Character Guide: Stagger Build

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It's done, it works, but it certainly isn't the best/strongest build I've made. But for those who are interested in making a character that makes your enemies flop around on the ground like a dying fish a lot before dying, it works. The problem is that it isn't a build for the faint of heart when it comes to leveling. You need 52 perks just to get the base build done. That counts what I consider essential skills like smithing and enchanting, and indespensible utility skills like pickpocket and speech, but it doesn't include other optional, yet very useful stuff like alchemy, magic resistance, or some perks in restoration, illusion (quiet casting) or conjuration. To bring this build to it's maximum potential, you could easily be looking at somewhere close to 70 perks.

Regardless, since the base build can be completed in the 50ish range of perks, which is my rule of thumb for creating a character, it's guide worthy.

Character creation - as always, any will work. I actually went with an orc this time, because their berserker rage ability is actually quite useful against dragons, and since the build is heavy on fighter perks, Orcs get a lot of early starting skills that help a bit. Bretons are always solid choices, irrespecitve of class. Dunmer will give you a head start on Destruction, while Nords will give you a head start on Two Handed, and they both offer some elemental protection. Finally, Imperials offer an interesting mix of early starting skills that are helpful to this build, as do Redguards if you'd like to try something different. (Note: the gameplay does involve heavy use of two-handed power attacks. You can't power attack if you're out of stamina, but even having 1 stamina will let you execute a power attack, which is why Redguards are useful - their adrenaline rush allows them to regenerate stamina at 10X the normal rate.)

Primary Skills: Two Handed, Block (yes, you read the right), Archery, Destruction.
Secondary Skills: Smithing, Enchanting, Pickpocket, Speech

The whole idea is to utilize anything you can in the game that causes your foes to stagger when you hit them. This allows you to typically get off a second attack before they can recover. Two Handed power attacks stagger most opponents, power bashes stagger your opponents (and interrupt dragon breath attacks), even when done with a two handed weapon, dual casted destruction spells stagger opponents with the Impact perk, and all crossbows stagger opponents on every hit with the Power Shot perk.

There's nothing subtle about this character. While you certainly can cast muffle to be a bit more silent when walking around in dugeons, I didn't donate any of my perks to the sneak tree - this is definitely a much more in your face character, which is probably the biggest difference between this character and my previous two guides. Sure, it helps to cast muffle and sneak around, and you'll probably passively raise both illusion and sneak, but it isn't something that is central to the game play, and in certainly isn't anything to be relied upon.

Two Handed

Recommended Perks: Barbarian (5/5), Champion's Stance, Devastating Blow, Great Critical Charge (I've gotten much better at executing running power attacks - although I still can't land a backwards power attack to save my life.)

If you have Dawnguard, I highly recommend going all the way to dragon smithing (on the heavy armor side of the tree), and using what is, IMO, the coolest looking weapon in the game - a dragonbone warhammer. I basically looks like you ripped off the femur of a dragon, and stuck it on the end of a handle. It is the apex of beatsticks in the game, and like I said, this is an in your face character. There really isn't much else to say about weapons and perks here. It's find the biggest weapon you can get your hands on, and power attack like crazy in melee combat.

Fortify Two Handed enchantments are also one of your two priorities in this build. Fortify Two Handed enchantments can be placed upon rings, necklaces, gloves, and boots, and I'd highly recommend doing so on all four.

Block

Recommended Perks: Shield Wall (1/5), Quick Reflexes, Power Bash, Deadly Bash

Shield Wall is there strictly as a prerequisite for the rest. There's no reason to go any further than one point in it, because the primary use of block in this build is not to prevent incoming damage - you use a shield if that's the goal - it's to bash with it. Power bash, power attack, repeat as needed.

Archery versus Destruction

You actually have two forms of ranged combat on this character, so it makes sense to discuss them together. First the perks:

Archery Recommended Perks: Overdraw (5/5), Eagle Eye, Power Shot
Destuction Recommended Perks: Dual Casting, Novice, Apprentice, Impact, Rune Master, Augmented Flames (2/2), Augmented Frost (2/2), Augmented Shock (2/2)

First of all, you want to use a crossbow if you're playing Dawnguard. Power Shot gives a 50% chance of stagger, and crossbows have a 50% chance of stagger as a base attribute of the item. Dawnguard castle becomes available at level 10, so pretty much instantly, and they give you a crossbow as soon as you visit them. (They also give you a decent set of heavy armor, although oddly, the helm isn't included - that has to be crafted or purchased.)

In addition to the guaranteed stagger effect, crossbows also offer a somewhat higher damage ceiling than bows. I'd estimate the increased damage output is about 20%, so not eye-poppingly better, but not insignificant either. The best available crossbow is the enhanced dwarven crossbow - you'll have to complete a couple of Dawnguard side quests to get the schematics to craft one, but they're very easy, and relatively quick. You also have access to special ammunition with crossbows - exploding dwarven bolts of fire, frost and shock. The recipes to make them all include fire wood, a dwarven metal ingot, and fire salts, frost salts, and void salts, respectively. (So they are kind of pricey if you're purchasing most of the ingredients.)

About the only downside to using a crossbow as compared to a bow is that crossbows aren't silent. (In the description it also says crossbows take longer to reload, although I haven't noticed much of a difference between the reload time and the time it takes to fully draw a bow - perhaps it would seem slow if you had the quick shot perk, but without it, the difference is imperceptible.) Killing an enemy with a bow will cause any nearby enemies to search for you, but unless you do something dumb like stand around in plain sight, chances are they won't find you. Firing a crossbow causes a rather loud WHA-CHUNK sound, typically resulting in quick detection. But like I said, we aren't going for any type of covert game play here.

In the early part of the game, bows (or preferably crossbows) are going to be your main source of damage from a distance. Destruction doesn't start to come into it's own until you get the Impact Perk, and some of the higher level spells. You'll gradually shift away from crossbows towards destruction spells, although you'll never completely give up the crossbow. The fact remains that a double damage exploding dwarven bolt hitting from sneak offers a better one shot damage than any spell you can come up with. After that intial shot and detection, Destruction is the superior choce, especially against multiple enemies.

You generally want to stick to the expert and master level destruction spells - train to level 75 if necessary - and I use all three elements. Technically, you can probably get away with utilizing only one element, and knocking off four required perks, but there are uses for all three elements. (If I had to pick just one, it would be lightning.)

I did pick up Quiet Casting with this character which allowed me to set up runes before engaging in combat (at the cost of an additional 4 perks - like I said, if you want the frills this will require a high level). You want to cast a rune fairly close to you, but not so close that you're in the blast radius. The idea is to cast it near the enemies' assumed approach path to you. (They never see them and will run right over them. The only time they don't step on them is in the event you place it in a bad location.) I personally find the explosion generated from a fire rune to be particularly satisfying, but that's personal preference. So, when fighting multiple enemies, start off with a good ol' whachunk with the crossbow. Everyone will rush you, and if you wisely selected a place for the rune, they will set it off and go flying in all directions.

After that, it kind of depends on game situation, and how many enemies are left standing. Any expert level destruction spell of your choice is probably the easiest if there's only one left (and until you unlock the master level destruction spells, it's your only option). For multiple enemies, it really depends. If all the enemies are melee, and it's easiest to deal with them that way, cast a Blizzard before wading into combat. For multiple enemies that include at least one caster, especially if they are in different directions, fire storm would be my pick. Ideally, you'll have a narrow corridor to retreat into, and that's the best possible situation. Lightning Storm travels THROUGH opponents, and so if you can funnel them to a corridor or doorway, you'll be able to hit all of them simultaneously.

Supplemental Skills

Pickpocket - for training, and of course extra pockets for 100 extra carrying capacity.

Speech - up to merchant - standard in all my builds

Smithing - all of the heavy armor perks and arcane smithing. I'm admittedly a fanboy of light armors, but you want the dwarven smithing perk for the enchanced dwarven crossbow, and given that, it's the same number of remaining perks irrespective of which direction you go up to dragon smithing. Secondly, seeing as how perk points are at a premium with this build, you're not going to be able to invest heavily into alchemy, so it makes sense to have the heavier armors with the best base defense. Even if you have Dawnguard, daedric armors still offer the best defense of anything you can get your hands on, including dragonbone. But Dragonbone weapons offer the highest damage, so daedric armor, dragonbone weapons. (That said, you certainly SHOULD work on alchemy, even if you don't spend perks, to make the best fortify smithing potions you can, and get some boost to your enchantments. They also supply you with a fair bit of money throughout the game.)

Enchanting - just the standard 8 up to extra effect.

As previously noted, the two fortify enchantments that take priority over everything else are fortify two handed and fortify destruction.

Two Handed will take one of two slots on ring, necklace, gloves, and boots.

Destruction will take one of two slots on ring, necklace, body armor, and helmet.

Archery only gets whatever is left after those two are satisfied. Gloves can't have destruction, so you can get fortify archery there, and helms can't get two handed, so you can get it there as well. Body armor and boots can't get fortify archery, so you're SOL with those two.

ENJOY!