Skyrim Character Building » Discussions


Event Build : The Watchman

Tags: #Character Build Warrior  #Character Build Rogue  #Character Build Hero  #Race:Imperial  #Crossworlds3 
  • Member
    December 31, 2017

    The Watchman

     

    They may be called the Palace Guard, the City Guard, or the Patrol. Whatever the name, their purpose in any work of heroic fantasy is identical: it is, round about Chapter Three (or ten minutes into the film) to rush into the room, attack the hero one at a time, and be slaughtered. No-one ever asks them if they wanted to.

    From a book maybe some of you read...

     

    The Character :

     

    He is the watchman, a grey temple, weary eyes, sore foot, local police officer with problems with alcool. He is not paid enough to get killed, too old for this sh*t, and unfortunnately NOT three days from retirement.

    On a bad day he is a mean drunk, and on a good day a awful cynic... but every day he's doing his job : upholding the Law & Justice, which unfortunnately is not exactly the kind of laws and the form of justice the mighty Lords and Ladies of Skyrim would like to see reign in their fair Land... 

    His only tools, a good knack for kicking butts where one least expect it, imaginative use of portable source of light and a total disregard for courtesy.

    His only allies, a ragtag bunch of individuals of various level of competence, morality and keenness to get things done.

    Likely chance of sucess... still processing.

     

    The Basics :

     

    Race : Imperial, male, mostly for RP reasons

    Stats repartition : 3/2/1

    Classic warrior repartition with a small focus on Stamina until 200 is reached, then all in health

     

    Skills : One Handed, Archery, Heavy Armor, Block, Sneak, Pickpocket, Speech

     

    One handed & Archery are the stable damage dealers, no fency fencing or marksmanship, just regular use and abuse of what works...

    Heavy armor is here to stay alive... and trow a punch once in a while for the fun or to "subdue" some ruffian

    Block is used in a less than usual way since our "shield" will more offen than not be a burning torch and will also serve as a weapon while the worst damage should be dodged with quick reflex.

    Sneak & Pickpocket are RP skills for the most part. Sneak is for approaching and stalking suspects, while Pickopcket is here to "retreave" or "provide" evidence.

    Speech is a all around facilitator with Investor as a requirement to get you spouse (Taarie).

     

    Equipement :

     

    Gameplay :

     

    A few words before starting... during the walkthrough in order to downgrade the epicness that the universe of Skyrim can often reach and build up the immersion a little bit more, I made a few adjustment to my setting :

    1°) Disable the Music, because even if the Elder Scrolls serie has some of the best score in video game you got to be honest and ask yourself the question : from where the f**ck does it comes ?

    2°) Max out the environment sounds, the birds, the wind, the owl of wolves, etc... all these things are as much a wounder for the ears than a actual information allowing to knwo where you are, what happen, what you should care about (i.e if you ear a wolf owl, draw your sword... that's basic but would you really thing about it over the enthralling music of the game ?)

    3°) Maybe the hardest thing to do, disable the HUD, which mean for me on X360 no quest arrow, no compas, but most of all NO health or stamina COUNTER. I made it at first to help me "forget" the development of most detective quest in the game and discovered that it also spike a bit the difficulty without having to turn to eleven the difficulty scale. It also hone the immersive advantage of the previous points, because when you are on the loosing side of a fight you know you are in danger not because you SEE how little health is left, but because you HEAR in your labored breath that things are not good, and for me it made a WORLD of difference...

     

    First let's not let indulge ourselves in the falshood that Skyrim is not a combat oriented RPG game... It seems to me that it is important to settle this part before talking about quest and all the rest...

    Pretending that the gameplay of the Watchman is specific to its build would be a broad exaggeration, if not a blunt lie.

    A simple footman in a grimly world, the tools in the bag of the Watchman don't include fancy spells or mighty artifacts, so he has to come by what is immediately available, which is the basic combat mechanics of Skyrim.

    80% of the actual gameplay is the repetitive application of Sword & Shield tactics : quick trhusts in your opponent wider targetable area, staggering bash to impede the adversary counter-attack, fall back to a secure postion or behind your compagnion when things goes south.

    Added to the mix are a few shots of crossbow in the back and one or two exploitation of your surrounding by the means of already placed traps, bottle necks or jumping from some heights to evade overwhelming opposition and you have the Watchman fighting style in a nutshell : simple but effective.

     

    This down to earth approach of combat should reflect the character approach to other situation outside of the heat of the battle. When confronted to a injustice, especially one that is cause by a selfish autority, the Watchman will solve the problem with the tools of the Law within the mechanics of Justice, which translate as a few set of rules :

    - Get the evidence first. Finding the truth in a investigation is like solving a puzzle, you need to gather all the pieces and see which bits fits together. The Watchman is a people person, albeit one that spy on conversation, stalk the moves of citizens and search through their belongings. He want to know what people can do, the good and the worst.

    - Avoid to get a bounty. It doesnt mean that he won't use some slight-of-hand or shaddy inspection, but rather that he will avoid to get caught... Also a good idea is to stash any ill aquired items, even the evidence. The treasure chest that litter around Skyrim are a perfect opportonity to hide your findings, especially the ones about high members of society.

    - Limiting the body count as much as possible. The Watchman is a dealer of Justice but not a executioner, his job is to find the through and it is up to the authority to deal with it. As much as he can he try to find non-violent solutions to the issues at end.

     

    Let's take as a example one of the basic quest everybody here has once in a while done : The Forsworn conspiracy.

    [SPOILER ALERT]

    When the Watchman enter for the first time in Markharth, intrigued by the rumors enshrouding the Silver Blood family he is confronted with a attempt murder on the market place. He is soon charged by a concerned local citizen to solve the mystery behind these recent waves of violence.

    We all know how the rest of the quest goes, and we also know it is one with a lot of scripted death. But do we all know that all the major NPC related to this quest have a document (usualy a journal or a note) that was placed by the developper in the NPC in case they died before delivering their line ? Now if you picpocket them, not only do you trigger the next step of the quest, but you also don't trigger the scripted death and combat !

    Also in order to get out of Cidhna Mine, murdering Madanach is a bit out of character. Only option left is to escape with the Forsworns. But you can also avoid the bloodshed outside with the Voice of Emperor and by waiting 24H everyone will go their separate way without having to needlessly killing each other !

    Final body count : 2

     

    Roleplay :

     

    4 E 201 – Loredas, the 16th of Last Seed :

    Its been some weeks now that the legion has made garrison in this slumped place that is Helgen. Things were doing fine before they came, but I have seen enough of them on the side lines of the Great War to know they are no goods news. The captain is a real bitch with, disregarding my rank of Watch captain as ifI smelled of poop. Her second in command, Hadvar is a good enough fellow through, but he is so doggedly obediant and unimaginative he can’t do shit to help any. I heard some ruckus at the tavern tonight, some posh officer supposed to arrive tommorrow with special « guest »… the executioner has been seen sharpening his axe lately.

    4 E 201 – Sundas, the 17th of Last Seed :

    It's a metaphor of human bloody existence, a dragon. And if that wasn't bad enough, it's also a bloody great hot flying thing, and of all the cities in all the world it could have flown into, he thought, it's flown into mine !

    4 E – Tirdas, the 18th of Last Seed :

    Been to Whiterun to warn the Jarl, Balgruuf heared my report and sent a few more guards to Riverwood, poor sods will likely be as useful as straw to extinguish a bonfire. Another great idea he had was to send a bloke dillydally in some old tomb to find some whatnot thing… good luck on that ! I’m going someplace else see if its less hotter than the hell they are going to.

    4E – Middas, the 19th of Last Seed :

    I’m at the bottom of my purse, the few coins saved from the recent disasters spent to refurbish myself with what would look like decent armor in a child’s play and cheap liquor. Still got my badge, couldn't find the will to pawn it. I’m sitting near the marketplace, waiting for the hangover of the nigth to subdue a little before going back to do what I know best : looking for trouble… and then finding who start it and gave him a good wallop !

      

    The Watchman path is to travel from town to town in a organic fashion, knowing the people that live there, settling some dispute, dooing some errand jobs, etc... Being a people person the Watchman care for what happen to other, even if he don't show it that well. He is also a townpeople, fiting better the foots in the gutter of a city rather than the head in the wind of the wild countryside.

    It is in the cities he will found most of quest that will develop his character like "A Few Words with You", that get you the opportunity to talk a lesson to some ruffian, with your word or you firsts, depending of you liking or "Special Delivery" quest that are the perfect opportunity to discover new places in a organic way. Also it is in the mightyest cities that are the greatest investigation quest of the game, Forsworn conspiracy, Blood on the Ice, Missing in Action or the Lover Requital.

    But the nomadic travels of the Watchman is but a part of the experience before reaching the next step in his adventure. The ultimate goal of the playthrough is to settle itself in the mightiest city of Skyrim and maybe the one that need the most the Watchman : Solitude ! By far it is the best looking place of Skyrim in my opinion and the perfect place for a grumpy watchman to live in.

     

    The Watch :

    During his numerous travels of the realm, the watchman has met a number of individuals ready to follow him in his endeavour to deal justice in this land. Not all has joined the bandwagon willingly or out of the kindness of their heart, but all have learned in the contact of the watchman a few important things :

    1°) Two types of people laugh at the law: those that break it and those that make it.

    2°) The good are innocent and create justice.  The bad are guilty, which is why they invent mercy.

    3°) Only crimes could take place in darkness.  Punishment had to be done in the light.  That was the job of a good watchman.  To light a candle in the dark.

    4°) Sometimes it’s better to light a flamethrower than curse the darkness.

    5°) When Mister Safety Catch Is Not On, Mister Crossbow Is Not Your Friend.

     

      Corporal Nobby-Nobbs (Faendal) :

     The scrawny bosmer from Riverwood may be a little ugly heckler with as much morality as skeever when it comes to work, love or war, but no one can really discuss about his ability with a bow and his uncanny ability to get into trouble.

    When paired with the watchman, he has the tendency to stay on the back where he can avoid most of the hurt and still contribute to the fight with a few well place shots of crossbow. Now if some misplace shots end in the back side of his supperior... that's just though luck.

     

    Sergent Colon (Cosnach) :

     A bit dense and with a high level procastrination, the Sarge is like his weasel like former colleage a quite unusual person to join the watchman. For sure he more often than not need some encouragement in the from of one or two punches at the back of the head to start moving.

    He joined the watch mostly because it pay more than his former job (in the sense that the previous one didn't pay any). When he has to follow unwillingly the watchman in his investigation, his lack of wits often place him in the uncofortable position of meatshield for his more nimble and efficient partner.

    Lance Constable Carrot Ironfonderson (Erik the Slayer) :

     A young man full of spirit and very low on comon sense, the lance constable is filled to the brim of very simple ideas of what is right and what is wrong, often at odds with the more practicle, some may say corruptible, upholder of the Law.

    The watchman know that there is little to do to disillusion the young man of his code of moral, which come actually from a true code of the watch written ages ago. The best he can do is to have his partner back when he charge with recklessness by providing a few cover shots of his crossbow and flank any ruffians that try to take him down from behind.

    Lance Constable Angua von Überwald (Mjoll the Lioness) :

    To say that this woman need no man to help her in the business of the blade is a understatement. Thaught by the best to be the in this singular domain, she also has a great deal of experience with delinquency in Riften. Not that it help her to get rid of it in her adopted hometown...

    This raw portential of policewoman is best used by the watchman as the crow bar that pry open the delicate wooden doors of society, people tending to look less sure of themselves when a tall woman with a twohanded swords is behind you when you asked sensitive questions about whoswho and whatswhat.

     

      Sergent Detritus (Gorbash the Iron Hand) :

     Sometimes the crudest tool is the best one. A square shoulder, heavy built orc armed with a crossbow often is a argument to end a conversation in your favor.

     

     

  • Member
    January 1, 2018

    There is nothing at all not to like here :D It is funny, well-presented, and makes me want to play. The RP section is a doozy.

  • January 1, 2018

    Damn, sorry it took me a bit to drop in Red. I really do like this build, got no idea what it's based off but the fact that I can enjoy it without knowing is half the benefit really, that's how you know a Crossworlds Build is really good (that said, all the ones we've gotten were good so yeah :D). I like the simplicity of the build itself, but how you've driven that further than normal with the Roleplay, I mean just the base build isn't entirely interesting but you've built up an incredibly fun character and 'world' for lack of a better term around him that I can't help but really enjoy the build.

    Definitely a like from me mate, and I hope to see more builds in the future :D

  • Member
    January 4, 2018

    Yay!!! It's just as awesome as I hoped it would be. It's a great representation of Vimes, and the writing makes this a fun read and is highly reminiscent of Pratchett (you've also thrown in some great quotes :D). I really liked your take on the Skyrim settings to give the build more of a realistic, slightly gritty setting (I can actually hear rain falling in the cities as the guards footsteps echo on the cobblestones). Also, your choices for followers are just spot on! Loved the 5 rules of the watch xD

    BTW, Captain Vimes is currently being featured on the TV Twitter and Facebook pages :D