Skyrim Tips and Tricks » Discussions

Debate: Sneak Archery

• Casey

  

  Member
   

  March 4, 2015

  I think its appropriate for pure stealth characters. IE glass canon assassins. I enjoy having zero damage output available when I've been busted as a sneak. When Deadly Aim and Assassins blade are *all* you have, its not really OP. Just a bit boring after awhile xP

  I think its appropriate for pure stealth characters. IE glass canon assassins. I enjoy having zero damage output available when I've been busted as a sneak. When Deadly Aim and Assassins blade are *all* you have, its not really OP. Just a bit boring after awhile xP
• Borommakot

  

  Member
   

  March 4, 2015

  I just like one-shotting things. If it doesn't die in one shot, there's hardly any point hiding. I want to see how it would play out if they released a game where enemies were smart enough to go for sneak attacks like that, or better yet, one where enemies didn't give up looking for the person who shot them/their ally after two minutes; you shoot a target, you're committed, and they don't go off alert for days or more. Since they're not that smart, though, just do that part for them.

  I just like one-shotting things. If it doesn't die in one shot, there's hardly any point hiding. I want to see how it would play out if they released a game where enemies were smart enough to go for sneak attacks like that, or better yet, one where enemies didn't give up looking for the person who shot them/their ally after two minutes; you shoot a target, you're committed, and they don't go off alert for days or more. Since they're not that smart, though, just do that part for them.

• MadHatter

  

  Member
   

  March 4, 2015

  The way enemies give up the search so easily is such a turn off. Id love to see them put forth more of an effort instead of going back to sipping tea and complaining about being sent to the college by their father while their comrade twitches by the fire with an arrow in his neck... cmon, man... nords arent that stupid...

  The way enemies give up the search so easily is such a turn off. Id love to see them put forth more of an effort instead of going back to sipping tea and complaining about being sent to the college by their father while their comrade twitches by the fire with an arrow in his neck... cmon, man... nords arent that stupid...
• Tae-Rai

  

  Member
   

  March 5, 2015

  I absolutely LOVE sneak archery but within reason. The build has to be BALANCED with it's sneak archery in order to be viable. For example, I'm playing a build who is screwed if he gets caught out while doing sneak archery. 
  
  The main problem is that people combine it with Smithing/Enchanting and Daedric armour to make it completely ridiculous 

  I absolutely LOVE sneak archery but within reason. The build has to be BALANCED with it's sneak archery in order to be viable. For example, I'm playing a build who is screwed if he gets caught out while doing sneak archery. 
  
  The main problem is that people combine it with Smithing/Enchanting and Daedric armour to make it completely ridiculous 

• Caesar Strong-Heart

  

  Member
   

  March 5, 2015

  My first character used Sneak Archery as his main form of attack. I do only use it within reason, but I still make it possible to one-shot-kill enemies. It just kind of breaks immersion seeing an enemy run up to you with like 30 Arrows in him. Once again though, I would only use it to open combat.

  My first character used Sneak Archery as his main form of attack. I do only use it within reason, but I still make it possible to one-shot-kill enemies. It just kind of breaks immersion seeing an enemy run up to you with like 30 Arrows in him. Once again though, I would only use it to open combat.

• Librari the Wizard

  

  Member
   

  March 5, 2015

  But there are mods for this sort of thing, aren't there?  Doesn't help those of us playing on console, though.

  But there are mods for this sort of thing, aren't there?  Doesn't help those of us playing on console, though.

• Caesar Strong-Heart

  

  Member
   

  March 5, 2015

  #Modssuck, #UnlesstheirforMorrowind

  #Modssuck, #UnlesstheirforMorrowind

• Vazgen

  

  Member
   

  March 5, 2015

  I think one of the best uses for sneak archery is to apply poisons. Given Skyrim's requirements of poisoning every arrow (or every two arrows) manually open combat usually ends up in a constant menu surfing, or sacrificing one shortcut key which is a high price to pay for console players. Sneak archery allows to use the poisons from shadows, without interrupting someone's axe while you poison your weapons 

  There is balance to sneak archery. Novice players usually try to push their bow damage to insane amounts with Sneak, Archery perks, Smithing, Alchemy and Enchanting. By the time they're done, most of the enemies die in one shot. They also use a lot of points in Stealth and become virtually invisible which allows to shoot without worrying about being discovered.

  I think only Alchemy and that one perk from Sneak are needed. Alchemy allows the player to create devastating DoT poisons coupled with Weakness to Poison effect. It also allows to create Fortify Marksman potions which will boost your bow damage against poison-immune targets. And I always put maximum 2 points in Stealth. That way, the enemies can still find you and you need to be on your toes in almost every encounter.

  This setup, however, has some weaknesses against boss-type enemies, especially self-healing ones. For those enemies I have one answer - Marked for Death, invisibility potion, wait, shoot, profit 

  I think one of the best uses for sneak archery is to apply poisons. Given Skyrim's requirements of poisoning every arrow (or every two arrows) manually open combat usually ends up in a constant menu surfing, or sacrificing one shortcut key which is a high price to pay for console players. Sneak archery allows to use the poisons from shadows, without interrupting someone's axe while you poison your weapons 

  There is balance to sneak archery. Novice players usually try to push their bow damage to insane amounts with Sneak, Archery perks, Smithing, Alchemy and Enchanting. By the time they're done, most of the enemies die in one shot. They also use a lot of points in Stealth and become virtually invisible which allows to shoot without worrying about being discovered.

  I think only Alchemy and that one perk from Sneak are needed. Alchemy allows the player to create devastating DoT poisons coupled with Weakness to Poison effect. It also allows to create Fortify Marksman potions which will boost your bow damage against poison-immune targets. And I always put maximum 2 points in Stealth. That way, the enemies can still find you and you need to be on your toes in almost every encounter.

  This setup, however, has some weaknesses against boss-type enemies, especially self-healing ones. For those enemies I have one answer - Marked for Death, invisibility potion, wait, shoot, profit 

• Asks-Many-Questions

  

  Member
   

  March 5, 2015

  I've been using sneak Archery in combination with Necromancy on my current build. Raising zombies is more complicated than just summoning atronachs because you need a dead NPC first, making it harder to open combat with a summon.

  Sneak Archery solves that problem by allowing you, essentially a "free kill" that you can then raise- likely conveniently located near other enemies who will focus on it instead of whoever just cast that spell.

  If you can avoid the temptation to re-sneak, you can get into a pretty fun rhythm- open by killing and raising an enemy; between the two of you, by the time the zombie goes down you've probably killed something else...who you then raise to continue the fight.

  I've been using sneak Archery in combination with Necromancy on my current build. Raising zombies is more complicated than just summoning atronachs because you need a dead NPC first, making it harder to open combat with a summon.

  Sneak Archery solves that problem by allowing you, essentially a "free kill" that you can then raise- likely conveniently located near other enemies who will focus on it instead of whoever just cast that spell.

  If you can avoid the temptation to re-sneak, you can get into a pretty fun rhythm- open by killing and raising an enemy; between the two of you, by the time the zombie goes down you've probably killed something else...who you then raise to continue the fight.

• Caesar Strong-Heart

  

  Member
   

  March 5, 2015

  Sounds like someone here actually likes Sneak Archery...interesting.

  Sounds like someone here actually likes Sneak Archery...interesting.