Skyrim Character Building » Discussions


Builders Discuss Topic 8 the Beeeeg three

Tags: #BuildersDiscuss 
  • January 27, 2017

     

    Where do I go from here?

     

    This week, I'd like Builders Discuss to tackle the most basic of build elements. How do you use them little blue, red, and green bars that you see on the screen and usually pray never get to zero? How do you use the values for these bars to enhance your build? Where do you put your level ups? Very short and to the point this week. Sorry, I'm still recovering from a beast of a cold here, but there is enough to go on. I've seen some fabulous builds where these three basic stats are manipulated to great effect. As always, we love hearing what you have to say. I'll weigh in a little later. :D 

    If you want to catch up on past discussions, check out our Archives. Two months already! Let's keep this going for a year!  So feel free to give us ideas in the thread. 

     

    -Lissette

  • Member
    January 27, 2017

    Actually, those three stat bars have become immensly important to me whether it's creating my own build or playing someone else's. Call me a pansy if you like, but I play Adept level--I find Bethesda's difficulty system unimaginative, a bit unrealistic, and a whole lot of tedious. Unfortunately, this means that most builds I play are in danger of becoming OP by the time they hit level 20. I use my stat allocations to either nerf my characters or to help advance the character's RP or (preferably) both.

    If the characters I'm playing look like they're going to do nothing but kick butt and chew bubble gum... and they're all out of bubble gum... then I ignore health. Voila! Insta-glass cannon. It's a fun playstyle, and because the hits you take hurt it keeps you busy in combat and careful in planning attacks. Same goes with the all-powerful mage: cutting back on magica keeps them honest and me focused. And frankly, I love diverting OP inducing stat points into stamina--more stuff to carry and a lot more running is always appreciated.

    If, on the other hand I'm running a soft-hitting character (Im currently rolling an unarmored, no perks in sneak attacks, dagger wielder... no perks in enchanting) then health and stamina will be a pretty large part to my allocations. One way or another, for whatever reason, I almost always tend to leave one of my stats at 100. Just 'cause xD

    I know there are have been some major builders who choose not to include stat allocations at all, and I can see where they are coming from to some extent. People play the game differently (even play the same builds somewhat differently); therefore stat allocations will most likely vary depending on who's playing and how. Still, I always like to know what the builder has done just to get an insight into how they played the build. It doesn't mean I'll follow it, but it's a nice launching off point.

    I always put waaaaaay more thought into my perks placement than I did stat allocation, but I'm finding that to be less and less the case as I play more.

  • Member
    January 27, 2017

    At this point I don't really plan these out any further then, "I'm playing a mage, so I'll want some magicka" or "STAMINA". Then it just comes down to how I feel I'm doing as I play, if I feel I need more in a certain stat then I put a point in when I level up and then forget what I've just increased by the time I hit my next level up. It's sort of haphazard, but it lets me adjust for how the character is going. For example, I'm currently playing through a character that is focused on alchemy and restoration (With ordinator which depending on your perks can give you offensive restoration spells), if I feel like I've been running out of magicka too fast then I'll drop a couple of points into that, if on the other hand I've been getting my skull crushed in too frequently for my liking, then health gets those points.

    When it comes to righting it down in the build (should I be making one) then I'll make a guess when I start writing based on what I think will be the rough stat spread and then adjust it once I'm done; if it needs any adjustment that is.  

  • Member
    January 28, 2017

    Typically I let it depend balancing between making the character fit its concept and making it something I can actually play (I am not an outstanding Skyrim player). Since I'm big on examples, here you go:

    My current favorite mage playthrough is a shaman sort whose otherworldly connection to spirits of winter and the restless dead is something his mortal body really wasn't designed to contain. I made him reflect this with a ridiculous amount of supplemental magicka from his High Elf ancestry, the Necromancer Amulet, and the Archmage's Robes. I also added the Apprentice Stone. The Robes, Amulet, and Race give the character an added 150 Magicka to work with alongside a lovely +200% Magicka Regeneration, but it costs him a 75% drop in Health and Stamina regeneration and a -100% weakness to Magicka. This not only shows his arcane ability in detai, but it also weakens the character.

    I've also got an Imperial Vampire thief whose only form of direct combat is the Shadow Warrior perk. Everything else requires him to become a Vampire Lord. I sunk probably 70% of his alloted stat points into Health, both to give off that whole "I'm an undead so that arrow doesn't phase me" feel and curb a bit of the Vampire Lord's excessive casting ablility. In the end, this gave me a very safe sort of stealthy playstyle in human form, along with melee-focused and magic-focused Vampire Lord forms depending on which Rings of Blood Magic and Amulets of Night Power I equipped (Ring of the Erudite/Amulet of the Gargoyle for magic and Ring of the Beast/Amulet of Bats for melee). In this case, adjusting my Health/Magicka/Stamina ratio gave me different modes of gameplay. 

  • Member
    January 29, 2017

    Think it really depends on either the build playstyle creted or mods used.

    For example, a battlemage or spellsword build that uses magic at a distance but quick dual weild strikes during melee range will need all 3 stat bars to be filled to a roughly approriate range (ie: 4H 3M 3S)

    But if a build is running pure Magic (Mages, nightblades) including the respite perks from the resto tree, then stamina might not be so important but still useful for running away and healing (ie: 3H 6M 1S)

    The reverse might be true for pure stamina users like sneak based assasins, theives or ranged hunters. (ie: 3H 1M 6S)

     

    Of course, there are mods like phendrix magic evolved, which allows stamina to be traded off to fill up the blue bar and eventually the red for blue.

    So, yeah, there are many ways to use the resources, depending on the intent and build type.

    Thanks,

  • Member
    January 29, 2017

    ShinJin said:

    If, on the other hand I'm running a soft-hitting character (Im currently rolling an unarmored, no perks in sneak attacks, dagger wielder... no perks in enchanting) then health and stamina will be a pretty large part to my allocations. One way or another, for whatever reason, I almost always tend to leave one of my stats at 100. Just 'cause xD

    Oh really? A new Shinbuild I hope? :D

    This week, I'd like Builders Discuss to tackle the most basic of build elements. How do you use them little blue, red, and green bars that you see on the screen and usually pray never get to zero? How do you use the values for these bars to enhance your build? Where do you put your level ups? Very short and to the point this week. Sorry, I'm still recovering from a beast of a cold here, but there is enough to go on. I've seen some fabulous builds where these three basic stats are manipulated to great effect. As always, we love hearing what you have to say. I'll weigh in a little later. :D

    Stat placement is sort of weird. Sometimes it can be perk-dependent, you know? A build can tell you what perks to aim for, but the order you get them varies. Two players could play the same Spellsword build, one may focus on the melee aspects at level eight and go for extra stamina, while the other may be choosing a more magickal approach. Most builders don't tell the player exactly what to get at each level, only what they should aim for - and that is a good thing but largely leaves stat allocation a redundant part of the build for the experienced who will put them where they most make sense.

    I recently played a character who had a depth of RP. She chose the Steed stone, was very athletic and fit yet wasn't melee-focussed. Putting points into stamina purely for the RP reason that she wasn't one to tire easily was a weird experience. As an enchanter it was easy to offset that stat placment but it would be hard to justify if it were a build, I guess.

  • Member
    January 29, 2017

    Phil said:

    I recently played a character who had a depth of RP. She chose the Steed stone, was very athletic and fit yet wasn't melee-focussed. Putting points into stamina purely for the RP reason that she wasn't one to tire easily was a weird experience. As an enchanter it was easy to offset that stat placment but it would be hard to justify if it were a build, I guess.

     

    Nothing wrong with fudging your playthrough with a little roleplay stat-selection. Besides, having some additional carry weight is always handy. 

     

  • January 29, 2017

    Mercurias said:

    Phil said:

    I recently played a character who had a depth of RP. She chose the Steed stone, was very athletic and fit yet wasn't melee-focussed. Putting points into stamina purely for the RP reason that she wasn't one to tire easily was a weird experience. As an enchanter it was easy to offset that stat placment but it would be hard to justify if it were a build, I guess.

     

    Nothing wrong with fudging your playthrough with a little roleplay stat-selection. Besides, having some additional carry weight is always handy. 

     

    Or no additional carry weight. I am playing Urag this way. No stamina cause he be old and then no magicka regen so his health and magicka pool become much more important so he can use equilibrium. 

    I love messing with stats. I love nerfing stats to make gameplay more cool. You can do a lot with the beeeeg three to really enhance yoiur build and your experience. 

  • Member
    January 30, 2017

    Phil said:

    Oh really? A new Shinbuild I hope? :D

    Probably not. It's based on a rather old (and rather obscure movie)... I think the only person who would enjoy the build is me xD

  • January 30, 2017

    ShinJin said:

    Phil said:

    Oh really? A new Shinbuild I hope? :D

    Probably not. It's based on a rather old (and rather obscure movie)... I think the only person who would enjoy the build is me xD

    Try me. :D I love quirky builds.