Dark Warden
Dark Wardens are the embodiment of the darkness that was once severed from the Wild. They are heavily armored peacemakers that wield minimal powers to destroy and to resurrect. While they're not powerful fighters or mages, they are heavily tanked that makes up for the endurance of combat to outlast enemies. They were once Wardens of the Forest, divine guardians and druidic warriors that watched over animals and nature, and protectors of elvenkind and innocent folks. Abandoned and forsaken by Y'ffre, they became outcasts and doomed to wander the world tending after the dead and the lost souls. Though the passage to the Pure Forests were closed to them forever, they still retained the power to heal and to bless others. Though the yearning for life runs strong in their blood, the Withering has kept them at bay from being whole and complete, and thus, despair and grief has filled their hearts for ages. And in time, a circle of these warriors came together and came to call themselves the Dark Wardens, for not all hope is lost. Fire and blood still runs warm in their bodies and they still yearn to serve a purpose and to protect others. The Withering has drawn to them the lost souls from beyond the world, and in this the Dark Wardens came to serve them with their hands and blades. With this, they came to regard the Dead as holy and sacred. As the ages turned, they came to learn to wield the power of the Dead, to call upon them from beyond the graves, and to bless with prolonged health and age. Unlike the Necromancers or the Dark Brotherhood, they are not cold-blooded killers nor are they necessarily evil. They are not mindless zombies nor are they dead. They're the Dark Wardens, not the Dead Wardens. Naturally, because of their nature, many of the Daedric Lords were fascinated with them and frequently meddled with these mortals, granting them power more than what they could bear. Namira and Nocturnal frequently come to these death-like warriors more than any of the others, shrouding them in their blessed darkness and rot. Few travelers that have stumbled across these warriors would gag at the sight of the dreadful Dark Wardens being filled with maggots or laying with the corpses, though this is a rare occurrence. It's not that they're sadistic or twisted, but to them, death is beautiful.
The Build
Dark Wardens are much more heavily geared than their Warden brethens, wearing heavy armors and shields, and naturally inherit magic influenced from various sources during their journeys and lifetime. Staves and Bows are their preferred weapons next to swords and axes. Much like Wardens, their role is a Skirmisher, switching between one-handed weapon and shield with bows and arrows. Range and stealth are still very much applicable to them, however, they are not as adept in stealth as their Warden brethren until much later in life. Most of the Dark Wardens are slow-moving and clumsy especially in their heavy armors, and not as strong in combat, but they are formidable at blocking, warding, and surviving long. They are adept with bows, using range for cover combined with their armors for readied defense even from afar.
Races: Any Elves, all races are warmly acceptable
Star Sign: The Shadow, The Ritual, or The Steed
Emblem: The Nightshade
Major Skills
Dark Wardens take 6 Major Skills, with few of the optional minor skills listed below.
Archery– The most important skill for stealthy, long-ranged attacks, Dark Wardens will snipe from afar to save time when taking down the best targets. It also provides the best cover and defense before taking the energy to skirmish up close. Purchase all of the perks in this for maximum effect. I personally do not use Steady Hands 2/2 since it feels too slow, so instead, I use either Steady Hands 0/1 or 1/1.
Conjuration – Ever since the Daedric Princes first sighted the Dark Wardens, they have warmly opened the jaws of Oblivion, granting them entry and power. Naturally, they have learned a great deal of conjuring all things great and small, magical and spiritual, and to materialize weapons without any weight to slow them down during travels. Bounded weapons would be much more favorable than carrying actual weapons and there would be no need to invest in one-handed weapon skill (unless you need it to increase damage, which is optional.) Most of all out of using this skill, the Dark Wardens will call the dead from beyond the grave to aid them in their greatest need and to keep company when lonely.
Heavy Armor – Dark Wardens feel secured and comfortable being well-protected even aside from having prolonged health, for they cling to life needlessly. Though they would be slow and clumsy wearing such things, they would survive and outlast their enemies much longer, thus making them formidable in combat. Invest in all the perks except Fists of Steel, unless you feel that you might get disarmed a lot with weapons and use this perk as backup.
Block – Adding to the heavy armors that the Dark Wardens wear, shields greatly enhance defense like a looming tower, terrifying enemies and commoners alike. This will rival even the Paladins and other Phalanx-like warriors, but with the odd sight of wielding a staff or a bow. Invest all the perks in this branch to become formidable at warding off attackers.
Restoration – From their previous life as Wardens that served the great trees and people, they have knowledge to heal and to bring life to broken things. They have brought this with them all throughout their life in aiding others. However, as they now walk the dark path, they have used the advantage of Turn Undead to control the power of the dead and focus excessively on Warding to protect themselves from magical harm. Invest all the perks in this.
Destruction – Aside from Conjuration, the Dark Wardens have become an adept at learning the dark arts of magic, welcoming them unlike their Warden brethren, who have loathed them for doing this. Since the Dark Wardens have become well-adapted to using bows, magic comes naturally as second in ranged combat, which also gives them some distance and cover as defense. Though they are not as powerful as mages, magic are essential backups on their journeys, and using staves are especially useful in their travels to use its power and to hike up in the mountains with it. Choose a path in this branch: Fire, Frost, or Shock.
Minor Skills
Two to three minor skills are optional, within reason. Here are a few ideas.
One-Handed– This can be optionally replaced as a major skill, though not many Dark Wardens rely on it since they prefer staves and magic to make up for combat along with bows. Just having staves, bows, shields, AND sharp-bladed weapons are just too time-consuming and cumbersome for them to keep switching between them during combat. However, it does work if the staves are discarded in favor of this skill.
Light Armor– This can also be a major skill by choice, which is not impossible since they can travel light and move quietly across the lands, but they would be vulnerable to attacks if caught. Wearing black or dark clothes and armors will definitely match those dreadful warriors, especially Nightingale armors and Thalmor robes. It is also possible to have both dark Heavy AND Light Armors mixed, to make interesting and unique look for your character as well have balanced armor rating.
Sneak – This should be a major skill, however they are not as adept as the Wardens or any other stealth-based classes. But if you chose this and put time and patience into perking all the Sneak skills, then your Dark Warden character will become much more deadly like an “armored shadow.” They are not the Dark Brotherhood or Thieves, but they can still use daggers to backstab or cutthroat enemies, much like the regular Wardens to get past danger.
Alternation – This optional skill will greatly enhance the Dark Warden's powers, granting them the ability to detect the dead, to increase magical armor, and to bring light to dark, lifeless places. This would be greatly encouraged if you prefer it as a major skill, replacing Destruction in favor of this.
Illusion – You can invest a few perks in this to gain Fear, Invisibility, and especially Muffle if you prefer a stealth-based Dark Warden. For Fear, it is natural for most people to flee in terror from sight of such dark, dreadful warriors and to use the power to ward off unnecessary hostiles.
You could come up with your own reason(s) for choosing a different minor skill that would fit for Dark Warden, though those above are the most recommended. What's discouraged is the use of Two-Handed, though it can work, it won't define what they truly are since they rely on magic and usually staves.
Attributes
Invest in a ratio of 50/40/30 for Health, Magicka, and Stamina respectively. Health is #1, Magicka is #2, and Stamina should be last, but not least solely for archery combat. Naturally, they are blessed with long life and well-being, thus their health gradually increases as they age, making them oddly having youthful looks. Magicka is used just as excessively, which is almost equally important as health in use of most magic branches. Stamina is to keep up with the use of combat using Archery and One-Handed weapons and for running and fleeing.
Role-Playing and General Note
The Law
By the orders of the circle of the Dark Wardens, it is your responsibility to keep the dead stay dead. Such examples are the Dragur and Ghosts, these dangerous beings have no business waking up from their slumber and amateur travelers have no business wandering into ruins and dungeons getting killed by them, so it is on your shoulders to clear out these places and to put rest to the dead eternally. Even you must loot as much as you can, for there might even be a slight possible that the items are tainted by death and travelers have no business in touching them anyway. Preserving life is just as important as keeping the corpses left undisturbed and in peace.
The Life
Though Nightshades are somewhat commonly used by the Dark Brotherhood, the Dark Wardens collect those regularly as their symbol and pride that represents life and death and to preserve their own life. Occasionally when you feel the need to, place a Nightshade on top or near a valuable enemy's corpse that gave you a tough, worthy battle in honor. And wherever and whenever you find a worthy or beautiful corpse, place a Nightshade on it once in a while to keep the Withering in you at bay, keeping your life and youth prolonged. And if your loved one or companion has died, put a wreath of Nightshades and flowers upon them as well.
A Place to Call Home
Since being outcast from the blessed Woods, the Dark Wardens have come to call home to all things dark and dead, such as tombs, cemeteries, and some caves. One such example is the Hall of the Dead in some towns. An alternative, suitable home would be the Vlindrel Hall in Markarth, which gives a sense of security and protection in the mountainsides when you reach level 20 after doing some of the quests there. Also, if you feel the need to, you can do the "Taste of Death" quest if you wish to walk the path of the Cannibal, to feast on the dead, and to serve Namira as your god and acquire power from her, and to fellowship among the cannibals in the Reachcliff Cave place as your home. Nightingale Hall is also a good, alternative home for the stealth-based Dark Wardens as well.
The Events
Dark Wardens do not consider themselves Dragonborns, but they will just kill the dragons that get in their way. Songs and tales that spread across the Holds and the lands beyond in honor of them for being Dragonborn will baffle the Dark Wardens, but they will keep themselves humbled and their pride locked in their hearts.
They will also not take part in sides of wars between the Imperial Legions and Stormcloaks that have ravaged and bloodied the lands, instead they will help however they can without joining any group. The Dark Wardens' missions are to preserve lives and corpses wherever and whenever they journey.
Original Warden
To get a better understanding of the past lives of these dread knights, see the original Warden build here: http://theskyrimblog.ning.com/group/character-building/forum/topics/character-build-the-warden
Dark Warden
Dark Wardens are the embodiment of the darkness that was once severed from the Wild. They are heavily armored peacemakers that wield minimal powers to destroy and to resurrect. While they're not powerful fighters or mages, they are heavily tanked that makes up for the endurance of combat to outlast enemies. They were once Wardens of the Forest, divine guardians and druidic warriors that watched over animals and nature, and protectors of elvenkind and innocent folks. Abandoned and forsaken by Y'ffre, they became outcasts and doomed to wander the world tending after the dead and the lost souls. Though the passage to the Pure Forests were closed to them forever, they still retained the power to heal and to bless others. Though the yearning for life runs strong in their blood, the Withering has kept them at bay from being whole and complete, and thus, despair and grief has filled their hearts for ages. And in time, a circle of these warriors came together and came to call themselves the Dark Wardens, for not all hope is lost. Fire and blood still runs warm in their bodies and they still yearn to serve a purpose and to protect others. The Withering has drawn to them the lost souls from beyond the world, and in this the Dark Wardens came to serve them with their hands and blades. With this, they came to regard the Dead as holy and sacred. As the ages turned, they came to learn to wield the power of the Dead, to call upon them from beyond the graves, and to bless with prolonged health and age. Unlike the Necromancers or the Dark Brotherhood, they are not cold-blooded killers nor are they necessarily evil. They are not mindless zombies nor are they dead. They're the Dark Wardens, not the Dead Wardens. Naturally, because of their nature, many of the Daedric Lords were fascinated with them and frequently meddled with these mortals, granting them power more than what they could bear. Namira and Nocturnal frequently come to these death-like warriors more than any of the others, shrouding them in their blessed darkness and rot. Few travelers that have stumbled across these warriors would gag at the sight of the dreadful Dark Wardens being filled with maggots or laying with the corpses, though this is a rare occurrence. It's not that they're sadistic or twisted, but to them, death is beautiful.
The Build
Dark Wardens are much more heavily geared than their Warden brethens, wearing heavy armors and shields, and naturally inherit magic influenced from various sources during their journeys and lifetime. Staves and Bows are their preferred weapons next to swords and axes. Much like Wardens, their role is a Skirmisher, switching between one-handed weapon and shield with bows and arrows. Range and stealth are still very much applicable to them, however, they are not as adept in stealth as their Warden brethren until much later in life. Most of the Dark Wardens are slow-moving and clumsy especially in their heavy armors, and not as strong in combat, but they are formidable at blocking, warding, and surviving long. They are adept with bows, using range for cover combined with their armors for readied defense even from afar.
Races: Any Elves, all races are warmly acceptable
Star Sign: The Shadow, The Ritual, or The Steed
Emblem: The Nightshade
Major Skills
Dark Wardens take 6 Major Skills, with few of the optional minor skills listed below.
Archery– The most important skill for stealthy, long-ranged attacks, Dark Wardens will snipe from afar to save time when taking down the best targets. It also provides the best cover and defense before taking the energy to skirmish up close. Purchase all of the perks in this for maximum effect. I personally do not use Steady Hands 2/2 since it feels too slow, so instead, I use either Steady Hands 0/1 or 1/1.
Conjuration – Ever since the Daedric Princes first sighted the Dark Wardens, they have warmly opened the jaws of Oblivion, granting them entry and power. Naturally, they have learned a great deal of conjuring all things great and small, magical and spiritual, and to materialize weapons without any weight to slow them down during travels. Bounded weapons would be much more favorable than carrying actual weapons and there would be no need to invest in one-handed weapon skill (unless you need it to increase damage, which is optional.) Most of all out of using this skill, the Dark Wardens will call the dead from beyond the grave to aid them in their greatest need and to keep company when lonely.
Heavy Armor – Dark Wardens feel secured and comfortable being well-protected even aside from having prolonged health, for they cling to life needlessly. Though they would be slow and clumsy wearing such things, they would survive and outlast their enemies much longer, thus making them formidable in combat. Invest in all the perks except Fists of Steel, unless you feel that you might get disarmed a lot with weapons and use this perk as backup.
Block – Adding to the heavy armors that the Dark Wardens wear, shields greatly enhance defense like a looming tower, terrifying enemies and commoners alike. This will rival even the Paladins and other Phalanx-like warriors, but with the odd sight of wielding a staff or a bow. Invest all the perks in this branch to become formidable at warding off attackers.
Restoration – From their previous life as Wardens that served the great trees and people, they have knowledge to heal and to bring life to broken things. They have brought this with them all throughout their life in aiding others. However, as they now walk the dark path, they have used the advantage of Turn Undead to control the power of the dead and focus excessively on Warding to protect themselves from magical harm. Invest all the perks in this.
Destruction – Aside from Conjuration, the Dark Wardens have become an adept at learning the dark arts of magic, welcoming them unlike their Warden brethren, who have loathed them for doing this. Since the Dark Wardens have become well-adapted to using bows, magic comes naturally as second in ranged combat, which also gives them some distance and cover as defense. Though they are not as powerful as mages, magic are essential backups on their journeys, and using staves are especially useful in their travels to use its power and to hike up in the mountains with it. Choose a path in this branch: Fire, Frost, or Shock.
Minor Skills
Two to three minor skills are optional, within reason. Here are a few ideas.
One-Handed– This can be optionally replaced as a major skill, though not many Dark Wardens rely on it since they prefer staves and magic to make up for combat along with bows. Just having staves, bows, shields, AND sharp-bladed weapons are just too time-consuming and cumbersome for them to keep switching between them during combat. However, it does work if the staves are discarded in favor of this skill.
Light Armor– This can also be a major skill by choice, which is not impossible since they can travel light and move quietly across the lands, but they would be vulnerable to attacks if caught. Wearing black or dark clothes and armors will definitely match those dreadful warriors, especially Nightingale armors and Thalmor robes. It is also possible to have both dark Heavy AND Light Armors mixed, to make interesting and unique look for your character as well have balanced armor rating.
Sneak – This should be a major skill, however they are not as adept as the Wardens or any other stealth-based classes. But if you chose this and put time and patience into perking all the Sneak skills, then your Dark Warden character will become much more deadly like an “armored shadow.” They are not the Dark Brotherhood or Thieves, but they can still use daggers to backstab or cutthroat enemies, much like the regular Wardens to get past danger.
Alternation – This optional skill will greatly enhance the Dark Warden's powers, granting them the ability to detect the dead, to increase magical armor, and to bring light to dark, lifeless places. This would be greatly encouraged if you prefer it as a major skill, replacing Destruction in favor of this.
Illusion – You can invest a few perks in this to gain Fear, Invisibility, and especially Muffle if you prefer a stealth-based Dark Warden. For Fear, it is natural for most people to flee in terror from sight of such dark, dreadful warriors and to use the power to ward off unnecessary hostiles.
You could come up with your own reason(s) for choosing a different minor skill that would fit for Dark Warden, though those above are the most recommended. What's discouraged is the use of Two-Handed, though it can work, it won't define what they truly are since they rely on magic and usually staves.
Attributes
Invest in a ratio of 50/40/30 for Health, Magicka, and Stamina respectively. Health is #1, Magicka is #2, and Stamina should be last, but not least solely for archery combat. Naturally, they are blessed with long life and well-being, thus their health gradually increases as they age, making them oddly having youthful looks. Magicka is used just as excessively, which is almost equally important as health in use of most magic branches. Stamina is to keep up with the use of combat using Archery and One-Handed weapons and for running and fleeing.
Role-Playing and General Note
The Law
By the orders of the circle of the Dark Wardens, it is your responsibility to keep the dead stay dead. Such examples are the Dragur and Ghosts, these dangerous beings have no business waking up from their slumber and amateur travelers have no business wandering into ruins and dungeons getting killed by them, so it is on your shoulders to clear out these places and to put rest to the dead eternally. Even you must loot as much as you can, for there might even be a slight possible that the items are tainted by death and travelers have no business in touching them anyway. Preserving life is just as important as keeping the corpses left undisturbed and in peace.
The Life
Though Nightshades are somewhat commonly used by the Dark Brotherhood, the Dark Wardens collect those regularly as their symbol and pride that represents life and death and to preserve their own life. Occasionally when you feel the need to, place a Nightshade on top or near a valuable enemy's corpse that gave you a tough, worthy battle in honor. And wherever and whenever you find a worthy or beautiful corpse, place a Nightshade on it once in a while to keep the Withering in you at bay, keeping your life and youth prolonged. And if your loved one or companion has died, put a wreath of Nightshades and flowers upon them as well.
A Place to Call Home
Since being outcast from the blessed Woods, the Dark Wardens have come to call home to all things dark and dead, such as tombs, cemeteries, and some caves. One such example is the Hall of the Dead in some towns. An alternative, suitable home would be the Vlindrel Hall in Markarth, which gives a sense of security and protection in the mountainsides when you reach level 20 after doing some of the quests there. Also, if you feel the need to, you can do the "Taste of Death" quest if you wish to walk the path of the Cannibal, to feast on the dead, and to serve Namira as your god and acquire power from her, and to fellowship among the cannibals in the Reachcliff Cave place as your home. Nightingale Hall is also a good, alternative home for the stealth-based Dark Wardens as well.
The Events
Dark Wardens do not consider themselves Dragonborns, but they will just kill the dragons that get in their way. Songs and tales that spread across the Holds and the lands beyond in honor of them for being Dragonborn will baffle the Dark Wardens, but they will keep themselves humbled and their pride locked in their hearts.
They will also not take part in sides of wars between the Imperial Legions and Stormcloaks that have ravaged and bloodied the lands, instead they will help however they can without joining any group. The Dark Wardens' missions are to preserve lives and corpses wherever and whenever they journey.
Original Warden
To get a better understanding of the past lives of these dread knights, see the original Warden build here: http://theskyrimblog.ning.com/group/character-building/forum/topics/character-build-the-warden
