How are you doing in smithing? My destruction and two handed were really under perked in the earlier levels, but their actual levels were higher. I heavily perked smithing and got it to 50 for advanced armours by level 10-12. I had an exquisite Steel Greatsword doing good damage, and Stormfang as well by level 5. I really got my defence up early, with 2/5 in Juggernaut by around 10, as well as smithing, Nordic Carved Armour and probably novice in alteration. The skill is great for reaching the armour cap, and those ash spells are too good to pans up, really. I'll see if I can find my message to Curse telling him my skills and perks around that level.

Skills at level 12: Smithing (51) - Steel, Elven, Advanced Armours Heavy Armour (20) - Juggernaut 2/5 Block (22) - Shield Wall 1/5 Two Handed (38) - Barbarian 2/5 Alchemy (29) - Alchemist 1/5 Destruction (23) - Novice Alteration (24) - Novice And equipment: Stormfang - 28 damage + 30 lightning damage Steel Greatsword (Exquisite) - 36 damage Amulet of Talos Nordic Carved Armour, Boots and Gauntlets (all Exquisite). No helmet! Total AR (with oak flesh) 181. So my AR was doing great, and smithing made up for the lack of perks in two handed. Destruction really gets going around levels 15-16, when you get Apprentice and start casting runes. I mainly stuck with the Bloodskal stance until I could cast a cloak and enough walls to create a bastion.

Thanks Samjt, it could just be a difference in approach - you started out with a more defensive style while I have been focussed on offence. I've only got the Steel Smithing perk so far, haven't perked Alteration or Block yet. Alchemy is fairly advanced, as is Destruction and Two Handed.

It could be that my offensive style will balance out in a few levels, forcing me to perk block and Alteration when I encounter some tougher enemies like trolls.

It has to be said, I'm loving the use of Alchemy as blessings from the All Maker. Using what nature has provided to heal my wounds and buff my skills makes for a refreshing take on the holy knight concept.

Awesome. I'm sure you're style will work perfectly, with high major skills you'll have no need for defence until you get to those harder enemies. Try and aim for Critical Charge and that first ethereal word, as that really helps out with defence mid game, when you're still on early flesh spells. Most enemies can't survive the charge, and those that do are staggered, leaving you room for a couple free attacks. Alchemy is great in that it will help all of your schools. Since you're not perking defence as much, try and use Armour of the Earth, as those ingredients are pretty easy to find in bulk (mushrooms in caves/around Morthal, scales around water and from dead slaughterfish, thistles around Riverwood area).

When I hit level 13 I picked up the Novice Alteration perk - the journey from Whiterun to Morthal through the Labrynthian pass for the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller convinced me of it's need. Darn Frost Trolls :D

Whilst in the area, I became a hero of Morthal and was awarded the Blade of Hjaalmarch, a nice greatsword which has become a proto Stormfang with 15 shock damage enchantment.

I'm really having a blast with roleplaying this build too. I'm imagining him as being the descendant of a faction of the Bloodskal Clan who had to leave Solstheim during the eruption of red mountain. Keeping to themselves on mainland Cyrodiil, this group lived the traditional Skaal way high in the mountains. My Crusader's quest is to return to his ancestral homeland, but on the way he is learning about the culture of Skyrim's Nords.

Sounding great Phil! Those trolls are tough, especially having four or five on you at level 13! I also found sabre cats to be a real hassle, their high damage really required the extra defence. Alteration only becomes really useful at later levels, when you have enough Magicka to fire off a few ash shells and a flesh spell besides. At early levels it's just a bit of extra AR. Lucky, getting that sword. I picked up Uthgard and went to Solsteim at level 5 for Stormfang. Used a ton of potions and poisons, but it was worth it. I just sat there zapping the Reavers chief while Uthgard tanked for me. It became my dragon killer, draining their Magicka in a few hits. I strongly recommend picking it up, if you pass through Windhelm. Your roleplay sounds like fun, I played mine as a Nord who discovered the Skaal, deciding to follow their ways. He learned their ways and customs, and realised that he was their saviour, without knowing it beforehand. It became his mission to cleanse Solsteim of all evil, where he found the Bloodskal blade, defeated Miraak and cleansed the stones.

i also went more defensive at first using an alteration spell every time i saw an enemy. as soon as i could go to solsteim i went and grabbed the quest to find out how that old guy's uncle or dad or w/e died and to get the bloodskaal blade. at the end they throw some high end dragur at you(one was able to one shot me if he hit me with an arrow) so in the room where you have to hit the switch so the rock door opens i used whirlwind sprint to get over then hid behind a wall till it refreshed then used it again to get to the door and just ran till i got to the room with the blade. i also ran right past the dragon priest as i think i was around level 7ish so i had no chance. having the bloodskaal blade so early made me seem like a god till i found out bears could one shot me(even in full steel plate armor with the 2nd level flesh spell) i also feel like destruction levels really slow compared to the other magics.

Dude that run through the barrow sounds awesome! I tried it in the early teens, ran into some scourges in that same room, then ran back out. Later came in the early twenties, decimated everything! When I came to the Dragon Priest, he started one shotting me, so I used Become Ethereal to launch waves at him while he fought my follower! It was a truly epic fight. Yeah, destruction is pretty slow but isn't needed until you get a big Magicka pool, which wasn't until later for me. Are you still playing the build?

You both play too fast! I'm taking my sweet time with this character and he'll only get the Bloodskal Blade when the time is right

yeah i am still playing the build but also started spirit of the hunt by no snakes so i will be bouncing between those 2. i just hit 20 on my skaal and i am gonna get my smithing to 50 for the armor so i have the whole look down.