Hand to Hand Monk Build and Werewolf Equipment Exploit

[Blake]

I really liked Hand to Hand combat in Oblivion. Although it wasn't the most viable form of comabt, there is something about charging into a fight swinging your fist around like some hell-bent downy (thanks David) that I just love. Sadly they totally removed Hand to Hand combat's viability in Skryim...

 

by conventional methods. Thanks to a werewolf glitch/exploit, you can make Hand to Hand combat not only viable, but extremely over powered (if you choose to anyway). So this guide is a two parter: one on the exploit and one on using that exploit to make Hand to Hand combat viable. Let's get started.

 

Werewolf Infinite Equipment Exploit

*NOTE* The following exploit contains spoilers for the Companions quest line. If you haven't gotten far in that quest line, then you'll be ruining some bits of it for yourself. Not like it matters anyway. I mean, if you have any common sense at all, you can read the title of this topic and put two and two together. This is revealed to you on like the 3rd or 4th quest they give you anyway. Just read on ahead. You seem like a smart guy.

 

Alright, so let's deal with the exploit first. With this exploit, you'll be able to equip an unlimited amount of items on you at once, with any enchantments stacking. That means you could easily max out your armor rating, stack smithing or alchemy enchantments, and other wonderful things. There are a few requirements to do this exploit.

• [*]Must be a werewolf: That means you must have started the Companions quest line and not have cured yourself. Note: You don't want to cure yourself if you want to keep using this exploit. [*]Must have a follower that won't freak the hell out if they see you turn into a werewolf. I'm not too familiar with how different types of followers react to the transformation (hired mercenaries, faction followers, etc) but I know for a fact Lydia and other housecarls work. [*]Must have a secluded area to pull of this exploit. This is so nobody else sees you turn into a Werewolf. Your house is a good spot. Or just anywhere in the wilderness. [*]All of the equipment you plan on putting on. [*]Patience, though not a lot.
  

So do you meet all of the requirements? I hope so because I'm continuing with this guide. Here is how this will all go down.

• [*]With all of your items you want to equip and your werewolf form available to use, have your follower follow you to your secluded spot of choice. [*]SAVE YOUR GAME [*]Facing your follower, you must transform into a werewolf and talk to your follower at the same time. It may help to try to stagger the button-pressing so you talk to the follower teeny-bit before you transform. That way, if you mess up you can try again without waiting 24 hours to become a werewolf again. [*]If done correctly, you will transform into a werewolf in front of your follower, but you can go through the dialogue options while you are transforming [*]Wait until the transformation animation is completely done, then ask to trade items with your follower. This will pull up your inventory. [*]Instead of trading with your follower, just equip everything you want to equip from this menu. For reasons unknown to me, you should be able to equip  multiple gloves, boots, shirts, whatever. [*]Simply exit the menu, wait for your werewolf to wear off, and you should be wearing everything that you equipped: all at once (though it doesn't look like it visually. That'd be weird)
  

Now there are some weird exceptions and things to note with this exploit.

• [*]You can't equip multiple weapons. Also, you can't equip multiple shields. [*]Some people complain about not being able to equip multiple items of the same type (such as multiple Steel Nordic Gauntlets) However there seem to be exceptions to this. Through experimentation, you'll figure out what you can and can't do. [*]You can't control what you'll be wearing visually. With the monk build, this isn't really a problem. But if you don't care about wacky outfits, then it shouldn't be a problem.
  

Hand to Hand Combat Monk Guide

Now that you are familiar with the exploit, let's actually put it to use.

 

You may be asking how equipping multiple pieces of armor helps you fight better with your fists. Or maybe you aren't. Chances are you figured it out by now, but regardless, we'll get to that very soon. Let's go through some character requirements and suggestions.

• [*]Race: I know what you are thinking, but you don't

have to be a Khajiit for this build. Obviously it will help with the damage and it gives you some early levels in some important stats, but in reality, any race of your choice. Here are some noteworthy suggestions

• [*]Khajiit- tigers make the best monks [*]Imperial- there racial power is pretty consistent with the whole monk archetype [*]Orcs- racial power is pretty strong with this build [*]Argonian- small hand to hand combat boost and some health regen to boot
  

[*]Factions: The Companions, for reasons you should already know [*]Standing Stone: You'll want the Steed Stone pretty much always. Without it, you'll be weighed down by all of the armor you carry. Unless you have the appropriate perks. [*]Gloves, and lots of them: Gather as many types of unique heavy gauntlets as you can find. Here is a list of all of the types I'm aware of. The numbers next to them is their base armor rating.

• [*]Iron Gauntlets -10- [*]Steel Nordic Gauntlets -12- [*]Steel Imperial Gauntlets -12- [*]Steel Plate Gauntlets -14- [*]Imperial Bracers -10- [*]Dwarven Gauntlets -13- [*]Orcish Gauntlets -15- [*]Ebony Gauntlets -16- [*]Dragonplate Gauntlets -17- [*]Daedric Gauntlets -18- [*]Falmer Gauntlets -12- [*]Ancient Nord Gauntlets -10- [*]Wolf Gauntlets -12- [*]Blades Gauntlets -13- [*]Gloves of the Pugilist (not Heavy Armor, but the enchantment boosts unarmed damage or you can disenchant it and enchant every single gauntlet you own) [*]Ancient Falmer Gauntlets (requires Dawnguard) -11- [*]Falmer Hardened Gauntlets (requires Dawnguard) -13- [*]Falmer Heavy Gauntlets (requires Dawnguard) -16 [*]Dawnguard Heavy Gauntlets (requires Dawnguard) -13-
  

[*]Other Equipment: If you get 5 Amulet of Talos, then you have 100% Cool Down Reduction on your shouts. It is as fun as it sounds. Also get some hooded monk robes. I usually kill Heimskr for these, may he rest in peace.

And finally here is the recommended skills and perks for the ultra sexy hand to hand combat monk.

http://skyrimcalculator.com/342258

• [*]Juggernaut- Only one point is needed. We don't want our Armor Rating to be too high with all of the gloves we wear. [*]Fists of Steel- The perk that makes this all possible. It does the base armor rating of your gauntlets in unarmed damage. And since we can stack gauntlets, this can hurt people. A lot. Don't need to be wearing too many gauntlets to make use of this. [*]Sneak- If you play your Monk to be stealthy, then go up the left side of the Sneak tree. With the rolling and the Shadow Warrior, you should be on your way to being Skyrim's closest thing to Batman [*]Archery- Since I don't do any smithing or heavy armor training at all, I tend to be a bit squishy. With some Archery, you can pick off some targets from afar and finish things up close up. If you'd rather just punch people, then don't worry about Archery at all
  

As you can see, this build's end level is pretty low, allowing you to put the rest of your points in whatever you want to. You can go for Enchanting or Smithing and make your Monk over powered as hell, or you can Alteration or Restoration. The choice is yours.

 

100% Shout Cool down reduction

Felt like this deserved it's own section as it can be used even if you don't wanna be a monk. With 5 Amulet of Talos, or 4 if you pray at the a Talos Altar, your shouts can be spammed without any cooldown at all.

• [*]Slow Time+Unrelenting Force- Punch people in mid air [*]Slow Time+Be Ethereal+Whirlwind Sprint- Gets you out of a bad situation [*]Whirlwind SprintX10000- Never walk anywhere again [*]Marked for Death- This stacks. Enjoy [*]And many many combinations you can explore for yourself
  

All in all, the unarmed monk build has made Skyrim a lot of fun to play, even after over two years of playing it already. I hope you try this build out and find out more possibilities with the Werewolf equipment exploit.

[David]

Really good guide, I actually hadn't even heard about the Werewolf exploit.

 

You always seem to come out with these when they're least expected. Not that I'm complaining, of course; I enjoy reading them. I'm sure that hand-to-hand builds are a niche thing that a lot of people would like more information on that's not readily available everywhere.