Anyone who’s spent time in Skyrim communities knows the memes about stealth archers. But I’ve actually never fallen for the “temptation” other players experience towards stealth archery. In fact, I’ve never felt it at all!
My first Skyrim character was a spellsword who mained the Mace of Molag Bal and various spells in the offhand. That’s the playstyle I naturally gravitate to. I’ve also played a few pure mages, especially focusing on conjuration. I once downloaded a mod to run a shop, and became a pacifistic travelling merchant. And I played a Skyrim VR game where I discovered the awesome power of swords in VR, but then quit when Winterhold was all fucked up by a broken mod.
And any time I try to use stealth archery, I just get frustrated. The bow is so annoying and clunky to use, and sneaking is slow and annoying. I usually get one shot off from stealth, and then the enemies rush Me and I switch back to good old one handed and flames. Flames, always tempting Me with that easy easy damage when I’m in a pickle.
But this time, I’m committed! I want to play a thief and do the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood. I’ll use sneak, pickpocket, archery, light armour, illusion, smithing, enchanting, and alchemy. And maybe a little conjuration and destruction as a treat.
So I made a Dunmer and escaped Helgen with Ralof. I usually go with Hadvar, but I think My dark elf is a bit more selfish and less big-picture than My usual characters. She doesn’t care about fighting the Dominion, she’s mad at the Empire for trying to execute her!
I went to Riverwood, picked up Faendal as a follower, and used the archery training exploit. I decided to skip Whiterun for now, and agreed to go get the golden claw. I’m currently deep inside Bleak Falls Barrow, and
guys
I’m actually doing it! I’m not falling for the temptation to go spellsword! I still have flames and an iron dagger favourited, but I only used them once, against the big spider. I’m headshotting bandits and draugur and even shooting skeevers! It would be so much easier to burn or stab them, but I’m shooting em, and getting a lot of levels in archery!
Once I get paid by Lucan, My plan is to go to Whiterun, absorb Mirmulnir’s soul, and then head off to Riften to join the Thieves Guild.
I’m actually fucking doing it!
A stealth archer!
My favourite build was a stealth illusion Archer. You can specialise so spells don’t reveal your location. The Best spell made the target attack its allies. I could wipe out while villages with a couple of casts then wait for the last wounded survivor and take him down with an arrow.
Dark brotherhood quests were so easy, usually a local Guardsman would kill my target for me when he got attacked for no reason by my victim!
Just sitting in the shadows watching the world turn to chaos and emerge to clean up and loot. What? All this? Me? No, I just got here, such a shame all the death though! Skyrim had gotten really unsafe these days!
