
The Werewizard Glitch Extension
How to Morph:
- Use Secret Servant power to summon Daedric Butler
- Start conversation with Butler an activate Beast Form/Ring of Hircine simultaneously
- Wait for animation to end, then exchange items with Butler
- Use follower inventory GUI to equip your gear and staff in the right (main) hand
- Exit conversation and Go Wild!
Before I introduce the two forms of the Flintfang, let’s go over the pros and cons of this form:
Pros
- Staff activates whenever a claw-attack is used (Only activates if your crosshair is on an enemy or corpse, but that’s pretty much the whole point).
- No staff charging delay, spell is immediately cast upon clawing. This also means that the three-swipe power attack activates the staff at every. Single. Hit.
- No charges are consumed from staff if used in Werewolf form. Meaning that the rampage never has to stop.
- Werewolf power attacks work as usual, with their regular ragdolling and such. Wizardwolves can’t be staggered either.
- As with the usual follower-chat glitch, gear can be worn for the enchantment bonuses and armor.
Cons
- No real ranged combat. The staff only activates when the crosshairs recognize the target as a corpse/enemy, which is just a bit over melee range.
- No physical damage, since the only damage coming from the Werewizard will be the spell effects, and Claw damage will be set to the damage of the staff held, which is usually zero. Basically, fighting a Steam Centurion as a Frost-staff Werewizard is futile (unless you can knock it off a cliff)
- Much more tedious than a regular Werewolf transformation. It can leave the character more vulnerable during the transformation, and even slight timing mistakes can spell disaster (do quicksave before transforming)
- Too overpowered.
Having gone over that, it’s time for the morphs themselves.
Fiery Flint Fang: Werewizard Morph with Eye of Melka
As Artistic passion and Daedric magic surge into the Flintfang , his body undergoes a metamorphosis. His size doubles, his skin chars, his breath becomes saturated with volatile gases and his fingers turn to claws of flint, setting the gases alight when they click. Destruction incarnate stands where an aristocrat mage stood moments ago.
The main form the Flintfang would use. Words cannot describe the satisfaction of landing a pounce-power attack on enemies in this form. Do not hesitate to use Ragdoll attacks and wolf howls (just not Totem of Brotherhood, you’ll most likely kill your own summons). Gouge down on tasty charred foes when health requires attention.
Crazed Catalytic Claw : Werewizard Morph with Wabbajack, equip Rocskull Resistor, Gouger’s Grip and Hungering Hoops.
With assistance frome the Daedric Prince of Madness (and cheese), the Flintfang augments his metamorphosis. He fills in the final gap which makes his Art truly complete: A burst of Colors, an explosion of Flavors, and most importantly, a generous dash of Madness.
The second and stronger version of the Werewizard. There are several properties of the Wabbajack which make it better than an average staff: its elemental explosions bypass resistances, it actually has base damage of 27(so enemies swiped will take more damage on top of the spell effect), its elemental blasts bypass immunity and are unaffected by difficulty and it adds a ton of fun to the daily mundaneness of Skyrim. Its weaknesses are covered by the Werewizard form too: the low charge capacity means nothing in wolf form, the staff charging time is the same as a claw swipe and the wolf’s speed lets it dodge most counterattacks from a transformed Dremora Lord. In all, it’s almost as if the Werewizard form and Wabbajack were made for each other.
In all, the build was a blast to play, pun probably intended. The basis of the build was Solf J. Kimblee from Fullmetal Alchemist, with influence from Deidara from Naruto (for his exploding summons) and Jackal from Fairy Tail (for his explosive lycanthropic form). This was the first Mage build I played to the end of the game, and the first Enchanter I have used (I usually favor alchemy). There are few substitutes to unadulterated destruction magic and Lycanthropy action in Skyrim, and this build full well sates the hunger for exactly that. I hope you guys have wild fun with this build, thanks for stopping by! :D
