Skyrim Tip #60 White Kids

In Skyrim, there are no redguard children. Redguard couples (somehow) have Nord children.

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.

Skyrim Tip #59 Dungeons and Traps

Delving dungeons? Keep your eyes to the ground for pressure plates and tripwires. Don’t think you can just run around if you’ve got the Sneak perk that makes you invincible to them: your follower will most certainly step on them and hurt you both. Also keep an eye out for long hallways with sudden, wide openings or rooms that are long to the left or right, but thin. The kind of room that you walk past and a battering ram hits you.

Character Archetype: The Archer

Race: Wood Elf

Gender: Male

Statistic Focus: Health 80% Stamina 20% Magicka 20%

Primary Skills (you’ll want to level these ASAP): Archery, Sneak

Secondary Skills: Light Armor, Block

Stone Ability: Thief Stone

Essential Perks: Overdraw (Archery), Eagle Eye (Archery), Power Shot (Archery), Quick Shot (Archery), Stealth (Sneak), Deadly Aim (Sneak)

Weapons: Bows and Arrows (the best you can afford), if you can, find a bow with a fire/shock/frost enchantment. Keep a one-handed weapon for backup.

Armor: Light Armor will give you protection but won’t sacrifice speed or stealth

Follower: If you’re looking for aggression, choose Jenassa or Faendal. If you’re looking for someone sturdy, choose Vorstag or Argis.

Advice:

·       As a Wood Elf, you excel in stealthy archery, with bonuses in all of your critical skills.

·       If you see an enemy, drop into sneak mode and look for a vantage point. If there aren’t any, starting off the battle with a sneak attack will give you a good advantage.

·       If an enemy closes in on you or bum rushes you, bash them with your bow and get some space so that you can keep firing.

·       Use your bow exclusively to level it up as quickly as possible.

·       Every single Archery perk is valuable to a dedicated archer. I recommend getting them all as soon as you can. Don’t neglect the Overdraw perk, it makes a big difference!

·       Eagle Eye and Steady Hand are there to help you line up your shots easier.

·       Deadly Aim and Power Shot are there to increase your damage output.

·       Your Sneak skill will make a huge difference if you want to be a sniper instead of just an archer (low Sneak will make things very, very difficult in comparison). A high sneak will allow you to finish off hordes of draugr in a big room without them ever catching onto your location. To level up Sneak as soon as possible, sneak up on even low-level enemies and always take a stealth shot over a normal one.

·       Light Armor is great for an archer because it doesn’t detract from their Sneak skill or their ability to run, duck, block, or gain some distance.

·       Block is a good backup skill for an archer because perks like Disarming Bash and Power Bash work just as well with a bow and can give you the time to get some distance or get in one last shot.

·       Stat bonuses aren’t going to be a big focus to archers since most enemies won’t make it to melee combat. Just make sure that you have enough stamina to support your playstyle if you’re running, blocking, or bashing a lot.

·       If you’re assaulting an outdoor camp or redoubt, don’t forget that you’ve got access to Command Animal as a wood elf. If you can’t quietly take out the sentries, maybe your new bear/saber cat/mammoth will.

·       The Thief Stone is helpful because it will help your stealth skills (sneak, light armor) to keep up with your archery skill. Skills that fall behind aren’t really effective in combat.