Nightshade

Dark Elf - Bow - Light - Archer - Assassin

Background

A nightshade is a master of disguise and stealth, and a friend of the shadows. They focus on gathering intelligence, spreading panic and fear and bringing death to the enemies of their house.

This build is based on the Nightshade prestige class in Dungeons and Dragons. The prestige class is available to any evil aligned Drow who can cast arcane spells, has the point blank shot feat and has 7 points in the move silent skill. You can also take Arachnia your Pet spider along with you for the web trap as Nightshades can cast the web spell 3 times a day in D&D.

Against creatures and people this build can be played as a combat archer and against other enemy types played as a stealth archer. The fear enchantment can be boosted by a potion of Fortify Destruction because a Frost Damage enchantment is the dominant enchantment. This raises the level of the creatures and people affected by the fear to 215.

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Weapons

Hunting bow as soon as you can as that is your final weapon. It's the fastest bow that benefits from a Smithing perk and can be enchanted.

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Armor

A Torturer’s Hood from Helgen and Leather Scout armour as it’s the best leather based armour you can craft at the start of the game. Once you have the farm setup head south east to Gjukar’s Monument and then keep going until you see several mudcrabs. Kill them all and then you can take scaled armor, boots and gauntlets from a dead adventurer. Then the final gear is Morag Tong, Armor, Boots and Gauntlets from the quest chain to investigate the assassination attempt on Councillor Morvayn on Solstheim.

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Spells

Healing spells from Restoration.

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Standing Stones

The Lord Stone for 25% magic resistance and 50 extra armour.

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Shrines

Use a Shrine of Mephala for 10% better prices and because she’s associated with spiders.

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Shouts

Aura Whisper (Life - Seek - Hunt)

Location: Northwind Summit, Valthume, Volunruud

Makes nearby creatures and people visible like the Detect Life spell but lasts for up to 30 seconds.

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 Dark Elf

Pick a Dunmer as they are the perfect match for a Drow as well as getting perks in all 6 of the skills boosted.

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

Distribute attributes at a ratio of 0 / 2 / 1. At level 61 which is required for all the perks the attributes are:

Magicka	Health	Stamina
100	500 (615)	300 (415)

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Perk Point Distribution

The skill boosts for Dark Elves are marked in bold.

Mage		Warrior		Rogue
Alteration +5	3	Archery	8	Alchemy +5	11
Conjuration	0	Block	0	Light Armor +5	5
Destruction +10	3	Heavy Armor	0	Lockpicking	0
Enchanting	10	One-handed	0	Pickpocket	0
Illusion +5	0	Smithing	3	Sneak +5	7
Restoration	6	Two-handed	0	Speech	0
Total	26	Total	11	Total	23

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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.

Get training from Dravynea at Kynesgrove to get Alteration from 20 to 30, which is required for all the perks in the build.

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Conjuration

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

Use Soul Trap to fill soul gems and level conjuration quickly.

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Destruction

Spell	Level	Description
Flames	Novice	A gout of fire inflicting a base damage of 8 points of fire damage per second
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 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 an 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

Just the healing spells from Restoration.

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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

Bows do 150% more damage.
The weapon enchantments use no charges.
Destruction spells cost no Magicka.
Sneaking is 300% easier.
Health and Stamina are increased by 115 points.
Resist 37% of all magical effects

Item	Enchantment	Effect
Head	Fortify Destruction	Destruction spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Fortify Archery	Bows do 75% more damage
Body	Fortify Destruction	Destruction spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Fortify Health	Health is increased by 115 points
Feet	Fortify Stamina	Stamina is increased by 115 points
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Hands	Fortify Archery	Bows do 75% more damage
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Amulet	Resist Magic	Resist 37% of magical effects
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Ring	Fortify Destruction	Destruction spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Fortify Sneak	Sneaking is 75% more effective
Bow	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.

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	Health is increased by 170 points for 60 seconds
	Restore Health	Restores 266 points of Health

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

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Potion of Fortify Carry Weight

Ingredients	Creep Cluster, Nightshade & Steel-Blue Entoloma
Effects	Fortify Carry Weight	Carrying capacity increases by 170 for 300 seconds
	Fortify Destruction	Destruction spells are 213% stronger for 60 seconds
	Restore Magicka	Restores 266 points of Magicka

Creep Cluster can be found around Kynesgrove to the south of Windhelm. Nightshade are found at graveyards by the Halls of the Dead in the hold capitals. Steel-Blue Entoloma are from Khajiit caravan merchants.

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Poison of Lingering Damage Health

Ingredients	Imp Stool, Mora Tapinella & Nightshade
Effects	Lingering Damage Health	Drains the target's Health by 43 points per second for 10 seconds
	Damage Health	Damages the target's health by 85 points

Imp Stool are in Left Hand Mine and Reachwater Rock to the south of Markarth. You can also get one from Arcadia in Whiterun. Mora Tapinella are on the tree stumps on the way to Whiterun. Nightshade are found at graveyards by the Halls of the Dead in the hold capitals.

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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
4 x Creep Cluster
5 x Imp Stool
6 x Mora Tapinella
12 x Nightshade
6 x Steel-Blue Entoloma
5 x Wheat

Potions and Poisons Produced

42 x Potions of Forify Health
42 x Potions of Fortify Carry Weight
42 x Poisons of Lingering Damage Health

Main Area (27)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Nightshade (4)	12	36 + 12 = 48	72 + 12 = 84
Creep Cluster (5)	4	20 + 4 = 24	40 + 4 = 44
Imp Stool (4)	5	20 + 5 = 25	40 + 5 = 45
Steel-Blue Entoloma (3)	6	18 + 6 = 24	36 + 6 = 42

Side Area (11)

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

Planters (6)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Mora Tapinella Flowers (3)	6	18 + 6 = 24	36 + 6 = 42

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