LE "Of Blessings and Champions"

[draconisking]

"Of Blessings and Champions"

A religion overhaul

 

Don't you think the vanilla Skyrim shrines are a bit weird? They are both overpowered and useless. Overpowered? you may think, well yes because they make diseases insignificant, you got a disease? run to the closest town and get cured for free (making cure disease potions even more insignificant). On the other hand I suppose I won't have to explain why the bonus' granted are useless (especially on a higher level). I may have a nice idea to change that, however I am no modder (I tried to learn but my Creationkit seems to crash every now and then). So now you know why I'm here let's start the explanations:

 

I would like to have a devotion based bonus, what I mean by that is fairly simple: When increasing your devotion to a certain god/mortal*/deadra the reward given by them will cumulate, which means they will become stronger over time. So let's say you would have to pray to your god once every day to keep your blessing becoming stronger. At the start they will be of 1% our 1 point but will be capped at 100% or 100 points. At about 50 for example Shrines will cure diseases, and not before. I would also like to see some changes to the actual blessings which are far too similar and often don't really seem to fit the lore of the god they belong to.

 

Aedric blessings:

• Akatosh' blessing: Increased Magicka regeneration and shout effects (strength, duration ...)
• Arkay's blessing: Increased health and damage done to undead
• Auri-el's blessing (DG DLC): Increased ranged damage and damage done to vampires
• Dibella's blessing: Better prices with the opposite genders and for tempered items and jewelry (Dibella is the godess of art after all)
• Julianos' blessing: Increased skill Learning rate and magicka
• Kynareth's blessing: Increased speed and stamina regeneration
• Mara's blessing: Decreased restoration cost and increased regeneration outcome
• Stendarr's blessing: Increased blocking skill outcome and increased damage done to the creatures from the other planes of existence (deadra mostly)
• Talos' blessing: decreased shout cooldown and increased damage done to dragons
• Zenithar's blessing: increased bartering prices and increased tempering quality

Daedric blessings:

• Boethiah's blessing (DB DLC): Increased sneaking effect and sneak attack bonus
• Azura's blessing (DB DLC): increased resistance to magic and damage you deal using it
• Mephala's blessing (DB DLC): Increased one-handed weapon and poison damage
• Nocturnal's blessing: Increased Pickpocketing succes rate and Decreased Lockpick breaking rate

 

You might think that at this rate the blessing might get a little too powerfull, but keep in mind that the wielder has to get back to a shrine everyday to keep his blessing and that if he chooses to pray at another shrine he will lose his devotion to his previous god and will have to start over too. Making these powers very difficult to maintain. This is where the amulet's of the divine's come in: They will enable you to keep your blessing a little longer (an extra day). However this is not everything I wanted to add, when you capped your devotion you will be blessed champion of the god you have chosen:

 

Aedric Champions:

• Champion of Akatosh or "Son of the Dragon god": Once a day, when close to death, Time will slow down as your own speed increases, you also become invincible for the duration of this effect. (Don't worry it will be very short)
• Champion of Arkay or "Wrath of the Undead": Undead will be set on fire and will flee when you approach, resurrected bodies (from necromancer's) may even turn to dust.
• Champion of Auri-El or "Solar Knight" (DG DLC): Vampires will be set aflame and deathhounds and gargoyles may be turned to ashes.
• Champion of Dibella or "Celestial Artist": Once a day, when close to death, Your follower(s) will shortly become invincible and will rush toward your enemies. Overall your followers are also more powerfull. (Dibella is the goddes of friendship and love after all)
• Champion of Julianos or "Seeker": You will gain an extra perk point every set amount of (let's say 50 to 100) enemies you kill, and when killing a dragon you have a 50% chance of getting a second dragon soul
• Champion of Kynareth or "Whisperer": A bolt of lightning may hit any enemy striking a fatal blow, when this happens your magicka and stamina will be fully regenerated.
• Champion of Mara or "Parangon of Love": Once a day, while close to death, visions of your spouse (and children) will appear and will shield you of any harm while attacking your ennemy for a short time. In the process your health will regenerate very quickly. (Only effective when married)
• Champion of Stendarr or "Vigilant of Mercy": When blocking a huge magical barrier is created to protect both you and those standing behind you. This barrier should be strong enough to negate dragonfire and the more powerfull spells almost entirely)
• Champion of Talos: Once a day, when close to death, a group of phantomatic warriors (associated with talos, so imperials, blades, and nords) will shortly aid you in battle then vanish. While they are present your shouts become more powerfull.
• Champion of Zenithar or "Heavenly Craftsman": When crafting weapons or armor at a forge, they are immediatly tempered to their maximum (this should take your smithing skill and any buffs on it in account to avoid overpowered weapons)

Daedric Champions:

• Champion of Nocturnal or "Nightingale Master": You may teleport behind any ennemy striking a fatal blow. If you are wielding a one-handed weapon, you will automaticly attack it and your hit will trigger a sneak attack.
• Champion of Boethiah or "Shadow Warrior" (DB DLC): Once a day, when close to death, you will negate any incoming damage for about 5 seconds, in this time you will become a shadow and all your attacks will have the sneak attack bonus.
• Champion of Azura or "Morning Star" (DB DLC): Incoming spells will recharge your magicka and may also fill an empty soul gem from your inventory.
• Champion of Mephala or "Dark Manipulator" (DG DLC): Once a day, when close to death, a random number of animal, monster or humanoid enemies (inferior to their max count) will turn on their allies to aid you in battle. Once the effects wears off (and they are still alive) they will cut their veins and kill themselves. Does not work on undead or Dwemer machinery (unless you have the appropriated illusion perk)

 

 

Now, this is overpowered (especially when you think the blessing's bonus is still activated). But keep in mind that the same rules that apply to the blessing are applied to the Champion powers (which are actually passive abilities). I hope someone would be talented, skilled and willing enough to make this happen notices this post, so if anyone would like to see this happen. Post, follow, endorse whatever! Anyway thanks for considering.

 

Oh and please tell me if someone already made this or if you think this is a silly idea (I would love to hear your arguments) or if you think this is too powerfull.

Edited April 2, 2014 by draconisking

[MerDryad]

Oooh. Interesting Idea. I support.

[simon1806]

Really interesting! You have my support! I always felt a lack of divine presence in skyrim :)

[draconisking]

That's exactly what I thought. The Deadra were present and powerfull while the gods that were supposed to protect you from them were nowhere to be found and most of all very weak. It just didn't seem right.

 

Oh and before anyone asks anything about the Julianos Champion, I just couldn't find anything. The lore I found wasn't very usefull. He is supposed to be the god of wisdom, knowledge, and logics. I already integrated that into his new blessing but just can't find anything for his Champion. Is someone has any ideas: give them!

Edited January 31, 2014 by draconisking

[FlyingHearts]

I really like the sound of this! It makes religion be more... religion-ier and have more of a point. It sounds great for role playing. A few seem a little too overpowered (Champion Of Talos mostly but I do like the idea).

[draconisking]

And here I thought the Champion of Boethiah was overpowered. Or perhaps the Champion of Akatosh...

Well I could remove the shout bonus... But I insist on keeping the soldiers: Talos is the man-god of heroes so have him send some to aid his champion in battle would only seem natural.

[draconisking]

Just found a nice idea for the Julianos championship so I thought why not put it here already:

 

• Champion of Julianos or "Seeker": You will gain en extra perk point every set amount of enemies you kill, and when killing a dragon you have a 50% chance of getting a second dragon soul.