Apprentice and Atronach stones : V

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:16 am

This is mainly about the Apprentice and Atronach standing stones, and questions about them. They seem like opposites to one another, to me. The apprentice gives 100% weakness to magic, but can I negate that like with a dunmer vampire?

My character is a Breton mage, level 20, who uses only shock. He uses mainly alteration(54), destruction(64), restoration(40) and conjuration(40). He has 180 health, 300 magicka and 100 stamina. He currently has some magic resistance from the alteration tree and really enjoying Dragonskin. Can you have both the apprentice and atronach stones and will their weaknesses cancel out? Thanks.

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:43 am

With the right piece of equipment, you can have them at the same time. Read the Anthurium wars (sp)... with the right buffs or racial traits you can lessen or negate the problems. .. their is a glitch with the Atronach Stone, so read the wiki page on that one. It may not. Overall, effect your character but by having that 2nd. ..on the removable item, you can negate it all together ..if it is a problem in the 1st place.

I know, vague in places, but massive spoilers otherwise. ..and I'm on my phone, so spoiler tags are problematical.

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 8:14 am

A Breton with all three ranks in the Magic Resistance perk, along with the Apprentice Stone, would have only natural 55% vulnerability. Magic resistance enchantments could cover the rest.

The quest and item that Areial is referencing requires the Dawnguard DLC, by the way.

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 1:46 pm

I have the USKP so I think most glitches are fixed. So I can get both stones? The apprentice stone gives 100% magicka regen and the weakness to magic. Ill still have a weakness to magic until I get 100% resist magic. The atronach stone gives 50 magicka, 50% spell absorb and 50% less magicka regen. I have Dawnguard so now I need to find that item. Thanks a lot.

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 1:53 pm

lol.. I knew I was forgetting something... but trying very hard not to "spoil"...

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:43 am

Just realized I had the wrong number here; a Breton with the perks and stone would have 45% vulnerability, not 55%.

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 6:26 am

Spoiler

The mechanics of Apprentice Stone is different than Atronach stone:

with Apprentice Stone, all magic damage is increased by 100% (you take double damage from magic attacks)

with Atronach Stone, you have 50% chance to absorb a magic attack (including poison and disease attacks, not only fire, shock and frost attacks). So either is absorbed or does full damage.

If you take Apprentice Stone, you can do several thing to resist more against a magic attack:

- You can use Dragonskin with Atronach Stone giving you 100% spell absorption so all magic attacks are blocked (also absorbs your own conjuration spells)

- You can stack Magic Resistance (Agent of Mara, Breton passive, The Lord Stone, enchantments...)

If you plan ahead, you can get permanent 100% spell absorption with any race.

You need to get Necromage perk and be a vampire before you activate Atronach Stone and Atronach perk from Alteration tree (not for conjurers). After you got the desired perks and bonuses, you can cure vampirism.

» Thu Dec 03, 2015 12:12 pm

Apprentice and Atronach stones are more indictments on how magic was crapped upon by Skyrim. Out of three Mage's Ward* stone powers, two of them have major detriments that counteract them. None of the other two (Warrior's, Thief's) have detrimental counter-effects, to say nothing of heavily debilitating effects like "can't innately regen magicka" or "enemy spells are 2x powered".

* = The birthsign constellations have a Guardian/Ward relation. The three hero archetypes are the Guardians (Warrior, Mage, Thief), and each has three "wards" Warrior = Lord, Lady, Steed, Mage = Atronach, Apprentice, Ritual, Thief = Lover, Tower, Shadow. What do they ward against? The Serpent.