Hey everyone, it's time for my final installment in the "Dragon Priests of Solstheim" series. This one, of course, is based on Miraak. It turned out to be somewhat of a glass cannon, since Miraak's mask counts as armor and the rest of his gear doesn't it makes Mage Armor completely useless. However, whilst being weaker to physical damage, this build makes up for it with 100% magical absorption and infinite shout cooldown. Vault Dwellers, I am proud to present....
The Revered Traitor
All praise glorious Miraak Most power(ful) servant of all Dragon Priests, whose strength (was) granted by (the) gardener of mankind
Here once stood Miraak who wear His Faith as armor shield by Daedra for his eternal loyalty.
(This) stone commemorates great Miraak: Dragon Priest of great wisdom,
servant of the wyrm, and enemy of mankind.
- Words Walls for Dragon Aspect
"He escaped Vahlok with the assistance of Hermaeus Mora. He bided his time in Apocrypha... His time for return and rebellion on his master would soon be at hand..."
"He grew impatient, he cast an ancient and powerful spell to release a portion of his soul to find a mortal host, another Dragonborn... The Dragonborn would challenge him and Hermaeus Mora would assist him... They would battle at the summit of Apocrypha, Mora would strike him down... And as the new Dragonborn donned his mask.... Yes! My return is inevitable!!"
The Build
Race: Nord (Again, all Dragon Priests we know of were Nords)
Stone: Personally I went with the Mage Stone, however you can use any one of the three Guardian Stones, since this build uses skills from each section of the skill trees. Atronach Stone for your end game.
Stats: 3/2/1
Major Skills: One-Handed, Destruction, Enchanting, Restoration
Minor Skills: Alchemy, Smithing, Alteration
Powers: Mora's Boon, Secret of Arcana, Scholar's Insight, Dragonborn Flame, Seeker of Sorcery, The Fire Within, Root of Power, Battle Cry, Bones of the Earth.
Shouts: Frost Breath, Fire Breath, Cyclone, Become Ethereal, Whirlwind Sprint, Dragon Aspect, Unrelenting Force, Marked for Death, Slow Time, Storm Call, Dragonrend.
Spells: Thunderbolt, Close Wounds, Ebonyflesh, Chain Lightning
Quests: College of Winterhold, Main Quest, Dragonborn, Ironbind Barrow, Black Books, Word Wall Hunting (Greybeards), Destroy the Dark Brotherhood (Marked for Death), The Reluctant Steward, Discerning the Transmundane, A New Source of Stalhrim, Lost Legacy.
Destruction: Like all Dragon Priests, Miraak wields destruction magic, he seems partial to shock spells so that is what this build will be relying on offensively. Key Perks are Expert Destruction, Augmented Shock 2/2, Augmented Frost 2/2 and Augmented Flames 2/2
One-Handed: Miraak uses a one-handed sword, so this skill was a given. Key Perks are Armsman 5/5 and Fighting Stance.
Enchanting: This skill is purely to enchant your ring for extra effects and for your Fortify Alchemy set, since the rest of Miraak's gear is already enchanted. Key Perks are Extra Effect, Insightful Enchanter and Enchanter 5/5
Restoration: This build ends up with a very low AR, so this skill allows you to heal the damage you take, and you will likely take a lot of damage (Not magic damage though, as this build is immune to magic). Key Perks are Respite, Adept Restoration and Regeneration. Wards are very useful early game and provide easy leveling and protection.
Alchemy: By using Alchemy this build reaches infinite shouting capabilities, just like Miraak on The Summit of Apocrypha. Key Perks are Alchemist 5/5 and Benefactor.
Smithing: This will be used to improve your Sword, the key perks here are Dwarven Smithing and Arcane Blacksmith.
Alteration: This skill will give you access to AR boosts and 100% Magic Absorption. Key Perks are Expert Alteration and Atronach. (When Atronach is acquired it will stack with Miraak's gear and the Atronach Stone granting 105% magicka absorb.)
Sustainability: Fortify Alteration (Grass Pod + River Betty + Spriggan Sap)
Paralyze is extremely useful in close combat, especially on opponents that can deal significant amounts of melee damage.
Fortify One-Handed is always helpful against every close-ranged opponent.
Fortify Destruction, the more damage the better, in my book.
Fortify Alteration increases the duration of Ebonyflesh,Slow Time and Become Ethereal by 60 seconds, making it invaluable.
The Uses of Shouts
Fire Breath: This shout's damage is increased by 75% from The Fire Within and Augmented Flames, this is one of your more useful shouts that is capable of tearing through undead and other such enemies with ease. When combined with Dragonborn Flame, this shout will allow Fire Wyrms to appear from the corpses of your fallen foes to fight for you, presuming they were killed by Fire Breath. This can be extremely useful against groups of Bandits or Undead.
Frost Breath: The power of this shout is increased by 50% from Augmented Frost, so this can be used against groups to slow them down. If you don't want to use Dragonborn Flame, you can use Dragonborn Frost with this shout, it basically turns into Ice Form, only better since it allows you to get off more hits on the opponent.
Cyclone: This shout allows you control over the battlefield by blowing your enemies away like nothing.
Unrelenting Force: Purely for crowd control, more or less for the same reasons as Cyclone.
Storm Call: A devastating shout that can pretty much destroy every enemy on the battlefield, including Dragons.
Whirlwind Sprint: This shout allows you to gain some distance when on low health so you can heal yourself with restoration spells.
Become Ethereal: This shout allows you to avoid damage for a period of time, especially useful against giants or dragons in melee range, since this build can't take too much physical damage.
Marked For Death: This shout allows you to dominate everything on the playing field, it'd be foolish not to use it, especially with a character with so little physical resistance.
Slow Time: Useful for dodging attacks or to make a get away whilst combining it with Whirling Sprint.
Dragon Aspect: Your signature shout, this gives you a +25% power attack damage bonus, +100 Armor Rating (This build really needs it), +25% Frost/Fire Resistance and a 20% shout cooldown reduction. The Ancient Dragonborn summon comes in handy when against groups of opponents too.
Dragonrend: Ripping Dragons from the sky, who could ask for more?
Now for some shout combinations:
Escape: Become Ethereal + Whirlwind Sprint - This combo allows you to become invincible and escape from crowds of opponents.
Dragonfall: Storm Call + Dragonrend + Marked For Death - This combination of shouts turns Dragons into punching bags, which is what I imagine Miraak did back in the Merethic Era when he turned on his masters.
Face The Elements: Cyclone + Fire Breath + Frost Breath - Force the opponent to endure the powers of the elements, this also works on large groups.
Fall Back: Unrelenting Force/Cyclone + Whirlwind Sprint - An alternative to Escape, this knocks all your opponents down whilst you make an escape to regain health and get a few free shots with spells.
Of course, these are only my combinations, you can easily add your own if it suits you.
Combat
You will want to open combat with Dragon Aspect and Ebonyflesh all the time, since it gives you the opportunity to take more hits.
When at a distance spells such a Thunderbolt will come in useful and when against groups of opponents Chain Lightning is also a boon. Restoration is extremely useful, I usually combined it with Fall Back or Escape to be able to heal myself in the midst of battle without taking any hits.
Shouts are your best friend against Mammoths, Dragons, Giants and Trolls, or other creatures that deal high damage to you. Fire Breath combined with Dragonborn Flame, Augmented Flames 2/2 and The Fire Within is absolutely devastating! With those combined, all three words of Fire Breath should deal 157 points of damage, that isn't even getting started on potions, as if this wasn't enough, from each enemy killed with Fire Breath, you get a Fire Wyrm to fight for you.
When you have regained health after using healing magic, you can use Become Ethereal to sprint at your opponents and pull of one power attack with no stamina cost, extremely useful if you ask me.
You really don't need to worry about mages once you have the appropriate perks, so melee attacks should be your primary, archers can be a pain though, be sure to take them out at a distance with your shock magic. (Draugr Deathlords, I'm looking at you with your Ebony Bows...)
Miraak's Staff can be used for crowd control, it is less effective against undead, since they resist the poisoning, however it is still incredibly useful. The same applies to the Tentacle Explosion effect on Miraak's Robes.
Root of Power can be acquired after defeating Miraak, it allows you to cast your spells for 75% less magicka, combine this with your Fortify Destruction ring, you can cast your spells for absolutely no magicka cost, however you will have to get this power at the Tree Stone (Miraak's Temple) over and over again, since it vanishes after being used once.
Another All-Maker Stone power that is very useful is Bones of the Earth (Earth Stone), as it allows you to hit armor cap for 30 seconds, which is useful for encounters that you don't want to go on for a long time.
Roleplay
Seek out the Black Books and Read the Oghma Infinium, as Miraak was a slave to Hermaeus Mora.
Hunt the Dragon Priests, this will secure your rule over Skyrim and Solstheim
Hunt the Dragons, they were your old masters that you turned on, you must show them your supremacy and defeat the one who fears you most, Alduin.
Kill Vahlok as soon as possible, he tried to kill you eons ago, it is time he paid for his mistake.
____________________________
Well, it's over. The Dragon Priests of Solstheim series is done. I feel a little sad to leave this series behind, I'll be honest.
I hope you enjoyed my final installment in the series and thank you greatly if you have read all of these builds up till the end. We might not have Miraak's Devour Dragon Soul shout, but we certainly have everything else.
Hey everyone, it's time for my final installment in the "Dragon Priests of Solstheim" series. This one, of course, is based on Miraak. It turned out to be somewhat of a glass cannon, since Miraak's mask counts as armor and the rest of his gear doesn't it makes Mage Armor completely useless. However, whilst being weaker to physical damage, this build makes up for it with 100% magical absorption and infinite shout cooldown. Vault Dwellers, I am proud to present....
The Revered Traitor
All praise glorious Miraak Most power(ful) servant of all Dragon Priests, whose strength (was) granted by (the) gardener of mankind
Here once stood Miraak who wear His Faith as armor shield by Daedra for his eternal loyalty.
(This) stone commemorates great Miraak: Dragon Priest of great wisdom,
servant of the wyrm, and enemy of mankind.
- Words Walls for Dragon Aspect
"He escaped Vahlok with the assistance of Hermaeus Mora. He bided his time in Apocrypha... His time for return and rebellion on his master would soon be at hand..."
"He grew impatient, he cast an ancient and powerful spell to release a portion of his soul to find a mortal host, another Dragonborn... The Dragonborn would challenge him and Hermaeus Mora would assist him... They would battle at the summit of Apocrypha, Mora would strike him down... And as the new Dragonborn donned his mask.... Yes! My return is inevitable!!"
The Build
Race: Nord (Again, all Dragon Priests we know of were Nords)
Stone: Personally I went with the Mage Stone, however you can use any one of the three Guardian Stones, since this build uses skills from each section of the skill trees. Atronach Stone for your end game.
Stats: 3/2/1
Major Skills: One-Handed, Destruction, Enchanting, Restoration
Minor Skills: Alchemy, Smithing, Alteration
Powers: Mora's Boon, Secret of Arcana, Scholar's Insight, Dragonborn Flame, Seeker of Sorcery, The Fire Within, Root of Power, Battle Cry, Bones of the Earth.
Shouts: Frost Breath, Fire Breath, Cyclone, Become Ethereal, Whirlwind Sprint, Dragon Aspect, Unrelenting Force, Marked for Death, Slow Time, Storm Call, Dragonrend.
Spells: Thunderbolt, Close Wounds, Ebonyflesh, Chain Lightning
Quests: College of Winterhold, Main Quest, Dragonborn, Ironbind Barrow, Black Books, Word Wall Hunting (Greybeards), Destroy the Dark Brotherhood (Marked for Death), The Reluctant Steward, Discerning the Transmundane, A New Source of Stalhrim, Lost Legacy.
Destruction: Like all Dragon Priests, Miraak wields destruction magic, he seems partial to shock spells so that is what this build will be relying on offensively. Key Perks are Expert Destruction, Augmented Shock 2/2, Augmented Frost 2/2 and Augmented Flames 2/2
One-Handed: Miraak uses a one-handed sword, so this skill was a given. Key Perks are Armsman 5/5 and Fighting Stance.
Enchanting: This skill is purely to enchant your ring for extra effects and for your Fortify Alchemy set, since the rest of Miraak's gear is already enchanted. Key Perks are Extra Effect, Insightful Enchanter and Enchanter 5/5
Restoration: This build ends up with a very low AR, so this skill allows you to heal the damage you take, and you will likely take a lot of damage (Not magic damage though, as this build is immune to magic). Key Perks are Respite, Adept Restoration and Regeneration. Wards are very useful early game and provide easy leveling and protection.
Alchemy: By using Alchemy this build reaches infinite shouting capabilities, just like Miraak on The Summit of Apocrypha. Key Perks are Alchemist 5/5 and Benefactor.
Smithing: This will be used to improve your Sword, the key perks here are Dwarven Smithing and Arcane Blacksmith.
Alteration: This skill will give you access to AR boosts and 100% Magic Absorption. Key Perks are Expert Alteration and Atronach. (When Atronach is acquired it will stack with Miraak's gear and the Atronach Stone granting 105% magicka absorb.)
Sustainability: Fortify Alteration (Grass Pod + River Betty + Spriggan Sap)
Paralyze is extremely useful in close combat, especially on opponents that can deal significant amounts of melee damage.
Fortify One-Handed is always helpful against every close-ranged opponent.
Fortify Destruction, the more damage the better, in my book.
Fortify Alteration increases the duration of Ebonyflesh,Slow Time and Become Ethereal by 60 seconds, making it invaluable.
The Uses of Shouts
Fire Breath: This shout's damage is increased by 75% from The Fire Within and Augmented Flames, this is one of your more useful shouts that is capable of tearing through undead and other such enemies with ease. When combined with Dragonborn Flame, this shout will allow Fire Wyrms to appear from the corpses of your fallen foes to fight for you, presuming they were killed by Fire Breath. This can be extremely useful against groups of Bandits or Undead.
Frost Breath: The power of this shout is increased by 50% from Augmented Frost, so this can be used against groups to slow them down. If you don't want to use Dragonborn Flame, you can use Dragonborn Frost with this shout, it basically turns into Ice Form, only better since it allows you to get off more hits on the opponent.
Cyclone: This shout allows you control over the battlefield by blowing your enemies away like nothing.
Unrelenting Force: Purely for crowd control, more or less for the same reasons as Cyclone.
Storm Call: A devastating shout that can pretty much destroy every enemy on the battlefield, including Dragons.
Whirlwind Sprint: This shout allows you to gain some distance when on low health so you can heal yourself with restoration spells.
Become Ethereal: This shout allows you to avoid damage for a period of time, especially useful against giants or dragons in melee range, since this build can't take too much physical damage.
Marked For Death: This shout allows you to dominate everything on the playing field, it'd be foolish not to use it, especially with a character with so little physical resistance.
Slow Time: Useful for dodging attacks or to make a get away whilst combining it with Whirling Sprint.
Dragon Aspect: Your signature shout, this gives you a +25% power attack damage bonus, +100 Armor Rating (This build really needs it), +25% Frost/Fire Resistance and a 20% shout cooldown reduction. The Ancient Dragonborn summon comes in handy when against groups of opponents too.
Dragonrend: Ripping Dragons from the sky, who could ask for more?
Now for some shout combinations:
Escape: Become Ethereal + Whirlwind Sprint - This combo allows you to become invincible and escape from crowds of opponents.
Dragonfall: Storm Call + Dragonrend + Marked For Death - This combination of shouts turns Dragons into punching bags, which is what I imagine Miraak did back in the Merethic Era when he turned on his masters.
Face The Elements: Cyclone + Fire Breath + Frost Breath - Force the opponent to endure the powers of the elements, this also works on large groups.
Fall Back: Unrelenting Force/Cyclone + Whirlwind Sprint - An alternative to Escape, this knocks all your opponents down whilst you make an escape to regain health and get a few free shots with spells.
Of course, these are only my combinations, you can easily add your own if it suits you.
Combat
You will want to open combat with Dragon Aspect and Ebonyflesh all the time, since it gives you the opportunity to take more hits.
When at a distance spells such a Thunderbolt will come in useful and when against groups of opponents Chain Lightning is also a boon. Restoration is extremely useful, I usually combined it with Fall Back or Escape to be able to heal myself in the midst of battle without taking any hits.
Shouts are your best friend against Mammoths, Dragons, Giants and Trolls, or other creatures that deal high damage to you. Fire Breath combined with Dragonborn Flame, Augmented Flames 2/2 and The Fire Within is absolutely devastating! With those combined, all three words of Fire Breath should deal 157 points of damage, that isn't even getting started on potions, as if this wasn't enough, from each enemy killed with Fire Breath, you get a Fire Wyrm to fight for you.
When you have regained health after using healing magic, you can use Become Ethereal to sprint at your opponents and pull of one power attack with no stamina cost, extremely useful if you ask me.
You really don't need to worry about mages once you have the appropriate perks, so melee attacks should be your primary, archers can be a pain though, be sure to take them out at a distance with your shock magic. (Draugr Deathlords, I'm looking at you with your Ebony Bows...)
Miraak's Staff can be used for crowd control, it is less effective against undead, since they resist the poisoning, however it is still incredibly useful. The same applies to the Tentacle Explosion effect on Miraak's Robes.
Root of Power can be acquired after defeating Miraak, it allows you to cast your spells for 75% less magicka, combine this with your Fortify Destruction ring, you can cast your spells for absolutely no magicka cost, however you will have to get this power at the Tree Stone (Miraak's Temple) over and over again, since it vanishes after being used once.
Another All-Maker Stone power that is very useful is Bones of the Earth (Earth Stone), as it allows you to hit armor cap for 30 seconds, which is useful for encounters that you don't want to go on for a long time.
Roleplay
Seek out the Black Books and Read the Oghma Infinium, as Miraak was a slave to Hermaeus Mora.
Hunt the Dragon Priests, this will secure your rule over Skyrim and Solstheim
Hunt the Dragons, they were your old masters that you turned on, you must show them your supremacy and defeat the one who fears you most, Alduin.
Kill Vahlok as soon as possible, he tried to kill you eons ago, it is time he paid for his mistake.
____________________________
Well, it's over. The Dragon Priests of Solstheim series is done. I feel a little sad to leave this series behind, I'll be honest.
I hope you enjoyed my final installment in the series and thank you greatly if you have read all of these builds up till the end. We might not have Miraak's Devour Dragon Soul shout, but we certainly have everything else.
First off, great build mate, definetly an interesting Miraak Build that is very true to what we see of him.
I have just one small tip (other than clearing up the white space at the bottom of your build) but I recommend that you utilize Alchemy more, your maxing out it's potential on paper but you don't really seem to mention it other than with %100 Shout Reduction. If you can, I'd try and grab hold of Teccam for a bit, he's basically an Alchemy God.
Anyway, a lot of your Shouts can be improved using Fortify Destruction Potions, namely Fire Breath, Frost Breath and I think Unrelenting Force and Cyclone (not %100 sure on that), a single potion can increase the damage substantially. Other potions effect other Shouts differently (Such as Fortify Alteration boosting Slow Time) and in general can just make it slightly more awesome, and more fitting for the greatest Dragonborn of all time.
I'd also consider going with Dragonborn Frost over Flame, and if not then at least talk about how awesome Dragonborn Flame is (seriously man, it's awesome, sell it to the reader a little more). I think that might be a problem this build has, it has so much going on and the only things you really seemed to sell are Miraak and Shout Reduction (which are both key aspects obviously) but it could be even cooler if you sold some other factors of the build.
Overall it's a great build, I think I missed some of your other Dragon Priest Build so I'll hunt them down and give them a read (you should create a DpoS tag to add in, makes it easier for people to hunt them all down at once). A definite like form me
First off, great build mate, definetly an interesting Miraak Build that is very true to what we see of him.
I have just one small tip (other than clearing up the white space at the bottom of your build) but I recommend that you utilize Alchemy more, your maxing out it's potential on paper but you don't really seem to mention it other than with %100 Shout Reduction. If you can, I'd try and grab hold of Teccam for a bit, he's basically an Alchemy God.
Anyway, a lot of your Shouts can be improved using Fortify Destruction Potions, namely Fire Breath, Frost Breath and I think Unrelenting Force and Cyclone (not %100 sure on that), a single potion can increase the damage substantially. Other potions effect other Shouts differently (Such as Fortify Alteration boosting Slow Time) and in general can just make it slightly more awesome, and more fitting for the greatest Dragonborn of all time.
I'd also consider going with Dragonborn Frost over Flame, and if not then at least talk about how awesome Dragonborn Flame is (seriously man, it's awesome, sell it to the reader a little more). I think that might be a problem this build has, it has so much going on and the only things you really seemed to sell are Miraak and Shout Reduction (which are both key aspects obviously) but it could be even cooler if you sold some other factors of the build.
Overall it's a great build, I think I missed some of your other Dragon Priest Build so I'll hunt them down and give them a read (you should create a DpoS tag to add in, makes it easier for people to hunt them all down at once). A definite like form me
I really do get you there mate. I was the same way for ages, but liked the practical side. It's only recently that I started not hating it, which basically just involved making simple potions that I can make 60 at a time just by walking to a different city.
I really do get you there mate. I was the same way for ages, but liked the practical side. It's only recently that I started not hating it, which basically just involved making simple potions that I can make 60 at a time just by walking to a different city.
Just one thing. If you plan on not having to redo the fortify restoration again, go to Solitude and take the Amulet from Roggvir. It counts as a quest item, so it can't be removed from your inventory. It just makes it all a lot easier.
Just one thing. If you plan on not having to redo the fortify restoration again, go to Solitude and take the Amulet from Roggvir. It counts as a quest item, so it can't be removed from your inventory. It just makes it all a lot easier.
Didn't actually realized you didn't have a perk spread picture but it doesn't matter.Way the go on interpreting Miraak into a build.Even when fighting him,I viewed him as a glass cannon.
BTW can you summon Durnehviir and Odahviing at the same time (with Twin Souls)?They can be your new Relonikiiv and Kruziikrel.
Miraak,once a bad*ss,always a bad*ss.
Didn't actually realized you didn't have a perk spread picture but it doesn't matter.Way the go on interpreting Miraak into a build.Even when fighting him,I viewed him as a glass cannon.
BTW can you summon Durnehviir and Odahviing at the same time (with Twin Souls)?They can be your new Relonikiiv and Kruziikrel.
