Skyrim V: Skyrim

[Calemyr]

Speaking of trying different builds, I've been meaning to try a battlemage build, because nothing says "medieval Jedi" like a gish.

Anyway, does anyone have any tips for me? For instance, what kinds of directions can I go in with that concept? All my characters so far have been warriors, and I don't have much experience with mages, so I'm a bit lost when it comes to knowing what schools of magic are worthwhile.

Also, like Callos, I'm playing on an Xbox 360, so mods are a no-no.

1) Since you're consoling it, the best way to use magic is to stack as close to 100% of the Fortify X Magic enchantments as you can, particularly with destruction magic as it doesn't increase in power as you gain skill or non-augment perks. Your spells will remain static and end up a bit weak, but they are certainly worth your time if they are cheap/free.

2) Shock is your friend. Next to nothing resist shock, and none of the dragons do. This helps your ranged potential a lot.

3) If you want to cheese an enemy, Dual-cast + Impact will allow you to stunlock virtually anything as long as you have magicka (see note 1).

4) If you don't want to use fortify X enchantments, the combination of the Morokei mask and Archmage robes will give you enough regeneration to use spells with reasonable regularity.

5) Bound sword is a good "jedi" weapon if that's what you're after. It's pure energy, summonable, and quite powerful with the right perks. Plus, if you go armorless, you end up not needing Blacksmithy at all, keeping your level down a little.

6) If you're using stealth, the Silent Spell perk from the Illusion tree (skill 50) is nice. It allows you to drop runes, summon weapons and minions, and the like without attracting the attention of everyone in the next room.

[Beowulf DW]

1) Since you're consoling it, the best way to use magic is to stack as close to 100% of the Fortify X Magic enchantments as you can, particularly with destruction magic as it doesn't increase in power as you gain skill or non-augment perks. Your spells will remain static and end up a bit weak, but they are certainly worth your time if they are cheap/free.

2) Shock is your friend. Next to nothing resist shock, and none of the dragons do. This helps your ranged potential a lot.

3) If you want to cheese an enemy, Dual-cast + Impact will allow you to stunlock virtually anything as long as you have magicka (see note 1).

4) If you don't want to use fortify X enchantments, the combination of the Morokei mask and Archmage robes will give you enough regeneration to use spells with reasonable regularity.

5) Bound sword is a good "jedi" weapon if that's what you're after. It's pure energy, summonable, and quite powerful with the right perks. Plus, if you go armorless, you end up not needing Blacksmithy at all, keeping your level down a little.

6) If you're using stealth, the Silent Spell perk from the Illusion tree (skill 50) is nice. It allows you to drop runes, summon weapons and minions, and the like without attracting the attention of everyone in the next room.

Thanks, I think I'll go with a shield+summoned sword style for combat, because I've heard nothing but good things about the conjuration school.

[Calemyr]

Thanks, I think I'll go with a shield+summoned sword style for combat, because I've heard nothing but good things about the conjuration school.

If you're going for jedi, you might want to consider wards rather than shields. They're a bit expensive, but they fit the "force" theme and generally quite effective. You just have to time the usage to keep it from killing your magicka. It's also restoration magic, which is generally handy as well.

[Beowulf DW]

If you're going for jedi, you might want to consider wards rather than shields. They're a bit expensive, but they fit the "force" theme and generally quite effective. You just have to time the usage to keep it from killing your magicka. It's also restoration magic, which is generally handy as well.

Oh, well that was actually just a joke, but thanks.

[Triaxx]

One of the most effective sword and boarders I've had was actually a Light armor user. That meant I spent time planning attacks so I could retreat but I also had a shield I could use to block anything I couldn't avoid. Mainly two handed weapons, and archers. I used one of the Jaysus Swords mostly, but I think I might try again with a bound weapon. Of course, I'll have to have a Jaysus for mounted combat.

[Triaxx]

One of the most effective sword and boarders I've had was actually a Light armor user. That meant I spent time planning attacks so I could retreat but I also had a shield I could use to block anything I couldn't avoid. Mainly two handed weapons, and archers. I used one of the Jaysus Swords mostly, but I think I might try again with a bound weapon. Of course, I'll have to have a Jaysus for mounted combat.

[Partof1]

Is a jaysus sword from a mod or something?

[The_Jackal]

Is a jaysus sword from a mod or something?

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/1002

Yes.

[Calemyr]

Is a jaysus sword from a mod or something?

None better. Really, it's just got style written all over it.

[Neftren]

Hello everyone. I started playing Skyrim again and thought I'd poke my head in here.



Does anyone here have any experience with the Skyrim Creation Kit, specifically with creating new items and assigning meshes/textures? Pardon me for not looking through pages and pages of posts.

[Calemyr]

Hello everyone. I started playing Skyrim again and thought I'd poke my head in here.



Does anyone here have any experience with the Skyrim Creation Kit, specifically with creating new items and assigning meshes/textures? Pardon me for not looking through pages and pages of posts.

I'm actually gearing up for a game right now, so I'm working on just that. What exactly are you wanting to do?

[Maquise]

Right, so I've got a Skyrim joke:

Q:Why did the Nord join the Imperial Legion?
A: He signed up to fight for mead.

[Triaxx]

Don't get it.

I've noticed that it's not nearly as easy to work with the Creation Kit as it was with the CS. Or either of the GECK's. (Once NV's quit crashing at any rate.)

Perhaps it's just me being out of practice, but I've been building a castle and it seems harder than I recall in Oblivion. Anyone else getting that feeling?

[Dhavaer]

Don't get it.

Mead/Mede is the family name of the Emperor.

[Avilan the Grey]

Mead/Mede is the family name of the Emperor.

Trying to do some roleplaying this time and therefore followed the Nord guy into the keep at the beginning but will eventually join the Legion anyway.

[Tergon]

If you're dual-wielding, you definitely want to do so with a dagger in the off-hand slot for speed. But really, for my money, the best possible build that uses dual-wielding is a stealth melee with two daggers. You can't block, so speed and stealth are how you dodge attacks. Your focus is on attacking fast rather than doing high damage with each hit. With stealth perks, you can get insane amounts of damage multipliers, while saving specialization points in the One-Handed tree by not having to drop them into sword / war axe / mace mastery. And if you get sprung and do have to fight, you can still hold your own in a standing fight by weilding two daggers and doing quite respectable damage.

Of course, if you're doing a thematic approach and the choice of dual-weilding is a stylistic choice, then whatever suits you best. Personally I favour the look of the sword-and-dagger look, or dual axes. Though there is a lot to be said for just how cool dual Summoned Swords look.

Summoned Sword and Ward is a very effective combination for a warrior mage, but you can't rely on them alone. You'll find yourself using Conjuration to summon up a meat shield by necessity, because while the Ward is great against magic and alright against melee, it might as well not be there when someone's firing arrows at you. You'll go down hard without an Atronach or a couple of zombies to distract the enemy.

[Triaxx]

Jaysus has two cool weapons for dual wielding. One is the Argonian Blade, which is counted as a dagger. Very cool looking.

The other one is the Nordic Axe, which when dual wielded is just amazing looking.

I'm frankly disappointed that there seems to be so little love for maces though.

[Avilan the Grey]

Boy I am as excited as when the game was new...
Who is interested in the adventures of Kyra, the biglipped wood elf?

Also... I am running on Expert, with Deadly Combat, and the only fight I had a problem with so far is the same one as always: The first three wolves. I had to gulp down 3 health potions to kill them all (it doesn't help that took them on alone). Also the SkyrimTEST do shake things up. First time I left the starting dungeon and turned left to the Thalos shrine a flock of 7 wolves attacked and killed the bandits in the camp.
After some reloading no wolves were to be seen but the bandits instead attacked me and (ugly nord guy) on the road.

[Tergon]

I have used maces. Certainly I think they have better perks in the one-handed tree than swords do! Mostly I just think axes look cooler, though. Once you get to the higher-level maces the designs get so intricate that I think they start looking worse for it. Call me crazy, but the simple steel mace with its ball of spikes looks cooler than the upper-tier ones.

[Calemyr]

I have used maces. Certainly I think they have better perks in the one-handed tree than swords do! Mostly I just think axes look cooler, though. Once you get to the higher-level maces the designs get so intricate that I think they start looking worse for it. Call me crazy, but the simple steel mace with its ball of spikes looks cooler than the upper-tier ones.

That's kinda why they're underdone, I think. Swords are elegant, they work well with aesthetic flourishes, but maces (and to a lesser degree axes and bows) are practical and don't inspire much creativity in fashion. They simply look... well, wrong when they're over-designed. It's the equivalent of a rugged mountain man who regularly dresses like Elton John.

Swords, on the other hand, can be ornamented, reshaped, or jeweled and still come out looking good. So the artists make more swords, so the designers use more swords, so the game has more swords. That's just the art of war.

[Partysan]

Although I really didn't like those high level sword designs in Skyrim at all. These huge scimitars with spikes all over are more ridiculous than intimidating. The sword I liked best was actually the Skyforge Greatsword.

[The_Jackal]

Seconded. I wish they'd done a more functional, more sleek design for the higher tier weapons, instead of indulging in spiky-bit-itis. A bigger blade, with some slick textures and good use of shaders would have been idea. Instead, the Daedric weapons look like they were designed by a 14 year old.

Glass isn't much better. If they'd just made it look like a sword with a green glass blade (translucence might have been technically challenging, but would look EPIC). I actually felt the Glass and Daedric sword designs from Morrowind look better than the ones from Skyrim, mostly because some mesh designer wanted to make the showiest weapon possible.

Fortunately, they did make the crafting system flexible enough that you can make a convincing weapon out of any material, so you're not obliged to use the Daedric/Glass junk.

[Daverin]

So, I'm about to start a new game, and I've decided I want to try to build my favorite archetype: The living siege engine, a character who brazenly charges in and engages the tide as an assault trooper. I'm imagining (ironically) light armor (since both light and heavy can hit the cap, and light means more stamina for power attacks) and two handed.

Now, are there any mods that facilitate this kind of playstyle? Anything adding to two handed, or giving powers/spells that reward for killing or engaging multiple foes, for example?

EDIT: Actually, now that I think of it, just using spells and shouts may be easier. It kind of makes me wish melee had more "abilities" besides just swinging something. It just seems like Hulkish characters do not get alot of options.

[Calemyr]

So, I'm about to start a new game, and I've decided I want to try to build my favorite archetype: The living siege engine, a character who brazenly charges in and engages the tide as an assault trooper. I'm imagining (ironically) light armor (since both light and heavy can hit the cap, and light means more stamina for power attacks) and two handed.

Now, are there any mods that facilitate this kind of playstyle? Anything adding to two handed, or giving powers/spells that reward for killing or engaging multiple foes, for example?

While you are right that both can hit the cap, I believe heavy armor does have the advantage that it can hit the cap with fewer skill points and feats required - particularly dwarven armor, which gets a substantial boost from the Ancient Knowledge ability you get from the Lexicon mission (at lvl 15). That means you don't need to devote quite as many perks to your armor, which can be handy.

I don't have it handy at the moment, but I recall a perk mod that swapped Cleave and the 100 point 2h perk, but gave Cleave an innate advantage of hitting everything in the sweep rather than the first guy you hit. Never tried it, but it could help.

There are also animations for two handed weapons - pretty good ones at that if you want a bit of swagger in your idles.

You may also want to look into one of the Chrysamere greatsword mods. The one I'm thinking about is an end-game weapon, requiring you to take on a powerful dragon to get it, but it's effective and has a unique trait: blocking with it has a ward effect similar to Spellbreaker, but also reflects the spells that don't overcome its tolerance.

There's also 2h Dawnbreaker. Not sure I like the art they used, but Dawnbreaker is a lot of fun in draugr ruins.

There's also Jaysus blades, which as I've already described as simply the best there is. It's got some very good two-handed swords, which require steel, dragon, and ebony/advanced to craft so you can make all of them whichever path you take on the anvil.

Oh, there's also Gizmodian's Silver Swords. They're high-art swords I can appreciate (stylish without being ineffective, menacing without being dark or spiky) and are very nice. I make it a habit of modding the Skyforged sword and greatsword to use the models, because they deserve a little bit of sinister sparkle. Really good choice if you like paladin types, actually.

[Daverin]

Huh, thanks for the info!

Actually, what I think would be nice is a mod to channel spells through weapons, maybe at reduced power or something. That way I could cast some of the spells from my mods meant to be more melee oriented and the like; I'm sure something in there would involve things like quakes and the like. Also, I think I have a mod with a weapon who has an enchant that includes a Relentless Force like effect, and the author specifically mentioned disenchanting it. That'd probably get me somewhere.

[Calemyr]

Huh, thanks for the info!

Actually, what I think would be nice is a mod to channel spells through weapons, maybe at reduced power or something. That way I could cast some of the spells from my mods meant to be more melee oriented and the like; I'm sure something in there would involve things like quakes and the like. Also, I think I have a mod with a weapon who has an enchant that includes a Relentless Force like effect, and the author specifically mentioned disenchanting it. That'd probably get me somewhere.

Oh, yes, there's that enchantment. It's quite funny, in a "Sauron at the start of LotR" way. I figured you wanted something a little more balanced.

There are no channeled spells at this moment, I'm afraid. There's one called Dragonboon that replaces Dragonbane with a weapon that takes on different properties when particular shouts are equipped, but I've never used it.

Another option is one I saw on the Steam Workshop: one of the mage glaives from Dragon Age 2 (the preorder bonus one) is available on the workshop as a greatsword and a staff. The trick of this is that you could equip the staff, then the greatsword and hotkey the greatsword. Then you could fight with the weapon in melee hit the hotkey (unequiping the greatsword but going back to the one-handed layout you had before), cast spells using the staff, then hit the hotkey again and keep fighting, all while seemingly using the same weapon. If I were to do so, I'd be tempted to modify that mod so that the staff version had more than a simple firebolt*, but in any event it's a pretty cool concept.

* Possibly using magicka rather than enchantment, granting destruction skill when used, benefitting form destruction perks, and even having the spell involved evolve depending on your perks.

[Daverin]

Huh, that looks pretty cool. Is it based on a specific enchantment, or is it just scripted?

EDIT: Actually, set it up so that it absorbs souls somehow (I feel like I've seen that enchantment somewhere...) and just go to town with the effects. Which is doubly awesome because that does the whole benefits on killing thing! This is starting to look very promising.

[Calemyr]

Huh, that looks pretty cool. Is it based on a specific enchantment, or is it just scripted?

EDIT: Actually, set it up so that it absorbs souls somehow (I feel like I've seen that enchantment somewhere...) and just go to town with the effects. Which is doubly awesome because that does the whole benefits on killing thing! This is starting to look very promising.

Afraid I've never actually used any of the ones I mentioned last time. I just remember reading their descriptions/discussions.

Dragonboon is definitely scripted and doesn't work for all shouts, but it is an interesting concept.

The glaive (can't remember the name - it's too similar to Paarthanax) is just a greatsword and staff of firebolt with the glaive model. It's a brilliant idea that could be expanded on if someone had the inspiration.

And there are a few souls-sucking enchantments:
1) Standard soul trap
2) Fiery Soul Trap (soul trap + 10 fire damage, found in Ironbind Barrow between Whiterun and Windhelm)
3) Bound soul trap (a conjuring perk adds soul trap to all bound weapons)

[Neftren]

I'm actually gearing up for a game right now, so I'm working on just that. What exactly are you wanting to do?

Well, exactly what I posted I suppose. I'd like to create a new set of armor using a set of models and textures I found, using the Creation Kit, and hopefully branch out from there (ultimately learning to upload to Steam Workshop).

[AstralFire]

I made a video! Yay!