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  • Khajiit Character Creation
  • Toxicologist
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The Elder Scrolls games make you work for your abilities. While there is a system of skill points, you actually have to do the associated task in order to improve the skill and level up. To become a better alchemist you need to make potions. To become a better archer you need to kill people with a bow. To become a better thief, you need to rob people. This aspect makes developing a build unique, but not impossible by any stretch of the imagination!

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Khajiit in Skyrim are a race of humanoid cat people, so you understand why they're a popular choice. Stereotypes about them suggest that the Khajiit are a shifty, untrustworthy race full of people who will pick your pocket and be gone before you can summon the guards. The natural abilities your character gets in skills like Lockpicking and Sneak don't do much to reinvigorate the race's image. If you're playing a Khajiit, read on, because we've detailed the very best builds for you to choose from!

Khajiit Character Creation

Every race starts with different skill bonuses, special abilities, and spells. Khajiits' will make them deft-handed and sneaky.

Skill Bonuses

Special Abilities

Starting Spells

  • +10 Sneak
  • +5 Alchemy
  • +5 Archery
  • +5 Lockpicking
  • +5 One-Handed
  • +5 Pickpocket

Night Eye

See in the dark for 60 seconds for an unlimited number of times per day.

  • Flames (Destruction)
  • Healing (Restoration)

Claws

Unarmed attacks do 22 points of damage. (The in-game description mistakenly says 12.)

Toxicologist

The Toxicologist build prioritizes the Khajiit's advantage in Alchemy and uses it to give you buffs during combat. The best potions will provide you with an ungodly advantage!

Gear

We recommend one-handed weapons, since Khajiit already get a boost to that skill. If you prefer long-range, a bow and arrows are a good alternative! You may even use a combination of the two.

Equip Light Armor that will make you fast and agile, able to attack a lot and often. The specifics will depend on what you choose to take, but it's safe to say that the more you're attacking with poison, the better!

The following potion/poison effects will be invaluable:

  • Fortify One-Handed
  • Regenerate Stamina
  • Well-being
  • Damage Health
  • Damage Magicka
  • Damage Stamina
  • Paralysis

Skills & Perks

Skill

Key Perk

Details

Required Skill Level

Alchemy

Poisoner

Poisons you mix are 25% more effective.

30

Concentrated Poison

Poisons applied to weapons last for twice as many hits.

60

Purity

All negative effects are removed from created potions while all positive effects are removed from created poisons.

100

One-Handed

Fighting Stance

Power attacks with one-handed weapons cost 25% less stamina.

20

Critical Charge

Can do a one-handed power attack while sprinting that does double critical damage.

50

Dual Flurry

Dual wielding attacks are 20% faster.

30

Dual Savagery

Dual wielding power attacks do 50% bonus damage.

70

Light Armor

Custom Fit

25% armor bonus if wearing all Light Armor: head, chest, hands, feet.

30

Unhindered

Light Armor weighs nothing and doesn't slow you down when worn.

50

Wind Walker

Stamina regenerates 50% faster in all Light Armor: head, chest, hands, feet.

60

Deft Movement

10% chance of avoiding all damage from a melee attack while wearing all Light Armor: head, chest, hands, feet.

100

Spells & Shouts

Key Shouts

Battle Fury

Your Thu'um enchants your nearby allies' weapons, allowing them to attack faster.

Disarm

Shout defies steel, as you rip the weapon from an opponent's grasp.

Dismay

And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in Terror.

Marked for Death

Speak, and let your Voice herald doom, as an opponent's armor and lifeforce are weakened.

Fists Of Fury

Khajiits get an incredible boost to their unarmed damage, so many players choose to take advantage with a build that fights unarmed. In situations when the unarmed attacks aren't cutting it (which happens more often at high levels), you'll fall back on spells. Destruction spells tend to fall under one of three elemental categories: fire, ice, or lightning. Choose one and stick to it in order to optimize the build. Illusion spells, on the other hand, will allow you to throw your enemies into chaos and make them easy targets for punching!

The only real drawback of this build is that it doesn't really utilize the skills that Khajiit get an advantage in.

Gear

You'll equip Heavy Armor to be as protected as possible from incoming physical attacks. They should provide boosts to destruction magic and unarmed strike damage - the Gloves of the Pugilist are great until you can enchant your own! As for weapons, you probably won't need them! That's the point of the build, after all, though it can't hurt to have one or two on-hand. You should also carry a great shield to help you out.

Skills & Perks

Skill

Key Perk

Details

Required Skill Level

Heavy Armor

Fists of Steel

Unarmed attacks with Heavy Armor gauntlets do their armor rating in extra damage.

30

Tower of Strength

50% less stagger when wearing only Heavy Armor.

50

Conditioning

Heavy Armor weighs nothing and doesn't slow you down when worn.

70

Block

Deflect Arrows

Arrows that hit the shield do no damage

30

Quick Reflexes

Time slows down if you are blocking during an enemy's power attack.

30

Block Runner

Able to move faster with a shield or weapon raised.

70

Shield Charge

Sprinting with a shield raised knocks down most targets.

100

Destruction

Destruction Dual Casting

Dual casting a Destruction spell overcharges the effects into an even more powerful version.

20

Impact

Most destruction spells will stagger an opponent when dual cast .

40

Illusion

Kindred Mage

All Illusion spells work on higher level people (+10 levels).

40

Rage

Frenzy spells work on higher level opponents (+12 levels).

70

Master of the Mind

Illusion spells work on undead, daedra and automatons.

90

Spells & Shouts

Key Spells

Close Wounds (Restoration)

Heals the caster 100 points.

Fury/Frenzy/Frenzy Rune/Mayhem (Illusion)

Creatures and people up to level 6/14/20/25 will attack anyone nearby for 30/60/30/60 seconds.

Blizzard/Fire Storm/Lightning Storm (Destruction)

A 100-point fiery explosion centered on the caster. The closer a target is, the more damage they take.

Creates a blizzard that surrounds the caster. Targets take 20 point of frost damage every second for 10 seconds, plus stamina damage.

Fires a continuous stream of lightning. Target takes 75 points of shock damage per second to Health, and half that to Magicka.

Firebolt/Ice Spike/Lightning Bolt (Destruction)

A bolt of fire that inflicts 25 points of fire damage. Targets on fire take extra damage.

A spike of ice that inflicts 25 points of ice damage to Health and Stamina.

A bolt of lightning that inflicts 25 points of shock damage to Health and half as much to Magicka.

Key Shouts

Slow Time

Shout at time, and command it to obey, as the world around you stands still.

Throw Voice

The Thu'um is heard, but its source unknown, fooling those into seeking it out.

Fire Breath/Ice Form/Storm Call

Inhale air, exhale flame, and behold the Thu'um as inferno.

Your Thu'um freezes an opponent solid.

A Shout to the skies, a cry to the clouds, that awakens the destructive force of Skyrim's lightning.

Drain Vitality

Coax both magical and mortal energies from your hapless opponent.

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Unseen Archer

If you want to lean into the stereotype that elves are archers, put the high elves' natural inclination for magic to good use! Conjuration allows you to always have a bow at your side, and gives it special buffs, in addition to allowing you to have a conjured companion to distract your opponents.

Gear

You'll largely use your bow for this build, of course! You could craft/enchant a bow of your own, but some excellent bows you can find or earn include...

Name

Type

Effect

Location/How It's Found

Zephyr

Dwarven bow

Fires 30% faster than a standard bow.

Quest: Lost to the Ages

Nightingale Bow

Unique bow

Freezes the target for X points and shocks the target for X points

Quest: Blindsighted

Gauldur Blackbow

Ancient Nord bow

Absorb 30 points of magicka

Quest: Forbidden Legend

Dwarven Black Bow of Fate

Dwarven bow

50% chance for each attribute to absorb 25 pts. of Health, Stamina, and/or Magicka.

Kagrumez

Drainspell Bow

Ancient Nord bow

Absorb Magicka 15 points

Quest: The Staff of Magnus

Auriel's Bow

Unique bow

20 points of sun damage. Undead targets take triple damage.

Quest: Touching the Sky

Your armor should ideally keep you light on your feet while providing damage buffs to your bow and/or keeping you undetected.

Skills & Perks

Skill

Key Perk

Details

Required Skill Level

Archery

Eagle Eye

Pressing Block while aiming will zoom in your view.

30

Ranger

Able to move faster with a drawn bow.

60

Quick Shot

Can draw a bow 30% faster.

70

Light Armor

Custom Fit

25% armor bonus if wearing all Light Armor: head, chest, hands, feet.

30

Unhindered

Light Armor weighs nothing and doesn't slow you down when worn.

50

Wind Walker

Stamina regenerates 50% faster in all Light Armor: head, chest, hands, feet.

60

Deft Movement

10% chance of avoiding all damage from a melee attack while wearing all Light Armor: head, chest, hands, feet.

100

Sneak

Muffled Movement

Noise from armor is reduced by 50%.

30

Backstab

Sneak attacks with one-handed weapons now do six times damage.

30

Silence

Walking and running does not affect detection.

70

Shadow Warrior

Crouching stops combat for a moment and forces distant opponents to search for a target.

100

Spells & Shouts

Key Spells

Muffle (Illusion)

Move more quietly for 180 seconds.

Invisibility (Illusion)

Caster is invisible for 30 seconds. Activating an object or attacking will break the spell.

Key Shouts

Aura Whisper

Your Voice is not a Shout, but a whisper, revealing the life forces of any and all.

Slow Time

Shout at time, and command it to obey, as the world around you stands still.

Dismay

And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in Terror.

Illusion Assassin

The Illusion Assassin playstyle focuses on manipulating people with spells that disorient and terrify them, and/or sneaking past them so that they never even knew you were there. This takes advantage of all of the Khajiit's best skills! Khajiit aren't naturally magical, but there's no harm in putting the work in. Otherwise, just lean away from that part as you see fit.

Gear

Pick your favorite one-handed weapon and prioritize it! We tend to recommend daggers, since they're fast, but to each their own. Your armor should be light, for the most part, and ideally would give you sneaking capabilities and/or increased magical abilities. The armor received when you join the Dark Brotherhood or the Thieves' Guild is a great place to start.

Skills & Perks

Skill

Key Perk

Details

Required Skill Level

Illusion

Illusion Dual Casting

Dual casting an Illusion spell overcharges the effects into an even more powerful version.

20

Quiet Casting

All spells cast from any school of magic are silent to others.

50

Master of the Mind

Illusion spells work on undead, daedra and automatons.

90

One-Handed

Fighting Stance

Power attacks with one-handed weapons cost 25% less stamina.

20

Critical Charge

You can do a one-handed power attack while sprinting that does double critical damage.

50

Paralyzing Strike

A backward power attack has a 25% chance to paralyze the target.

100

Sneak

Muffled Movement

Noise from armor is reduced by 50%.

30

Backstab

Sneak attacks with one-handed weapons now do six times damage.

30

Silence

Walking and running does not affect detection.

70

Shadow Warrior

Crouching stops combat for a moment and forces distant opponents to search for a target.

100

Spells & Shouts

Key Spells

Bound Dagger (Conjuration)

Creates a magic dagger for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel.

Calm/Pacify (Illusion)

Creatures and people up to level 9/20 won't fight for 60 seconds.

Muffle (Illusion)

Move more quietly for 180 seconds.

Invisibility (Illusion)

Caster is invisible for 30 seconds. Activating an object or attacking will break the spell.

Fury/Frenzy/Frenzy Rune/Mayhem (Illusion)

Creatures and people up to level 6/14/20/25 will attack anyone nearby for 30/60/30/60 seconds.

Key Shouts

Aura Whisper

Your Voice is not a Shout, but a whisper, revealing the life forces of any and all.

Bend Will

Your voice bends the very stones to your will. As it gains power, animals, people, and even dragons must do your bidding.

Dismay

And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in Terror.

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