The third and final installment of my Morrowind edition of “Where Are They Now”, we now turn to Divayth Fyr, a master of… well, everything, really. I’m incredibly surprised no one’s ever tried to make a build about him before. The result of a four month long project on my part, Divayth Fyr is a master of almost god-like proportions. I also never actually took a character all the way to Level 81, to becoming such an incredible legend that the Ebony Warrior sought him out to challenge him. Divayth Fyr is that character, with a full package of 12 (yes, 12) skills to back it up.
Again, for those who need a recap of who and what Divayth is, there’s a section called “Background Lore” at the bottom.
I was in Firewatch when Red Mountain erupted. A council of Dunmer sorcerers had been gathered, in order to fully understand the intricacies of the Oblivion Crisis. The decision to sit in dry meetings for weeks on end probably saved my life. That’s not to say I emerged unscathed.
Red Mountain housed the Heart of Lorkhan, the citadel of Dagoth Ur, and was the center of the Divine Disease. What did people expect when it exploded? I tried to flee before the ashcloud caught me on the mainland, but it wasn’t to be.
I fell ill to the disease I spent years studying, keeping myself and the world safe from. Corpus ravaged my mind and body, but the disease was weak and fading from the world. I eventually awoke to a Morrowind where my home was gone, my tower burned to the ground, my friends and daughters dead.
It took me decades to recover my strength, decades more to regain any semblance of sanity or magic. And now I must move on and begin anew.
BUILD
Race : Dunmer, simple enough. Make him old, scarred and white-haired. There’s even his white ponytail hairstyle. I suggest you use a small body type, as Daedric Armor is incredibly bulky.
Stats : 2 / 2 / 1, all three are important, but stamina less so, since Respite can take care of it later on.
Standing Stone : Steed Stone, to increase our mobility and save on perks, not to mention the 100pt carrying bonus. The Lord in the Aetherial Crown for more defence and near magic immunity.
SKILLS
Major Skills.
Conjuration – Allowing us to summon a myriad of Bound Weapons, the School of Conjuration is the cornerstone of Divayth Fyr’s combat. Atronachs are great as well and can make for useful combatants.
Destruction – A master of fire and lightning, the College of Destruction serves as a solidly invested supportive offense skill. I chose not to invest in Frost spells, as it didn’t seem to fit the character.
Alteration – Flesh spells and the Paralyze effect are what we’re after. In addition to Ash Spells, wizards don’t use stairs. (Oh, how I miss Levitation)
Restoration – Wards and Sun Spells and Poison Runes, oh my! This will also be our preferred form of healing on the fly, since hot-keying potions is more cheating than this build needs.
Minor Skills.
Illusion – Fear spells are a lovely thing, but adding Quiet Casting and Invisibility/Muffle can make sneaking ever-so-fun.
Alchemy – Probably my all-time favourite skill, I used it extensively on my first playthrough and much less on my second. So, I can say that it’s not essential for Divayth to become a powerful force to be reckoned with, but playing on a higher difficulty or other restrictions will make you want to take up potionmaking.
Enchanting – A favoured skill of Great House Telvanni, weaving enchantments was what they were always good at. Even the few with no magical talent had incredible skill as enchanters and Divayth Fyr has had plenty of time to get to know them.
Skills Worth Mentioning.
Heavy Armor – I imagine his armor was used largely as a status symbol in Morrowind, and I never perked or trained it. Flesh spells are always there to fall back on, but masterfully enchanted Daedric Armor is a wonderful thing.
Speech – Though not exactly roleplay-oriented, Divayth Fyr is an international legend and I took some heavy perks at higher levels to show his celebrity and imposing nature, since he basically looks like a hulking Dremora Lord. It also allows us to pay trainers in potions, which cuts down significantly on the need to grind skills. Relevant merchant trainers include: Winterhold professors (magic schools), Sorine Jurard (Archery), and Neloth (Enchanting). I found my magic lacking more than my martial skills.
Archery / One Handed / Two Handed / Block – Unlike the other Telvanni Lords, Divayth was a master of martial combat, finding a cathartic pleasure in physical battle.
COMBAT
Living creatures, if nothing else, have the right to life. It is their only truly precious possession and should not be taken from them without cause.
My favourite part of playing a mage is that it allows you to get creative, and Divayth Fyr is the mage. Having previously mastered every skill, magickal and martial, it will come back to him soon enough. Fyr should be the opposite of dull. At any time you feel your skills are weakening, a solid bout of Marked for Death or Potions of Fortify Skills can put you back on level with your enemies.
It should also be noted that Flesh Spells are used in all the combat stances, especially until we nab ourselves Atronach Forge-made Daedric gear. I also mentioned the most useful shout for each stance and give the potion that enhances each stance’s abilities the best. In terms of poisons, I never used anything particularly fancy, but also kept a small stack of Fortify Destruction and Fortify Restoration potions on me.
THE SORCERER
Fear + Elemental Bolts + Master Spells + Storm/Fire Atronachs
Shout: Become Ethereal
Potion: Warlock’s Whisper
Fortify Illusion, Regenerate Magicka, Restore Magicka
Dwarven Oil + Taproot
Until you get your hands on the Bound Weapons, or the magicka to sustain other stances, this will be Divayth’s standard way of facing an enemy. Fearing enemies and shooting them in the back as they run away, or simply letting them flee as you go forward to claim their treasure. The Fire Atronach can take pop shots at those who flee, while the Storm Atronach later on can provide another conduit for Chain Lightning, while being immune to it.
Special Move: Cataclysm
Become Ethereal + Flame Cloak + Aspect of Terror + Master Spell/Scroll
Fyr envelopes himself in the wrathful protection of his ancestors as he focuses all his magical intuition into unleashing a blast of pure power.
THE CLEAVER
Bound Battleaxe + Elemental Cloak + Weakness to Element Poisons
Shout: Unrelenting Force / Become Ethereal
Potion: Troll’s Blood
Fortify Two-Handed, Regenerate Health
Emperor Parasol Moss + Dragon’s Tongue + Garlic
Using Unrelenting Force to mitigate some of the more unsavoury weaknesses, the Berserker is an extremely effective way to stop enemies who tend to swarm you. A potion of Fortify Destruction will increase a Cloak’s range (an often forgotten trick) and using poisons to make your enemies weak to it will take them down quick. If you’re in this stance, you have to be careful about ranged enemies, and make sure to use Become Ethereal to use a stamina-free power attack or to draw enemies close to you.
Special Move: Poison Bloom
Sweep + Concentrated Poison + Paralysis poison
Using a weightless weapon of his own creation, Fyr uses his technical skill to fall two of the hardiest Nord warriors with barely a scratch.
THE RANGER
Bound Bow + Runes + Ravage/Damage Health Poisons
Shout: Slow Time
Potion: Ranger’s Respite
Fortify Marksman, Restore Magicka
Elves Ear + Giant Lichen + Juniper Berries
Setting down a rune and pelting enemies with poisons is a very effective way to take down charging enemies across a field. Slow Time is your new best friend in this stance, mimicking an enhancement of mind and body, both for being able to fire multiple arrows in a very short time and for dodging what other archers throw at you. Having a rune set some distance ahead of you for the first ones to get officially “too close”, you can set down another one or switch into another stance.
Special Move: Noxious Crawl
Ash Rune + Weakness to Poison poison + Fortify Restoration potion + Poison Rune
After having dragged himself through Fyr’s barrage of arrows, the great Bandit Chief falls into the encoded ash of the Dunmeri ancestors. When he finally bursts free, shrugging off the poisoned arrow, he trips headlong into a second rune, a dangerous poisonous force that corrupts his body as he collapses at Fyr’s feet, dead.
THE CHAMPION
Bound Sword + Shield/Ward + Wall of Flames + Fireball + Ignite + Paralyze/Ash Spells
Shout: Ice Form
Potion: Shieldmage’s Tonic
Fortify Magicka, Resist Magic, Fortify Block
Bleeding Crown + Red Mountain Flower + Tundra Cotton
A hefty Daedric Shield in tow, Divayth becomes a battlemage any army would be proud to have. Wards can let you stop dragonfire in its tracks, acting as an immaterial shield. Let Ignite whittle down foes while you chop them up with an intangible sword. Ash Spells and Paralysis act as crowd control, giving you time to deal with the others. Throwing down a slow burning Wall of Flames or the AOE Fireball will also let your melee combatants burn a terrible death, fleeing when they get low on health.
Special Move: Dishonourable Cremation
Paralysis + Stability + Fortify Alteration potion + Wall of Flames
The Dunmer burn their honoured dead, but sometimes the less-honoured, soon-to-be dead need some encouragement. Possibly the most sadistic trick I’ve ever pulled in Skyrim, it’s an extremely dishonourable way to die, since neither Divayth nor the enemy ever hits one another. A single pulse of Paralysis (augmented with various effects) and the poor sod will keel over in our convenient Wall of Flames, burning throughout the duration of the battle. A shot of Weakness to Fire will help those Dunmer Reavers return to the ash from whence they came.
THE FLURRY
Bound Sword + Bound Dagger + Elemental Cloak + Frost Atronach + Secret of Strength
Shout: Disarm
Potion: Blood of the Redguards
Fortify Marksman, Fortify One-Handed
Juniper Berries + Canis Root + Hanging Moss
Since Elemental Fury doesn’t work on Bound Weapons, the Secret of Strength is our next best thing. It makes power attacks cost no stamina for 30secs. That means you turn it on and mash buttons, screaming your battlecry, or whatever crazy old wizards do. This also opens you up to a lot of attacks, since you can’t dodge and you have a minimal health pool, so apply Disarm liberally to opponents who will either proceed to punch you or search for a weapon. Also, use the Frost Atronach to keep the melee heat off you.
ROLEPLAY
I am but a student. A student of the mysteries that engulf the land entire. It is not my way to tackle obstacles. It is my way to solve them. One may know how to climb a mountain, yet one may never climb it. I do not seek things of great power. I yearn to understand them. Finding answers appears to be the primary purpose of mortal existence.
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.
He’s not exactly heartless in his pursuits and wouldn’t hurt the innocent without reason, but is very aware of the idea of the “Greater Good” and people’s place in the world. So, if he were riding to Whiterun in order to capture Odahviing and some wandering traveler was being accosted by some bandits, he wouldn’t stop to help said traveler. He is also fairly ruthless and plays life by his own rules.
He wants to rebuild his wizard tower and return to his studies, but without materials to study he’s not going to get very far. Collect artifacts from ancient tombs and Dwemer cities, like cups and embalming tools, as well as scrap metal and the ceremonial armor of the ancient Nords. Traffic with Daedra very carefully and abandon a Daedric quest if you feel things are getting too dangerous, but aim to collect the Daedric artifacts and all the unique items.
He’s fair, diplomatic, and unlikely to make a rash or stupid decision. This one should be self-explanatory. But the key thing here is that he hates politics with an unholy passion, seeing wars to be pointless and politicians to be petty weaklings. Don’t bother with the wars of men.
He doesn’t desire power at all. He doesn’t seek it, doesn’t accept it and doesn’t want it. However, simply by being him Fyr manages to get positions of power. In House Telvanni, he was massively influential, but refused a seat on the Council (or even in the House) several times. This is easily mimicked with the Thane titles in Skyrim, but don’t use the houses or the followers or even the weapons—unless you don’t have that enchantment yet.
Don’t wear your Daedric Armor in broad daylight, at least not until you’re someone of note. It’s insanity that the guards would let someone into their city who looks like a Greater Lich of Upmost Doom.
He wants to move on in the world, he knows that Morrowind is, for all intents and purposes, gone and he wants to make a new life in Skyrim. But that doesn’t mean he wants to replace those who actually meant something to him, so don’t marry or get too attached to any single follower. He will help Dunmer when he can, but he isn’t their messiah. It’s not his responsibility, but his conscious that makes him help. Assist the refugees the best you can but don’t start opening up soup kitchens in Windhelm.
QUESTS
I am but an old wizard. My days of adventure are over. The petty politicals, the masters of weaponry, and the weavers of blaze can handle what is needed.
My leveling was primarily accomplished through clearing out all ancient ruins, like Dwemer and Nordic, and disposing of Necromancers, but I did complete these following quests in between and, approximately, in this order.
College of Winterhold : While becoming the Archmage is a bit below him, Divayth wants access to a library and workstation in Skyrim. Easily able to prove his arcane superiority, he quickly moves into the Midden in the basement, clutching the Staff of Magnus and his new robes. These robes along with heavy armor gauntlets, boots, and the Diadem of the Savant will be his look until he can get ahold of Daedric Armor.
Daedric Quests : Aside from immortal sorcerers and liches, Fyr is the most powerful and honoured sorcerer alive. His hobby, of course, is his collection.
Destroy the Dark Brotherhood : While he doesn’t keep up with Dunmeri politics, he certainly holds with the old ways and ideals and the Dark Brotherhood have always been an unseemly blight of evil twerps. (cue Ancient Nordic chanting for Marked For Death)
Dragon Priest Masks : A Nordic collection to serve as a nice souvenir from your lovely time in this arctic wasteland.
The Man Who Cried Wolf / The Wolf Queen Awakened : A beautifully written quest and a rare chance for Fyr to become a hero. Ideally, the first “hero” quest you do before tackling the more “saviour” type quests.
Dawnguard : The matters of the Volikhar and the Dawnguard are none of his concern, but the scholarly materials either organisation has accumulated over the eons definitely is. The Dawnguard is preferred and as an old-style Dunmer, Fyr would certainly not want to pledge himself to Molag Bal.
The Lost Expedition, Lost to the Ages, Unfathomable Depths, Kagrumez Trials : Dwemer quests to delve into ancient ruins and cities? As if Fyr needs a reason to enter any Dwemer dwelling.
The White Phial, The Pale Lady, Blood on the Ice, Forbidden Legend, Black Books, Lost Legacy, Unearthed, Deathbrand, Shalidor’s Insights : Each day is a quest for knowledge and all knowledge is useful, all puzzles intriguing.
Tel Mithryn : Pleased to see a familiar face surviving Red Mountain, Fyr perhaps gets a little overexcited and helps out his old House-mate. It’s difficult to know Fyr and Neloth’s relationship or what they thought of each other, but I imagine they were at each other’s throats due to their differing opinions and demeanors. I only visited Tel Mithryn in “disguise” (fully hooded robes), but the Telvanni are very smart and have access to some unique items and spells. Just smile and nod along when Neloth “inducts” you into House Telvanni.
Raven Rock : Do the quests that aren’t out of your way, but don’t chase all over the map for the common refugees. Also, don’t bother with the House Wars between Redoran and Hlaalu. That stuff is as old as you and not worth getting involved with.
Main Quest : Divayth Fyr as the Dragonborn is so implausible and insane that I felt I just had to, towards the end. Rather than being a sacred Nordic Tongue, he was just a scholar who happened to learn an ancient form of Shouting magic. Unlike these Greybeards, who are simple men, Divayth is an ancient elf and has 4000 years to hone this skill. You have also not played Skyrim until you walk towards the meadhalls of Sovngard, dressed in full Daedric Armor, feeling completely at home in it.
The Ebony Warrior : My final quest, I was tempted to let Fyr die to him, but I didn’t, instead giving the warrior a proper salute and burned his body, as the Dunmer do when they die.
Dragonborn (Optional) : As one of the last places he could definitely call home, Fyr would definitely want to defend Solstheim, but playing a dangerous game with Hermaeus Mora might not be worth it.
GEAR & PERKS
Daedric Armor is the mark of a master summoner, a wizard of true power, as creating it requires a daedric soul to be bound to the Ebony, where it suffers like creatures in soul gems. A process known only to the Dremora, it’s only natural for Fyr to acquire it from Oblivion.
You can bring unenchanted Daedric armor and weapons into Skyrim through the Atronach Forge, using the recipes here. Until unenchanted Ebony comes around, make do with the heavily enchanted items that come through naturally. Be warned that you can’t get Daedric Boots on console unless you loot them from the world; just use Ebony. And since Fyr is a master enchanter, I felt free to go a little wild, drinking a strong potion of Fortify Restoration before equipping my gear. Make sure it’s enough to be powerful, but not god-like. We aren’t making a 10th Divine.
I made a spread of my final Level 81 Divayth Fyr, but this is a possible Level 60 loadout.
BACKGROUND LORE
Divayth Fyr. Visionary. Madman. Legend. Divayth Fyr is the oldest living person in Tamriel, at 4000+ years young, and born in the First Era. He battled the ancient Nords alongside Indoril Nerevar, he witnessed the crowning of the first emperor, the rise and fall of the Tribunal, and of Morrowind. He was close personal friends with the Living God Sotha Sil and roommates with the last living Dwemer. This man is old. In the Morrowind Construction Set, he has a level of 65, his health/magicka/fatigue are all 999 and every skill and attribute he has is maxed out, not to mention that he wears one of only two full sets of Daedric Armor in the entire game, the other one spread far and wide throughout the DLCs. It was a monumental accomplishment of perseverance and determined curiosity if you found all the pieces without cheating. Fyr’s Daedric Armor was an enduring symbol of him for good reason.
He’s encountered in Morrowind’s main quest as the owner of the Corpusarium, a hospice for those with Corpus Disease, where Divayth studies them and searches for a cure for the unsolvable mystery. An honorary member of House Telvanni, he refuses to take part in Morrowind’s politics and wishes to be left to his friends, his studies, and his wives. Speaking of, his “wives” are actually magical experiments. They’re clones of himself, grown with Telvanni magic, and serve as his companions and assistants. Also, unlike the Dunmer of his age, he has no innate prejudice against Argonians and Khajiit. One of his closest friends is the commander of his guard, an Argonian slave who refused to leave his side when he was freed and is now a member of his twisted (but caring) family.
Replies
As quite possibly the only quality level 81 build in existence, I feel this one deserves much more likes.
Aye I agree with you Curse. Also, Elysium, you've hit Rank:Adept - one more like and you've hit Expert
Elysium has now hit expert.
One more til master rank.