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Character Build: The Ice Princess

Tags: #Character Build Archer  #Character Build Sorcerer  #Character Build Alchemist  #Race:Imperial  #Rank:Recognized  #Dragonborn1721 
  • May 14, 2016

    Level: 45

    Difficulty Tested: Expert

    Grinding Needed: Medium-High

    Focus: Roleplay

    It's cold...my hands, are...my hands are turning blue. I...I cannot feel my hands anymore, they're there, I just...cannot feel them. I, why am I out here, in the cold, the ice, out in the open like this. Why is there no, no fire to warm me...why am I so cold. Ah, that's right, I remember now. I was, I was out trying to, get home but then those, those bandits attacked me. Their blades cut through my skin, their hammers broke bones and I bled so, so much. For hours I bled out after they left, I lay there, broken and in pain. Nobody came for me, I yelled and shouted and screamed until my voice went hoarse, and nobody came. How am I still alive...How come I wasn't frozen alive, or killed by rabid animals or any number of things that can happen here. I'm alive, but why....Why am I alive.

    There's only one answer...I must be alive to make sure this never happens again. To become strong, strong enough to protect myself from now on. I vow on this day, that I shall never fall pray to those who would try and hurt me, instead it is them that shall suffer as I have...With Ice and Blood. 

    Race: Imperial

    Stone: Steed Stone

    Major Skills: Alchemy, Destruction and Enchanting

    Minor Skills: Archery, Alteration and Heavy Armour

    Stats: 2 Magicka, 2 Health, 1 Stamina (M, H, M, H, S)

    Shouts: Slow Time and Become Ethereal

    "Alchemy was a simple enough skill to master...It didn't require me to fight anything, only to create powerful tonics and potions. Of course, it helped that I was apparently naturally talented at creating potions, and the more you make the easier it is to make more, how? well you get rich, that's how"

    "Alteration wasn't something I used too much...Honestly I dabbled in the magic earlier on to protect myself, but I never took off with it too far.  However it's undeniably effective at boosting a few abilities I have..."

    "Archery was another early skill I learnt. But it was far more useful in the long run than Alteration. The ability to fire pinpoint arrows at a long distance made it nearly  impossible for anyone to hurt me easily. Not to mention the fact that it provided an extra source of income with hunting."

    "Destruction is a rather simple type of magic to use...It requires pure power but that's about it, there's no finesse with what I do, just explosive, raw power. Nothing can survive some of the Storms that I can create with Ice Magic"

    "Enchanting is just about the final skill I developed to become more powerful. It's a very, very powerful skill to learn, but equally destructive. The amount of failed enchantments I had when I first started is almost legendary around here, but then again so are my current Weapons.

    "My ability to wear Heavy Armour is just something I've picked up along the way. It always made me feel safer to have massive sheets of metal protecting me.It...it made it easier for me to become strong, feeling safe like that.

    "I have found this rare material on the island of Solthseim called Stalhrim. It appears to be an ice-like material that enhances the powers of any Frost based Enchantments that are bound to it. Not only is it an incredibly useful Enchanting tool, but it's also one of the hardest armors I've ever encountered. While I can't make it myself, both Glover Mallory and Baldor Iron-Shaper are willing to sell me various pieces...The hardest bit is always getting arrows for myself but I've made due. Before finding this rare material, I simply wore the hardest Steel Plate Armour I could find."

    Helm: Stalhrim Helmet  - Enchanted with Fortify Archery and Fortify Destruction 

    Body: Stalhrim Armour - Enchanted with Fortify Destruction and Fortify Magicka Regen

    Boots: Stalhrim Boots - Enchanted with Resist Frost and Fortify Stamina

    Gauntlets: Stalhrim Gauntlets - Enchanted with Fortify Archery and Fortify Magicka

    Necklace: Gold Necklace - Enchanted with Fortify Archery and Fortify Magicka

    Weapons: Stalhrim Bow - Enchanted with Frost Damage and Stamina Damage

    Storm Tonic: (Glowing Mushroom + Nightshade = Fortify Destruction 75%)

    Restorative Potion: (Blue Mountain Flower + Wheat = Fortify Health 60 and Restore 94 Health)

    Archer's Eye (Canis Root + Juniper Berries = Fortify Marksman 60%)

    Alteration Booster: (Grass Pod + River Betty/Spriggan Sap = Fortify Alteration 60%)

    Note: any maths is based on the base damage of Adept difficulty. I haven't manually changed it myself, but just halve it..

    "I always break Combat into different types depending on what spell or weapon I'm using...I never tend to swap around during  battle, but prepare myself beforehand, and then jump into the fray like that for the entire battle. It means I'm never caught off guard trying to prepare a spell or draw my bow. Each form is augmented by powerful abilities that I've created over the last 10 years, and have strengths and weaknesses."

    Winter Storm:

    "The Winter Storm is my most powerful form of combat, it combines the use of the Ice Storm spell with Slow Time and Secret of Arcana, to devastate any enemies that try and fight me. Slow Time, is an incredibly powerful Shout, that enables me to slow time to a near standstill which makes it much easier to trap enemies in Ice Storm for longer. By boosting it with a Fortify Alteration Potion I can even increase the duration of the time slow while Secret of Arcana allows me to cast spells without any cost for 60 seconds. It is most useful against Mages and Archers who hand back further away, but is just as powerful against mid-ranged Warriors."

    Requirements: Storm Tonic + Alteration Booster + Secret of Arcana + Slow Time + Ice Storm

    Author's Note: Ice Storm does 231 damage when boosted by  Augmented Frost 2/2, Dual Casting, and the Fortify Destruction Potion. In addition Slow Time lasts 38 seconds when boosted by Stability and the Fortify Alteration Potion.

    Winter's Wrath: 

    "The Winter's Wrath is my most easy form, requiring only a bow and Frost Cloak to be used. However, it's also my most damaging one under the right circumstances. First, I cast my Frost Cloak spell before charging into battle, and then I simply continuously shoot arrows at any enemy that gets in too close. Again this works best against Archers, but is equally effective against close range Warriors."

    Requirements: Storm Tonic + Archer's Eye + Dual Cast Frost Cloak + Stalhrim Bow

    Author's Note: Frost Cloak should be doing 21 damage per second and has an extend range thanks to the Dual Casting perk. 

    Forest of Runes:

    "This is my melee form...With it I can devastate just about any opponent rather easily in close combat range. It's all because of the Frost Rune spell, which is designed to explode whenever an enemy approaches it, but by throwing them straight at an enemy, they'll explode nearly straight away, and what's more they'll occasionally explode multiple times instead of just once. And when combined with Secret of Arcana, I can cast them pretty much continuously causing explosion after explosion at no cost to myself."

    Requirements: Storm Tonic + Secret of Arcana + Dual Cast Frost Runes 

    Note: Frost Runes (according to Albino) are improved by the Destruction potion and Dual Casting. So they should be doing 192 damage 

    In My Time of Need (Saadia): "I was approached in Whiterun by two Alik'r warriors, I know little of their culture, or of their beliefs and customs but I do know that the woman that they were asking me to hand over was innocent. She was scared, of death and of pain...Like I was. And so I did anything I could to help her, I killed those pursuing her and destroyed any evidence that she was in Whiterun."

    The Man Who Cried Wolf and Wolf Queen Awakened: "The old Queen Potema was threatening Solitude, even if I don't travel there often, it was crucial to destroy any remains of the mad queen before she rose and destroyed all of Skyrim. In return I got another trophy to add to my home"

    Become Thane of Falkreath: "In my travels I received a note from the Jarl asking me for assistance with a job. I helped him out and return he later on named me Thane of his hold. Part of it was just helped out an asshole of a Jarl, but the help it provided, and my very own Lakeside Manor were definitely huge bonuses. Helping the people was of course my number one priority...not that very nice house, definitely not."

    Main Quest: "I am apparently...Dragonborn? Well that only adds to my power so why not. I defeated Alduin and all of his allies, and along the way, I managed to become more and more powerful by unlocking powerful Shouts."

    Dragonborn Questline: "This asshole attacked me. Sending his stupid cultists after me in an attempt to kill me just because I'm another Dragonborn...Then, he brings me into this creepy tentacle realm and tries to kill me there...Asshole obviously needs to die."

    Dawnguard Questline: "Vampires are attacking and killing innocent people...What more can I really say other then the fact that they need to die"

    As I mentioned earlier, the Roleplaying aspect of this build was definitely the most important to me, I haven't played through a character with some hardcore (ish) RP in quite a while and it was insanely fun to give it another try. As I tend to do, I find it easier to simply list the rules that I followed in my playthrough, so here they are.

    1. While saving people is important, her main goal will always be power. She won't purposefully seek power at the cost of others, but if given the choice she will leave someone to die or kill them if it means gaining more power.
    2. When possible, she does anything to help other women. Beat the shit out of that annoying bard for them, kill a couple bandits, whatever. Because of the incident starting her path for power, the Ice Princess refuses to not help another woman. 
    3. She never uses Fire or Shock spells, relying purely on Frost Magic.
    4. Every (in-game) week, she journeys upto the Wayward Pass and prays at the Shrine of Arkay, praying to save the keep people in the life cycle. She will also leave a single sprig of Nightshade and a Blue Mountain Flower at the shrine. 

    A little surprise for you all before the Contest. I've  been playing this one on and off for quite a while and just finished it about a month ago. I know the Gameplay might not be the most unique, it does seem pretty standard for any Frost/Ice based build, but it is definitely an incredibly fun build. Frost and Archery just go so well together, it's really quite awesome.

    Thanks for reading guys, please do leave a like but more importantly a comment (I like getting feedback) and if you want give it a whirl. I do have a number of other builds available, including a fun Shock based build that's fairly similar to this one in some ways, check it out Here, and all my other builds using the Dragonborn1721 Tag.

  • Member
    May 14, 2016

    COOL build, Dragonborn.

    I think the in-character description of most things is really nICE

    I think that it is CHILL that you have brought out a build before the contest, nICE little surprise

    SNOW sorry for all the puns +1

  • May 14, 2016

    This is why we have a banhammer...I need to create a petition banning you Morti 

    In all seriousness you have no idea how difficult it was not to make every second line a pun, truly it was a miracle that this build isn't just half pun, half build 

    I do tend to have more fun with a build when I write the in-character descriptions rather than just writing it down myself...It makes each of my builds feel more original and personal you know. Anyway, thanks for the comment and like Morti, I definitely appreciate it (especially the puns )

  • Member
    May 14, 2016

    I can see why that'd be more fun. Did you proof read to make sure there are no puns in the mix? 

    No problem, mate. 

  • Member
    May 14, 2016

    Maybe I should try writing my WiP from the pov of the character... I mean great build Dragonborn 

  • May 14, 2016

    No Puns? I'd bet money that a few slipped through, and if so then damn that'll be great  

    You should give it a shot Golden...It can be a little harder than just writing it in an informative way, but it does add more personality (IMO). 

  • May 14, 2016

    How would the survivability be if the crafting skills were dropped?  Just curious. I know one-shotting is probably impossible, but just general survivability, using potions you find and stuff like that. Cause they do sell enchanted Stahlrim gear too. 

  • May 14, 2016

    The survivability wouldn't be changed much, as long as you altered the Gameplay slightly. At the moment the build is about getting close and dealing massive, quick damage while enemies can't get to you, but without crafting it'd turn into more of a Sniper-Type character, using long-ranged runes to slow enemies slightly, Freeze and Ice Storm as the main spells to slow them down and then handing out longer shots with the bow...

    Basically all it would do is extend the range, and slow the DPS down. It's still manageable, but slightly harder.

  • Member
    May 14, 2016
    Not sure if intentional or not...but uh, you didn't mention any kinda ring. Regardless +1 from me, great build :)
  • May 14, 2016

    Yeah, I didn't see the point of including one...There aren't really any Enchantments that are crucial, and adding it felt like I was just adding it to round out the equipment section. If you want to add a ring, I'd add Azhidal's Ring of Arcana for the Freeze spell, or just go for Fortify Magicka and Archery for extra damage.

    Glad you enjoyed reading the build Capricorn, and thanks for the comment and like