Skald

Nord - Sword - Clothing - Heavy - Warrior - Support

Background

Unlike other bards, skalds tended to focus more on the oratory arts rather than music. In battle, rather than sing, warrior skalds would loudly and forcefully recite portions of an epic poem, inspiring their allies and infuriating or frightening their opponents.

Upon meeting Erik in Rorikstead you decide to accompany him on his adventures and immortalise his journey from a farm worker to a heroic warrior with your poetry.

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Weapons

Any one-handed weapon but then a Nordic Sword for the final weapon.

Erik the Slayer is equipped with a Nordic Battleaxe or if you play with USSEP a Nordic War Axe as this mod chnges his NPC class to represent the gear he is initially equipped with.

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Armor

Any heavy armor at the start of the game such as Steel Soldier armour, which you can craft once you have the Steel Smithing perk. The final gear is a Nordic Circlet, Stormbear Armor, Iron Spellknight Gauntlets and Boots.

An amulet of Talos is also used to reduce the shout cooldown by an additional 20%. One can be found on the battlements of Fort Dawnguard. Once you have enter the fort go right and right again and then up the stairs.

The quest to get the Stormbear Armor can be acquired by reading the note on the bar in The Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun. You can pick either side.

The quest to get the Iron Spell Knight gear can be started by reading the journal inside the first room on the right in the Silver-Blood Inn in Markarth.

Erik the Slayer is equipped with a full set of Scaled Armor or if you play with USSEP a full set of Nordic Carved amor and Shield.

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Spells

Alteration for utility spells, Illusion for Call to Arms. Restoration for heals.

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Standing Stones.

Use the Atronach Stone for 50% spell absorption, 50 Magicka 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

Battle Fury (Loyal - Valor - Inspire)

Location: Vahlok’s Tomb (all words) (Tharstan in the Skaal Village on Solstheim gives the quest after Gardener of Men).

Increases the attack speed of nearby allies in a similar way to the Elemental Fury shout for the player.

Dismay (Fear - Run - Terror)

Location: Dead Crone Rock, Lost Tongue Overlook, Shalidor’s Maze

Used to fear weak enemies so you can focus on attacking the tougher targets..

Unrelenting Force (Force - Balance - Push)

Location: Just follow the main story quests

Use for a quick stagger on 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.

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Character Creation

Female Nord

Nord is the best choice for the build based on the background.

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 63 which is required for all the perks the attributes are:

Magicka	Health	Stamina
100 (265)	520 (595)	300 (415)

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Perk Point Distribution

The skill boosts for Nords are marked in bold.

Mage		Warrior		Rogue
Alteration	8	Archery	0	Alchemy	7
Conjuration	0	Block +5	5	Light Armor +5	0
Destruction	0	Heavy Armor	6	Lockpicking	0
Enchanting	8	One-handed +5	7	Pickpocket	0
Illusion	5	Smithing +5	4	Sneak	0
Restoration	8	Two-handed +10	0	Speech +5	4
Total	29	Total	22	Total	11

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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
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. Stand in water and cast to level Alteration.

From the Bow of Shadows quest that you get from the steward in Dragonsreach you can get the Detect Life spell book at the stables once you have read the ledger in Acradia's Cauldron. Cast this in the market during the day to level Alteration.

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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 a good way to level conjuration. Just find a baby mudcrab and then spam the spell.

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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.

Use Unbounded Freezing and fast travelling to level Destruction. The spellbook can be found in Hob's Fall Cave.

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Illusion

Spell	Level	Description
Courage	Novice	Target won't flee for 60 seconds, and gets some extra health and stamina.
Call to Arms	Master	Targets have improved combat skills, health and stamina for 10 minutes.

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
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

Restoration is used for emergency healing in combat. Use Grand Healing close to Eric to replenish both his Health and Stamina.

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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 attacks do 75% more damage.
Illusion and Restoration spells costs 46% less magicka.
Health is increased by 75 points.
Magicka and Stamina are increased by 115 points.
Block 75% more damage with your shield.
Time between shouts is reduced by 40%.
Resist 37% of all magical effects.
50% resistance to frost.

Item	Enchantment	Effect
Head	Fortify Magicka Regen	Magicka Regnerates 115% faster
	Fortify Restoration	Restoration spells and enchantments cost 46% less
Storm-Bear Armor	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 75 points
	Resist Frost	Increases Frost Resistance by 50%
	Fortify Shouts	Time between shouts is reduced 20%
Feet	Fortify One-handed	One-handed weapons do 75% more damage
	Fortify Stamina	Increases Stamina by 115 points
Hands	Fortify Block	Block 75% more damage with your shield
	Fortify Magicka	Magicka is increased by 115 points
Amulet of Talos	Fortify Shouts	Time between shouts is reduced 20%
Ring	Fortify Illusion	Illusion spells and enchantments cost 46% less
	Resist Magic	Grants 37% resistance to all magic

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.

Eric the Slayer

Summary of combined effects

Health is increased by 345 points.
Magicka and Stamina are increased by 230 points.
Light Armor skill is increased by 46 points.
Can swim underwater without drowning.
Resist 74% of all magical effects.
69% resistance to frost.

Item	Enchantment	Effect
Head	Fortify Magicka	Increases Magicka by 115 points
	Waterbreathing	Can swim underwater without drowning
Body	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 75 points
	Fortify Stamina	Increases Stamina by 115 points
Feet	Fortify Stamina	Increases Stamina by 115 points
	Resist Frost	Increases Frost Resistance by 69%
Hands	Fortify Light Armor	Light Armor skill is increased by 46 points
	Fortify Magicka	Magicka is increased by 115 points
Amulet	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 115 points
	Resist Magic	Grants 37% resistance to all magic
Ring	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 115 points
	Resist Magic	Grants 37% resistance to all magic

Eric the Slayer - USSEP

Summary of combined effects

Health is increased by 460 points.
Magicka and Stamina are increased by 230 points.
Stamina regnerates 57% faster.
Can swim underwater without drowning.
Resist 111% of all magical effects.

Item	Enchantment	Effect
Head	Fortify Magicka	Increases Magicka by 115 points
	Waterbreathing	Can swim underwater without drowning
Body	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 75 points
	Fortify Stamina	Increases Stamina by 115 points
Feet	Fortify Stamina	Increases Stamina by 115 points
	Fortify Stamina Regen	Stamina regenerates 57% faster
Hands	Fortify Magicka	Magicka is increased by 115 points
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Amulet	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 115 points
	Resist Magic	Grants 37% resistance to all magic
Ring	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 115 points
	Resist Magic	Grants 37% resistance to all magic
Shield	Fortify Health	Increases your Health by 115 points
	Resist Magic	Grants 37% resistance to all magic

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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 increases by 170 points for 60 seconds
	Restore Health	266 points of health restored

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.

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Potion of Fortify Carry Weight

Ingredients	Mora Tapinella, Scaly Pholiota & Steel-Blue Entoloma
Effects	Fortify Carry Weight	Carry 170 more weight for 300 seconds
	Regenerate Stamina	Stamina regenerates 213% faster for 300 seconds
	Fortify Illusion	Illusion spells are 170% stronger 60 seconds
	Resotre Magicka	Restores 266 points of Magicka

Mora Tapinella are on the route from Helgen to Whiterun. There’s a lot of Scaly Pholiota to the south of Ivarstead and around Riften. Steel-Blue Entoloma are from Khajiit caravan merchants.

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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
12 x Mora Tapinella
9 x Scaly Pholiota
12 x Steel-Blue Entoloma
5 x Wheat

Potions and Poisons Produced

24 x Potions of Forify Health
48 x Potions of Fortify Carry Weight

Main Area (27)

Ingredient	Qty	Harvest	Green Thumbs
Steel-Blue Entoloma (3)	12	36 + 12 = 48	72 + 12 = 84
Mora Tapinella (3)	12	36 + 12 = 48	72 + 12 = 84
Scaly Pholiota (5)	3	15 + 3 = 18	30 + 3 = 33

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
Scaly Pholiota (5)	6	30 + 6 = 36	60 + 6 = 66

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