Black Marsh Blighter

Argonian - Dagger - Clothing - Assassin - Spellsword

Background

The Black March Blighter is a master of poison and toxins thanks to an interest and the availability of alchemical ingredients in the Black Marshes. Through shamanic rituals, taught by the local witch doctors, the Blighter has learned to bind or harm enemies with magical runes.

This build is based on the Plague Doctor hero class in Darkest Dungeon.

Please note that it takes about 3 poison runes to kill a small Frostbite Spider on legendary difficulty so this build is not particularly effective on harder game difficulties as you will always kill enemies quicker by doing sneak attacks with your dagger, even without the Backstab perk being part of the build. I would therefore class this build as difficult and is better for players with a lot of experience in the game.

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Weapons

A Black Marsh Blighter uses an Orcish dagger and any dagger before than along the way, such as Iron, Steel or Dwarven. I think the Orcish dagger looks nasty compared to the others and although an Ebony dagger does more damage I went for looks over performance and saved a perk point.

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Armor

Clothing is worn and the robe and hood from the Necromantic Grimoire look pretty good. There's not many hoods in the game that fit well with a robe, in terms of looks, so this was the best option in my opinion.

Any clothing based gloves and boots can be used and the same goes for rings and necklaces. You may want to go for a Bone Hawk ring and necklace.

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Spells

Restoration for heals, Poison Rune and to turn undead. Alteration for Paralysis Rune and utility spells.

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Standing Stones

The Atonach Stone for the 50% spell absorption when coupled with Atronach perk from Alteration and the Necromage perk from Restoration when you are a Vampire means that you take no spell damage or effect damage. Effects include things like diseases or poisons, but also other magical effects such as fear and paralysis. In addition if the spell or effect has an associated magicka cost to it then your magicka is restored by base magicka cost of the spell.

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Shrines

Use a Shrine of Talos for the 20% reduction to shout cooldowns.

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Dragon Shouts

Aura Whisper (Life - Seek - Hunt)

Location: Northwind Summit, Valthume, Volunruud

Used to find out where all your enemies are and it's a fire and forget shout rather than a continual cast needed for the various Detect spells from Alteration.

Drain Vitality (Stamina - Magicka - Health)

Location: Arcwind Point, Dimhollow Crypt (Dawnguard), Forgotten Vale (Dawnguard)

Drains stamina, magicka and health from targets caught in the shout.

Marked for Death (Kill - Leech - Suffer)

Location: Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, Autumnwatch Tower, Forsaken Cave

Permanently reduces the armour and health of those caught in the shout. This also includes your followers.

Throw Voice (Voice - Fool - Far)

Location: Shearpoint for all words.

Allows you to move enemies to the target of the shout by creating taunts. Useful to move enemies to your runes.

Whirlwind Sprint (Whirlwind - Fury - Tempest)

Location: Dead Men’s Respite, Volskygge, High Hrothgar (The Way of the Voice)

Used to move to your target, flee when needed or reach otherwise impossible to reach places.

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Character Creation

Female Argonian Vampire

Argonian is a great fit for this build as 4 out of the 6 starting skill boosts are the core skills used by the build.

It generally makes more sense to create a female character as there are more male merchants than female so you get use out of the Allure perk. There are also more male enemies than female in Skyrim, with all Dwemer automatons being classed as male, so you get more use out of the Agent of Dibella lesser power. These are minor boosts though.

Become a vampire once you’ve done as much of The Companions faction quests as you want.

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Attribute Distribution

Place attributes at 1/2/0. At level 67 which is required for all the perks the attributes are:

Magicka	Health	Stamina
320 (435)	540 (655)	100 (215)

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Perk Point Distribution

The skill boosts for Argonians are marked in bold.

Mage		Warrior		Rogue
Alteration +5	10	Archery	0	Alchemy	10
Conjuration	0	Block	0	Light Armor +5	0
Destruction	3	Heavy Armor	0	Lockpicking +10	0
Enchanting	8	One-handed	6	Pickpocket +5	5
Illusion	4	Smithing	3	Sneak +5	5
Restoration +5	10	Two-handed	0	Speech	2
Total	35	Total	9	Total	26

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Skills and Perks

Mage Skills

Warrior Skills

Rogue Skills

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Spells

Alteration

Spell	Level	Description
Candlelight	Novice	Creates a hovering light that lasts for 60 seconds
Oakflesh	Novice	Improves the caster's armor rating by 40 points for 60 seconds
Magelight	Apprentice	Ball of light that lasts 60 seconds and sticks where it strikes
Stoneflesh	Apprentice	Improves the caster's armor rating by 60 points for 60 seconds
Ironflesh	Adept	Improves the caster's armor rating by 80 points for 60 seconds
Magelight	Apprentice	Ball of light that lasts 60 seconds and sticks where it strikes
Paralysis Rune	Adept	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes when enemies are nearby, immobilising them for 8 seconds
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
Ebony Flesh	Expert	Improves the caster's armor rating by 100 points for 60 seconds

Alteration to 50 with training and then you can buy waterbreathing. Cast while in water to take it to 100.

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Conjuration

Spell	Level	Description
Soul Trap	Apprentice	If a target dies within 60 seconds, fills a soul gem

Soul Trap is pretty quick at raising Conjuration and you need filled soul gems for enchanting anyway.

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Destruction

Spell	Level	Description
Unbounded Storm	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

Destruction spells are not used in the build other than to level Destruction so you can take the Rune Master perk.

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Illusion

Spell	Level	Description
Courage	Novice	Target won't flee for 60 seconds, and gets some extra health and stamina.

Courage is the same as Unbounded Storm for Desruction, in that it can be used to level Illusion to gain character levels. I usually cast it at people in towns while making my way to a merchant.

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Restoration

Spell	Level	Description
Healing	Novice	Heals the caster 10 points per second
Healing Hands	Apprentice	Heals the target 10 points per second, but not undead, atronachs, or machines
Fast Healing	Apprentice	Heals caster by 50 points
Turn Lesser Undead	Apprentice	Undead up to level 6 flee for 30s
Close Wounds	Adept	Heals caster by 100 points
Poison Rune	Adept	Targets that fail to resist take 3 points of poison damage for 30 seconds
Turn Undead	Adept	Undead up to level 13 flee for 30s
Circle of Protection	Expert	Undead up to level 20 entering the circle will flee
Grand Healing	Expert	Heals everyone close to the caster 200 points. Does not affect atronachs, machines or undead
Turn Greater Undead	Expert	Undead up to level 21 flee for 30s

With the Necromage Perk and Dual casting the Turn Undead based spells you have some utility in the build against undead who are otherwise immune to both paralysis and poison. This is where your dagger comes in handy.

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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

Alteration and Resotration spells costs 46% less to cast
Health, Magicka and Stamina are increased by 115 points
Magicka regenerates 230% faster
Sneaking is 300% more effective
Pickpocketing is 75% easier

Item	Enchantment	Effect
Head	Fortify Alteration	Alteration spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Fortify Magicka Regen	Magicka regenerates 115% faster
Body	Fortify Restoration	Restoration spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Fortify Stamina	Increases your Stamina by 115 points
Feet	Fortify Pickpocket	Pickpocketing is 75% easier
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Hands	Foritify Magicka	Increases your Magicka by 115 points
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Amulet	Fortify Magicka Regen	Magicka regenerates 115% faster
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Ring	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 115 points
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Dagger	-	-
	-	-

The magnitude of the enchantments can be further increased by equipping 4 pieces of Azhidal's gear and by using the Sallow Regent Black Book.

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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.

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Healing Potion

Ingredients	Blue Mountain Flower & Wheat
Effects	Fortify Health	140 points for 60 seconds
	Restore Health	266 points restored

All of the ingredients can be found in or around Whiterun.

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Magicka Potion

Ingredients	Giant Lichen, Red Mountain Flower, Tundra Cotton
Effects	Fortify Magicka	170 points for 60 seconds
	Restore Magicka	266 points restored

Giant Lichen are found around Morthal. Red Mountain Flowers are all around Skyrim. Tundra Cotton are in the plains around Whiterun.

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Poison of Paralysis

Ingredients	Canis Root, Imp Stool & Mora Tapinella
Effects	Paralysis	Paralyzed for 43 seconds
	Lingering Damage Health	43 points of damage for 10 seconds

There are 5 Canis Root on the opposite side of the river to the lumbermill and docks at Solitude. There are 6 Imp Stool in Reachwater Rock which is just to the south of Markarth. Mora Tapinella are numerous on tree stumps as you go from Helgen to Riverwood at the start of the game.

If you talk to Farengar in Dragonsreach and ask if he's the only Wizard in Whiterun he gives you a quest to take some Frost Salts to Arcadia, who has as shop in the market. Doing so makes her friendly towards you and allows you to take low value items from her shop without buying them, this includes 2 Canis Root and 1 Imp Stool.

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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.

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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.

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Farming

For more information on getting to and setting up your farm read my guide.

Ingredients Needed

6 x Blue Mountain Flower
7 x Canis Root
4 x Giant Lichen
7 x Imp Stool
9 x Mora Tapinella
3 x Red Mountain Flower
3 x Tundra Cotton
5 x Wheat

Potions and Poisons Produced

42 x Healing Potions
21 x Magicka Potions
63 x Poisons of Paralysis

Main Area (27)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Canis Root (4)	7	28 + 7 = 35	56 + 7 = 63
Giant Lichen (4)	4	16 + 4 = 20	32 + 4 = 36
Imp Stool (4)	7	28 + 7 = 35	56 + 7 = 63
Mora Tapinella (3)	9	27 + 9 = 36	54 + 9 = 63

Side Area (11)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Blue Mountain Flower (3)	6	18 + 6 = 24	36 + 6 = 42
Wheat (4)	5	20 + 5 = 25	40 + 5 = 45

Planters (6)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Red Mountain Flower (3)	3	9 + 3 = 12	18 + 3 = 21
Tundra Cotton (3)	3	9 + 3 = 12	18 + 3 = 21

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