User:Greyscale

Grey's Shadowblade "Build" for Skyrim
I've decided to rely on a build that I had come up with in Oblivion. It works great in Skyrim as well for the most part: One-handed, Sneak, Light Armour, Block, Alchemy, Smithing (Speech, Enchanting, Pickpocket, Lockpick).

Use of build:


 * This is a good way to play as an Argonian, Khajiit, or Wood Elf. Myself, I always play as a Dark Elf in all Elder Scrolls games regardless of the chosen skills.


 * Invest level-ups in health and stamina. Proportions? Majority in health if you're not that dextrous as a player and otherwise majority in stamina for power attack, sprinting and carry weight benefits.


 * This is also good for people with a pack rat instinct. I love to gather alchemy ingredients and loot (not steal) anything with the slightest hint of value.

Offence:


 * You assassinate primarily and melee secondarily. Strike from hiding for an edge even before the fight starts or just to one-hit of course.


 * Get all the sneak tree perks and learn to use them properly so as to become untouchable. Assassin's Blade perk + Dark Brotherhood handwraps = 30x damage bonus for sneak attacks with daggers. Shadow Warrior perk grants a free moment of invisibility when crouching = brilliant.


 * Once you have either of the above, rotate swords and daggers for regular combat and assassination respectively.


 * Improve one-handed perks to make your standard and power attacks mean something.

Defence:


 * Your light armour is there to 'save' you, not to 'serve' you.


 * Move, block and shield-bash to make your opponents' attacks and shouts fail. - you retain your mobility to retreat and hide easily when necessary. Just don't stand still like a statue. It usually takes only a few steps back to make your opponent repeatedly swing in the air.

Support:


 * Create the best items and improve what you have with Smithing.


 * Train alchemy for strong health and stamina potions or even poisons (less useful) if you ever find yourself in a really tight spot. Some perks invested here would be good if you're willing to rely on these.


 * 'Optionally' in the following order of importance:


 * Speech for better prices and easy conversation solutions;


 * Pickpocket as it is the mother of power-levelling and comes with a nice perk for carry weight;


 * Lockpick perks to make life less stressful for yourself (although you should really save your perks for other things, I have none);


 * Enchanting if you have the patience for more crafting fun.

Miscellaneous:


 * Get the Block Runner perk from the Block tree to move faster while you're sneaking.


 * I used to add the Illusion school to this build, it was wonderful. But with the changes in Skyrim, I find it not at all useful now. No magic at all.


 * I know, this build practically begs to add archery to it. Do it for assassinations and heckling your enemies if you want to. Myself, I've rubbish aim and I don't like Skyrim's odd crosshair system. Up-close-and-personal just has a higher degree of success with me.


 * Of course, in Oblivion this would have Athletics and Acrobatics for better mobility. But we don't have those in Skyrim. High stamina for more running and as for jumping, well, in many places you might want to focus and keep your feet on your ground if you want to live - fatal falls are a very real hazard. At best, you can jump on inaccessible rock piles to recover.