Breton Warrior

Alteration

Oakflesh provides a much-needed extra layer of protection.

• Philosopher 1 (10): Alteration spells cost 25% less Magicka.

Archery

Carry a crossbow for distant enemies.

• Marksman 1 (10): Bows deal 25% more damage.

Block

The flat of your sword can serve as a shield for extra defense.

• Gladiator 1 (10): Blocking is 25% more effective.
• Deadly Bash 1 (20): Bashing does five times more damage.

Heavy Armor

A knight needs to move naturally in heavy armor. Wear it as often as you can.

• Defender 1 (10): Heavy armor is 25% more effective.
• Conditioning 1 (20): You gain 50% Health Regeneration when wearing a heavy armor chest piece.

Smithing

You’re far from your family’s quartermaster. Learn how to maintain your own gear.

• Craftsman 1 (10): You can temper all items by one additional tier.
• Basic Smithing (20): You can create Steel and Leather items at any forge.

Two-handed

You always thought a big sword sends a strong message.

• Champion 1 (10): Two-handed weapons do 25% more damage.
• Deep Wounds (20): Greatswords have a 10% chance of doing critical damage.
• Warrior’s Stance 1 (30): Power attacks with Two-handed weapons deal 25% extra damage and have a chance to decapitate your enemies.

Alteration

Your second skin now absorbs much of the impact, keeping you on your feet longer.

• Balance 1 (30): Alteration spells last 50% longer.
• Stability (40): You resist 50% of incoming stagger while under the effects of an armor spell.

Archery

Make your bolts count if you’re forced to resort to them.

• Eagle Eye 1 (20): Bows have a 10% chance of dealing critical damage.
• Grim Focus 1 (40): Critical hits with bows deal three times damage.
• Marksman 2 (50): Bows deal 50% more damage.

Block

A nicely timed bash will leave your opponents dazed and open for punishment.

• Defensive Maneuvers (30): Blocking no longer slows your movement.
• Stunning Strike (40): Bashes also deals damage to Magicka and Stamina.
• Gladiator 2 (50): Blocking is 50% more effective.

Heavy Armor

Your metal shell provides numerous advantages once you’re comfortable in it.

• Juggernaut 1 (30): You receive a 25% bonus to armor rating when wearing a heavy armor chest piece.
• Unstoppable (40): Your Armor weighs nothing and doesn’t slow you down when wearing a heavy armor chest piece.
• Immovable (40): You resist 50% of incoming stagger when wearing a heavy armor chest piece.
• Defender 2 (50): Heavy armor is 50% more effective.
• Conditioning (60): You gain 100% Health Regeneration when wearing a heavy armor chest piece.

Smithing

Try you hand at making your own armor. You might be able to mimic the smiths of Orsinium, even.

• Blacksmith (30): You can temper all items by one additional tier.
• Journeyman Smithing (40): You can create Dwarven, Scaled, and Steel Plate items at any forge.
• Craftsman 2 (50): You can temper all items by two additional tiers.
• Intermediate Smithing (60): You can create Nordic and Orcish items at any forge.

Two-handed

Your practiced sword arm will be able to cut down multiple foes at once.

• Overpower (40): Power attacks with Two-handed weapons deal 50% extra damage to targets who are power attacking, drawing a bow, or casting a spell.
• Heavy Cuts 1 (40): Critical attacks with greatswords deal three times more damage.
• Champion 2 (50): Two-handed weapons do 50% more damage.
• Warrior’s Stance 2 (60): Power attacks with Two-handed weapons deal 50% extra damage and have a chance to decapitate your enemies.
• Cleave (70): Power attacks with two-handed weapons hit all targets in front of you.

Alteration

Even if you don’t need the extra armor, continue to use Oakflesh for its other benefits.

• Philosopher 2 (50): Alteration spells cost 50% less Magicka.
• Balance 2 (60): Alteration spells last 100% longer.
• Spell Shield (70): You have 25% Magic Resistance while under the effect of an armor spell.
• Spell Sip (90): You have a 25% chance to absorb the Magicka from incoming spells while under the effect of an armor spell.

Archery

You’re deadly enough with a crossbow even if it’s not your main weapon.

• Eagle Eye 2 (70): Bows have a 20% chance of dealing critical damage.
• Grim Focus 2 (90): Critical hits with bows deal five times damage.

Block

Bash your opponents back before sweeping them away with a wide cut.

• Disorienting Bash (60): Bashing causes enemies to take 25% extra damage for 10 seconds.
• Deadly Bash 2 (80): Bashing does ten times more damage.
• Battering Ram (100): Bashing an enemy below half Health has a chance to knock them to the ground.

Heavy Armor

Your armored shell is near impossible to penetrate, keeping you safe as you go on the offensive.

• Constitution 1 (60): You take 25% less damage while power attacking, drawing a bow, or casting a spell while wearing a heavy armor chest piece.
• Juggernaut 2 (70): You receive a 50% bonus to armor rating when wearing a heavy armor chest piece.
• Defiance (80): You take 25% less damage when you fall below half Health while wearing a heavy armor chest piece.
• Constitution 2 (90): You take 50% less damage while power attacking, drawing a bow, or casting a spell while wearing a heavy armor chest piece..
• Invincible (100): Your Health regenerates twice as fast when you fall below half Health while wearing a heavy armor chest piece.

Smithing

You’ve gotten good at this. Try utilizing parts from those monsters you’ve been slaying.

• Armorer (70): You can temper all items by one additional tier.
• Advanced Smithing (80): You can create Ebony items at any forge.
• Forgemaster (90): You can temper all items by one additional tier.
• Mythic Smithing (100): You can create Daedric and Dragon items at any forge.

Two-handed

Sometimes you swing your greatsword so beautifully you’re the only one left to witness it.

• Deep Wounds 2 (70): Greatswords have a 20% chance of doing critical damage.
• Massacre (80):: Power attacks with Two-handed weapons 50% extra damage to targets who fall below half Health.
• Heavy Cuts 2 (90): Critical attacks with greatswords deal five times more damage.
• Rampage (100): Repeated power attacks against a single target with Two-handed weapons deal up to double damage.

The Warrior (Guardian)

Warborn: Your Health is increased by 50, and blocking and bashing are 25% more effective.

What’s there not to like? Your guardian stone gives you plenty of Health and makes two things you can do with your greatsword better.

The Lord

Blood of the North: Your Health Regeneration is increased by 100%, and your Magic Resistance is increased by 25%.

Health Regeneration is your main source of healing, and the boost to Magic Resistance means you need one less source of it to reach the cap. With this, your racial bonuses, and Spell Shield, for instance, you’d be at 75% without needing enchanting.

The Steed

Charioteer: You no longer spend Stamina when sprinting out of combat, and your Carry Weight is increased by 100.

If you feel secure in your defenses, the out of combat movement and Carry Weight increase can provide plenty of utility. A solid choice for the late game where you’ll likely be indestructible from other sources.

Arkay

Your Health is increased by 25.

A warrior lives on the edge between life and death and, as such, they are intimately familiar with Arkay and his teachings. If you honor him, he will grant you extra life so that you can serve up more death to your enemies. A fair trade.

Magnus

You have 5% Spell Absorption.

Leaning into your elven heritage with Magnus makes you more in tune with sorcery, allowing you to absorb your enemies’ spells more frequently. As you’re likely to hit Armor Rating and Magic Resistance caps from other avenues, this bonus can be attractive in the late game.

Stendarr

Your Health Regeneration is increased by 25%.

Knowing when to swing and when to stow your blade is essential for a proper warrior and following Stendarr shows a dedication towards justice. In return, the Steadfast God will help you stay on your feet longer with Health Regeneration.

Alteration

Bretons start with spells from 3 schools of magic, but you’ll mostly use Oakflesh and Alteration for the entirety of your adventure. The others will help you get things rolling but in the long term you’ll want to save your Magicka for what makes you tankier.

• Oakflesh (Novice+): Your Armor Rating is increased by 80 for 120 seconds.
  The Armor Rating is always appreciated but as you get stronger you’re mainly interested in the Magic and stagger resistance perks will add to these spells.

• [Element] Shell (Adept+): Your [Element] Resistance is increased by 50% for 120 seconds.
  If you have an idea of what’s coming in your direction, use this to shore up your defenses and close the distance. The Master versions will bring your resistance to the cap on their own, freeing your enchantment slots.

• Equilibrium (Adept+): Sacrifices Health to restore a moderate amount of Magicka and Stamina.
  With your defenses, Health pool, and natural Health Regeneration, sometimes it will be prudent to drain your health in order to cast another spell or make more power attacks. Use your judgment, but you can take it.

Dragon Aspect^DB

Cooldown: 180/240/300 seconds

• Mul: Increases Armor Rating by 50 for 600 seconds.
• Qah: Increases Armor Rating by 100 for 600 seconds.
• Diiv: Increases Armor Rating by 100 and Magic Resistance by 25% for 600 seconds.
• Meditation: Dragon Aspect does not trigger a Shout cooldown.

The perfect defensive shout for a defensive warrior. Extra Armor Rating in its first two words and then a lovely amount of Magic Resistance with its final word. Add the meditation and it becomes completely free to use. The only downside is how hard it is to obtain.

Lightning Breath

Cooldown: 60/90/120 seconds

• Strun: Deals 50 Shock damage to Health and Magicka.
• Gaar: Deals 75 Shock damage to Health and Magicka.
• Kest: Deals 100 Shock damage to Health and Magicka.
• Meditation: Lightning Breath deals extra Magicka damage over 30 seconds.

The warrior prefers to be in melee, leaving them especially annoyed by enemies who cast spells at a distance. Lightning Breath works to drain them of Magicka to use for that, especially so with the meditation.

Subdue

Cooldown: 60/90/120 seconds

• Zun: Reduces enemy weapon damage by 25% for 20 seconds.
• Haal: Reduces enemy weapon damage by 25% for 40 seconds.
• Viik: Reduces enemy weapon damage by 25% for 60 seconds.
• Meditation: Subdue reduces enemy weapon damage by an additional 25%.

You’re already quite sturdy but robbing your opponents of their weapon damage makes you that much more durable. Consider this your bread and butter shout to use in boss rooms to make sure you aren’t overpowered.

Weapon (Melee)

• Damage Weapon: Reduces enemy weapon damage by 25% for 30 seconds.
• Damage Armor: Reduces enemy Armor Rating by 150 for 30 seconds.
• Absorb Stamina: Absorbs 30 Stamina.

The top recommendation loses oomph as you become tankier but it’s never a bad option. Damage Armor will improve your damage on every subsequent swing, and Absorb Stamina will let you dish out more power attacks while robbing them of being able to use their own.

Weapon (Ranged)

• Silence: Living targets up to level 40 have a 25% chance to be silenced for 30 seconds.
• Damage Armor: Reduces enemy Armor Rating by 150 for 30 seconds.
• Chaos Damage: Has a 50% chance to deal 30 Fire, Frost, or Shock Damage.

Your crossbow is a lot more versatile. Many ranged foes will be spellcasters and a 25% chance at shutting them down is a die worth rolling. Alternatively you can go for the same armor malus as above. For fun, Chaos Damage is another die roll to spice things up.

Head

• Fortify Power Attacks: You deal 25% more damage with power attacks.
• Fortify Block: You block 25% more damage.
• Fortify Archery: You deal 25% extra damage with ranged weapons.

Power attacks make up a large percentage of your swings, especially once you gain the Cleave perk. If you can’t get a hold of that, blocking more or dealing more ranged damage with your crossbow are solid options for this slot.

Chest

• Fortify Power Attacks: You deal 25% more damage with power attacks.
• Fortify Alteration Cost: Your Alteration spells cost 25% less.
• Fortify Stamina: You resist 25% of incoming stagger and take 25% less damage while staggered.

Your defenses from other sources are so good you don’t need to spend this slot on boosting them. Instead, grab more damage with power attacks or make your armor spells a little cheaper. If those aren’t available, boost your Stamina pool to try and eke out another power attack.

Gloves

• Fortify Two-handed: You deal 25% extra damage with Two-handed weapons.
• Fortify Magicka: Your Magicka is increased by 50.
• Fortify Magicka Regeneration: Your Magicka Regeneration is increased by 50%.

Fortify Two-handed is a no brainer. Raising Elemental Resistance is another option here but you can cover that with Alteration’s shell spells. So, instead of those enchantments, boost your Magicka and Regeneration, allowing you to invest more into Stamina.

Boots

• Fortify Stamina Regeneration: Your Stamina Regeneration is increased by 50%.
• Fortify Stamina: Your Stamina is increased by 50.
• Fortify Carry Weight: Your Carry Weight is increased by 50.

The pickings are slim for the warrior here. Stamina and Regeneration allow you to power attack, block, and bash more, so those are the two next best options as you can never have enough. Carry Weight can help offset the tax of heavy armor, though that shouldn’t be an issue once you have Unstoppable.

Necklace

• Fortify Archery: You deal 25% extra damage with ranged weapons.
• Fortify Alteration Duration: Your Alteration spells last 50% longer.
• Fortify Block: You block 25% more damage.

The boost to ranged damage is occasionally useful but enough to warrant the top spot. Fortify Alteration Duration is a convenience choice as your Alteration spells last a good while already. The last option is mostly any remaining enchantment, though Block is a key skill of yours worth boosting.

Ring

• Fortify Two-handed: You deal 25% extra damage with Two-handed weapons.
• Resist Disease: Your Disease Resistance is increased by 100%.
• Fortify Alteration Duration: Your Alteration spells last 50% longer.

A boost to your main damage source is always worth taking. Standing toe to toe with enemies is a great way of contracting diseases. If you don’t have resistance from another source, consider this enchantment or a lot of Potions of Cure Disease are in your future.

Potion of Persistence

Example: Dragon’s Tongue / Juvenile Mudcrab / Lavender

• Fortify Carry Weight (300 seconds)
• Fortify Two-handed (60 seconds)
• Fortify Stamina Regeneration (300 seconds)

A large number of accessible ingredients can brew this potion but the Juvenile Mudcrab is the key ingredient holding all three effects. The Carry Weight boost isn’t all too useful mid-dungeon but think of it as icing on the cake.

Draught of Drubbing

Example: Bleeding Crown / Green Hairstreak Wing / Luna Moth Wing

• Fortify Block (60 seconds)
• Fortify Power Attacks (60 seconds)

This simple potion is easily crafted through a number of easy to find ingredients. Just remember that Fortify Block affects your bashing as well, which adds an extra damage boost when you have stamina for it.

Vial of Vigor

Example: Blue Mountain Flower / Namiras Rot / Nordic Barnacle

• Fortify Health (300 seconds)
• Fortify Health Regeneration (300 seconds)

A quicker form of healing might be appealing but your many sources of Health Regeneration are already your lifeblood. This gives you more of it, and more Health, for 5 whole minutes.