Morrowind Character Guide Series: The Crusader

Danae -

Foreword

For those who watch my let's plays and livestreams, you'll know that we're all about role-playing and not at all about min-maxing. This series is not about the ultimate [insert class] build, let's face it, sooner or later your character will be a god-killer whether you min-max or not. In addition we tend to always want to play the same way, with the same style, the same weapons, the same game play. So instead, I want to suggest ways to play a class and mods that can make the experience fresh and more unique. For more general role-playing mod recommendations, you can check this guide.

Skills, Race, and Birthsign


The Crusader is an interesting class because it assumes your character has a crusade, most likely of the religious nature.

The Crusader class’ primary attributes are Agility and Strength.
Looking at the skills, it's all over the place: Strength comes first from weapons, skills, and Armorer. Followed by Endurance, with Heavy and Medium Armor. Finally, some Willpower for spellcasting, Speed for Hand to Hand, Agility with Block, and Intelligence with Alchemy! That's not bad, most likely your character will be quite well-rounded.
The real question is, which of these skills will you ACTUALLY use?

For this guide's purpose, we'll assume the Crusader is something akin to a Paladin or a Templar. Basically, where the Battlemage has Arcane powers, the Crusaders will have Divine Powers.

Assuming you stick to one type of weapon, one type of armour, Block, and Restoration; your most important attributes are Strength, Endurance, and Willpower.

  • The Orc's stats have the greatest synergy with the Crusader class. When it comes to faith, we know the Orcs worship the Daedric Prince, Malacath, and live by his code. However, this code feels more like a ruleset on upholding personal values than a force dictating the need for a crusade. I see little reason for the Orc to join the Imperial Cult. The Nine Divines and the Aedra are in direct opposition to the Daedra. Similarly, it makes no sense to join the Temple that basically replaced Daedra worship; unless your role-play an Orc that cuts ties with their tradition.
  • The Imperial Cult is suitable for the Imperial (duh) and the Bretons. It is true that the other races also worship the Eight Divines, but they have different names. The Breton has awful stats for a Crusader, but this doesn't mean you cannot be one. It’s just that the first few levels will be harder. The female Imperial has 40 points for each important attribute and enjoys a +10 Long Blade buff. You would probably join the Imperial Legion as well.
  • The Dunmer worship the Tribunal and/or the Daedric Princes (especially the 'good Daedra'). A Dunmer Crusader can choose to side with the Tribunal, with the Ashlanders/Dissident Priests, The Daedric Princes, or Dagoth Ur himself. Looking at the numbers, the male Dunmer fares even better, though his Willpower is low. A Dunmer Crusader will make more use of the Destruction skill than other races.
  • Argonians worship the Hist and sometimes Sithis. Sadly, there is not much in Morrowind for the religious Argonian. A crusade to free slaves and to punish the slavers is however very possible. Looking at the skills and attributes, the Argonian is below average for a Crusader.
  • Much like the Argonian, the Khajiit could have a crusade against slavery. They could also crusade for a skooma-free Vvardenfell. (Come on, fighting FOR skooma is not a crusade, it's a business!) Join the Thieves Guild to undermine the Camona Tong and work with Ahnassi (You could even move into Ahnassi House - Refurbished by Tizzo).

The Ritual is appropriate for a Crusader but with so many different Crusader profiles, you can also pick anything from the Lord (health), the Warrior (attack), or the Lady (endurance).

Gameplay and Mods

  • Check the Barbarian Guide for mods and goals for the Orc and the Argonian.
  • Check the Battlemage Guide for mods dealing with the Imperial Legion.
  • Archimaestro Antares' BigMod to make factions better.

Looking the part

The Divines

The Temple

Keeping in mind the Crusader is supposed to fight for holy righteousness and do good, I won't list mods related to the Daedra or to joining the Sixth House here. You will find those in the Nightblade and Sorcerer guides later on.

Defeating the Sixth House

Destroying every Sixth House creature is a worthy crusade! First make them really ugly (in a beautiful way) and then make them more of a challenge:

  • HD Creatures by EJ-12 and Qwerty: take the blighted creatures pack as well as the Sixth House. The models are very detailed and not for every one or for every play-through. But, if that's your crusade, totally worth having these models.
  • Divine Dagoths by SpaceDevo gives Dagoth Ur and all his kin a facelift.
  • Minions of House Dagoth by Neoptolemus, adds new Sixth House creatures for your fighting pleasure. This mod is already a part of MCA so don't install if you have Morrowind Comes Alive.
  • Sabergirl's Tougher Sixth House adds levels and creatures to Venymal and Odrosal, and also makes all of the Dagoths tougher. Install before Deadly Dagoths if you want to use both.
  • Darknut's Greater Dwemer Ruins is the ultimate overhaul of the Red Mountain's dungeons. Use this only if you found Sabergirl's version too easy. Heads up, Darknut LOVES his traps… save often!
  • Mort's Beware the Sixth House (Sixth House Overhaul) is perfect if you only want the Sixth House creatures to be tougher. Install before Deadly Dagoths if you want to use both.
  • Deadly Dagoths by Danjb, makes all Dagoths seriously stronger with new resistances and powers.
  • Dagoth Ur Voice Addon and Dagoth Gares Voice addon by MrTS & Tyana Rie & Miltiades.
  • Sixth House Melchoir by DonnerGott adds a place where Dreamer refugees can hide. They'll have quests for you as you progress in the main quest.
  • The Reclamation of Hasimminus Mine by Enclavekiller, Lady Phoenix Fire Rose, mortimermcmire and PikachunoTM. Defeat Sixth House creatures in this dungeon/quest mod.
  • From Ash to Frost by Caeris and Enclavekiller and Ashes and Ice by LadyPhoenixFireRose, kiramarshiku, Pseunomix, and myself. Both mods deal with the Sixth House attempt at gaining control over Solstheim, the former takes place after the main quest, the latter during.
  • The Legend of Chemua by Greatness7, MementoMoritius, Melchior Dahrk and TheDrunkenMudcrab.

Handicaps and Goals

Handicaps

Goals

  • Complete all vanilla quests as well as those above for your chosen faith/crusade.
  • Kill anyone who would actively undermine your creed.
  • Collect all artifacts of your chosen faith (don't sell them!)
  • Complete the main quest and the mods involving the Sixth House.

Final words

If you want more ideas for random handicaps and goals, check this blog entry with wheels to click, you can find my permadeath modlist (and all the others, actually) here and if you'd like to see many new characters created, join us on Twitch every Sunday for our permadeath runs ;)
Be sure to share how you like to role-play a crusader, what story you came up with, what mods you used, etc...
Happy Morrowinding!