Gray Guard

Imperial - Mace - Heavy - Shield - Knight

Background

You have seen the horrible reality of the world: Children dying in the gutter as the rich feast a hedge-wall away; law used to imprison and terrify those it was created to protect; the supposedly devout ignoring and abusing those they deem beneath their interest or contrary to their faith. The most insidious evil wears a cloak of righteousness and seduces with honeyed words. Your faiths leadership realizes that many paladins inflexible interpretation of their code of conduct not only allows such foulness to remain hidden but even aids its spread. As a gray guard, you have earned the freedom to seek out and destroy corruption through any means necessary.

Weapons

An Iron Mace from the torturer’s room in Helgen. When you have the Steel Smithing perk make a Steel Mace.

The final weapon is a Light of Day which is a unique Iron Mace that has the same base damage as a Stalhrim or Daedric Mace and does 15 points of Sun damage and an additional 30 points of Sun Damage to Undead. It can be acquired at the end of the Ghosts of the Tribunal quest chain, which can be started by reading the journal in the first room on the right of the lower floor in the temple in Raven Rock on Solstheim.

Armor

Craft a set of Steel Soldier Armor as soon as you have the materials and the Steel Smithing Perk. The final gear is Iron Plate which should be used once your Smithing is higher and you have a reasonably high level of the Heavy Armor skill. Use the Iron Shield you can get in Helgen in torturer’s room or make a Banded Iron Shield. For the final gear you keep most of the Iron Plate but replace the helmet with an Iron Spell Knight Helmet. A Dawnguard Rune Shield is used for the final shield which does extra bash damage to vampires and when a sustained block is used it creates a sun damaging aura. Sun Damage does minor damage to all but triple damage to undead and it drains stamina while it does the sun damage.

The Iron Spell Knight Helmet can be acquired by reading the journal in the first room on the right, in the Blood and Silver Inn at Markarth. Then follow the resulting quest and you’ll find the helmet on a knight slain by forsworn.

The Dawnguard Rune Shield is one of 3 lost relics that Florentius Baenius at Fort Dawnguard gives you quests to find. To get the quest to rescue Florentius you need to progress the Dawnguard quests to The Prophet and find the attacked wagon near Dragonbridge. Read the note on the dead vampire and at this point return to Fort Dawnguard and talk to Sorine, which will start the quest. Then repeat radiant Dawnguard quest until you get a quest from Florentius where he sends you to get a Lost Relic. You may have to do the relic quest 3 times to get the shield as I think it's random what item you get and there are 3 relics on total.

Spells

Alteration for utility spells. Restoration for heals.

Standing Stones

The Atronach Stone once the Atronach perk has been acquired for 50% spell absorption, 50 Magicka but -50% magicka regeneration.

Shrines

Use a Shrine of Stendarr for 10% extra blocking

Shouts

Character Creation

Female Imperial

Imperials come out with a 30/35 skill boost, Orcs in second with 25/35 and Bretons and Redguards in joint third with 20/35.

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.

Attribute Distribution

Distribute attributes at a ratio of 0 / 2 / 1. At level 62 which is required for all the perks the attributes are:

Perk Point Distribution

The skill boosts for Imperials are marked in bold.

Skills and Perks

Mage Skills

Warrior Skills

Rogue Skills

Spells

Alteration

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

Used to fill soul gems for enchanting.

Destruction

Destruction is not used in this build.

Illusion

Illusion is not used in this build.

Restoration

Restoration spells are used as a means to quickly restore both health and 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.

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

Potion of Fortify Health

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

Potion of Resist Frost

Steel-Blue Entoloma can be bought from Khajiit merchants. Quick save, attack and quick load to refresh their inventory until you have enough. Thistle Branch can be found on the journey from Helgen to Whiterun. All 6 White Cap can be found in Reachwater Rock.

Potion of Fortify Block

All 6 Bleeding Crown can be found in Reachwater Rock. There’s 3 Dragon’s Tongue outside Arcadia’s Cauldron in Whilerun and they are numerous in Solitude or at Kynesgrove to the south of Windhelm. Tundra Cotton can be found in Whiterun and the surrounding areas.

Potion of Fortify Enchanting

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

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.

Main Area (27)

Side Area (11)

Planters (6)

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