Bounty Hunter
Redguard - Sword - Heavy - Shield - Knight
Background
Bounty Hunters are skilled warriors who travel Tamriel in search of those who are unfortunate enough to earn a bounty on their heads. They will do almost anything to kill their prey and fulfil their contract.
Weapons
Any sword when you can and then 3 scimitars for enchanted weapons. A scimitar is found in an upturned boat directly west of Dawnstar on the coastline a little past the fishing spot. It should be sought out quickly as it has a better base damage than a steel sword so gives more One-handed XP per hit. This Scimitar also respawns.
You also get 2 by doing the Lord’s Mail quest which is where the Yellow Redguard Hood is obtained.
Armor
Craft a set of Steel Soldier Armor as soon as you can after you have left Helgen. There's enough ore veins and wildlife to give you all the materials you need. You also need the Steel Smithing perk to make it and I usually take this as my first perk for most of my builds.
The final gear is a Yellow Redguard Hood, Iron Plate Armor, Iron Spell Knight Boots and Gauntlets, Banded Iron Shield, The Warlocks Ring.
The yellow Redguard Hood is found on an enemy in the Lord’s Mail creation which is started by reading a note in General Tulius’ room in Castle Dour, Solitude.
Iron Plate Armor can be crafted at the start of the game but the Steel Soldier Armor should be used as it benefits from a Smithing perk so you'll have a larger boost in armor rating from this before you get your Smithing and Enchanting skills higher. The Banded Iron Shield can also be crafted at the start of the game.
The Warlocks Ring is acquired from the 5th quest from Viriya at Riften Docks.
Spells
Alteration for some utility spells. Restoration for healing spells.
Standing Stones
The Atronach Stone for 50% spell absorption, 50 Magicka but -50% magicka regeneration.
Shrines
Use a Shrine of Talos for a 20% cooldown on shouts.
Shouts
Unrelenting Force (Force - Balance - Push)
Location: Just follow the main story quests
Staggers enemies.
Whirlwind Sprint (Whirlwind - Fury - Tempest)
Location: Dead Men’s Respite, Volskygge, High Hrothgar (The Way of the Voice)
Use to reach otherwise inaccessible places and to quickly evade attacks or catch up with fleeing enemies.
Character Creation
Female Redguard
Imperials are a perfect match for this build with all 6 skills they get a boost in being perked. Redguards and Orcs are a close second on 30/35. Redguard are typically described as sellswords and a bounty hunter is definitely a mercenary for hire so they were an obvious choice.
Pick female as the sex for your character as there are more male humanoids than females to fight in Skyrim so the 10% damage bonus against the opposite sex from Agent of Dibella gets more use. All Dwemer Automatons count as Male.
Attribute Distribution
Place attribute points at 0 / 2 / 1. At level 63 which is required for all the perks the attributes are:
| Magicka | Health | Stamina |
|---|---|---|
| 100 (265) | 520 (635) | 300 (530) |
Perk Point Distribution
The skill boosts for Redguard are marked in bold.
| Mage | Warrior | Rogue | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alteration +5 | 8 | Archery +5 | 0 | Alchemy | 7 |
| Conjuration | 0 | Block +5 | 6 | Light Armor | 0 |
| Destruction +5 | 7 | Heavy Armor | 7 | Lockpicking | 0 |
| Enchanting | 11 | One-handed +10 | 7 | Pickpocket | 0 |
| Illusion | 0 | Smithing +5 | 1 | Sneak | 0 |
| Restoration | 8 | Two-handed | 0 | Speech | 0 |
| Total | 34 | Total | 21 | Total | 7 |
Skills and Perks
Mage Skills
Alteration 8
Novice Alteration
Apprentice Alteration
Adept Alteration
Expert Alteration
Magic Resistance 3/3
Atronach
Destruction 7
Novice Destruction
Augmented Flames 2/2
Augmented Frost 2/2
Augmented Shock 2/2
Enchanting 11
Enchanter 5/5
Insightful Enchanter
Corpus Enchanter
Extra Effect
Fire Enchanter
Frost Enchanter
Shock Enchanter
Restoration 8
Novice Restoration
Apprentice Restoration
Expert Restoration
Novice Restoration
Regeneration
Recovery 2/2
Respite
Warrior Skills
Block 6
Shield Wall 1/5
Deflect Arrows
Elemental Protection
Shield Charge
Quick Reflexes
Heavy Armor 7
Juggernaut 4/5
Fists of Steel
Cushioned
Conditioning
One-handed 7
Armsman 5/5
Fighting Stance
Savage Strike
Smithing 1
Steel Smithing
Rogue Skills
Alchemy 7
Alchemist 5/5
Physician
Benefactor
Spells
Alteration
| Spell | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Candlelight | Novice | Creates a hovering light that lasts for 60 seconds |
| Detect Life | Adept | Nearby living creatures, but not undead, machines or daedra, can be seen through walls. |
| Telekinesis | Adept | Can pull an object to you from distance. Add it to your inventory or throw it |
| Waterbreathing | Adept | Can breathe under water for 60 seconds |
The Detect Life spellbook can be obtained in Whiterun by taking to the Steward in Dragonsreach and following the quest to the Stables. Cast this spell in the market to level Alteration.
Conjuration
| Spell | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Soul Trap | Apprentice | If a target dies within 60 seconds, fills a soul gem |
Soul Trap is used to level Conjuration and also fill soul gems.
Destruction
| Spell | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Flames | Novice | A gout of fire inflicting a base damage of 8 points of fire damage per second. Targets on fire take extra damage. |
| Unbounded Storms | Expert | Targets in melee range take 40 shock damage per second to Health, and half that to Magicka. Random lightning strikes deal an additional 30 damage |
Unbounded Storms is purely used as a means to level Destruction quickly although Fire Rune is fine to level it but a lot slower.
Illusion
| Spell | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Courage | Novice | Target won't flee for 60 seconds, and gets some extra health and stamina. |
Courage can be used to level illusion by casting it at NPC in the early levels. It's not needed in this build.
Restoration
| Spell | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Healing | Novice | Heals the caster 10 points per second |
| Fast Healing | Apprentice | Heals caster by 50 points |
| Close Wounds | Adept | Heals caster by 100 points |
| Grand Healing | Expert | Heals everyone close to the caster 200 points. Does not affect atronachs, machines or undead |
You can start using better healing spells as the cost reduction perks are acquired but I pretty much just used Healing and Fast Healing before getting enchanted gear. The healing spells are a reliable source of regenerating Stamina.
Enchantments
The effects listed below are based upon 100 Enchanting skill, all the enchanting perks in the build and with a set of enchanted crafting gear. Read my guide on making crafting gear if you are not familiar with it.
Summary of combined effects
One-handed attacks do 75% more damage. Weapon uses no charges Destruction spells costs no magicka to cast Restoration spells cost 46% less magicka to cast Stamina is increased by 230 points Health and Magicka are increased by 115 points Magicka regenerates 10% faster. Block 25 points of spell damage while blocking Move 5% faster Grants 86% resistance to fire Resist 37% of all magic| Item | Enchantment | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Fortify Destruction | Destruction spells cost 46% less to cast |
| Fortify Restoration | Restoration spells cost 46% less to cast | |
| Body | Fortify Destruction & Magicka Regen | Destruction spells and enchantments cost 28% less. Magicka regenerates 10% faster. |
| Fortify Health | Increases your Health by 115 points | |
| Feet | Fortify Stamina | Increases Stamina by 115 points |
| Resist Fire | Grants 86% resistance to fire | |
| Hands | Fortify Magicka | Increases Magicka by 115 points |
| Fortify One-handed | One-handed attacks do 75% more damage | |
| Amulet | Fortify Destruction | Destruction spells cost 46% less to cast |
| Fortify Stamina | Increases Stamina by 115 points | |
| Warlock's Ring | Spell Ward | While blocking, creates a ward that protects against spells for up 25 points. |
| Fortify Health Regeneration | Regenerate health 30% faster | |
| Fortify Move Speed | You move 5% faster | |
| Shield | Fortify Block | Destruction spells cost 46% less to cast |
| Resist Magic | Grants 37% resistance to all magic | |
| Sword 1 | Fire Damage | Burns the target for 85 points |
| Turn Undead | Undead up to level 33 flee for 30 seconds | |
| Sword 2 | Frost Damage | Target takes 85 points of frost damage to Health and Stamina |
| Fear | Creatures and people up to level 69 flee from combat for 30 seconds | |
| Sword 3 | Shock Damage | Target takes 85 points of shock damage, and half as much to magicka |
| Absorb Magicka | Absorb 69 points of Magicka |
For the first sword you need to lower the turn undead down 12 to the left until the weapon turns red so that the Fire damage is the stronger enchantment and the Destruction school is used to determine the charge usage.
With the Sallowed Regent Black Book the magnitude of all enchantments can be increased. Please note that Black Books can only be used on Solstheim.
The magnitude of the enchantments can be further increased by equipping 4 pieces of Azhidal's gear.
Alchemy
All the details for the potions and poisons are based on having all the listed alchemy perks, Alchemy at 100 and a set of crafting gear.Potion of Fortify Health
| Ingredients | Blue Mountain Flower & Wheat | |
|---|---|---|
| Effects | Fortify Health | Health is increased by 170 points for 60 seconds |
| Restore Health | Restores 266 points of Health | |
You can get all the Blue Mountain Flowers you need in Whiterun. The two farms to the east of Whiterun also get you all the Wheat you need.
Potion of Fortify Destruction
| Ingredients | Glowing Mushroom, Snowberries & Steel-Blue Entoloma | |
|---|---|---|
| Effects | Fortify Destruction | Destruction spells are 213% stronger for 60 seconds |
| Resist Frost | Resists 128% of frost damage for 60 seconds | |
| Resist Shock | Resists 128% of shock damage for 60 seconds | |
Get 2 Glowing Mushrooms just inside Shimmermist Cave to the north east of Winterhold and the remaining 7 are in the secret lab at the farm. Go back to Helgen and take the path towards Ivarstead and gather all the Snowberries you need from there. Steel-Blue Entoloma are from Khajiit merchants
Potion of Fortify Enchanting
| Ingredients | Dreugh Wax/Stoneflower Petals & Snowberries | |
|---|---|---|
| Effects | Fortify Enchanting | 85% stronger for 30 seconds |
Dreugh Wax and Stoneflower Petals are only available from Khajiit caravans. Some travel between Whiterun and Markarth. Snowberries are abundant near Windhelm.
Potion of Fortify Smithing
| Ingredients | Dreugh Wax/Gold Kanet & Glowing Mushrooms | |
|---|---|---|
| Effects | Fortify Smithing | 213% stronger for 30 seconds |
Dreugh Wax and Gold Kanet are only available from Khajiit caravans. Some travel between Whiterun and Markarth. Glowing Mushrooms are in Falmer caves.
Farming
For more information on getting to and setting up your farm read my guide.
Ingredients Needed
6 x Blue Mountain Flower 9 x Glowing Mushrooms 11 x Snowberries 13 x Steel-Blue Entoloma 5 x WheatPotions and Poisons Produced
24 x Potions of Forify Health 52 x Potions of Fortify DestructionMain Area (27)
| Ingredient | Qty | Harvest | Green Thumbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel-Blue Entoloma (3) | 13 | 39 + 13 = 52 | 78 + 13 = 91 |
| Wheat (4) | 5 | 20 + 5 = 25 | 90 + 9 = 99 |
| Glowing Mushrooms (5) | 9 | 45 + 9 = 54 | 48 + 6 = 54 |
Side Area (11)
| Ingredient | Qty | Harvest | Green Thumbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowberries (4) | 11 | 44 + 11 = 55 | 88 + 11 = 99 |
Planters (6)
| Ingredient | Qty | Harvest | Green Thumbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Flowers (3) | 6 | 18 + 6 = 24 | 36 + 6 = 42 |