Pharmacist Build
This is an RP build and unsuitable for power play, though it can be pretty fun if you’re prepared, and you know when to run away. This is a build with a lot of room for hybridization and expansion as the pure form of this build confines itself to 35 perk points. I will detail the pure build, a simple civilian pharmacist and merchant of their wares. This build can earn a lot of money.
As a pharmacist, you are knowledgeable about a vast array of substances that affect the body. Plant, animal, even mineral, you have identified properties both mundane and magical. Your occupation is to synthesize these properties into various tinctures and draughts to cure, heal, strengthen, and restore. While you use your skills to heal, you also have a deep understanding of various poisons that can affect the body, and you can use that knowledge to protect yourself if need, or at the behest of a client in need of that knowledge.
You can be a kind soul, who wishes only to help and heal others, or you can be the poisons expert behind every plot, or maybe you aren’t picky about who you work for. Whatever your alignment you have a deep love of the natural world and spend a lot of time outdoors and down caves, collecting plants, fungi, insects, and the pharmaceutical parts of animals.
Race
There is no real race requirement and it is mostly up to personal preference, though I would suggest a race with a bonus in alchemy (Bosmer, Breton, Dunmer, and Khajiit), or a race with 50% resistance to poison for the 100% poison resistance later on (Bosmer and Redguard). I used a Bosmer for both bonuses, plus disease. They also seem the most nature oriented.
Gear (Civilian)
Armor: This is a no armor, no alteration build. Unless you intend to branch out and become a more combat, stealth, or magic oriented, this character will be wearing normal clothes that match their status and the player’s personal taste. Clothes, boots, gloves, etc.
Weapons: The pharmacist should carry a dagger for protection.
Skills
Major: Alchemy, Speech
Minor: One-handed
Perks
Alchemy: Everything
Speech: take the left side of the tree all the way up and max out haggle. This will help you the most when it comes to selling your potions.
One-handed: If you use it a lot then it is no surprise if you get better at it. Take the armsman, bladesman, and fighting stance perks when they become available.
Level health only, it will make you less vulnerable. Stamina can easily be restored with a potion if needed.
Game Play
I have found that manually dodging, and downing health potions when injured is a pretty effective way of staying alive. Wheat + Blue mountain flower is a good multi-effect health potion and Monarch butterfly wing + blue mountain flower for a simple health potion with common ingredients. Also running away when it is obvious you can’t win. While armor-less you are a lot faster than your opponent and can probably sidestep most of their attacks. Your worst enemies will be dragons, particularly tough bosses, and those few enemies immune to poison. I would suggest hiring or befriending a companion into your service then loading them up with your special health potions, and then just letting your bodyguard do the fighting. Use poisons to buff damage, and fortify marksman potions (strangely) to increase the damage your dagger does. At high skill you’ll be able to craft some devastating poisons to use against you foes. Be prepared, your potions and poisons are your life make sure you have what you need before delving into dangerous areas or missions. Grab all ingredients always.
Finally experiment, mix, buy recipes, and eat ingredients to learn their effects… or you can look it up online, that’s fine too.
A good set up if you have the hearthfire DLC is Library+Greenhouse+Alchemy Tower.
Pharmacist Build
This is an RP build and unsuitable for power play, though it can be pretty fun if you’re prepared, and you know when to run away. This is a build with a lot of room for hybridization and expansion as the pure form of this build confines itself to 35 perk points. I will detail the pure build, a simple civilian pharmacist and merchant of their wares. This build can earn a lot of money.
As a pharmacist, you are knowledgeable about a vast array of substances that affect the body. Plant, animal, even mineral, you have identified properties both mundane and magical. Your occupation is to synthesize these properties into various tinctures and draughts to cure, heal, strengthen, and restore. While you use your skills to heal, you also have a deep understanding of various poisons that can affect the body, and you can use that knowledge to protect yourself if need, or at the behest of a client in need of that knowledge.
You can be a kind soul, who wishes only to help and heal others, or you can be the poisons expert behind every plot, or maybe you aren’t picky about who you work for. Whatever your alignment you have a deep love of the natural world and spend a lot of time outdoors and down caves, collecting plants, fungi, insects, and the pharmaceutical parts of animals.
Race
There is no real race requirement and it is mostly up to personal preference, though I would suggest a race with a bonus in alchemy (Bosmer, Breton, Dunmer, and Khajiit), or a race with 50% resistance to poison for the 100% poison resistance later on (Bosmer and Redguard). I used a Bosmer for both bonuses, plus disease. They also seem the most nature oriented.
Gear (Civilian)
Armor: This is a no armor, no alteration build. Unless you intend to branch out and become a more combat, stealth, or magic oriented, this character will be wearing normal clothes that match their status and the player’s personal taste. Clothes, boots, gloves, etc.
Weapons: The pharmacist should carry a dagger for protection.
Skills
Major: Alchemy, Speech
Minor: One-handed
Perks
Alchemy: Everything
Speech: take the left side of the tree all the way up and max out haggle. This will help you the most when it comes to selling your potions.
One-handed: If you use it a lot then it is no surprise if you get better at it. Take the armsman, bladesman, and fighting stance perks when they become available.
Level health only, it will make you less vulnerable. Stamina can easily be restored with a potion if needed.
Game Play
I have found that manually dodging, and downing health potions when injured is a pretty effective way of staying alive. Wheat + Blue mountain flower is a good multi-effect health potion and Monarch butterfly wing + blue mountain flower for a simple health potion with common ingredients. Also running away when it is obvious you can’t win. While armor-less you are a lot faster than your opponent and can probably sidestep most of their attacks. Your worst enemies will be dragons, particularly tough bosses, and those few enemies immune to poison. I would suggest hiring or befriending a companion into your service then loading them up with your special health potions, and then just letting your bodyguard do the fighting. Use poisons to buff damage, and fortify marksman potions (strangely) to increase the damage your dagger does. At high skill you’ll be able to craft some devastating poisons to use against you foes. Be prepared, your potions and poisons are your life make sure you have what you need before delving into dangerous areas or missions. Grab all ingredients always.
Finally experiment, mix, buy recipes, and eat ingredients to learn their effects… or you can look it up online, that’s fine too.
A good set up if you have the hearthfire DLC is Library+Greenhouse+Alchemy Tower.
