The Rogue Thalmor Blood Mage
So this is a pretty rough outline of a build idea I have had for a pretty good while. I was about to abondon the idea and was in the process of posting this build idea in the Workshop Idea Dropbox when I had a thought which brought the build back to life and into the fairly rough form it is here. Please let me know any ideas or suggestions you have for the build. They are always appreciated!
Introduction
I have always had a hard time using necromancy in Skyrim because it just doesn’t feel dark enough. You are manipulating the forces of life to raise the dead, but it uses Magicka, the same thing used to fuel holy magic like Restoration. Raising the dead has always seemed like the kind of dark magic that would require you to sacrifice some of your own life-force so I set out to achieve this effect using the Equilibrium spell and no magicka regen to create a true blood mage. Add in Alchemy, some Illusion and roleplaying a Rogue Thalmor and the result is a very satisfying combination of a necromancy/nightblade build.
Backstory/Quest & Missions Section
This is still a work in progress but the general idea is you are a rogue Thalmor agent. Because of your interest in blood magic and fairly brutal tactics, the Thalmor have sent you to execution at Helgen. After escaping Helgen you will continue your pursuit of power and despite being a rogue agent, you will still work in Skyrim to weaken the Empire and further the position of the Dominion due to your hatred of Talos and the empire he built. joining the College of Winterhold to ensure it does not pose a threat and destroy Arcano who is claimed to have also gone rogue, and infiltrating Dark Brotherhood to ensure they contine working in Skyrim executing key persons of importance in the Empire. Lastly and most importantly, you will ensure the civil war continues. As you continue working in Skyrim you will encounter the spell Equilibrium and be drawn to blood magic. After much study you decide to complete the blood mage ritual at the Atronach stone and being a true blood mage.
The Build
Race: High Elf – Being this is a Thalmor build, choosing a High Elf is pretty obvious. Plus, theif bonus to Magicka eliminates the need for any investment in Magicka from level ups.
Morality: Grey/Justifiable Evil. Grey at first and will transition into justifiable evil as blood magic is adopted. Justifiable evil means the build will hold to original cause of pursuing power and furthering the Dominion's position in Skyrim but methods will become more ruthless and evil as the build progresses.
Stone: Thief >>>> Advanced Atronach – This was made famous in Mason’s Obsidian Sentinel and is the core mechanic of the build. This is achieved through the “Blood Mage Ritual” which is explained below.
Stats: All Health – Because this build relies on blood magic a deep pool of health is needed to fuel spells. Plus, between the Advanced Atronach Stone and High Elf’s starting bonus to magicka the build will wind up with 250 magicka without any investment which is enough to cast the required spells.
Major skills:
Conjuration – This is your main source of damage outside backstabs. Early game you will use strictly atronachs but once the Blood Mage Ritual has been performed you will switch to necromancy since you can no longer summon atronachs.
Sneak – You rely on the element of surprise for success when facing seemlying impossible odds.
Alchemy - You have learned to fuel your blood magic with specially brewed concoctions, starting with the blood mage ritual perfumed at the Atronach Stone
Destruction: You will almost exclusively use the Flames spell due to it's damage/magicka efficiency and thanks to the Augmented Flames perks, Aspect of Terror bonus and Fortify Destruction Potions this spell will be viable end game and a source of additional damage.
Minor skills:
Illusion – Your Altmer blood grants you an affinity for this school, but upon your discovery of blood magic you discover the true dark power of this school
One handed: While your mind and magic are your primary weapons, you keep a dagger hidden away for those times when they just aren’t enough. (this only has a couple perks to boost damage of backstabs with your dagger, in open combat your dagger mainly works as a carrier for your poisons)
Spells: Equilibrium, Muffle, Fury/Frenzy, Raise Dead spells, Flames,
Shouts: Slow Time, Whirlwind Sprint, Aura Whisper, Marked for Death (dragons)
Gear
Head – Shrouded Hood (only with Shrouded Armor)
Body – Hooded thalmor robes (acquired right out of cave by turning left at sign and following dirt path to shrine of talos) and Shrouded Armor (for low profile missions and stormcloak controlled zones/cities where you need to keep your previous Thalmor identity hidden)
Hands – Shrouded Gloves >>>> Ancient Shrouded Gloves
Feet – Shrouded Boots >>>> Ancient Shrouded Boots
Necklace: Purchase Fortify Conjuration Necklace (need 17% reduction to cast dead thrall with full magicka bar)
Ring – Purchase Fortify Health Ring
Weapons: early game: bound sword (since it grants a lot of exp it helps level conjuration) mid - late game: best possible dagger with strong absorb health or magicka enchantment (preferably absorb 20+ pts)
Blood Mage Ritual
After much study you learned the ancient Blood Mage Ritual. It grants you the power to absorb all magic used against you and deepens your magicka pool but at the cost of your ability to summon atronachs and regenerate your own magicka thus requiring your spells be powered by your own blood.
(Will add explanation of mechanics here)
The 100% spell absorption is pretty overpowered since it grants total immunity to magic. However, since most of this builds time is spent in stealth this isn’t such an issue and this immunity to magic is a wonderful blessing in Beast Form since it becomes squishier at higher levels.
Another part of making this Ritual feel significant is I did not use Fury/Frenzy spells until I had completed this Ritual and I timed the acquisition of the Quiet Casting perk to happen when I did this Ritual between level 20 and 25. This made the Ritual feel very significant impactful on gameplay since my shouts and spells became quiet and I gained access to the Fury/Frenzy spells upon completing this Ritual.
Anticipated Gameplay - (build still in early stages so this could changes significantly)
This build is very much a glass cannon type build. Success depends on getting the first strike to raise a body to tank for you. Therefore, this build should primarily exist in the shadows.
Early Game - Basically a sneaky necromancer so you will use the Muffle spell to perform backstabs and then raise the dead body to tank while you either continue sneaking around enemies or use Flames spell to burn enemies attacking you undead minion. The only illusion spell you will use early game is the Muffle spell. The mind control spells will not be used until the Blood Mage Ritual is performed.
Mid Game - This is where the transition to blood magic should occur and you will begin using silent shouts and illusion mind control spells to supplement your combat style. Most battles will involve using the Fury spell or a backstab to generate a dead body which you will then raise with blood magic.
So that is a very rough draft of what is in progress. The build is around level 23 and I just executed the Blood Mage Ritual. Gameplay is alot of fun and I am excited to see how the silent shouts and illusion spells will add to/change the build.
The Rogue Thalmor Blood Mage
So this is a pretty rough outline of a build idea I have had for a pretty good while. I was about to abondon the idea and was in the process of posting this build idea in the Workshop Idea Dropbox when I had a thought which brought the build back to life and into the fairly rough form it is here. Please let me know any ideas or suggestions you have for the build. They are always appreciated!
Introduction
I have always had a hard time using necromancy in Skyrim because it just doesn’t feel dark enough. You are manipulating the forces of life to raise the dead, but it uses Magicka, the same thing used to fuel holy magic like Restoration. Raising the dead has always seemed like the kind of dark magic that would require you to sacrifice some of your own life-force so I set out to achieve this effect using the Equilibrium spell and no magicka regen to create a true blood mage. Add in Alchemy, some Illusion and roleplaying a Rogue Thalmor and the result is a very satisfying combination of a necromancy/nightblade build.
Backstory/Quest & Missions Section
This is still a work in progress but the general idea is you are a rogue Thalmor agent. Because of your interest in blood magic and fairly brutal tactics, the Thalmor have sent you to execution at Helgen. After escaping Helgen you will continue your pursuit of power and despite being a rogue agent, you will still work in Skyrim to weaken the Empire and further the position of the Dominion due to your hatred of Talos and the empire he built. joining the College of Winterhold to ensure it does not pose a threat and destroy Arcano who is claimed to have also gone rogue, and infiltrating Dark Brotherhood to ensure they contine working in Skyrim executing key persons of importance in the Empire. Lastly and most importantly, you will ensure the civil war continues. As you continue working in Skyrim you will encounter the spell Equilibrium and be drawn to blood magic. After much study you decide to complete the blood mage ritual at the Atronach stone and being a true blood mage.
The Build
Race: High Elf – Being this is a Thalmor build, choosing a High Elf is pretty obvious. Plus, theif bonus to Magicka eliminates the need for any investment in Magicka from level ups.
Morality: Grey/Justifiable Evil. Grey at first and will transition into justifiable evil as blood magic is adopted. Justifiable evil means the build will hold to original cause of pursuing power and furthering the Dominion's position in Skyrim but methods will become more ruthless and evil as the build progresses.
Stone: Thief >>>> Advanced Atronach – This was made famous in Mason’s Obsidian Sentinel and is the core mechanic of the build. This is achieved through the “Blood Mage Ritual” which is explained below.
Stats: All Health – Because this build relies on blood magic a deep pool of health is needed to fuel spells. Plus, between the Advanced Atronach Stone and High Elf’s starting bonus to magicka the build will wind up with 250 magicka without any investment which is enough to cast the required spells.
Major skills:
Conjuration – This is your main source of damage outside backstabs. Early game you will use strictly atronachs but once the Blood Mage Ritual has been performed you will switch to necromancy since you can no longer summon atronachs.
Sneak – You rely on the element of surprise for success when facing seemlying impossible odds.
Alchemy - You have learned to fuel your blood magic with specially brewed concoctions, starting with the blood mage ritual perfumed at the Atronach Stone
Destruction: You will almost exclusively use the Flames spell due to it's damage/magicka efficiency and thanks to the Augmented Flames perks, Aspect of Terror bonus and Fortify Destruction Potions this spell will be viable end game and a source of additional damage.
Minor skills:
Illusion – Your Altmer blood grants you an affinity for this school, but upon your discovery of blood magic you discover the true dark power of this school
One handed: While your mind and magic are your primary weapons, you keep a dagger hidden away for those times when they just aren’t enough. (this only has a couple perks to boost damage of backstabs with your dagger, in open combat your dagger mainly works as a carrier for your poisons)
Spells: Equilibrium, Muffle, Fury/Frenzy, Raise Dead spells, Flames,
Shouts: Slow Time, Whirlwind Sprint, Aura Whisper, Marked for Death (dragons)
Gear
Head – Shrouded Hood (only with Shrouded Armor)
Body – Hooded thalmor robes (acquired right out of cave by turning left at sign and following dirt path to shrine of talos) and Shrouded Armor (for low profile missions and stormcloak controlled zones/cities where you need to keep your previous Thalmor identity hidden)
Hands – Shrouded Gloves >>>> Ancient Shrouded Gloves
Feet – Shrouded Boots >>>> Ancient Shrouded Boots
Necklace: Purchase Fortify Conjuration Necklace (need 17% reduction to cast dead thrall with full magicka bar)
Ring – Purchase Fortify Health Ring
Weapons: early game: bound sword (since it grants a lot of exp it helps level conjuration) mid - late game: best possible dagger with strong absorb health or magicka enchantment (preferably absorb 20+ pts)
Blood Mage Ritual
After much study you learned the ancient Blood Mage Ritual. It grants you the power to absorb all magic used against you and deepens your magicka pool but at the cost of your ability to summon atronachs and regenerate your own magicka thus requiring your spells be powered by your own blood.
(Will add explanation of mechanics here)
The 100% spell absorption is pretty overpowered since it grants total immunity to magic. However, since most of this builds time is spent in stealth this isn’t such an issue and this immunity to magic is a wonderful blessing in Beast Form since it becomes squishier at higher levels.
Another part of making this Ritual feel significant is I did not use Fury/Frenzy spells until I had completed this Ritual and I timed the acquisition of the Quiet Casting perk to happen when I did this Ritual between level 20 and 25. This made the Ritual feel very significant impactful on gameplay since my shouts and spells became quiet and I gained access to the Fury/Frenzy spells upon completing this Ritual.
Anticipated Gameplay - (build still in early stages so this could changes significantly)
This build is very much a glass cannon type build. Success depends on getting the first strike to raise a body to tank for you. Therefore, this build should primarily exist in the shadows.
Early Game - Basically a sneaky necromancer so you will use the Muffle spell to perform backstabs and then raise the dead body to tank while you either continue sneaking around enemies or use Flames spell to burn enemies attacking you undead minion. The only illusion spell you will use early game is the Muffle spell. The mind control spells will not be used until the Blood Mage Ritual is performed.
Mid Game - This is where the transition to blood magic should occur and you will begin using silent shouts and illusion mind control spells to supplement your combat style. Most battles will involve using the Fury spell or a backstab to generate a dead body which you will then raise with blood magic.
So that is a very rough draft of what is in progress. The build is around level 23 and I just executed the Blood Mage Ritual. Gameplay is alot of fun and I am excited to see how the silent shouts and illusion spells will add to/change the build.
