The more I play this game, the more I'm starting to think the whole game is built for people to be Thieves.

A lot of the enemies in dungeons are loaded to face AWAY from you (How convenient?) and/or let you spot them from a distance so you can get a bow shot off before they can react.

Everything also appears to be locked up in a safe or chest of some sort. And then there are the traps which can be disarmed.



I can't imagine playing this game as a straight-up Mage or Warrior and getting HALF as much fun out of it without doing any of the Thieving-style stuff.


Has anyone played this game as a Non-Thief/Non-Archer/Non-Ambusher type of build? Was it fun? Or just a Hack-and-Burn the whole way?

sword and shield combat is far more entertaining than archery or backstabbing, to me

Much more strategy and timing, let alone danger, in it.

I imagine mages will tell you much the same, game is more entertaining when you take it off easy mode.

My latest Khajit(L33 now) is basically full on unarmed warrior (with destruction for ranged combat).

currently I'm playing a stealth archer who uses summons to help tank damage. It was either summoning or illusion, and summoning seems more viable, since they removed silence and chameleon, and changed paralyze to a different skill (they completely [censored] over the illusion skill, imo).

but yeah, there is no lock bashing or open lock spells, so the game basically forces you to become somewhat of a thief character, even if you choose the warrior or mage route. Unless you don't ever want to open a single lock, that is (what a [censored] joke).

Huge fruck up on Bethesda's part.

My first char was a sword/board Nord. It was fun, but I wanted to keep Skyrim interesting so I started another character that is a dual-dagger, archer, sneak-thief and I now definitely see what you mean. On my first character, I just ran through dungeons with my companion. But on my second, I certainly feel some parts are meant specifically for sneak assassins to take advantage of and you can actually eavesdrop on your enemies which makes the game much more interesting.

Makes sense considering Mages have no Open Lock spell and Warriors can't just bash chests open.

Does it count if my sneak-thief doesn't kill anything? Ever?

I also have a Paladin (or old-school Cleric) that only uses Dawnbreaker and Spellbreaker (which were a feat to get at minimum level), as well as a character that only has perks in the crafting/speech trees. All three of these characters are extremely fun to play, and all play very different.

Yea there is a bit of imbalance on that side. Quite hard starting the game on expert+ difficulty without either being sneak thief or sword and board. Anything else gets disowned

Nord warrior, greatsword and heavy armor, FUS DO RAH!

I play a 2H Paladin mostly and I find it way more fun than theif/assassin style.

I've tried Mage, Stealth Thief/Assassin, and Warrior. Out of those 3 groups I prefer the more rogue Stealth Character, maybe it's because I'm really good with the bow or I love the X30 damage that I get with the Razor.

Warrior is fun though and I might start up another Nord File and go the Warrior route without Smithing.

Full on Altmer mage. Got myself some unique Daedric items that allow me to be more close combat now. Purely focusing on Fire spells, not because of the highest damage but because I love the element and reading books on Destruction fits my entire RP status.

I'm a rough-n-tumble sword and shield man.

Sword&Board, light armor, with a bit of sneak & archery, Ranger-type. And yeah, it's been fun.
(archery & sneak are basically unperked, just one point in sneak. Enough to do some scouting & open a fight with a ranged shot or two, not enough to OMGOneShot most targets.)

I started out as a typical hack-and-slash warrior, but I soon realized that, as you pointed out, the game seems to favour a sneakier approach. Now I stealthily range enemies from the shadows and then switch to a sword if they're alerted to my presence and come charging at me. Especially in cases where you've got a roomful of like ten bandits, a bow and arrow become a serious asset.

I'm not. I started out planning on doing a battlemage type character, but I quickly moved away from the mage and more towards the battle.... now I'm just a two handed warrior pretty much. Use warhammers almost exclusively :flamethrower:

I just beat things up with a sword.

Sword wielding, frost battle mage from Western Cyrodill who is following in his father's footsteps and joining the Imperial Legion.

Sword and Board is super easy once you get a few OP items. I have a mace that auto fills gems when enemies die, & with a dog and a caster companion nothing is undo-able. For caster mobs spam Sanguine.

I do have my Bosmer thief yes.

However I also have my Altmer mage with a giant mace, and my Dunnmer one hand sellsword.

While I like sneaking around, and sniping with arrows, I also love the games kill-cam. I get more finishers with my one handed swordsman, then I do with anyone else.

I wish bows had a kill cam. o_O

My current character is a heavily armored orc that hits things with a greatsword. I may even learn to Block someday. But I am having plenty of fun and I don't use any spells, enchanting, or alchemy.

No sneaking, but I do pick a few locks here and there.

I'm a Mage (65 destruction, 60 conjuration, 100 smithing, 100 enchanting) with mad lock picking skills. Master chest? No problem. I don't even have perks in that tree.

Although I did just unlock the conjured Bow and now I know how OP archery is... Although I won't complain since it casts soul trap and I have 0 magicka destruction spells now thanks to enchanting. Full dragonscale armour wraps it all up. Going to be interesting playing tonight (just hit those 100s last night).

I think I tried all manner of ways to play it lol. I start a new character every other day

It is predominantly a sneak game now. Morrowind was mainly magic and Oblivion fit all families nicely.

My main char is an assassin, but I'm having loads of fun with my paladin with just her shield and mace & restoration (no archery, no lockpicking, etc).