Skyrim Character Building » Discussions


Character Build: The Huntsman

Tags: #Character Build Archer  #Character Build Alchemist  #Character Build Werewolf  #Rank:Mythic  #Hall of Fame Build  #Hunter  #Skyrim  #roleplay  #bow  #craft  #hide  #hunt  #savior 
  • Member
    April 25, 2013

    I've been busy playing several other people's builds lately, plus clocking 50 hours a week in my new position at work, so I haven't had the time to focus on this build lately.  I DO wish to point out a plan for my next testing phase.  Owing to potions' broken healing capacity, I will be foregoing all but regenerative healing effects next time. 

    By this I mean only using potions/food that increase your natural healing ability, rather than the immediate heal effects of standard potions.  This works for roleplay for a few reasons.

    1.  Even more hardcore survival skill needed when dealing with combat.  No more brink of death saves...you better get your ass out of the fire.

    2.  Supports many players' desire for a potion timer system.  Spamming regeneration potions will not benefit you at all.  You'll need to wait for them to wear off before going for another.

    3.  Helps me emphasize the use of food as previously mentioned. Combining a potion for health regeneration with food for smaller, quicker heals, and stacking stamina regenerating foods for running, aiming, bashing more effectively.

    I literally CAN'T run out of stamina from running with a few soups in my belly.  About 8 of them and you can zoom in as long as you want too.  It looks like it would take upwards of 15+ to negate dagger bashing.

    Just wished to give some new info for others to try before I get around to restarting, and also to act as a reminder for myself.

  • Member
    May 1, 2013

    Great build. However I'm just using Armour of the old gods :)

  • Member
    August 8, 2013

    I recommend an iron or steel (skyforge since you get one on the way to lycanthropy) war axe. i always find axes to be more woodsman-y than swords.

    I'll give this a +1. I've never been able to stick with an LoL playthrough, maybe one day. it's tough when i still have achievements to get.

  • Sam
    Member
    January 6, 2014

    I like the idea of the roleplay as a hunter, and currently have a character at level 24 following the aspect of a hunter, in addition to a little extra. He's a scavenger as well, living solely off the land (and occasional inn fare) mining, blacksmithing, hunting, cooking, gathering (herbs/ingredients)

    Aside from buying the house, and a few of the items needed to make it (Glass and Straw) and spending a little money on purchasing food each night if in the cities from an inn, haven't spent any gold on anything else. Although, once I get enough, I'll purchase 1-2 of the Dragonborn Werewolf rings from Manji.

    The build and character are both a lot of fun, there is however only one major problem with the roleplay aspect of it.

    The character is suppose to be a hunter, meaning no killing except for animals, and very rarely self defense (or simply run) The main problem is this... in order to obtain the items mentioned: Savior's Hide, Ring of Hircine, Boots/Gauntlets of the Old Gods (If gotten), and Lakeside Manor ALL require killing, and in some cases, pure murder (Boots/Gauntlet quest) In addition, the questline for the companions is centered around killing, that is.. people, not animals.

    So far the only quest I have actually seen that is centered around HUNTING is the quest to recieve Kyne's Token.

    In this sense, it's very hard to role-play as a true hunter AND get the best hunter gear. 

    While Lakeside Manor's Small House is easily obtained, for only a mere 5000 gold (easily gotten with the above quests + hunting) and the rest to furnish the Small House (no expansions) is easy as well, to make a small hunter's lodge out in the woods by the lake. The main problem is that there is no alchemy table in the small house, meaning would have to travel to Falkreath or Whiterun in order to mix potions. Granted, as a true hunter, this isn't a problem, since a hunter wouldn't rely on potions and poisons, but instead focus on cooking and skill alone, but as a woodsman (hunting and gathering) it is somewhat of an issue.. meaning that you have to expand on the house even further, thus turning the small cabin into a giant mansion (even without the 3 additions)

    Another thing, while the savior's hide looks nice, in addition to the bow of the hunt, and boots/gauntlets of the old god's, the character looks like a true hunter, decked out in the fur armor. Although, what about a helmet, I don't know if the Light Armor perks require that a helmet must be worn, or if they work without it (not that high up the tree yet)

    Also, what about dragons... as personally, I would consider the ultimate hunt of skyrim to be dragons. Even though doing a role-play, and being moderately realistic.. dragon's aren't real in life, but are very real in the game. The only way to avoid finding dragons is to avoid the main quest line all-together beyond Riverwood, since once you kill the first dragon, others will appear.

    I play on the xbox 360, with all 3 add-ons, and I think that the role-play aspect might be better suited to computer players, where people can include mods, for hunting lodges, guilds, quests, campsites, and a need to actually rest/eat..

    On my character, I'm playing as a Bosmer (Wood Elf) level 24, have started the Companions and halfway through (Werewolf), have started the Dawnguard (Crossbow) and have done all of the quests to get the following: Valdr's Lucky Dagger, Savior's Hide, Ring of Hircine, Boots of the Old God's, Guantlet's of the Old God's, Bow of the Hunt - and working on Kyne's Sacred Trials for the Kyne's Token.

    On the house, I went ahead and made it into the mansion, adding the Main Hall, Greenhouse, Alchemy Lab, and Kitchen, as well as converting the Small House into an entryway.

    Debating on whether or not to continue on with the rest of the Companions questline, in order to get Aela as a personal steward. As well as continuing the Dawnguard questline to recruit Sorine, so that I can buy bolts anytime I am in/around Riften. 

    Also debating on whether or not to remake the character, to play with stricter rules that what I have now. Such as no killing people at all, the only exception to this being the starting dungeon, and the bandit hideout in order to get the Lakeside Manor in Falkreath Hold.. with this setup, would be more of an actual role-play, with only hunting and gathering and only venturing into a city once a week. Since I don't have the campsite mod, I would have to find a suitable lodge near Whiterun/Falkreath that won't involve killing to be able to fall asleep, atleast until I get the 5,000 in order to buy Lakeside.. but again, I think that this true role-play aspect is better suited to the computer. Which I would play on if I could get it to download again.

  • Member
    January 6, 2014

    You can avoid killing anyone for the boots and gauntlets of the Old Gods. I've done that before, can share the method if you wish  You only need first two quests for Companions, one you can get from Aela (to hunt an animal), the second is that crypt, but you can let Farkas do the killing and just support him with arrows but not actually kill anyone (not that killing draugr is considered "killing"). To get the Savior's Hide you can let Sinding kill everyone and then hunt him down. 

  • Sam
    Member
    January 6, 2014

    I had typed out a reply and clicked to submit it.. but for some reason the reply was cut off.

    Give me time and I can retype the reply I had.

  • Member
    January 6, 2014

    Yeah, Ning tends to do that. You can send it via PM if you wish 

  • Member
    January 6, 2014

    He probably means more mundane arrows, such as steel. Unrealistic would probably be like glass or daedric. 

  • Sam
    Member
    January 6, 2014

    What of a helmet for the character? Are there any enchanted helmets that would work, or just go with a plain helmet? The Forsworn helmets match the Savior's Hide + Boots of the Old Gods + Gauntlets of the Old Gods, but it looks so ugly.. I understand it's a deer's head, but seriously..no one would ever really wear something like that.

    Since Hide and Fur helmets don't match the savior's hide + old gods boots/gloves, I chose to forego a helmet altogether. 

    However, with taking the Light Armor perks for the 25% boost to armor with helm, boots, gloves and armor of light armor. (Custom Fit) and again, the 2nd 25% boost to armor with Matching Set... I do believe it would require the helmet slot be occupied by a Light Armor helmet.

    Playing on the Xbox 360 - so available mods which might give a nice looking light armor helmet that could be worn on a hunter, are not available to me. If anyone knows of a helmet that would work, please say so.

    Otherwise, I'd only be taking the first 5, Agile Defender x5 for a boost of 100% Armor rating with Light Armor (Doesn't require a set)

    I've looked at some helmets, but most of what they have doesn't match the look, such as Hide and Fur, and others that might match better, or look better at the least, require doing quests that I won't be doing. (Thieves Guild) and others.

  • Sam
    Member
    January 7, 2014

    Realistic as in Iron and Steel - metals that arrows are normally made out of.. even though they are low on damage, I generally prefer to use the Iron Arrows, as their plain look goes better with the Savior's Hide and Old God's equipment than all other arrows, besides, as a simple hunter.. it's not suppose to be about dealing the most damage. If the Bow of the Hunt + Iron Arrows isn't enough, can always use a Crossbow and Steel Bolts - slower, and more of a "noob archers" weapon, but it packs a punch. I find that in early levels, I alternate between using a bow (wolves/deer) to a crossbow (bears/sabre/trolls). It's not til around 15-20 that I start focusing on just the bow, and even then it still takes me a few shots to kill some bears and sabre cats.