Oblivion class project remix: The Artificer

[Hiraeth]

Hey guys, so ive been wanting to do some skyrim build write ups based around a concept I've been using in my skyrim playthroughs.

Lots of people did the 21 oblivion classes thing a while back, and I think that's awesome, so I'm doing my own spin on it. I call it the classic classes remix project, where I'll use each classic class system as a base and then change a few things to make it unique. These builds will be modded but will adhere to and be primarily focused on lore and immersion.

As a base, I'll be using the classic classes and birthsigns reimagined mod using the setav version, which means that the 6 "major" skills of your class will start at +20, with everything else starting at a base of 5 before racial bonuses.

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/41298

The first build I'm working on is the artificer, a dunmer tinker and explorer who spent his youth exploring dwemer ruins and reverse engineering their technology to help his struggling province. Hes now traveled west to skyrim, following rumors of wonderous dwarven cities and lost technology waiting to be plundered. He even took to styling his beard in their traditional style! Fear not though, he still keeps the reclamations, and sees Azura as his patron. I thought this would be a good start for the concept because it implements skyrims major crafting skills into a class that focuses on them, which I think is awesome.

Here is a (placeholder, I know it's a cellphone picture, bare with me I'm not at my pc right now) image roughly an hour into the playthrough with his starting load out, including scrounged dwemer armor with roughly the same ac as iron. Flavor AND balance, doesn't get better than that!

 

Let me know if you guys think it's a good idea, if its dumb and overdone, what you'd like to see, and if you have any suggestions. I know I'm very late to the skyrim build party.. but it's just so fun, I cant help it. I'm even thinking of making videos showcasing them.

 

I've seen some awesome formatting artwork and images being used by this group and I dont want to steal anyone's hard work.. is there a resource people use for that stuff? Or is it all self made? Thank you for reading!

[Henson]

Great idea. I always love these and I think what makes this exciting is your intention to make each base build unique. I have had a battlemage for years and it would not be interesting to anyone else as that is exactly what it is. Looking forward to what you have cooking.

[Hiraeth]

Really glad youre excited! Id like to keep the mod list as light weight as possible, the enai siaion suite will be standard, as well as classic classes reimagined, and then id like 1 to 3 mods to be the showcase unique mechanic for the class itself.

For example, not only will ordinator allow the artificer to craft dwemer turrets with his smithing skill, Dwemer Certified will allow him to place perks into smithing and enchanting to craft his own automatons, and then enchant/smith their plating and weapons. It doesn't get more artificer-y than that!

 

*EDITED TO REDUCE CONFUSION*

I've replaced the SUMMER system with Dwemer Certified.

[Hiraeth]

Hey, just to peak your interest.. (or taunt you?) I'm planning one of my builds to be an imperial battlemage, it'll be steeped heavily in the lore of the early elder scrolls games and a big part of the character will be carrying on the legacy of the battlemages of old before buttholes like Jagar Tharn screwed it all up. As old as the Alessian Empire, the battlemages are a really cool part of the Elder Scrolls lore, and the build will have a heavy focus on the Imperial Legion, a dash of Magnus (Zurin Arctus was a powerful battlemage said in legend to be an incarnation of magnus himself, those crazy imperials), and some cool battlespire callbacks.

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Imperial_Battlemages

Just the initial planning has shaped up to be pretty cool, and i'm open to anymore suggestions (light armor or robes? hmm, need a good legion or cyrodillic robe mod..). I'm wondering if I should list all the classes I have planned so far, or just hold my hand until i'm ready, I'd hate to leave people waiting.

[Henson]

Awesome! Interest is peaked for sure. Not taunted lol.

But either way you want to present them sounds cool. Lay out plans first as a table of contents maybe? But only important thing in my eyes is play them all, enjoy them, then post builds so we can enjoy them too!

[Hiraeth]

It's been a little bit, work has been hell, but fear not! I've just a few more things to test and the write up can begin! The mod list has been pretty much compiled, i've trimmed the fat and included some fantastic quest mods and even a lore friendly monster mod, all with fantastic compatibility that really makes this a dwemer centric playthrough all about discovering and reverse engineering the mysteries of the Dwarves!

I've decided to replace Summer with the excellent Dwemer Certified: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/15686/, as I like it's systems better and found the Summer automatons rather clunky, it also has a patch for ordinator that synergizes perfectly and really makes the character commit perks into enchanting and smithing! You can even upgrade your automatons and enchant/smith their plating and weapons! This allows a heavy commitment into the smithing and enchanting perk trees to have even more combat utility.

I should probably explain the classic classes reimagined system a bit more in depth as well.. This mod will set every skill at 5, and give your character a book at start up that will allow you to pick a classic class or create a custom one. In this case, the Artificer is a custom class. Classes also get to choose 1 birthsign, and 1 passive ability to further incentivize specific playstyles. Each major skill chosen will set that skill to 20. You can level other skills besides your majors, but it will be difficult at first, and somewhat of an uphill battle. This will solidify the roleplaying element of your character's backstory, experience, and specialized abilities. The Artificer's class skills are as follows:

The Artificer

Major skills: One-handed, Block, Archery, Heavy Armor, Smithing, Enchanting

Birthsign: The Tower: reflect 2% of melee damage back to attackers

Class Passive: Sturdy: Heavy Armor AC improved by 10%

*note that you may want to invest heavily into the left side of the lockpicking tree for the hotwiring and hacking line for dwemer constructs, and it's an excellent compliment to the build. Feel free to replace one of your major skills like archery or one handed for lockpicking, but in my experience your time delving in ruins will naturally raise your lockpicking quite high, and you'll be able to use enchanting to craft items to make locks easier, which will naturally skill you up and allow you to invest those perks later. If you're up for the challenge though, and think you can make good use of a follower and early automatons to help you through the early/middle stages of the class, go for it!*

That's all for now, updates will be more frequent from now on. I've been putting a lot of work into this (or maybe its just an excuse to play skyrim..), and I really hope I can deliver something fun and interesting. Here are a few screenshots of Turath's journey to hopefully get people excited..

 

Turath and Aranea explore the ruins of Avanchnzel and encounter it's custodians.

 

Turath faces off against a mighty Centurion with the help of his crafted autocannon.

Turath engaged in pitched combat with the mysterious spectre of the Dwemer Kadahk Mezalf, Lord of Avanchnzel and Keeper of the Lexicon.

Turath atop his trusty Vamidium, hopefully it doesn't fall apart again.. Aranea says she'll just stick to Dwarven barding..