Tamriel Vault - Character Build: The Shadow Strider

Tysoyaha

January 24, 2018

Concept:

This is basically my personal character, the one I've been playing since I first picked up Oblivion. It was also my default playthrough of both Morrowind and Skyrim as well. So, as an exercise I decided I was going to revamp and upgrade it based on how much I've learned about Character Building. I use some well known exploits like Klimmek's Supplies to replicate my favorite aspect of being an assassin in Morrowind, but also discovered a few cool (albeit small) new things like making Maces silent and giving Daggers a stagger effect. If you're looking for a solid, familiar feeling character who's got a few tricks up his sleeve, then it's a really fun build.

Background:

Your name is Tysoyaha. You are the last member of a sect of the dark brotherhood kept secret even from The Hand. They were called the Shadow Striders because the group actively denounces structure in the name of chaos, which includes following laws like the Levitation Act. This lead to the myth that some in the dark brotherhood could walk across the shadows themselves. This distaste for rules even extends to the Five Tenants. Instead of listening to the Hand, Shadow Striders are all capable of speaking with the Night Mother directly.

Much of their teachings are based on the belief that Sithis is a much more complex entity than the rest of the brotherhood realises. In Archon, you were taught that Sithis is both creator and destroyer, life bringer and death dealer. He is the light at the break of day and the chilling darkness at the fall of night. Sithis is all these things for he is the aspect of great change in all its forms. He is the Void from which the world was created, and entropy is all of existence longing to be returned to him.
Shadow Striders believe that Mundus is simply a part of the Void that is astray from itself, and the chaotic nature of life is due to it's slow return to nothingness. Non-existence is the natural state of all things, and until we stop struggling against our true nature we will never know peace. It's for this reason that Shadow Striders sew chaos wherever they go to facilitate the entropic decay of existence and hasten our return to Sithis. Only then will we know the tranquility that only his vast emptiness can provide.

Build:

Race - Argonian
This character is the ultimate Shadow Scale, so naturally they'd be an Argonian.

Standing Stone - Shadow Stone

Before you can cast it yourself, this stone will turn you invisible once per day. Even after obtaining expert illusion spells, the 0 mana cost of the Shadow Stone can be very useful.

Magic/Health/Stamina - 1/0/2
Or whatever your personal Cloak and Dagger character stats would normally be.

Skills - Sneak, One Handed, Pickpocket, Illusion, Alteration, Block
Everything you'll need to be the perfect assassin.

Abilities - Water Breathing
Never underestimate the covert potential of Water Breathing. Even if it's just to escape after a Smoke Bomb.

Shouts - Whirlwind Sprint
This shout has a very unique function that will be elaborated on in Special Tactics.

Spells - Mayhem, Pacify, Invisibility, Telekinesis, Ash Shell, Ash Rune
Calm spells are for interacting with citizens and shopkeepers when you have a bounty. (Though reaching them unnoticed is a whole different ballgame...)

Weapons - Mehrunes Razor, Mace of Molag Bal
Mace 'n dagger is a classic combo. Remember that it matters which hand your weapons are in. A general rule of thumb is that your primary (right hand) should be daggers for stealth and maces for combat.

Armor - Nightingale Hood, Ebony Mail, Nordic Carved Gloves, Nordic Carved Boots
Alternatively, a Daedric Helmet will make for a complete set of heavy armor, and/or Cicero's Gloves and Deadric Boots sub in well if you want the sneak multiplier.

Misc - Klimmek's Supplies
This is how we replicate the Levitation spell from Morrowind. See Tips/Tricks for details on acquiring this item.

Perks:

Sneak - This is a character built around sneak. Nearly every single one of these perks is useful.

OneHanded - Critical Charge can be used to double your sneak multiplier with Maces, so it can be a good stand-in for Assassin's Blade if sneak is leveling more slowly than One Handed.

Pickpocket - Make sure you don't abuse ash shell, otherwise this skill won't gain exp, and you'd miss out on awesome perks like Misdirection.

Illusion - Quiet Casting is a huge priority with this build because it'll affect Whirlwind Sprint.

Alteration - You can't buy the Ash spells until a certain perk is unlocked. Luckily, telekinesis is great for thievery and gaining exp.

Block - Between keeping foes off balance with Parry and dodging attacks with Slomo, this build won't have to block much at all once Quick Reflexes is unlocked. Get it as soon as you can.

Special Tactics:

Levitate

Klimmek'sSupplies will float in the air wherever it's placed, allowing you to "levitate" by standing on it. To go higher Just jump while picking it up and then drop it again at the peak of your jump. To go forward, do the same with Whirlwind Sprint. Once in position, holding down attack with an enemy close enough will make stealth kills override Whirlwind Sprint animation, so you can perform a teleporting assassination from levitate.

Requires: Klimmek's Supplies, Whirlwind Sprint
Recommended: Quiet Casting

Shadow Strike

If you charge invisibility while sneaking behind enemy with your dagger, you can release your spell right after activating a stealth kill to immediately turn invisible again after the kill cam. This can be performed while still under the effects of a previous invisibility spell for barely visible "blink" kills. Though it unfortunately won't work with teleport assassinations.
Requires: Quiet Casting, Invisibility
Recommended: Whirlwind Sprint

Parry

Whileholding down block with a mace in your primary hand, equip a dagger in your off hand to start dual wield blocking. Bashing while in this stance will do a quick slash with your dagger, but apply the damage and enchantments of your mace. This attack consumes stamina and frequently staggers like a maces power attack, but only inflicts regular damage and uses the lightning fast attack speed of a dagger.

Requires: Dual Wield Bash, Quick Reflexes
Recommended: Block Runner

Smokebomb

Long before you can unlock Shadow Warrior, Ash Shell is a quick and easy way of stopping combat after you've been detected. Pickpocket affected targets as they're recovering for a 100% chance to steal their weapon and leave them defenseless, combine with invisibility to return to battle undetected or simply fast travel while all enemies are ashed for an easy escape.
Requires: Ash Shell, Shadow Stone
Recommended: Ash Rune, Invisibility

Roleplay/Restrictions:

Entropy - As a Shadow Strider you are an agent of change and a servant of the Entropic One. Murder, uprising, rebellion, betrayal, ect...the more chaos you sew the closer we all are to returning to the tranquility of non-existence. The very world we live in is fraying at the edges, and it's your job to pull at those threads. Everything you do is to bring all of Mundus closer to reuniting with Sithis.

Tips/Tricks:

Klimmek's Supplies - When you're sent to answer the Graybeard's summons, Klimmek will be on the bridge at the base of the mountain. Agree to deliver his shipment and put Klimmek's Supplies in the empty chest at High Hrothgar. After telling Klimmek and receiving your reward, you can go back and take the supplies from the chest. Save before practicing the levitate technique because the timing can be tricky at first.

Silent Mace - While dual wielding, weapon silence is determined by the primary weapon. So an offhand mace will swing as stealthily as a dagger so long as said dagger is in your main hand at the time. After unlocking Assassin's Blade this becomes less useful, but before then your most powerful stealth kills will be with this "silent mace".