please post your most enjoyable cool builds down below

It's not a build, it's a story, what that character uses.

But here's Adain's story, with skills. ( my avatar btw)

Adain is a Nord, Erik the Slayers best friend ( Alternate start mod), they wanted to go out and adventure together. So they left Rorikstead and headed to whiterun to see what they could do, they need a job to make money. ( 3 re-loads later... Deadly Dragons.. they made it to Whiterun.) They Started by helping a Citizen of Whiterun get his families sword back. Then they did a bounty job for the Jarl and then a Priestess needed a specific Dagger and they went to try and get that. As they got to Helgen a dragon flew away, they investigated the town and found hadvar in a cave.. helped him to Riverwood and then headed back to get the Dagger for Dannica. After getting the Dagger they headed back to Whiterun, and went to give the Dagger to Dannica and then went to tell the Jarl about the Dragon that attacked Helgen.

That is the game play.. but not the whole story. That little bit right their probably took well over the 20 hr's, that you said you have only played...just doing the MQ. He had barely even started it at 20 hr's. With The Mods I used for him I followed 2 quest-lines .. Main Quest and Helgen Reborn ( mod). So Adain went from simple farmboy best friend to Erik the Slayer to Slayer of Dragons to Dragonborn and protector of Helgen ( their's more but it's a spoiler for the mod)

Heavy armor, archery, 1h ( sword & board) Block & smithing.. as the only "perked" skills, though through natural play more are used.

Now that is NOT to say that one can't have a long term character on console.. I have http://zanegreymore.blogspot.com/2014/02/looking-back.html ( it's a long fn-fic) but she developed from one type of character using XX skills to another type using CC skills, over the course of time. She did part's of MQ and all of Dawnguard... Her story used those quest-lines, because it worked for her. I had almost 500 hr's on her maybe more, I don't remember the hours, just the story.

For exact skills, I know she used 2h & 1h with shield and block, Heavy armor, smithing, archery ( mostly crossbow) destruction, a little conjuration ( specific summon for the Dawnguard quest-line) Restoration, not just for healing but for the other spells used in the Dawnguard questline. And some other skills from time to time, she was never Over Powered, but often Under-powered.. this is the way I play. I like my characters to have to face death.. to me it's no fun if I know they can walk all over all the enemies, it takes the challenge out of the game.

My Mercenary turned Vampire Slayer Wulf, was on 360 and He was a 400 hr plus character. 1h, block ( Sword & board) light armor, archery ( crossbow) smithing. I never wrote his story out, but he had one and I used the game to tell it... that is what I generally do.


Every character should have a purpose, not just a build.. you will get bored very fast other wise. My Opinion... Another thing I often do is, If I just played a 2h barbarian my next character will be different.. maybe an archer, hunter type or a Mage. If I was a Dragonborn.. I may not use dragons at all on the next character.. they may have no Idea dragons exist ( on 360 it was "Akatosh" that saved them... or some other reason...easily explained) or Dragons may exist but "You are not the Dragonborn" mod is installed and they aren't the dragonborn.

Here's the thing.. it's a game... to me a great game, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Find a build you like, like your character.. make them as real as you can in your head. Tell their story... A thief that got caught crossing the boarder that never see's another dragon. He/she becomes Head of the Thieves guild or He/she decides that they are a bad thief ...so let's go join the Dark Brotherhood. It's up to you... I like doing a No kill TG run... ( that's within the quest-line) their are ways... you just have to figure them out. 1 kill the whole quest-line... and that is un-avoidable. ...this includes creatures as well. ( not saying that others did not kill...just not my character....oh and not my "voluntary" follower either Lydia * I had dragons* never went on jobs).

One of the interesting things about Skyrim is that there are no "builds," as there are in other roleplaying games.

In Skyrim, our characters change as a result of what they do. If you do different things, you get a different result. The idea is to use the perk system to support the character's development, not to define the character.

So, if your character uses two-handed weapons and light armor, you choose perks that relate to those skills. That would mean (obviously) perking 2-Handed and Light Armor, but possible also some of Sneak, Alchemy, and Block (probably just Shield Wall and Quick Reflexes.) Since light armor is less protective, you'll take damage as you fight, and since both hands are occupied with your weapon, you can't cast Restoration spells in combat, but you can use potions. See how something as simple as a weapon/armor choice can lead to a more complex build?

I tend to decide the career of the character first. thief, Alchemist, Mage, whatever. Then I decide what skills will be the most useful to that trade and help give the character survivability, then I create a backstory in my mind or in writing to discover how he became the way he is... A nobleman turned plumber might not make sense, you see...

The most enjoyable characters I've had were Illusionist/thieves though there is a lot to be said for conjurer/thieves. I'm not much for simple fighters, I don't really enjoy the hack and slash sameness, but they can be entertaining if played in certain ways.

Mine are pretty simple:

Female wood elf skilled only in archery.

Female nord used for three different builds:

An assassin skilled only in sneak (a few points in one handed from use). She's my daughter of sithis character.

A vampire skilled only in enchanting. She uses her vampiric drain spell.

A mage skilled only in destruction.

All are played on novice and hold their own quite well.

I have several character builds I've really enjoyed playing.

The Crypt Lord

Name: Hrikvar Cold-Storm

Images: http://i.imgur.com/kmByoDy.png & http://i.imgur.com/rCM8bBI.png

Race: Nord Vampire Lord

Standing Stone: The Ritual

Blessing: Talos

Major Skills:

• Conjuration (Necromancy)
• Destruction (Cryomancy)
• Light Armor
• One-Handed

Gear:

• Dukaan
• Gauldur Amulet
• Archmage's Robes
• Stalhrim Light Gauntlets of Peerless Wielding
• Ring of the Erudite
• Stalhrim Light Boots of Fire Suppression
• Mace of Molag Bal
• The Black Star

Factions:

• Stormcloaks
• College of Winterhold
• Volkihar Clan

Usual Follower: Serana

Signature Shout: FO KRAH DIIN (Frost Breath)

This build was inspired by black metal music and album covers.

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The Telvanni Sorcerer

Name: Hlandris Viryon

Images: http://i.imgur.com/KRSeBeh.png & http://i.imgur.com/I0lzV5P.png

Race: Dunmer

Standing Stone: The Atronach + The Steed

Blessing: Azura or Boethiah

Major Skills:

• Alchemy
• Conjuration (Atromancy)
• Destruction (Pyromancy)
• Enchanting
• Heavy Armor
• One-Handed

Gear:

• http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59173/?
• Aetherial Crown
• Gold Ruby Necklace
• Daedric Lord Armor (from http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/19733/?)
• Daedric Lord Gauntlets
• Gold Emerald Ring
• Daedric Lord Boots
• Bound Sword

Factions:

• College of Winterhold

Usual Followers:

• Talvas Fathryon
• Brelyna Maryon

Signature Shout: YOL TOOR SHUL (Fire Breath)

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The Avatar of Auriel

Name: Andarion the Raptor

Images: http://i.imgur.com/33HKyFS.png, http://i.imgur.com/rYNoe5m.png & http://i.imgur.com/lkxmO3d.png

Race: Altmer

Standing Stone: The Lord + The Lady

Blessing: Auriel

Major Skills:

• Archery
• Block
• Enchanting
• Light Armor
• One-Handed
• Restoration
• Smithing

Gear:

• Aetherial Crown
• Silver Necklace
• Ancient Falmer Armor
• Ancient Falmer Gauntlets
• Silver Ring
• Ancient Falmer Boots
• Auriel's Shield
• Auriel's Bow
• Dawnbreaker
• The White Phial

Factions:

• Dawnguard
• College of Winterhold (for Master Restoration spells)

Usual Follower: Celann

Signature Shout: TIID KLO UL (Slow Time)