I'm currently playing a 2-hand warrior build (level 22), putting most of my points into 2-handed, heavy armor and smithing with extra points going to archery and stealth (even as a warrior I love sneaking about). I'm hoping to get some advice though as to what other perk trees to spend points on, so here are a few questions:

1) How important is block for my build. I don't use a shield, so I'm assuming I can skip the right-side of the perk tree, but I do actively block during most fights. My block skill is close to 50 now, but I have no skill points in this tree.
2) I haven't put any points into restoration, I'm thinking I need at least one point here to get a couple of heals in without going oom, but not sure how many more are really important.
3) I have arcane blacksmith perk, and want to enchant my armor and weapon, but I don't have any points in enchanting currently. Any advice here as to what works best for my build?


Thanks in advance for your feedback

Block: Only if you feel your current blocking abilities are inadequate. It might be more effective to perk resto first though, because you'll be losing health anyway.

Restoration: The 'Respite' perk is nice, and requires only 2 perk points to attain (if I remember correctly). It will allow you to regenerate stamina in addition to your health using restoration spells. Handy for a 2-H Warrior, who uses sprint to dodge and power attacks often.

Enchant: Don't know much about this tree. If you're already perking smithing it might be overkill to perk enchantment as well... perhaps use the perks elsewhere? Up to you.

You must take restoration atleast 2 perks. 3 later.
You want to cast the novice spells cheaper, thats for sure, and you want them to cure 50% more.
You honestly never need more then the novice heal, its good enough.
For tough fights restoration will NEVER be good enough unless you are a mage, so for heals in combat you should rely on alchemy and health, stamina pots.
Hence, I suggest you invest some points into alchemy, unless you are ok with the stuff you found random out there.
I can tell you though, that you need around 4 perks and 40 skill in alchemy before you make better stuff then the best stuff you find random out there, for health and stamina.

So restoration 2 perks, skill just comes naturally.
Alchemy is good.

Smithing is a must.
Heavy armor you have.
2H you have.

IF you parry, you could put some points into the first block, to ensure you take less damage when you block.
But honestly, why waste time blocking when you can attack.
You take more damage blocking then attacking anyway. Thats why Dual wield or 2h is so much better then a sword and shield build.
Even vs dragons, you kill them so much faster that you really dont need to worry too much about your health.

Sneak might be cool, but remember that you are wearing heavy armor no?
Every perk you have spent into sneak so far, in my opinion, have been an utter waste.
You cant sneak in heavy armor unless you have very high armor skill and extremly high sneak skill.

Just stop that nonsense.
Also with a 2h strong damage build, why sneak around to the enemies.
Let them hear you are coming so you dont need to chase them.
Saves you time. They end up dying anyway since 2h or dual wield builds rely on fast and very high damage. Enemies dies fast.

Dont place any points into enchanting just yet.
But if you do, the important perks apart from the first one, to make enchants stronger, is the 2nd one to increase strenght on armor by 25%.
5/5 on the first skill and 1/1 on increase enchants on armor is the only ones you really need, if you want to max enchanting.

Eitherway smithing is more important for now, not to mention so incredibly much faster to level.

For damage, you wont really need enchants on your weapons with high black smithing.
You use enchants to enchant your armor however to gain certain benefits, one being more damage for example.


With my orc warrior, dual wielder.
My skills and prio list is
Smithing (100 now)
One handed
Heavy armor
Alchemy
Restoration (2 perk points, 3 for stamina reg, no more)
Lockpicking (This is a very handy skill, I never miss an opportunity to unlock a lock)
Enchanting
Archery (never use it, but started using it vs some dragons that simply refuse to land, but never needed it earlier. I charge in and kill enemies)

you just need boots (like the one from dark brotherhood) that muffle any noise you make, so you can wear then until you get 70 in heavy armor. Sneak is good, don't listen to guy above, making charge critical hits with a warhammer without being notices is a huge thing.

I've also got a question for my warrior build. Right now I'm using heavy armour (41), smithing (42), two handed (56) and archery (40), and I'm finding that I've got an extra perk or 2 that I could spend in another skill. If I'm gonna take another skill, what would be the best/coolest choice? I'm thinking about speech right now, but I'm not sure how useful it will be later on.

I can imagine you need it if you wear light armor.
Im now running around in legendary dragon scale armor.
But even in my earlier Orc plate armor, I was never touched by melee.
Only by casters.

Why waste points into sneak when there is so many other more important things to take.
Then again I play an orc that charges into combat.

Its a cool Rp idea to be able to sneak, but its really not worth it.

I can understand that you as a sneaker need those double damage power attacks or times 15 damage with the toothpicks your using.
But this guy is wielding a 2h sword.
And he cant charge anyway without being seen.
cause he cant charge in sneak.

Its just for Rp reasons he could get sneak, practically its an utter waste.

Thanks for the advice.

I've been putting off putting points into restoration as it's just not as sixy as some of the other perk trees..,

I was thinking the same thing as you were for blocking, so glad I haven't spent any points there.

As for sneaking and archery, it's just my play-style although I definitely see your points as wearing plate armor and carrying a 2-hand sword definitely lends itself to just charging in I've only spent 2 points in sneak so far to get the noise penalty removed while wearing armor, so not too much of an investment there nonetheless.

Enchant gos with Blacksmith, add extra perks to armour weps

Your missing 2 must have perks in restoration.

half magica cost for novice spells, and 50% more cure from heal spells, is a must have.
the 3rd perk in restoration comes from stamina reg from heals.

But thats it, you dont need more in restoration then these 3.
After that I would focus on enchanting or alchemy if i where you.

Speech is not an utter waste, thats for sure, especially if you are grinding dungeons and picking up every bit of copper ore you can possibly find.
Other then that its not that useful. But not useless.

I really like the slow time perk on blocking. It slows down time for your opponent significantly when you block their power attack. It really gets you ahead in the fight

A few points into sneak is not an utter waste but its not that useful.
Personally I run alot when Im in dungeons.
I want the enemies to hear me coming.
That way I dont need to chase them so much, they come to me. They all end up feeling the wrath of dual wield axe flurry blows anyway.

Most enemies just fall from a none power attack, one handed attack. If they are a little better one flurry power attack and they eat dust. If they are a mini boss, 2 flurry power attacks and they are gone.

I have gone through places looking for leaders of enemies to kill, for quests, just to realize I killed them earlier. I thought it was regular bandits or something since they died immediately.
Then again, thats the life of a dual wield wearing orc, with 100 smithing, running around in legendary heavy dragon armor and legendary weapons.
The damage is insane. And nothing bust magic can hurt me:-)
Even dragons when they land just melt.
The problem is before they land........................I have 16 in archery, I just needed to pick it up due to dragons.
Vs other archers I charge them and take the pain.
I have invested 90% of all my levels into stamina so I have enough to charge in and still unleash 3-4 power attacks without drinking a stamina pot.

I don't understand the guy who insists on wasting perks on Restoration. You'll have PLENTY of healing potions, and you can't cast heal while wielding a two-handed weapon anyway, so you'd have to constantly switch between weapon and magic in combat. Just boost your 2 hand skill, block and heavy armor, and hotkey your healing potions, and voila.

Who needs them slowed down when they are already dead.
Most mini boss enemies are dead even on expert level before they can land their first blow.

You take a huge amount of more damage using sword and shield, and blocking, then just pumping out damage.

There are some encounters where blocking is a god send and I miss it. And especially vs giants.
They can be a pain.
But, after they miss me, I run in and I kill them in roughly 3-4 power attacks.
Giants in general are alot harder to kill then the average dragon.
But those are the only enemies I feel I wish I had a shield sometimes.
But due to my armor they cant one shoot me anymore, despite my health being rather low, but Im working on that.

This is so wrong.

You dont waste pots to heal yourself when you dont need to. You need to save those pots for when the fights are tough, and during such fights drinking 10+ health pots is not uncomming.
You use restoration to heal yourself after a fight or during minor fights.

And even if you dont have dual casting, you CAN cast heal with both hands, at the same time, for double effect regardless.
Even me as dual wielder often cast my restoration heals using both hands to ensure I am up.
You can TANK while casting restoration with just 2 perks in it.

Your argument is valid if you had an endless supply of health pots, but you dont unless you are an alchemist. And thats a skill tree I am prioritizing higher then restoration.
Resto is worthless in tight and hard fights, but saves you health pots in normal or semi hard fights where you dont want to waste a pot.

Its not absolutely necessary, but its a great asset to have restoration.
Also, the 3rd perk at 40, to have heal spells also regenerate your stamina, is not bad.
I prefer stamina potions though to keep the flow of combat.

Each to his own I suppose. I have tons of healing potions (and food), and I have plenty of gold to buy more potions. I'm not wasting precious perks on magic when I'm a warrior.

Do you back pedal out of a fight, switch to healing spell and heal up, and then switch back to your 2-hander? Or how does that work? Seems...not very convenient.

Get restoration. Respite is the most important Perk for a melee fighter. Power attacks are actually good in skyrim so stamina is needed. Bethesda really did a great job with this. Managing stamina and power attacks adds so much depth to combat not to mention managing shouts as well! Man this game rocks.

I would go as far as to say that 2 or 3 perks in restoration is almost compulsory for ANY character. If you're playing on Adept or above, respite is arguably one of the best perks in the game for a melee character.

I'm level 12, fight 2-handed exclusively, and haven't cast a single spell in the game yet. I get by just fine on healing potions, stamina potions and food

Your level and possible progress just told us why my friend.

Trust me, restoration is easy to level since after each fight, you just cast restoration to heal up.
Personally I think 3 perk points in restoration is a must have.
And later in the game there is no way you will be able to keep up with just potions, simply due to the fact you would need to carry around 150 minimum weight of potions to keep your healing topped up.

Restoration is great for when you are lightly injured and the enemies near you are not extremly hard.
If you face very hard enemies and need to heal up, thats when you drink potions, not to waste time doing damage or getting out of harms way.

I generally use restoration to heal up AFTER a fight, seldom during the fight.
My stamina is so high that I dont really need respite but its still good.
I prefer stamina pots over going healing to increase my stamina, but there are times this definately is needed.

Okay I think you guys sold me on 3 points into resto tree, thanks for all the advice

Just consider that everything you throw into Magicka could've gone into Health, thus reducing the need to heal constantly, and everything you throw at Restoration could've gone into Block or Heavy Armor, thus reducing the damage you take.

It's a question of whether you want to be a pure warrior or not. Healing potions get more powerful as you level up as well, you don't need to stack 150 light healing potions, just get the good stuff. For my character magic is fail, and I've done excellent without it so far.

Have fun whichever way you go!