Hello all! After being a guest on the awesome Skyrim Blog for more than half a year, seeing many great character builds some of which I enjoyed playing myself, I step up eager to show you a character build of mine I enjoyed playing recently. The inspiration for this build was an attempt to make a true adventurer, commoner of a sort, to try out alchemy, the use of staves and a loading screen that put it all together. This is my first character build on The Skyrim Blog, on that account constructive criticism is always appreciated. Lads and lasses I present you :
Helping Arcadia with her love elixir formula :)
An aspiring alchemist, adventurer and a scholar, devout in collecting various ingredients out on his journeys be it plants, insects and what else not, striving to learn their magical properties so they can later be mixed together and hopefully result in various concoctions. Little The Aspiring Alchemist is versed in the various schools of magic, yet rumor has it they can turn wood into gold through magic. Seen traveling the lands, the cities, but often skulking in dangerous caverns, in constant search for what alchemists value the most. Alchemical ingredients, scripts and ore samples for their studies.
Race: Race ain’t that important for this build, however there are some races that have starting skill advantages over others. I personally played as a Dunmer, but you may also consider Altmer, Argonian, Breton, Khajiit, even a Bosmer will do (if you aren’t worried breaking the green pact and using magic).
Stats: I suggest going 3/1/1. The Aspiring Alchemist tends to be stealthy, able to pass by unheard and unseen when in search for ingredients in dangerous caverns and grottos, therefore high health and stamina pool isn’t necessary.
Stone: I started with the Lover Stone for skill development, yet I switched to The Shadow and The Serpent Stone more than often in early game. The Steed stone can be invaluable once you start collecting all those ingredients and brewing concoctions (the small weight they have add up more than you could think of). Finally your late game standing stone choice is The Atronach Stone.
Perk spread: Level 20/Level 40/Level 50
Major Skills
Alchemy: The Aspiring Alchemist is skilled around making various potions that benefits him one way or another, be it a sip of a drink that makes your eyes glow and sweetens your voice just to get a better bargain, make you completely invisible to a common eye just to slip by if necessary, sprinkle dust on the tip of your magic staff to alter its abilities, or simply brew a deadly poison to poison someone’s mead or coat you dagger with it.
Alteration: Searching in underground places has led you to many alchemical ingredients and ore veins, some of which infested with bandits, even draugr. Safety is your way of approaching with the detect life and death spell. You may also want to use Magelight or Telekinesis for distractions, while on the way turning iron ore into gold.
Enchanting: Gems with souls? The Aspiring Alchemist tends to bring magical items at home and study them on a crafting table.
Minor Skills
Sneak: Self explanatory. You’re the sneaky type, rather than rushing in a cavern full of who knows what.
Pickpocket: Your precise hand can slip into pockets, poisoning those dull-witted bandits ale. Also having extra pockets in an alchemists bag cant be that bad for carrying all those ingredients and innards.
Smithing: Making jewelery is your art and passion, besides alchemy of course! Being able to turn iron into gold must have something to do with this. On the other hand, your cropping tool gets dull overtime.
Illusion: As said above, you natural grasp in magic is minimal, even though you learned how to muffle your boots and silent your staves through the said magic school.
Destruction: When the need arises, you rely on your destruction staves. Being unable to dabble in this particular school of magic, you can often pay an expert that can teach you a lesson or two, showing you the way destruction staves are meant to handle with.
Restoration: Restoration magic runs in your family, yet you are only able to cast a ward spell. On the other hand you never really bothered mastering the other spells, as you trust your herbs more.
Weapons, Staves, Spells and Apparel
Weapon: The Aspiring Alchemist’s weapon of choice is a steel dagger enchanted with fire damage, and another with soul trap, or just one with fiery soul trap if you’re lucky to find one. While some enemies are resistant to poison nor can be pickpocket-poisoned often have weakness to fire, e.g. Draugr, Vampires, Frost trolls etc.
Destruction Staves: I went with the fire damage staves, as said above some enemies you encounter are resistant to poison and often have weakness to fire, and it does not mean that your default approach must be a stealthy one. Staff of Firebolt, Staff of Fireball, Staff of Flame Wall, Staff of Incineration, these are the destruction staves you want your hands on. And according to the UESP, fire staves provide more uses than the other elemental staves. In addition the Staff of Chain Lightning has an in-built impact perk so you might want to lay your hands on one of those too.
Alteration Staves: The Staff of Paralysis. This is the staff that makes an adventurer of your type survive wandering the harsh environments of Skyrim. While easy obtainable in the Snapleg Cave, this particular staff will pose invaluable to you in early and mid game, up until you get the expert paralysis spell and maybe even after. The true power is you can paralyze every wild beast, humanoid, vampire, even a giant fails to resist (Dragons gets staggered).
Alteration spells: All except the master level spells.
Restoration Spells: Lesser Ward, Steadfast Ward, Greater Ward.
Illusion Staves: Staff of Fear/Staff of Vanquishment, these are the staves that can save your hide from an unexpected attack (Hired thugs, wild beasts, etc.). As well as Staves of Fury, Frenzy, Calm and Grand Charming – self explanatory. Note that this staves benefit from the Animage and Kindred Mage perks which are basically stepping stones for the Quiet Casting perk.
Illusion Spells: Muffle only
Unique Staves: Dragon Priest Staff (Wall of flames), Staff of Hag’s Wrath (Wall of Flames), Eye of Melka (Fireball). Those are the fire-based staves that I used, but you can also use any staff you see fit.
Apparel: The Aspiring Alchemist prefers to wear ordinary clothes rather than armor, not only to look the part, but to take the full effect of the Alteration spells. Early on stick with some standard mage robes (preferably with Destruction, Restoration or Alteration bonuses) and Alchemy/Magicka - jewelry/gloves. A few good looks you can go for:
- Hoodless Blue Robes, Vampire Gloves, College Boots, Silver and Sapphire Circlet, Silver Sapphire necklace, Silver Amethyst Ring
- Merchant Clothes, Merchant Boots, Fine Hat, Brown or Vampire Gloves, Silver or Copper/Gold Circlets and Jewlery (depending on the merchant’s clothes color).
As for enchantments:
Alchemist’s working clothes:
Alchemist’s adventuring clothes:
-
Head: Fortify Destruction / Restoration
-
Body: Fortify Destruction / Restoration
-
Boots: Resist Fire or Frost / Fortify Carry Weight
-
Amulet: Fortify Alteration / Restoration
-
Ring: Fortify Alteration / Destruction
-
Gloves: Fortify Magicka / Fortify Carry Weight
The Fortify Destruction enchantments reduce the magicka cost of destruction staves, since this is the only way of dealing ranged damage it’s a must (staves magicka deplete quite fast).
The Fortify Restoration enchantments will reduce the cost of warding spells, that in conjunction with Ward Absorb, the Atronach Stone and perk will result in dragons and mages refilling your magicka making a ward spell last almost forever, while unvulnerable kiting them with your staff.
The Fortify Alteration enchantment will reduce all your alteration spells cost even those on your Staff of Paralysis, as most of the alteration spells are magicka-costy, this will ease your job.
Resist Fire or Frost is totally up to you and your race of choice, I went for the frost resist because I played as a Dark Elf and they are already resistant to fire by 50%. Although this might not be your race of choice.
The Fortify Magicka echantment will grant you extra magicka, and extra carry weight is always welcomed I suppose.
Gameplay
What I really loved about this build was that I watched him progressing through the game. You start as an aspiring alchemist with nothing but your curiosity for mixing ingredients. In fact this build was an attempt to build a commoner, who can and will try to deal with any situation. As the perk tree shows there aren’t any significant perks in the offensive perk trees, in fact 3 perks into Destruction and the Backstab perks in the sneak tree (and maybe alchemy if considered for the poisons). As for anyone who played an assassin build before know how overpowered one can be, and power is not what this build is about (at least not raw power), its about being creative and using various tactics. An alchemist can only wield one dagger at a time (you’re not an assassin to dual wield daggers, you’re just a mere alchemist using his cropping tool for backstabbing). The beauty of the build comes into play when you start planning and packing up potions and poisons for a particular quest, e.g. if going into a cavern where bandits reside you might consider packing/brewing a few invisibility potions, handful of poisons be it damage health poisons, weakness to fire, paralysis etc. This opens a full new spectrum of creative approaches I never experienced before in an ES game, and strengthens the immersion of playing an adventurer.
Thus I present you The Aspiring Alchemist’s favorite moves and tactics:
Alchemist’s Wrath!
Pickpocket + Aversion to fire + Backstab with Paralysis poison + Staff of Flame Wall/Incineration + (optional - Ancestor’s Wrath, if playing Dunmer) and continuous fire enchanted dagger stabbing. There is no bandit chief that can survive the wrath of an alchemist!
You shall not pass!
Fortify Destruction potion + Resist Fire/Frost/Shock/Magic potion + Ward + Destruction Staff. Most useful against dragons, dragon priests and mages alike. Note that the ward itself will protect you from Draugr shouts and Frostbite Spider ranged attacks.
Riot!
Quiet Casting +Throw Voice/Magelight/Telekinesis + Fortify Illusion + Staff of Frenzy. Good and effective way to slip by through crowded bandit nests.
Zealousness!
Elsweyr Fondue + Fortify Destruction + Ward + Destruction Staff. Being an Alchemist, you are able to cook yourself a decent meal, even one that enhances you abilities. The Elsweyr Fondue gives you +100 to your magicka pool and a 25% magicka regeneration rate for 12 minutes, which can work miracles against dragons at lower levels or without the cost reduction enchanted gear.
Adrenaline Rush!
Fortify Alteration + Flesh Spell + Fortify Destruction + Destruction Staff + Ward. The Fortify Alteration potion will increase the duration of your flesh spell greatly, while making evasive maneuvers cast a ward spell in your off-hand and keep it up, kite the enemies with your destruction staff. This is most useful against archers, as wards increase your armor too.
A Cornered Rat!
Fortify Block Potion + Flesh Spell + Vegetable Soup + Fortify Destruction (optional) + Torch blocking and bashing and dagger stabbing. Most useful for when your pickpocket-poisoning failed, or simply got detected.While easily getting the block cap with the fortify block potion, getting some armor rating from the flesh spell, the vegetable soup will give you infinite bashes for 12 minutes, while both the torch bash and your dagger fire damage get augmented with the fortify destruction potion.
Transparent Testudo!
Ward + dagger regular attacks (note that power attacks will break your ward). Not much of a tactic itself, but worth mentioning. While keeping your ward up, you can still attack with your other hand. Useful against mages and dragon priests. Since this is how i defeated Krosis after using all my staff charges, i thought its worth mentioning (a steadfast ward neglected his frost cloak and his fireball attacks).
PS. I divided them into 7 different moves against different opponents and situations, just to show you the basic idea (and avoiding long columns of text). However there is plenty of space for experimenting, for e.g. pickpocket + 3-4 frostbite venom kills a common bandit on master, sneak + quiet casting + paralyze + unrelenting force = send someone off cliff, sneak up + pickpocket + weakness to fire + staff of paralysis + fire breath + scroll/staff of fireballs and so on… keep experimenting.
Roleplay, Quest's and closing remarks
As for roleplay, I played my Aspiring Alchemist as an adventurer and a scholar. He crossed the Skyrim border not even being aware of while drinking what the landscape had to offer, just to find that he was in Skyrim’s territory and caught in an Imperial - Stormcloak ambush. He was a descendant of the once honored Great House Hlaalu of Vvardenfell, so he was comfortable with the imperial law and custom and went to escape the dragon attack at Helgen with Hadvar, knowing he can reason with him. After arriving at Riverwood he dicided to continue his journey here in Skyrim. He’d be happy with Skyrim’s townsfolk company, but would always search through dungeons and grottos for alchemical ingredients, forgotten artifacts, treasures, books and writings. I didn’t join the College of Winterhold for obvious reasons, for i wasn’t a full-fledged mage myself. I married a Dunmer alchemist such as myself, and settled in Hjaalmarch in a house I built.
Recommended/RP-wise Quests:
- Discerning The Transmundane - I went for the path of magic (saved me some money and time for destruction and enchanting).
- A Return To Your Roots - 25% chance to make a duplicate potion or poison when using alchemy is awesome!
- Azura’s Star - Essential for maintaining your staves during lower levels.
- Bards College - Adventurer and a scholar right, perhaps even a poet?
- The White Phial - Not much beneficial, yet RP-wise.
- Avrusa Sarethi’s misc quest (Smooth Jazbay) - After completion you can harvest her farm full of Nirnroots which only she knows how to re grow them. She is also a fellow alchemist and a possible marriage candidate.
- Every town’s alchemist misc quest
The rest is up to you! The build itself is very flexible and can do pretty much every guild questline depending on your way of roleplaying it. The Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, College of Winterhold, The Main Quest, The Civil War, The DLC’s , whatever quests you see fit.
As for list of useful potions and poisons, i decited to not include them in the presentation as it will take lots in columns of text and spoil the thrill of discovery :) However here is a link of all "craftable" potions and poisons and ingredient effects for the impatient.
Well thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and caught an idea for your current or future build. And if you choose to play this build don’t forget that there are endless possibilities and approaches, be creative!
Hello all! After being a guest on the awesome Skyrim Blog for more than half a year, seeing many great character builds some of which I enjoyed playing myself, I step up eager to show you a character build of mine I enjoyed playing recently. The inspiration for this build was an attempt to make a true adventurer, commoner of a sort, to try out alchemy, the use of staves and a loading screen that put it all together. This is my first character build on The Skyrim Blog, on that account constructive criticism is always appreciated. Lads and lasses I present you :
Helping Arcadia with her love elixir formula :)
An aspiring alchemist, adventurer and a scholar, devout in collecting various ingredients out on his journeys be it plants, insects and what else not, striving to learn their magical properties so they can later be mixed together and hopefully result in various concoctions. Little The Aspiring Alchemist is versed in the various schools of magic, yet rumor has it they can turn wood into gold through magic. Seen traveling the lands, the cities, but often skulking in dangerous caverns, in constant search for what alchemists value the most. Alchemical ingredients, scripts and ore samples for their studies.
Race: Race ain’t that important for this build, however there are some races that have starting skill advantages over others. I personally played as a Dunmer, but you may also consider Altmer, Argonian, Breton, Khajiit, even a Bosmer will do (if you aren’t worried breaking the green pact and using magic).
Stats: I suggest going 3/1/1. The Aspiring Alchemist tends to be stealthy, able to pass by unheard and unseen when in search for ingredients in dangerous caverns and grottos, therefore high health and stamina pool isn’t necessary.
Stone: I started with the Lover Stone for skill development, yet I switched to The Shadow and The Serpent Stone more than often in early game. The Steed stone can be invaluable once you start collecting all those ingredients and brewing concoctions (the small weight they have add up more than you could think of). Finally your late game standing stone choice is The Atronach Stone.
Perk spread: Level 20/Level 40/Level 50
Major Skills
Alchemy: The Aspiring Alchemist is skilled around making various potions that benefits him one way or another, be it a sip of a drink that makes your eyes glow and sweetens your voice just to get a better bargain, make you completely invisible to a common eye just to slip by if necessary, sprinkle dust on the tip of your magic staff to alter its abilities, or simply brew a deadly poison to poison someone’s mead or coat you dagger with it.
Alteration: Searching in underground places has led you to many alchemical ingredients and ore veins, some of which infested with bandits, even draugr. Safety is your way of approaching with the detect life and death spell. You may also want to use Magelight or Telekinesis for distractions, while on the way turning iron ore into gold.
Enchanting: Gems with souls? The Aspiring Alchemist tends to bring magical items at home and study them on a crafting table.
Minor Skills
Sneak: Self explanatory. You’re the sneaky type, rather than rushing in a cavern full of who knows what.
Pickpocket: Your precise hand can slip into pockets, poisoning those dull-witted bandits ale. Also having extra pockets in an alchemists bag cant be that bad for carrying all those ingredients and innards.
Smithing: Making jewelery is your art and passion, besides alchemy of course! Being able to turn iron into gold must have something to do with this. On the other hand, your cropping tool gets dull overtime.
Illusion: As said above, you natural grasp in magic is minimal, even though you learned how to muffle your boots and silent your staves through the said magic school.
Destruction: When the need arises, you rely on your destruction staves. Being unable to dabble in this particular school of magic, you can often pay an expert that can teach you a lesson or two, showing you the way destruction staves are meant to handle with.
Restoration: Restoration magic runs in your family, yet you are only able to cast a ward spell. On the other hand you never really bothered mastering the other spells, as you trust your herbs more.
Weapons, Staves, Spells and Apparel
Weapon: The Aspiring Alchemist’s weapon of choice is a steel dagger enchanted with fire damage, and another with soul trap, or just one with fiery soul trap if you’re lucky to find one. While some enemies are resistant to poison nor can be pickpocket-poisoned often have weakness to fire, e.g. Draugr, Vampires, Frost trolls etc.
Destruction Staves: I went with the fire damage staves, as said above some enemies you encounter are resistant to poison and often have weakness to fire, and it does not mean that your default approach must be a stealthy one. Staff of Firebolt, Staff of Fireball, Staff of Flame Wall, Staff of Incineration, these are the destruction staves you want your hands on. And according to the UESP, fire staves provide more uses than the other elemental staves. In addition the Staff of Chain Lightning has an in-built impact perk so you might want to lay your hands on one of those too.
Alteration Staves: The Staff of Paralysis. This is the staff that makes an adventurer of your type survive wandering the harsh environments of Skyrim. While easy obtainable in the Snapleg Cave, this particular staff will pose invaluable to you in early and mid game, up until you get the expert paralysis spell and maybe even after. The true power is you can paralyze every wild beast, humanoid, vampire, even a giant fails to resist (Dragons gets staggered).
Alteration spells: All except the master level spells.
Restoration Spells: Lesser Ward, Steadfast Ward, Greater Ward.
Illusion Staves: Staff of Fear/Staff of Vanquishment, these are the staves that can save your hide from an unexpected attack (Hired thugs, wild beasts, etc.). As well as Staves of Fury, Frenzy, Calm and Grand Charming – self explanatory. Note that this staves benefit from the Animage and Kindred Mage perks which are basically stepping stones for the Quiet Casting perk.
Illusion Spells: Muffle only
Unique Staves: Dragon Priest Staff (Wall of flames), Staff of Hag’s Wrath (Wall of Flames), Eye of Melka (Fireball). Those are the fire-based staves that I used, but you can also use any staff you see fit.
Apparel: The Aspiring Alchemist prefers to wear ordinary clothes rather than armor, not only to look the part, but to take the full effect of the Alteration spells. Early on stick with some standard mage robes (preferably with Destruction, Restoration or Alteration bonuses) and Alchemy/Magicka - jewelry/gloves. A few good looks you can go for:
- Hoodless Blue Robes, Vampire Gloves, College Boots, Silver and Sapphire Circlet, Silver Sapphire necklace, Silver Amethyst Ring
- Merchant Clothes, Merchant Boots, Fine Hat, Brown or Vampire Gloves, Silver or Copper/Gold Circlets and Jewlery (depending on the merchant’s clothes color).
As for enchantments:
Alchemist’s working clothes:
Alchemist’s adventuring clothes:
-
Head: Fortify Destruction / Restoration
-
Body: Fortify Destruction / Restoration
-
Boots: Resist Fire or Frost / Fortify Carry Weight
-
Amulet: Fortify Alteration / Restoration
-
Ring: Fortify Alteration / Destruction
-
Gloves: Fortify Magicka / Fortify Carry Weight
The Fortify Destruction enchantments reduce the magicka cost of destruction staves, since this is the only way of dealing ranged damage it’s a must (staves magicka deplete quite fast).
The Fortify Restoration enchantments will reduce the cost of warding spells, that in conjunction with Ward Absorb, the Atronach Stone and perk will result in dragons and mages refilling your magicka making a ward spell last almost forever, while unvulnerable kiting them with your staff.
The Fortify Alteration enchantment will reduce all your alteration spells cost even those on your Staff of Paralysis, as most of the alteration spells are magicka-costy, this will ease your job.
Resist Fire or Frost is totally up to you and your race of choice, I went for the frost resist because I played as a Dark Elf and they are already resistant to fire by 50%. Although this might not be your race of choice.
The Fortify Magicka echantment will grant you extra magicka, and extra carry weight is always welcomed I suppose.
Gameplay
What I really loved about this build was that I watched him progressing through the game. You start as an aspiring alchemist with nothing but your curiosity for mixing ingredients. In fact this build was an attempt to build a commoner, who can and will try to deal with any situation. As the perk tree shows there aren’t any significant perks in the offensive perk trees, in fact 3 perks into Destruction and the Backstab perks in the sneak tree (and maybe alchemy if considered for the poisons). As for anyone who played an assassin build before know how overpowered one can be, and power is not what this build is about (at least not raw power), its about being creative and using various tactics. An alchemist can only wield one dagger at a time (you’re not an assassin to dual wield daggers, you’re just a mere alchemist using his cropping tool for backstabbing). The beauty of the build comes into play when you start planning and packing up potions and poisons for a particular quest, e.g. if going into a cavern where bandits reside you might consider packing/brewing a few invisibility potions, handful of poisons be it damage health poisons, weakness to fire, paralysis etc. This opens a full new spectrum of creative approaches I never experienced before in an ES game, and strengthens the immersion of playing an adventurer.
Thus I present you The Aspiring Alchemist’s favorite moves and tactics:
Alchemist’s Wrath!
Pickpocket + Aversion to fire + Backstab with Paralysis poison + Staff of Flame Wall/Incineration + (optional - Ancestor’s Wrath, if playing Dunmer) and continuous fire enchanted dagger stabbing. There is no bandit chief that can survive the wrath of an alchemist!
You shall not pass!
Fortify Destruction potion + Resist Fire/Frost/Shock/Magic potion + Ward + Destruction Staff. Most useful against dragons, dragon priests and mages alike. Note that the ward itself will protect you from Draugr shouts and Frostbite Spider ranged attacks.
Riot!
Quiet Casting +Throw Voice/Magelight/Telekinesis + Fortify Illusion + Staff of Frenzy. Good and effective way to slip by through crowded bandit nests.
Zealousness!
Elsweyr Fondue + Fortify Destruction + Ward + Destruction Staff. Being an Alchemist, you are able to cook yourself a decent meal, even one that enhances you abilities. The Elsweyr Fondue gives you +100 to your magicka pool and a 25% magicka regeneration rate for 12 minutes, which can work miracles against dragons at lower levels or without the cost reduction enchanted gear.
Adrenaline Rush!
Fortify Alteration + Flesh Spell + Fortify Destruction + Destruction Staff + Ward. The Fortify Alteration potion will increase the duration of your flesh spell greatly, while making evasive maneuvers cast a ward spell in your off-hand and keep it up, kite the enemies with your destruction staff. This is most useful against archers, as wards increase your armor too.
A Cornered Rat!
Fortify Block Potion + Flesh Spell + Vegetable Soup + Fortify Destruction (optional) + Torch blocking and bashing and dagger stabbing. Most useful for when your pickpocket-poisoning failed, or simply got detected.While easily getting the block cap with the fortify block potion, getting some armor rating from the flesh spell, the vegetable soup will give you infinite bashes for 12 minutes, while both the torch bash and your dagger fire damage get augmented with the fortify destruction potion.
Transparent Testudo!
Ward + dagger regular attacks (note that power attacks will break your ward). Not much of a tactic itself, but worth mentioning. While keeping your ward up, you can still attack with your other hand. Useful against mages and dragon priests. Since this is how i defeated Krosis after using all my staff charges, i thought its worth mentioning (a steadfast ward neglected his frost cloak and his fireball attacks).
PS. I divided them into 7 different moves against different opponents and situations, just to show you the basic idea (and avoiding long columns of text). However there is plenty of space for experimenting, for e.g. pickpocket + 3-4 frostbite venom kills a common bandit on master, sneak + quiet casting + paralyze + unrelenting force = send someone off cliff, sneak up + pickpocket + weakness to fire + staff of paralysis + fire breath + scroll/staff of fireballs and so on… keep experimenting.
Roleplay, Quest's and closing remarks
As for roleplay, I played my Aspiring Alchemist as an adventurer and a scholar. He crossed the Skyrim border not even being aware of while drinking what the landscape had to offer, just to find that he was in Skyrim’s territory and caught in an Imperial - Stormcloak ambush. He was a descendant of the once honored Great House Hlaalu of Vvardenfell, so he was comfortable with the imperial law and custom and went to escape the dragon attack at Helgen with Hadvar, knowing he can reason with him. After arriving at Riverwood he dicided to continue his journey here in Skyrim. He’d be happy with Skyrim’s townsfolk company, but would always search through dungeons and grottos for alchemical ingredients, forgotten artifacts, treasures, books and writings. I didn’t join the College of Winterhold for obvious reasons, for i wasn’t a full-fledged mage myself. I married a Dunmer alchemist such as myself, and settled in Hjaalmarch in a house I built.
Recommended/RP-wise Quests:
- Discerning The Transmundane - I went for the path of magic (saved me some money and time for destruction and enchanting).
- A Return To Your Roots - 25% chance to make a duplicate potion or poison when using alchemy is awesome!
- Azura’s Star - Essential for maintaining your staves during lower levels.
- Bards College - Adventurer and a scholar right, perhaps even a poet?
- The White Phial - Not much beneficial, yet RP-wise.
- Avrusa Sarethi’s misc quest (Smooth Jazbay) - After completion you can harvest her farm full of Nirnroots which only she knows how to re grow them. She is also a fellow alchemist and a possible marriage candidate.
- Every town’s alchemist misc quest
The rest is up to you! The build itself is very flexible and can do pretty much every guild questline depending on your way of roleplaying it. The Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood, College of Winterhold, The Main Quest, The Civil War, The DLC’s , whatever quests you see fit.
As for list of useful potions and poisons, i decited to not include them in the presentation as it will take lots in columns of text and spoil the thrill of discovery :) However here is a link of all "craftable" potions and poisons and ingredient effects for the impatient.
Well thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and caught an idea for your current or future build. And if you choose to play this build don’t forget that there are endless possibilities and approaches, be creative!
I'm glad its well accepted 
Thanks for your sympathy! It's a lot of fun i assure you 
