Fans of Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls series love Skyrim for the level of freedom it offers to players. After all, any character can be anything they want - even a thief or an assassin who masters the shadows. Thankfully, Skyrim has a wide range of weapons, skillsets, and even abilities that players can use to create their ideal stealthy character. For instance, their roguish character can roam the streets and pickpocket the rich for the Thieves Guild. Meanwhile, their master assassin can take out targets for the enigmatic Dark Brotherhood.
However, players can further diversify their take on stealth builds thanks to Perks. These Perks, when chosen properly, can enhance certain abilities and skillsets their characters have. In turn, players with the right Perks for their roguish characters can perfect their mastery over the shadows. Here are some Perks to consider for stealth builds:
10 Armsman (One-Handed)
What better way to get stealthy than to kill enemies solely with daggers? However, aside from their aesthetic appeal, daggers do serve as the most optimal weapon for stealth characters who want to kill opponents quickly and silently. Additionally, being one-handed weapons, they also enjoy the benefits of combat Perks under that Skill.
For instance, the Armsman Perk can boost the damage output of one-handed weapons depending on the Perk rank. As such, maxing out Armsman at 80 One-Handed can boost daggers to deal twice as much damage to opponents.
9 Dual Flurry (One-Handed)
What's better than one weapon? Why, two weapons, of course! Thanks to dual-wielding, Skyrim players can opt to wield another one-handed weapon on their off-hand instead of a shield, torch, or a free hand. Moreover, as this off-hand weapon gains the same benefits as other one-handed weapons, this explains why dual-wielding daggers become an assassin's staple.
Thanks to the Dual Flurry Perk, duel-wielding weapons become 35-percent faster, which boosts the already-impressive 1.3-speed rating of daggers. As such, players can theoretically pull off two sneak attacks in one go with Dual Flurry. Moreover, players who have the Dual Savagery Perk (50-percent damage boost to dual-wield power attacks) can whip out power attacks too fast for enemies to react to.
8 Silent Roll (Sneak)
Players in the middle of a heist need to have quick mobility options should they find themselves in a pinch. Thanks to Silent Roll, a sneaking sprint will prompt a silent forward roll that can help characters get out of sticky situations. In essence, Silent Roll gives players an excuse to sprint while sneaking that doesn't get them detected. Either way, this becomes a handy Perk to get for players who want better ways of navigating a dungeon crawling with enemies.
However, players should also watch out for Silence, the evolution of the Silent Roll Perk. At 70 Sneak, players who get Silence will now notice walking or running won't affect the way other NPCs detect their character.
7 Assassin's Blade (Sneak)
Players who want to fully optimize a dagger-centric build should get Assassin's Blade. With this Perk, dagger-based sneak attacks now deal 15-times more damage! Moreover, players can get this Perk as soon as they reach 50 Sneak. As such, a dagger's sheer attack speed and sneak potential make them quite a weapon of choice for fast-hitting assassins.
Moreover, players can further maximize their damage output by equipping the right items for their build. For instance, Cicero's Gloves, Jester's Gloves, and Shrouded Hand Wraps can actually double the damage of one-handed sneak attacks. In turn, Assassin's Blade can deal up to 30-times damage on sneak attacks with these items.
6 Extra Pockets (Pickpocket)
Stealth builds aren't always created to fight opponents silently and efficiently. Sometimes, the best stealth builds get created for raiding the best dungeons and areas in Skyrim. With Extra Pockets, players will never have to leave a dungeon because of a full-inventory. Thanks to this Perk, players get another 100 carrying capacity, which is a godsend considering how certain areas in the game can have rare items - such as the College of Winterhold and the town's surrounding areas.
Moreover, Extra Pockets become extremely handy especially for players who carry different sets of gear for different situations. After all, if a heavy armor's weight can support the total weight of around six different light armor sets, then Extra Pockets can at least make sure players have all the gear they need for a difficult dungeon.
5 Poisoned (Pickpocket)
Combat-oriented stealth builds don't necessarily need to "fight" enemies to deal damage to them. With Poisoned, players can easily put poison into an unsuspecting NPC's inventory to harm them without arousing suspicion. Interestingly, players can get this as early as 40 Pickpocket, enabling them to experiment with various poisons and effects.
Granted, players may not necessarily need this Perk all the time. However, players who find themselves in heavily-crowded areas can use Poisoned to take care of targets without having to wait for them to be alone. After all, the poison will just do its job naturally.
4 Quick Hands (Lockpicking)
Lockpicking in The Elder Scrolls finally allowed players to bypass the need to get keys to unlock pesky locks. Unfortunately, in these games, players who get caught Lockpicking may have to pay a hefty fine or even risk going to prison. However, in Skyrim, having the Quick Hands Perk might avoid this altogether. After all, this Perk allows players to pick locks without others noticing them.
In turn, players can easily navigate through enemy-filled dungeons and open locked doors without having to risk detection. Moreover, Quick Hands is a great tool to use when trying to pick a lock in heavily-guarded quarters, such as that of a jarl's.
3 Master Locks (Lockpicking)
Players might not see the point of investing in 100 Lockpicking just to get Master Locks. After all, this Perk simply makes Master-level locks much easier to lockpick. However, players should also realize that some of the hardest dungeons in the game have Master-level locks. As such, lacking the skill-level to tackle these locks can have players wasting all their lockpicks for nothing.
Moreover, players who invest in Master Locks may want to invest in the Unbreakable Perk as well. With the latter, lockpicks never break on failure, giving players more incentive to try to find rare chests throughout the game.
2 Wind Walker (Light Armor)
Players who want to focus on a stealth build will likely prefer light armor. After all, light armor isn't just light, it doesn't force players to suffer stealth penalties. Moreover, wearing light armor while sprinting doesn't waste more Stamina compared to heavy armor. Interestingly, investing enough in the Light Armor Skill can further increase this benefit.
With the Wind Walker Perk, players can enjoy a 50-percent boost in Stamina regeneration, provided they wear light armor. Wind Walker becomes an essential addition to builds that rely on quick movement and power attacks, as the speedy Stamina regeneration can make a rogue's power attack feel like a normal attack due to its sheer speed.
1 Rage (Illusion)
Players who hear of "stealth" builds might always think about physical-oriented strategies. However, Skyrim players can further diversify their rogue's skillset by using certain spells. In fact, rogues become deadlier by equipping Illusion spells in battle. Thanks to spells like Calm, Fear, and Frenzy, players can force enemies to stop fighting, run and flee, or even fight others near them. In essence, these spells can easily become assets for the player to use to distract distant opponents from their presence.
However, players may want to consider investing in 70 Illusion to get Rage. With Rage, players can cast Frenzy on higher-level opponents such as a necromancer's various summons. As such, players can force otherwise-tough opponents to go on a killing frenzy against their very allies while players wait for a chance to finish them off.