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Bizar Aug 12, 2020 @ 5:51am
Best way to level sneak? (Without high hrothgar)
So... im not ready for dragons, but need to level sneak. Any ideas?
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Originally posted by Iskander:
Originally posted by Lolzers:
Originally posted by Iskander:
Sneak attacks level your sneak. Sneak attacks against non-hostiles also level your sneak.
I have actually done the "High Hrothgar" 'cheat'. Sneak behind a praying Greybeard and attack them once. It is not enough to turn them hostile, and you SOAR through your sneak levels. You can say that is not how it works all you want, but OP is right: it does work.

As for OP:
To the East of Whiterun, there is a bandit cave. Right after entering, there is a blind bandit who asks who is there and you can lie to him, and you say you are who he thinks you are. The blind man is reading an awesome book (completely blank). He is good for sneaking practice as well, especially with muffle.

If you don't want to 'exploit' such situations: just sneak a lot. I always sneak in dungeons and this is often more than enough. If I want to level she skill even faster, I usually summon something into combat, and sneak to remain undetected. Keep summoning and/or sneaking away, so that you don't get detected. Alternatively, you can shoot an arrow near them, or throw junk to create a noise, raise their suspicion, but sneak well out of sight. Really, dungeons are the fastest way to level your sneak, without making use of exploits.
Would do the blind man... but i already killed em lol

A shame :)
If you are low level and want to level archery as well, you can try traveling down a river with lots of mudcrabs and.or horkers. Always be sneaking and hit them with sneak archery attacks. It is not super-fast leveling, but its ok.
Another option: There are a few bandits, plus a horse, to the North/North-West of Whiterun, situated against the same "hill" that Dragonsreach is on. You can kill the bandits, then sneak up to the horse for a melee power-attack. You can then track him for more sneak attacks. Not much, but with the huge HP pool of horses, you can get a few attacks in and add a few levels in sneak as a result.
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Showing 1-15 of 33 comments
alexander_dougherty Aug 12, 2020 @ 5:55am 
It's easiest if you start low level, but what you need is a place with people who can detect you and places you can go to lose the Discovered status.

Any town or village will do, including Whiterun. You just need to be patient, move slow, use cover to reset the discovered status, and even more patience when you realise how slow it is if you haven't levelled it up right from the start.

oh, and by the first perk in sneak as soon as you can, a 20% increase (20% of your level not 20% against others) can help prevent others discovering you long enough to get a bit more levelling.
#1
Lady Aeleanor Aug 12, 2020 @ 5:57am 
By sneaking. I sneak most places, particularly dungeons, and you'll find you level up very quickly for the first several levels. Also, increase your Magicka up to around 130 and learn the "Muffle" spell. Cast it all the time you are sneaking. It won't help you level, but you'll be more successful at being undetected. If you visit the Thief Stone near Riverwood, and activate it, it makes your Sneak Skill 20% faster to level. What did you mean "Without High Hrothgar"?
Last edited by Lady Aeleanor; Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:00am
#2
GrimCat Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:05am 
Go to Wolfskull Cave or even Robber's Gorge. Occasionally launch arrows at the cultists or bandits in the distance to keep them alerted. I find Wolfskull easier because you get a couple of nice areas to snipe from.
#3
Bizar Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:09am 
Originally posted by Lady Aeleanor:
By sneaking. I sneak most places, particularly dungeons, and you'll find you level up very quickly for the first several levels. Also, increase your Magicka up to around 130 and learn the "Muffle" spell. Cast it all the time you are sneaking. It won't help you level, but you'll be more successful at being undetected. If you visit the Thief Stone near Riverwood, and activate it, it makes your Sneak Skill 20% faster to level. What did you mean "Without High Hrothgar"?
Most people say best way to level up is by sneak attacking the Greybeards, i dont want to unlock dragons so i meant without that strategy.
#4
Bizar Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:10am 
Originally posted by Grim Dolo:
Go to Wolfskull Cave or even Robber's Gorge. Occasionally launch arrows at the cultists or bandits in the distance to keep them alerted. I find Wolfskull easier because you get a couple of nice areas to snipe from.
Will try!
#5
Lady Aeleanor Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:15am 
Originally posted by Lolzers:
Most people say best way to level up is by sneak attacking the Greybeards, i dont want to unlock dragons so i meant without that strategy.
Why would you want to do that? Never heard of this. Besides, why attack them at all? It's sneaking successfully undetected that increases your Sneak, not the attack. The attack only increases the damage you inflict WHILE sneaking, not the actual sneaking itself. It may be that they detect you more easily and thus increase your skill faster. But not "sneak attacking". And you will only unlock dragons in the first quest line in Whiterun, not by visiting High Hrothgar.


Last edited by Lady Aeleanor; Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:17am
#6
Bizar Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:18am 
Originally posted by Lady Aeleanor:
Originally posted by Lolzers:
Most people say best way to level up is by sneak attacking the Greybeards, i dont want to unlock dragons so i meant without that strategy.
Why would you want to do that? Never heard of this. Besides, why attack them at all? It's sneaking successfully undetected that increases your Sneak, not the attack. The attack only increases the damage you inflict WHILE sneaking, not the actual sneaking itself. It may be that they detect you more easily and thus increase your skill faster. But not "sneak attacking". And you will only unlock dragons in the first quest line in Whiterun, not by visiting High Hrothgar.
To get into high hrothgar you need to kill the dragon which enables dragons. And the strategy is to sneak behind the greybeards while they are praying and sneak behind and attack them.
#7
Lady Aeleanor Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:22am 
Originally posted by Lolzers:
To get into high hrothgar you need to kill the dragon which enables dragons. And the strategy is to sneak behind the greybeards while they are praying and sneak behind and attack them.
That's what I just said. I was referring to the main quest line in Whiterun. But did you read what I wrote? It's the SNEAKING that increases your level....not ATTACKING.
#8
Bizar Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:30am 
Originally posted by Lady Aeleanor:
Originally posted by Lolzers:
To get into high hrothgar you need to kill the dragon which enables dragons. And the strategy is to sneak behind the greybeards while they are praying and sneak behind and attack them.
That's what I just said. I was referring to the main quest line in Whiterun. But did you read what I wrote? It's the SNEAKING that increases your level....not ATTACKING.
U sure... cuz if u get a sneak attack it levels up ur sneak alot :V
#9
Mupkemus Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:33am 
If you're still reading this.. Crouch behind the greybeards at high wrothgar. Then stab them with a dagger. Keep doing so, because they won't become hostile. Take into consideration that you have to be hidden when stabbing, because otherwise sneak won't level. This will also work for archery, if you're interested in that sort of thing. :lunar2019piginablanket:
#10
Sabaithal Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:35am 
Levelling sneak is easy, it just takes time.

Go around any NPC, hostile or not. Make sure you are nearby, but not detected. Go into sneak mode and do donuts constantly. The closer you get to being detected, the faster it progresses.
#11
Lady Aeleanor Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:36am 
Originally posted by Lolzers:
U sure... cuz if u get a sneak attack it levels up ur sneak alot :V
You would increase your sneak if you attacked someone and then hid and successfully evaded them while they were aggressively looking for you. Which is not really possible at low levels. You level by *using* a particular skill. Using a sword increases your skill level with it. Same with a bow. When you sneak attack with a bow or a sword/dagger, it increases the damage you do with it, it doesn't increase your sneak.
#12
Bizar Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:39am 
Originally posted by Mupkemus:
If you're still reading this.. Crouch behind the greybeards at high wrothgar. Then stab them with a dagger. Keep doing so, because they won't become hostile. Take into consideration that you have to be hidden when stabbing, because otherwise sneak won't level. This will also work for archery, if you're interested in that sort of thing. :lunar2019piginablanket:
Dont want to unlock dragons to get to high hrothgar.
#13
Bizar Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:40am 
Originally posted by Lady Aeleanor:
Originally posted by Lolzers:
U sure... cuz if u get a sneak attack it levels up ur sneak alot :V
You would increase your sneak if you attacked someone and then hid and successfully evaded them while they were aggressively looking for you. Which is not really possible at low levels. You level by *using* a particular skill. Using a sword increases your skill level with it. Same with a bow. When you sneak attack with a bow or a sword/dagger, it increases the damage you do with it, it doesn't increase your sneak.
Im done arguing, you get sneak skill if you sneak attack people, idc why.
#14
Lady Aeleanor Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:41am 
Originally posted by Mupkemus:
If you're still reading this.. Crouch behind the greybeards at high wrothgar. Then stab them with a dagger. Keep doing so, because they won't become hostile. Take into consideration that you have to be hidden when stabbing, because otherwise sneak won't level. This will also work for archery, if you're interested in that sort of thing. :lunar2019piginablanket:
He said that he doesn't want to trigger dragons yet, and the only way you can get into High Hrothgar is by triggering the dragons in Whiterun at the Watchtower. That summons you to High Hrothgar.
Last edited by Lady Aeleanor; Aug 12, 2020 @ 6:42am
#15
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Date Posted: Aug 12, 2020 @ 5:51am
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