Skyrim AE Builds

Whirlwind

Nord - Sword - Light - Dual Wield

Background

From out of nothing the spectre of death appears, an armoured shadow with brilliant blades held high. In a flash the swords fall, severing life from limb in a bloody arc. All around, screams of terror and shouts of fear erupt, as quaking hands draw blades to fight the masked murderer.


Weapons

Any one-handed weapon at the start of the game.

The final weapons are an Ancient Nord Sword and a Honed Ancient Nord Sword. The reason for the differing swords is it makes weapon selection easier in the quick select menu if you have different base weapons. You can swap the Ancient Nord Sword for a Nord Hero Sword, which can be crafted from Ancient Nord Swords at the Skyforge once the Companions main quest chain has been completed, and a Honed Ancient Nord Sword.

They are enchanted with the Sword FX visual effect from an Undying Ghost Sword. You’ll need to use Wabbajack to do a fatal transmog on the Undying Ghost so you can loot the sword and disenchant the visual effect. The unofficial patches stop this from working so if you are playing with this mod then either enable the console if on PC or use a mod that allows you to add items into your inventory. The item code was FE03789A for me.


Armor

Craft a set of Leather Scout Armor as soon as you can.

The final gear is a Necromancers Hood, Nightingale Armor, Dark Seducer Boots and Gauntlets. Amulet of Talos is also used.

The Masked Necromancer Hood can be found in Yngvild on a table in the back room of the Throne Room.

The Nightingale Armor can be found by progressing the Thieves Guild quest chain, which can be started at the market in Riften.

Talk to Ri’Saad the Khajiit merchant that travels between Whiterun and Markarth and ask him about bandit attacks. You’ll encounter some dark seducer bandits by following this quest chain.

The Amulet of Talos can be found on the battlements of Fort Dawnguard as you enter take the first right, the next right and go up the stairs.


Spells

Illusion for Muffle and Invisibility and fear spells. Restoration for healing spells which are also used to replenish Stamina.


Standing Stones.

The Atronach Stone for 50% spell absorption, 50 Magicka but -50% magicka regeneration.


Shrines

Use a shrine of Talos for 20% shout cooldown.


Shouts

Become Ethereal (Fade - Spirit - Bind)

Location: Ironbind Barrow, Lost Valley Redoubt, Ustengrav (Horn of Jurgen Windcaller)

Allows you to become temporarily invulnerable while also using no stamina while running.

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 also to quickly evade attacks or catch up with fleeing enemies.


Character Creation

Female Nord

Dark Elf and High Elf have the largest skill boost for this build but I had the idea for a Nord assassin due to the use of Ancient Nord Swords so that there is a perfect fit for the visual effect enchantment from the Undying Ghost Sword. Nords also have a 50% Frost Resistance so with the 50% Frost Resistance from the Nightingale Armor this allows for the resistance cap of 85% to be used. It’s always useful on melee builds to have Frost Resistance to reduce both the damage to health and stamina but also to reduce the impact of the slow effect to keep you mobile.


Attribute Distribution

Distribute attributes at a ratio of 0 / 2 / 1. At level 60 which is required for all the perks the attributes are:

Magicka Health Stamina
100 (265) 500 290 (445)

Perk Point Distribution

The skill boosts for Nords are marked in bold.

Mage Warrior Rogue
Alteration8 Archery0 Alchemy7
Conjuration0 Block +50 Light Armor +55
Destruction0 Heavy Armor0 Lockpicking0
Enchanting8 One-handed +510 Pickpocket0
Illusion6 Smithing +56 Sneak1
Restoration8 Two-handed +100 Speech +50
Total 29 Total 16 Total 13


Skills and Perks

Mage Skills

Alteration 8

Novice Alteration

Apprentice Alteration

Adept Alteration

Expert Alteration

Apprentice Alteration

Magic Resistance 3/3

Atronach

Enchanting 8

Enchanter 5/5

Insightful Enchanter

Corpus Enchanter

Extra Effect


Illusion 6

Illusiion Dual Casting

Novice Illusion

Animage

Kindred Mage

Quiet Casting

Master of the Mind

Restoration 8

Novice Restoration

Apprentice Restoration

Adept Restoration

Expert Restoration

Regeneration

Recovery 2/2

Respite

Warrior Skills

One-handed 10

Armsman 5/5

Fighting Stance

Savage Strike

Dual Flurry 2/2

Dual Savagery

Smithing 6

Steel Smithing

Dwarven Smithing

Orcish Smithing

Ebony Smithing

Daedric Smithing

Arcane Blacksmith

Rogue Skills

Alchemy 7

Alchemist 5/5

Physician

Benefactor

Light Armor 5

Agile Defender 3/5

Well Fitted

Unhindered

Sneak 1

Stealth 1/5


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
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.


Conjuration

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

Conjuration is not needed in this build.


Destruction

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

Destruction is not used in this build.


Illusion

Spell Level Description
Courage Novice Target won’t flee for 60 seconds and gets some extra health and stamina
Fear Apprentice Creatures and people up to level 9 flee from combat for 30 seconds
Muffle Apprentice You move more quietly for 180 seconds
Rout Expert Creatures and people up to level 20 flee from combat for 30 seconds
Hysteria Master Creatures and people up to level 25 flee from combat for 60 seconds

Courage can be used to level illusion and I delayed taking the dual casting perk until I had it at 100 so that I could spam courage with both hands.


Restoration

Spell Level Description
Healing Novice Heals the caster 10 points per second
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 healing out of combat and to replenish Stamina, which should be more common.


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

Increases One-handed weapon damage by 75%.
Illusion spells cost 92% less to cast.
Restoration spells cost 46% less to cast.
Stamina is increased by 155 points.
Magicka is increased by 115 points.
Sneaking is 75% more effective.
Time between shouts is reduced by 20%.
Increases Frost Resistance by 50%.
Increases Magic Resistance by 37%.

Item Enchantment Effect
Head Fortify Illusion Illusion spells cost 46% less to cast.
Fortify Restoration Restoration spells cost 46% less to cast.
Nightingale Armor Fortify Stamina Increases your Stamina by 40 points.
Resist Frost Increases your Frost Resistance by 50%.
Feet Fortify Stamina Increases your Stamina by 115 points.
Resist Sneak Sneaking is 75% more effective.
Hands Fortify Magicka Increases your Magicka by 115 points.
Fortify One-handed One-handed attacks do 75% more damage.
Amulet of Talos Fortify Shouts Time between shouts is reduced by 20%.
Ring Fortify Illusion Illusion spells cost 46% less to cast.
Resist Magic Increases Magic Resistance by 37%.
Sword 1 FX Sword FX 1 sec.
Sword 2 FX Sword FX 1 sec.

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

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.

Potion of Fortify Health

Ingredients Blue Mountain Flower & Wheat
Effects Fortify Health Increases health by 170 points for 60 seconds.
Restore Health Restores 266 points of health

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


Potion of Fortify Carry Weight

Ingredients Mora Tapinella, Scaly Pholiota & Steel-Blue Entoloma
Effects Fortify Carry Weight Carry capacity increases by 170 more for 300 seconds
Regenerate Stamina Stamina regenerates 213% faster for 300 seconds
Fortify Illusion Illusion spells are 170% stronger for 60 seconds
Restore 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.


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.


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.


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) 6 18 + 6 = 24 36 + 6 = 42
Mora Tapinella (3) 12 36 + 12 = 48 72 + 12 = 84
Scaly Pholiota (5) 9 45 + 9 = 54 90 + 9 = 99

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
Steel-Blue Entoloma (3) 6 18 + 6 = 24 36 + 6 = 42

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