Character Archetype: The Berserker

Race: Orc

Gender: Male

Statistic Focus: Health 50% Stamina 50%

Primary Skills (you’ll want to level these ASAP): Two-Handed, Heavy Armor

Secondary Skills: Smithing, Block

Stone Ability: Lord Stone

Essential Perks: Barbarian (Two-Handed), Champion’s Stance (Two-Handed), Juggernaut (Heavy Armor), Well-Fitted (Heavy Armor), Tower of Strength (Heavy Armor), Power Bash (Block)

Weapons: The strongest Two-Handed weapon you can find.

Armor: Heavy Armor, for the most defense.

Follower: Find a follower who can keep up with you and jump right into the battle with you. Stenvar is aggressive, but Belrand offers more versatility. If you’re in the wilderness (as opposed to a cramped dungeon), don’t hesitate to take a war hound along to distract enemies.

Advice:

·       As an Orc, you have solid skill bonuses and the racial ability: Berserk (which lets you take half damage and output double damage for a minute).

·       A berserker will charge right into combat. Their attacks will be slow, but will deal high damage and have a higher chance of staggering foes.

·       Power Attacks are critical to using Two-Handed weapons effectively, so boost your Stamina and perks that improve power attacks, like Champion’s Stance.

·       You are in most danger when you are surrounded. Keep followers or war hounds around to divide the attention of your enemies and keep their numbers manageable.

·       When you do get surrounded, use Berserk to fight your way free of the fray.

·       Heavy Armor is necessary for a berserker because it replaces the protective spells, shields, or stealth skills that other archetypes have. The right Heavy Armor perks can shrug off direct hits from the most powerful of foes.

·       The Lord Stone improves your defense even further, which lets you focus on beating the living daylights out of enemies instead of on your health.

·       Though you won’t have much use of shields, you still have the ability to parry with your weapon. This lets you take advantage of Block perks like Power Bash or Disarming Bash.

·       Combat relies directly on your weapons and your armor. Leveling up your Smithing skill will allow you to make/improve your gear high above that of your enemies early on in the game.