Although The Elder Scrolls Online takes place in the Elder Scrolls universe, it has much less in common with the mainline RPG series, as the races, character builds, and gameplay are all wildly different from anything seen in the likes of Oblivion or Skyrim. That being said, there's no reason that players can't try to replicate their favorite build in other Elder Scrolls titles.

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Skyrim has possibly the most freedom when it comes to building a character, as a character's perks and skills aren't limited by a chosen class or race and all come down to the player's choice. This makes creating a complicated Elder Scrolls Online build, such as the Warden, relatively simple so long as the player knows the basics of Skyrim's features going into the game.

Race: Nord

Skyrim Nord Warrior

The first choice players need to make in Skyrim is which race they want to play as. Since Wardens excel in Frost magic and melee attacks, Nords are the most logical choice of race to play in Skyrim for this kind of build. Not only do they take less damage from Frost spells, which is useful for any character that wishes to be good at casting said spells, but they also begin the game with extra levels in a handful of useful Skills, with 5 extra points in the Light Armor, One-Handed, and Block skills. Redguard are also a decent option, as they begin the game with 10 extra points in One-Handed and 5 extra points in Destruction, making them a decent pick for a mixed build like a Warden.

Weapon Skill: One-Handed

Although Wardens in The Elder Scrolls Online can use magical staves rather than melee weapons, in Skyrim, this is a less viable option due to the need to recharge staves constantly using Soul Gems, as well as all similar spells costing a large amount of Magicka to consistently cast. For Skyrim's version of a Warden, the best way to go about it would be using a hybrid build of melee and magic that focuses on one-handed weapons.

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Swords deal the least amount of damage, but their increased swing speed over Maces and Axes means that they will likely do more damage over time than more powerful weapons. That being said, maces are generally the go-to weapon in terms of aesthetic design, as seen with the Vigilants of Stendarr and their general proclivity for blunt weapons.

Armor Skill: Light Armor

Male & Female Stalhrim Heavy Armor From Skyrim

Although Heavy Armor generally gives the player a higher armor rating much faster, both Heavy and Light Armor will cap out at an 80% damage reduction that can be replicated with a strong enough Light Armor. Since a Warden is a hybrid class that is equal parts warrior and mage, Light Armor provides the necessary defense in melee combat while also providing enough movement speed for the player to move around the battlefield and cast spells wherever they need to. While players can also use a shield alongside Light Armor, this does mean that they will be spending a lot of time switching their off-hand between spells and the shield, as Skyrim doesn't allow the player to cast spells while holding an item, unlike Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls Online. If players have access to the Dragonborn DLC, then the Stahlrim Light Armor is arguably the best choice, as it not only amplifies any Frost enchantment placed on it but also has one of the highest armor ratings in the game for a Light Armor set.

Spell Schools: Destruction and Conjuration

Destruction in Skyrim

The main ranged attacks that a Warden will possess in Skyrim are their Destruction spells. Specifically, a Warden will use all variations of Frost-related spells, including the Freeze spell exclusive to Ahzidal's Ring of Arcana, obtained through the recurring questline Unearthed in Solstheim. On top of this, Wardens are also able to summon various creatures to fight by their side if they need to improve the numbers advantage in battle. While the Conjure Familiar spell is fairly weak, there is also another fairly useful animal-based Conjuration spell in Conjure Flaming Familiar, which can only be obtained by completing the side quest A Scroll For Anska in High Gate Ruins.

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This produces a Familiar similar that acts like a homing missile, attacking enemies and exploding in a damaging Fire attack when they take a hit. These familiars can also be summoned from very far away, much further than any other summon in Skyrim, making them a good way to initiate combat if the player has the element of surprise on their side.

Secondary Skills: Restoration and Block

skill tree in the constellation menu.

Wardens in The Elder Scrolls Online are also very adept at healing themselves and their allies whenever they need to. With this in mind, players should also invest in the Restoration skill tree in order to keep both the player character and their companions healthy, including summoned allies with the Healing Hands spell. The Block skill is also useful if players need to mitigate the damage taken in melee combat, though if they are investing in Restoration, it is much easier to simply heal away the damage rather than constantly swapping between a shield and a healing spell.

Guilds: The Companions and College of Winterhold

Wardens are generally good-natured characters who wouldn't stand by and watch someone get hurt if they could help it. This makes the Companions a great guild for the player to join, as they will not only be able to protect the people of Skyrim with the battle prowess but will also gain the werewolf form, granting them access to additional Conjuration spells that are unique to the werewolf form. A Warden's skill in magic also means that the College of Winterhold makes a good choice for magic centered and hybrid class characters, with joining the College granting the player access to Master level spells, such as Blizzard and the permanent Flame, Frost, and Storm Thralls that don't dissipate after a set amount of time.

Shouts: Unrelenting Force and Ice Form

Skyrim Dragonborn Shout At Troll

Since the main difference between Skyrim and other Elder Scrolls games are the Shouts, there's no reason why these shouldn't be added to a Warden build. Since they excel in Frost magic, Shouts like Ice Form and Frost Breath should be the go-to shouts in battle, with Ice Form being a great way to remove problematic enemies from melee combat for a short time, encasing them in ice and preventing them from attacking. The Unrelenting Force shout is also a great all-around Shout for any melee character, acting in much the same way as Ice Form, though with a shorter cool-down time and the ability to deal a lot more damage if enemies are thrown from a high place. The effect of Ice Form can also be applied to Frost Breath by taking the Dragonborn Frost ability, which can be obtained by completing the quest Gardener of Men on Solstheim.

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