The Warlock
The Build
Race: Breton Vampire
Gender: Male
Stone: The Advanced Atronach is chosen early on to simulate his extra magic resistance; later in the game, supercharged versions of either the Advanced Apprentice or Advanced Lady are used
Stats Distribution: 0 Magicka | 1 Health | 0 Stamina
Weapons: None
Equipment: Unenchanted Black Robes and Boots, Necklace of Alchemy
Spells: Vampiric Grip in Human Form, Telekinesis, Bound Sword, Lesser Ward, and Equilibrium
Shouts: Bend Will, Dragonrend, Slow Time, Summon Durnehviir, and Unrelenting Force
Powers: Dragonborn Force, Secret of Arcana, Secret Servant, Seeker of Shadows, Scholar’s Insight, Mora’s Boon, and Prowler's Profit
Essential Quests: The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, Dawnguard Questline, Dragonborn Questline, College of Winterhold Questline, Agent of Mara, No Stone Unturned, Unearthed, The Final Descent, The Sallow Regent, and Discerning the Transmundane
Introduction
At its heart, The Warlock is a minimalist character in terms of both skills and items; this build aims to keep the inventory and spellbook to a bare minimum. The central combat ability of this character is telekinesis. This will be explained further down. Keep in mind that the playstyle of this build does not fit the typical archetypes, as there are no combat skills used by this character. The three major skills are Alchemy, Alteration, and Restoration. This was played on Adept difficulty.
The Warlock doesn’t wear enchanted clothing and armor or use weapons and staves. He is not an armor clad warrior, gadget driven thief, or a master wizard with a spellbook the size of an encyclopedia. Rather, he focuses on honing his theoretical knowledge of Alchemy and Alteration in order to utilize his innate gift of telekinesis late game.
Note: In the beginning, it will be very difficult for this character to survive direct confrontations. Later on, the build becomes extremely powerful against most animal, human, and undead foes, by using Vampiric Grip in human form and a few neat tricks to fuel this Magicka hungry form of Blood Magic.
Backstory
The Warlock was born the son of a powerful witch who belonged to a coven in a remote area of Highrock. The children born to these witches were rarely male, and those who were male could never become full members of the coven. They were barred from practicing actual magic. Instead, the young men were often encouraged to accept the lycanthropic blessing of Hircine and serve as protectors and sentinels for the coven’s home.
During his early teenage years, the Warlock was told that it was time to accept Hircine’s gift and become a werewolf. However, he rejected the premise that lycanthropy was his only option to gain supernatural power. He was no warrior, and felt no connection with the Daedric Lord of the Hunt or his brutal minions. Rather, the desire to expand his intellectual abilities through scholarly pursuits burned inside of him. It was decided that since he refused to serve a useful purpose in the role of guardian, he would be sent away and apprenticed to a master outside the coven.
He had been trained in general magical theory, but not practice, by the witches of the coven throughout most of his childhood. Now he was to be sent away to live with a reclusive master alchemist and wizard to be instructed more deeply in the craft than the simple herbalists at the coven could manage. Because of his intelligence and willful nature, his new master had high hopes of training him in the use of the arcane arts. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to both the wizard and his former coven, this young pupil could barely touch Aetherius.
It had always been assumed that the Warlock would become a powerful sorcerer because of his heritage. As a young boy, he even displayed a unique affinity for telekinesis which allowed him to naturally reach out and touch the world with his mind. Yet, his almost non-existent connection to Aetherius made it almost impossible for him to sustain a spell like telekinesis for more than a couple of seconds. It was thought at first that this was simply because of his lack of practical magical training, but later it became clear that something else was wrong. It turned out, however, that there was one advantage possessed by our young apprentice; his limited access to Aetherius granted him a magical resistance far beyond the resilience associated with ordinary Bretons.
Finally, after a miserable year filled with repeated attempts by the wizard to nurture some form of magical aptitude, his master gave up on him. Filled with disappointment over his apprentice’s lack of magical ability and a deep resentment for having to keep him around, the wizard relegated the young man to simple chores around his tower. Two years passed and the young man could no longer endure the ridicule and misery of staying with his master. It was at this point that he decided to leave and seek his own way in life. And he had a plan that would set him on a dark path. He would no longer allow himself to be denied power, and he intended to wield this power no matter the cost!
Through his purely academic studies of Alchemy, Alteration, and obscure vampire lore, the Warlock became convinced that he could overcome his magical disability by carefully influencing his access to Magicka using a mixture of alchemical experimentation and the application of Blood Magic. He believed that this would enhance many of the positive aspects of being a vampire while minimizing the negative effects, thereby granting him great power. This would of course necessitate striking a deal with Molag Bal in order to gain the gift of pure vampirism. The temptation of gaining power from such sources continues to grow over time. His burning desire to wield power will lead him down the dangerous path of forging even more fell pacts with powerful beings in exchange for dark magical abilities. Eventually, he begins to deal with the Demon of Knowledge to learn some of the most powerful and profane magical secrets imaginable.
Another of his theories concerned the power of the stars. He believed that it might be possible to grant himself nearly limitless power by a process of manipulating the stars themselves through Star Pacts; these are made by using alchemical knowledge to change the properties of the Blessings granted by Skyrim's Standing Stones. He will work towards perfecting this technique in order to access to his magical potential.
Upon the realization that he might be capable of more in life than toil and ridicule, the Warlock had decided to leave his native Highrock to seek knowledge and adventure in the other provinces of Tamriel. He quickly became both an accomplished scholar and an adroit wordsmith, and he wished to ply these skills in the pursuit of knowledge and adventure in the far corners of the world. He dreamt of traveling from place to place looking for rare ingredients and ancient secrets that might increase his connection to magic. His travels brought him to Skyrim where he was captured while crossing the border under suspicion of some sort of illegal activity…the stupid Imperial soldiers were not very clear about his alleged crime.
Gameplay
Psychokinetic Power - this will be the primary focus of the build for both combat and roleplaying. In order to use this in combat, you will need to acquire the Bound Sword Tome found in Treva's Watch and become a Vampire Lord. Use the Bound Sword Spell immediately after activating the transform power - double click the casting button before holding it down for a second to get the best chance of success. Now activate Revert Form and then open the hotkey tab. Finally, select the Vampiric Grip power causing the list to disappear. You are now ready to use your new power.
Offensive Telekinesis
Telekinesis is the true power of the Warlock. It is your primary weapon and a potent one at that! You will be able to fling your enemies off cliffs and towers, hurl them into dungeon traps, or simply keep them at bay while you think of a better plan. The experience makes you feel like a powerful master of forbidden magic. The major problem that you will encounter is the power draining nature of telekinetic magic; couple this with your 100 point Magicka reserve, and it becomes necessary to use some special tactics to stay viable in combat. No worries though! Further down you will find some tricks that will keep you going strong.
Mundane Telekinesis
The second aspect of telekinesis is roleplaying using the Telekinesis Spell from the Alteration School (found in Redwater Den or Benkongerike). Using this spell can be lots of fun when stealing items from stores or activating traps in dungeons. It also serves as the only means of leveling your Alteration skill - and the only way to get the Magic Resist and Atronach Perks. These will help with survivability while simultaneously keeping your Magicka bar full while fighting magic users. It also gives a sense of having resistances granted by your dark experiments and quest for power.
Getting Started
Your character will begin as a relatively weak alchemist who is only concerned with traveling Skyrim in search of components that can be used to experiment with and improve his skill. Ingredients that will level the skill quickly are salmon roe combined with: Nordic barnacles and garlic or histcarp and salt. Working toward mastery of Alchemy in paramount to making this character succeed as most of the tricks used to fuel our telekinetic ability are tied to using Alchemy to create a Fortify Restoration loop to empower either The Apprentice or The Lady stones.
It is also important that the character trains his Restoration skill concurrently with Alchemy. The easiest way to do this is by joining the Dawnguard side for access to Florentius Baenius. He is both a master trainer and he buys potions, making it the perfect training location. Restoration with give you access to the Necromage perk and all of the benefits that it brings to a vampire build.
Staying alive early in the game requires you to avoid most direct confrontations. This is definitely achievable if you are simply wandering the world looking for alchemical components. Animals pose no problem for you as long as you utilize the Alchemist's Nature listed under the abilities section.
Restrictions
The major restrictions that I had for this character revolved around limiting the selling of his own potions, a refusal to wear any form of armor, and never using any weapons or enchanted items and clothing. The character is obsessed with finding ways of boosting his own power through bargains and exploiting magical knowledge and blessings. He does not loot items other than gold, gems, and expensive jewelry. He is not a wizard and will never buy a spell from anyone or use tomes other than the ones listed under the Spells section of The Build. I attempted to keep the inventory limited to the following items: unenchanted robes and boots, one item of jewelry (can be stock enchanted), one torch, ten lockpicks, and alchemical ingredients (for training and utility). While the Warlock has a healthy respect for the Daedra (he was born in a witch coven after all), he does not feel the need to utilize their artifacts; the only exceptions are Hermaeus Mora’s Black Books and Oghma Infinium. You should sell all of the other artifacts for extra gold.
One last thing, I refrained from using fast travel with the exception of an occasional carriage or boat ride - for example, taking the boat from Dawnstar to Castle Volikhar. Traveling around Skyrim on foot or horseback gives you the feeling of being an adventurer.
Perks
Major Skills
Alchemy: This skill represents the Warlock’s scholarly pursuits and the search for a means to improve his abilities. It is through Alchemy that he will find the power to reach his full potential with telekinesis. By using the Fortify Restoration loop with either the Apprentice or Lady birthstones, he is able to grant himself either enhanced Magicka or Health and Stamina Regeneration. Alchemy is rather overpowered, so the Warlock will forgo the use of all equipment and enchantments (except one Fortify Alchemy item) to counterbalance the power. Additionally, in order to limit the massive income that results from Alchemy, you should restrict the selling of potions to paying for your training in Restoration. After all, nobody other than an insane priest of Arkay would be willing to buy your vile and unpredictable witch's brew, right?
Alteration: His theoretical knowledge of Alteration manifests itself in an increased resistance to magical attacks, improved durations with Slow Time, and the ability to absorb a portion of incoming spells. This skill will be even more important if he takes the Magical Affinity path and must deal with the side effect of doubled magic damage. The only spells used from this school are Telekinesis and Equilibrium. Telekinesis will be used for training Alteration, and for roleplaying purposes (there is a certain shelf in the East Empire Company Warehouse that is filled with a component of Elsweyr Fondue). Equilibrium will be essential to using the Blood Magic ability.
Restoration: While he is not a healer, the Warlock realized the amazing power that could be had if one truly understood how to control the body and the forces of life that animate our world. This skill will only be trained through Florentius Baenius. The only spells that can be used from this school are Ward spells. These act as an expression of his telekinetic ability being used to deflect magic, helping to offset the weaknesses inflicted by the Apprentice stone. The true gem from this skill is the Necromage perk combined with vampirism. In order to gain the full effect, take this before taking the Magic Resist and Atronach perks from the Alteration tree and before finishing the Agent of Mara quest. This combination gives you a fiendish resilience that makes you nearly immune to magic when combined with the Blood Magic ability.
Minor Skills
Speech: The Warlock also has natural charisma which allows him to talk his way into and out of situations. He comes off as a roguish young man. The Bribery and Persuasion perks will emulate these traits. Your Speech skill will level naturally as you sell potions to fund your Restoration trainings (a good reason to use Florentius, owing to the fact that he buys potions). This will also increase to money you get from the gems and jewelry that you find while exploring the far corners of Skyrim.
Lockpicking: His love of adventuring and natural curiosity leads the Warlock to open every lock that he finds. Being a minimalist, this character will not be carrying hundreds of lockpicks; actually, for roleplaying purposes he should be limited to around ten picks at a time. This will help to increase the importance of the perks, and later make the Unbreakable perk a welcome addition to the character. Finally, the Golden Touch perk will increase his stash of gold to fund training sessions. Combined with Prowler's Profit this makes him a perfect treasure hunter. His pockets will be overflowing with gold and gems!
Lesser Pact Abilities
Repelling Blast
Requirements: Unrelenting Force, Dragonborn Force, Fortify Destruction Potion
Description: The most basic ability possessed by the Warlock is the power to project raw telekinetic force in a devastating cone of energy. Unfortunately, this power is limited by his lack of magical aptitude; hence the cooldown period. In an effort to increase the power of this ability, the Warlock decided to make a pact with The Demon of Knowledge. Through this pact he learned an ancient secret from his dark patron which allowed him to increase the potency of his blasts. Additionally, he learned through experimentation that he could boost the power even more using his alchemical knowledge. If he faces a more powerful foe, he relies on the laws of physics and the use of high ground to deal more damage to potential enemies.
Debilitating Curse
Requirements: Secret of Arcana, Vampiric Grip, Vampiric Drain (Concentration)
Description: When facing a single powerful foe, especially in areas where he cannot telekinetically hurl an opponent to their death, the Warlock can invoke a dark magical curse to immobilize an enemy in a life sapping grip of death. Even as their own vitality is stolen, his is slowly replenished. He is generally only capable of this taxing feat after learning the Secret of Arcana from The Demon of Knowledge. However, it is possible to use this without the Secret of Arcana, but you will end up needing to recharge your Magicka every few seconds when using an alternate source of power. The Path of Magical Affinity can be used in lieu of the Secret of Arcana; this requires short intervals in the assault, but allows for a nearly instantaneous recovery period.
Beguiling Influence
Requirements: Bend Will, Potion of Invisibility, and Hide Somewhere
Description: You struck a deal with the Demon of Knowledge. In return for your service he has shared an ancient and dark secret. The power to control the minds of lowly beasts, men and elves, even dragons through ancient and foul bewitchments. This can either be used when facing large crowds or to enlist the aid of enemies (at least those who are susceptible to Bend Will) against those immune to your telekinetic powers. For example Daedra, Dragons, or Dwemer Automatons.
Alchemist's Nature
Requirements: Voice of the Sky, Be Careful Not to Attack Animals
Description: Have you ever noticed that Skyrim is filled with dead alchemists? The corpses of these guys and gals are everywhere. Alas, it seems likely that these poor fools died with the same mission that you have – to find rare components with the hope of learning the true power of their craft. They generally have black robes and boots, a satchel, and couple of ingredients just like you. The difference is that you are smart about adventuring in the harsh wilds. You embark on the occasional pilgrimage up the Throat of the World to be blessed with the ability to be unharmed by many of the natural predators of the land.
Alchemist’s Advantage
Requirements: Elsweyr Fondue, Fortify Magicka Potion, Fortify Magicka Regeneration Potion, Vampire Lord, Bound Sword (For Vampire Lord Glitch), and Vampiric Grip
Description: Early in his search, the Warlock will be incapable of creating potions that allow him to achieve the abilities of Magical Affinity or Blood Magic. Because of this he must resort to other methods of boosting his limited magical reserves before using his Vampiric Grip power. During his travels, he had learned the Khajiit recipe for a Magicka empowering dish found in Elsweyr; combine this with a few potions to fortify his reserves and regeneration rate, and he temporally gains enough power to win in a direct confrontation. That arrogant and foolish "wizard dual" challenger never saw it coming!
Temporal Acceleration
Requirements: Slow Time, Necromage Vampire, Stability, Blessing of Talos (Optional)
Description: The Warlock’s power allows him to propel himself into a different time frame, accelerating his own body even as the world appears to stand still. The knowledge required for him to accomplish this feat is spread across Skyrim, and it is guarded by vile Hagravens, undead kings, and ancient Dragon Priests. It may be difficult to acquire, but power to bend time to your will is well worth the effort. With this ability he can out maneuver even the quickest of foes, gaining him the high ground and an advantage over enemies immune to his telekinetic powers. This is also a useful backup plan in case all else fails and you need to retreat to safety.
Metamorphosis
Requirements: Vampire Lord Form, Dragon Skin
Description: Warlocks are all about making pacts with otherworldly beings in exchange for power. Rather than the simple disease that most common vampires are afflicted with, vampirism can actually come in the form of a pact. A bargain with The Daedric Lord of Domination can turn an individual into a pure blooded vampire. Because the Warlock received this gift directly from a Daughter of Coldharbor, his is one most pure expressions of Molag Bal's ancient curse. Thus, he gains power beyond normal vampires. His newfound abilities allow him to unleash the most terrible depths of his darkened soul as he transforms into a fearsome creature of the night. Although this power is rarely used by the Warlock, it can be a life saver when he is faced by either a tough opponent or those immune to telekinesis.
Baleful Utterance
Requirements: Dragonrend, Soul Tear, Secret of Arcana, Lesser Ward, and Vampiric Drain (Concentration), Blessing of Talos (Optional, but recommended)
Description: The Warlock made a pact with a dracolich named Durnehviir. If the Warlock would use his powers to grant this undead dragon access to the realm of mortals once again, he would share knowledge of a dark magic unknown to even the most skilled of necromancers. The power to reach into the very being of an unsuspecting creature and use profane sorcery to rip asunder body and soul. This ability will work against any foe, making it a useful weapon. However, when the Warlock combines Durnehviir's black magic with the hate fueled words of Dragonrend and the secrets of Hermaeus Mora, he is able to lash out against and injure any wyrm foolish enough to confront him in battle, turning the tides to his favor. This generally only works well against lesser dragons. However, when facing a more powerful dragon you can use a combination of Soul Tear and Lesser Ward to slowly chip away at it's health while remaining protected from breath attacks.
Star Pact Abilities
The Path of Magical Affinity
Requirements: Advanced Apprentice (Use Fortify Restoration Potion: ~2000%), Vampire Lord, Bound Sword (For Vampire Lord Glitch), Vampiric Grip, and a Ward spell
Description: If you are able to gain the use of this ability prior to mastering Alteration, you will suffer from an extreme weakness to magic. This is a nasty side effect of tearing open the veil between yourself and Aetherius, but it might be worth it if you can gain more power. However, using a Ward spell now becomes a necessary method of defense against magic users and dragons. This is probably most of the most fun ways to play the character, as it requires you to time the Ward spell correctly to avoid damage. Because your character will have a base Magicka of 100, and no other means of attack or defense, you will need to have the maximum amount of Magicka regeneration from The Apprentice stone. Generally, this only becomes possible with a high Alchemy skill, so begin training early. Few enemies will be able to stand against your telekinetic assaults (Vampiric Grip). Dragons and other enemies that are immune to telekinesis will be dealt with by luring them to face Giants, Saber Cats, or other potential allies in the wilderness.
The Path of Blood Magic
Requirements: Advanced Lady (Use Fortify Restoration Potion: 500-1000%), Vampire Lord, Bound Sword (For Vampire Lord Glitch), Necromage, Avoid Death, Atronach and Magic Resist Perks, Agent of Mara, Vampiric Grip, and Equilibrium
Description: This is the epitome of the Warlock’s power. He has mastered the weaknesses of the vampire through Alchemy and become a font of power stemming from blood magic. You are now a creature of the night who need not fear the tyranny of the sun. Your wounds will heal amazingly fast and you will never tire again. Taking the Necromage perk prior to the Agent of Mara, Atronach, and Magic Resistance, will increase the effectiveness of these powers, making you nearly immune to magical attacks and providing an extra means of fueling your own magical reserves through spell absorption. You can leap and sprint around the battlefield avoiding the majority of physical damage and shrugging off magical attacks while simultaneously employing Vampiric Grip and using Equilibrium to fuel your telekinetic onslaught.
Quests/Roleplay
Roleplaying Rules
Just to emphasize this again, the Warlock is a minimalist in terms of equipment and spells. He does not use anything beyond alchemy ingredients and lore or skill books. The only spells that he knows are listed in The Build section. His only weapons are his fists, short list of shouts, and Vampiric Grip. He wears only unenchanted clothing and he does not loot dungeons of anything besides gold and gemstones.
Important Quests
The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller - this is the first questline that you should undertake because it provides you with your most basic weapon, namely the Unrelenting Force shout that is the foundation of the Concussion Blast ability. Until this quest is finished, you will only have your fists and possibly a follower to get through dungeons. Another option is simply running through the dungeon like a scared young apprentice.
Dawnguard - start the Dawnguard quest early to gain access to Florentius Baenius for Restoration training. Remember that he buys potions, making the training sessions more efficient by allowing you to level Alchemy, Restoration, and Speech simultaneously. This will also allow you to be turned into a Vampire Lord by Serana. These are both essential to the character's abilities. Restoration opens the door to the Necromage perk and Vampire Lord grants access to your main weapon, Vampiric Grip. Make sure to sell the two Elder Scrolls to Dexion after the questline is finished.
College of Winterhold - the College will grant you access to an extra word of the Slow Time shout and the lesser ward spell from Tolfdir. For roleplaying purposes the only way that you can gain access is by passing Faralda's speech challenge. To do this you will need to have at least 70 Speech and the Persuasion perk.
The Book of Love - the Agent of Mara increases your defenses against magic, mitigating the negative aspect of The Apprentice stone or making you nearly immune to magic if you take the Path of Blood Magic. Make sure to take the Necromage perk before finishing this quest in order to gain the maximum benefit from the ability.
No Stone Unturned - because you refrain from looting items and equipment from your dungeon delving adventures, and the fact that you only sell potions to Florentius Baenius, this will prove to be a useful way of making extra money.
Devil May Care
Many would say that it is as best unwise to deal with the Demon of Knowledge. Foolhardy as it might be to bargain with an elder evil, the Warlock is obsessed with gaining personal power at any cost. This ancient and malevolent being known as the Prince of Fate and Lord of Secrets is willing to make a pact granting you immense power. The depths of Oblivion and the distant alien realm of Hermaeus Mora may house the key to your destiny!
Dragonborn - doing the Dragonborn quests grants access to the Bend Will shout, Dragonborn Force, and the secret knowledge of Hermaeus Mora's Black Books. In terms of roleplaying, the lure of secret knowledge is highly attractive for the young Warlock. Because of this, it is important to begin this quest immediately after finishing The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller.
Discerning the Transmundane - completing a quest of ancient knowledge and earning the favor of Hermaeus Mora fit the theme of the Warlock. He is constantly searching for ways to improve his own abilities which makes the Oghma Infinium a tempting prize. You care little for the power of artifacts, so make sure to sell the Elder Scroll to Urag gro-Shub after Alduin's Bane.
The Quest for Power
Unearthed - the Secret of Arcana power will allow you to train your Alteration skill and gain access to the Magic Resistance and Atronach perks. Since Telekinesis is the only Alteration spell that you know, this power will speed up the process immensely. It will also allow you to use Vampiric Grip indefinitely as long as you keep holding the casting button down - your power will slowly crush the life from a single foe.
The Final Descent - gaining access to the Scholar's Insight is the primary reason for taking this quest. Training your Restoration will only take it to 90, so you need to maximize the use of skill books. Your character is also an aspiring scholar which fits perfectly with this ability.
The Sallow Regent - using Secret Servant to store ingredients and potions was appealing to me. I made it a personal rule to never carry more that a few pounds of ingredients at a time. It just seemed more realistic that an alchemist could only carry what fits in a satchel - the dead alchemists scattered around Skyrim seem to be ample evidence of this fact.
My thanks to Golden Fool for creating the perk spread! And thank you to Dragonborn1721, Tim, and Curse Never Dying for the great suggestions!
The Warlock
The Build
Race: Breton Vampire
Gender: Male
Stone: The Advanced Atronach is chosen early on to simulate his extra magic resistance; later in the game, supercharged versions of either the Advanced Apprentice or Advanced Lady are used
Stats Distribution: 0 Magicka | 1 Health | 0 Stamina
Weapons: None
Equipment: Unenchanted Black Robes and Boots, Necklace of Alchemy
Spells: Vampiric Grip in Human Form, Telekinesis, Bound Sword, Lesser Ward, and Equilibrium
Shouts: Bend Will, Dragonrend, Slow Time, Summon Durnehviir, and Unrelenting Force
Powers: Dragonborn Force, Secret of Arcana, Secret Servant, Seeker of Shadows, Scholar’s Insight, Mora’s Boon, and Prowler's Profit
Essential Quests: The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, Dawnguard Questline, Dragonborn Questline, College of Winterhold Questline, Agent of Mara, No Stone Unturned, Unearthed, The Final Descent, The Sallow Regent, and Discerning the Transmundane
Introduction
At its heart, The Warlock is a minimalist character in terms of both skills and items; this build aims to keep the inventory and spellbook to a bare minimum. The central combat ability of this character is telekinesis. This will be explained further down. Keep in mind that the playstyle of this build does not fit the typical archetypes, as there are no combat skills used by this character. The three major skills are Alchemy, Alteration, and Restoration. This was played on Adept difficulty.
The Warlock doesn’t wear enchanted clothing and armor or use weapons and staves. He is not an armor clad warrior, gadget driven thief, or a master wizard with a spellbook the size of an encyclopedia. Rather, he focuses on honing his theoretical knowledge of Alchemy and Alteration in order to utilize his innate gift of telekinesis late game.
Note: In the beginning, it will be very difficult for this character to survive direct confrontations. Later on, the build becomes extremely powerful against most animal, human, and undead foes, by using Vampiric Grip in human form and a few neat tricks to fuel this Magicka hungry form of Blood Magic.
Backstory
The Warlock was born the son of a powerful witch who belonged to a coven in a remote area of Highrock. The children born to these witches were rarely male, and those who were male could never become full members of the coven. They were barred from practicing actual magic. Instead, the young men were often encouraged to accept the lycanthropic blessing of Hircine and serve as protectors and sentinels for the coven’s home.
During his early teenage years, the Warlock was told that it was time to accept Hircine’s gift and become a werewolf. However, he rejected the premise that lycanthropy was his only option to gain supernatural power. He was no warrior, and felt no connection with the Daedric Lord of the Hunt or his brutal minions. Rather, the desire to expand his intellectual abilities through scholarly pursuits burned inside of him. It was decided that since he refused to serve a useful purpose in the role of guardian, he would be sent away and apprenticed to a master outside the coven.
He had been trained in general magical theory, but not practice, by the witches of the coven throughout most of his childhood. Now he was to be sent away to live with a reclusive master alchemist and wizard to be instructed more deeply in the craft than the simple herbalists at the coven could manage. Because of his intelligence and willful nature, his new master had high hopes of training him in the use of the arcane arts. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to both the wizard and his former coven, this young pupil could barely touch Aetherius.
It had always been assumed that the Warlock would become a powerful sorcerer because of his heritage. As a young boy, he even displayed a unique affinity for telekinesis which allowed him to naturally reach out and touch the world with his mind. Yet, his almost non-existent connection to Aetherius made it almost impossible for him to sustain a spell like telekinesis for more than a couple of seconds. It was thought at first that this was simply because of his lack of practical magical training, but later it became clear that something else was wrong. It turned out, however, that there was one advantage possessed by our young apprentice; his limited access to Aetherius granted him a magical resistance far beyond the resilience associated with ordinary Bretons.
Finally, after a miserable year filled with repeated attempts by the wizard to nurture some form of magical aptitude, his master gave up on him. Filled with disappointment over his apprentice’s lack of magical ability and a deep resentment for having to keep him around, the wizard relegated the young man to simple chores around his tower. Two years passed and the young man could no longer endure the ridicule and misery of staying with his master. It was at this point that he decided to leave and seek his own way in life. And he had a plan that would set him on a dark path. He would no longer allow himself to be denied power, and he intended to wield this power no matter the cost!
Through his purely academic studies of Alchemy, Alteration, and obscure vampire lore, the Warlock became convinced that he could overcome his magical disability by carefully influencing his access to Magicka using a mixture of alchemical experimentation and the application of Blood Magic. He believed that this would enhance many of the positive aspects of being a vampire while minimizing the negative effects, thereby granting him great power. This would of course necessitate striking a deal with Molag Bal in order to gain the gift of pure vampirism. The temptation of gaining power from such sources continues to grow over time. His burning desire to wield power will lead him down the dangerous path of forging even more fell pacts with powerful beings in exchange for dark magical abilities. Eventually, he begins to deal with the Demon of Knowledge to learn some of the most powerful and profane magical secrets imaginable.
Another of his theories concerned the power of the stars. He believed that it might be possible to grant himself nearly limitless power by a process of manipulating the stars themselves through Star Pacts; these are made by using alchemical knowledge to change the properties of the Blessings granted by Skyrim's Standing Stones. He will work towards perfecting this technique in order to access to his magical potential.
Upon the realization that he might be capable of more in life than toil and ridicule, the Warlock had decided to leave his native Highrock to seek knowledge and adventure in the other provinces of Tamriel. He quickly became both an accomplished scholar and an adroit wordsmith, and he wished to ply these skills in the pursuit of knowledge and adventure in the far corners of the world. He dreamt of traveling from place to place looking for rare ingredients and ancient secrets that might increase his connection to magic. His travels brought him to Skyrim where he was captured while crossing the border under suspicion of some sort of illegal activity…the stupid Imperial soldiers were not very clear about his alleged crime.
Gameplay
Psychokinetic Power - this will be the primary focus of the build for both combat and roleplaying. In order to use this in combat, you will need to acquire the Bound Sword Tome found in Treva's Watch and become a Vampire Lord. Use the Bound Sword Spell immediately after activating the transform power - double click the casting button before holding it down for a second to get the best chance of success. Now activate Revert Form and then open the hotkey tab. Finally, select the Vampiric Grip power causing the list to disappear. You are now ready to use your new power.
Offensive Telekinesis
Telekinesis is the true power of the Warlock. It is your primary weapon and a potent one at that! You will be able to fling your enemies off cliffs and towers, hurl them into dungeon traps, or simply keep them at bay while you think of a better plan. The experience makes you feel like a powerful master of forbidden magic. The major problem that you will encounter is the power draining nature of telekinetic magic; couple this with your 100 point Magicka reserve, and it becomes necessary to use some special tactics to stay viable in combat. No worries though! Further down you will find some tricks that will keep you going strong.
Mundane Telekinesis
The second aspect of telekinesis is roleplaying using the Telekinesis Spell from the Alteration School (found in Redwater Den or Benkongerike). Using this spell can be lots of fun when stealing items from stores or activating traps in dungeons. It also serves as the only means of leveling your Alteration skill - and the only way to get the Magic Resist and Atronach Perks. These will help with survivability while simultaneously keeping your Magicka bar full while fighting magic users. It also gives a sense of having resistances granted by your dark experiments and quest for power.
Getting Started
Your character will begin as a relatively weak alchemist who is only concerned with traveling Skyrim in search of components that can be used to experiment with and improve his skill. Ingredients that will level the skill quickly are salmon roe combined with: Nordic barnacles and garlic or histcarp and salt. Working toward mastery of Alchemy in paramount to making this character succeed as most of the tricks used to fuel our telekinetic ability are tied to using Alchemy to create a Fortify Restoration loop to empower either The Apprentice or The Lady stones.
It is also important that the character trains his Restoration skill concurrently with Alchemy. The easiest way to do this is by joining the Dawnguard side for access to Florentius Baenius. He is both a master trainer and he buys potions, making it the perfect training location. Restoration with give you access to the Necromage perk and all of the benefits that it brings to a vampire build.
Staying alive early in the game requires you to avoid most direct confrontations. This is definitely achievable if you are simply wandering the world looking for alchemical components. Animals pose no problem for you as long as you utilize the Alchemist's Nature listed under the abilities section.
Restrictions
The major restrictions that I had for this character revolved around limiting the selling of his own potions, a refusal to wear any form of armor, and never using any weapons or enchanted items and clothing. The character is obsessed with finding ways of boosting his own power through bargains and exploiting magical knowledge and blessings. He does not loot items other than gold, gems, and expensive jewelry. He is not a wizard and will never buy a spell from anyone or use tomes other than the ones listed under the Spells section of The Build. I attempted to keep the inventory limited to the following items: unenchanted robes and boots, one item of jewelry (can be stock enchanted), one torch, ten lockpicks, and alchemical ingredients (for training and utility). While the Warlock has a healthy respect for the Daedra (he was born in a witch coven after all), he does not feel the need to utilize their artifacts; the only exceptions are Hermaeus Mora’s Black Books and Oghma Infinium. You should sell all of the other artifacts for extra gold.
One last thing, I refrained from using fast travel with the exception of an occasional carriage or boat ride - for example, taking the boat from Dawnstar to Castle Volikhar. Traveling around Skyrim on foot or horseback gives you the feeling of being an adventurer.
Perks
Major Skills
Alchemy: This skill represents the Warlock’s scholarly pursuits and the search for a means to improve his abilities. It is through Alchemy that he will find the power to reach his full potential with telekinesis. By using the Fortify Restoration loop with either the Apprentice or Lady birthstones, he is able to grant himself either enhanced Magicka or Health and Stamina Regeneration. Alchemy is rather overpowered, so the Warlock will forgo the use of all equipment and enchantments (except one Fortify Alchemy item) to counterbalance the power. Additionally, in order to limit the massive income that results from Alchemy, you should restrict the selling of potions to paying for your training in Restoration. After all, nobody other than an insane priest of Arkay would be willing to buy your vile and unpredictable witch's brew, right?
Alteration: His theoretical knowledge of Alteration manifests itself in an increased resistance to magical attacks, improved durations with Slow Time, and the ability to absorb a portion of incoming spells. This skill will be even more important if he takes the Magical Affinity path and must deal with the side effect of doubled magic damage. The only spells used from this school are Telekinesis and Equilibrium. Telekinesis will be used for training Alteration, and for roleplaying purposes (there is a certain shelf in the East Empire Company Warehouse that is filled with a component of Elsweyr Fondue). Equilibrium will be essential to using the Blood Magic ability.
Restoration: While he is not a healer, the Warlock realized the amazing power that could be had if one truly understood how to control the body and the forces of life that animate our world. This skill will only be trained through Florentius Baenius. The only spells that can be used from this school are Ward spells. These act as an expression of his telekinetic ability being used to deflect magic, helping to offset the weaknesses inflicted by the Apprentice stone. The true gem from this skill is the Necromage perk combined with vampirism. In order to gain the full effect, take this before taking the Magic Resist and Atronach perks from the Alteration tree and before finishing the Agent of Mara quest. This combination gives you a fiendish resilience that makes you nearly immune to magic when combined with the Blood Magic ability.
Minor Skills
Speech: The Warlock also has natural charisma which allows him to talk his way into and out of situations. He comes off as a roguish young man. The Bribery and Persuasion perks will emulate these traits. Your Speech skill will level naturally as you sell potions to fund your Restoration trainings (a good reason to use Florentius, owing to the fact that he buys potions). This will also increase to money you get from the gems and jewelry that you find while exploring the far corners of Skyrim.
Lockpicking: His love of adventuring and natural curiosity leads the Warlock to open every lock that he finds. Being a minimalist, this character will not be carrying hundreds of lockpicks; actually, for roleplaying purposes he should be limited to around ten picks at a time. This will help to increase the importance of the perks, and later make the Unbreakable perk a welcome addition to the character. Finally, the Golden Touch perk will increase his stash of gold to fund training sessions. Combined with Prowler's Profit this makes him a perfect treasure hunter. His pockets will be overflowing with gold and gems!
Lesser Pact Abilities
Repelling Blast
Requirements: Unrelenting Force, Dragonborn Force, Fortify Destruction Potion
Description: The most basic ability possessed by the Warlock is the power to project raw telekinetic force in a devastating cone of energy. Unfortunately, this power is limited by his lack of magical aptitude; hence the cooldown period. In an effort to increase the power of this ability, the Warlock decided to make a pact with The Demon of Knowledge. Through this pact he learned an ancient secret from his dark patron which allowed him to increase the potency of his blasts. Additionally, he learned through experimentation that he could boost the power even more using his alchemical knowledge. If he faces a more powerful foe, he relies on the laws of physics and the use of high ground to deal more damage to potential enemies.
Debilitating Curse
Requirements: Secret of Arcana, Vampiric Grip, Vampiric Drain (Concentration)
Description: When facing a single powerful foe, especially in areas where he cannot telekinetically hurl an opponent to their death, the Warlock can invoke a dark magical curse to immobilize an enemy in a life sapping grip of death. Even as their own vitality is stolen, his is slowly replenished. He is generally only capable of this taxing feat after learning the Secret of Arcana from The Demon of Knowledge. However, it is possible to use this without the Secret of Arcana, but you will end up needing to recharge your Magicka every few seconds when using an alternate source of power. The Path of Magical Affinity can be used in lieu of the Secret of Arcana; this requires short intervals in the assault, but allows for a nearly instantaneous recovery period.
Beguiling Influence
Requirements: Bend Will, Potion of Invisibility, and Hide Somewhere
Description: You struck a deal with the Demon of Knowledge. In return for your service he has shared an ancient and dark secret. The power to control the minds of lowly beasts, men and elves, even dragons through ancient and foul bewitchments. This can either be used when facing large crowds or to enlist the aid of enemies (at least those who are susceptible to Bend Will) against those immune to your telekinetic powers. For example Daedra, Dragons, or Dwemer Automatons.
Alchemist's Nature
Requirements: Voice of the Sky, Be Careful Not to Attack Animals
Description: Have you ever noticed that Skyrim is filled with dead alchemists? The corpses of these guys and gals are everywhere. Alas, it seems likely that these poor fools died with the same mission that you have – to find rare components with the hope of learning the true power of their craft. They generally have black robes and boots, a satchel, and couple of ingredients just like you. The difference is that you are smart about adventuring in the harsh wilds. You embark on the occasional pilgrimage up the Throat of the World to be blessed with the ability to be unharmed by many of the natural predators of the land.
Alchemist’s Advantage
Requirements: Elsweyr Fondue, Fortify Magicka Potion, Fortify Magicka Regeneration Potion, Vampire Lord, Bound Sword (For Vampire Lord Glitch), and Vampiric Grip
Description: Early in his search, the Warlock will be incapable of creating potions that allow him to achieve the abilities of Magical Affinity or Blood Magic. Because of this he must resort to other methods of boosting his limited magical reserves before using his Vampiric Grip power. During his travels, he had learned the Khajiit recipe for a Magicka empowering dish found in Elsweyr; combine this with a few potions to fortify his reserves and regeneration rate, and he temporally gains enough power to win in a direct confrontation. That arrogant and foolish "wizard dual" challenger never saw it coming!
Temporal Acceleration
Requirements: Slow Time, Necromage Vampire, Stability, Blessing of Talos (Optional)
Description: The Warlock’s power allows him to propel himself into a different time frame, accelerating his own body even as the world appears to stand still. The knowledge required for him to accomplish this feat is spread across Skyrim, and it is guarded by vile Hagravens, undead kings, and ancient Dragon Priests. It may be difficult to acquire, but power to bend time to your will is well worth the effort. With this ability he can out maneuver even the quickest of foes, gaining him the high ground and an advantage over enemies immune to his telekinetic powers. This is also a useful backup plan in case all else fails and you need to retreat to safety.
Metamorphosis
Requirements: Vampire Lord Form, Dragon Skin
Description: Warlocks are all about making pacts with otherworldly beings in exchange for power. Rather than the simple disease that most common vampires are afflicted with, vampirism can actually come in the form of a pact. A bargain with The Daedric Lord of Domination can turn an individual into a pure blooded vampire. Because the Warlock received this gift directly from a Daughter of Coldharbor, his is one most pure expressions of Molag Bal's ancient curse. Thus, he gains power beyond normal vampires. His newfound abilities allow him to unleash the most terrible depths of his darkened soul as he transforms into a fearsome creature of the night. Although this power is rarely used by the Warlock, it can be a life saver when he is faced by either a tough opponent or those immune to telekinesis.
Baleful Utterance
Requirements: Dragonrend, Soul Tear, Secret of Arcana, Lesser Ward, and Vampiric Drain (Concentration), Blessing of Talos (Optional, but recommended)
Description: The Warlock made a pact with a dracolich named Durnehviir. If the Warlock would use his powers to grant this undead dragon access to the realm of mortals once again, he would share knowledge of a dark magic unknown to even the most skilled of necromancers. The power to reach into the very being of an unsuspecting creature and use profane sorcery to rip asunder body and soul. This ability will work against any foe, making it a useful weapon. However, when the Warlock combines Durnehviir's black magic with the hate fueled words of Dragonrend and the secrets of Hermaeus Mora, he is able to lash out against and injure any wyrm foolish enough to confront him in battle, turning the tides to his favor. This generally only works well against lesser dragons. However, when facing a more powerful dragon you can use a combination of Soul Tear and Lesser Ward to slowly chip away at it's health while remaining protected from breath attacks.
Star Pact Abilities
The Path of Magical Affinity
Requirements: Advanced Apprentice (Use Fortify Restoration Potion: ~2000%), Vampire Lord, Bound Sword (For Vampire Lord Glitch), Vampiric Grip, and a Ward spell
Description: If you are able to gain the use of this ability prior to mastering Alteration, you will suffer from an extreme weakness to magic. This is a nasty side effect of tearing open the veil between yourself and Aetherius, but it might be worth it if you can gain more power. However, using a Ward spell now becomes a necessary method of defense against magic users and dragons. This is probably most of the most fun ways to play the character, as it requires you to time the Ward spell correctly to avoid damage. Because your character will have a base Magicka of 100, and no other means of attack or defense, you will need to have the maximum amount of Magicka regeneration from The Apprentice stone. Generally, this only becomes possible with a high Alchemy skill, so begin training early. Few enemies will be able to stand against your telekinetic assaults (Vampiric Grip). Dragons and other enemies that are immune to telekinesis will be dealt with by luring them to face Giants, Saber Cats, or other potential allies in the wilderness.
The Path of Blood Magic
Requirements: Advanced Lady (Use Fortify Restoration Potion: 500-1000%), Vampire Lord, Bound Sword (For Vampire Lord Glitch), Necromage, Avoid Death, Atronach and Magic Resist Perks, Agent of Mara, Vampiric Grip, and Equilibrium
Description: This is the epitome of the Warlock’s power. He has mastered the weaknesses of the vampire through Alchemy and become a font of power stemming from blood magic. You are now a creature of the night who need not fear the tyranny of the sun. Your wounds will heal amazingly fast and you will never tire again. Taking the Necromage perk prior to the Agent of Mara, Atronach, and Magic Resistance, will increase the effectiveness of these powers, making you nearly immune to magical attacks and providing an extra means of fueling your own magical reserves through spell absorption. You can leap and sprint around the battlefield avoiding the majority of physical damage and shrugging off magical attacks while simultaneously employing Vampiric Grip and using Equilibrium to fuel your telekinetic onslaught.
Quests/Roleplay
Roleplaying Rules
Just to emphasize this again, the Warlock is a minimalist in terms of equipment and spells. He does not use anything beyond alchemy ingredients and lore or skill books. The only spells that he knows are listed in The Build section. His only weapons are his fists, short list of shouts, and Vampiric Grip. He wears only unenchanted clothing and he does not loot dungeons of anything besides gold and gemstones.
Important Quests
The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller - this is the first questline that you should undertake because it provides you with your most basic weapon, namely the Unrelenting Force shout that is the foundation of the Concussion Blast ability. Until this quest is finished, you will only have your fists and possibly a follower to get through dungeons. Another option is simply running through the dungeon like a scared young apprentice.
Dawnguard - start the Dawnguard quest early to gain access to Florentius Baenius for Restoration training. Remember that he buys potions, making the training sessions more efficient by allowing you to level Alchemy, Restoration, and Speech simultaneously. This will also allow you to be turned into a Vampire Lord by Serana. These are both essential to the character's abilities. Restoration opens the door to the Necromage perk and Vampire Lord grants access to your main weapon, Vampiric Grip. Make sure to sell the two Elder Scrolls to Dexion after the questline is finished.
College of Winterhold - the College will grant you access to an extra word of the Slow Time shout and the lesser ward spell from Tolfdir. For roleplaying purposes the only way that you can gain access is by passing Faralda's speech challenge. To do this you will need to have at least 70 Speech and the Persuasion perk.
The Book of Love - the Agent of Mara increases your defenses against magic, mitigating the negative aspect of The Apprentice stone or making you nearly immune to magic if you take the Path of Blood Magic. Make sure to take the Necromage perk before finishing this quest in order to gain the maximum benefit from the ability.
No Stone Unturned - because you refrain from looting items and equipment from your dungeon delving adventures, and the fact that you only sell potions to Florentius Baenius, this will prove to be a useful way of making extra money.
Devil May Care
Many would say that it is as best unwise to deal with the Demon of Knowledge. Foolhardy as it might be to bargain with an elder evil, the Warlock is obsessed with gaining personal power at any cost. This ancient and malevolent being known as the Prince of Fate and Lord of Secrets is willing to make a pact granting you immense power. The depths of Oblivion and the distant alien realm of Hermaeus Mora may house the key to your destiny!
Dragonborn - doing the Dragonborn quests grants access to the Bend Will shout, Dragonborn Force, and the secret knowledge of Hermaeus Mora's Black Books. In terms of roleplaying, the lure of secret knowledge is highly attractive for the young Warlock. Because of this, it is important to begin this quest immediately after finishing The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller.
Discerning the Transmundane - completing a quest of ancient knowledge and earning the favor of Hermaeus Mora fit the theme of the Warlock. He is constantly searching for ways to improve his own abilities which makes the Oghma Infinium a tempting prize. You care little for the power of artifacts, so make sure to sell the Elder Scroll to Urag gro-Shub after Alduin's Bane.
The Quest for Power
Unearthed - the Secret of Arcana power will allow you to train your Alteration skill and gain access to the Magic Resistance and Atronach perks. Since Telekinesis is the only Alteration spell that you know, this power will speed up the process immensely. It will also allow you to use Vampiric Grip indefinitely as long as you keep holding the casting button down - your power will slowly crush the life from a single foe.
The Final Descent - gaining access to the Scholar's Insight is the primary reason for taking this quest. Training your Restoration will only take it to 90, so you need to maximize the use of skill books. Your character is also an aspiring scholar which fits perfectly with this ability.
The Sallow Regent - using Secret Servant to store ingredients and potions was appealing to me. I made it a personal rule to never carry more that a few pounds of ingredients at a time. It just seemed more realistic that an alchemist could only carry what fits in a satchel - the dead alchemists scattered around Skyrim seem to be ample evidence of this fact.
My thanks to Golden Fool for creating the perk spread! And thank you to Dragonborn1721, Tim, and Curse Never Dying for the great suggestions!
