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Following up from our last feature on Shadon's Chameleon, this week I've chosen to highlight another alchemically-themed build in JustJam's The Blackmarsh Doctor! This excerpt from the build's introduction really sets the mood for delving into the mind and mechanics of this Argonian necromancer.

"There’s something so beautiful about the swirling green hues of this toxin, isn’t there? How such deadliness can be held in but a small glass prison? It’s almost mesmerizing.

Yes yes, I can see the fear evident behind your eyes. You need not worry, dear, the process will be quick- like feeling the little pinch of a needle going into your arm.

Once this uncomfortable bit of business is over you will be brought back. Brought back without hunger, without thirst, without any mortality to drag you down. It sounds promising, doesn’t it? A world where Arkay’s laws need not exist, a paradise where we all live without this binding mortality.

But I digress, no need to fear the sting, dear. You may wish to close your eyes- seeing your own surgery can cause unnecessary panic."

JustJam uses a range of mods like Andromeda, Wintersun, Path of the Revenant and more to really double down on the the necromantic elements of this build, creating a powerful and synergistic setup between a variety of spells, buffs and artifacts. The playstyle is rounded out with Alchemy and Destruction spells to spread all manner of poisons and ailments to the Blackmarsh Doctor's enemies. The roleplay focuses on an alchemist who treads down the path of necromancy seeking the ultimate cure to all ills, and is packed full of quests from both the base game and recommended mods which are sure to entertain over the course of your playthrough.

Having recently reached the prestigious Master rank, The Blackmarsh Doctor is well worth a read! Give it a look and don't forget to leave a comment for the author.

Hey guys, as promised we're back once again with yet another Character Build Showcase! For those out of the loop this is a weekly(ish) feature where we show off the amazing content coming out of the character building communities here on the Skyforge. This week's featured build is The Emissary of Darkness by Oneness. As always I'd like to start out with an excerpt from the author themselves to give you an idea of what this build is all about. 

This build epitomizes synergy, and we all know how much I like synergy. By combining commonly overlooked things in the right manner you begin to become overpowered fairly quickly. Among these underrated things is utilizing Two-Handed and Sneak, actively trying to get off critical strikes, and even using bashing as a resource of significant damage. In order to combine all of these things into a sophisticated play style I found the synergy in each one and the glue that really brings it all together. The glue is the combination of the Ebony Blade and Marked for Death. 

As you can already guess the Ebony Blade, the ultimate boon of the Webspinner, is the core feature of the build. At first glance the weapon appears quite underwhelming for all the effort needed to acquire and empower it. It is a Two-Handed sword with the base damage of the average One-Handed weapon and worst of all it cannot be improved through blacksmithing. So if you're one of many players who doubt the power of Mephala's signature artifact, prepare to eat your words as the Emmissary takes this normally mediocre artifact and transforms it into a literal nightmare weapon. Base damage, bash damage, magical damage, hell even critical damage are all massively augmented through the core synergies at work.Combined with the Emissary's prowess as both fighter and assassin death comes quickly to Mephala's enemies.

And with that we shall wrap up this showcase. As always, I encourage you to give this build a try and don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it. It means the world to build authors when readers like you take the time to comment on their work.  

Keep building friends! Because you never know which build we'll feature next, and it might just be yours!

Hey guys, we're back once again after an embarrassingly long hiatus with yet another Character Build Showcase! For those out of the loop this is a weekly(ish) feature where we show off the amazing content coming out of the character building communities here on the Skyforge. This week's featured build is The The Undying by Teccam. As always I'd like to start out with an excerpt from the author themselves to give you an idea of what this build is all about. 

Although Altmer are blessed with long life beyond any other race, there are some among them who are unsatisfied with their life expectancy. Although vampires may live far longer still, there are some among them who are yet discontent. The Undying is such a being, an ancient creature who in his obsessive efforts to cheat death, took things ... too far. His experiments have left him a warped, twisted shell of the man he once was.

But despite their costs, the experiments were not unsuccessful. Indeed, those who have sought to defeat this creature — and there have been many — have all failed, to a man. Few have survived to speak of their encounters. And those lucky souls all agree: This is no human. It is a monster. A monster that cannot be slain by any means known to Man or Mer. It is ... The Undying

The core principle of the Undying is that — shocker — he can't be killed. Like ever. Like in the literal gameplay sense of the word this character can't die, trust me I played the build myself and I tried. An absolute, impenetrable defense forms the core focus of the Undying. In the endgame, the Undying is able to call upon a uniquely enduring form of Dragonhide which renders him virtually immune to physical harm against blocked attacks, reducing all such damage to just 3% of their original value! But what about magic damage you may ask. Well, the Undying boasts 100% Spell Absorption. All magic attacks have a 100% chance of being absorbed, thus nullifying thier damage, affording the Undying complete and constant immunity from all magical effects.

Adding further to the theme of invulnerability, the Undying is able to mend what insignificant damage can be done to him with the help of his chosen weapon, the Ebony Blade. Teccam has essentially created a monster with this build, one that strikes terror into the hearts of enemies as he strides effortlessly through their strongest attacks. The Undying is overpowered done right, and being overpowered has never been so much fun!

And with that we shall wrap up this showcase. As always, I encourage you to give this build a try and don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it. It means the world to build authors when readers like you take the time to comment on their work.  

Keep building friends! Because you never know which build we'll feature next, and it might just be yours!

Hey everyone, welcome to another Character Build Showcase. 

After turning up the heat with Ponty’s Mabigrash, I decided to cool off the week with a Build that truly deserves to be seen. Tae-Rai’s The Ice Demon!

They were finally here; they had finally found the grave of the Kamal King. Buried in a tiny grave deep in the mountains of Eastmarch, this Akaviri warlord had sacked Windhelm before attempting to take Mournhold in Morrowind. He had been slain by a Dunmer legion, assisted by Argonian Battlemages, and his remains were brought back here to be guarded by the Nords and to ward off any Kamal that dared to return.

Keeping it simple, while creating both an outstanding aesthetic and skill set, Tae-Rai recreates a warlord back for vengeance - even if it kills him. Even going to the point of using his enemies corpses to fight alongside him, none can escape the chilling rage of Ada’Soom Dir-Kamal.

The Roleplay section is fairly broad as not much is known about this dreaded warlord. However, Tae-Rai has made a ‘quest’ once you’ve completed your play through. As they say, vengeance is a dish best served cold...

The Second Sacking of Windhelm

That wraps up this week’s Character Build Showcase. Keep an eye out for next week’s - it can be from any of our Character Building Groups, From Fallout to Skyrim and even the Classics. 

Who knows, it might be your build on the front page of the Sky Forge.

Hey everyone, welcome to the final Character Build Showcase for 2019! Last time, I covered Pale Mane by Marin the Fox, from our very own Skyrim CB Group. 

Today, I wanted to shed light on an Event that was hosted roughly this time last year. The Sky Forge’s Secret Santa, where members would submit ideas for a build around the holiday theme and whoever was chosen from said submitters would create that build.

A certain Build from said Event truly captures not only Christmas but New Years and onwards. Created by Pixel, called the Ghost of New Life, which also has a backstory from our Story Corner.

Even in death, a second chance is never impossible. Some call him the Ghost of the New Life Festival, for he is seen often in the snowy months at the end of the year when all of Tamriel celebrates the coming new year. Though a horrid miser and humbug in life, in death he was redeemed. 

Focusing around Enai’s mods (as well as others) Pixel created a Build who not only has multiple play styles but different stages and seamlessly incorporates it all together. As well as the Roleplay which evolves with every ‘stage’, and still using those RP points in later stages so to speak. 

Ghost of New Life is unique build who changes with each stage, both Gameplay wise (Healer/Supporter -> Damage -> Illusionist/Assassin) who uses tactics from past stages and Roleplay wise. Definitely check it out guys! 

His soul, restless on Tamriel after his passing, sought a path to Aetherius. And now, his Ghost wanders the face of Tamriel to bring retribution to those who act with selfishness and greed in the hope of earning his place in the heavens, and prevent others from facing the same consequences.

Well, we’ve come a long way, don’t you think? Stay tuned for 2020 for goodies such as more Showcases, Contests and much more.

Happy holidays, everyone! 

Hey guys, we're back once again with another Character Build Showcase! This week's featured build is The Arcane Assassin by Ponty. As always I'd like to start out with an excerpt from the author themselves to give you an idea of what this build is all about. 

After the Oblivion Crisis, many mages throughout Tamriel sought out ways to better harness the powers of Oblivion for good. They re-created an ancient Snow Elf combat style, seamlessly blending use of spells, Bound weapons, and protective spells which is still seen in the Falmer today. This overarching combat style was applied to create 3 new classes of fighter - the Arcane Bladesman, wielding a bound sword and specializing in destructive spells, the Arcane Assassin, using a bound dagger and specializing in Illusion magic, and the Arcane Marksman, using a bound bow with unrivaled skill.

The Arcane Assassin is a deadly and unpredictable adversary. Her wide arsenal of spells allows her to effectively eliminate targets in the open just as easily as she can from the shadows. Of course, as an assassin archetype the Arcane Assassin is at her best when striking down targets unseen and unheard, and each school of magick she has mastered augments her ability to do just that. Through Illusion she can vanish at will or set her enemies against each other. Alteration allows the assassin to sense the presence of her enemies in total darkness and even beyond walls. Finally, Destruction magic enables her to lay deadly explosive traps or lay waste to her foes with a volley of arcane fire.

Ponty's cleverly incorporates many schools of magic to create arguably one of the most versatile and powerful assassin builds the community has to offer. But perhaps the most attractive feature of this build is that you, the player, can enjoy this build without ever having to craft a thing ever. 

And with that we shall wrap up this showcase. As always, I encourage you to give this build a try and don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it. 

Keep building friends! Because you never know which build we'll feature next, and it might just be yours!

Hey everyone, welcome to another Character Build Showcase. Last time, I covered Long Chapper ‘Lovelorn Dragonborn’, from our very on Skyrim CB Group. This time, however, I want to focus on a ‘first time’ Build by our very own, called the Pale Mane by Marin the Fox.

These humans think themselves so superior to this one, no? This one yearns for the chance to show them the face of their arrogance, the face of the Pale Mane. They will learn.

I genuinely can not recommend the Pale Mane enough. Marin delivers a truly unique rogue-like character experience, with a multitude of options for deities to worship throughout different points in the game. But what truly sets the Pale Mane apart is the complete lack of investment into any direct damage skill trees. Marin takes a more creative route with Alchemy providing the build the means to effectively dispatch foes, along side a multitude of additional tactics to include explosive skooma bottles provided by the Wintersun mod. 

Kynareth guides this one. Mephala watches this one. Baan Dar instructs this one. Sithis hides this one. We are shadow incarnate, and if we set our sights upon you, there is no escape from our cold embrace.

Keep an eye out for next week’s, Character Build Showcase. It could come from the Skyrim Character Build Group, maybe the Fallout or Classics Group or even the Misc. Gaming.

Till next time, guys! 

Hey everyone, welcome to another Character Build Showcase. Last time, I covered Paraxedes ’The Phoenix’. This time, however, I want to focus on a particular Build by our very own Long Chapper, called the Lovelorn Dragonborn.

This one saw him from a distance, across the tundra that blossomed in rolling clouds of white cotton tufts and lavender stalks, and all the troubles of the past day flew from the mind like a comet flies through the jeweled twin-mooned sky.  Like wisps from the moon sugar pipe catching the breeze from the caravan tents. The shackles, the cart ride, the black, winged beast that made this one wish desperately to crawl back inside mother's womb and hide forever. He was like a god of bronze to this humble Khajiit, beautiful and proud, black hair with eyes of starlit silver. His armor shone in the waning light of Magrus and a great sword of unspeakable size and strength was surely held in his hand…

Without a doubt in my mind, I can’t recommend the Lovelorn Dragonborn enough. Long Chapper gives us two ‘paths’, a beautiful yet simple RP focusing on the Bronze God while keeping it at just Level 5! Don’t forget the tongue-in-cheek comments from ‘Mr Buttons’ as well as a few other goodies.

Keep an eye out for next week’s, Character Build Showcase. It could come from the Skyrim Character Build Group, maybe the Fallout or Classics Group or even the Misc. Gaming.

Till next time!

Hey guys, we're back again with another Character Build Showcase! In the spirit of our current Skyrim Character Build Contest we have a featured build that truly demonstrates the potential and synergy of werewolf form. This week's featured build is The Shaper by Ponty. As always I'd like to start out with an excerpt from the author themselves to give an idea of what this build is all about. 

The Shaper is a powerful magicka user, able to cast a wide variety of spells, as well as take on a fearsome beast form. In humanoid form, he is able to shape the energies of fire, frost and lightning to destroy his foes in all manner of grisly deaths, and summon a full variety of daedra from Oblivion to assist him. He can also mould the minds of others to his will to take control of any situation, and even heal the wounds of himself and others. A powerful mage for sure - but that's not all. When the situation calls for it, the Shaper can transition into a terrifying werewolf form, making him tougher and stronger, wreaking havoc across an already-chaotic battlefield.

A chief complaint of werewolf builds, and vampire lord builds for that matter, is the feeling of having one's own abilities and powers pushed aside in favor of those offered by their monstrous transformation. But such is not the case with the Shaper, a build that combines the terrifying versatility of a master wizard with the equally terrifyng brutality of a werewolf. 

Ponty's use of werewolf form is simple yet brilliant. As powerful as a mage can be they are still hampered by a multitude of weaknesses - archers, aggressive melee fighters, or simply exhausting their supply of magicka to name a few. The werewolf form exists not to override and replace the mage but rather cover his weaknesses by being everything the mage cannot be in human form. The end result is a mage who has an answer for every situation imaginable. 

And with that we shall wrap up this showcase. As always, I encourage you to give this build a try and don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it. 

Keep building friends! Because you never know which build we'll feature next, and it might just be yours!

Hey guys, we're back again with another Character Build Showcase! This week's featured build is the man, the myth, the legend himself, Divayth Fyr by Elysium. A builds that stands out among the rest as one of the few builds in our entire archive to take players all the way to level 81 mastering just about every skill tree along the way. As always I'd like to start out with an excerpt from the author themselves to give an idea of what this build is all about. 

At his heart of hearts, Divayth Fyr is a scientist and researcher, a true ancient scholar. He doesn’t have one area of interest, but is hungry for all knowledge and answers. He relishes ancient secrets. Collect all books, books from Morrowind or strange things, but even novels or poetry can fill his shelves. From the ancient civilizations of the Dwemer and the Nords to the obscure magic of Oblivion and beyond, he wants to know everything. Think of the weird and strange magical places and things in Skyrim, from the Gildergreen to the Relics of Ahzidal. He’s a magical tourist.

Visionary. Madman. Legend. Divayth Fyr is the oldest living mortal in the history of Tamriel, at an astonishing 4000+ years of age. He has bore witness of many of Tamriel's most historic events from the rise and fall of the Tribunal to the crowning of the first Emperor. A man as accomplished as Divayth Fyr has quite literally been everywhere, done everything, and got the t-shirt while he was at it.

Elysium's rendition of this famed figure lives up to the legend, aspiring to master everything, and all that and more is reflected in both the gameplay and roleplay. Througout your playthrough you'll master a whopping twelve skill trees as you journey through Skyrim, unlocking its many mysteries, and come away with unrivaled versatility. Battlemage, sorcerer, ranger, barbarian, and everything in between. With his vast knowledge and experience Divayth Fyr can be anything and do anything the battle calls for. So, if you've been searching high and low for the ultimate character build up for just about everything the game has to offer, I cannot recommend this build enough. Elysium's intimate knowledge of the lore surrounding the prolific sorcerer and brilliant gameplay mechanics are what truly sets this build apart. 

And with that we shall wrap up this showcase. As always, don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it. 

Keep building friends! Because you never know which build we'll feature next, and it might just be yours!

Hey guys, welcome back to another Character Build Showcase, where we  feature a Build on the Home Page. It could be any Build, from any Group on the Forge, it could even be yours. Last week, we had Pixel showcase Matt Feeney‘s The Way-Maker. This week, I decided to go with something that should give our participants some ideas for our Second Contest, Bloodlines. Our very own TexasC4’s The Spellsword Crusader, here’s a taste about it;

“Tamriel, Dawn’s Beauty in the language of the Aldmeris.  But amongst the beauty, evil lurks in the shadows… evil you will cleansing with Divine light.”

The Spellsword Crusader focuses on an ex-Vigilant to Stendarr, whom still upholds their ways - well most of them. While also using a combination of Schools which I rarely see - Illusion and Restoration. Both two very supportive skills, which actually are implemented rather well. TexasC4, also uses the Spellsword Crusaders’ backstory and RP in many ways, one such being the reasoning for certain Illusion spells, particular weapons as well as dealing with the Divines and Daedric Princes. 

All  in all, I highly recommend the Spellsword Crusader, from its RP and Skills, to its Backstory. Don’t forget to give it a like and comment too while you’re at it. Keep tuned in for next week guys, as who knows what Build will be showcased and from where, it might even be yours! So keep on building guys!

Hail, adventurers! Welcome to another of our weekly Character Build Showcase posts, where we at the Skyforge draw some attention to a build that has gone far more unnoticed than it deserves. Last week we re-publicized The Prodigal Son, the amazing Fallout character build by The Long Chapper (a.k.a. Lissette). Thanks to Curse for writing up that showcase! Last time I wrote a showcase, we covered a necromacy build, so I decided I'd go in a different direction this time around and draw some attention to a build with a healing, life-giving archetype. The Way-Maker by Matt Feeney fit the bill perfectly. An absolute classic originating on the Tamriel Vault, Matt rebooted the build and posted it here on the Forge. The build comes with some awesome lore steeped in Redguard religious tradition:

Have you heard the Story of the Way-Maker? I thought not, few have. They say that when the End Times begins, the great and all-powerful HoonDing shall arise once again. Arise to carry the star children into the next Cycle. The HoonDing has always lead us forward; crown, rebel, or sword, he has always been there. But the next avatar, he shall truly accept his role. He will not stand as Crown, Sword, or Rebel, he shall stand as all. He will be the Thrice-Bled Guide. A Crown, for his faith will be unshakable. A Sword, for he will pierce through all that stand in the way of Morwha's children. And a Rebel, for in his quest he will shake the pillars that bind this world and defy the heathen gods. Now break the shackles, my child, lest your hand be severed when you are freed...

Matt has put together a build with an interesting format. The Way-Maker comes with some of the most interesting and rewarding progression I've ever seen in a build. He begins his quest as a simple acolyte of the HoonDing, named The Wanderer. In this basic form, the Way-Maker relies on clever battlefield maneuvering and hiding behind/buffing any follower that has accompanied him on his journey. As he steps more into his role as HoonDing's Chosen, the Way-Maker becomes The High Priest, a form in which he has unlocked many arcane secrets. He uses many ancient staves to give him the upper hand in battle, and most importantly, uses the Voice of HoonDing to call his enemies to his side. Finally, as the Way-Maker truly becomes the Avatar of HoonDing, he can call upon the power of his God and truly become unstoppable in the form of The HoonDing. 

Matt's build features incredible gameplay mechanics at every stage, and the progression from Wanderer to Avatar is a truly motivating and rewarding experience. If any of this even remotely piques your interest, I highly recommend you click the link above and check out the work that Matt has put into this build.

Well? What are you still reading this post for? Get over there to that epic build and be sure to leave behind a like and a comment. 

As usual, you'll see another highlighted build here on the front page of the Forge next week. Definitely keep an eye out, because that build could even be one of your own. There's a countless archive of incredible builds on here, and we want to see that grow. So, my dear adventurers, continue the great work on character builds. Glory awaits those who seek it!

Hey guys, I thought maybe we could do something different for this week's Character Build Showcases and feature a Fallout build. From now on we're going to try featuring a Fallout build perhaps once or twice a month. As is always the case with these showcases we present a build that exemplifies the best content this community has to offer and feature it prominently on the homepage. But with that out of the way let's dig into this week's build. The honor of being our first Fallout Build Showcase goes to The Prodigal Son by The Long Chapper aka Lissette! As is tradition at this point we'll start this showcase off with an excerpt from the author herself:  

"If you think about the plot of Blade Runner and Fallout 4, you can't help but notice the parallels between the story of Roy Batty, Blader Runner's main "antagonist" and the Sole Survivor. The questions of their humanity, their survival skills, their confrontations with Tyrell and Father. It was very cool to me, and I had been toying with a Roy Batty build even before the Cyperpunk 2287 Event rolled out. More so than Deckard, Batty's experience in Blade Runner is a journey to spiritual empathy, full of symbolism. He becomes, depending on your interpretation of the film, more human than the actual humans. How does this translate to Fallout 4's world? Well, in a build that unlocks Batty's "Limitless Potential" by focusing on unarmed and energy weapons; using VATS, chems, and perks to recreate the strength, agility, and endurance of the Nexus 6 replicant, and giving him a thoughtful quest arc that expands upon his story in Blade Runner and places it in the context of the Fallout 4 universe."

The parallels between Blade Runner and Fallout 4 are unmistakable and Lissette has done an absolutely brilliant job of weaving elements of the movie into her build - so brilliant infact that you may even begin to question your own character's humanity. Are you truly real? Who can be sure when your last memories are of narrowly escaping nuclear annihilation?

Much like Roy Batty, the main antagonist of the film and chief inspiration for the build, there are two sides to the Prodigal Son. On one hand he is the exceptionally articulate top of the line synth, and in times of peace his supreme intelligence is displayed. But its when the situation has turned violent or when he doesn't get what he wants that the Prodigal Son is at his most dangerous, lashing out with an unforgiving rage and the unyielding strength of a machine. 

So much praise goes to Lissette for taking a much loved film and flawlessly integrating its best elements into the game. The Prodigal Son offers players a deep, multi-stage roleplay experience which will leave them questioning what it means to be human and what it means to be free. But if you're more interested in gameplay you can rest easy because this build does not dissapoint. Fighting as the Prodigal Son will leave you feeling very much like a synth. Through VATS and chems the superior strength agility and reflexes of a machine-man are simulated. 'Nerd Rage', a perk which boosts damage, speed, and recovery when critically injured is emblematic of the deep-seated rage dwelling within Roy Batty just waiting to be unleashed whenever he finds himself backed into a corner. 

And with that we shall wrap up this showcase. As always, don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it. 

Keep building friends! Because you never know which build we'll feature next, and it might just be yours!

Hello and welcome back to another weekly build showcase! In these showcase’s we take a build that is a stellar example of what the site has to offer and feature it prominently on the homepage for a week. You never know when it might be your own in the spotlight! Last week we had JustJam’s terrifyingly amazing Rotting Beast, an Argonian who is adept at making all things associated with poison and disease work in beautiful synergy to make for a real powerhouse of debilitations. This week we are taking to the shadows with Avispon’s Black Dragon, based off of ESO's Lyra Viria. With some serious skills in subterfuge and plenty of enticing ways to approach combat The Black Dragon promises for both an awesome and diverse playthrough. The build also boasts one of the most impressive and natural story arcs I’ve seen in a while. Here is a snippet of what you can expect from the build….

 WHO IS LYRA VIRIA?

Lyra is the main antagonist in the Elder Scrolls Online Dark Brotherhood storyline. Without spoiling the entire story, she at one point served the Dark Brotherhood as a Silencer, and later betrayed the Family as the Black Dragon—the First Sword and right hand of a corrupt priest of Akatosh. Eventually she abandoned Akatosh as well, and when if the player defeats her, her soul is hauled off to the Void. For reference she appears in two in-game journals, her own (The Black Dragon’s Journal) and that of her erstwhile Brother, Green-Venom-Tongue (Venom’s Sanctuary Marginalia).  

The chaos of the 4th Era threatens Sithis and Akatosh, and their influence on Mundus, as much as it does Skyrim’s people. This playthrough assumes that these gods strike desperate bargains with Lyra, who was once a powerful avatar for both of them. She accepts their quests, but her former experiences have left her wary of trusting blindly in gods or their proxies. She seeks redemption but also freedom and independence from Sithis, Akatosh and the shackles of any Tamrielic religion. 

Is she up to fulfilling their tasks? Will she succumb to the same weaknesses that once led her astray, or will she find a new resolve and achieve true freedom?

GAMEPLAY:

Lyra's mastery of her various skills, combined with the power of her enchantments, opens up new avenues for combat. She is more capable in each discipline, and also learns to combine those disciplines in creative ways. I forced myself back into stealth mode every so often to keep things diverse, but eventually Lyra had no need for the shadows and could tussle with anyone and anything in the game.

COMBAT MOVES:

Dawnbreaker of Smiting: Regular Attack, Forward Power Attack, Sideways Power Attack, Varied Attacks.

All one-handed perks come together in this deadly maneuver. Lyra's regular attack boosts subsequent power attack damage (Cross Cut), her forward power attack sets the enemy bleeding (Falling Sword), her sideways power attack knocks the enemy back (Windswept), and if they are not already dead, their low health and bleed state will cause her next attacks to do massive damage (Falling Sword). Takes a bit of practice. Use of the actual Dawnbreaker sword against the undead is optional, but extremely satisfying.

Forward Momentum: Survival Instinct & Tempting Fate Perks, Dodged Power Attack, Slow Time (one word).

This is a cousin of the beloved Quick Reflexes / Slow Time glitch. By dodging a power attack while activating Slow Time, you will be 30% faster while everyone else slows down. You are channeling Akatosh's time mastery to create a wide speed differential between you and your enemies for a short window of opportunity.

Ritual of Retribution: Warrior’s Flame Perk, Related Perks.

As noted above. You merely need to be present and this "move" will occur on its own. With all of the restoration perks listed, Lyra will randomly (and with fair frequency) become nearly unstoppable for 10-second chunks of time, while sapping her enemies’ strength and straight up roasting the undead.

Eye of the Storm: Shadowbond, 3x Lightning Rune, Any Ranged Attack.

Lyra combines the stealth of Sithis with the power of Akatosh with this attack. Shadowbond turns you and an enemy invisible, and when you break that invisibility you swap places with that enemy. Cast three runes from stealth at your feet, then cast Shadowbond, then break stealth however you wish. You will appear where your enemy was, and he or she will appear on top of your runes and, as they say, will get rekt. Combined with Demolition Job, few enemies can survive this. Fortunately for game balance, this move is a pain to set up, so you won’t be tempted to use it that often.  

WRAPPING THINGS UP

If a hardy resourceful Nightblade is up your alley, look no further, you’ve found one of the best! Avispon has done a very awesome job with this character – particularly for their first foray into character building, so pop on over and give The Black Dragon a like and a read, and be sure to tell Avispon your thoughts. And so, we come to the end, thank you for checking out this week’s build showcase and keep an eye open next week because your build could be up next!

Hey guys, welcome back to another Character Build Showcase, where we prominently feature a Build on the Home Page. It could be any Build, even yours. In last week's post, we had my own Lazareth the Risen, a Necromancer who for reasons unknown works to the main goal of all Necromancers - Lichdom - with a major focus on roleplay and personal objectives. This week, we decicded to feature a build, who perverts the natural order and focuses on the decaying energies of it. The Rotting Beast by JustJam! Here's a quick taste from the Build to give you an idea what it's all about.

"She came to me that night as I lay rotting in the swamps, the hackwings circling above. Her words were the maggots eating away dead flesh from my wounds, the pus forming to fight my infection. She spoke the truths I was too afraid to see.

Perhaps there was a time when the Hist was good for us. A time before our race were used as common slaves. A time before we were taken from our own homes, growing old knowing nothing but chains and punishments. The Hist did nothing but watch. It’s only act? To protect itself from Oblivion, from the invading force. I see through it- we are no freer than under the Dunmer."

The Rotting Beast is truly devastating character, focusing on having summons and debilitating poisons - but not from the Alchemy tree. Using Ordinator as well as Wintersun - as a cherry on top - JustJam uses several Perks from Light Armor, Restoration and Conjuration as well as passives granted from Wintersun. All centered around decaying poisons and massive DoT in a short time. Some of the perks used (to give you an idea) are:

Hissing Dragon - You may choose a damage type (fire, frost, shock, poison, disease or sun). Unarmed attacks unleash a shockwave that deals the chosen damage type to all targets in front of you. Requires two free hands. Does not activate while sneaking.
   -From the Light Armor tree in Ordinator (The Rotting Beast chooses Poison obviously)

Plague Doctor - Radiate a zone of pestilent death that reduces the poison and disease resistance of enemies approaching within 40 feet by 50% for 30 seconds.
   -From the Restoration skill tree in Ordinator

A Plague Upon Thee - If a reanimated undead is destroyed within 20 seconds, the attacker is stricken with a Daedric disease that deals 40 damage per second for 20 seconds. Those who have this perk are immune.
   -From the Conjuration tree in Ordinator

From those still wondering - synergy is the name of the game - and JustJam does it beautifully. If this entices you at all, even to read JustJam's Build, we highly recommend it - and it's JustJam's first Build as well. Don't forget to leave a comment and a like on the Rotting Beast as well.

We'll continue these Showcases next week, and who knows who's build will be showcased next. It could just as well be yours featured on the Home Page of the Sky Forge! So keep on building guys!

Hail, adventurers! In case you missed it last week, we've got the Character Build Showcase series back up and running. In last week's post we highlighted an amazing build that focused on hunting down mages with a fiery passion while avoiding any use of the foul arcane arts. This week we're featuring a character that is precisely the sort of mage that Shadon's Mage Hunter would have liked to snuff out. Lazareth the Risen by Lee Fiskillis Carpenter! Here's a quick excerpt from the build to give you an idea of what its all about. 

Many Necromancers believe that achieving the state of Lichdom is the ultimate goal of Necromancy. Very few Necromancers have succeeded in becoming a Lich. Ascending to Lichdom is an extremely risky endeavour, and it is unique in some ways to each Necromancer who attempts it. There is only one known path which is somewhat well-known but most of the details are well hidden.

Lazareth is a truly dastardly character, with a major focus on impressive roleplaying and personal objectives. Not only is he himself an accomplished Necromancer, but he is capable of hunting down and destroying any other necromancers who might seek to oppose him with brutal efficiency. He makes effective use out of both the Ritual and Atronach Stones, allowing him to both raise his own armies of undead and counter those of his dangerous contemporaries. 

This build features not only cool gameplay mechanics, but very deep multi-stage style of roleplaying reminiscent of something like the Alchemist's Apotheosis from BlackBlood. Lazareth begins his journey as any other necromancer (albiet a skilled one) and embarks on a quest that leads him down the dark road toward Lichdom. From there, you can enjoy god-like gameplay featuring insanely strong Thralls, armies of undead, and icey magick colder than the hands of Death himself. 

If any of this interests you, please click the link above and give it a read. Although it is a bit of a long one, its worth every second of your time that you can spare. With everything from trickery of Daedric Princes to betraying loyal followers and raising armies of undead, this is the ultimate necromancer playthrough for anyone who has been looking to get into that archetype while also getting a fresh experience.

This is a terribly underrated build, so please don't forget to leave a like and a comment if you do get the time to drop by. 

We'll be continuing this series of highlights next week, and who knows? YOUR build might be featured here on the front page! We've got such a creative community here with a lot to offer, so keep building adventurers! Glory awaits!

Hey guys, after a long hiatus we're back again with more Character Build Showcases! For those of you not familiar each week we'll be prominently featuring a build on the home page. It could be any build. It could even be your build! But for now lets get down to business. This week's feature build has been the talk of the town in our Discord channel and its the Mage Hunter by Shadon! As is tradition at this point we'll start this showcase off with an excerpt from the author himself.  

"This is my first-ever build that I've posted anywhere, so I wanted to keep things simple. Like, really simple. So simple in fact, that things got back to complicated. I had noticed that the majority of witchhunter builds ended up using a ton of magic to fight magic, in a become-the-thing-you-hate-most sort of way, and while I'm a sucker for irony, I wanted to try out something I had never done before: a no-magic build. The Mage Hunter is thoroughly disgusted by magic, and will avoid it whenever possible, including spells, enchanted gear, and potions. This highly-aggressive approach against magic brought with it a few problems, which I had to delve into an often-neglected aspect of the game to overcome "

The Mage Hunter isnt your typical witch hunter. Whereas most witch hunters use magick to fight magick the Mage Hunter casts aside any and all magickal spells and augmentations, and comes at his spell slinging foes with martial prowess more formidable than any spell they can throw at him. 

The perk overhaul Ordinator features a number of defensive perks that mitigate or even nullify enemy magick. All of which are accessible to and make sense for a character who refuses to use magick of any kind. The Mage Hunter takes advantage of all of these perks and is a deadly adversary to any mage. In lieu of potions to heal the Mage Hunter uses the often neglected cooking system to craft health and stamina restoring meals. 

Much props goes to Shadon for creating such a fun and interesting build on his first attempt. The Mage Hunter presents both a fun, unique challenge and a clever new take on a classic Elder Scrolls archetype. If you haven't checked it out already click the link above to check out the Mage Hunter. 

As always, don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it.

Next week, it might just be YOUR build that gets featured so keep building friends!

Apologies for the late spotlight this week everyone. The wait however, is well worth it. This week we will be spotlighting Henson’s Old Orc!

“Body is weary. The road has been long. But there is life in these old hands yet...

Hammer is heavier than it used to be, not like the early years. Hammer remembers many faces, the bones broken, the skulls crushed, the blood sprayed. Pain radiates through my fingers, arms sore from battle, scars too many to count. But there is life in these old hands yet...

Tribes will not accept me. Cities cast me out. No one wants an old, beat-down Orc. Wandering the lands to come closer to the Good Death, I seek a champion to release me of my sorrow and shame...

But I cannot go quietly. My Violence and Rage still burn. Warriors, Wizards, Trolls, Abominations, Dragons: let them come! If I shall die, let it be for Honor. Let it be for Prince Malacath. I welcome death if it knocks at my door, but I will meet it with Violence and Rage, for there is life in these old hands yet...”

If you couldn’t already tell from Henson’s writing above, this build is a roleplayer’s wet dream. Perhaps the most powerful and more unique random encounters in Skyrim is the Old Orc and Henson’s rendition embodies this. This is your archetypical in-your-face, skull-crushing, orc warrior.

Feeling worn down from complex glitches, exploits, and crazy set-ups before you can actually start playing your character? Looking for a fun iron-man run? Tired after a long day of work and just looking to pull the trigger and kill some baddies? This is the build for you.

As a true orc, there is a bit of crafting in this build which can be a nice break from cracking skulls and gives you goals as you are scouring Skyrim for a powerful foe to challenge you. Volundrung lets you spam power attacks the entire game which is exactly what you want to be doing as an orcish berserker. The fun part for me is that you continually make the challenge of finding a worthy foe harder as you get better armor and weapons with enchanting and smithing. It’s a really solid and oft-played style but the roleplay and simplicity is exactly what sets the Old Orc apart from the rest of the brutish head-smashers. 

And if this hasn’t convinced you to check out the build, leave a comment or like, then perhaps the Old Orc Rap posted on the build will…

Keep building friends, we’ll be back next week with one of YOUR builds!

Kaiser here, back again with another Character Build Showcase! This week we will be showcasing one of the incredible Elysium’s infamous cat creations; we will be showcasing The Mane of Elsweyr. As per usual, we will start off with an excerpt from the author herself:

"This build has been a long time coming and I’ve searched for a while for a way to emulate the kind of power that a Mane would have. Since magic in TES comes from the sky (stars, sun, moon), it would almost certainly be magically based, but then it hit me.

The true power of the Twin Moons is unlocked in one of the most underused glitches in Skyrim. First seen in Mason’s Seraphim, the Twin Moons provide their Child with the magical ability and Khajiiti tenacity to unleash powerful displays of magic envied by the greatest sorcerers as he has seemingly endless wells of power. At the same time, he can barely cast a full destruction cloak."

A truly magnificent roleplay build combined with unique, powerful mechanics and equivalent weaknesses. The Mane of Elsweyr utilizes the Concentrated Casting glitch which allows a character to have unlimited magicka whenever casting spells that must be “held down” or concentrated. This however comes at the price of being unable to put any points or other enchantments in magicka meaning that non-concentration spells are very costly.

This is another build with multiple viable playstyles including spellsword, shieldmage, sword and shield, and pure (dual-cast) mage. These playstyles are each incredibly versatile and blend seamlessly creating the ultimate magickal warrior of the moon. A unique skillset including illusion but restricted magicka means that this is one crafty cat. Every spell choice is important and proper strategy is required.

On top of all of this, the Voice of the Mane, a power granted to the Mane of Elsweyr giving him/her 0% shout cooldown. This is a lore-based power adding extra spells and options to the Mane’s toolkit. Plenty of cool abilities and shout combos, 3 satisfying aesthetics, power and restriction, and a wonderful roleplay makes The Mane of Elsweyr a paragon of character build creations—truly a personal favorite of mine.

As always, don’t forget to leave a like and/or comment on the build if you enjoy it.

Next week, it might just be YOUR build that gets featured so keep building friends!

Welcome everyone to our weekly Character Build Spotlight! Each week we showcase one of the many high quality builds here at the forge.

This week’s showcase is Hircine’s Child byTae-Rai. Hircine’s child is a true hunter; a master of the hunt both in and out of lycan form. Here’s a small extract from Tae-Rai herself:

“Why you came here is unknown but the taste of blood remains on your lips... The need to hunt consumes you, the desire to feel sinew snapping beneath your jaws is becoming impossible to ignore. You are Hircine’s Child and it’s time for you to kill...”

The greatness of this build lies in both it’s simplicity and synergy of both human and lycanthrope forms. Lycanthropy is an extension of human form –they are not separate. Each is a hunter with a desire for blood. In human form, the methods are more shadowy while the werewolf contains the berserker.

Hircine’s Child’s skillset allows for multiple combat styles. Archery and Conjuration allow for the character to hunt from the shadows of the forest, sniping enemies and raising their bodies to do their bidding. In close combat the Child’s ferocity is unleashed in a flurry of dual-wielding attacks. The third part of the trinity is of course the brutish nature of werewolf form allowing you overpower and overwhelm multiple opponents.

Perhaps the most fun part of the build is the Cursed Ring of Hircine. As most of you probably know, this makes werewolf transformations random and also makes it possible for form changes to occur multiple times a day. This makes you truly feel the power as one moment you could be buying ore for smithing before transforming into the beast and being forced to murder the town. A truly exhilarating roleplay experience that will keep you on your toes. This build is certainly worth a look!

As always, make sure you check out the build and leave a like if you enjoyed it. Comments are always appreciated and tune in next week for another great character build!

AND KEEP BUILDING folks! It just might be your build that gets featured next…