The Workshop » Discussions


WIP: Character Build Aela the Huntress

Tags: #Sotek 
  • Member
    August 2, 2017

     

     

    "An outsider, eh? Never heard of the Companions? An order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor and we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough. Well it's not for me to say whether you can join us. Across the hall and down the stairs, speak to Kodlak Whitemane. The old man's got a good sense for people. He can look you in the eyes  and tell your worth. if you go to him, good luck".

     

    "Harbinger, you know I wanted to go out to the plai.... That wasn't my fault! Farkas is big enough to look after himself, it's not my fault he's an icebrain! Farkas! It was your turn to train the Whelps".

     

    "Ysgramor himself wouldn't have the patience to deal with all the rabble around here. Listen up Whelp! If you want to play 'warrior with a big sword' then go bug Vilkas. If you want to clump about in heavy wolf armor swinging a sword and bashing it into a shield then that icebrain Farkas over there is who you need to see".

    "If, however, you want to learn what it is to be a Companion, if you want to learn skills and become a Huntress like me then your eyes need to be quick and your feet quicker. If you wish to prove your worth and be a true sister of the Companions then come outside to the training yard. Leave your attitude by the door and pick up that bow".

    "Before you even notch an arrow there are things you need to understand. I will train you and I will show you the way but if you can't keep up then stay within Whiterun's walls where it's safe like all those other milk drinkers".

    "If you want to play dress up and run around with your head in a bucket then join the other Whelps training with Farkas".

    "Still here? This is good; I knew there was something I liked about you”.

    “Speed. Speed of hand, speed of mind. We don't stomp around; we hunt, prowl, sneak up to our enemies and grant them a quick death. All a helm will do is narrow your vision, blind you to your environment and weigh you down. Your eyes need to be everywhere, like a predator on the hunt. Remember this and you will not only survive but flourish like a wolf pack on the plains. Go charging in and all we'll have is an empty chair around Jorrvaskr’s table". 

    "Remember, you are a Huntress and that means patience. You will grow but it will take time. Out there, beyond Whiterun's walls are the plains. It’s a wide expanse of rolling hills and tundra. A perfect place to hunt and refine your skills. Frequent hunting trips will serve you well and help your progression. Don't forget your knife. The skins are invaluable for they can be used to make leathers at the forge. Patience is a weapon you should never leave behind".

    "Don't even think about it! By Ysgramor, if I see one hand glow! Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion, Restoration. These have no place here in Jorrvaskr and I will not waste one second of my time with them. If you are desperate to make fire then it had better be dried out Tundra Cotton and two flints in your hands. Shield sister, here... a drop of oil works wonders. Leave the Magicka crap alone!" 

    "We are predators, Huntresses. Life and death are two parts of the same circle, just as the sun and moons. Natural predators know about balance and equilibrium. They understand death has just as much need and rights as life. What do you mean why? Without the one there can be no other. Life forces are merely borrowed and one day they must be returned. Some dabble in the arcane and mess about like children playing with soul gems. This disrupts the natural order. They bring about unbalance and break the circle. No Whelp under my care messes about with them. If you see one then leave it alone! Don’t even bother picking it up".

    "We carry with us the Honor of the Companions. My mother was a Companion and her mother. I fight to honor her and all my shield sisters through time. If you pick up the bow then you follow my lead. Look, it's simple, imagine the old man Kodlak is standing next to you. If you think he will frown due to a certain action then don’t do it..."

    "So you've made it this far? Well I'll be honest, I wouldn’t have expected it but Kodlak trusts you so I will as well. You shouldn't know we are werewolves, remember you're not a full Companion yet Whelp. Know your place".

    "By Shor’s breath... listen shield sister, us girls should stick together. We keep our heads while the men fall about. You are going on the hunt and your bloods running hot. You need to know what it means to be a werewolf. It means nothing... until you chose to use it. You have a taste of it already... We're stronger, faster. She can be your greatest weapon; don’t be afraid to let her out. Some cowards in this land can't stand the sight of glory before them. When things seem too difficult and the opponents are just too much to handle, forget the dagger, put away the bow. Have faith in your claws and fangs. Teach them what it truly means to be a predator. They may scurry in the shadows like rats but we see in the darkness". 

    Race and stats

    Race : Female Nord

    Magic    Health    Stamina

    0           2            2

    Skills

    "The way of the Huntress is with bow and stealth, shield sister. These will be your fangs out there in the wilds. Remember though, the beasts of Skyrim are made of sterner stuff than most. You will need certain skills if you wish to survive, for the beasts are not nearly as predictable as men".

    Heavy Armor: 

    "I've heard you may actually be stronger than you look. Perhaps we can hunt together someday. Until then, you’ll be by yourself. You need to know, you need to understand. Skyrim's creatures a simply beasts but they shouldn't be underestimated. We're not the only ones stalking the plains. The wolves and sabre cats for Skyrim are predators as well. You need to be able to take a hit".

    Sneak:  

    "Ha, you think you're a good shot, do you? Don't tell me; you're a milk drinker, crying about her effort. Glory only awaits those who triumph. As Companions, our glory must always be hard-fought. It doesn't matter how great a shot you are in the yard. If you can't get close enough to your target to shoot then how are you going to bring it down? Ha! Sneak close, breath steady and be as sure footed as a wolf on the prowl".

    One Handed:  

    "Do you think you could handle a giant in a real fight? You do? Woah, ease up there. We're rough, but there's no need to go getting yourself killed just because your bloods running hot. When your prey is down and wounded, close in with the dagger for a quick kill. Careful though, many a shield sister has fallen through treachery. You can always put an arrow in your prey's knee; just to make sure they stay down. I like your fire though, you'll make a fierce Companion".

    Archery: 

    "It doesn't matter if there's rumors of a bear the size of a mammoth in Hammerfell or Silverhands scurrying around like skeevers in a cave. If you want to go on the hunt then you have to learn to shoot. Don't be one of those icebrains who wanders the land getting themselves killed. From my view, I don't think you can practise enough. Now, here's fifty arrows; Archery training and don't stop untill I say or you'll wish you hadn't".

     

     

     

     

     

     Everything below are just place holders.......

     

     

    "You'd better hope there's still a chance for you to prove yourself, though, or this training might last longer than you'd like."

     

    Perks (currently play testing)  Level 50 

     

    Heavy Armor (5): 

    Juggernaut 5/5 

    Sneak (11):  

    Stealth 4/5, Back Stab 1/1, Deadly Aim 1/1, Assassin's Blade 1/1, Muffled Movement 1/1, Light Foot 1/1, Silent Roll 1/1 and Silence 1/1  

    The Silverhand are a  group of werewolf hunters who have gotten wise to our little secret. They've made it their mission to hunt us down, but we are hunters ourselves. When you're good, real good and your feet are rough yet you can tread as softly as a fox then sneak up behind your prey and grant them a quick death".

     

     

    One Handed (8):  

    Armsman 5/5, Fighting Stance 1/1, Critical Charge 1/1 and Savage Strike 1/1 

    Block (10): 

    Shield Wall 5/5, Deflect Arrows 1/1, Elemental Protection 1/1, Quick Reflexes 1/1, Power Bash 1/1 and Deadly Bash 1/1,   

    Marksman (15): 

    Overdraw 5/5, Critical Shot 3/3 and Hunter's Discipline 1/1, Ranger 1/1, Eagle Eye 1/1, Steady Hand 1/2, Power Shot 1/1, Quick Shot 1/1 and Bullseye 1/1

     

    Equipment

    For me yet again this is a tricky one for her initial outfit is so symbolic of her. I really don't see her changing the initial equipment set up. (this is a break from my story where she ends up with dragonscale armor. Maybe as an option for later levels?)

     

    Starting gear

     

     

     

    Image result for ancient nordic gauntletsImage result for ancient nordic boots



    Image result for skyrim hunter's bow Image result for skyrim hunter's bow

                                 Image result for steel shield skyrim                               

     


    Later Gear

    There's a few bows which stand out for a huntress but alot of these I feel are too godly for one such as Aela. I feel one good weapon which would howl at her is:

    Azhidal's Armor of Retribution

     

     

    Azhidal's Boots of Waterwalking

     

    Image result for ancient nordic boots

    Bow of the Hunt

     

      

    The Ring of Hircine

     

     

     

    Valdr's Lucky Dagger

     

     

     

    Shield of Ysgramor

     Image result for shield of ysgramor

     

    Kyne's Token

    Image result for kyne's token

     

     Circlet of ArcheryImage result for skyrim archery circlet

    Level 30 Perk Spread

    Has been suggested by Lissette to look at Azhidal's armor of retribution. This is a strong contender for late level gear as it has a nice defensive enchant and it keeps in with the symbolic imagry of Aela.

     

    Gameplay/Role Play 

     

    What particular skills she has and when she might use them. A few different combat scenarios. Add her  'If you want to hunt with me' quote.

    Will explain problems faced with using this build as there are weaknesses. This isn't a god type build but heavy roleplay.

     

    Factions and Radiant Quests

    ...... Yea big laugh here.....  Companions... what else?

    One thing which will take a while and one which I will bug a fair few people is quests....

    I expect there will be a fair few radient quests that I am not aware of which will scream out for Aela. Suggestions are more than welcome.

     

    Aela's in game Totem quests will be a definite along with Ill Met by Moonlight

    Add breakdown of Companions quests

     

    Kyne's Sacred Trials 

     

    Mods

    Mods I'll handle slightly differently. What I intend to do is have a brief explanation here in the mod section but refer to them in the relevant sections as well. 

     

    Followers

    This will tie in with Mods because of a specific Mod which allows the player to have a pet wolf. Due to Aela's nature I feel this does fit with her lifestyle and aspect on life itself.

    Also add short section on Companions Farkas and Vilkas

     

    Werewolf Form

    A whole section dedicated to Aela's wolf spirit and her werewolf form. Will contain mods.

     

    Final Words

    Pulled my hair out, tried my best, thanks for everyone's support and list of members who supported and helped kind of thing. Highlights and lowlights of my journey creating the build and my favorite parts.

    Add thanks to Legion for the initial picture which howled out for this the moment I saw it.

    Add thanks to Lissette for suggesting Azhidal's armor of retribution.

    Add thanks to Relycs for the equipment spread.

    Add any extra details which would help the build shine and enhance players enjoyment.

     

    NOTE TO ALL:-

    This is a project I have wanted to do since my last (and only) build.

    This is based around the prestigious Follow me, Follow You: CB Event.

    Everything here is a rough guide which will be worked on over time.

     

    Any and all suggestions are welcome

     

     

     

  • August 2, 2017

    Heck yeah Sotek. So is this a build based off of in-game Aela or U.O.T.W Aela (who, without having read all of it I assume is way more badass and fleshed out :D). Either one interests me, the former might be the thing to finally kick my ass into gear and finish reading U.O.T.W (I think I read through chapter 20 a fair while back but uh, oh right, could never read blogs on Ning, not sure why but they bugged me something fierce) but I also think it'd be kind of interesting to see a different take on the same character. 

    Anyway, eagerly looking forward to this one Sotek, I'm a big fan of Aela, your builds, Companions Mods, Werewolves, Archers...Eh everything that goes into this build really :D

  • Member
    August 2, 2017

    I would like to keep it to the ingame Aela but we all know I struggle with lore and the pull of the beast is going to be too strong. As the build develops I expect more and more of my U.O.T.W. Aela to spread through the build. (I hope this won't put people off and I will try to keep it in check but tine will tell).

    I just hope I can pull this off and do Aela the justice I feel the character deserves. Bearing this in mind, I ask any and all again. Feel free to offer advice and suggestions, crit. 

    Thanks for looking in DB. You are always welcome. 

    Sotek Loyal Hound of Hircine

     EDIT:- Taking a step back and thinking on what you said, I think I will attempt to create an ingame Aela. This way the players can delve into her character and mould her more for their particular prefrences. 

  • August 2, 2017

    Sotek, are you playing with the unofficial patches?

    If you are then Aela's armor skill is changed from Light in the vanilla game to heavy to reflect what she wears. If this is the case, than dude, Azhidal's armor of retribution is a great choice for the huntress. I'd go boots and chest piece for water walking and blow reflection. 

    Let me know if you have any questions. 

  • Member
    August 2, 2017

    I am using the unofficial patches and I couldn't understand why Aela was light armor based. Paw on tail, I have never heard of Azhidal's armor of retribution. I have just had a look at it and I have to say I'm impressed. It fits perfectly as you say and it has a useful defensive enchant. Added piece to build for late game.

    EDIT:- You are right. The boots also would work rather well here. Shame the gauntlets absorb magica and not half spell damage else they would be a good choice too. 

    As I am going this route I will have to look at shields with the steel shield look. 

    Image result for steel shield skyrim

    Shield of Ysgramor is fitting mind you and it's in keeping with the Companions. 

    Image result for shield of ysgramor

    Thanks Lissette, you are always so willing to lend a hand and offer advice. I'll try not to hound you too much. 

    Sotek Loyal Hound of Hircine

  • Member
    August 2, 2017

    Ah, so your recent picture of Aela in "proper armour" was a teaser in more ways than one, Wolfs? :p It's great to see you building, mate :)

  • Member
    August 2, 2017
    Congrats on posting the WiP. I feel like this needs some different font for the headers. Here is a basic selection of fonts that might work (imo, at least). https://www.dropbox.com/s/30tix3oishcaa7a/Sfonts
  • Member
    August 2, 2017
    You probably know most of this but I'll throw it in anyway just in case.

    I would definitely go for the Steed Stone to get rid of the armor's weight, which affects stamina drain, speed and stealth capability. I'd go for at least a tiny bit of sneak, just one shot with the bow maybe, and for that the Steed Stone is just perfect.
    It also nullifies the inventory weight of the equipped armor and adds 100 carry weight on top of it.

    You can find pictures of the gauntlets etc with a transparent background on the Skyrim wikki, just look for their entries.

    You can get to lvl 50 Archery without mods in the beginning of the game by taking Feandal (Riverwood) as your follower, training Archery with him and then trading the gold back. Lvl up and repeat.

    The Glass Bow of the Stag Prince might be an interesting item that would give you a reason to hunt animals. Just a thought.

    A poison or ash rune would probably be a good choice if you want to use traps.

    I'd maybe throw in a bit of Alchemy for some simple potions like Slow or Paralysis, that dont really depend on the Alchemy lvl.

    Maybe use torches.

    You can get quests that have you hunt down bandits and such from the Jarls.

    Just some stuff for inspiration.
  • Member
    August 3, 2017

     

    Awwwooo Relycs

    Headers, these are just place markers to help me make sense of it all. I had a bit of a look at headers last night. You've picked out a few interesting ones too.

    I will be changing those pics you pointed out. I'm not happy with the black background either.

    The Steed stone is up there as a high contender due to a few reasons like you stated. I'm not looking at a level up stone as this build will be (I hope) a nice casual levelling experience. No get this asap then you need to get this...

    The Steed stone give perks which benefit the character directly without becoming obsolete in later game.

    I won’t be adding any spells even though the trap ones do fit well with a Hunter/Huntress as this would break the character. I think the same would be for Alchemy to be Honest. I know she has level 15 in these but I honestly feel that’s because the developers had to. If it was ranging from 0 to 100 I expect a few skills would be zero.

    Thanks for all your advice. As the build starts to develop I hope you have a second look. You know you are free to offer advice crit at any time.

    (Again thanks for the font suggestions)

    Sotek Loyal Hound of Hircine

  • Member
    August 3, 2017

    Do you need an equipment spread?