Alternate game editions: XBox

Intro
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This is a script-free, very lightweight mod with three simple goals:

1. Create a new use for soul gems when you're already done enchanting your gear or don't want to use enchanting to begin with. These gems litter most dungeons and they often just end up as vendor trash, inventory clutter or you just stop picking them up.

2. Add a small variety of core arrow types that are equally useful at any level. That means they shouldn't do anything that requires level scaling (like pure damage). 

3. Make the arrows impactful but not overpowered. They should also be fairly scarce (require a lot of Soul Gems to craft) so they don't become a main form of ammo but rather an occasional help in tough fights.



The new arrows
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Soul Breach Arrows: Reduces enemy magic resistance by 100% and armor rating by 1000 for 10s in a large area. 

• Most, if not all, enemies have 0 natural Magic Resistance. This will give them -100% which effectively causes them to take double damage from all spells. 
• Note that Magic res is different from Fire/Frost/Shock res. A 100% fire resistant enemy will still be so after this arrow hits. 
• Multiple applications of this effect do not stack so there is no reason to spam these arrows. 
• The armor rating reduction increases physical damage taken by 50% - 100%, depending on the armor worn by the enemy. Heavier worn armor will result in a larger damage increase. Even 0 armor cloth users like mages still take 50% more (they go into negative rating) while the heaviest armored enemies, like the Ebony Warrior, will take 100% more.
• Visuals: Affected enemies are surrounded by a purple aura and swirling blue streaks for the duration.
  

Soul Link Arrows: Links your soul to struck non-hostile targets in a small area for 5s. While linked, targets are fully healed and made invulnerable. If at least one target is linked, you are also healed for 10000/s for 5s. Has no effect on hostile targets. 

• Allows you to save followers or minions or just use them as targets to save yourself. 
• Hitting the ground or an enemy next to your ally rather than the ally itself will do less damage to it before the healing begins. The explosion will still do some damage though. More importantly, not hitting the ally directly will avoid applying bow enchantments such as Oblivion Binding that could otherwise banish them.
• Visuals: Red and purple particles flow between you and linked targets. The targets are also surrounded by red upwards-moving streaks.
  



Soul Drain Arrows: Instantly absorbs all magicka and stamina from targets in a small area then locks enemy magicka and stamina at 0 for 10s. 

• Effectively silences any spellcaster for 10s (preventing them from casting spells).
• Greatly weakens melee fighters by reducing damage, preventing power attacks and breaking their block if hit.
• Restores your own resources, often fully (but depends on the pool of the targets hit). 
• Will steal magicka and stamina from allies as well (so you can use them as magicka batteries). Allies do not have their regeneration locked for 10s.
• Visuals: Affected enemies burn with red-blue flames while their regeneration is locked. Blue/Green particles also initially flow from allies and enemies to the player.
  

How to make them
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The arrows do not require any skill at all to make. No smithing, enchanting or magic. Crafting them will give you a tiny bit of Smithing XP.

Just find a Blacksmithing Forge and do the following:

1. Craft Soul Gem Arrowheads. These require 5 petty soul gems OR 4 lesser OR 3 common OR 2 greater OR 1 grand to craft 5 Arrowheads.
NOTE: The soul gems must all be filled with a "correct" soul (e.g. 3 common soul gems, all with common souls in them).

2. Craft the Arrows. These require 5 Arrowheads and 1 piece of Firewood (you can chop Firewood at any town) to create 5 Arrows. The same recipe applies to crafting the Crossbow bolts as well.

All the different arrow types use the same materials.




FAQ
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- Will you add any more arrow types?
Probably not. This is intended to be a tiny mod for a very specific purpose and I currently consider it feature-complete.

- Any incompatibilities?
This just adds stuff without changing anything so it won't directly conflict with any mod. The arrows do however have their own special "projectiles" which means they won't be affected by mods that alter speed/gravity/etc. of arrows unless you patch it.



Credits
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Big thanks to:

• Mango Pirate for creating the arrow models and arrowhead textures, you can see more of his creations here.
• Rallyeator for creating the shaft textures, check out his many awesome texture mods on his user profile!
• Snipey for creating models and textures for the "Soul Bolts"