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~`[status]'~

    • 168 posts
    April 11, 2013 10:18 PM EDT

    !!This is a status I posted here as a discussion because it was to lengthy and in-depth to be posted as a status. I hope it is not deleted prematurely for not being a discussion. I appreciate if any feedback is given.!!

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        I've been thinking, about taking a hiatus from the blog (for I don't know how long). My reason for this is that I need to find solace in myself and come up with an original, well-presented, and thorough Character Build. One with the kind of quality to be a Category 40 (or even 80) build. I'm distraught of how lackluster the builds I have are. Now, mind you it wont be a complete hiatus, as I will still check up from time to time and be in Blackwoods as well. 

       The first reason being, I have only posted three builds here, one of which I disowned, and the other two being Non-ES builds. I need to find an archetype niche somewhere that I can call my own, not only one that's good, but one that fits me perfectly. For example, here's the builds I have for example.My first build, The Jade Dragoon, was at least successful enough to reach Category 20. Despite pouring a portion of my soul into crafting it, fleshing it out, and updating and looking for ways to improve it constantly, remains as a Non-ES build. The idea didn't entirely come from me, which is why I'm both proud and sad that this was the most successful of my builds.My second build, The Recluse, was so bad I was ashamed of it and ordered it's beheading. The idea for this sorry excuse for an idea stemmed from tieing a few references together, that almost nobody recognized. The ones that I know about who did recognize the reference, didn't even think the build was good. I became ashamed of even posting this train wreck, and I can honestly say, that it was never playtested, and I am glad I didn't test it.My third build, The God of Destruction, hails from the same source as my first build. However, even him in his own game didn't provide me with enough background to make a build off of. I desired a rival to my first build, and I made one, but I'm completely lost as to where to improve it. And as a bonus, I recently learned (while searching through lore) that Mehrunes Dagon is referred to as the God of Destruction. I have no other name for this build and don't know how to incorporate Dagon, so I left it the way it is now.

    I am by no means 'hating' my own builds. I still enjoy having them (well, besides the Recluse), but I just think I should be making better ones.

        Now that that's off my chest, I wanted to say that this is more than just about creating a Category 80 build. This is about me making my own build that suits me well and is also a good representation of myself more than it is making a "Legendary" build. I'll be more than sure not to make mistakes when posting.

        I've also looked at the Category 80 builds, and some of the Category 40 builds. Until now, I've looked but haven't truly seen what really makes them so popular and successful. So now I think I have a good understanding of what constitutes a great build.

        If you're down to here, I take it that you have read my feelings about this. I want to make builds worthy of this site. If you have any thoughts about what I plan to do, please give me feedback. thank you for your time.

    -C.H.

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    Decision: I've decided not to go on a hiatus.

    • 253 posts
    April 11, 2013 10:33 PM EDT

    I don't think you should leave man. I remember when I first joined I waited 3-4 months to post. I got very frustrated because I could never come up with "the build". 

    My advice is to look at past playthroughs that you really liked the idea of but they never worked out. That is how things got started for me. I played a bard build I made but eventually ditched it for various reasons. A few months later I looked back at it and improved it, thus "giving birth" to the Songbird.

    Also to me it sounds like you have writers block. That gets to me as well. Honestly, I just wait. Something will come eventually. A lot of the stuff I have done started as 2 or more different playthrough that only got to about level 20. Then as I said earlier I look back at them and improve taking the aspects from both.

    Not sure if this is any help to you, but I hope it is

    • 856 posts
    April 11, 2013 10:35 PM EDT

    Good luck on your next build, but make sure you log in from time to time (no reason to go on a hiatus - unless you just need the 'away' time).  And don't feel too bad about your builds (earning 20 likes is good).  The Skyrim Blog has the best builds on the net, due to the higher standards expected of a build.  Any build making the ranks is an accomplishment.

     

    • 18 posts
    April 11, 2013 10:42 PM EDT

    Dude i deleted my first build too. Don't despair, it takes many tries to make a good build. The most recent build I posted started off with a shield, heavy armor, staves, and a sword. It eventually turned into a mage. Do some research and find a good concept.

    • 168 posts
    April 11, 2013 11:18 PM EDT
    I'm doing a build that resembles my first playthrough and plan to upload that before the hiatus. I need a hiatus so the other builds here (and the success of their creators) doesn't interfere with my objective.

    And about writer's block, its not just ordinary writers block. I've been the Jade Dragoon for so long (both in Skyrim and other games) that I'm not sure if I can really 'be' anything else. I'm trying to find 'the build' for me.

    I really don't want to screw up with this one, I'll try not to hold anything back when it'll be uploaded. Thanks for the feedback.
    • 168 posts
    April 11, 2013 11:24 PM EDT
    Yes, we have great builds here, but I need a hiatus to separate myself from outside influences, so it becomes purely mine.

    I don't feel bad about my first build, I just feel like I should make something of my own. But the 27-ish likes was all it could accomplish. The Recluse is the only one I'm REALLY ashamed of. I'm ashamed of even mentioning it here.

    I'll always be sure to check up on replies to my builds and such, and check up on things periodically while not logged in.
  • April 11, 2013 11:49 PM EDT

    Take your time; I agree with what you are doing and I think it might even help out the way you "flesh out" a character. It seems that you are not just looking for a "build", but an actual living breathing fictional entity, and there is nothing wrong with that. While it's true that outside influences can incorrectly flavor your character build, the best advice I have with respect to that is to just take a piece from anything that inspires you. Not something that you think would inspire a character, but you personally. I wish you luck, and may the Muses gift you with inspiration worthy of your hard work.

    Author's note: Lavitz freakin' rocks! lolz

    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 12:05 AM EDT
    YES!! A LoD fan! Not many here that I know of to be honest. You may want to take a look at the JD build, it's REALLY fleshed out (well, besides the backstory, heheh)

    And, yes, I am not just looking for a 'build', I'm looking for 'the build'. One that truly reflects me as a real person, what I'd be if I could 'be' in Skyrim. I might actually take a little bit of something that inspires me, but that's likely inevitable. Thanks for the reply :)
    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 12:35 AM EDT
    I didn't delete my first build, it's just that its been downwards from there. This hiatus should put me up into the habit of making great builds worthy of this site.

    I'm not aiming for a great concept, but rather acquiring the best 'feel' and then building from that. I tend to usually stick to mage/warriors or pure warriors so maybe that's a good spot to begin.
    Thanks for the input.
    • 365 posts
    April 12, 2013 6:37 AM EDT

    Mate, everyone feels like beheading their first few builds (f*ck, if you remember mine, you'll know what I mean!)

    Glad your trying to be open about trying to find inspiration and your feelings of trying to make a truly awesome build, and I feel the exact same way, maybe all the newbie CBer's probably do.

    I'd recommend a hiatus, the influence of the same ideas rushing around your head all the time because of the blog, if you take a step back, you'll find new inspiration through wacky things, that may turn up a really good build.

  • April 12, 2013 7:39 AM EDT
    Fist off; Legend of Dragoon got me hooked for years(I even drew every character I could while playing until disc 1 broke)

    I want to congratulate you for having the courage to even post a build. I have been trying but not ever posted ONE build yet.

    It's easy getting the idea of your build, hard is making it effective or "fun" to others as well.

    Fist you need to find the combat style that would suit you best (BattleMage, Warrior with little magic, etc.) then play it and see how effective it is(the bad part), tial and error to find weaknesses. Find ways to fix weaknesses or ways to overcome them(as a Mage attack from far away, warrior use bashes, assasin don't get seen,etc.) and test them(again). If it works then you just need to level your character and see how effective it would be in higher lvls, if its still fun and playable then post to share and give details. (Most builds fall flat because of gameplay flaws or lack of explanation on how to play) you wouldn't want a "Fearless Barbarian" run of fights to use healing spells when injured, you would find a way to set what it can and can't do for challenge, without giving the player too much freedom (or a battle Mage ends up or more Mage, or more Warrior), balance things out.

    I hope this helps. And Luck!

    P.S.
    I haven't been of much use/help on the blog and sometimes I just feel not missed but I like to help from the backseat and see other become what I can't.
    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 12:04 PM EDT

    Thanks for the feedback, Olaf. I don't relly feel like beheading my first builds (well, besides the Recluse, if you remember it you'd know how awful it turned out), and I don't actually remember your first build. I assumed your first was the Ridnen Rider, and that one turned out pretty well in my opinion.

    And who doesn't want to make epic builds? Honestly it's not even for the amount of 'likes' it will give me or how high up in the Categories it gets. It's more personal than that, I want to make something I can be proud of, one that would be a great representation of me. Sorry if this comes off as selfish, but I think I need to do this.

    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 12:15 PM EDT

    Haha, even more LoD fans! I didn't think I'd find very many here. LoD isn't the only thing I like but it has grown too accustomed to being the center of my preferences. 

    The playstyle could come easy to me, as I favor Warrior-mages and pure warriors. I just need to find a character that can fit as many of my preferences as possible then ramp it up as far as I can. I think that since this build should be so important to me, I will test only on Master or Legendary rather than starting on Adept and (usually) sticking to Expert.

    And, Luck to you should you ever decide to post a build, Robert. Hopefully it will turn out better than a couple of the other ones I've posted!

  • April 12, 2013 12:58 PM EDT
    You can still make the build on lower difficulties then crank it to Master/Legendary and see how it does.

    Just remember to find the sweet spot on your play style(block if that's what you are skilled with,etc.) and level the essential or you might end up getting overwhelmed in higher levels.

    Use and try everything before adding it to a build(I screwed that since 1.9 removed Ogma-glitch) and try new styles(what I do) to see if you find more favored styles. I used to like sword and shield(Tank) until I noticed I'm a good archer. I even play as pure Mage too but often I don't know how to level my damaging skills(and I drop it ).

    But don't let yourself get "stuck" or your builds end up the same.

    If I'd stayed with the sword & shield character I might never seen what a Mage and hunter/thief play styles would've felt like(plus gives advantage over enemies by knowing how far can they go and what to avoid)

    And last but not least, you MUST enjoy your playthru!
    If you find it boring, then that build is not for you!
  • April 12, 2013 12:59 PM EDT
    Lavitz is 100 times better than King Albert IMO!
    • 490 posts
    April 12, 2013 1:28 PM EDT

    You have cool build ideas, and you should continue to work with others to flesh out ideas. Staying away from helpful hints, helpful site members, and healthy discussions would be detrimental to builds. For awhile now, I always message other members or chat with them about ideas, especially Ben or sometimes some other people, and it helps me hone in my thoughts.

    A big thing I try to do is focus on that one cool element of gameplay for game mechanics that fits a certain roleplay, whether it's a brand new discovery or something known,  not try to spread myself too thin. Builds are attention grabbing to me when it is simple in concept and simple in execution but also leaves imagination run a bit with lore/backstory/gameplay. My Tang Mo is a stealthy warrior same as anything else, but simplifying the idea into a concept of "Slow Time" makes it what it is, a speed driven monkey. I am not saying you have done this yet, but in my eyes, builds that try to be an overpowered master of all things are not fun. Restriction and specific skill synergies are what makes me keep going.

    I really hope to see more builds from you. Take your time and I suggest reading Elder Scrolls lore to get inspiration or look at art as well. A few of my builds (I can only speak about what I have done because, well, that's what I have done lol) were created just by stumbling upon a cool picture.

    Let me know what you decide to do. I am always up for character discussions either in a thread or in PM.

    • 365 posts
    April 12, 2013 1:40 PM EDT

    Love to juggle idea with yah' Henson sometime ;)

    • 409 posts
    April 12, 2013 4:20 PM EDT
    I know how it feels to be ashamed of your builds. I had at one point 4, 2 died of quality sweeps, one died in a death match, and the final one died during the purge. I hope that your building is successful, best of luck to you.
    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 5:09 PM EDT
    Don't worry, it's not a complete hiatus. I'll be sure to keep up with my comments and PM's as usual. I'm not trying to stay away from helpful site members or helpful advice, I just need time away to focus my thoughts.

    I might look at some character art or expiriment with armor & weapon combinations. I don't think lore will be the best way to go about this one, but thanks for both the input and compliments. I'll maybe PM you when I think I might have something. Thanks!
    • 11 posts
    April 12, 2013 6:34 PM EDT

    I have the same problem, without the capability of actually creating a build worthy of this site yet. Yes, I've tried helping others with recommendations and such, but I feel the need to be able to contribute more to the site. I want to be able to make people actually want to play a build I put up here. I know it seems kinda greedy in a way, but I just want people to have some faith in me and such. So far, I haven't even gotten much of an idea, and those that I have have burned out or been created already. So, in all honesty, what would you say to teaming up for a few more builds, like we did (in a small portion) with your God of Destruction build?

    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 7:18 PM EDT
    Teaming up to make a build would probably be kinda fun to be honest, but maybe some other time. I'm sorry, but what I wanted to do now is make a build for myself and the blog that is as all my own as possible. Like you've said, I also want to contribute more to this site.

    And by the way, I'm not really all that disappointed with how the God of Destruction turned out. It just feels, unfinished, to me. Like there's something missing with it.

    Thanks for the your opinion on this, Dylan. I'll maybe see you around in Blackwoods sometime during this hiatus (if I figure out where to start lol). And I hope you can maybe come up with a good build as well, my friend :)
    • 11 posts
    April 12, 2013 7:30 PM EDT

    I understand completely the desire to create a build that just screams "you". Believe me, I do.

    I can see what you mean by the missing components for the God of Destruction, and we can kick around a couple ideas in the future... Maybe Vampire Lord Melbu Frahma? Unleash that upon Skyrim?

    And I have no idea where to begin with Blackwoods either. I'm always glad to help others wherever and whenever I can. As for my build, I'm currently toying with the idea of a heavily-armed and armored warrior that uses Lightning magic. The Lightning Emperor. Thank you for the blessing my friend.

    • 739 posts
    April 12, 2013 7:47 PM EDT

    Aww mate! That's a crushing career story! I genuinely felt bad for you reading that!

    Damned hosts! Oh, hang on...

    @Chris

    Sometimes it's best not to wait for that 'original concept' to arrive or try and force one out. Every now and again someone innocently posts up a simple barbarian build and presents it in such an attractive way that people are lining up to give it a go...

    Try and shift your mind a gear and instead of trying to create a mechanical 'build' make a character 'walkthrough'. Explain how your character deals with things and how the perks worked with each other. You can even explain the weaknesses of your character in an exciting way if you give it enough thought...

    Good luck mate!

    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 8:14 PM EDT

    Oh, Lightning Emperor. I think I have an Idea of what it's like, or completely not! I don't know what this might become, so I'll just maybe see sometime.

    And by the way, I don't think the God of Destruction build was really bad, I just think it's... unfinished, I guess. I think it actually mentioned VL form in the build, though perhaps only briefly.

    As for Blackwoods, you could probably ask one (or two) of the hosts or one of the players where to start. I posted my character but that's all I've done so far, lol

    • 168 posts
    April 12, 2013 8:21 PM EDT

    That's... actually what I want to do for it Mason, show how all the skills and perks 'flow' in together. I want it to seem like more than just a regular build (which is probably what some people think of my other builds), I want it to feel truly like a 'character'. Problem is I'd probably need some help doing that. 

    As for the first part of your reply, I don't think I want just some simple build, but I do understand that presentation is a large key factor in a build's success, so I'll be sure to make it at least 'look' the part of a great build.

    Thanks for your thoughts on this matter, Mason :)