Best skyrim build that you have played?

[Deleted3507349User]

"Best" is such a tricky term. Different builds have different strengths and weaknesses, all that really matters is that you find a build that works for your particular play style. I've tried I-don't-know-how-many different builds and none of them were really unplayable. Emphasis on sneak generally makes play easier, but that's not the same as "best". The most flat-out FUN build I've played to date was Irving. Irving was an imperial whose ONLY attack was shouts (no melee, ranged, or magic attacks...not even unarmed punching). He was also not allowed to sneak, and the only clothing he was allowed to wear aside from jewelry was the Savior's Hide.

 

He got really, REALLY good at using terrain, traps, and other NPCs to his advantage. Playing him taught me a lot about having multiple backup plans and thinking outside the box. To this day whenever I have a character face a particularly different challenge I think "What would Irving do?"

[fifteenspades]

If we are talking Vanilla Best i'm pretty sure everyone can agree Mages with Impact were the most overpowered build possible.

[Sucrilhus]

If we are talking Vanilla Best i'm pretty sure everyone can agree Mages with Impact were the most overpowered build possible.

Only against enemies that come alone though....

 

 

 

My vote would go for what one of the first replies said... "Sneak Archer" is the most OP build in Skyrim Vanilla, investing in dagger too + shadow warrior makes you a death machine both in ranged and melee... (Vanilla's shadow warrior = game breaking skill)

 

 

 

In my modest opinion, though...

I don't see much sense in playing skyrim looking for power-build, since at least for me, the game is all about roleplaying. There's no hurry to finish, there's no rank... it's just about "enjoying the ride"... having a incredibly powerful character usually means the game will become boring before you even end it.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Sucrilhus

[RatcatcherOfKvatch]

I have 3 permadeath-survivors (one is Master-difficulty so I guess that one doesn't count; make it 2 on Legendary) who have all completed (at least) one major questline each. They're saved for now in the Hall of Fame; playing them got boring, but they're still alive so they get their own save slots. Anyway all of them have divided their builds roughly into pre-crafting and post-crafting.

 

Post-crafting, that is Alchemy, Enchanting, and Smithing maxxed out and you carrying the best possible gear, your build beyond that doesn't really matter all that much. You want stealth? Build it. You want to be an archer? Build it. You want to clear a dungeon with a super-powered-up Shock Cloak? Brew it. You can change your "build" just by changing clothes. There are a few "essential perks" like Impact, but mostly you just dress the part and that's what you are.

 

Pre-crafting my favorite build is stealth healer. Seriously, you almost can't die when you can hide, and you almost can't lose when you can heal. Healers being mages they also conjure, and storm atronachs are available very early if you have the money for the one expensive component you need to make the staff. Throw in a dog and you've got an unbeatable team -- just don't be overconfident or you're one Reaper bite away from a Ralof Reunion.

For best results don't touch any skill not directly related to stealth-healing. That means NO SELLING! Use Kolskegger and Transmute and make your money as a "miner" instead (transmuting ore is more like mining bitcoins than having a real job, but it gets you the money without unwanted speech leveling.)

Stealth healers are sort-of mages; Impact is a really good thing to have against dragons, mammoths, big Dwemer machinery of the deadly kind, that sort of thing. Bows and crossbows are also quite nice, especially for first strikes and poisoning. Why limit yourself? "Stealth healer", it's right there in the name ...

 

After the Cidhna Mine quest, which must be run stripped of gear, is a good time to transition to the high-end equipment game. You can squeak out a little more adventuring without being vulnerable to a 1-hit-kill -- barely -- if you do the Avanchnzel Lexicon thing. Even Lexiconned Dwemer armor from a mediocre smith isn't much protection, so don't ride this option too long.

[OozyGorilla]

My favorite is an Illusion using assassin. Something about making everyone fight each other then coming in and killing the winners. There's also something extremely satisfying about calming an enemie that has detected you and you kill them when they walk away.

 

A sneaky archer using the Bound Bow is also fun.

 

I did a "paladin" build that used heavy armor, restoration and one handers that was pretty fun. It was a bit rough before 40 Resto when you can regen stamina as well as health but pretty fun (even more so with YY Anim Replacer - Mystic Knight. Just feels really good.)

 

What I end up playing the most is the basic sword and shield warrior.

[Aluroon]

If we are looking only for sheer game breaking combat power it is really hard to compete with a stealth driven archer. Even at relatively low levels it is very easy to build your way into one shot kills on high difficulties. You can keep your distance, saving you from melee damage and making it easy to dodge spells, always have the opportunity to initiate combat on your terms, and can always run if things go sideways. Even on master difficulty (and before you max crafting skills) it is extremely easy to be all but invincible as a stealth archer.

 

Numbers two and three are way behind, but are centered around a well built and intelligently played sword and shield (especially an argonian) or a stagger focused destruction mage (especially a high elf). Both of these character types can be tremendously powerful (especially early on), but tend to struggle against some kinds of foes. Mages have difficulty against enemies with lots of hit points, ranged attacks, or multiple powerful foes. Sword and shield characters are vulnerable to ranged attackers (especially dragons). I don't think I ever died with my argonian sword and board character on Expert despite finishing most of the appropriate quests (civil war, main questline, companions). Similarly, unless I did something stupid my mage was pretty stout (though he had much less margin for error since his health pool was relatively small and he was forced to invest enchanting slots in magica, regeneration, and so forth). Mages also tend to struggle the further into the game you get, because without mods their spells don't scale properly and by level ~35 many are completely pointless.

[RatcatcherOfKvatch]

Incinerate on any level below Legendary is deadly. The big problem with the Destruction school is how slowly it levels. Dual-cast halves the speed at which you level, and DC is the most useful way to use it thanks to Impact. The result is "pure mages" leveling everything else too quickly and wondering why Destruction is so under-powered.

 

You can always pay for training, 5 points every level, and once you hit ~65 or so I think you can buy the Incinerate family of spells. After that you're set.

 

If you're an Alchemist you can use Fortify Destruction potions to massively power-up your spells. Give it a shot. Alchemy + Destruction is the most overpowered build in the game, without exception.

[MidevalGuy]

The big problem with the Destruction school is how slowly it levels. Dual-cast halves the speed at which you level, and DC is the most useful way to use it thanks to Impact. The result is "pure mages" leveling everything else too quickly and wondering why Destruction is so under-powered.

 

The problem with vanilla magic in general is Bethesda opted for a "higher level = less magicka cost" instead of "higher level = increased magnitude (more powerful, or longer lasting depending on school)". Melee, Archer and Stealth builds do more damage the higher they go whereas mages get magicka reduction and slightly more powerful spells... Which is negated by how much those higher levels spells cost and how short they last e.g. Master Alteration spells like Dragonflesh that cost a sh1t ton of magicka and only last two minutes, if that.

 

Of course, this is why (as we are discussing on the Sanguine Rose thread) Bethesda probably made certain staffs and artifacts available early on (Dawnbreaker, Storm Atronach staff, etc.) to give mages a head start and/or to balance out non-magic builds as well.

 

As for best build overall...

 

Another poster already wrote, the "best" build is the one you have the most fun with for whatever reason.

Statistically there are "best builds" if we go purely by math, but even that is subjective because of game breaking exploits and/or gaps in game design that allow players to just over charge weapons, armor and everything else so they do insanely high damage a.k.a one-hit swords, axes, bows, etc.

[RatcatcherOfKvatch]

Like I've mentioned in other threads mages scale damage mostly against their alchemy skill. You have to sort of discover this for yourself -- I don't think anyone in the game outright tells you, there are just clues, like every mage of note is also an alchemist.

 

At the ridiculously-overpowered stage which class is strongest depends on how many opponents there are at what range. "How fast can you kill 1 guy at 100 yards?" makes archers look pretty good. "How fast can you kill a dozen guys before they find the door?" is a question only an alchemist / mage really wants to answer.

 

The big question past level 60 is, "What keeps me playing the game?" Good stories, good dialog, good immersion, unfinished business, that feeling like the Dragonborn has finally made it, those experiences are fun to have, but as enjoyable as the view from the top might be the adrenaline rush is to be had in the climb.

 

LordGaron's pure-as-in-no-alchemy mage build might just be crazy like a fox. Never mind that you'd go back into the mostly-crowd-control role for which pure mages are optimal ... followers without masterfully-forged weapons wouldn't chainsaw-massacre anything that got too close. Their armor would be the usual triple-ply toilet paper everyone else is wearing. Your enchanting skill could grant them good FH and MR, but fight long enough and you'd actually have to heal them -- especially if you can't brew them healing potions but can only use store-bought. Your conjured Dremora Lords wouldn't just be comic relief but actual important components of the battle. Hmm ...

[Lord Garon]

 

... followers without masterfully-forged weapons wouldn't chainsaw-massacre anything that got too close. Their armor would be the usual triple-ply toilet paper everyone else is wearing.

 

 

Of all the game-breaking, immersion destroying stuff in a targeted-for-mass-audience-not-real-gamers console port, essential and protected followers are the worst. The right follower can almost beat Skyrim by his/herself while your character just passively supports or watches. The lack of smithing perks in a "pure" non-warrior build helps to somewhat offset this (almost unbelievable) advantage.

 

Of course, playing without a follower is the solution, but there IS a certain appeal to playing with a little "teamwork". And by now, hearing Lydia say, "I've got your back", is as much a part of Skyrim for me as are dragons or ex-adventurers with joint injuries. So I lead my poor followers around in the sure knowledge that the next boss will beat them to a pulp... at some point. Not knowing when it will happen keeps my squishy characters honest. You really don't want to be that close to a Chaurus Hunter when Lydia drops onto a knee, I'll tell you that much for nothing. :ohmy:

 

I also have to say that my "pure" mage builds do gain smithing, alchemy, and non-magic school SKILLS, I just don't take perks in them.