Stealth is one of the many things players can focus on when leveling up their character and exploring the world of Skyrim. It's a feature that's been in the Elder Scrolls series practically from the start, and Skyrim's is the most robust system of them all.
Playing a stealth character in Skyrim is all about maximizing your ability to sneak around and get things done (and people assassinated) without rousing any attention. Several weapons and armors go great with this playstyle, including some that are only available via the Creation Club or Skyrim Anniversary Edition.
7 Bow of Shadows
The Bow of Shadows is a weapon introduced to the game in the Creation Club (or with the Anniversary Edition upgrade) that can easily become a Stealth player's weapon of choice. It has the ability to make its wielder invisible upon being drawn, and the bowstring itself can be drawn 20% faster than normal.
The Bow of Shadows is earned for completing "In The Shadows", which can be started by speaking with Proventus Avenicci, steward to Jarl Balgruuf. He gives this quest if the player asks if he "has anything for you" and sees players investigate a credible threat against Balgruuf's life.
6 The Gray Cowl
The Gray Cowl is an iconic piece of gear in the Elder Scrolls series, primarily featured in the Thieves Guild questline in Oblivion as the headpiece of the Gray Fox. It can be earned in Skyrim as part of its eponymous Creation Club quest, which begins in Riften when the player discovers a thief in the city graveyard.
The Gray Cowl has different effects than in previous games. When the player wears this cowl, their Sneak skill is improved by 25%, carry weight by 50 points, and they can see all living things nearby. However, it also turns all guards immediately Hostile – remember to take it off in settlements.
5 Nightingale, Shrouded, or Jester's Boots
The Nightingale, Shrouded, and Jester's boots all have similar effects that any Stealth player can make good use of. Each makes Stealth much more effective by providing a similar effect, while other pieces of these sets aren't necessarily beneficial for the playstyle.
The Nightingale Boots, Shrouded Boots, and Jester's Boots all give the player the Muffle effect, which effectively nullifies their sound while moving. The strength of this enchantment varies from piece to piece, with the highest-level Nightingale Boots outranking all others.
4 Nightingale, Shrouded, or Jester's Gloves
Similar to the boots, the Nightingale, Shrouded, and Jester's gloves can all be equally handy for Sneaky players, too. The Shrouded and Jester's Gloves each have the same effect, while the Nightingale Gloves have two unique enchantments.
The Shrouded Gloves and Jester's Gloves double all backstab damage, even with non-dagger weapons, making a close-quarters assassin's job that much easier. The Nightingale Gloves, on the other hand, improves One-Handed damage across the board by 15% and improves Lockpicking effectiveness by 15%, too.
3 Predator's Grace
The Predator's Grace is a unique piece of armor that has two effects: one that it shares with the Nightingale, Shrouded, and Jester boots, and one completely its own. Just like those other pieces of gear, the Predator's Grace grants the Muffle effect to the wearer.
Its secondary effect is to increase Stamina regeneration by 1%. It's ultimately not much, but it's still an improvement over gear with the Muffle effect only. It's found in Deepwood Vale, a location found through Deepwood Redoubt just west of Solitude, just across a waterfall towards the end of the area.
2 Nightweaver's Band
The Nightweaver's Band is a unique Ring that can only be earned by characters who are a member of the Dark Brotherhood. The quest "Recipe For Disaster" comes relatively late into the edgiest faction's questline, so be sure to join early (head to Windhelm and find Aventus Arentino to start the initiation process).
The Nightweaver's Band has two effects, one more useful to Stealth players than the other. Its first effect is to improve the Sneak skill by 10%, while its second is to fortify the Destruction skill by 10%. Destruction doesn't generally factor into a Stealth player's toolkit, but it can give you a reason to try out a Nightblade or Shadow Mage-type build.
1 The Ebony Mail
The Ebony Mail might not seem like a good pick for Stealth players at first glance thanks to its Heavy Armor type. However, it cancels out this drawback with its unique enchantment. It comes with two effects: nearby NPCs take a constant 5 damage per second, and the player is significantly muffled. The muffle effect is not absolute, but it's enough to make the Heavy Armor work in the Stealth player's favor.
The 5 damage per second can be helpful when things go sour and you end up taking on multiple enemies, and the armor's high stats make it good in these defensive situations, too. Find the Ebony Mail by completing Boethiah's questline, which can only be started by reading the book "Boethiah's Proving" at level 30 or later.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S