Character Archetype: The Assassin

Race: Khajit

Gender: Female

Statistic Focus: Health 60% Magicka 20% Health 20%

Primary Skills (you’ll want to level these ASAP): Sneak, One-Handed

Secondary Skills: Alchemy, Pickpocket

Stone Ability: Shadow Stone

Essential Perks: Stealth (Sneak), Backstab (Sneak), Assassin’s Blade (Sneak), Armsman (One Handed), Dual Flurry (One Handed), Dual Savagery (One Handed)

Weapons: Dual One-Handed weapons, but move to daggers once you get the perk, Assassin’s Blade. Keep a bow for misdirecting and distracting foes, or for where sneaking isn’t an option.

Armor: Light Armor for protection without sacrificing speed or stealth

Follower: None. You probably don’t want one since it will make it really hard to sneak with a Viking following you. If you want someone to distract enemies, use a tank like Vorstag or Iona. Try to get them to wait at a distance, though.

Advice:

·       As a Khajit, you already have the One Handed and Sneak necessary to be a good assassin, plus bonuses to your Alchemy, Archery, and Lockpicking for backup.

·       For a good assassin, every situation is a puzzle to be solved (Bethesda’s words exactly), so when you see an enemy, drop into a crouch (if you don’t walk through dungeons in one already, like I do) and figure out how to sneak up on them for a one-hit KO backstab.

·       If you’re looking to get into an outdoors camp or ruin, it’s much better to wait until night, where you can sneak around. Pay attention to the weather, too. A stormy night will offer much better protection than a clear one.

·       In dungeons, keep an eye out for alternate paths, or ways to get behind your foes.

·       In crypts or catacombs, there will probably be times where you can walk right by sleeping (or alert) draugr without catching their notice (assuming your Sneak is high enough and the lighting is gloomy).  Don’t miss on the opportunity to shank some unsuspecting draugr, though. It levels up your skills, it ruins their day, and it makes you smile.

·       At earlier levels, your Sneak is gonna suck, but once your skill gets high enough, you will be able to walk across fully lit rooms without being seen, or to stab someone in the back and walk away before they realize they’ve been hit (seriously). Your sneak skill levels up when things are looking for you, but cant find you. So when that eye is partially open, or closing, your skill is leveling up, regardless of whether you’re hiding from enemies, animals, or Housecarls.

·       Assassins need fast, sneaky ways to kill their enemies before they can retaliate. Perks in One Handed and Sneak will increase your damage output to the point where you’ll be able to one-hit almost anything if you get the drop on it.

·       Alchemy is a great supporting skill to have: poisons increase your damage output and potions heal you and increase your defenses (like your Sneak or Light Armor skills). Ever think about adding potions/poisons to your favorites menu?

·       Pickpocket is worth looking into and totally easy to level up (my friend says you can master Pickpocket in an hour, but I’m not sure I believe him). At first, pickpocket is only good for stealing enchanted jewelry or gold, but once you’ve nearly mastered Pickpocket, you’ll be able to steal the weapons or armor off of foes before killing them (which is sweet).

·       Use your racial ability, Night Eye, when you want to see better. It’s unrestricted (unlike other racial abilities), free, and silent.

·       The Shadow Stone gives you the ability to turn invisible once per day. Even if you know the spell for invisibility, the Shadow Stone can still be useful.