Playing just archery

[Nameless233]

I just started new file and was wondering if it is even possible to play as a sneak, archery (mainly), and light armor character cuz so far it seems much harder

 

[MushroomGenius]

I just started new file and was wondering if it is even possible to play as a sneak, archery (mainly), and light armor character cuz so far it seems much harder

I tried a bit, roleplaying as a Forsworn Archer (with no followers), and it's hard. I limited myself to only three skill trees though (Archer, Alchemy, Light Armor). It played out kinda interesting in the beginning. Against heavily armored opponents, like Bandit Chiefs, it's really difficult. Lightly armored guys that you can sneak up on, it's not so bad.

I tried playing with bow switching, using the lighter weight, faster ROF bows at closer distances, but didn't see much of an improvement. I used no other weapons other than my fists.

It's not an impossible way to play, but it's pretty harsh until you get really powerful bows and arrows.

 

[Doomy]

I disagree with the difficulty. I intended on playing an orc thief using sneak bow, and brserk 2h. When I retired at level 40, my 2h skill was about 30. Shows how often I used it, hardly ever. Light armoured Sneak bow and a companion was all I needed. Taking the elf archer to train with at the beginning may have helped a lot.


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[Nameless233]

Ya I'm in the same way like I was panning to do one handed but I always use bows and the skill has barely gone up, I think I'll just stick to sneak, light armor, and archery..... Oh and is alchemy really worth it?

 

[MushroomGenius]

I disagree with the difficulty. I intended on playing an orc thief using sneak bow, and brserk 2h. When I retired at level 40, my 2h skill was about 30. Shows how often I used it, hardly ever. Light armoured Sneak bow and a companion was all I needed. Taking the elf archer to train with at the beginning may have helped a lot.


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The difficult part for me was BECAUSE I went solo. I couldnt rob Faendal of his training income and basically powerlevel my skill to 50. All those levels and perks were earned in combat or hunting.

If you choose to abuse Faendal, or any other Trainer/follower, you'll immediately pick up HUGE damage bonuses. It's just a matter of you wanting to go that route.

 

[Gemini Sierra]

I did a khajiit archer and had a lot of fun with it. I RP'd it little while and that was fun, until I kind of got bored with trying to RP. However, I used bow and sneak. I traded up bows as I found them, the same with arrows. I used a one-hander if I had to but most of the time I would drop into sneak and shoot from that position. For a couple of reasons, you get the sneak hit bonus sometimes, the critical hit sometimes, both if lucky and I like the crosshair for sneak better
I eventually dropped the sword I was carrying and went with the bound sword for close quarter fights and to ramp up that skill to use bound bow and mystic.
I only put a few perks in blacksmithing to be able to improve any armor and some perks into alchemy so I could make my own poisons to help with the damage, but I ended up not using that much because I found stronger potions most of the time.
Going strictly as an archer (with some magic) and just sneak was a challenge, but using the environment to your advantage made up for getting clobbered a lot.

 

[Imperio]

I just started new file and was wondering if it is even possible to play as a sneak, archery (mainly), and light armor character cuz so far it seems much harder

Once you get all the archery perks you can kill a lot of people/creatures before they even get to you, cause you can draw much faster and stagger/paralyze them so they never reach you :-)

 

[Zoa Two Tails]

Yeah but the thing is that getting your archery up that high takes a while. Its definitely worth it though. Bos are fun but currently im obsessed with mehrunes razor for sneaking, windshear for when i get detected and spellbreaker for mage fights. It works out really well actually

 

[whiskey]

Right now I'm just playing as an Imperial. I'm level 45. My plan was to switch to light armor but I found the Ebony Mail (Heavy Armor) but it makes sneaking easier and I also found a bad ass bow so I decided to switch things up to sneak and archery.

I don't know that I would say it's harder, it just requires more patience. Shoot someone, run away and hide and hope they don't find you. When they do, I do take out my weapon and kill them, but right now I'm trying to do mostly archery and sneak. I think it's fun.

ETA: I have no followers, I don't see the point.

 

[Necromis]

The reality is, that even w/o power leveling a sneak archer can be the most deadliest character in the game from the start. Just making the right choices. First being don't take any followers. IMO, they ruin any sneak chances you have. Secondly, get the sneak perks to 3X your damage, and bump the damage perks on your archery till you get to the slow time at the very least. Thirdly, it is a good idea, again IMO, to get with the DB as soon as possible, to get that armour. It is the highest level of protection at such a low level, and in theory you could have it by level 5 or below. depending on how fast you travel to windhelm to start it. There are no risks of being killed, except the normal random encounters.

You must chose tactics over just running into places to play a sneak archer. I made it through the first main quest dungeon with leather armour, a hunting bow and iron arrows without a single scratch. Most of the Daugar can be killed before they even pop outa their coffins.

The trick as indicated is tactics. Shoot from one location, then move to another location to hide. The only time you really have any worries to start is the main quest line first dragon attack, but if you are smart you will hold off on the main questline for a little bit, to allow yourself the time needed to develope your archery and sneak skills. I have light armour on my sneaks, and have no perks in any of my play throughs of a sneak. You ask why? Because you have to get hit to gain skills in it. I think I got mayabe a total of 2-5 skill points the entire game, and that was playing the full main quest, DB and TG questlines. Oh and CW on the Storm Cloaks side once, too.

 

[Imperio]

Yeah but the thing is that getting your archery up that high takes a while. Its definitely worth it though. Bos are fun but currently im obsessed with mehrunes razor for sneaking, windshear for when i get detected and spellbreaker for mage fights. It works out really well actually

I found the archery increased relatively quickly, but maybe it's cause I had the warrior stone, now I'm level 42 and I still get regular skill increases from using the bow about 50% of the time :-)

 

[SynnerLarkie]

well this is what i am. i sneak and snipe. im never seen even when right infront of the prey. i wear light armor with as much sneak/bow enchants on it as possible. but i also sneak everywhere i go.... like everywhere. however ive also fluffed my game alot and had to reload because i snipe people before i know if they are friend or foe. sneak is at 100, bow is at 100, and lock pick is at 90+ i cant remember the actual number. im working on alch now.

 

[Icy Seeker]

Keep playing this Sneak Archer soon you will be over powered and complete dungeons in 3 minutes.

 

[Necromis]

actually archery is under the theif stone not the warrior stone per the wki.

 

[Nameless233]

Ya I've got farther since I posted this and it just gets better and better...... Should I do enchanting for sneak/bow?

 

[Nameless233]

actually archery is under the theif stone not the warrior stone per the wki.

No I checked uesp, archery is warrior, but sneak and light armor are theif so I get the lovers stone ( all skills increase 15% faster)

 

[Necromis]

The Thief Stone Southwest of Riverwood, by the roadside, one of the Guardian Stones. Those under the sign of the Thief will learn all stealth skills 20% faster. Learn stealth skills 20% faster†

†Archery counts as stealth skill in this context

Right from the uesp wiki. So you must not have read correctly.

link in case you need it. http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Standing_Stones

 

[Imperio]

actually archery is under the theif stone not the warrior stone per the wki.

oh yeah good point, I've had the Lover Stone since about level 23 anyway :-)

 

[ParidiseGangsta]

Ya I've got farther since I posted this and it just gets better and better...... Should I do enchanting for sneak/bow?

I'm new here, sup fellas

but absolutely enchant your bow. if your enchantment level is even half-way decent your going to add 10-15 pts of damage and if you get all enchanting perks you could get 2 enchantments adding 25 pts of damage each.

it levels the playing field while your archery level is down and also helps you kill quicker, which is obviously what your going for with stealth.

 

[Imperio]

I found the archery increased relatively quickly, but maybe it's cause I had the warrior stone, now I'm level 42 and I still get regular skill increases from using the bow about 50% of the time :-)

yeah Spellbreaker's awesome man, Mages can't touch you. I was fighting a mage and he ended up killing himself trying to get me, despite I read somewhere that Spellbreaker doesn't reflect damage in Skyrim, it seems to me that it does. ?