woot, score one for the Byrons... don't meet many of us out there.
great guide, make sure to link it if you do update.
maybe i can help, just my opinion due to my preferred game-play. no correct or incorrect ways just trying to help you with possible opinion/optional avenues when you write your next guide.
Disclaimer:long winded due to the fact that i am snowed in and with nothing to do i have not been sleeping... i am currently more of a mechanism thats only function seems to be turning caffeine into Skyrim. tl;dr doesn't need to be expressed, i will assume.
i am more of a role-player without actually living the character, if my toon dies i usually lose interest and have even been known to start over (re-roll). adds more pressure for me so i prefer it that way (got something to lose, i am an ex EVE player... so i am unstable like that)
i agree with everything, but, your choice of health over stamina... i do about the opposite. i am very squishy but that doesn't matter, if the NPC knows i am there it is only because i allowed it and even then it is only for as long as it takes my arrow to hit. i went with the most bang for my buck when it came to raw power and left defense to be handled by my offense.
if forced into a tight situations (multi melee against my bow or angry giant/mammoth/both), steady hand plus quick-shot with the high stamina, i can easily out maneuver 4 to 5 enemies at point blank and that is with minimal movement. i never run, though i dont die... much. usually when i die it is from hitting the ~ instead of the damned tab button. i need a new keyboard, preferably the next one will have better spelling and grammar.
i deff do use all of the stuff on the archer tree thus far... aside from eagle eye, messed up my long shots for some time. i have read alot of conflicting material on things like Ranger or Power shot. i tell you what, the idea of trying to maneuver backwards while turning to fire in front (leading the target) just to then have to turn another 4 or 5 directions to repeat this process... while steady handx2 is going... without Ranger... makes me want to stab my eyes out with a fork. power shot with quick shot equals a free shot in the rotation. every two to three shots. mix that with the paralyze ability of my bow (or soon with the tree perk) it takes a good long while, and is almost comical seeing enemies try to fill that gap between their position and mine. i just rotate my shots, taking the extra one in the rotation from the power shot perk to finish off already injured (nearly dead) enemies.
for my bow it really doesn't matter much to me. i am currently using a legendary elven bow. legenday due to and made possible by the anal repetitive crafting of my collection of iron daggers. i am only lvl 25 ( i have only been to three town/cities). so i am still noobish.
i enchant paralyze on bow, i am at lvl 70 within the archery tree so no 100* lvl paralyze perk yet. i will deff be taking that perk so i can use a bow with damage mod on it. or maybe to just dble paralyze chance... if they stack, pr say. anyone use that perk? the paralyze i use is for 2 seconds, but it triggers quite a bit. if i have to shoot more than once at a mob, i usually stay pretty consistent; one out of three is a paralyze. within that two seconds they fall prone and then have to slowly get back up which adds another two or so seconds. mainly useful when overwhelmed by multi high end mobs, kinda overkill with weaker enemies. then again, so is most of the damage mods on bow when it comes to low end mobs.
something with a 20 plus dam mod would prob be smarter. i just like it to be a challenge. as enchanting perks are added, the paralyze time will get better allowing me alot of crowd control. NOTE: i stopped using my stamina syphon bow because i use stamina regen gear and i could stay in slow motion pretty much indeff, wasn't exciting
. but is a tactic none the less.
only do to game mechanics i find it easier to pull a full room down a tunnel. the power shot stun usually bogs down the movement of the mobs behind your target and they bottle neck into a nice tight package, making the possibility of missing one of them near impossible. paralyze helps as well as summoning a familiar also nicely bogs down the tunnel further.
i have not done the thieves guild or brotherhood yet... would stand to reason that the drops for my skill path would be better geared huh.
i would go more in depth in leading the enemies with arrows. i would have to say that is one of the most useful tools in the bag. you can lead them out and away from a position entirely. allows you to either bypass them (ack, i never leave anyone alive) or get to a better position.
also the half shot - you mentioned to take your time and make sure you have a full shot. in close battles when the power shot is needed or just a little damage to finish off...taping the fire trigger for a limp arrow FTW. that quick... if not flaccid shot has saved me arse from many nasa launches while up against giant.
ok i am running out of coffee now. i have a lot of other stuff but i think i will turn your thread back to you. i am too tired to proof read this and for the readers sakes i am going back to Skyrim. My rant, ty for the help Byron, keep it up bro.