Skyrim

Okay, seriously, who else feels this meme on a spiritual level? Every single time I start a new Skyrim playthrough, I have grand plans. 'This time,' I tell myself, 'I'm going to master the arcane arts, or maybe become a true warrior using heavy armor and a two-handed weapon!' But then, inevitably, I find myself crouching in the shadows, drawing my bow, and muttering, 'Just one more stealth kill...' It's like the game itself pulls you towards the comfort of a stealth archer build, even when you planned for something totally different, like an Elemental Fury character build. I mean, the Elemental Fury shout is absolutely incredible! It's one of my favorite shouts because it makes melee combat feel so fast and dynamic. Imagine swinging your weapon like a whirlwind, just tearing through enemies. It feels so powerful, and it's fantastic for dual-wielding or using any fast attack weapon. That's why I always intend to build around it. For anyone looking to actually commit to an Elemental Fury build, you'll need all three words of the shout. The first word, 'Su', is found at the Dragonsreach Word Wall in Whiterun. The second, 'Grah', is at the Shriekwind Bastion Word Wall, a vampire lair just west of Falkreath. And finally, the third word, 'Dun', is located at the Northwind Summit Word Wall, high in the mountains southeast of Windhelm. Getting all three words is a journey in itself, but so worth it if you stick with it! But then, the stealth archer whispers. It's just so *efficient*. Why engage in close quarters when you can clear out a dungeon from afar without taking a single hit? And let's not even get started on the vampiric aspect. Being a vampiric stealth archery character build adds another layer of power and survivability, especially with the extra sneak bonuses and night vision. Before I know it, I'm a Khajiit (because those starting sneak bonuses and night vision are just too good to pass up for a stealth character!) creeping around, firing arrows from the shadows, and draining enemies' life force. It's a fantastic way to play, don't get me wrong, but it’s just not the Elemental Fury powerhouse I envisioned! I've tried everything to break the cycle. I've actively avoided bows, refused to put points into sneak, even stuck to a specific skill tree. But the moment I need to take down a tough enemy, or I'm low on health, out comes the bow. It’s like an instinct! So, if you're like me, constantly planning for an Elemental Fury build but ending up as a stealth archer, know you're not alone. Maybe the true Skyrim experience is just embracing the stealth archer within, no matter what our initial character build intentions are. What are your go-to Skyrim builds that you always fall back on?