Nightingale Build

[mrlymric]

Awesome, but I would space out the game play. Like do The Main quest, The Civil War and a Major Side quest (ex: Thieves Guild). It keeps the game fresh and increases replay value. I did everything on my first character and now it's hard to find something fresh about the game.

very nice, awesome builds, my first and only character so far is lvl 21 khaj'jit assassin/archer/thief for my first challenge in game and will not have no smithing or alchemy, not quite any magic , restoration just for an emergency heal on boss fights and thats it, i try to go into all my rpg's head first with a hard difficult playthrough, 2nd character once this one is done ill go the route of pure mage and being vampire, thats about it so far in my thining rofl

 

[Skarv]

Wait, shouldn't a Nightingale use Illusion since the head enchantment is for Illusion, because it kind of confuses me!

 

[Psiberzerker]

I didn't overthink it. Look at the enchantments on the set, and build the character around it. Backstab is plenty, with the sword, and Absorb Health/Stamina means that even if you don't 1HK them, they ain't feeling too good, while you're fresh as a daisy. It also combos well with Invisibility in the other hand, though I would prefer Absorb Magicka to keep casting for serial backstabs. Like their Bow, it does shock, and frost/slow, but I swapped out the Drainspell/Blackbow to replenish my Magicka at range when it got low.

The question to me was to Smith, or not to Smith? Arcane Blacksmith, natch, because it's all pre-enchanted, but with the NGB glitch, this determines which level you want to get it at. If you're not Smithing, might as well get it at tier-5 for the extra point of damage, and 5 more stamina per strike. If you do, you can't temper it at the highest level, so tier-4 would be better. Unfortunately, it kind of helps to have the crafting experience to reach that level before you get to it. As for Enchanting, just top off your weapons until you're high enough to make something better. At that point, get Assassin's Blade, and a dagger to double enchant with Absorb Magicka/Stamina for serial backstabs. For once, health shouldn't be an issue, because you'll be too good to get hit. I wouldn't waste too many void salts on the armor, either.

Anyway, here's my take: Skyrim Perk Calculator - Plan the perks for your Skyrim character before spending them! Illusion is pretty much just for Invisibility, and Quiet Casting doesn't really help with either sniping from afar, nor serial backstabbing. Enchanting went up the elemental branch, because your outfit is already enchanted, and for Absorbtion effects. I'd throw in the Gauldur Amulet, and a nice ring, when you find one.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

Wait, shouldn't a Nightingale use Illusion since the head enchantment is for Illusion, because it kind of confuses me!

Illusion is considered to be a stealth school of magic, but it is optional. I say avoid the whole quest line until 46+ to get the best level Nightingale gear. In the mean time get your archery, and sneak up. Illusion is optional, but I would take it for variety and flexibility. Get a little one handed in there as well for up close fighting and Sneak attacks. If you get Blade of Woe you will have the best dagger (unless you can get Dragonbone but that adds Smithing to the build), and that will round off this build nicely for when you can get close enough for that 15x multiplier. The Dark Brotherhood would also provide a good training ground for your other skills.


Build:

Perks: Skyrim Perk Calculator - Plan the perks for your Skyrim character before spending them!

Armor: Nightingale set

Ring: Can't think of a good one ATM. Will edit if I think of one.

Neck: Amulet of Articulation (8 armor version)

Weapons:

Load out 1: Nightingale Bow​

Load out 2: Nightingale Blade in right hand/Blade of Woe in left hand.​

​

Notes:

• You can trim out some perks, but you won't need more than that. I basically gave you a good solid end game build without need to add perks in those skills.
• Bull's-eye can be more annoying then help full when trying to determine if the enemy is dead or paralyzed
• Steady Hand is just an excuse to not have any personal skill.
• Silence is unneeded due to boots, and Shadow Warrior is a real immersion breaker.
• You shouldn't need more than 2/5 Agile Defender since you won't be fighting head to head often.
• You will be wearing a matching set of Nightingale so the Matching Set perk actually helps in this build, which is rare.
• Deft Movement can be given up, but Wind Walker is great for the Stamina Regen.
• Master Illusion can be given up if you don't want to do the Collage of Winterhold.

 

[Psiberzerker]

Steady Hand is just an excuse to not have any personal skill.

• Silence is unneeded due to boots, and Shadow Warrior is a real immersion breaker.

• Quoted for truth.

• Master Illusion can be given up if you don't want to do the Collage of Winterhold.

Do the College long enough to get the Gauldur Amulet Fragment, so you can get the Blackbow, Sword, and completed Amulet. (In other words, do Forbidden Legend.) Note, these are leveled weapons as well, but great Enchantment trainers, along with the Lightning Spammer, which is the best. I took it all the way, so I could disenchant the Drain_ weapons for Absorbtion effects, and Drevis is the only one who sells the Invisibility Spell, so you might want to unlock the campus at least for that. And finally, lots of free soul gems/magicka for cleaning out the pools, if you don't turn in the gloves you can find Neloren any time with the quest marker. He's never where you look for him, and I swear I've seen him Whirlwind Sprint with Quiet Casting. (He didn't say "Wuld NahKest!" but that's the only explanation for him moving across the courtyard that fast.)

I don't see the point of wearing the Nightengale hood without using Illusion, but you can get away with Just Invisibility, which works best anyway. Just get Agent of Subterfuge if you want to Frenzy people.

 

[Jeremius]

Illusion is considered to be a stealth school of magic, but it is optional. I say avoid the whole quest line until 46+ to get the best level Nightingale gear. In the mean time get your archery, and sneak up. Illusion is optional, but I would take it for variety and flexibility. Get a little one handed in there as well for up close fighting and Sneak attacks. If you get Blade of Woe you will have the best dagger (unless you can get Dragonbone but that adds Smithing to the build), and that will round off this build nicely for when you can get close enough for that 15x multiplier. The Dark Brotherhood would also provide a good training ground for your other skills.


Build:

Perks: Skyrim Perk Calculator - Plan the perks for your Skyrim character before spending them!

Armor: Nightingale set

Ring: Can't think of a good one ATM. Will edit if I think of one.

Neck: Amulet of Articulation (8 armor version)

Weapons:

Load out 1: Nightingale Bow​

Load out 2: Nightingale Blade in right hand/Blade of Woe in left hand.​

​

Notes:

• You can trim out some perks, but you won't need more than that. I basically gave you a good solid end game build without need to add perks in those skills.
• Bull's-eye can be more annoying then help full when trying to determine if the enemy is dead or paralyzed
• Steady Hand is just an excuse to not have any personal skill.
• Silence is unneeded due to boots, and Shadow Warrior is a real immersion breaker.
• You shouldn't need more than 2/5 Agile Defender since you won't be fighting head to head often.
• You will be wearing a matching set of Nightingale so the Matching Set perk actually helps in this build, which is rare.
• Deft Movement can be given up, but Wind Walker is great for the Stamina Regen.
• Master Illusion can be given up if you don't want to do the Collage of Winterhold.

I would go with Squirrel_killer- on this one, he knows about building characters.

 

[Psiberzerker]

What, and I don't?

 

[Jeremius]

What, and I don't?

I am not saying that, but if I need help building a character, I would ask Squirrel_killer- first, since he seems to be an expert on that stuff.

 

[Psiberzerker]

Fine, I'll just go over here, and sulk in the corner then, meany.

A few notes about the Nightengale Blade: If you insist on Dual Wielding, you can possibly get two of them, by reporting to Karliah after staling the Falmer translation, then returning to Markarth, doing Calcelmos Favor, and running the Hard Answers quest again. Also, since you get it after the bow, you're pretty much forced to get both at the maximum leveled tier, or a lower one, with regards to Smithy. That means either smith, and get lesser enchantments on both, or don't, and get both at full strength.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

I am not saying that, but if I need help building a character, I would ask Squirrel_killer- first, since he seems to be an expert on that stuff.

One this one I would call Psiberzerker an equal on class building, however we do build different types of classes, I go for play value and interest, he goes for efficiency. I also tend to go more in depth and detailed with my classes than Psiberzerker does. But either of us could do a damn good job.

Psiberzerker, Off-Topic: when you going to finish that one guide that was left unfinished. I have a few suggestions but I want to see if you add them yourself before I make any posts.

 

[Psiberzerker]

One this one I would call Psiberzerker an equal on class building, however we do build different types of classes, I go for play value and interest, he goes for efficiency. I also tend to go more in depth and detailed with my classes than Psiberzerker does. But either of us could do a damn good job.

Psiberzerker, Off-Topic: when you going to finish that one guide that was left unfinished. I have a few suggestions but I want to see if you add them yourself before I make any posts.

This time, I went less for efficiency, that staying with the theme of enchantments. Also, i'd tend to agree with you on our relative building skills, we said exactly the same things on Sneak, apparently for the same reasons, but the differences only serve to give him a choice. I don't like the idea of someone just taking my build, nor anyone else's whole cloth, instead of using them as inspiration to come up with their own personal builds. All these various opinions only give the OP more options to chose from, hopefully a compromise between my, your's, and the other builds that were posted earlier. My advice is read, and study all our advice, to craft the one that's right for you.

Could you be more specific? I'm not sure which guide you're talking about. (I have so many!)

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

Could you be more specific? I'm not sure which guide you're talking about. (I have so many!)

Efficient Leveling | Skyrim Forums

And I have a lot of guides as well, most of which have never been finished and released. My next release is going to be purely about crowd control (damn is it hard to cover all of the effects) and how the different types relate to different combat styles. After that I might make a fine tuned guide for archery. The guides already here do good, but they all miss something another covers so I want to bring them together. I believe currently I have 5 guides released here, hopefully soon to be 6.

 

[Psiberzerker]

Oh, jesus. I forgot about that one, because I wrote it while I was too drunk to sleep, and that's why I was so belligerent in it. Not that I don't really feel that way about certain playstyles, but there's no reason to be such an ass about it. I really need to clean that one up, but reply away. I could probably use all the help I can get on that one...

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

Oh, jesus. I forgot about that one, because I wrote it while I was too drunk to sleep, and that's why I was so belligerent in it. Not that I don't really feel that way about certain playstyles, but there's no reason to be such an ass about it. I really need to clean that one up, but reply away. I could probably use all the help I can get on that one...

Actually I didn't find it that bad. If you read some of my guides for other games I write them like a complete ass. It makes them more enjoyable to read.

 

[Dar'Neko]

A good addition to Illusion is a nice Frenzy spell, if there are multiple enemies attempting to swarm you, Frenzy one of them and they will start attacking each other, giving you an opportunity to take your bow back out.

 

[Psiberzerker]

I will point out, again, that this is a Nightingale, with access to the Agent of Subterfuge power, which doesn't cost magicka, nor require any perks to be effective at higher levels. It's once per day, but how often do you need it as an invisible thief/assassin? If you're doing Alchemy, which i highly recommend, you can also coat an arrow with Frenzy Poison if you need it again in the same day. Again, without using Magicka.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

I will point out, again, that this is a Nightingale, with access to the Agent of Subterfuge power, which doesn't cost magicka, nor require any perks to be effective at higher levels. It's once per day, but how often do you need it as an invisible thief/assassin? If you're doing Alchemy, which i highly recommend, you can also coat an arrow with Frenzy Poison if you need it again in the same day. Again, without using Magicka.

Personally I prefer agent of Strife and Shadow. Strife adds a good emergency heal while Shadow has one of the best invisibility effects you can get.

 

[Psiberzerker]

Personally I prefer agent of Strife and Shadow. Strife adds a good emergency heal while Shadow has one of the best invisibility effects you can get.

However, I will point out for those who don't know that Agent of Shadow is Glitched with the Shadow Warrior Perk. Fortunately, the Agenet of Nocturnal Powers are interchangeable, as long as you've had one 24 (in game hours) so you can use the Shadowcloak of Nocturnal until you earn Shadow Warrior, then switch to another. Since we're talking Nightingale builds here, we might as well be thorough, amirite?

I personally go with Strife almost always, because it's one of 2 Absorb Health effects in the game, (the other being the vampire racial spell) while the other two can be reproduced with Illusion, and/or Achemy, and Shadowcloak can be done with a Sneak Perk, or the Ebony Mail. I made an Absorbtion Mage once, and did the entire TG arc, just for this power. (My only vamppire, he had every absorbtion effect in the game, and not much else...) For a Nightblade, or Assassin, it's a great backup for when everthing goes wrong, and also just plain nasty way to drop someone from a distance. If you're going For Teh Evuls, I can't think of a better choice.

Have we even discussed Race yet? I almost never do that last!

 

[Star Gazer]

As a repeated assassin player, I've noticed that invisibility is my primary way of dispatching enemies. If you go invisible and start slashing them in the back with your nightingale blade, they won't expect you until it's too late. Once they're dead you can take their stuff, you sneaky thieves!

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

However, I will point out for those who don't know that Agent of Shadow is Glitched with the Shadow Warrior Perk. Fortunately, the Agenet of Nocturnal Powers are interchangeable, as long as you've had one 24 (in game hours) so you can use the Shadowcloak of Nocturnal until you earn Shadow Warrior, then switch to another. Since we're talking Nightingale builds here, we might as well be thorough, amirite?

I learnt too late that Shadow Warrior is practically a wasted perk. I hate it. Only the Shadow Warrior Strike (crouching so Shadow Warrior lets you get a sneak attack mid-combat) makes up for an otherwise useless perk.

I personally go with Strife almost always, because it's one of 2 Absorb Health effects in the game, (the other being the vampire racial spell) while the other two can be reproduced with Illusion, and/or Achemy, and Shadowcloak can be done with a Sneak Perk, or the Ebony Mail. I made an Absorbtion Mage once, and did the entire TG arc, just for this power. (My only vamppire, he had every absorbtion effect in the game, and not much else...) For a Nightblade, or Assassin, it's a great backup for when everthing goes wrong, and also just plain nasty way to drop someone from a distance. If you're going For Teh Evuls, I can't think of a better choice.

Much agreed, Strife is amazing. It also is great dragon panic button so they can't get the pick up and kill special.

Have we even discussed Race yet? I almost never do that last!

Good point. I would suggest Khajiit for its Night Eye power as well as its Sneak, Archery, and One-handed bonuses. No other race makes quiet as good of an stealth build. Dunmer have Light Armor, Illusion, and sneak bonuses, but their racial power and fire resistance aren't quite as useful for a stealth build. I personally would choose Khajiit as they have have the initial damage boost, Night Eye makes archery ridiculously easy in dungeons and at night, and Illusion is one of the easiest skills to grind out if you need to do so, making the Dunmer Illusion bonus negligible.