Thought of a few different build ideas after looking at several "Bored" or "What to do now?" threads. Instead of posting them separate all over the place, I thought I'd just put them all into one post for your viewing pleasure. I'm sure these builds/ideas have been posted/used/talked about before, such is the nature of TES and it's awesomely creative community.

As I'm sure you'll be able to tell, I do not like the crafting trifecta exploit, and avoid it, and encourage others to for additional challenge and balanced gameplay.

Anyways, enjoy the ideas and let me know what you guys think, or think I could add to this list. (If it differs significantly from straight Mage, Warrior, or Thief, as well as anything I have posted here). Also recommend additional challenges to add!

Various different gameplay ideas:

Play a Stealth Illusionist. (Sneak and Illusion as main Skills).

• Use Conjuration (Bound Blade) + 1H, or Conjuration (Bound Bow) + Archery (this will prevent the crafting exploits, will add a new dynamic to your gameplay, look cool, and let you kill things you can't frenzy). Using Conjuration for summons is optional.
  
• Alternatively, use Destruction for Stealth Fireball hilarity.
  
• Your choice of Armor, None, Light or Heavy. Recommended None/Light.
  
• Optional/BONUS: Don't use Destruction, Conjured Weapons, or combat skills (1H, 2H, Archery). Only use Summons and Illusion to kill enemies.
  
• Use Enchanting OR Smithing OR Alchemy. Use 2 at most, and only perk one.

Play a Battle Mage. (Heavy Armor, Block, Magic Skills)

• Use Destruction or alternatively Conjured 1H Weapons. (Optional: Both)
  
• Use all other schools of magic as desired.
  
• Always keep your shield equipped. Never drop your guard.
  
• Because of your shield, don't use Dual Casting. By extension, Impact is not used.
  
• Use Enchanting OR Smithing OR Alchemy. Use 2 at most, and only perk one.

Play as a Heavy Armor thief. (Heavy Armor, Sneak and Associated thieving skills)

• Use your choice of weapon/weapon combo.
  
• Muffle is acceptable, as well as invisibility. (Illusion in general is okay, but not the focus)
  
• Use the Poisoned Perk, as well as the Perfect Touch Perk. Troll enemies.
  
• Use Enchanting OR Smithing OR Alchemy. Use 2 at most, and only perk one.

Play as a Paladin. (Heavy Armor and Restoration)

• Use either Two Handed weapons, or One Handed with off hand spell/Shield.
  
• Do NOT use any Conjuration (Undead/Daedra are evil), Illusion (Trickery), or Destruction magic.
  
• Do NOT use Pickpocket, Lockpicking (Except in a dungeon), or Sneak.
  
• Do NOT choose any "Evil" quest options, companions, or factions.
  
• Do NOT murder or steal. Assault is acceptable if they are a heathen. (Lol)
  
• Do NOT use Daedric quality equipment.
  
• Bring peace to Skyrim. (Form a peace treaty)
  
• BONUS: Play as a Paladin of Talos. (Kill all Thalmor you can, without committing murder).
  
• Use Enchanting OR Smithing, not both. Don't use Alchemy.

Play as a Black Knight (AKA Deathknight, Blackguard, Anti-Paladin.)

• Use Heavy Armor, and Conjuration (Undead/Soul Trap/Bound Weapons only).
  
• Use either Two Handed weapons, or One Handed with off hand spell/Shield. (Alternatively, use Destruction instead of 1H/2H)
  
• Use Illusion and Sneak as necessary/wanted.
  
• Avoid using Alteration. It is not forbidden however.
  
• Stealing is permitted, but not your focus. Try to only steal to cause suffering or to improve your gear.
  
• Murder is encouraged whenever possible. Slay those you find wandering the wilds. Kill those you can, if you can get away with it. If someone insults you, kill them, despite any potential consequences. (Exception: Essential NPCs and Quest Givers/Followers)
  
• If using a weapon, use poisons whenever possible. Keep your weapon dripping with malice.
  
• Turn over Talos worshippers to the Thalmor. Their own fault for not worshipping Sithis.
  
• Join the Dark Brotherhood.
  
• Become a Vampire. Feed often.
  
• Acquire the Black Star. Use it frequently.
  
• Keep a "trophy" item, enchanted with your favourite victim's soul. (Jewellery works well for this)
  
• Do NOT join the Companions.
  
• Do NOT accept any follower with any morality. (Morality must be 0 for all followers)
  
• Do NOT bring peace. Pick a side and destroy the other as ruthlessly as possible.
  
• Do NOT use Restoration.
  
• Do NOT use Archery, get up close and personal, or blast your victims with magic.
  
• Do NOT Assault someone. Assault is for the weak and those with morals, finish the job. If you assaulted someone accidentally, finish them anyway. (Potential Exceptions: Essential NPCs, Followers, Quest Givers/Followers)
  
• ALWAYS choose the most violent quest options and dialog. Show everyone you mean business.
  
• Use Enchanting (to torment your victim's souls), and one of Smithing OR Alchemy. Only perk one crafting skill.

Play a character who never uses armor. (No Light or Heavy armor equipment at any point, exception being Shields)
(Note: Alteration's Mage Armor perks will still work with a Shield!)

• Spellsword (1H weapon, Destruction, Alteration, Conjuration, Restoration, Enchanting, Alchemy, Optional: Block)
  
• Trickster (1H weapon(s), Archery, Sneak, Illusion, Alchemy, Pickpocket, (One of Enchanting or Smithing), Optional: Alteration)
  
• Pillager (2H Weapon, Alteration, Block (Only for Deadly Bash Perk), Sneak, Smithing, Alchemy, Optional: Archery, Enchanting)
  
• Tactician (1H Weapon, Block, Alteration, Smithing, Archery, Restoration, Alchemy, Optional: Conjuration)
  
• Challenge mode: Pick your skills but don't enchant your clothing. Don't wear enchanted clothing. Enchanted Jewellery is accepted.

Additional Challenges: (Add on to any run-through)

Master Difficulty. (Speaks for itself)

Never Craft/Enchant/Brew anything. (No crafting skills, cooking allowed)

• BONUS: Never Cook.

No potions. (No Mana, Stamina, Health, or any other potions. Poisons allowed. Food Allowed.)

• Optional: No poisons.
  
• BONUS: No Restoration skills. This would mean all healing comes from food/resting/waiting.

Play as a scavenger. (Only sell items. Cannot buy them. Exception: Houses, Horses, Quest related spending)

• Smithing is permitted, as long as all materials were found or gathered by you. No purchasing materials. Upgrading is permitted under same conditions.
  
• Alchemy is permitted, as long as the ingredients were found or harvested. No purchasing ingredients.
  
• Enchanting is permitted, as long as the soul gems were found (either filled already, or filled by you) and the items you disenchant/enchant were also found by you. No purchasing soul gems, or items to disenchant.
  
• Cooking is permitted, as long as you collected everything yourself. No merchants.
  
• Spell Tomes MUST be found. No purchasing allowed. Same goes for Staves, and Robes.
  
• BONUS: Roll around in all the gold you've managed to save by never buying things from merchants. Scrooge McDuck it up.

Play a character with a phobia/disorder/OCD/ADHD/etc. (Be creative! Examples below if you can't think of anything.)

• ADHD: Get distracted by butterflies until you catch them, even in combat. If something shimmers or is noticeably shiny, run over to it ignoring traps/enemies, pick it up, then resume what you were doing. When you're not actively doing anything important, get twitchy, pace back and forth, wiggle your hands, sprint around to various objects.
  
• OCD: Pick a few things that you have to do. Always. Every time. Develop new quirks as a result of stress and trauma. (Eg. Picking up all swords then dropping them twice before collecting them. Dropping salt on the ground before picking up a filled soul gem/after filling one. Arrange and rearrange everything you see that looks a little out of place. Always double-tap an enemy's corpse.)
  
• Phobia: Fear of something. (Eg. Run from all spiders screaming. Make your follower kill them. Hide on something tall until they are all dead. If they get close enough to you, close your eyes and swing/cast blindly in their general direction while jerking your view back and forth. Another option: Fear of water. Don't go into any water deeper than your knees unless on a horse. If you get caught in deep enough water for some reason, flail around for at least a minute as you flounder to shore.)
  
• Disorders: Something else that may affect your character. A lot of options here. (Eg. Tourrettes: Every 3rd conversation option, look away and pick randomly. Epilepsy: If someone casts a flashy enough spell, turn off your TV/Monitor then turn it back on and continue playing, but only do this once every 5 minutes or so at most. Allergies: When near flowers of any kind, jerk your view as if you were sneezing. Do this until you drink a pre-chosen potion type (eg, stamina or resist poison) that will alleviate your allergies for 5 hours, or you go inside/change zones.

Sleep Realism. (Sleep every night/day)

• Sleep 8 hours solid, or 6 hours with a 1 hour nap later on, every day.
  
• Going more than 20 hours without sleep, and you will become fatigued. (No Power/Sneak/Shield-Attacks, or Dual Casting)
  
• Going more than 48 hours without sleep, will exhaust you. (No Blocking, Conjuring (can't focus), Sprinting, cast your highest rank of spells (eg 55 destruction can't cast Adept or higher spells, 49 can't cast Apprentice or Higher spells.), or Aim with you bow. Additionally, you can no longer smith, enchant, or brew potions.
  
• Going more than 72 hours without sleep, you cannot use both hands at once (can only use a sword or shield, not both, can't use 2 handed weapons, except bows, can only use spells in one hand), cannot use anything higher than Novice spells or staves, can no longer sneak, can no longer shout, and no longer fast travel.
  
• Going one week without sleep, and you die. Delete your save file, you killed the Dovahkiin from sleep deprivation. Shame on you.
  
• Vampires cannot sleep at night, but only need to sleep 4 hours during the day.
  
• Werewolves only need to sleep 4 hours at any point, adding 1 hour if they shapeshift that day.

Food and Hunger Realism. (Eat every 8 in game hours. Only able to eat 3 items at a time. Limited capacity to carry food.)
(Note: this one is complicated, but fun/interesting for Roleplayers.)

• Ingredients do not count towards the 3 item limit. Taste away.
  
• Potions DO count towards the 3 item limit, but 2 potions = 1 food, and it is only temporary (1 hour) as it does not fill you.
  
• Uncooked meats will make you sick. You will be filled, but must rest for 4 hours per raw item consumed. Alternatively, you can continue, but cannot power-attack, shield attack, or dual-cast spells.
  
• Uncooked food (veggies and meat) count as their weight of a food to carry, but a full food to eat. This allows you to carry more raw ingredients back home to prepare, if you find them.
  
• Can only carry enough food for ~3 days of travel. (9 items per day, 27 total, allowed 30 items.)
  
• Followers are assumed to carry their own food, and cannot be given food to hold for you.
  
• Alcohol can be carried in addition to food. All ales and meads take 1/2 of a food slot. All Wines and liquors take 1 food slot. Can carry 30 food worth of alcohol total. Alcohol lasts for 2 hours per ale/mead, and 4 hours per wine/liquor. Note that this would stack, taking 8 hours to return to a free food slot for 2 wines.
  
• If you only drink alcohol, and no food with it, you will count as not having ate anything, even if you can't eat any more because you are full of alcohol. Exception is if you fill yourself to the brim with alcohol. (See below)
  
• If you drink all 3 food items worth of Alcohol, you will become completely intoxicated, and unable to wield a weapon or spell. Shields and Unarmed are still allowed and encouraged. This will last for 2 hours. Alternatively, you can "black out" (wait) for 6 hours. Upon waking you will feel as if you went 12 hours without food. (See below)
  
• If you go longer than 12 hours without eating, you cannot power-attack, sneak attack, shield attack, or dual-cast spells.
  
• If you go longer than 24 hours without eating, you cannot block, sprint, conjure (can't focus), cast your highest rank of spells (eg 55 destruction can't cast Adept or higher spells, 49 can't cast Apprentice or Higher spells.), or Aim with you bow. Additionally, you can no longer smith, enchant, or brew potions.
  
• If you go longer than 48 hours without eating, you cannot use both hands at once (can only use a sword or shield, not both, can't use 2 handed weapons, except bows, can only use spells in one hand), cannot use anything higher than Novice spells or staves, can no longer sneak, can no longer shout, and no longer fast travel.
  
• If you go longer than one week without eating, you die. Delete your save file. You killed the Dovahkiin from starvation. Shame on you.
  
• If you are a werewolf, being in beast form and killing a critter, will count as eating. You also do not have to rest after eating raw meat in normal form, with no penalties.
  
• As a werewolf, however, you have an increased metabolism and hunger. You must eat every 6 hours. Penalties are now at 9, 18, and 36 hours. At 36 hours you can no longer shape shift, the strain is too great.
  
• Additionally, every time you shape shift (into wolf form, not out), you feel like you haven't eaten for two hours more than before.
  
• If you are a vampire, eating food must be done more frequently the farther your vampirism has progressed. Every 8 hours, for stage 1, every 6 for stage 2, every 4 for stage 3, and every 2 hours for stage 4. This reflects your growing hunger for blood. Raw food will not make you sick for stages 3 and 4.
  
• Additionally, you cannot feed on the same person more than once a week. They need time to recover their blood. This goes for companions and spouses as well.

Those are my ideas so far. Let me know what you think!

Submitted by others:

Play as an Archaeologist / Scholar (Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting, Lockpicking, Speech, Restoration)
(Submitted by "http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1379321-builds-and-challenges-for-the-bored/page__p__20899663#entry20899663")

• Restoration used to keep you alive. One Handed (dagger) used as last ditch effort.
  
• Explore dungeons and ruins for relics and ancient loot to sell / "contribute to a museum".
  
• Run from any direct confrontation, rely on hired Followers to keep you alive / kill enemies.
  
• Fully gear your followers with the best equipment you can make.
  
• Hire a new follower in each major area to serve as your dungeon guide. Don't keep the same follower all game.
  
• Do NOT use any direct combat skills or armor/defensive skills, other than Restoration and your Dagger.

Interesting ideas. I'll be sure to try them out if the unthinkable happens and I do get bored of Skyrim.

Thanks Immolator. Even if you don't get bored, some might be fun to try out. I know a lot of people like to roleplay for their character too.

Also, Added a "Black Knight" character type, as well as "Sleep Realism" and "Characters with Disorders/Phobias/Etc".

Good... but, as an observation for the paladin build, I'd say destruction magic could work - fire only - just considering how many undead have a weakness to it.

You can always enchant your blade with righteous flames as a Paladin. I just didn't think any of the destruction magicks would fit in well with a Paladin Archetype. Fire is a tool of destruction and highly prevalent in the realms of Oblivion. Frost is frequently used by the undead. Shock just makes me think of the Sith from Star Wars, I'll admit haha. Additionally, you will have turn undead and Necromage in restoration, giving you effective tools to counter them.

That being said, it's just my opinion. If you can convince me otherwise with a good lore/archetype argument, I will change it.

Just want to say I believe shields have NO EFFECT on Mage armor. They add to your armor rating.

Thanks! Looked it up on UESP after you said that, and yeah Shields just add armor on top of the "Unarmored" Mage Armor bonus. Will make the change.

I though of one a while back that was kind of interesting: An Archaeologist/Scholar build.

Basically, I went around exploring ruins and barrows and collecting "artifacts" to sell or eventually put into a museum. But, I wore no armor (just regular clothes), only carried a steel dagger that I used only if there were no other options (i.e. if I couldn't run away screaming), and I had to hire a follower before venturing into any ruins to act as my bodyguard. Pretty much all I used was Restoration, Smithing to outfit and upgrade my followers, Alchemy, Enchanting, Lockpicking, Speech, and some very limited One-Handed. I'd occasionally take a few swings at an enemy if my follower had his attention, and I swung really slow as if I wasn't skilled with fighting. Very challenging, but it actually worked better than I thought it would.

I hired a new follower every time I went to a new area instead of having one that followed me all over Skyrim, so that gave me a reason to spend money, which also meant that I had to explore ruins to find treasure to sell for gold to hire a guardian, so I could explore ruins to find treasure to sell for....yeah, I think you get the picture. A little difficult to get started, but once it was, it became a really nice system. I also "adopted" Meeko, so that helped a lot.

He was a Dead is Dead character, and the only reason he died is because a follower got stuck in one of those spinning Dwarven blade traps, and I foolishly tried to rescue him. I would have been fine had I kept going or been more careful.

Very interesting! Sounds like despite having limited combat effectiveness it could prove rather fun. Did you send out your Follower against Dragons? How did that go if you did?

Edit: Decided to add this to the list, credit to you. Thanks for the suggestion!

Glad you liked it. It was very fun, and I think I'm going to adapt the playstyle to one of my permanent characters so I can keep playing it. But I'm sure it's not for everyone.

I didn't progress the Main Quest far enough to have dragons spawn, so I have no idea how effective it would be. Probably the best tactic for that would be, if things start looking bad, tuck tail between legs and run for the hills or a nearby cave.