Starting Over, Want Input


I heard the announcement for Fallout 4 back before E3. I was happy. I'd been playing retro-style, short, indies for a while and the FO4 announcement made me hungry for Fallout and I started over another character build in New Vegas.

Problem is, I plowed through NV with that build (who knew a high Endurance Survival specialist with a focus on explosives, sneaking, and trap-setting would be as overpowered as any gun build?) But I'm still months short of the FO4 release.

So I think I'm headed back to Skyrim. I need a new build though. My concepts so far have been...

1. Redguard Tank (2 handed, heavy armor, blacksmith) Super-Overpowered. Crunched my way through the game and nothing could touch me. A little boring but my first characters in a game are usually just kind of "testers" so I can get a handle on the mechanics and find the exploits.

2. Breton "natural" (Bow, Sneak, and Light Armor) Uber-Overpowered. The "natural" is my second play in games like this. I use all the exploits I found in my "test-tank" play and create the "brilliant, witty rogue with the heart of gold" that is usually my "main" character.

3. Imperial Mage: I actually had to re-start this one. At first I tried for an even match of All magic. Underpowered, it doesn't really work. None get powerful quickly enough, you other skills atrophy, you level and the enemies get too strong. Rather than plow on... I started over, this time as a specialist mage (Conjurer, Illusionist) Eventually moderately overpowered. You don't usually even have to fight personally. Turn one enemy against his buddy or just stun him, summon creatures, then raise their dead to fight against their living... repeat. Usually Super-Effective.

4. Breton Paladin (1-handed, heavy armor, Restoration, shield) Surprisingly Overpowered. This dude was a PERFECT fit for Dawnbreaker and the Dawnguard.

5. Nord Mage-Thief (one-handed, sneak, illusion) As Super-Overpowered as any sneak based character. Untouchable once I got the 30X damage exploit, which I bee-lined for as early as possible.

6. Imperial Combat-Mage (one-handed, conjuration, alteration) nicely Overpowered, but kind of annoying. Having to keep summoning creatures, weapons, armor... overpowered but combat is kind of a chore and if you miss your mage armor wearing off, or just get hit at the wrong time you can get clobbered.

I do still need to do a full-on lightning and fireballs kaboom mage. I'm just not sure how to round him out with other skills, or just go full on all destruction-only muppet crazy Harry explodaphone with him. I've also wanted to do a sneaky poisoner/enchanter although I've heard collecting and creating the needed arsenal of poisons is time consuming and a little tedious.

Any Ideas?

"Who built this f#(%!^g police station." -- Leon Kennedy

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I tend to fall into the trap of always playing a character with archery/sneak/one-handed.. I start out with good intentions... end up just sticking with what I know will work. Fighting-out with a bunch of characters is just more dangerous that relying on the increased damage of a sneak-attack, from a distance.

I do still need to do a full-on lightning and fireballs kaboom mage. I'm just not sure how to round him out with other skills



This is actually what I've done with my most recent re-play. I decided to play as a full-on destruction mage... what seems to be working for me, and what I'd recommend is that you also focus on enchanting & smithing. I made the decision to forego armor, so I've been levelling up alteration, too, solely for the mage-armor perks. But that's not for everyone.

Yeah... enchanting & smithing, to go with destruction. If you're building up your magic, you are NOT going to be very defensive at lower levels -- you may want at least a backup suit of armor. You may also want to back-up those spells with one or two improved/enchanted weapons, for when your magic runs low. You also may want some enchanted items to enhance your destruction and magicka, and health.. well, and stamina-- I have noticed my stamina runs low pretty often, due to the fact that I keep bumping up health and magic when I level up so stamina gets neglected..

But there are all KINDS of enchantments to compensate for that sort of thing: increase stamina, and improve skills like sneaking & pickpocket that you're not focusing on...

Here's a neat little factoid: when you level-up destruction, that ALSO increases the damage you do with destruction-based enchantments and staves. The 'charge' on those items lasts longer, too...



A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP

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I actually have started, and have gone with a Conjuration specialist. Conjuration, one-handed, smithing, and restoration (for the wards.) A conjured weapon warmage. Ward, or staff in the off-hand (generally a summon staff.) No sneak, heavy armor. So far he's a powerhouse. Basically unlimited casting with the right staves, because once you clear your first dwarven ruin you usually have all the soul gems you will ever need, plus I beelined for the black star. And conjurers can soul trap like nobody's business. I got the sanguine rose early on and am basically untouchable already (level 14 or so at the moment.) Currently I'm going back for the wabbajack, I'll have fun with that.

I didn't bother with enchanting, don't use physical weapons and don't need magically enhanced armor that I can't find. I didn't bother with sneak because I can have zombies or conjured dudes agro and then chose my targets and charge. I've got no ranged, but can summon things that do. And usually I get some exp from leveling potions... because it's such a huge moneymaker (seriously: a greenhouse plus potions equals a license to print gold,) but you accumulate gold so easily anyway I'm not bothering at all this time.

"Who built this f#(%!^g police station." -- Leon Kennedy

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I'd say that's one of the big flaws in the game. The archery/sneak is so powerful that you end always doing it that way.

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I did a full out destruction mage. It's tough at the beginning so I did one handed also, but as you start leveling up, and get the Impact perk, it's pretty easy to kill anything. Dragons included. I did smithing and enchanting as well so by level 45'ish I had full Daedric armor with 100% destruction cost reduction on it, which meant unlimited fire, lightning, etc. Only thing I don't like about destruction is the master level spells are almost worthless because they take so long to cast, the enemies either knock you out of casting or kill you while you're just standing there like a dope. Sticking with the Expert level spells seems to work best.

Basically just used

Dark Elf

Destruction
Restoration
Smithing
Enchanting
One Handed Used sparingly then switched to Illusion

My other favorite class was a Wood Elf archer with light armor,smithing, alchemy and enchanting. Got a Dragon Bone bow up to 500+ damage with all the gear enchantments. She was a beast. Especially with the 6x sneak bow damage. You could one shot low level dragons if they don't see you.


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My other favorite class was a Wood Elf archer with light armor,smithing, alchemy and enchanting.


I tend to be the Wood Elf archer too. Light on the feet, easy sneak and kill an enemy from far away with the bow. I like being able to upgrade my own weapons and armor myself with smithing and enchanting.

< A peaceful place, so it looks from space. A close look reveals the human race. - Grateful Dead >

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My current build is:
Nord, an imperial soldier.

One-handed
Smithing
Heavy armour
Destruction
Alchemy
Bartering

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