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Character Build: Atmoran Totems - The Wolf

Tags: #Race:Nord  #Character Build Healer  #Character Build Assassin  #Character Build Werewolf  #Rank:Exemplar 
  • Member
    May 27, 2015

     

    In Skyrim, the totems of the old Atmoran gods can still be found – the symbols scratched into a stone protruding like a jagged tooth from a grassy field, or carved outside the entrance to a forgotten tomb. The symbols speak, it is said, to those who would listen.

    Some men and women are said to partake of the spirits of the stones. They share in the power of the totems, and even if they know nothing of the symbols or their origin, their companions mark how their strength rivals that of the bear, how their cunning is that of the fox, how their restlessness is that of the hawk. Such individuals body forth the totems in their minds and their hearts, their learning and their fighting, their being and their dying.

     

    This is the second installment in a series of nine character builds, each keyed to a particular totem. (See here for the first build, as well as an introduction to the project.) The race for each build presented in this series is assumed to be Nord, as those with the blood of the North are the most likely to bear the aspect of a totem. But just as the Dragonborn can be a member of any race, so too the call of the totems can be answered by any race of man, or beast, or even elf.   

     

    The Wolf

    Those aligned to the Wolf totem are canny hunters, often found prowling the craggy hills and deep pine forests in search of prey. Swift, stealthy, and tireless, they draw on reserves of energy to keep up the pursuit. If a fight should ensue after an ambush is sprung, their endurance may surprise their foes, as they are able to evade or shrug off blows, recover quickly, and inflict bloody wounds. But when possible, kills are made quickly – mercifully – with a well-placed thrust or shot from stealth.

    At the same time, the Wolf is a pack creature, and this may account for the link sometimes made between the Wolf and Mara, Handmaiden of Kyne and tear-wife of Shor. Mara's "love" is the modern (Imperial) expression of an ancient, savage urge to protect and provide for the tribe. Like the wolf itself, those who follow the totem's path do not hunt for the joy of killing, but merely in pursuit of their own nature: they are hunters and wood-warriors. It is what they know.

    Often more comfortable banding together with other hunters, those following the ways of the Wolf will find a good home in the Companions guild. The Companions give them a family and the option to quest after prey of all kinds – man, mer, and beast. Whether they choose to retain the Beast Blood that comes with initiation into the Circle is another question, but many would find the primal call of the Huntsman difficult to resist.

    In our world, wolves occupy an ambiguous position relative to society. They are often associated with outlaws and killers, yet some mythology casts the wolf as a defender or nurturer of civilization. It seems fair, then, to imagine that the old Atmorans saw the Wolf totem as both savage beast and social animal, a feared yet admired figure. The Wolf ranges in the wild wood beyond the borders of civilization, stalking the enemies of mankind – even the undead. Those of the Wolf have an instinctive distrust of such unnatural, bloodless beasts.

    Primary Skills: Sneak, Restoration 

    Complementary Skills: One Handed (war axe), Block, Archery

    Attributes: 4:3:1 M:H:S

    Stone: Mage, then Lady. The Lady's Health and Stamina regeneration reflects the Wolf's tireless nature.

    Shouts: Aura Whisper, Animal Allegiance. The Wolf's keen senses are always alert for prey of any kind. At need, he may call upon the other beasts of the wild for aid.

    Mask: Otar (meaning unknown, but perhaps “Snow Slave” or “Orphan Servant”). Otar's elemental resistance complements other sources of magic resistance available to the Wolf (Shield of Solitude/Ysgramor's Shield, Savior's Hide, Agent of Mara) and suggests the wolf's ability to endure hardship. Otar's sobriquet “the Mad” reflects the dangerous duality of those who follow the wolf's path too closely.

    Gear: Ragged Trousers, Wolf Helmet, Wolf Gauntlets, Amulet of Mara, Shield of Solitude/Ysgramor's Shield, Orcish/Ebony War Axe, Nettlebane, Savior's Hide OR Ring of Hircine, Solstheim Werewolf rings.

    Since this character takes no armor perks, apparel is chosen largely for aesthetic, and the mix of Ragged Trousers and the Wolf Helmet and Gauntlets suggests a barely-civilized warrior of the wilderness. I also took a cue from Arnbjorn, the werewolf member of the Dark Brotherhood, and chose to go barefoot, which seems fitting for a wild hunter. I remained barefoot for my playthrough (it does help stealth in the early levels), and preferred to avoid armor pieces almost entirely. Instead, the Wolf's agility (achieved by staying light on his feet) and endurance (Restoration) will keep him standing in battle. Shields are chosen mostly for elemental protection, but are also a lifesaver against archers or tenacious melee fighters – a quick bash will buy enough time to switch to a healing spell and keep fighting.

    The Orcish War Axe is the weapon of choice for those who wish to inflict bloody, debilitating wounds. It deals the highest bleed damage of any axe in the game. However, the Ebony War Axe is a gorgeous, dark weapon that fits the aesthetic; when I came across one in my playthrough, I had to use it. This character's preference for quick strikes (rather than power attacks that leave him vulnerable to a counter-blow) means he will take mostly base perks in One Handed (and, when leveling, will prioritize perks in Sneak or Restoration).

    The Hircine quest Ill Met By Moonlight offers players a choice (unless you want to use an exploit and get both rewards). Either is fitting. The Savior's Hide looks almost exactly like the garb worn by the woman in the Wolf-totem wall panels you'll see in the Halls of Stories, and even with no perks in Light Armor its magic resistance is most welcome in this build. However, in my opinion it looks rather silly on male characters. The Ring, on the other hand, has the obvious benefit of granting additional uses of Beast Form.

    One of the later pieces to acquire will be the rings sold by the hunters at Frostmoon Crag in Solstheim. The health regeneration afforded by the Ring of the Hunt complements the Lady Stone, and can take some of the hassle out of those stretches between feeding. The Ring of Instinct grants a bit of time during transformation, and is a good secondary choice. The Ring of Bloodlust (give and receive 50% more damage) seems too risky for a cautious hunter, and the Ring of the Moon (increase duration of Howls) seems unnecessary unless you're an avid Howler.

    While the Amulet of Mara – and the associated quest, The Book of Love – may seem out of place for a stealthy warrior, the Wolf represents community as well as wildness. The wolf knows that it is stronger when it hunts with others of its kind. So, too, those who follow the way of the Wolf will seek to make good folk stronger, knitting them together in bonds of responsibility and care that will unite them against the dangers lurking beyond the firelight. Such characters are rewarded with even greater resilience against the elements (in the Agent of Mara ability) and a like-minded partner, Aela the Huntress – a stealthy tracker and fighter who is well worthy of their adventures.

    Key Quests: Companions, The Blessings of Nature (Master Restoration trainer), Ill Met By Moonlight, The Wolf Queen Awakened, Frostflow Abyss (Sailor's Repose ability), The Book of Love, Totems of Hircine, College of Winterhold (for Adept and higher-level Restoration spells)

     

    Level 35 Perks

    Sneak – all perks

    Restoration – all perks except Dualcasting

    One Handed – Armsman (4/5), Hack and Slash (3/3)

    Block – Shield Wall (2/5)

    Where the Hawk is arrow-swift and restless, the Wolf is methodical, approaching his prey with stealth and care. Whether by arrow, axe, or dagger, most foes will be slain before they are aware of his presence. In my playthrough, most sneak attacks were made with the war axe, but for those moments when stealth is paramount, good hunters can make use of the silent strikes of the knife.

    The Wolf's inner power of endurance is his armor. Restoration magic gives him the ability to heal wounds, restore Stamina, shrug off elemental attacks, and regenerate his own magical power. It also allows him to scratch out circles of sacred ground, in which he can stand against the unnatural deathless beasts, and to push them back into their shadowy lairs.

    When he must fight against foes in the open, the Wolf-inspired prefers war axes. They offer a good balance between speed, weight, and damage, and can pair with a shield or restorative spell in the off-hand. With the right investment in perks, an Orcish War Axe can open bloody wounds in a foe with great speed.

    A shield is a good complement to a war axe, especially to a warrior who prefers to fight unarmored. And there are some shields that are eminently suited for the Wolf – the Shield of Solitude, with its wolf emblem and resistances, keeps the character fighting longer against all kinds of foes, and the Shield of Ysgramor is a good choice for the late game for the same reason. Just a perk or two in Shield Wall are all that is needed here, but at higher levels Elemental Protection and Block Runner are worthy goals.

    Archery is mostly used to open up a fight (or end one quickly) with a stealth shot, so no perk investment is required. For Wolf-inspired characters reaching higher levels, some base perks in Overdraw are all that is needed.

     

    Gameplay notes: This build is easy to get up and running very quickly, using the Whiterun area as a base for the first 20 levels or so. Sneak will advance ahead of the other skills, but Whiterun's many trainers allow you to keep those other skills – especially Restoration – in pace.

    Since the end of the Companions questline puts you right outside Winterhold, that makes a fitting time to visit the College. While Danica Pure-Spring is a master trainer in Restoration, only Colette Marence can unlock the secrets of the highest-tier spells, showing you how to re-knit wounded flesh and broken bone, and how to project your power outward against the living dead. While those of the Wolf may not be scholars, they know how to keep themselves and their allies healed and ready for the next hunt.

    Shouts are not a major focus of the build; they complement the playstyle rather than define it. However, it's worth finding all three words of Aura Whisper and Animal Allegiance, especially since the Wolf totem doesn't use other in-combat shouts (so the cooldown isn't an issue). Having 30 full seconds of Aura Whisper is very thematic – as though you're scenting your prey. And having Animal Allegiance affect animals up to 250 feet away – through walls, no less – will make you feel like a pack leader, especially when you turn Chaurus on their Falmer masters. Finding all words of these shouts will take a follower of the Wolf through some of the most dangerous tombs in Skyrim – Valthume, Volunruud – giving him plenty of chances to test his skills against the undead.

    Beast Form is a great boon for a character with few defenses. When stealth fails – or is impossible – the follower of the Wolf with this gift can dominate in melee. The werewolf perk tree is straightforward: fill out the right side first, aiming for Savage Feeding, then add perks on the left side as totems become available from Aela's quests. I found the Totem of Brotherhood to be most thematic, though the Totem of the Hunt also works – especially if you're using mods that make dungeons and nights darker.

    The last tattered wisps of a Guardian Circle keep this wolf safe against blasts of unnatural frost and flame

    A stealthy, unarmored warrior with surprising endurance; a healer and a Companion; a hunter and a beast – a follower of the old ways of the Wolf embodies many contradictions. Just as the wolf prowls at the edges of civilization, so the follower of the Wolf stalks the enemies of mankind with a soft step and axe at the ready, hunting the undead in their lightless crypts, outlaws in their blood-soaked forts, and dragons in their lairs.

     

     

     

     

  • Member
    May 27, 2015

    This build is excellently blended in with the theme of the wolf--shield of solitude, companions, skills and stat placement all fit in perfectly for the wolf totem. Mara and the emphasis on Restoration, on the surface, seemed like a hard sell, but you blend them into the build and explain the choice so well that now I can't imagine the build any other way.

    I'm so jazzed that there are nine of these coming!

  • May 27, 2015
    I am loving this series +1 for well made builds!
  • May 27, 2015
    Take notes. This is how you do a series of builds.
  • Member
    May 27, 2015

    Hmm... the link in paragraph 3 seems not to work.  Is it just my computer? 

  • Member
    May 27, 2015

    Yeah, the Mara thing was my greatest concern at first.  There seems to be universal consensus that the Wolf corresponds to Mara, so I had to come up with a way to make that (and Restoration) work. Glad it makes sense!

  • May 27, 2015
    I can't access it either
  • May 27, 2015

    Awesome, Paul. Pure awesomenes.

    Also question: You mentioned that wolfs are pack creatures (which is true), you played with some followers? I can totally see this character with a dog and Aela or Farkas. You think it would fit or it would break the theme or gameplay?

  • Member
    May 27, 2015

    Thanks for the confirmation - it should be fixed now. 

  • Member
    May 27, 2015

    Oh, yeah - maybe I should make that a bit more clear, but I totally see Aela as the ideal companion for this character.  She actually has some Sneak skill, apparently, so that helps if you want to take a stealthy approach (although followers being followers, they'll find ways to mess it up eventually).  But even if they break your stealth, that's not such a big deal - gotta find a way to use that Restoration skill, right?  

    I found that this build got into combat plenty (the war axe is great for one kill, but it will often alert other foes in the same room), so having a follower doesn't really change things too much.  It's just that sometimes you may want to leave them at home or waiting outside a dungeon if you have a particular plan.  

    I didn't take a dog, though.  I haven't had a good experience with those things in Skyrim. :P  But it would definitely fit the roleplay as well.