I mentioned this character earlier in the thread "Burnt Out "

This character is an alternative style of play for those of you who wish to have a change of pace in TES or you're getting bored with your other characters. I've created a template that explains how to play an Artisan. You can change the rules a bit if you want, but it will lessen the authenticity of the character.

Also, while my friends have tried this and enjoy it, it may not be for everyone.

So this is my template. You don't have to use any of it as I've said before. Anything in parentheses is my little note to explain why I used it.

Name: Clark Devlin
Race: Imperial (Their racial abilities allow you more gold and a chance to run away.)
Morality: Questionable
Attitude: Passive, Coward
Dovahkiin: No (Just send the guards to Riverwood and venture on your own.)

Factions: Thieve's Guild (My merchant is a shady one. You can be an honest merchant too.)

Difficulty: Master (A must-have for this type of character.)

Attributes: (Put all your points on stamina. You're not a fighter, you're a merchant. You want to be able to run away from your enemies, and remember, any normal citizen could die in one hit. - MetalGod Not to mention, more stamina means you'll be able to carry more weight.)

Abilities:

- Primary Skills: Speech / Smithing
- Secondary Skills: Alchemy / Enchanting
- Birth Stone: The Thief *or* The Lover

Essential Perks: (These are perks you would want to get as early as you can)

- Haggling
- Merchant
- Dwarven Smithing
- Arcane Blacksmith
- Alchemist
- Enchanter
- Extra Effect

Weapons: Dagger, Tongue

Armor: The finest clothes money can buy.

Follower: The finest bodyguard money can buy. (Befriend Sven or Faendal at first until you can afford one.)

Tips:

- You're a merchant. Not a fighter. Don't engage in combat. Run away if you have to.
- Let your bodyguard fight if you get ambushed. If he/she falls, use your calm ability to run away.
- Don't do any quests that put you in immediate danger. The Artisan is a cowardly character.
- Don't enter any dungeons that you know is unsafe. Mining caverns are ok.
- If you're low on money, use the Follower Command and have your bodyguard chop wood for you. (Your follower can carry more firewood than his weight allows. Take advantage of this.)
- Give your bodyguard a Pickaxe to mine any ore that you may cross by.
- Stay in one town until you've talked to everybody and collected everything you need, even buy a house before you move to the next city. (Optional)
- If you are moving to another city, do not fast travel, and don't take a carriage unless you've previously walked there. (This makes the journey more interesting. You can also invest in a horse to travel faster through the land.
- Don't wear any armor, or use any weapons other than a dagger.
- You can enchant your clothing to help you out with your haggling or whatever it is that you need.
- The only corpses you should be looting is ambushers or fallen bodies that you've crossed over.
- If a thief approaches you, you have to either persuade them or bribe them. You can't start any fights.
- The most violence you can get in with someone is a brawl in an inn or somewhere, and it must be quest-related.
- For more role-playing purposes, be sure that your character eats 2-3 meals a day, sleeps at either a home or an inn for the night, and has a drink or two before dozing off.
- You can also buy a dog for added companionship/defense.
- Give your bodyguard a daily wage. (Mine is 100 gold/day) Once he/she accumulates enough, buy something for them to use. Like a weapon or armor and whatnot.

That's it. Try it out if you want. Let me know in the comment boxes below if you have any questions or if you've tried it out. I would like to hear your comments about it if you're willing to give it a try.

I'd put all of my points into stamina, just because an artisan would be very fit, but likely run away from any danger.

Other than that, sounds like a good RP

I'd also buy a dog and a horse, as well as a follower, and I would allow him to use scrolls he bought for self defense.

Interesting. I agree with MetalGod though, If I'm running away a lot I'm going to need a lot of stamina.

nah use conjuration and have illusions quiet casting perk. that way you can have some atronach thralls fight for you and you can stay hidden in the shadows while they do the killing for you.

Yeah I guess you could do that too. I'd rather be able to survive more than one hit though, but maybe being able to run longer would be more useful.

Being a conjurer kills the point of the artisan.

If you are playing an average citizen instead of a hero, you would die in one hit anyway.

Yeah that's true. I'll edit it out then. You're right. Nice catch on that one.

I like the dog and horse idea. I'll add that in, but I'm curious if you can give your bodyguard a wage by having him/her carry some gold. I'll give it a try now. I'll add these ideas in, they are all really good.

EDIT* Yeah you can hand your bodyguard money found in your Misc section. This is cool. Thanks for the awesome ideas.

That sounds like a good idea, and oh, don't fast travel, but use carriages as much as possible if you can.

Yeah. I meant to put no fast traveling. I am currently going to try out and see if you can get your companion to ride a horse with you. I don't have much money at the moment, but I will definately put it on there if you can.

You cannot get your companion to ride a horse with you, you would have to have mods for that.

Yeah I didn't think that would work.