Gods & Mortals - A Skyrim Character Building Contest

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Well its been long overdue but its finally here! The much anticipated 4th Skyrim Character Building contest is live. With that we're proud to present...

The Elder Scrolls: Gods and Mortals

For this contest we wanted to try our hand at a theme revolving around the many higher beings found in The Elder Scrolls while granting contestants as much freedom as possible, and with gods of all kind being the center focus, this contest will grant contestants more freedom than they've ever had before. In this contest we'll be exploring the connections shared between mortal kind and the many gods which inhabit the Aurbis.

There are no limits or restrictions on the skills, mods or equipment you may use. Use whatever you want. BUT your entry must revolve around one or more deities within TES. The Elder Scrolls series is rich with a multitude of god like figures for you to work with - and you're by no means limited to simply the Divines or the Dardric Princes. Any higher being within the TES universe - anything from Sithis to even Mannimarco - is fair game.  Your character is by no means limited to simply being a champion acting on behalf of your chosen deities either. So long as your chosen deity remains the centerpiece of your build in some capacity you're free to do whatever. Your only real limitation is your imagination.  You may work in teams of no more than 3 people total. 

Once the competition closes, a panel of judges (see below) will judge each submitted build based on the criteria below and announce the winners! Here are the prizes…

 

  

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First Place - Gold

  • $30 Dollars in game credits for the system of your choice (Steam, PSN, Xbox)
  • Your build prominently featured on the front page
  • Exclusive access to the judging panel of the next contest (only if not participating in said contest)
  • Input into the theme of the next Skyrim character build contest
  • "Contest Gold" tag for the submitted build
  • Your soul claimed for eternity by a Daedric Prince of your choosing.

 Second Place - Silver

  • $10 Dollars in game credits for the system of your choice (Steam, PSN, Xbox)
  • Your build prominently featured on the front page
  • "Contest Silver" tag for the submitted build!

 Third Place - Bronze

  • Your build prominently featured on the front page
  • "Contest Bronze" tag for the submitted build!

 

- Rules & guidelines -

  1. You may work on your own or in a team of up to 3. (Note however the prize will be split among the team) You can come up with a team name if you like!
  2. Only 1 build may be entered per contestant/team.
  3. Please list which diety or dieties your build will focus on.
  4. Teams may register on this thread and submit a build at any time prior to the cut off date of October 31 2020  November 7th 2020 After this date Registrations will then close and the panel will judge the entries.
  5. Submitted builds must include a "Contest4" tag so we can find them
  6. Winners will be announced on the  15th of November  22nd of Novembe

 

- The Panel -

             Furrion17 - Matt Feeney - Ponty

- The Criteria (Please click for expanded view) -             7879971892?profile=RESIZE_710x

- The Contestants - 

  1. Asyleph - Akatosh
  2. Chris Diokno - The Ternion Monk
  3. Avi - Satakal
  4. Lissette - Ideal Masters
  5. Delta Fox - Molag Bal/Arkay
  6. Shainos - All Maker
  7. Kruger - The Shade of Umbra'
  8. Telby - The Ophidian Divine
  9. ye4thorn - The Soul Eater
  10. Ramses - Kyne/Malacath
  11. Erinoth & Kendrix - TBD
  12. Cannon - The Shieldmaiden
  13. NomadDash - The Doorman
  14. ShadowKihn - Chosen of the Wilderking
  15. Netherman - The Subjugator
  16. DiabloSaint - Beoethia
  17. Frans - The Frost Heart
  18. Shadowscale - Hollowjack, Hircine's Abomination

 

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  • Hey just letting people know, the link to Netherman's Subjugator goes to Cannon's Shieldmaiden instead. Here is the link to the subjugator.

    The Subjugator by Netherman

    Contest Build: The Subjugator (Modded)
      Introduction Hey guys, Nether here. Welcome to the first ever build I've posted. After a year of watching other members present some of their best…
  • The Ternion Monk

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (10/20): While the mechanics here work together well enough, none of them really dazzled me in terms of innovation or synergy. It was good to see some effort made to link the various abilities to the Ternion pantheon and other Aedra (more on that below). Unfortunately as typical for many of your builds Chris this seems to be a bit bloated and more style over substance which doesn’t make for a particularly exciting gameplay experience. Would be interested to see how this can be trimmed down and refined to really hone in on that Survival experiewnce, as I think that is where this build has the most potential.

     

    Characterization (10/20): Off to a good start here using the Ternion Monks but I found myself quickly confused by the addition and interpretation of several new deities such as Hircine and Kyne. Real missed opportunity here to expand upon how they have been added into the Ternion pantheon since you explicitly stated they don’t follow gods from other traditions. Quests and roleplay feel like more of a checklist rather than a character on a distinct mission or following an arc. I think some more focus on either the core of the Ternion monks or why and how their ways have changed could have benefited you here in many respects.

     

    Presentation (7/10): While the images fit the theme somewhat I would have liked to see some more appropriate choices of artwork as many of the pieces seem a bit generic. For example the first image depicts a leopard or panther I believe, while no such beast features in the Ternion pantheon or anywhere in your build for that matter. The rest of the layout seemed adequate, though I think the gameplay section could have been broken up or rewritten to flow more nicely.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (8/20): While everything works, nothing in particular jumps out at me. I feel a more streamlined and focused approach on skills would have served you better here. The skills in a way make the build appear more bloated than it needs to be.

     

    Characterization (8/20): You had a solid start here, but quickly lost me when you deviated from the traditional Ternion Pantheon, with little justification as to why you’re Ternion Monk is different from the traditional order of monks. While some of the quests you have chosen fit with the build, I think a deeper focus on the character as an individual would have helped bridge the gap here for you, allowing us to see a more personal stake/motivation in the quest chosen.



    Presentation (5/10): This is a big one for me. I can really get behind a build with a great presentation. You have some nice additions here, though there are some areas that leave you falling short. The pictures as others have said, can come off as a tad generic. A stronger focus on finding visually consistent images; colors, characteristics, clothing etc. Another thing to be aware of is the amount of writing you have in one place. Certain sections can come off as too wordy. This would be a good opportunity to try text wrapping images, as they can break the text up in a way that makes for a far more appealing read. All in all, you have a decent presentation, but there are things here that could be applied to improve your build further. 

     

    Matt:

    Gameplay (10/20): I feel like the skills involved could’ve been cut down by quite a bit. Enchanting in particular sticks out to me as not really needed, especially since you’ve already got the armor, boots, and ring slots taken up by found enchanted items. Removing it could’ve opened up a lot of perk points to bolster your core skills, which are light in some areas, such as the spell reduction perks. “Bloat” is definitely a good word for it.

     

    Characterization (12/20): I’m with Ponty on the peculiar additions of Kyne and Hircine to the Ternion pantheon. I think you could’ve gotten away with just the original trio of the Bear, Wolf, and Fox by expanding upon them. I do like the naturalist / survivalist aspect of the character, but the roleplaying section feels and looks very light. Something like the Ternion Monk’s charitability, which could be strong motivation, appears inconsequential when it’s condensed into giving beggars / children septims on occasion and listed among other small tasks. It makes the information seem like it’s not a strong priority.

     

    Presentation (6/10): I didn’t think the images were too bad albeit with a weird range of them, from artwork to an ESO screenshot to a Skyrim screenshot. I found the information pretty chunky though. The gameplay section is dense with information, covering combat and quest choices without much flow to it, but then the skill section is just a single sentence of flavor for each skill. The alchemy section is much the same.

    Total Gameplay Avg = 9.333

    Total Characterization Avg = 10 

    Total Presentation Avg = 6

     

    Total Average = 25.333

    Likes = 8

     

    Total Score: 33.33

    Contest Build: The Ternion Monk
    Greetings and salutations everypony, and welcome to my latest Skyrim build, my entry for the Gods and Mortals contest, and one of the few I’ve played…
  • The Soul Eater

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (12/20): Using a lot of tried and true abilities and quirks here, though I think you could have been a bit more creative to help your build stand out. Augmented Atronach stone for instance is getting a bit tired after over eight years; perhaps an absorb magicka weapon could be used instead, requiring the player to balance melee and magic combat. While this is a crafting heavy build it’s good to see you’ve come up with a reliable method of obtaining those 100% restoration potions. The build seems very endgame focused, and I would have liked to see some more details on recommended leveling gear and breakpoints on when to switch stones for example. I’d be interested to read some more gameplay strategies for this guy so we can better understand how you intended the character to be played.

     

    Characterization (12/20): Roleplay seems very minimal and is clearly not the focus of the build. Many of the choices seem to be gameplay-driven but I can see you’ve made an effort to try and keep them thematic. The use of the summoning staff to regain magicka is very much in theme and was a real highlight for me on the characterization front. I’d like to see some more story build up around the claiming of mortal souls and undermining of the Daedric Princes you’ve alluded to; there’s some solid bones here that could really be built upon. That said I would have liked to see some more explanation around your logic here as I’m not sure the Ideal Masters are necessarily opposed to the Daedra, Divines or their worshippers.

     

    Presentation (6/10): Great images here however the heavy number of spelling and grammar mistakes became very noticeable and seriously detracted from your presentation. I’d recommend some more thorough proofreading on your part or a volunteer in future to ensure a cohesive and correct result.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (8/20): Dunmer vampire with 100% spell absorption and smithed Daedric armour? Doesn’t jump out at me as all too unique at all. More the common build trope that is seen by those trying to min max their characters. Your use of a staff to recover magicka is quite innovative though, so props for that.

     

    Characterization (8/20): Very minimal characterisation here. Beyond giving us tasks to fulfill, the character does not have a personality or a reason for the reader to emphasise with their plight. The absence of conjuration magic seems strange considering the build revolves around the Ideal Masters. You’ve given an explanation for the lightning magic, but I feel the investment into ice magic is somewhat redundant and the points could have been used to further strengthen other skills. The premise of working against divines and daedric lords is an interesting one, that I feel you could have dove deeper into.

     

    Presentation (6/10): You got some good quality screenshots, and you’ve done a good job of editing your equipment/perk spreads. However there were many spelling and grammatical errors that harmed the finished product. A little more care to detail in this regard would have strengthened the build immensely.

    Matt:

    Gameplay (10/20): Ultimately, not something I could get into. Using all three crafting skills, even if you’re not perking one, is a time sink in a playthrough, especially since this build requires a lot of set up, including beating the Soul Cairn and Zahkriisos before it really starts. It’s a lot of investment to ask of the player. Even once the endgame is reached, I don’t see much that makes this stand out, mechanically.

     

    Characterization (10/20): The character is serviceable in that we have his objectives, though I think it could’ve been taken further. Claiming divine souls--souls connected to the divine--is a decent foundation and a couple are listed, but I think this could’ve been taken a lot further. Maybe something to tide over the early-game, which appears to mostly just be a grind to get to the prerequisites as fast as possible; that kind of thing tends to take me out of the character’s head quickly. The absence of the Dragon Priests as ‘Ideal Targets’ was a bit strange; they are both defying death and worshipping Dragons, both things this build should be against, as I understand it. I also found it strange that a build about the Ideal Masters doesn’t utilize Necromancy or the Soul Cairn summons.

     

    Presentation (6/10): There are a number of grammatical mistakes throughout the build. It was often enough to be noticeable and pretty distracting. I think the pictures used are rather attractive and they definitely helped the presentation.

     

    Total Gameplay Avg = 10

    Total Characterization Avg = 10 

    Total Presentation Avg = 6

    Total Average = 26

    Likes = 5

     

    Total Score: 31

    Contest Build - Soul Eater
    What entered is unknown and doesn’t matter, but what returned is a fate worse than death. Come forth the Soul Eater The Masters have tasks for you.…
  • The Shield Maiden

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (14/20): I like that the build is very focused, though I have doubts about the efficacy of a ‘tank’ build relying on mage armour and an unenchanted shield. What is here however is well explained and it’s good to see you highlighting the key synergies. I feel like Dragonflesh could have really changed the game here in terms of tankiness and Illusion for calming and rallying spells to further lean into the archetype. Similarly more shouts like Battle Fury, Disarm and support/debuff focused powers could have really fleshed out the solid bones you’ve got here for this playstyle.

     

    Characterization (14/20): The backstory is a solid start and seems believable, though I felt like the Shieldmaiden’s vow of nonviolence contradicts the choice to wield an actively damaging shield like the Targe of the Blooded and participate in combat-focused questlines like the Companions and Civil War. You’ve presented plenty of other well-reasoned quests here however but I feel like a more organised story arc could have really tied this character together nicely, with some smaller quests like the Thane of Riften, Book of Love and Waking Nightmare leading into the more major questlines.

     

    Presentation (6/10): Something to keep an eye out for next time is the mixing of past and present tense in your backstory; while the content was good this detracted from the experience somewhat, along with the spelling and grammar mistakes throughout the rest of the build. Images were good but I would have liked to see some more representing the character themselves. Nice use of headers and sections, though I think these could have been rearranged to flow more naturally.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (14/20): What you have got here is solid and straight forward. I’ve always enjoyed the Shield Mage archetype and it’s good to see you give it a go. One thing I would like to note is the complete lack of any investment into Stamina. I assume you use the shield for bashing and blocking a fair bit. How did you manage your stamina consumption? Spamming healing for respite would get a little tiresome for me. Another thing I would note, as a seemingly support focused character, the absence of buffing spells or effects like Courage Illusions and Shouts like Battle Fury or Disarm seem like a missed opportunity. I too think the inclusion of some these could have helped to build on the support focused gameplay you seem to be driving for.

     

    Characterization (12/20): While you do have a good backstory, I think you throw the consistency through a loop a bit further along. You state that, She never raises a weapon and lives peacefully. To me carrying around a big spiked shield and beating people to death with it kinda sounds like a weapon, and it’s certainly not peaceful. Then the inclusion of the Companions seems like an odd choice, as their radiant quests usually involve beating and killing people. I mean they are basically mercenaries, why would a peaceful Mara worshipper join their ranks? Jenessa, Jenessa, she is a very odd choice of companion for a Mara worshipper. Why did you choose her? She is a rather dark character, who alludes to a life of violence that borders on almost sociopathic at times. You do have some well reasoned quest choices as well, but I think a little more explanation and exploration of your character is needed to help convey some of your more colorful choices here.

     

    Presentation (6/10): I think Your presentation is good, but it lacks a certain flair. What you’ve got is easy to read through and it flows nicely, but it is not very eye catching. I’d like to have seen more character depictions and color. There are also a number of grammatical errors, and as Ponty pointed out you have inconsistencies with past and present tense within your story.

    Matt:

    Gameplay (14/20): While it’s not something completely unique, I have a soft spot for mechanically-simple, laser-focused builds. I think foregoing crafting was a good idea. There are a few things that could use some expansion, such as handling dragons before getting Dragonrend, a game not acquired until pretty late into the Main Quest.

     

    Characterization (14/20): I dig the backstory and the roleplay is solid, but, again, I think further expansion would’ve been good, even more so here. I respect the choice of going with a more conventional deity, but I think it called for throwing in some unique twist or take, even if it’s largely fabricated. For instance, this line from the Pocket Guide, “Come to me, Mara, for without you, I might forget the ways of our fathers…” could be used to extrapolate Mara’s role as one of preservation, something that could be connected to the Shieldmaiden as the latter is already a protector.

     

    Presentation (7/10): The sections are divided nicely and easy to follow, so no complaints there. Grammar and spelling are mostly fine, but there was minor stuff here and there, like a missing article or an undercased letter that should’ve been capitalized. I do think the image selection could’ve been more interesting and diverse.

    Total Gameplay Avg = 14

    Total Characterization Avg = 13.333 

    Total Presentation Avg = 6.333

     

    Total Average = 33.666

    Likes = 9

     

    Total Score: 42.666

    Contest build: The Shieldmaiden
    Foreword  It’s  been long time since I’ve played Skyrim, even longer since i’ve publicly posted a build. But here I am nonetheless. Having been refre…
  • Chosen of the Wilderking

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (8/20): Gameplay here isn’t really anything we haven’t seen before. I would have liked to see some more elaboration on your special moves in terms of both flavour and function as I feel like there simply isn’t enough of your own words here used to describe the gameplay and help me get into your mindset when playing the build. I can see there’s some great potential here for some synergy with your characterization; perhaps some preferred alchemy recipes that can be used while still following the Green Pact.

     

    Characterization (10/20): Backstory was a solid start but the concept of the Wilderking felt underexplored throughout the rest of the build. Perhaps some connections could have been drawn to his background, abilities, and respect for the story he’s stepping into. His background suggests that he already knew dragons were coming back which seems like it could be an interesting story element in itself. I thought the justification for many of the quest choices seemed weak and largely gameplay-driven.

     

    Presentation (4/10): This is the area with the most room for improvement. The first couple of images were good but the writeup could really be polished up with some more attention to proofreading, formatting and headings.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (8/20): Your gameplay is all in good theme to the character, though nothing stand out. I can see how certain things can synergise together and also aid the beast form (like alteration flesh spells). You did however mention Quiet Casting. This is an illusion perk and you do not have illusion listed as a skill requirement for the build.

     

    Characterization (12/20): Acknowledgment of the green pact was nice to see. Not only that but sticking to bone weapons was a nice touch (Forsworn/Dragonbone). A little more info on the connection to the Wilderking would have been appreciated. Chosen quest’s mostly seem in keeping with the characters vibes, though have been generally justified from a gameplay perspective.

     

    Presentation (2/10): Images were sparse,but the ones you did use were decent enough. My strongest recommendation would be to get some headings up to clearly section off your build. At the moment everything seems to just blur together into a mess of text. You don’t want that. There were a number of grammatical errors I noticed too that could have been fixed up with a proofread.

    Matt:

    Gameplay (8/20): Nothing too original or standout, in my opinion. Still, there’s a bit of synergy occurring, like Alteration and potentially Alchemy buffing Beast Form, but it’s not really given any special attention. While the Special Moves are thematically fitting and technically effective, I think there are some redundant elements. I’m not sure there’s a benefit to using both Animal Allegiance and Command Animal in succession of each other.

     

    Characterization (8/20): I kinda struggled to get a clear picture of the Chosen’s real character. His obedience to the Green Pact is shown and does manifest through the gameplay, but there wasn’t much else that I can truly connect to the character of the Wilderking. As mentioned above, most of the quest choices are primarily taken for gameplay reasons rather than expressions of the character.

     

    Presentation (3/10): Could definitely use work. The lack of headings makes everything blend together. Another reading to clear up the grammar would’ve also gone a long way. The images being left-aligned without justifying the text also leaves a lot of white space.

     

    Total Gameplay Avg = 8

    Total Characterization Avg = 10 

    Total Presentation Avg = 3

    Total Average = 21

    Likes = 5

     

    Total Score: 26

    Contest Build: The Chosen of the Wilderking
    Brief Description: A bosmer werewolf archer that is traveling to skyrim to wipe out all dragons and whoever is raising them with his mastery of the b…
  • The Subjugator

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (14/20): The section around your character setup and perks felt very sparse, with many of the gameplay aspects feeling more style over substance. I would have liked to see some more explanation in your own words why each skill is important and how the perks build upon each other to create Mordreich rather than simply listing them. Perhaps parts of the meatier combos section could have been combined with the skills and equipment so that your explanations flow better and feel less disjointed. That said it definitely seems like you have a lot of great synergy here which adds together to become more than the sum of its parts.

     

    Characterization (10/20): Backstory is off to a solid start and really sets up the Molag Bal vibe before the association is revealed. The Reachman background seemed interesting at first but wasn’t really touched on unfortunately. I would have liked to see some more flavour text and in-game objectives throughout the build as the characterisation seems limited to the backstory and roleplay sections.

     

    Presentation (6/10): The small text did draw back from the presentation somewhat along with some grammar issues and mixing of past and present in the backstory. The layout and formatting seemed a little inconsistent but the images and writing were generally good.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (14/20): I’m going to echo Ponty here a bit. Lots of synergy and combos off of skills and perks to be appreciated here. A little more explanation as to why certain skills have been chosen would be appreciated though. Also for someone who is not too familiar with PS4 mods, a bit more info around some of those couldn’t hurt either. Overall I can see that you have put a good amount of thought into the mechanics of this build.

     

    Characterization (8/20): Your story sets the tone well enough. But after the story there is little in the rest of the build that makes me think of the character I will be playing. The roleplay list is a nice addition. But the absence of a quest section feels like a missed opportunity to establish some key RP and character elements of the build.

     

    Presentation (3/10): The text for me was quite small, making it difficult to read. The images chosen came off as somewhat generic, but still kept the dark theme of the character. Lots of negative space that could have been filled out with  more pictures or cleaner formatting and text wrapping. There were also a number of grammatical errors that could have been ironed out with some proofreading. 

    Matt:

    Gameplay (14/20): Included some mods I haven’t seen before, so it was a little fresh, even if it’s not crazy original. The synergy plays out well and I can see the thought put into it. Some of it was a little light on context though; I’m still not clear on what some of those modded perks actually do.

     

    Characterization (10/20): Backstory is decent, but I feel like the character didn’t really show up in the build itself. I know you tried out the ‘guidelines’, but it was primarily a list of restrictions; while that is important, I think there’s a lot more to characterization. Quest choices are very important for roleplaying and I think would’ve been a good idea here. Quest choices reflect what your character's goals are or what they’re willing to do to achieve their goals.

     

    Presentation (5/10): Definitely would’ve recommended a larger text; its size could make it difficult to read at times. Most of the images are interesting. The perk layout makes for a lot of scrolling and a lot of negative space. Descriptions and/or explanations would’ve helped with the latter.

     

    Total Gameplay Avg = 14

    Total Characterization Avg = 9.333 

    Total Presentation Avg = 4.666

    Total Average = 27.999

    Likes = 4

     

    Total Score: 31.999

    Contest Build: The Subjugator (Modded)
      Introduction Hey guys, Nether here. Welcome to the first ever build I've posted. After a year of watching other members present some of their best…
  •  

    The Frost Heart

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (12/20): As seems to be a common issue with modded builds you seem to simply be describing the perks rather than explaining how they fit into Farion’s skillset to form their unique fighting style. The spells section on the other hand has the opposite problem where there’s little to nothing to go off of for me to know what the effects of these spells are. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that your build text should excite the reader by explaining the key skills, perks, abilities, equipment etc and the synergies you’ve set up rather than simply listing the perks used and their effects. Where you have got these descriptions in the special techniques I’d love to see the moves explained in more detail; what sort of enemies are they used against, and what makes them something special that requires the Frost Heart’s skillset to pull off?

     

    Characterization (6/20): I found your justifications for some of the questlines such as the Companions, Dawnguard and New Source of Stalhrim quite weak, suggesting that these choices are almost entirely gameplay driven. The lack of background flavour and focus on gameplay leaves this build with a tenuous link to the theme. I’d like to see some more of a backstory and roleplay guide for Fairon, their worship of Trinimac and usage of frost magic as I feel like there isn't enough here to really get into the character you had in mind.

     

    Presentation (7/10): Good screenshots and images that work well with your layout, and I quite liked the little icon you’ve used to break up the sections. There’s a number of spelling and grammar mistakes throughout however that I found detracted from the experience however. I did notice a bit of a contradiction between the build text and your modlist; Mysticism was mentioned as optional but then appears in your essential mod list.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (14/20): Some good synergy in the chosen skills and abilities you have peered together here, though they would benefit from a more in-depth descriptions. I think as the others have stated, you tend to overexplain perks chosen. The skill section is quite bloated with perk descriptions. I think perhaps honing in on no more than 3 of the most essential perks, and providing a brief description in your own words would serve to liven up this area a good amount. 

     

    Characterization (6/20): While you have a named character and have stated he follows Trinimac as a deity, you provide little reason as to why. The absence of a backstory really hurts this section of the marking criteria for me. Questlines chosen seem to reflect inconsistencies with the character’s psyche. Helping the mages and Companions on one hand, whilst obliterating the Civil War factions seems somewhat odd to me. Diving into more detail on what makes Farion’s relationship with Trinimac, what makes him ‘The Frost Heart’, and giving us reason to connect with him as a character would strengthen your build immensely.

     

    Presentation (7/10): You have done an excellent job with the images and use of a consistent colour palette, however some areas could have used more pictures or ways of breaking up the text. The Skills section, in particular, came off quite wordy and would have flowed nicer with a picture aligned down the side as a visual aid. There were quite a few grammatical and spelling errors that I spotted through the build that could have been picked up on through a proofread or a spellchecker. 

    Matt:

    Gameplay (12/20): I also have to agree that there was an overuse of simply explaining how something works as opposed to how it is incorporated. The former is definitely necessary since not everyone is familiar with the mods at play, but the latter is just as necessary for the write-up and readability of the build. Still, the build 

     

    Characterization (8/20): The idea is intriguing. Trinimac doesn’t get a ton of attention, so it’s nice to see. However, I would’ve liked to understand more about this character. Most of the Quest & Roleplay entries are just doing quests to be helpful or killing people. It doesn’t really give a sense of his mindset.

     

    Presentation (7/10): The pictures and dividers are very nice. Aesthetically, it’s all very solid. There are improvements that could be made for how the information is presented in terms of priority and actual writing.

     

    Total Gameplay Avg = 12.666

    Total Characterization Avg = 6.666 

    Total Presentation Avg = 7

    Total Average = 26.332

    Likes = 10+

     

    Total Score: 36.332

     

    Contest Build: The Frost Heart (Modded)
       THE FROST HEART INTRODUCTION Hey everyone hope all is doing well I wanna take the time to thank you for taking the time out of your day for chec…
  • Hollowjack, Hircine’s Abomination

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (10/20): Your setup seems very endgame focused and looks like it would require some serious amounts of powerleveling to get anything resembling the output you’re describing out of it - especially in Conjuration - which is a real turn-off for me. I would have liked to see some more guidance around the enchantments you’re aiming for around the Daedric armour and necklace. Regardless the combos seem basic but effective and I’m sure this would be fun to play once you reach that endgame point. I would have liked to see some more focus on the fantasy you’ve set up at the beginning around fearing enemies and then hunting them down; that’s a piece that does seem somewhat unique here. One last thing I noticed is that you mention the Familiar spells at the beginning of the build but fail to show up later on in the descriptions of the combat strategies.

     

    Characterization (8/20): I dig the idea of playing as an actual deity instead of simply a worshipper of one. However there’s very little original material here building on that concept or delving into the character’s mindset; the lore seems to only be used to try and justify gameplay choices, which seems to be the focus here. Many of the quests and RP choices seem to be more gameplay driven than anything else. One of the more specific lore snippets I was hoping to see here is that Hollowjack feeds specifically on those who are driven by fear to pray for divine intervention, which could be a good starting point for a more meaty RP.

     

    Presentation (4/10): Spelling and grammar mistakes throughout the presentation were distracting and I found took away from the build. Image choice was good but I would have liked to see some larger, higher resolution picks. The Skills, equipment and combos sections were essentially a wall of text; I think some more images, icons or illustrations to break things up could have really elevated the presentation.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (10/20): The build as Matt and Ponty have said, seems very geared toward the end game, with a lot of grinding/level cheesing involved to get what you want. I think a bit more identity as far as which enchantments you favored would have helped the build more. Your abilities are well thought out and straightforward, though not anything that hasn’t been done before. 

     

    Characterization (8/20): The extrapolation of Hollowjack at the beginning was helpful, as was the minor tidbits you included here and there. But there is not much in the way of a fleshed out character here. The quest’s seem to be in relative fitting with the theme of Hollowjack/Hircine but some seem to be taken more for the purposes of gameplay rather than the characters personal motivation.

     

    Presentation (3/10): Images were rather small and of low quality. Though the pictures you did have kept with a consistent theme. More pictures and larger ones at that would have done well as a visual aid to compliment your build. There were several areas that could have been broken up more, where walls of text were prevalent.

    Matt:

    Gameplay (12/20): The write-up definitely gives off the idea that this is a very grind-y build. I know it mentions that it’s optional, but I think part of a build’s job is to provide and walk you through an interesting character all the way through, not just focus primarily on endgame stuff. Otherwise the gameplay, once it’s all set up, does sound interesting. The skills/combos have all been done before, but they are fun and reliable.

     

    Characterization (8/20): The roleplay/quest section is more of a skeleton at the moment. Many of the reasons for choosing certain quests or quest lines seem gameplay-driven. Take Ill Met by Moonlight, for example. It is obviously a Hircine quest, so we know why it fits the build, but how does it fit the character? Why is Hollowjack doing this? For the quest, you suggest taking the Ring over the Hide, which is done by saving Sinding against Hircine’s order. Is there a reason why Hollowjack made this choice or is the Ring just the mechanically-superior option? Answering questions like that can make a character more fleshed out or at least appear so.

     

    Presentation (4/10): The images are rather nicely-chosen and the flow of information was good, but the resolution for each image was low. The middle sections were also very bare; they definitely could’ve been broken up with images to avoid making them a wall of text.

    Total Gameplay Avg = 10.666

    Total Characterization Avg = 8 

    Total Presentation Avg = 3.666

     

    Total Average = 22.332

    Likes = 7

     

    Total Score: 29.332

    Contest Build: Hollowjack, Hircine's Abomination
    Hollowjack is the daedra Lord of Mortal Fears and ruler of the demi-plane Detritus. When men and mer pray to their gods for help or mercy, he drains…
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    The Ophidian Divine

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (18/20): I really like the changed up stealth nightblade playstyle you’ve put together here. The trick you have going with Ocato’s Recital forcing you into combat is definitely creative and really shakes things up. Lots of options for both offense and defense here while keeping things concise and staying well within the character’s theme. Your perks, spells and key mods are all here working together to make something cohesive and uniquely yours, nice work.

     

    Characterization (14/20): Backstory was an adequate setup but many of the elements there weren’t really touched on later on in the character’s story. I liked the buildup and explanation of the way your character becomes Dragonborn, but as you said yourself it feels disconnected from the rest of the build. The Dark Dragon chapter is definitely the highlight on the characterization front. Nice work overall but definitely some room for improvement here.

     

    Presentation (8/10): I found the backstory flowed poorly due to a mix of past and present tense throughout. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout that could have been picked up by yourself or another reader with some more thorough proofreading. I think it would have been valuable to include some gameplay details throughout the sections on your character’s three stages as you’ll be able to elaborate about how they grow and change over the levels. Aside from these pointers the images, titles, and formatting were excellent however!

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (14/20): Gameplay. Let me get this straightened out. It is great. To be honest this whole build is very, very good. But when I am looking at the build as it relates to the theme of the contest, and Nocturnal specifically, it is where it falls away a little for me. Don’t get me wrong. While everything you have chosen within has been justified quite well, some of the skills just don’t scream out Nocturnal to me. I know the build had the theme of ascending to its own kind of godhood and that is all good and fine . But a character that has minimal to no investment in Sneak, the bartering perks from Speech or Lockpicking and Pickpocket, just seems a little out of place as someone who would be interested in the TG or Nocturnal for that matter. I did find your use of cool down powers very innovative though, and the skills and spells you do use within all play off each other quite well. It is clear that you have put a lot of thought into making gameplay interesting. And they all combine together toward the endgame to really make for a unique build.

     

    Characterization (12/20): Snakes, so much snake symbolism. You really did well to drive that as a consistent theme throughout the build. My only problem is, Nocturnal is not associated with them, rather she is associated with Ravens. I find it a little difficult to draw the connection here between snakes and Nocturnal, if there is one at all. I feel in a sense you would have been better going with Boethiah or Orkey as a deity, given all of your serpentine references and use of the poison like spells from Apocalypse/Ordinator. You even choose to wear the Ritual Armour of Boethiah. I just feel like the snake symbolism throughout hurts the build's connection to Nocturnal. But on the flipside by the endgame, the character coming into his own godhood is done very nicely. The way you have included the Skeleton key and it’s more metaphysical properties helping to unlock the characters full potential is a very nice take too.

     

    Presentation (9/10): I think your presentation is the strongest part of the build. Some very nice screenshots. A clean use of headings. Each section is neatly split and not overly cluttered. There are minimal grammatical errors I noticed. Something to consider for next time, since you have made the build into three sections, is to perhaps include a bit of gameplay in each of them. As Ponty mentioned, this will give a greater sense of how the build develops over the game. Overall, you’ve done a  great job!

    Matt:

    Gameplay (18/20): Gameplay intended to emulate god-like power can be a tricky balancing act since the player can either become too powerful, which becomes dull, or too mundane, which clashes with the theme of being a god. I think this build does a solid job at it, especially as it’s built-up through the playthrough as a sort of endgame desert. It certainly lines up well with the character. The host of mods weren’t as much of a barrier for entry as I thought they’d be; the spell descriptions are appreciated

     

    Characterization (14/20): The idea behind the build is very interesting and I enjoy the take on the more esoteric capabilities of the Skeleton Key. One criticism is the character’s motives seem to be very backloaded. I get a sense of the character as he’s moving throughout his journey and get the end goal, but I think the beginning could use a bit more fluff; the Quest/Objective section in the first arc is more mechanics-focused and light on character than the following two arcs, which are more balanced in that regard.

     

    Presentation (8/10): Aesthetically, it is very nice and I didn’t see too many grammatical errors, particularly for a pretty lengthy build. I liked how gameplay was presented with the 6 Pillars section, though I would’ve suggested putting combat earlier into the build. Ultimately, combat is the most common form of gameplay engagement in Skyrim, so I think it’s important for readers to be given an idea of how the build operates pretty early into reading it.

    Total Gameplay Avg = 16.666

    Total Characterization Avg = 13.333 

    Total Presentation Avg = 8.333

     

    Total Average = 38.332

    Likes = 8

     

    Total Score: 46.332

    Contest Build: The Ophidian Divine
    Table of Contents: Introduction Build Summary Act 1  Act 2  Act 3  Gameplay Credits & Mods ~~~ Short Character Backstory   Dramatic Build Music  Ea…
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    The Shade of Umbra’

     

    Ponty:

    Gameplay (14/20): The information in your skills section seems largely superfluous as you’re simply recounting the perks that are already listed in your perk spread. I think this could have been a good opportunity to explain the key perks in your own words and why they are important to the build. Similarly the Shadow Magic section could have used some more flair on your part. Special Moves and Stratagem are where this really comes together of course, and it sounds like you’ve put together a lot of great synergies here that I’m sure would make for an interesting playthrough. However I found the gameplay details quite scattered, and I think you could really take this to the next level by structuring these details in a more intuitive way.

     

    Characterization (14/20): I enjoyed the way you’ve rooted this character in the established lore and allowed them to believably participate in many questlines. However, the character herself seemed quite shallow and the age you’ve mentioned for her doesn’t really match up with the dates of some of the details in your backstory around the Oblivion Crisis, Tribunal Temple and Argonian invasion(s). As Matt mentioned, I would have liked to see Melaina’s personality more pronounced; perhaps you could have explored the conflict between her and the shade controlling her.

     

    Presentation (9/10): Presentation was good overall! Quality screenshots, well written and spaced into the different sections. There were a number of grammar mistakes throughout however which could have been easily resolved by more thorough proofreading by yourself or another reader.

    Furrion:

    Gameplay (16/20): Lots of synergy, going on here which is always great to see! The magic, skills and perks chosen all play off each other very naturally. I did find it a little hard to see what exactly the difference between the combat tactics and special moves were however. I think if you want to keep these as two separate entities a little more explanation on defining what separates the two would be helpful in clarifying that to readers. Plenty of the quests chosen breed off the overarching theme of conflict in the builds narrative. More on that below.

    Characterization (12/20): You’ve got a good theme of conflict and chaos going on with the Umbra Keth deity. Character actions and chosen quest’s all seem to be well justified in this regard. The thing I noted mostly was that Melania herself seemed to be a bit redundant, as most of character motivations revolve around the deity rather than Melania. It feels like we are more playing “Umbra Keth” as a character you get me? Which I think is what you were going for. But I feel you could have built more on Melanias’ connection/struggle  with Umbra Keth to make the character a bit more rooted and sympathetic to the reader.

     

    Presentation (8/10): I think the presentation in your build really shines. The screenshots are well placed throughout the sections of the build and drive a consistent theme. The majority of the pictures are well chosen, though there were a couple as Matt already touched on that were a bit dark or blurred. The upper right section of the Perkspread is a little difficult for me to read as the text tends to blend together, into its background somewhat. As Ponty and Matt both have noted there were also a few grammatical hiccups, but nothing that tore me out of the build.

    Matt:

    Gameplay (16/20): I appreciated the explanation of some of the more core perks chosen, particularly the modded ones, which not everyone will be familiar with, myself included. The video also helped a lot and seems to depict a pretty wide-ranged of tactics or at least approaches. While it’s not revolutionary, it’s all very fitting to the theme of causing conflict in order to further manifest as a Shadow of Conflict. Some of the special moves and combat techniques could’ve used some more explanation. I’m also not completely sure what separates the special moves and combat techniques. I suspect both sections could also use a bit of filing down.

     

    Characterization (14/20): I dig the choice of the Umbra’ Keth and I enjoy how its “motivation” is expressed in the chosen quests. The “fucking everything up” character isn’t new, in Skyrim builds or RPG characters, but the choice in quests is still interesting and thought-out. I respect the attempt in tying Umbra’ Keth to an established conflict in the lore, though I don’t think the personal backstory for Melaina was necessary as all of the motivation shown to us is more identifiable to the Umbra’ Keth itself. I would’ve recommended either leaving the Shade itself completely nameless or making her character more pronounced and distinct from the Umbra’ Keth.

     

    Presentation (8/10): The consistent use of screenshots is a nice thread throughout the build. Some are really good, though a couple were a little dark or out of focus. I also noticed a couple grammatical mistakes, but nothing that really wore down on my reading.

     

    Total Gameplay Avg = 15.333

    Total Characterization Avg = 13.333 

    Total Presentation Avg = 8.333

     

    Total Average = 36.999

    Likes = 10+

     

    Total Score: 46.999

    Contest Build: The Shade of Umbra' (Modded)
      THE SHADE OF UMBRA'     Deity & Backstory   For centuries, I've depended on others in order to be complete But the forces around me have always fa…
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