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WiP Build: The Wabbajack

  • September 22, 2019

    I'm incredibly down for the concept here, it's a little weirder than normal but that's a huge part of what makes it memorable (and work) and everything about it just screams Wabbajack. I will say that technically the perks are required to be in the build itself, it's basically the only required content but I do think you'd need to work that in to the write-up. Might work to do it as a perk spread at the end so it doesn't detract from anything or change up the spacing? 

    Anyway, other then that, I think Goldie sums up most of my thoughts, I think that...this build simply works better if you do what you want to do with it rather than just being more standard. If you want to have this more, abstract, Wabbajack-y vibe then absolutely go for it, it's pretty awesome really and a bit of a breath of fresh air honestly. 

  • Member
    September 24, 2019

    I was going to say that you could just include the perk spread as one of the images in the build, but looking back over it you've already got it all laid out beautifully and each image fits perfectly with what is being said to the point where adding in another image just feels off. So yeah an addendum might be the best option.

  • Member
    September 24, 2019

    Closing Thoughts

    "Marvelous time! Butterflies, blood, a Fox, a severed head... Oh, and the cheese! To die for."

    The core concept of the Wabbajack build is to wield the Wabbajack staff, emulate as many of the effects of the staff as possible, and ultimately become the Wabbajack. This is a decent into madness where the line that separates the staff, the character, and Sheogorath will become imperceptible. The 3 will become one being. This plays off of the sentient nature of many of the Daedric artifacts. Sheogorath is often credited with tricking Clavicus Vile into making Umbra, one of Vile's Daedric artifacts, into a sentient being. In this way, the character becomes the sentient nature of the Wabbajack.

    As a build, the Wabbajack is a bard character with a heavy emphasis on magic. It is a pretty simple build designed to be playable at level 1. Without the need to focus on obtaining artifacts and powers, the focus of the build will be exploration and character leveling. The use of the build skills will allow the character to emulate the staff, sow madness across Skyrim, and ultimately use the staff at will. Utilizing the vanilla Atronach stone will allow the character to be empowered by the madness of absorbing their own summons.

    Stats

    Race is Altmer for the starting fury spell and racial bonus to magicka. Highborn can also be highly useful for combat. But any race can be suitable.

    Start with either the Mage or Thief stone for leveling your skills. The Thief may be more useful to boost experience for your lesser used/non-combat skills, being Speech and Pickpocket. Switch to the Atronach stone when you feel like it, though I found around level 20 was a good point to switch. The 50% chance to absorb your summons is a nice chaotic touch to add to this build. The Atronach stone, combined with perks in Conjuration and your enchanted gear will mean that when your summons are absorbed, you will actually gain magicka. This build will literally be fueled by madness. Note, if using the Unofficial Patches, you will not absorb your own summons and this gameplay mechanic will not work.

    Stats are heavy into magicka at first, then switch over to all health once your Enchanting skill has progressed.

    Gear will obviously be the Wabbajack staff along with custom enchanted gear or anything you find that you like. I found a split between Conjuration and Destruction cost reduction gear to be best until until Extra Effect is unlocked.

    The only necessary quest is The Mind of Madness to obtain the Wabbajack. The Bard's College is a fitting questline for this character along with the College of Winterhold. Feel free to pursue any questlines that interest you. Also, any chance to get one up on the other Daedra would be fitting as well. A Night to Remember is another fitting quest. For roleplay purposes, I don't see how that quest can be ignored. But the combination of the Wabbajack staff and the Sanguine Rose may become a bit overpowered.

    Stats

    The main build skills will be Illusion, Conjuration, and Enchanting. These will be supported by Destruction and Alteration, with One-Handed, Speech, and Pickpocket more for roleplay purposes. Many of the skills and perks are also being utilized to mimic the effects of the Wabbajack as much as possible using vanilla Skyrim.

    Illusion will be mainly used for Fury/Frenzy, but the other mind altering spells along with invisibly and muffle will be useful. Casting invisibility and muffle in crowded cities as a display is fitting to the character and will help with leveling. Conjuration will be used to summon daedra to your aid. Enchanting will allow you to use the Wabbajack staff for 0 charge and support the Antronach Stone mechanic.

    Destruction is used to mimic the prodominant effects of the staff and to provide direct damage dealing capabilities. A higher Destruction skill will also provide additional charges for the staff, until Enchanting reduces the cost to 0. Alteration will be mainly utilized for the mage armor spells, but Paralysis, Telekenisis, and Detect spells will be useful and thematically fitting. Feel free to utilize Detect Life as much as possible in crowded cities to level, this character is all about showing off.

    One-Handed is a vanity skill just to get the Savage Strike perk. The Wabbajack is losing his head, why shouldn't others? Speech is taken for roleplay purposes, the Wabbajack is a bit of a bard after all. Pickpocket is again for roleplay and a thematic choice. Someone suddenly losing their shirt for no apparent reason would be a bit maddening. Or, add something to someones inventory to spice things up a little.

    The shouts utilized will focus on avoiding damage and emmulating the staff. Become Atherial and Whirlwind Sprint are useful to escape dangerous situations. Drain Vitality and Unrelenting Force will allow the character to emmulate some effects of the staff. Storm Call and Cyclone are great shouts to induce a large amount of madness into situations. Additionally, Sheogorath is associated with with thunderstorms, so Storm Call is extremely fitting for this build.

    Combat is about letting your enemies defeat themselves as much as possible, in keeping with the tendencies of Sheogorath. If feeling bored or violent, feel free to inject as much destruction and additional chaos as fits your fancy in the moment. Generally, open combat with a Fury/Frenzy spell then summon something to fight for you. After that, sit back and do as you please. You can let loose with your destruction spells, fire away with the Wabbajack staff, use shouts to create more chaos, or get into the fray with you sword. Encounters with enemies that are immune to your Illusion spells (drauger, vampires, dragons) can become a bit of a grind until Master of the Mind is unlocked. Utilize Become Atherial and Whirlwind Sprint to reposition when necessary.

    This build is designed to be played vanilla with no mods. That being said, using the full suite of Enai Siaion mods could take this build to another level. The options available in Imperious, Andromeda, Wintersun, Ordinator, and Apocalypse have the potential to add a lot of depth to the build. I play on console, and my favorites menu was already massively bloated with just vanilla content. For that reason, I steered away from modding this build. The Apprentice or Tower Stone from Andromeda, divine powers from worshipping Sheogorath in Wintersun, the racial quest from Imperious, and many of the spells and perks from Ordinator and Apocolypse would have a great thematic fit to this build.

    Ultimately, this character is about slowing going mad and embracing it. Don't overuse the staff, it's fun to create your own chaos as much as possible. Eventually the build will allow you to use the staff at 0 charge. That's a good point to really start to go overboard with the staff. Until then, explore and enjoy all Skyrim has to offer. Get yourself into trouble from time to time. Do things on a whim. Don't be afraid of random acts of violence or mischief. Make friends, get people to love you, but don't get too attached to anyone. Sheogorath is known to provide great power and rewards to people, then suddenly turn on them. Do the same. On my playthrough I had a tendancy to collect butterfly wings, drink heavily, always gave gold to orphan beggers, and always requested the song The Dragonborn Comes. Create and enjoy the madness. And above all else...Wabbajack! [WiP Addendum]

    Closing Thoughts

  • October 1, 2019

    That's a really good section, is it intended to go in the comments like you'd originally planned? 

    Actually, I do want to just comment that I love your art style here, the pictures are incredibly fitting and your edits to them are excellently done. 

  • Member
    October 1, 2019

    Dragonborn2121 said:

    That's a really good section, is it intended to go in the comments like you'd originally planned? 

    Actually, I do want to just comment that I love your art style here, the pictures are incredibly fitting and your edits to them are excellently done. 

    If having the perk spread in the comments conforms with character build post requirements, then I'll put it into the comments. Otherwise I'll have it at the end of the main post.

    Glad you like the images. I had a vision in mind for this writeup, and was happy to find the TES Legends artwork fit well with that vision. It's nice to have such a large number of images availabel that are consistant in style.

  • October 2, 2019

    If having the perk spread in the comments conforms with character build post requirements, then I'll put it into the comments. Otherwise I'll have it at the end of the main post.

    Glad you like the images. I had a vision in mind for this writeup, and was happy to find the TES Legends artwork fit well with that vision. It's nice to have such a large number of images availabel that are consistant in style.

    Yeah it'd be fine to include in the comments, I mean, as long as it's there somewhere it's not an issue I think. 

    Huh, I'll have to check out TES Legends a bit more, I do like that consistancy to them, can really bring a build together a little bit by having them, quite honestly all fit together perfectly. 

  • Member
    November 12, 2019

    Update: Work has beed super busy lately so this has been on the back burner. Hopefully I will get back to this playthrough soon, then I can wrap up this build.