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Workshop Success Story: The Bull of Kyne

    • 10 posts
    June 25, 2016 3:15 AM EDT

    ey Maniacs and welcome back. After an extended break we are back and today I have a treat for each and every one of ya... no it's not cheese HA! I wanted this edition to be very unique so I decided I would tackle a collaboratory build that went through the workshop some time ago, With all the recent talk about what sets a build apart this for me is a huge standard bearer. The thing that makes a build great in my eyes and the thing that drew me to the vault in the first place is lore and how it ties into a build.

    Philborn, or Dragonphil which ever way you want to look at it are two great builders in their own right and together border on legendary brilliance. Couple that talent together with the awesome lore of the TES universe(more specifically The Song of Pelinal) and what you get is a true demi god of a build. I was privleged this week to sit down with both DB and Phil and talk about the bull of Kyne.

    So guys having just done a collab with Relycs it was interesting and some times frustrating to deal with the different perspectives. What do you think you guys brought to the table as individuals and how did you meld those ideas together to make this awesome build?

    DB: Honestly I feel like Phil and I worked perfectly together, there  was no fighting about the ideas just work at creating a build that was awesome for us and the readers. Well, Phil was kind of the writer here, he's got a flair for condensing things whereas I tend to just talk for too long and get sidetracked. I was more the presentation side of things, working on the banners and figuring out where things went. It was a kind of blend that worked well for us I think.

    Phil: Ok, so. From my perspective my strengths lay in lore so pretty much anything other than that is outside my comfort zone. Bouncing the lore and concept ball with DB was fun as we translated this mythic figure into something which may have existed. To give Mor a different perspective or interpretation was rewarding as he has been a TES hero of mine for a decade.

    The Bull seems like an absolute power house both damage output and the damage taken seem very impressive. With that being said you guys went with both one handed and two handed for melee, was there a question about one of them being unnecessary or another skill that almost made the cut?

    DB: Honestly not really from memory. We did spend a couple days looking at the pros and cons, I think we both drifted from wanting to give him that more traditional Minotaur style look with the Battleaxe, and just devastating our opponents with two forms of Bleeding damage and collectively said "Screw it, both are great, let's go both". But it was never about one being unnecessary, just both being awesome and us trying to decide which one suited the build better.

    Phil: There was a big old question mark about one handed being included for a fair old while. We discussed the possibility of going unarmed plus Targe but ultimately we decided not to. I think one handed's inclusion made for a more streamlined skillset tactically when combined with the Targe. The bleed damage focus was fun and I have difficulty immersing when punching dragons in the kisser. It seems a little silly even if Mor is a scrapper. That said aloud I think that may have been just as fun.

    For two well established builders you still used the workshop. What benefit is there for two people both with legendary builds of their own to make use of the workshop?

    DB: That's a tough one. I mean, we didn't really have it in there for very long and I don't think we actually edited the final product based on responses we got there. For us, it was more about finishing off the character in the discussion format I think.

    Phil: I like the workshop for a few reasons. For me it is a place to organise presentation and save-as on the go because I absolutely detest that process. Fighting to make something look good is a chore for me and a general area of weakness. Having DB and I able to clean as we go was handy.

    It is also a place to share what inspires me and to get feedback for whatever project I am working on. It keeps dialogue open with other members and invites their opinions and knowledge. 

    Lastly it helps keep me enthusiastic. If I see a new comment, be it a criticism, thought or compliment it helps me remain focused.

    All right maniacs welcome back as we continue our interview with the mighty DovaPhil. You guys choose to do the Compainions quest line which for such a warrior is no surprise at all. How did you treat Lycanthropy?

    DB: Ah, that's interesting. Originally we were actually going to create a Minotaur form, which would've involved the use of Lycanthropy so I'd already gone through that far to start tinkering with it. But obviously we ended up deciding not to go through with it, partially because we couldn't think of anything to make him really unique, and partially just because it felt wrong...Wolf does not equal Minotaur. So I did get it cured first thing after we decided on that, I suppose it was more of a curse than anything but it wasn't really something I'd thought about leading upto the build's end.

    Phil: Werewolves? Ignored it, didn't use it.

    Finally does DragonPhil have any more tasty collabs planned for the future?

    DB: Ah, not at the moment no. We may of course end up working together on some lore stuff in the future, you never know but we aren't actively planning on it right now. Of course, we have also collaborated on a Lore Event since this build came out, so it isn't impossible that we'd do it again, and honestly I'd love to if we found the right project

    Phil: As for our team, Deebs managed to bring me out of retirement. I doubt I will build again but never say never right?

    Well folks thanks for tuning in that's all the time we have this week, thanks again to Philkiin for taking the time to sit down with us and finally just quick thank you to our sponsor  Old Sheos Cheesesticks

    • 1467 posts
    June 25, 2016 4:28 PM EDT

    Well obviously I'm a fan :D 

    Thanks for the interview Manik, much more interesting way to approach the Success Stories when your on the other hand of it as well, I had more fun replying to the comments than I ever have before.