Assassin is fun but...

[pretorian]

I'm playing an assassin type char (1-H, Sneak, Archery) and wearing DB-armor and weapons. I like how the game has implemented the whole sneak 'n stab thing. BUT, nearly every bossfight is pretty much running around like a headless chicken, chugging down health potions because since my armor isn't very high, I get pretty much two-shotted by anything if I get caught out of stealth. This is most obvious when dealing with unskippable dialogue.

To me it seems almost silly that all the finesse that is involved with sneaking around is instantly tossed out the window when you come to close combat. Now I know that assassins are not tanks but Christ, at least you should have some combat skills out of stealth. Even Altaïr and Legolas could hold their own with swords and daggers.

Right now I'm at the last part of the Gauldur quest. I'm level 30 and playing on Expert, and the first boss literaly 2-shots me (if the adds don't get to me first). Lydia in all here Ebon gear can tank for a short while but not nearly enough to give me a chance. I've tried both DW and sword+shield but to little avail.

Some times it feels like if you didn't specialize in certain areas you will have a very hard time with some encounters.

[Vash1328]

you are only level 30, more fun on the way up! i am currently lvl 52 (nord) with archery & sneak 100 (all perks) + a legendary soul sapping daedric bow (no cheat) + 49% archery in helm (no cheat) = 1 shot Nahkriin at Skuldafn lmfao. most of the enemies don't even see me even im in front of them hahaha. trolls are dead even before they reach me. dragons are a bit of a headache though.

[H3X]

I've noticed that specialising in stealth and archery can leave you weak in close combat but it can be countered in a few ways:

-Enchant some gear for the weapon type you're going to use in close combat to boost your damage (fortify 1h or 2h etc)
-Use alchemy and poison your blades often, boost your health and stamina before combat not just regenerate it (paralysis is v useful in a pinch!)
-Spend a while focusing on just the close combat aspect of your skills, only bringing out the bow when necesarry (bump up the weapons skill to a more effective level by going melee only on weaker enemies/bounty missions for example)

I'm playing an archer/ranger type char myself at the minute and that's what I do to keep my blades up to scratch :)

One last note, it's maybe better to spread the perks out between the blades skills and your support skills too rather than just focusing on archery and stealth. Hitting those high level archery perks is great, but hitting them when your close combat skill is still relatively low only limits you to one method of attack for the most part with little support or alternatives. That would be why you're having trouble I'd wager. Hope this helps! :)

[Oom Ukulele]

and if you don'twant to die that fast don't play on expert

[Mister E]

That's one thing that was a little frustrating in Oblivion too (I played as a pure archer).

Another idea is to use invisibility spellls/potions.

Also, do enemies "forget" about you if you are able to hide? It still doesn't help when you're forced into a room, but possibly you could try to hide and sneak attack. There may be some mods to help with this as well.

Finally, maybe keep a brawler-type follower to act as a diversion (ie. meat shield) for you. They can take the direct fighting while you strafe around.

You could also use some illusion skills to "calm" enemies, or 'frenzy" them into fighting each other.

[H3X]

Originally posted by PonyBoy82:

That's one thing that was a little frustrating in Oblivion too (I played as a pure archer).

Another idea is to use invisibility spellls/potions.

Also, do enemies "forget" about you if you are able to hide? It still doesn't help when you're forced into a room, but possibly you could try to hide and sneak attack. There may be some mods to help with this as well.

Finally, maybe keep a brawler-type follower to act as a diversion (ie. meat shield) for you. They can take the direct fighting while you strafe around.

You could also use some illusion skills to "calm" enemies, or 'frenzy" them into fighting each other.

This. I forgot to mention invisibility lol. Mage skills are great for illusion such as invisibility on yourself, but calm and frenzy don't always scale well late game (unless modded) as enemies get tougher :/ For more non-magical characters I prefer alchemy myself, as manufacturing poisons and health potions etc at the same time can be beneficial.

Hiding is a viable option, though that doesn't always help when you've got a hulking bandit chief bearing down on you with a warhammer unless you have a handy escape route, so it can be tough in some areas, especially cramped dungeons (unless you retreat quickly enough that they lose sight and stop chasing, but that leaves them the chance to heal up too)..

I prefer to have a follower for tough missions myself too, but generally they're left behind near a dungeon entrance or kept behind me (drawing enemies into a melee follower suits stealth tactics better if you're discovered for example, and allows you to remain undetected moving forward, yet still have the aid if you need it). Melee followers tend to get in the way of bow attacks quite often, at least in my game..

[Metrod125]

I once made a Boimer assassin (onehanded, archery, lightarmor, sneak, enchanting, smithing, and alchemy) he was also a vampire because of the sneaking boost. really overpowerd but fun, although I didn't really put anything in illusion since his sneaking was so high. But when dealing with dragons, different story.

[aturqoise]

I've been playing a sneeky archer myself. Usually end up back peddeling as fast as I can while shooting bolts at the enemy.

[Metrod125]

Bolts? crossbows are slow to reload, even for a master archer.
I did try to use crossbows but kept on dieing because I wasn't shooting fast enough, my assassin even had all archery perks too.

[H3X]

If you have the inventory space you could carry a crossbow for the first shot and a bow to use after, a bit like riflemen when guns were still a new invention. One shot then switch to a backup weapon :)

[Drachenwulf]

also work on leveling smithing at least until you can get the perk that lets you improve enchanted items at the grind stone and work bench, then use the work bench to improve your shrouded armor. that will go a loooooong way.

[stabbykitteh]

To add to everyone else's excellent points: Training.

Grelka in Riften is an expert (or master - not sure) light armor trainer. She''ll also buy just about anything - so I usually just trade goods to her for training for a few levels. Because you aren't getting hit your armor skill will suffer as you know, but training will allow you to catch up pretty quickly.

You don't even need to max out the perk tree - but a couple in Agile Defender and taking Custom Fit will boost your armor enough so you can survive that first hit.

Good luck.

[Amycus]

Does invisibility spells actually work for you guys? When I use them I notice no difference at all in NPCs behaviour. I do look transparrent, but that's all. Everyone still knows where I am, whether I use it before I close in on them or afterwards.

[Mister E]

Originally posted by Amycus:

Does invisibility spells actually work for you guys? When I use them I notice no difference at all in NPCs behaviour. I do look transparrent, but that's all. Everyone still knows where I am, whether I use it before I close in on them or afterwards.

I personally haven't, but maybe they can hear you? Are you sneak-walking?

[Amycus]

Originally posted by PonyBoy82:

Originally posted by Amycus:

Does invisibility spells actually work for you guys? When I use them I notice no difference at all in NPCs behaviour. I do look transparrent, but that's all. Everyone still knows where I am, whether I use it before I close in on them or afterwards.

I personally haven't, but maybe they can hear you? Are you sneak-walking?

Muffle doesn't help. And when I do sneak I notice no difference at all from when I use only sneak without the invisibility.

[Metrod125]

Originally posted by Amycus:

Does invisibility spells actually work for you guys? When I use them I notice no difference at all in NPCs behaviour. I do look transparrent, but that's all. Everyone still knows where I am, whether I use it before I close in on them or afterwards.

Weird, I have a mage character with muffle and invisibility and he can sneak around all over the place like my wood elf assassin.