Here we go! This is my first build on the Character Building Group. Let me just say that there's a ton of creative work and awesome builds being made here! I've finally decided to take a stab at sharing a build that I think everyone will enjoy as a definitive character for Skyrim, both in terms of gameplay and role-playing.
Now, you might share the same sentiments with me. Some builds are fantastic, powerful, and fun to play. But when it comes to certain missions or running through another guild's storyline, that's when things get clunky. We end up having to start from scratch with a new build in order to experience that part of the game. But with this bad girl, you need not worry, my friends! Let me warn you now that using this build is going to be a real test, but the rewards are oh so satisfying. The objective was to create a build that can be played across ALL the questlines offered in Skyrim in one game, yet makes coherent sense with the character's identity and motives.
Allow me to introduce to you…
The Mystic Diplomat
"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
~ Introduction ~
Born of Breton noble lineage, the Mystic Diplomat was raised in the city-state of Daggerfall within the province of High Rock. As part of her education in diplomacy and politics, she traveled to the capital province of Cyrodiil, where she gained exposure to the various cultures of Tamriel. Concurrently, she received formal training in combat and magic; becoming skilled with the sword and the arcane arts. Despite her exceptional studies, she had a penchant for mischief, getting into several amusing incidents with her cosmopolitan friends. However, such experiences have granted her worldly wisdom and cunning.
Like many young Bretons, she has "quest obsession"; the desire to find some great opportunity for fortune and glory that has made Bretons venture all over northern Tamriel. Upon hearing tales from her Nord companions, she did not hesitate to the call of journeying to Skyrim...
~ The Build ~
Seeking to aid the people of Skyrim and quell the violent conflicts that have ravaged the land, the Mystic Diplomat possesses an array of skills that allow her to take on any challenge. A variant of both the Battlemage and Spellsword, the Mystic Diplomat focuses primarily on the schools of Illusion and Conjuration magic to subdue her opponents, only entering into battle as and when she pleases.
Though she often tries to find peaceful solutions, she can summon Bound weapons and unleash Destruction spells for those "aggressive negotiations." Also, the combination of her Sneaking skills with Illusion magic make her a formidable Nightblade. Since her conjured allies take on the brunt of combat, she does not favor Heavy Armor, Light Armor, or Alteration spells to protect herself. After sending her adversaries into confusion with Illusion spells and summoned creatures, she can simply vanish away without a scratch.
RACE: Breton - Versatile with both combat and magic, the Breton's initial 25 skill points in Conjuration and starting Conjure Familiar spell will quickly set you on the path of managing your summons and followers. With her natural 25% Magic Resistance and Dragonskin (50% Spell Absorption) racial ability, those pesky Mages will merely be throwing fireworks at you. WARNING: While Dragonskin is active, it may absorb some of the Conjuration spells you cast and return your Magicka to you. Getting the permanent Atronach Perk in Alteration is not a good idea for a conjurer, since it absorbs 30% of your Conjuration spells. From a lore perspective, the Bretons' intelligence and sophistication make them perfect ambassadors and emissaries.
GENDER: Female - The girls actually have a slight advantage in Skyrim and I'm not just talking about looks. With the Agent of Dibella Active Effect, you can deal 10% more damage to the opposite sex. And guess which gender dominates Skyrim…
STAT DISTRIBUTION: 2M / 1H / 1S - Increase the stats as you see fit, but focus your points into Magicka twice as much. Since your summons are tanking damage for you, Health isn't a major concern. Just make sure that if you are being pursued…run. Quickly get a summon between you and your assailant! Retreat temporarily, if necessary. You are like a walking Gate of Oblivion. The only way for someone to close it is to kill you. As for power attacks, the Fighting Stance Perk will help reduce Stamina drain. You'll have plenty of opportunities to land devastating blows and finishing moves on your enemies while they are distracted by your summons.
SHOUTS: Become Ethereal - Complementing this build quite well, I can just go on about this shout and its overall usefulness. In general, I don't usually use shouts unless I need to in order to make progress in the story. But this one acts as a perfect ace in the hole, especially if you're caught off-guard. You can watch this little video which explains it all: PLAY VIDEO
Fus Ro Dah? Please... Feim Zii Gron!
STANDING STONE: At the onset, go with the Mage Stone, since the majority of leveling will be in four of the six schools of magic. In the later stages, I find the Steed Stone most practical, especially if you want to wear a full set of armor or carry more loot out of dungeons. When it's time to get down and dangerous, swap it out for the Lord Stone or Lady Stone to add more fight into your character.
WEREWOLF or VAMPIRE (Optional): The choice is yours to make. It's pretty handy being immune to diseases while in human form. I prefer being a Werewolf because I dislike being weak to fire and sunlight.
PERK SPREAD: LEVEL 25 , LEVEL 50
~ Major Skills ~
ILLUSION: They don't call her the Mystic Diplomat for nothing. In the world of Nirn, diplomacy is achieved not just by mere words, but by the powers of Aetherius! Pacify your foes or send them into a Frenzy! Just make yourself Invisible and avoid the fray. The Quiet Casting perk is key to muting the noise of your spells and shouts, further masking your presence.
CONJURATION: The planes of Oblivion provide both offensive and defensive abilities. While dealing damage to enemies, your Atronachs and Dremora Lords ARE your "armor." Whip out your Bound weapons when you want a more personal touch in battle. I chose to focus on the perks related to Atronachs as I'm not in favor of having a zombie horde follow me around, especially when I want to be stealthy. But you can change that up, if you want to be an evil necromancer. Be sure to get Mystic Binding to increase the damage of your Bound Swords and Bound Bow by 50%!
ONE-HANDED: Nothing is quite as elegant as a sword; a fitting weapon for a cultured woman. The Bound Sword looks awesome and suits the Mystic Diplomat well as a "concealed" weapon. And who wouldn't want to see a young lass decapitating her enemies with a Savage Strike?
SNEAK: Place your points only to acquire those damage multiplier perks on the right side of the skill tree. With the Muffle and Invisibility spells, the school of Illusion makes most of the other Sneak perks redundant.
~ Minor Skills ~
DESTRUCTION: Plenty of perks are put into Illusion and Conjuration, but the Mystic Diplomat remains a Novice in Destruction. Enchanted Mage Robes of Destruction will aid her in dishing out more spells. She has augmented her Flame spells, since most of her adversaries are vulnerable if not weak to fire. These include the majority of Tamriel's races, dangerous wildlife, trolls, vampires, and undead... And there is a ton of undead in Skyrim; with all them Draugrs, Skeletons, and Dragon Priests! Important Note: The Novice level Flames spell is a viable offensive option late in the game. Be sure to perk up Augment Flames 2/2 BEFORE spending on the Aspect of Terror perk in the Illusion skill tree, which will increase the spell's damage to 27 points per second! This leads us to another important perk…
RESTORATION: Necromage! That's the perk we want! It makes all your spells from any school of magic more effective against the undead. Time to clear out those dungeons, crypts, and barrows efficiently with our conjured followers, illusions, and fire spells!
ARCHERY: With her summons fighting on the front lines, the Mystic Diplomat can support them with a limitless barrage of deadly arrows from her Bound Bow at a distance. You can find the tome at the Fort Amol Prison. It's hiding inside a bucket under a lantern. You can also purchase it from Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold. When summoned, the Bound Bow comes with 100 Daedric level arrows! When it dispels, simply summon it again and the quiver will be refilled. I only placed my points in Overdraw to double the bow's damage. The other perks are not necessary, since you'll mostly be engaging enemies from a stationary position while they are busy fighting your servants. This is your answer for enemies that are resistant to any of your elemental Destruction spells. Archery also provides a useful option for long range distractions and sneak attacks; very effective against vampires that drain health from you and your allies at close range. I once saw a vampire fighting solo against a Frost Dragon near Ysgramor's Tomb. Guess who won? It was epic. Guess who killed the victor? That was more epic.
~ Equipment ~
NO CRAFTING: I chose NOT to invest points into alchemy, smithing, or enchanting. It spoils the fun of finding enchanted loot. But if you are itching to make yourself some god-like gear, challenge yourself to invest into those skill trees after level 50!
WEAPONS: At first glance, the Mystic Diplomat seems like a harmless petite Breton damsel. But when threatened, she can brandish her Bound Swords from out of thin air! The Bound Sword is a Novice spell and you can easily buy the tome from Farengar, the Whiterun Jarl's court wizard. With the Mystic Binding perk, it is essentially a base damage Daedric Sword you can acquire on the get-go! It also drains less stamina from your power attacks, since it weighs nothing. Bound weapons cannot be disarmed and are perfect for those get-out-of-jail scenarios. Although the Bound Sword can't be improved or enchanted, you can rely on your summons to do most of the direct fighting anyway or carry along a couple of Daggers for massively damaging sneak attacks! As for the Bound Bow, I covered the gist of it under the Minor Skill of Archery.
APPAREL: The Mystic Diplomat isn't fussy with clothes, as long as they are comfortable and functional. Try to get Mage Clothes or Enchanted Armor that fortify Destruction spells and accessories that provide more Magic Resistance or additional Destruction fortification. If you are donning Mage Robes and a Hood, an option is to wear Gauntlets and Boots enchanted with Fortify One-Handed, Fortify Archery, or Muffle (if you can find it)!
~ Gameplay ~
Being a "jack-of-all trades" build, you must be thinking, "master-of-none," right? Well, not if you spread your perks so that they complement each other. For example, the Bound Sword spell from the Conjuration school relies on skills in One-Handed. The Dual Flurry and Dual Savagery Perks in the One-Handed skill tree help to increase the hurt from your Sneak damage multipliers when you execute a dual power attack. Your Sneaking abilities are further enhanced by your Illusion spells. And the Necromage perk in the Restoration school makes all spells effective against the undead, especially your Illusion and Destruction spells. That's the beauty of the Mystic Diplomat. The perks work together to form a holistic, powerful, yet flexible build.
In dealing with her adversaries, the Mystic Diplomat has several options at her disposal. Being able to weave in and out of her various styles of combat is what makes her competent in any type of quest. It would be best to understand her methods in the classification and combination of the following three archetypal Roles:
The Tactician Role (Warrior Form):
As a cunning war strategist, the Mystic Diplomat deploys her summoned forces into battle along with her followers. She then calls forth her Bound Sword and readies her other hand with spells. This is your most direct combat system. You're like a squad leader, commanding your men in an assault while you provide offensive support! For melee, use Bound Swords. At mid to close quarters, Destruction spells come into play. For long range targets, ready your Bound Bow.
Recommended Shout(s): Marked for Death weakens your enemies and their armors, while Slow Time lets you close in the gap to throw in some additional blows before they can even bat an eye! CAUTION: Marked for Death can permanently lower the armor rating of your followers, if you hit them with it! Shout with accuracy.
Mission accomplished.
The Mastermind Role (Mage Form):
Having witnessed the clandestine use of sorcery on subjects within the Imperial Palace, the Mystic Diplomat uses what she has gleaned to sway both friends and foes into her influence. It's all about crowd control. If you want to avoid a mess, Calm everyone down. Or you can wreak havoc by turning your enemies against each other. From there, you can throw in Fireballs at a distance, summon your Atronachs, or go grab yourself a beverage.
Recommended Shout(s): Unrelenting Force will keep your foes at bay and use Whirlwind Sprint to get yourself out of danger.
Again, crowd control.
The Infiltrator Role (Thief/Assassin Form):
Sometimes, the truth can only be discovered through deceit. The Mystic Diplomat can go anywhere unnoticed with her Invisibility and Muffle spells. She takes what she wants, kills who she wants, and leaves without a trace. Completely avoid confrontation, find the enemy honcho, and kill him with a dual dagger power attack! You can also Pacify an entire group of enemies and slit their throats from behind like the defenseless milk drinkers they are. Combined with the Soul Trap spell, your Soul Gems and a certain Daedric artifact will be filled with ease.
Recommended Shout(s): Aura Whisper reveals all enemy signatures, even through walls. Use Throw Voice to distract enemies or lure them into a trap. If you're on the offensive, you can use Elemental Fury with non-enchanted Daggers. You'll be slicing and dicing your foes into sashimi.
What's better than a ninja? A Mystic Diplomat.
~ Role-Play ~
PERSONALITY:
Fair in her dealings, the Mystic Diplomat will offer a helping hand to anyone in need. She often uses her Persuasion skills before resorting to other means of negotiation. After seeing the effects of the Great War in Cyrodiil, she knows full well that extreme measures have to be taken in order to meet certain ends. As her Conjuration powers come from Oblivion, she will inevitably encounter Daedric Princes on her journey. And when she does, they will often find themselves on the losing end of any conversation they have with her. Cynical charms go a long way for a mortal.
Physically, you'll find her to be rather short in comparison to most of Skyrim's denizens. Bretons are possibly the smallest race in Tamriel. Some may even look down on them as their ancestry comes from both elves and humans from ancient times. People wouldn't expect a young female diplomat of being anything close to someone like the Dragonborn of legend or a leader in any of the prestigious guilds of Skyrim! But as the saying goes, "Some good things come in small packages." Personally, I enjoy playing the underdog who quickly rises in power and recognition throughout the land. Despite having a wide range of offensive abilities, the Mystic Diplomat is an extremely vulnerable character, if not actively protected. Her weaknesses bring about a unique level of immersion and realism. You'll find yourself being cautious and careful with her survival as she goes about her travels.
LORE:
Now comes the real question. Can this Breton Mystic Diplomat fit into the Elder Scrolls lore as the mighty Dragonborn? The Nords of Skyrim seem to have the monopoly on using the Thu'um. What does the mongrel race of Tamriel have to do with the power of dragons? One only has to look at another Dragonborn to find the answer: Tiber Septim. But wait. Isn't he an Imperial? From the Civil War to the history books, we quickly learn that "Tiber Septim" was the Cyrodilic name given to him when he became the Emperor and that his real name is Talos, a legendary war hero who hails from Skyrim. So that makes him a Nord, right? But according to the Arcturian Heresy, he had a name even before Talos: Hjalti Early-Beard. Hjalti was born in Alcaire, the fiefdom just along the south-central coast of the High Rock province; the land of the Bretons.
This presents an interesting proposition that Tiber Septim may possibly be a Breton! Of course, I won't deny that there is a chance that he could be a Nord born in High Rock. But what reasons would his family have for staying so far away from home? During that time, there was much racial conflict between the Nords and Bretons. It can even be witnessed today in Falkreath between the Stormcloaks and the Forsworn. How could they reside that deep within enemy territory? Could one of his parents be a Breton who fell in love with a Nord traveler? Unfortunately, we can only speculate and we also can't take what is written in the Arcturian Heresy at face value. However, what we do know for sure is that Tiber Septim used to go by the name of Hjalti. Just ask the Ghost of Old Hroldan, who is looking for Hjalti's Sword! Perhaps, in these dark times of both the Civil War and the return of the Dragons, only the Voice of a lowly half-breed can bring order and harmony to Skyrim, if not to the rest of Tamriel.
QUESTS:
No matter what your views are on the Mystic Diplomat being a suitable candidate as the Dragonborn, there's no question that she can definitely hold her own in any of the guilds. She can start off with the Companions to build up her fighting experience, fame, and gold. After that, she can pursue further education in magic at the College of Winterhold. Moving on to Riften, she can learn a thing or two from the Thieves Guild, as diplomacy sometimes requires under-the-table tactics. Let's not forget that in the political landscape of Tamriel, the deadly blade of a Dark Brotherhood assassin may also be necessary.
As for her views on the Civil War, she is loyal to the Empire's ideologies, since she spent most of her formal education in Cyrodiil. Even though the Imperial Legion has seen better days and ongoing corruption is rampant in the courts of the White Gold Tower, the Mystic Diplomat still believes that the hope for peace lies in the reconciliation between the peoples of Tamriel. Having spent time with other races have given her a wider worldview than that of the xenophobic Stormcloaks.
You can play this build through these questlines in any way you want and in any order! I prefer to do so in the order I wrote, with the Main Quest AFTER the Dark Brotherhood questline followed by the Civil War on the side of the Imperial Legion. For added immersion, wear and use the gear provided to you when focusing on a particular questline. Wear Mage Clothes when studying at the College of Winterhold. Dress the part of a Thief when in the Thieves Guild. Tip: If for some reason you find that the early levels are difficult, going to the College of Winterhold first will be of tremendous help to you. You'll have access to most of the spells you need as long as you have the gold to buy them and the skills to cast them.
~ Conclusion ~
I hope you enjoyed reading through my first build. This is my favorite character and the one that I am currently playing. By all means, feel free to make your own variation to fit your character design and experiment with the style of play you love the most! When deciding on a name for a Breton, choose a French name and one that has a meaning which best describes the character you are trying to create. If you have any questions or feedback, just drop them into the comments section below.
Please share some of your builds with me and I'll see you guys around!
LiTiBi
Here we go! This is my first build on the Character Building Group. Let me just say that there's a ton of creative work and awesome builds being made here! I've finally decided to take a stab at sharing a build that I think everyone will enjoy as a definitive character for Skyrim, both in terms of gameplay and role-playing.
Now, you might share the same sentiments with me. Some builds are fantastic, powerful, and fun to play. But when it comes to certain missions or running through another guild's storyline, that's when things get clunky. We end up having to start from scratch with a new build in order to experience that part of the game. But with this bad girl, you need not worry, my friends! Let me warn you now that using this build is going to be a real test, but the rewards are oh so satisfying. The objective was to create a build that can be played across ALL the questlines offered in Skyrim in one game, yet makes coherent sense with the character's identity and motives.
Allow me to introduce to you…
The Mystic Diplomat
"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
~ Introduction ~
Born of Breton noble lineage, the Mystic Diplomat was raised in the city-state of Daggerfall within the province of High Rock. As part of her education in diplomacy and politics, she traveled to the capital province of Cyrodiil, where she gained exposure to the various cultures of Tamriel. Concurrently, she received formal training in combat and magic; becoming skilled with the sword and the arcane arts. Despite her exceptional studies, she had a penchant for mischief, getting into several amusing incidents with her cosmopolitan friends. However, such experiences have granted her worldly wisdom and cunning.
Like many young Bretons, she has "quest obsession"; the desire to find some great opportunity for fortune and glory that has made Bretons venture all over northern Tamriel. Upon hearing tales from her Nord companions, she did not hesitate to the call of journeying to Skyrim...
~ The Build ~
Seeking to aid the people of Skyrim and quell the violent conflicts that have ravaged the land, the Mystic Diplomat possesses an array of skills that allow her to take on any challenge. A variant of both the Battlemage and Spellsword, the Mystic Diplomat focuses primarily on the schools of Illusion and Conjuration magic to subdue her opponents, only entering into battle as and when she pleases.
Though she often tries to find peaceful solutions, she can summon Bound weapons and unleash Destruction spells for those "aggressive negotiations." Also, the combination of her Sneaking skills with Illusion magic make her a formidable Nightblade. Since her conjured allies take on the brunt of combat, she does not favor Heavy Armor, Light Armor, or Alteration spells to protect herself. After sending her adversaries into confusion with Illusion spells and summoned creatures, she can simply vanish away without a scratch.
RACE: Breton - Versatile with both combat and magic, the Breton's initial 25 skill points in Conjuration and starting Conjure Familiar spell will quickly set you on the path of managing your summons and followers. With her natural 25% Magic Resistance and Dragonskin (50% Spell Absorption) racial ability, those pesky Mages will merely be throwing fireworks at you. WARNING: While Dragonskin is active, it may absorb some of the Conjuration spells you cast and return your Magicka to you. Getting the permanent Atronach Perk in Alteration is not a good idea for a conjurer, since it absorbs 30% of your Conjuration spells. From a lore perspective, the Bretons' intelligence and sophistication make them perfect ambassadors and emissaries.
GENDER: Female - The girls actually have a slight advantage in Skyrim and I'm not just talking about looks. With the Agent of Dibella Active Effect, you can deal 10% more damage to the opposite sex. And guess which gender dominates Skyrim…
STAT DISTRIBUTION: 2M / 1H / 1S - Increase the stats as you see fit, but focus your points into Magicka twice as much. Since your summons are tanking damage for you, Health isn't a major concern. Just make sure that if you are being pursued…run. Quickly get a summon between you and your assailant! Retreat temporarily, if necessary. You are like a walking Gate of Oblivion. The only way for someone to close it is to kill you. As for power attacks, the Fighting Stance Perk will help reduce Stamina drain. You'll have plenty of opportunities to land devastating blows and finishing moves on your enemies while they are distracted by your summons.
SHOUTS: Become Ethereal - Complementing this build quite well, I can just go on about this shout and its overall usefulness. In general, I don't usually use shouts unless I need to in order to make progress in the story. But this one acts as a perfect ace in the hole, especially if you're caught off-guard. You can watch this little video which explains it all: PLAY VIDEO
Fus Ro Dah? Please... Feim Zii Gron!
STANDING STONE: At the onset, go with the Mage Stone, since the majority of leveling will be in four of the six schools of magic. In the later stages, I find the Steed Stone most practical, especially if you want to wear a full set of armor or carry more loot out of dungeons. When it's time to get down and dangerous, swap it out for the Lord Stone or Lady Stone to add more fight into your character.
WEREWOLF or VAMPIRE (Optional): The choice is yours to make. It's pretty handy being immune to diseases while in human form. I prefer being a Werewolf because I dislike being weak to fire and sunlight.
PERK SPREAD: LEVEL 25 , LEVEL 50
~ Major Skills ~
ILLUSION: They don't call her the Mystic Diplomat for nothing. In the world of Nirn, diplomacy is achieved not just by mere words, but by the powers of Aetherius! Pacify your foes or send them into a Frenzy! Just make yourself Invisible and avoid the fray. The Quiet Casting perk is key to muting the noise of your spells and shouts, further masking your presence.
CONJURATION: The planes of Oblivion provide both offensive and defensive abilities. While dealing damage to enemies, your Atronachs and Dremora Lords ARE your "armor." Whip out your Bound weapons when you want a more personal touch in battle. I chose to focus on the perks related to Atronachs as I'm not in favor of having a zombie horde follow me around, especially when I want to be stealthy. But you can change that up, if you want to be an evil necromancer. Be sure to get Mystic Binding to increase the damage of your Bound Swords and Bound Bow by 50%!
ONE-HANDED: Nothing is quite as elegant as a sword; a fitting weapon for a cultured woman. The Bound Sword looks awesome and suits the Mystic Diplomat well as a "concealed" weapon. And who wouldn't want to see a young lass decapitating her enemies with a Savage Strike?
SNEAK: Place your points only to acquire those damage multiplier perks on the right side of the skill tree. With the Muffle and Invisibility spells, the school of Illusion makes most of the other Sneak perks redundant.
~ Minor Skills ~
DESTRUCTION: Plenty of perks are put into Illusion and Conjuration, but the Mystic Diplomat remains a Novice in Destruction. Enchanted Mage Robes of Destruction will aid her in dishing out more spells. She has augmented her Flame spells, since most of her adversaries are vulnerable if not weak to fire. These include the majority of Tamriel's races, dangerous wildlife, trolls, vampires, and undead... And there is a ton of undead in Skyrim; with all them Draugrs, Skeletons, and Dragon Priests! Important Note: The Novice level Flames spell is a viable offensive option late in the game. Be sure to perk up Augment Flames 2/2 BEFORE spending on the Aspect of Terror perk in the Illusion skill tree, which will increase the spell's damage to 27 points per second! This leads us to another important perk…
RESTORATION: Necromage! That's the perk we want! It makes all your spells from any school of magic more effective against the undead. Time to clear out those dungeons, crypts, and barrows efficiently with our conjured followers, illusions, and fire spells!
ARCHERY: With her summons fighting on the front lines, the Mystic Diplomat can support them with a limitless barrage of deadly arrows from her Bound Bow at a distance. You can find the tome at the Fort Amol Prison. It's hiding inside a bucket under a lantern. You can also purchase it from Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold. When summoned, the Bound Bow comes with 100 Daedric level arrows! When it dispels, simply summon it again and the quiver will be refilled. I only placed my points in Overdraw to double the bow's damage. The other perks are not necessary, since you'll mostly be engaging enemies from a stationary position while they are busy fighting your servants. This is your answer for enemies that are resistant to any of your elemental Destruction spells. Archery also provides a useful option for long range distractions and sneak attacks; very effective against vampires that drain health from you and your allies at close range. I once saw a vampire fighting solo against a Frost Dragon near Ysgramor's Tomb. Guess who won? It was epic. Guess who killed the victor? That was more epic.
~ Equipment ~
NO CRAFTING: I chose NOT to invest points into alchemy, smithing, or enchanting. It spoils the fun of finding enchanted loot. But if you are itching to make yourself some god-like gear, challenge yourself to invest into those skill trees after level 50!
WEAPONS: At first glance, the Mystic Diplomat seems like a harmless petite Breton damsel. But when threatened, she can brandish her Bound Swords from out of thin air! The Bound Sword is a Novice spell and you can easily buy the tome from Farengar, the Whiterun Jarl's court wizard. With the Mystic Binding perk, it is essentially a base damage Daedric Sword you can acquire on the get-go! It also drains less stamina from your power attacks, since it weighs nothing. Bound weapons cannot be disarmed and are perfect for those get-out-of-jail scenarios. Although the Bound Sword can't be improved or enchanted, you can rely on your summons to do most of the direct fighting anyway or carry along a couple of Daggers for massively damaging sneak attacks! As for the Bound Bow, I covered the gist of it under the Minor Skill of Archery.
APPAREL: The Mystic Diplomat isn't fussy with clothes, as long as they are comfortable and functional. Try to get Mage Clothes or Enchanted Armor that fortify Destruction spells and accessories that provide more Magic Resistance or additional Destruction fortification. If you are donning Mage Robes and a Hood, an option is to wear Gauntlets and Boots enchanted with Fortify One-Handed, Fortify Archery, or Muffle (if you can find it)!
~ Gameplay ~
Being a "jack-of-all trades" build, you must be thinking, "master-of-none," right? Well, not if you spread your perks so that they complement each other. For example, the Bound Sword spell from the Conjuration school relies on skills in One-Handed. The Dual Flurry and Dual Savagery Perks in the One-Handed skill tree help to increase the hurt from your Sneak damage multipliers when you execute a dual power attack. Your Sneaking abilities are further enhanced by your Illusion spells. And the Necromage perk in the Restoration school makes all spells effective against the undead, especially your Illusion and Destruction spells. That's the beauty of the Mystic Diplomat. The perks work together to form a holistic, powerful, yet flexible build.
In dealing with her adversaries, the Mystic Diplomat has several options at her disposal. Being able to weave in and out of her various styles of combat is what makes her competent in any type of quest. It would be best to understand her methods in the classification and combination of the following three archetypal Roles:
The Tactician Role (Warrior Form):
As a cunning war strategist, the Mystic Diplomat deploys her summoned forces into battle along with her followers. She then calls forth her Bound Sword and readies her other hand with spells. This is your most direct combat system. You're like a squad leader, commanding your men in an assault while you provide offensive support! For melee, use Bound Swords. At mid to close quarters, Destruction spells come into play. For long range targets, ready your Bound Bow.
Recommended Shout(s): Marked for Death weakens your enemies and their armors, while Slow Time lets you close in the gap to throw in some additional blows before they can even bat an eye! CAUTION: Marked for Death can permanently lower the armor rating of your followers, if you hit them with it! Shout with accuracy.
Mission accomplished.
The Mastermind Role (Mage Form):
Having witnessed the clandestine use of sorcery on subjects within the Imperial Palace, the Mystic Diplomat uses what she has gleaned to sway both friends and foes into her influence. It's all about crowd control. If you want to avoid a mess, Calm everyone down. Or you can wreak havoc by turning your enemies against each other. From there, you can throw in Fireballs at a distance, summon your Atronachs, or go grab yourself a beverage.
Recommended Shout(s): Unrelenting Force will keep your foes at bay and use Whirlwind Sprint to get yourself out of danger.
Again, crowd control.
The Infiltrator Role (Thief/Assassin Form):
Sometimes, the truth can only be discovered through deceit. The Mystic Diplomat can go anywhere unnoticed with her Invisibility and Muffle spells. She takes what she wants, kills who she wants, and leaves without a trace. Completely avoid confrontation, find the enemy honcho, and kill him with a dual dagger power attack! You can also Pacify an entire group of enemies and slit their throats from behind like the defenseless milk drinkers they are. Combined with the Soul Trap spell, your Soul Gems and a certain Daedric artifact will be filled with ease.
Recommended Shout(s): Aura Whisper reveals all enemy signatures, even through walls. Use Throw Voice to distract enemies or lure them into a trap. If you're on the offensive, you can use Elemental Fury with non-enchanted Daggers. You'll be slicing and dicing your foes into sashimi.
What's better than a ninja? A Mystic Diplomat.
~ Role-Play ~
PERSONALITY:
Fair in her dealings, the Mystic Diplomat will offer a helping hand to anyone in need. She often uses her Persuasion skills before resorting to other means of negotiation. After seeing the effects of the Great War in Cyrodiil, she knows full well that extreme measures have to be taken in order to meet certain ends. As her Conjuration powers come from Oblivion, she will inevitably encounter Daedric Princes on her journey. And when she does, they will often find themselves on the losing end of any conversation they have with her. Cynical charms go a long way for a mortal.
Physically, you'll find her to be rather short in comparison to most of Skyrim's denizens. Bretons are possibly the smallest race in Tamriel. Some may even look down on them as their ancestry comes from both elves and humans from ancient times. People wouldn't expect a young female diplomat of being anything close to someone like the Dragonborn of legend or a leader in any of the prestigious guilds of Skyrim! But as the saying goes, "Some good things come in small packages." Personally, I enjoy playing the underdog who quickly rises in power and recognition throughout the land. Despite having a wide range of offensive abilities, the Mystic Diplomat is an extremely vulnerable character, if not actively protected. Her weaknesses bring about a unique level of immersion and realism. You'll find yourself being cautious and careful with her survival as she goes about her travels.
LORE:
Now comes the real question. Can this Breton Mystic Diplomat fit into the Elder Scrolls lore as the mighty Dragonborn? The Nords of Skyrim seem to have the monopoly on using the Thu'um. What does the mongrel race of Tamriel have to do with the power of dragons? One only has to look at another Dragonborn to find the answer: Tiber Septim. But wait. Isn't he an Imperial? From the Civil War to the history books, we quickly learn that "Tiber Septim" was the Cyrodilic name given to him when he became the Emperor and that his real name is Talos, a legendary war hero who hails from Skyrim. So that makes him a Nord, right? But according to the Arcturian Heresy, he had a name even before Talos: Hjalti Early-Beard. Hjalti was born in Alcaire, the fiefdom just along the south-central coast of the High Rock province; the land of the Bretons.
This presents an interesting proposition that Tiber Septim may possibly be a Breton! Of course, I won't deny that there is a chance that he could be a Nord born in High Rock. But what reasons would his family have for staying so far away from home? During that time, there was much racial conflict between the Nords and Bretons. It can even be witnessed today in Falkreath between the Stormcloaks and the Forsworn. How could they reside that deep within enemy territory? Could one of his parents be a Breton who fell in love with a Nord traveler? Unfortunately, we can only speculate and we also can't take what is written in the Arcturian Heresy at face value. However, what we do know for sure is that Tiber Septim used to go by the name of Hjalti. Just ask the Ghost of Old Hroldan, who is looking for Hjalti's Sword! Perhaps, in these dark times of both the Civil War and the return of the Dragons, only the Voice of a lowly half-breed can bring order and harmony to Skyrim, if not to the rest of Tamriel.
QUESTS:
No matter what your views are on the Mystic Diplomat being a suitable candidate as the Dragonborn, there's no question that she can definitely hold her own in any of the guilds. She can start off with the Companions to build up her fighting experience, fame, and gold. After that, she can pursue further education in magic at the College of Winterhold. Moving on to Riften, she can learn a thing or two from the Thieves Guild, as diplomacy sometimes requires under-the-table tactics. Let's not forget that in the political landscape of Tamriel, the deadly blade of a Dark Brotherhood assassin may also be necessary.
As for her views on the Civil War, she is loyal to the Empire's ideologies, since she spent most of her formal education in Cyrodiil. Even though the Imperial Legion has seen better days and ongoing corruption is rampant in the courts of the White Gold Tower, the Mystic Diplomat still believes that the hope for peace lies in the reconciliation between the peoples of Tamriel. Having spent time with other races have given her a wider worldview than that of the xenophobic Stormcloaks.
You can play this build through these questlines in any way you want and in any order! I prefer to do so in the order I wrote, with the Main Quest AFTER the Dark Brotherhood questline followed by the Civil War on the side of the Imperial Legion. For added immersion, wear and use the gear provided to you when focusing on a particular questline. Wear Mage Clothes when studying at the College of Winterhold. Dress the part of a Thief when in the Thieves Guild. Tip: If for some reason you find that the early levels are difficult, going to the College of Winterhold first will be of tremendous help to you. You'll have access to most of the spells you need as long as you have the gold to buy them and the skills to cast them.
~ Conclusion ~
I hope you enjoyed reading through my first build. This is my favorite character and the one that I am currently playing. By all means, feel free to make your own variation to fit your character design and experiment with the style of play you love the most! When deciding on a name for a Breton, choose a French name and one that has a meaning which best describes the character you are trying to create. If you have any questions or feedback, just drop them into the comments section below.
Please share some of your builds with me and I'll see you guys around!
LiTiBi
