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Event Build: Rito’Rishaj’iit

Tags: #Vargr Build  #Character Build Monk  #Character Build Illusionist  #Character Build Unarmed  #Race:Khajiit  #Rank:Event Bloodworks  #Event:Against Type 
  • November 28, 2016

    This build is heavily inspired by the Blue Mage job class found in the final fantasy game series, the gist of the class is that it can learn and copy the unique powers of enemies; each iteration of this class has had a different way of accomplishing this, some need to be targeted by the ability, some just need to witness the ability, and some actually eat the enemy to gain it’s ability. I felt the best race to portray such an eclectic magic style would be a wizard-monk from the province of Elsweyr. So, for the Against Type Event I present to you the Blue Mage, I mean the Wizard-Monk from Elsweyr, I mean the Rito’rishaj’iit.

    The Rito’rishaj’iit, also known as Bite-Wizards or Blue Mages, is a reclusive group of Khajiiti monks who practice a unique form of martial art “rito’rishaj”. They are located in northern Elsweyr hidden among the dunes. In fact the few scholars who even know of this eccentric group’s existence maintain that they have no monastery and instead perpetually wander the desert. Even this is only partially correct, the Rito’rishaj’iit wander all of Tamriel in their endless quest to obtain “vadaj’i” or mastery of their art. This is due to the unique skills and abilities that they practice and how they go about learning them. You see Rito’Risha’jiit loosely translates to “the wizards who eat” and refers to their method of learning the special skills and abilities of another creature via ingesting a portion of them. In reality the eating is just part of the process, which also requires intense physical training, meditation, and observation. The term “Bite-Wizard” as you may have guessed is directly referencing this practice. The wizard-monks of the order are known to dress in various shades of blue with weighted gauntlets and boots, this practice is where the term “Blue Mage” comes from. However both epithets are misleading since the powers the monks exhibit are only partially arcane, the rest being their raw physical might, and indomitable will.

    Race: Khajiit, chosen largely for their claws which make unarmed combat truly effective and particularly devastating during the early game.

    Stone: (Mage/Atronach/Serpent) Start off by taking the Mage Stone to help get the magic skills up and going. Eventually we will switch to the Atronach Stone while loading the Aetherial Crown with the Serpent Stone.

    Skills: Heavy Armor, Enchanting, Destruction, Illusion, Restoration

    Stat Placement: (M:1 H:2 S:2)  Until you have 150 Magicka this should be enough Magicka to facilitate all of the special moves listed below so after this point I would recommend an even split between Health and Stamina.

    Weapons: Claws and Rito’rishaj (see below)

    Apparel: Heavy Armor Gauntlets and Boots worn with blue clothes, you are a blue mage after all. I eventually settled on Stalhrim Gauntlets and Boots with the Apprentice Robes of Illusion.

    Gear: Aetherial Crown, Ring of Namira, Amulet of Talos

    Shouts: Fire Breath, Frost Breath, Animal Allegiance, Dismay, Dragon Aspect

    Powers: Agent of Dibella and Lover’s Insight, both taken in order to get the most out of unarmed damage. For this reason the most economical gender to choose would be female. Seeker of Might switched with Seeker of Sorcery and Ahzidal’s Genius for specific circumstances. Also see list of special moves for additional powers that were used.

    Heavy Armor: The monk wears weighted bracers and boots that both physically train and strengthen his limbs while at the same time providing a layer of protection from incoming attacks. The most important perk here is obviously Fists of Steel which will add 10-18 extra damage to our unarmed attacks, further perks in Juggernaut would not go amiss since we will always be wearing at least some heavy armor.

    Perks: Juggernaut 1/5, Fists of Steel

    Enchanting: This skill is taken purely to maximize our potential unarmed damage. Only the Enchanter perks are taken since the Fortify Unarmed enchantment is not governed by any other perk. Training goes a long way to alleviating the grind of this skill. Enchanting looted jewelry and then selling it for training money was my preferred method and got me to respectable levels very quickly.

    Perks: Enchanter 5/5

    Destruction: The mystical abilities of the monk allow him to tap into and replicate the natural abilities of other species, notably this sometimes results in elemental auras that augment his physical prowess. The Destruction skill will allow us to make the most of our acquired abilities, specifically the cost reduction perks will allow us to cast these rather expensive spells without making a large investment in our magicka stat.

    Perks: Novice-Adept

    Illusion: The uncanny abilities of the monk can leave opponents off balance, confused, or outright terrified depending on the species of creature he chooses to channel. The focus here is on Calm and Fear effects to emulate the natural abilities of some other races that the monk will eventually appropriate.

    Perks: Novice-Expert, Hypnotic Gaze, Aspect of Terror, Animage, Kindred Mage

    Restoration: The unique mystical nature of the monk combined with his martial discipline has gifted him with a physical robustness that mimics some of the hardiest creatures of Skyrim. Taken to simulate some of the restorative abilities that the monk will acquire, the perk Respite is probably the most valuable perk taken making all of the restorative abilities of the monk pull double duty.

    Perks: Novice-Expert, Respite, Regeneration

    The wandering nature of these monks is necessary in order to learn the special moves and techniques of the order. Eating of the fallen enemy is only part of the process; otherwise a practitioner could simply have the requisite parts delivered to his home for consumption. In addition to eating the foe the monk must also witness the desired skill in use that he may focus upon it during his meditations.  Some skills will be learned as almost second nature while others may never be unraveled despite years of meditation.  Through rigorous training and practice some of these skills can even be improved upon. In the end it is primarily a matter of discipline and willpower that mark out the “vadajiit” or masters of this martial art. Below are the skills and abilities that our Blue Mage will try to master during his journey.

    Ako Shaseve (Inner Flames): All warriors are possessed of an inner fire, an aggression of will that pushes them toward conflict while others would back away. A basic skill of the wizard-monks is to turn this inner flame of will into an outer flame of destruction. All monks know the Flames Spell as a basic technique. This inner flame of will is also the warrior’s pure unflagging spirit that pushes him to stand and fight no matter his wounds. All monks know the Healing Spell as a basic technique. These two spells are of spiritual significance as well as they represent the two moons what the Khajiit call ja-Kha’jay or the Lunar Lattice.

    Ayzra Ranj’ith (Falling Leaves): The wizard-monks of the Rito’rishaj’iit are masters of their physical form, not only are they able to land catastrophic blows with their bare hands they are able to step so lightly that they leave no foot prints, even in the soft sands of the desert or the piled snow of the tundra. This ability makes them particularly difficult to track and almost impossible to notice when one is approaching. At your earliest opportunity you should learn the Muffle Spell which represents the innate light-footedness of these wizard-monks.

    Va’liski di’Gurosh (Spider’s Spit): Many creature of Nirn utilize venom to incapacitate and dispatch their prey. Some have even turned this natural weapon into a ranged attack. The monk has learned how to perform the same feat through the mystic teachings of Rito’rishaj. In order to learn this skill the monk will have to be hit by one of these attacks as well as ingest either a spider egg or chaurus egg. Once completed you may take the Serpent Stone blessing, eventually loading it on the Aetherial Crown to represent true mastery of this skill.

    Zara Katataj (Biting Wind): There are creatures found in the northern reaches who have adopted the temperament of a winter storm, a truly notable and useful skill for the monk. In order to learn this skill the monk must defeat an ice wraith in melee combat and consume its teeth. Once completed you may learn the Frost Cloak spell, though it may take some meditation and study before you can utilize this skill.

    Zara Eks’domjha (Healing Wind): The nature spirits known as spriggan’s are powerful and resilient opponents. Part of their resilience comes from their ability to restore any damage they have suffered almost instantly. The monk must witness a spriggan heal itself and consume a single taproot in order to learn this skill. Once completed the Rito’rishaj’iit may learn the Fast Healing spell and eventually the Close Wounds spell representing a growing proficiency with this technique. The penultimate version of this is the Waters of Life greater power which will require extensive meditation and rest before the skill can be used again (needs to be reacquired from the All-Maker Stone).

    Zara di’Ako (Fire Breath): The dragons have returned and with them the opportunity to learn new and powerful techniques, especially that of their awe inspiring breath. The monk must suffer the flames to truly understand how to appropriate this ability, along with absorbing the requisite power from a defeated dragon. This should happen as a matter of course while playing, so once you know the word and have an available Dragon Soul you can go ahead and learn this shout.

    Zara di’Kria (Frost Breath):   The dragons have returned and with them the opportunity to learn new and powerful techniques, especially that of their awe inspiring breath. The monk must suffer the pain of frostbite to truly understand how to appropriate this ability, along with absorbing the requisite power from a defeated dragon. This should happen as a matter of course while playing, so once you know the word and have an available Dragon Soul you can go ahead and learn this shout.

    Ujith di’Kodesha (Embrace of Shadows): The vampires of Skyrim have the uncanny ability to fade from sight whenever their life is in danger. The monks of rito’rishaj are already skilled at controlling the sound of their own footsteps that they may pass unnoticed, add to that invisibility and no enemy or pursuer will ever find them. The monk must observe this technique being performed by a vampire and must hunt down said vampire and consume a sample of their bloodless corpse (vampire dust). Once this is done the monk may learn the invisibility spell though it may take some meditation and further training before they are able to perform the feat.

    Zara di’Anziit (Breath of the Ancients): The ancient dwarves built incredible and dangerous machines, machines capable of amazing feats of pseudo-magic that no monk worth his sugar would ignore. The monk must first study the inscriptions found in Fahlbtharz and then witness this attack first hand before he can utilize it himself. Exploring and clearing the ruins of Fahlbtharz should satisfy this requirement and award you with the unique helmet Visage of Mzund which grants the Breath of Nchuak lesser power when worn. However, there is a glitch that will allow you to use this power without wearing the helmet and obscuring our handsome Khajiit features. (See below.)

    Ali Kha’jay (Highborn): Altmer enjoy an innate connection to Aetherius that fuels their magic, making them the most capable and powerful wizards. The monk will be able to appropriate this unique connection. In order to obtain this ability the monk will have to defeat and subsequently eat a finger of an Altmer mage. Once this has been done you may begin to craft Elsweyr Fondue which will replicate this ability. After much practice the monk will eventually be able to externalize this restorative ability by casting the Circle of Protection spell, combined with the Atronach Stone this spell will rapidly restore the monk’s magicka.

    Hist Jijri (Histskin): The Hist are an ancient race of trees that the Argonian people share a deep kinship with both physically and spiritually. The monk through the mystic teachings of Rito’rishaj is able to tap into the bond that they share and syphon a portion of its benefits. In order to accomplish this, the monk must consume some Argonian blood, or sugar as they prefer to call it, once this has been done you may begin to craft Horker Stew which will replicate the Histskin ability in a small way.

    Ete Naraj (Command Animal): The Wood Elves have always possessed an intimate connection with the animals of the wild, even to the point of calling on them in times of need. The monk is able to acquire this ability by consuming the flesh of a Bosmer and the might essence of the king beast, the dragon. Once you defeat and eat a Bosmer you may learn the Animal Allegiance Shout and you may obtain the Voice of the Sky passive ability.

    Alkosh Jijri (Dragonskin): The Manmer or Bretons all have a natural aptitude for magic, particularly they possess a preternatural ability to weaken or even negate magical attacks.   This is a powerful ability and the monk cannot learn it from consuming just any Breton, only a powerful mage will have the blue blood necessary to acquire this ability. Defeating Malkoran in Meridia’s Temple will enable the monk to learn this technique. Once defeated you may take the Atronach Stone power. The monk has improved upon this ability and through syphoning off a small portion of his mystic ability he is able to maintain this aura indefinitely.

    Kujith di’Anziit (Ancestor’s Wrath): The Dunmer have lived for generations in the shadow of Red Mountain. This has bred in them a natural affinity for fire, and all Dunmer possess the ability to wreathe themselves in protective flames, a gift from their ancestors. The monk will be able to learn this ability by consuming the red eye of a Dunmer, left ones are preferred. Once you’ve defeated a Dunmer you may learn the Flame Cloak spell.

    Ros di’Rid-t’har (Voice of the Emperor): Imperials possess a silver tongue and quick wit that can see them through the most heinous of circumstances unscathed. The Rito’rishaj’iit can learn this ability to calm the most tempestuous berserker by eating the tongue, what else, of an Imperial. However not any imperial will do, in order to bend one’s thoughts around the Imperial mind you will need the tongue of a particularly deceptive individual. This particular skill will take time and meditation to truly master. You may learn the Calm spell after defeating and eating Calixto Corrium, eventually upgrading to the Pacify spell as it becomes available.

    Ra’rak Ibo (Battle Cry): If the Nords of Skyrim know one thing it is how to fight. This reputation for brutal savagery and ruthless cunning precedes them making it possible to cow and dispel many opponents with a simple shout of murderous intent. Defeating a Nord in battle and consuming his wild heart will instill the Rito’rishaj’iit with the means to appropriate this fear causing ability. You can learn the Fear spell after defeating a Nord bandit chief and consuming his heart, eventually upgrade to the Rout spell when it becomes available.

    Ra’kujo (Berserker Rage): The stubbornness and resilience of Orcs is legendary, they are known for their ability to shrug off the most grievous of wounds and continue fighting with fervor. This Berserk disregard for injury is a skill any warrior would covet, but few are gifted like the Rito’rishaj’iit who is able to steal this rage for himself. This skill can only be learned from the mightiest of orcs, the monk will have to slay an Orc Chieftain and consume his raging heart in order to appropriate this ability. After defeating Yamarz you may acquire the Secret of Protection power and the Bones of the Earth power which both simulate the orcs disregard for physical damage.

    Fifeh’raina (Adrenaline Rush): The Redguard are fierce warriors capable of unparalleled feats of martial prowess. All Redguard warriors are capable of a sudden burst of adrenaline, fueling their limbs to perform beyond their normal limitations, this unique way of controlling ones physical form is very appealing to the wizard-monk, who prides himself on his own physical discipline. Defeating an Alik’r warrior will allow the monk to learn this skill. You may learn the Bardic Knowledge power after you have defeated an Alik’r warrior.

    The wizard-monks of the Rito’rishaj’iit are capable of many fantastic feats. However the practice of this martial art is often shunned and looked down upon by civilization, if not outright persecuted. The reason for this is the cannibalistic aspect of how they attain many of their abilities. Eating the eggs of a spider or the fat of a troll is one thing. Most draw the line at biting the fingers off an Altmer or eating the left eye of a Dark Elf. However, part of the practice of Rito’rishaj requires that the monk ingest a part of the subject, making them a part of his own body, and in this way linking him to the special abilities of that race or creature. This is a practice that was probably adopted in ages past from the Khajiit’s cannibalistic neighbors the Bosmer whose Meat Mandate must have influenced the reclusive order of monks who uncovered its potential and formed the Rito’rishaj’iit. It is this aspect of their discipline that make them hermetic individuals who keep their distance from more civilized lands and who never linger long in one place.

    Through the use of Namira’s Ring we are able to simulate this practice that holds both spiritual and practical importance. For this reason I suggest heading to Markarth and obtaining this ring a soon as possible, it’s passive boost to stamina and active boost to health and health regeneration are central to the fighting style of the Rito’rishaj’iit. Feeding upon the fallen will bestow the monk with the vigor and regenerative capabilities of a troll. In the later levels we will switch out this ring for a self-enchanted ring that boosts our unarmed attack, and through the use of a glitch retain the cannibalistic aspect of the ring.

    Probably the most satisfying and compelling aspect of this character is the huge amount of special skills that add an almost endless variety to the gameplay. Each situation can be approached differently depending on what skills you have thus far acquired or simply your current mood. For planned assaults, like when you attack a bandit camp, I chose to approach under a Muffle spell this would allow me to sprint past any sentries and often allowed me to get within melee range of an archer or mage before the alarm had been raised. After the initial assault, which usually resulted in two or three deaths, I would improvise based on what skills I had available. Spider’s spit was probably the most useful, allowing me to remove a combatant and prevent myself from being overrun. I suggest high level mages for the spit, they can deal a ton of damage very quickly from range and have less health than other combatants, using the spit on them will remove your enemies largest gun and may even kill it while you battle elsewhere.

    Once the melee is in full swing Biting Wind will be a game changer, the damage it adds is minor but certainly useful, especially if there are any paralyzed enemies nearby, however the stamina damage is where it’s at. An active Frost Cloak means that once the enemies’ stamina is gone, it’s gone for good, severely limiting their damage potential. This is particularly useful in the later levels buying us much needed seconds to land a few more attacks and tip the scale of attrition in our favor. If you aren’t facing any melee focused enemies, like a coven of Hags, then switch out Biting Wind for Ancestor’s Wrath which will do more direct damage and has the added benefit of dealing more damage to many of the undead that often accompany witches and warlocks.

    Remember that the Rito’rishaj’iit has many tricks up his sleeve and is able to handle just about any situation with his physical prowess and clever mind. If you ever find yourself out numbered then rely on a Battle Cry or Voice of the Emperor to take the pressure off and allow you some free moments to recover your health and stamina with Healing Wind.   Voice of the Emperor can even be used at the onset of a battle letting you remove enemies one by one without needing to watch your back.

    The most challenging opponent for these wizard-monks is the mighty dragon. There is a distinct lack of long ranged attacks among the abilities granted by Rito’rishaj so damaging a Dragon on the wing can be a difficult task. You will need to make heavy use of your breath attacks often attacking the dragon at the same time it is attacking you. Dragonskin and Berserker Rage will help mitigate damage during these encounters. When the dragon finally lands, activate Adrenaline Rush and the appropriate cloak then attack with a flurry of power attacks. Keep to the dragon’s flanks avoiding the dangerous head and bite attacks. Eventually the beast will be fall to your attack of a thousand scratches.

    Below are some of the advanced skills utilized by masters of Rito’rishaj. They all combine several of the above skills creating powerful and dynamic attacks or styles of play that differ from standard unarmed combat and add even more versatility to this character.

    Qara Zalva’ith (Stalking Tiger): The Rito’rishaj’iit are skilled in stealth, however they attain their aptitude through unconventional means. Through mystic teachings they are able to vanish completely from sight even under the noon-day sun; furthermore their movements are utterly silent. Combining the spells Muffle and Invisibility allows the Rito’rishaj’iit to be masters of stealth without placing a single perk or even leveling the Sneak skill. (Requires Falling Leaves and Embrace of Shadows)

    Sanvaga di’Zennji (Pattern of Jode): The wizard-monk channeling the red moon’s essence becomes a magical battery of destruction as he spews flames endlessly until all of his opponents are consumed in the inferno. Combining Circle of Protection with the Atronach Stone and eating an Elsweyr Fondue will give us unparalleled magicka regeneration allowing us to continuously cast the Flames Spell and maintain a Flame Cloak. (Requires Inner Flames, Fire Breath, Highborn, Dragonskin, and Ancestor’s Wrath)

    Sanvaga di’Zennrili (Pattern of Jone): The wizard-monk channels the white moon’s essence becoming an unmovable bastion capable of shrugging off even the most grievous of wounds. Stacking a Horker Stew with the regeneration boost gained through feeding on a corpse will greatly increase our health regeneration, combine that with the Secret of Protection power will create a warrior who is practically immune to all forms of attack. (Requires Ring of Namira, Histskin, and Berserker Rage)

    Ja-Kha’jay (Lunar Lattice): The Rito’rishaj’iit combines both the Pattern of Jode and the Pattern of Jone into one ultimate expression of his art and his being. The monk becomes practically immune to damage while he unleashes an endless torrent of consuming fire. Combining both of the above techniques as well as adding the Healing Wind skill creates an effective and flashy ultimate technique. (Requires Inner Flames, Fire Breath, Highborn, Dragonskin, Ancestor’s Wrath, Histskin, Berserker Rage, and Healing Wind)

    How to get the Breath of Nchuak power without wearing the Visage of Mzund:

    All credit must be given to Halifax and his/her fantastic Namira’s Basilisk build which is how I learned of this glitch. Follow the below steps and you will be able to use the Breath of Nchuak power without wearing the Visage of Mzund.

    1. Equip the Visage of Mzund and the Breath of Nchuak power.
    2. Mark them both (helmet and power) as favorites.
    3. Open your favorites menu and unequip them both.
    4. Now without closing the menu, re-equip the Breath of Nchuak power.

    If done correctly you will now be able to use the Breath of Nchuak power and don any head gear you like. Note that this little ritual will need to be performed every time you reload your game, and if you switch out this power with another power or shout. Not really necessary if you prefer playing in first person, but for third person junkies like I this was a very fun trick that helped greatly with immersion.

    How to get the Ring of Namira’s cannibal ability without wearing the ring:

    When you are ready to replace Namira’s Ring head to Falkreath and begin the Ill Met by Moonlight quest. While wearing the ring speak to Sinding in the Falkreath jail and accept the cursed ring from him. The Cursed Ring of Hircine will automatically equip itself, removing whatever ring you currently have equipped, however in this case you will still retain the ability to feed on corpses. You may now equip any ring you want, specifically a self-enchanted ring of fortify unarmed.

    Thank you everyone who took the time to read this build. As I already mentioned this build took much of its inspiration from the Blue Mage job class that appears in many Final Fantasy games. This is a class that I have always enjoyed in those games and have long wanted to create something similar in Skyrim but couldn’t get the feel for the character. Then Liss came up with the Against Type event idea and I started looking through some of my old build ideas to see if I had something that fit the bill, I came across the Blue mage and after dropping Alchemy and One-Handed the Rito’rishaj’iit was born. It’s amazing how simplifying a build can make it exponentially more fun and interesting to play. Again thank you all for reading please leave a like and a comment, and please check out the other Against Type builds, they are all awesome.

    -Vargr

  • November 28, 2016

    YAY! This is a great-looking and well thought out build, Vargr. I am digging the gameplay and the ideas of creating a justification for the racial powers and when you can obtain them. You have been doing this lately for builds and I like it a lot. Gives a reason to do things. 

    Well done. :D

  • Member
    November 28, 2016

    Tiger monks trained in the ancient arts of Whoooooop-Arse! Liiike! :D

  • Member
    November 28, 2016

    meow that is a huge and wonderful build. I love the attention to detail and full scale play through presentation, showing acquisition of each power. Man, what a huge task to pull this off. Good job. 

  • Member
    November 29, 2016

    Well you certainly didnt Bite off more than you could chew, but you sank your teeth into this one, right puns over, seriously this is wonderful, I just love the concept, the attention to detail, the presentation is to my mind faultless, I also love the way the skill aquisition has been detailed, very well done +1

  • November 29, 2016

    Unarmed monk-mage? Khajiit? Hell yes! What a piece of art you did here, Vargr. I'm absolutely amazed by this. You should keep 'em coming! :)

  • Member
    November 29, 2016

    Very nicely done Vargr.  The art work is excellent as well...self created?  Man I wish I had that ability.  +1 to the build with a Like.

  • Member
    November 29, 2016
    I just had the sudden urge to play Final Fantasy X...how strange
  • Member
    November 30, 2016

    Already said how much I liked this in the Workshop, but I might as well say it again. This build is awesome mate, I really dig alternative takes on the mage class, and this fits the bill perfectly.

  • December 20, 2016

    Very nice build Vargr, I never really thought it to be possible to recreate the powers from other races. Also I believe you can increase the power of Histskin by using multiple food items. I shall get back to you on that in a few hours time.