Duskblade

High Elf - Sword - Light - Spellsword - Warrior

Background

A student of elemental spellcasting techniques, the Duskblade combines arcane spellcasting with the combat skills of a fighter. While the ability to cast arcane spells in armor originated with the elves, over the millenia the secrets of the Duskblade have been disseminated to the other races.

This is a spellsword class based on the Duskblade prestige class from Dungeons & Dragons. With Wizards receiving a spell casting penalty for wearing progressively heavier armour, in Dungeons & Dragons, this prestige class allows them to wear armour with no penalites and also improves their martial abilities to use weapons in combat.

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Weapons

An Elven Sword enchanted with both Frost Damage and Shock Damage. This allows the weapon to lower health, stamina and magicka on each hit.

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Armor

The Leather Scout set should be crafted as soon as you can, as it’s the best armour that uses just leather and it doesn’t require any smithing perks. Then Elven Armour when you can. I went with Elven Light because it has less of a solder feel to it with it not having pauldrons. That did mean killing some Thalmor, but no loss there. I'm using JS Armoured Circlets SE for the head gear, which has exactly the same armour as a regular helmet but allows you to see your characters face.

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Spells

Healing spells from Restoration. Utility spells from Alteration. Elemental Flare, Bolt, Burst and Blast from Destruction.

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Standing Stones

Any skill building standing stones ca be used when levelling. Then The Atronach Stone for 50% spell absorption, 50 magiicka but -50% magicka regeneration.

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Shrines

Use a shrine of Talos for the 20% shout cooldown reduction.

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Shouts

Slow Time (Time - Sand - Eternity)

Location: Hag’s End, Korvanjund (The Jagged Crown), Labyrinthian (The Staff of Magnus)

Slows time down for all nearby with you slowed down slightly a lot less. Allows you enough time to get lots of arrows fired at very slowly moving targets so great for killing groups of multiple enemies.

Unrelenting Force (Force - Balance - Push)

Location: Just follow the main story quests

Staggers enemies but it's replaced by Cyclone.

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.

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Character Creation

Female High Elf

Tthe 50 Magicka bonus from being a High Elf and the ability to significantly increase magicka regeneration once a day makes them the best race for this build.

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.

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Attribute Distribution

Place attribute points at 0/3/1. At level 57 which is required for all the perks the attributes are:

Magicka	Health	Stamina
100 (315)	520	240 (355)

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Perk Point Distribution

The skill boosts for High Elves are marked in bold.

Mage		Warrior		Rogue
Alteration +5	9	Archery	0	Alchemy	7
Conjuration +5	0	Block	0	Light Armor	5
Destruction +5	7	Heavy Armor	0	Lockpicking	0
Enchanting +5	11	One-handed	7	Pickpocket	0
Illusion +10	0	Smithing	2	Sneak	0
Restoration +5	6	Two-handed	0	Speech	2
Total	33	Total	9	Total	14

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Skills and Perks

Mage Skills

Rogue Skills

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Spells

Alteration

Spell	Level	Description
Candlelight	Novice	Creates a hovering light that lasts for 60 seconds
Transmute	Adept	Transmute one piece of unrefined Iron Ore to Silver, or Silver Ore to Gold, if the caster is carrying any
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

These spells are situationally useful, which is why I've described them previously as utility spells. I generally train Alteration to 50 and then you can purchase Waterbreathing from Tolfgir at the College of Winterhold. Casting this spell when stood in a river is a reasonably quick way to level Alteration. Taking the Adept Alteration perk when Alteration is at 50 drops the cost to 82 magicka.

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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 used to level Conjuration and also fill soul gems.

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Destruction

Spell	Level	Description
Flames	Novice	A gout of fire that does 8 points per second. Targets on fire take extra damage.
Elemental Flare	Novice	An elemental explosion for 15 points of fire damage, 15 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina
Elemental Bolt	Apprentice	An elemental explosion for 20 points of fire damage, 20 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina
Elemental Burst	Novice	An elemental explosion for 30 points of fire damage, 30 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina
Elemental Blast	Novice	An elemental explosion for 40 points of fire damage, 40 points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina
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

Flames is used until you get Elemental Flare from Farnegar in Whiterun. Stick with Elemental Flare until you get your crafted gear as Destructions spells costs no magicka then which means you switch to Elemental Blast.

Unbounded Storms is purely used as a means to speed the levelling of Destruction by casting and using fast travel.

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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 can be used to level illusion by casting it at NPC.

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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
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

Grand healing can only be cast with enchanted gear as without that the Magicka cost is too great.

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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

One-handed weapons do 300% more damage
The weapons uses no charges per hit
Destruction spells costs no magicka
Restoration spells costs 46% less magicka
Magicka and Stamina is increased by 115 points
Magicka regenerates 115% faster
Resist 37% of magical effects

Item	Enchantment	Effect
Head	Fortify Destruction	Destruction spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Fortify Restoration	Restoration spells and enchantments cost 46% less
Body	Fortify Destruction	Destruction spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Fortify Magicka Regen	Magicka regenerates 115% faster
Feet	Fortify One-handed	One-handed weapons do 75% more damage
	Fortify Stamina	Stamina is increased by 115 points
Hands	Fortify One-handed	One-handed weapons do 75% more damage
	Fortify Magicka	Magicka is increased by 115 points
Amulet	Fortify One-handed	One-handed weapons do 75% more damage
	Resist Magic	Resist 37% of magical effects
Ring	Fortify One-handed	One-handed weapons do 75% more damage
	Fortify Destruction	Destruction spells and enchantments cost 46% less
Sword	Frost Damage	Target takes 125 points of frost damage to Health and Stamina
	Shock Damage	Target takes 125 points of shock damage, and half as much Magicka damage

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.

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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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Potion of Fortify Health

Ingredients	Blue Mountain Flower & Wheat
Effects	Fortify Health	170 points for 60 seconds
	Restore Health	266 points restored

You can get all the Blue Mountain Flowers on the way to Whiterun. The two farms to the east of Whiterun also get you all the Wheat you need.

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Potion of Fortify Destruction

Ingredients	Glowing Mushroom, Snowberries, Steel-Blue Entoloma
Effects	Fortify Destruction	213% stronger for 60 seconds
	Resist Frost	128% for 60 seconds
	Resist Shock	128% for 60 seconds

All the glowing mushrooms you need are in the secret lab at the farm. Snowberries are around Windhelm Stables and the local farms. Steel-Blue Entoloma are available from Khajiit caravans. Remember to buy, quicksave, attack and quickload to reset the vendor until you have all 8 Steel-Blue Entoloma.

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Potion of Fortify Magicka

Ingredients	Mora Tapinella, Red Mountain Flower, Tundra Cotton
Effects	Fortify Magicka	170 points for 60 seconds
	Restore Magicka	266 points

All ingredients are on the way from Helgen to Whiterun.

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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
1 x Canis Root
6 x Glowing Mushrooms
4 x Mora Tapinella
4 x Red Mountain Flower
7 x Snowberries
8 x Steel-Blue Entoloma
4 x Tundra Cotton
5 x Wheat

Potions and Poisons Produced

24 x Potions of Forify Health
32 x Potions of Fortify Destruction
16 x Potions of Fortify Magicka

Main Area (27)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Snowberries (4)	7	28 + 7 = 35	56 + 7 = 63
Steel-Blue Entoloma (3)	8	24 + 8 = 32	48 + 8 = 56
Mora Tapinella (3)	4	12 + 4 = 16	24 + 4 = 28
Red Mountain Flowers (3)	4	12 + 4 = 16	24 + 4 = 28
Tundra Cotton (3)	4	12 + 4 = 16	24 + 4 = 28

Side Area (11)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Blue Mountain Flowers (3)	6	18 + 6 = 24	36 + 6 = 44
Wheat (4)	5	20 + 5 = 25	40 + 5 = 45

Planters (6)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Glowing Mushrooms (5)	6	30 + 5 = 35	60 + 5 = 65

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