Hello all! This build is one that I've played with in the past and took for a spin with the new Dragonborn DLC. It's a ton of fun, and very rewarding once you've put some time into it, but if you follow the RP guidelines it has a high difficulty curve. The idea for the class comes from a discussion a friend and I had about a theoretical Wheel of Time MMORPG, and what an Aes Sedai class would look like. The most unique idea we had was for it to be a tank/pet class, where your focus is less on improving your own performance and gear, and more about improving your companion. So, with all that, I give you...
The Servant of All
DLC Required: Dawnguard, Dragonborn
Concept
The Servants of All are an ancient sect of Mara Worshippers known best for the strict, magically binding vows that all members of their order take upon initiation. Servants of All train for years in the light of the Nine before taking their vows. Bare before Mara, she swears three oaths: To never speak an untrue word, to forge no weapon which a man can use to kill another, Never to use magicka as a weapon except against true evil, or in the last extreme defense of her life, the life of her warden, or another Servant. These oaths are bound by an ancient pact with Mara herself - the oath is impossible to break.
The Servants of All travel Tamriel, spreading Mara's love to all they find. They spread Mara's love by helping the poor and hungry, teaching those who wish to be taught, defending against evil those who cannot defend themselves. In her journeys, a Servant of All is bound to come across situations in which she needs protection, and so she travels with her Warden. A Servant's Warden is more than a bodyguard - he is a companion, bonded to her by the same magic that binds her oaths. Wardens are martially skilled and not bound by the same oaths as a Servant, allowing them to take up arms in her defense when she otherwise could not. In return, he benefits from her expertise in restorative magic, enjoying a hardy constitution, limitless stamina, and heightened regenerative ability.
The Build
- Race: Imperial (Female)
- Stone: The Apprentice/The Atronach (preference)
- Major Skills: Restoration, Illusion, Alteration
- Minor Skills: Alchemy, Enchanting, Speech
- Perk Spread
- Spell Repertoire
- Grand Healing (or any less heal other and heal self spell)
- Vampire's Bane and Stendarr's Aura
- Guardian Circle
- Greater Ward
- Dragonhide (or any of it's lesser family)
- Paralyze/Mass Paralysis
- Harmony (or any less variant)
- Call to Arms
- Courage
- Shout Repertoire
- Powers Repertoire
- Key Passive Effects
Gear
Gear choices are much more important for the Servant of All than one might think. While the Servant of All wields no martial weaponry and dons no armor, her Warden is kept outfitted with the best equipment money can buy. Simply put, with this class you are responsible for gearing two characters with equal importance.
When gearing the Servant, your focus is to improve her prowess with Restoration, Illusion, and Alteration Spells. It's also a good idea to improve her Magicka Pool, Magicka Regeneration, Health Pool, and Resistance to all types of Magicka.
- The Servant
- Robes: Archmage's Robe or Enchanted Robe with Fortify Restoration/Fortify Illusion
- Gloves: Enchanted Gloves with Fortify Magicka/Fortify Carry Weight
- Boots: Enchanted Boots with Resist Shock/Resist Fire
- Helm: Enchanted Circlet with Fortify Restoration/Fortify Illusion
- Amulet: Enchanted Amulet with Fortify Restoration/Fortify Alteration
- Ring: Enchanted Ring with Fortify Illusion/Fortify Alteration
- Weapon: Staff of Courage, Wabbajack, Staff of Mending, or none.
Gearing the Warden is a bit more complex. Due to the RP constraints on the character, you may not forge a weapon for the Warden, and unless you twist the RP towards the easy side (your prerogative) this also means not custom enchanting or improving via smithing your Warden's weapon. This drastically decreases your Warden's damage potential.
Additionally, followers do not benefit from all types of enchantment effects. Notably, this means that followers don't benefit from Fortify <Combat Skill>, Fortify <Magic School>, Fortify Carry Weight, etc. With that in mind, your main goal is to make your Warden as sturdy as possible whilst seeking out the best quest reward weapon for your Warden. I think Wardens are at their best when they are wielding 1-handed weapons and a shield, but arguments can be made for 2-handed Wardens. Geear recommendations here include both ideas.
- The Warden
- Chest: Enchanted Armor with Fortify Health/Fortify Stamina
- Gloves: Enchanted Gloves with Fortify Heavy or Light Armor
- Boots: Enchanted with Fortify Stamina/Resist Fire, Frost, or Shock
- Helm: Helm of Yngol, Ancient Helm of the Unburned, or Dawnguard Helm
- Amulet: Enchanted with Fortify Health/Fortify Stamina
- Ring: Enchanted with Fortify Health/Fortify Stamina
- Two-Handed Weapon: Bloodskal Blade or Champion's Cudgel
- One-Handed Weapon: Dawnbreaker, Dawnguard Rune Axe, or Bolar's Oathblade
- Ranged Weapon: Auriel's Bow
- Shield: Targe of the Blooded, Shield of Ysgramor
Play Tips
- You are bound by an oath never to speak an untrue word. This does not mean, however, that you cannot allow those around you to come to false conclusions, so long as you actually never lie about it. Pay close attention to every response you give and never willingly make a decision where you lie (I don't remember a time where you're forced, but if you are forced I choose to ignore it as a whole.)
- You are bound by an oath never to forge a weapon for one man to kill another with. If you are to improve your smithing skill, don't ever craft a weapon. Also, while it isn't 'technically' forging a weapon so much as enhancing it, try not to ever enchant a weapon or improve it via smithing.
- You are bound by an oath never to use magic as a weapon, except when facing true evil or as a last defense for yourself, your warden, or a fellow Servant. 'True Evil' isn't too specific, but generally if it's undead or demonic it's fair game. Hostile Bandits, Mages, or military combatants are not 'Pure Evil'. For RP purposes, try to stay completely away from Destruction, instead relying on the Restoration Sun spells as your weapon.
- Choosing a Warden is important, but not something to do lightly. A Servant of All and her Warden are bonded until death. Good choices for Wardens are Housecarls, Companions (though you'll need to progress through the Companions quests to do so), or Dawnguard Followers (Celann fits the bill quite well, and has no level cap).
- Do join the College of Winterhold, the Bard's College, The Companions (for the sake of your Warden, mostly), and the Dawnguard. Feel free to pursue the Main quest.
- Do not take sides in the civil war. Do not join the Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, or the Volkihar Vampires.
- Daedric quests may be completed on a case-by-case basis, based on your own roleplay decisions. The quest for Meridia is especially rewarding.
- Use your alchemy abilities, together with Sinderion's Seredipity you can create a multitude of beneficial potions for both you and your companion.
- The Black Books of Hermaeus Mora (Dragonborn DLC) have benefits that are far too good to pass up for most players. It's easy to RP these as knowledge hidden away by Hermaeus Mora, and that you the player are entering his realm to take the knowledge from him against his will. Dialogue options throughout the DLC can back this up as well.
Special Abilities
- Mother's Shelter (Become Etheral (w/Eternal Spirit) + Guardian Circle)
- You take shelter in the arms of Mara, rendering yourself immune to damage and regenerating your health.
- Bound By Righteousness (Paralyze + Battle Fury)
- You work in Tandem with your guardian, freezing your enemies and strengthen your companion.
- Warden's Resolve (Dismay + Call to Arms)
- The Warden is filled with renewed Vigor, causing enemies to flee in terror.
- Divine Rebirth (Avoid Death + The Waters of Life)
- You are Mara's chosen servant. Death shall not stop you.
- Divine Courage (Disarm + Courage)
- Even when you and your companion are faced with the darkest of threats, your bond will protect you.
- Ashes to Ashes (Root of Power + Stendarr's Aura + Vampire's Bane)
- Undead creatures of the night are sent back to the ashes from whence they came.
Hello all! This build is one that I've played with in the past and took for a spin with the new Dragonborn DLC. It's a ton of fun, and very rewarding once you've put some time into it, but if you follow the RP guidelines it has a high difficulty curve. The idea for the class comes from a discussion a friend and I had about a theoretical Wheel of Time MMORPG, and what an Aes Sedai class would look like. The most unique idea we had was for it to be a tank/pet class, where your focus is less on improving your own performance and gear, and more about improving your companion. So, with all that, I give you...
The Servant of All
DLC Required: Dawnguard, Dragonborn
Concept
The Servants of All are an ancient sect of Mara Worshippers known best for the strict, magically binding vows that all members of their order take upon initiation. Servants of All train for years in the light of the Nine before taking their vows. Bare before Mara, she swears three oaths: To never speak an untrue word, to forge no weapon which a man can use to kill another, Never to use magicka as a weapon except against true evil, or in the last extreme defense of her life, the life of her warden, or another Servant. These oaths are bound by an ancient pact with Mara herself - the oath is impossible to break.
The Servants of All travel Tamriel, spreading Mara's love to all they find. They spread Mara's love by helping the poor and hungry, teaching those who wish to be taught, defending against evil those who cannot defend themselves. In her journeys, a Servant of All is bound to come across situations in which she needs protection, and so she travels with her Warden. A Servant's Warden is more than a bodyguard - he is a companion, bonded to her by the same magic that binds her oaths. Wardens are martially skilled and not bound by the same oaths as a Servant, allowing them to take up arms in her defense when she otherwise could not. In return, he benefits from her expertise in restorative magic, enjoying a hardy constitution, limitless stamina, and heightened regenerative ability.
The Build
- Race: Imperial (Female)
- Stone: The Apprentice/The Atronach (preference)
- Major Skills: Restoration, Illusion, Alteration
- Minor Skills: Alchemy, Enchanting, Speech
- Perk Spread
- Spell Repertoire
- Grand Healing (or any less heal other and heal self spell)
- Vampire's Bane and Stendarr's Aura
- Guardian Circle
- Greater Ward
- Dragonhide (or any of it's lesser family)
- Paralyze/Mass Paralysis
- Harmony (or any less variant)
- Call to Arms
- Courage
- Shout Repertoire
- Powers Repertoire
- Key Passive Effects
Gear
Gear choices are much more important for the Servant of All than one might think. While the Servant of All wields no martial weaponry and dons no armor, her Warden is kept outfitted with the best equipment money can buy. Simply put, with this class you are responsible for gearing two characters with equal importance.
When gearing the Servant, your focus is to improve her prowess with Restoration, Illusion, and Alteration Spells. It's also a good idea to improve her Magicka Pool, Magicka Regeneration, Health Pool, and Resistance to all types of Magicka.
- The Servant
- Robes: Archmage's Robe or Enchanted Robe with Fortify Restoration/Fortify Illusion
- Gloves: Enchanted Gloves with Fortify Magicka/Fortify Carry Weight
- Boots: Enchanted Boots with Resist Shock/Resist Fire
- Helm: Enchanted Circlet with Fortify Restoration/Fortify Illusion
- Amulet: Enchanted Amulet with Fortify Restoration/Fortify Alteration
- Ring: Enchanted Ring with Fortify Illusion/Fortify Alteration
- Weapon: Staff of Courage, Wabbajack, Staff of Mending, or none.
Gearing the Warden is a bit more complex. Due to the RP constraints on the character, you may not forge a weapon for the Warden, and unless you twist the RP towards the easy side (your prerogative) this also means not custom enchanting or improving via smithing your Warden's weapon. This drastically decreases your Warden's damage potential.
Additionally, followers do not benefit from all types of enchantment effects. Notably, this means that followers don't benefit from Fortify <Combat Skill>, Fortify <Magic School>, Fortify Carry Weight, etc. With that in mind, your main goal is to make your Warden as sturdy as possible whilst seeking out the best quest reward weapon for your Warden. I think Wardens are at their best when they are wielding 1-handed weapons and a shield, but arguments can be made for 2-handed Wardens. Geear recommendations here include both ideas.
- The Warden
- Chest: Enchanted Armor with Fortify Health/Fortify Stamina
- Gloves: Enchanted Gloves with Fortify Heavy or Light Armor
- Boots: Enchanted with Fortify Stamina/Resist Fire, Frost, or Shock
- Helm: Helm of Yngol, Ancient Helm of the Unburned, or Dawnguard Helm
- Amulet: Enchanted with Fortify Health/Fortify Stamina
- Ring: Enchanted with Fortify Health/Fortify Stamina
- Two-Handed Weapon: Bloodskal Blade or Champion's Cudgel
- One-Handed Weapon: Dawnbreaker, Dawnguard Rune Axe, or Bolar's Oathblade
- Ranged Weapon: Auriel's Bow
- Shield: Targe of the Blooded, Shield of Ysgramor
Play Tips
- You are bound by an oath never to speak an untrue word. This does not mean, however, that you cannot allow those around you to come to false conclusions, so long as you actually never lie about it. Pay close attention to every response you give and never willingly make a decision where you lie (I don't remember a time where you're forced, but if you are forced I choose to ignore it as a whole.)
- You are bound by an oath never to forge a weapon for one man to kill another with. If you are to improve your smithing skill, don't ever craft a weapon. Also, while it isn't 'technically' forging a weapon so much as enhancing it, try not to ever enchant a weapon or improve it via smithing.
- You are bound by an oath never to use magic as a weapon, except when facing true evil or as a last defense for yourself, your warden, or a fellow Servant. 'True Evil' isn't too specific, but generally if it's undead or demonic it's fair game. Hostile Bandits, Mages, or military combatants are not 'Pure Evil'. For RP purposes, try to stay completely away from Destruction, instead relying on the Restoration Sun spells as your weapon.
- Choosing a Warden is important, but not something to do lightly. A Servant of All and her Warden are bonded until death. Good choices for Wardens are Housecarls, Companions (though you'll need to progress through the Companions quests to do so), or Dawnguard Followers (Celann fits the bill quite well, and has no level cap).
- Do join the College of Winterhold, the Bard's College, The Companions (for the sake of your Warden, mostly), and the Dawnguard. Feel free to pursue the Main quest.
- Do not take sides in the civil war. Do not join the Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, or the Volkihar Vampires.
- Daedric quests may be completed on a case-by-case basis, based on your own roleplay decisions. The quest for Meridia is especially rewarding.
- Use your alchemy abilities, together with Sinderion's Seredipity you can create a multitude of beneficial potions for both you and your companion.
- The Black Books of Hermaeus Mora (Dragonborn DLC) have benefits that are far too good to pass up for most players. It's easy to RP these as knowledge hidden away by Hermaeus Mora, and that you the player are entering his realm to take the knowledge from him against his will. Dialogue options throughout the DLC can back this up as well.
Special Abilities
- Mother's Shelter (Become Etheral (w/Eternal Spirit) + Guardian Circle)
- You take shelter in the arms of Mara, rendering yourself immune to damage and regenerating your health.
- Bound By Righteousness (Paralyze + Battle Fury)
- You work in Tandem with your guardian, freezing your enemies and strengthen your companion.
- Warden's Resolve (Dismay + Call to Arms)
- The Warden is filled with renewed Vigor, causing enemies to flee in terror.
- Divine Rebirth (Avoid Death + The Waters of Life)
- You are Mara's chosen servant. Death shall not stop you.
- Divine Courage (Disarm + Courage)
- Even when you and your companion are faced with the darkest of threats, your bond will protect you.
- Ashes to Ashes (Root of Power + Stendarr's Aura + Vampire's Bane)
- Undead creatures of the night are sent back to the ashes from whence they came.
