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Event Build: The Shadow of the Dawnguard

Tags: #Character Build Mage  #Character Build Nightblade  #Character Build Vampire  #Race:Imperial  #Rank:Event Mythic  #Event:Artifacts  #Mortiferous 
  • Member
    February 23, 2016

    Hey guys, this is my entry to the Artifact Event. So I had to juggle a few other builds with this one, but I liked the end result a lot, definitely fun to play since I rarely play Nightblade characters. The artifact I will be showing off in this build is the Dawnguard Rune Axe in all of it's undead-massacring glory. I am proud to present to you...

    They don't understand why I did it. I don't care if they hate me, I took everything I need from the Dawnguard and with Serana's blessing I am now the ultimate predator. I shall become the one shadow the undead fear, none shall stand against me. With axe and fang I will take my rightful place as the greatest vampire hunter to ever stalk Mundus! I will show Isran the power a true Dawnguard can wield...

     

    If you couldn't already tell, I wanted my character to be a Vampire Hunter that was a Vampire herself. You won't be a Vampire until you have completed the Dawnguard Main Quest (It causes issues when aligned with the Dawnguard, since you can't complete Touching the Sky.), but once you are you will have everything you need to obliterate the Undead in your path. The idea I had with the gear is to use it to nullify all drawbacks to becoming a vampire.

    Race: Female Imperial Vampire, as an Imperial you get a +10 to Restoration, a +5 to Enchanting and a +5 to One-Handed, along with the ability to make good looking females. (Compared to other races).

    Stone: The Mage --> The Lady & Ritual (Aetherial Crown)

    Stats: 2/2/0

    Major Skills: One-Handed, Illusion, Light Armor, Restoration

    Minor Skills: Enchanting, Sneak, Smithing, Conjuration

    Gear: Dawnguard Armor, Dawnguard Boots, Dawnguard Gauntlets, Diadem of the Savant, Aetherial Crown, Ahzidal's Ring of Necromancy, Custom Ring, Custom Necklace, Custom Ring.

    Weapon: Dawnguard Rune Axe, Auriel's Bow

    Spells: Invisibiltiy, Rout, Frenzy, Muffle, Close Wounds, Sun Fire, Vampire's Bane, Stendarr's Aura, Rally, Conjure Flaming Familiar.

    Shouts: Storm Call, Become Ethereal, Aura Whisper, Marked for Death, Soul Tear, Clear Skies

    Quests: College of Winterhold, Dawnguard, Silenced Tongues, A Scroll for Anska, Siege on the Dragon Cult, Lost to the Ages, Destroy the Dark Brotherhood, Unearthed, Main Quest, Dragonborn.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    One-Handed: This skill will be used to wield your Dawnguard Rune Axe (A Dawnguard Axe will do until you get it) to it's maximum efficiency. Key Perks are Armsman and Fighting Stance

    Light Armor: This skill is used to protect yourself when close combat occurs when you are detected. Key Perks are Unhindered, Custom Fit and Agile Defender.

    Illusion: This skill is used to break into and control the minds of your prey to change the tide of battle. Key Perks are Master of the Mind, Aspect of Terror, Quiet Casting and Rage.

    Restoration: This skill will be used to heal yourself (As your AR is relatively low), as well as benefit from the Necromage perk and to cast your Sun Spells effectively. Key Perks are Necromage, Recovery 2/2 and Regeneration.

    Enchanting: This skill will be used to make your gear as powerful as possible as well as remove all disadvantages of becoming a vampire.

    Sneak: This skill will be used to keep you undetected whilst pulling off sneak attacks. Key Perks are Muffled Movement and Backstab.

    Smithing: This skill will be used to improve your apparel to defend you that little bit more and also to give your Rune Axe an even higher damage to help with non-undead enemies. Key Perks are Advanced Armors and Arcane Blacksmith.

    Conjuration: This skill is used to make summoning your Flaming Familiar easier and also to make your Resurrections last longer. Key Perks are Summoner 1/2 and Apprentice Conjuration.

    Level 30 Perks  Level 60 Perks

     

    I used my gear to make all the disadvantages of being a vampire go away, meaning you gain nothing but benefits from the transformation (And those epic glowing eyes).

    Diadem of the Savant: Pre-Enchanted with Fortify Spells 5%

    Aetherial Crown: Pre-Enchanted with Unique Store Standing Stone Effect

    Dawnguard Armor: Enchanted with Fortify Health and Fortify Health Regen

    Dawnguard Gauntlets: Enchanted with Fortify One-Handed and Fortify Magicka

    Dawnguard Boots: Enchanted with Fortify Stamina and Fortify Stamina Regen

    Necklace: Resist Fire and Fortify One-Handed

    Ring: Fortify One-Handed and Resist Magic

    Ahzidal's Ring of Necromancy: Pre-Enchanted with Unique Undead Explosion effect.

    Dawnguard Rune Axe: Pre-Enchanted with Unique Sun Damage effect.

    Auriel's Bow: Pre-Enchaned with Sun Damage Effect. (Used as a combo piece and not for combat per se.) 

    With the Regenerating Properties of your Armor you will regain Health 63% faster due to the Lady Stone and Necromage bonus, Stamina 63% faster and Magicka 62% faster with both Necromage and the Recovery Perks. Then the Fortify Health/Magicka/Stamina effects of your gear will keep you at a high health stat and finally your Resist Fire enchantment will seal the deal, giving you all benefits from the Vampire Transformation.

    You will have the Diadem of the Savant (Which can be found on the chopping block next to Froki's Shack) all the time unless a combat situation allows you to temporarily equip the Aetherial Crown to use the Ritual Stone power. The same goes for the Ring of Necromancy, it is only to be used when combo-ing with the Ritual Stone.

     


    Your ultimate weapon of Vampire Hunting, the legendary Dawnguard Rune Axe. You can obtain this by receiving the quest Lost Relic from Florentius Baenius, however, you will have to grind through Gunmar's quests to be able to obtain this quest. It will be obtained on the third time of getting the quest from Florentius from a random location.

    I recommend completing this quest when you Obtain Chasing Echo's, as it will give you an edge in the Soul Cairn against the Keepers.

    The Rune Axe gets a +1 extra sun damage to undead when you kill an undead with it, it is supposed to reset with each new day, but here's the thing... it doesn't when tempered at a forge! Meaning that when you reach the cap of Sun Damage (100) it will keep it indefinitely, this allows you to deal insane amounts of damage to all undead including:

    • Bonemen
    • Mistmen
    • Wrathmen
    • Keepers
    • Vampires (Believe it or not!)
    • Dragon Priests
    • Draugr

    Finally, it also breaks any and all wards casted by enemies in battle, making mages extremely easy to damage, due to the large damage output when tempered to Legendary.

    Obviously your primary targets are undead, normally vampires. You will want to approach combat sneaking, so you can get free hits with your Sun Fire and Vampire's Bane spells. You can also cast Invisibility and Muffle to make yourself near on undetectable and sneak up on your enemies and use your Dawnguard Rune Axe + Backstab perk to deal SIX TIMES normal damage, if your target is undead it takes the Sun Damage bonus, giving your Sneak Attacks enormous potential.

    In open combat your best friend is Stendarr's Aura against various undead, because it prevents melee enemies from coming near you, your resistance to Frost from being a Vampire is also helpful as many undead opponents use frost enchantments and spells.

    Your offhand will be used to cast Restoration Spells and also use your Illusion Spells to send your enemies running for the hills.

    Obviously your Dawnguard Rune Axe will be your main weapon, as it is completely devastating against Undead with it's buffed damage, mages because of it's ward-breaking effect and other enemies simply for its high damage output. Undead enemies will be complete pushovers and other enemies can be absolutely annihilated with high damage output and spells.

    Here are some I have used in my build that I grew particularly attached to:

    Combo's:

    Fiery Pursuit: The enemies are weakened by the power of your voice, causing them to run in fear as they are hunted by fiery hounds. Marked For Death + Rout + Flaming Familiar (x2)

    Shadow Strike: Enemies are stalked by a shadow of death until being felled by an invisible blow.Muffle + Invisibility + Backstab + Dawnguard Rune Axe

    Deadly Minefield: The bodies of your foes reanimate around you and become your new vessels of destruction and are hunted by your destroyed by your holy axe in a chaotic explosion. Aetherial Crown (Ritual Stone) + Ahzidal's Ring of Necromancy + Dawnguard Rune Axe

    Holy Storm: With the weapon of a God, the Shadow of the Dawnguard summons down holy rain on her foes and summons a mighty storm to fell even the strongest enemies. Clear Skies Auriel's Bow + Sunhallowed Arrows + Storm Call

                                                                        

    This was The Shadow of the Dawnguard for the Event, everyone, I hope you have enjoyed it, please leave your comments and criticisms in the comments below, thank you.

     

  • Member
    February 23, 2016

    I hope I've posted this at the right time, hope you enjoy guys!

  • Ed
    Member
    February 23, 2016
    Insanely good. I've been toying with an undead vampire hunter idea for a long time but always get bogged down by the technicalities - your build presents the details really clearly and in a logical way that was easy to follow. I spend most of my time on the vault just lurking, but I had to comment on this one!
  • Member
    February 23, 2016

    Awesome work Morti

  • Member
    February 23, 2016
    Another great build Mortiferous! Have you thought about the Dragon Priests of Skyrim series yet?
  • February 23, 2016

    Great work!

    The Dawnguard Rune Axe rarely gets any love here and so I didn't even know that little glitch with it. Now I'm tempted to pick up that undead hunter idea I had a while back... Seriously, though, the character looks like it would be great fun and I like the arrogance behind becoming a vampire to be the best vampire hunter. 

  • Member
    February 23, 2016

    You learn something new everyday! I've never have known that helpful fact about the axe. Shoot! after all this time. Looks like I need to go hunting for one last artifact before completing my current playthrough. Thanks alot for that.

    However, your perk choices baffles me when looking at the links. . Why is Light Armor perked at Lv.60 but not 30? I figured that would be one of the first skills to start working on right away. Even if it is an event build. I also notice Hack and Slash isn't taken either. This would make this builds damage dealing potential more sufficient if it was taken. Your idea of annihilating the weaknesses of being a vampire will make playing as one more valuable. Good work. Hope this build works out for you.

  • Member
    February 24, 2016
    I like the presentation. Good job! :)
  • Member
    February 24, 2016

    Great use of the Dawnguard Rune Axe, my all time favourite weapon in the game! You really gave my heart a sparkle for a moment there, good job! 

  • Member
    February 24, 2016
    Nice job Morti!