Alright, I've read somewhere that killing a greybeard with an iron dagger while Sneaking will level up your sneaking really fast. I've just finished the "Horn of Jurgen Windcaller" quest, so is it safe for me to start killing some greybeard? Or are they still needed later on in the storyline?

You can't kill them, but when they're praying they usually don't get up when you stab them, so you can keep doing that until they finally get up.

They can't be killed.

attacking them enough to take off all of their health will make them go down on 1 knee and then get back up after about 5-10 seconds.

Thanks! Sneak 100 here I come!

If you're just starting out, it's a very bad idea to powerlevel a non-combat skill. Your overall level will go up, enemies will get stronger while your weapon skill stays at 15... http://i.imgur.com/B218e.jpg Just let it increase at the natural pace.

I adore that comic because its so true.

Skyrim is really not a game you should rush, just take your time to explore and try different things out. The Greybeards are what is called essential npc's (non playing characters), there are many of these in the game and you can't kill any of them.

Murderboss Deathking.

Don't bother...

I love that little strip.

No it's not.

Who in their right mind wouldn't apply what they've learned? Smithing 100 puts a player at the armor cap, making damage a joke.

Sneak 100 isn't going to do a thing to the game except make the player OP by level 20.

So pessimistic.

Smithing is useful in combat, lockpicking less so. I don't see how Sneaking alone can make you overpowered, but okay. Let's say it does. So instead of making the game unreasonably difficult you make it too easy. Either way it's a bad idea. Wouldn't it be better to go exploring and adventuring instead of repeatedly stabbing a Greybeard for hours on end?

Ah yes. The Legendary Draugr Murderboss Deathking.

Exactly why I'm "so pessimistic". Someone comes here, asks how he can grind whatever skill up to 100 fast, what do you think? I think "don't bother".

Not going to agree here. Most of the loot I'm using was found in locked chests, which most certainly helps in combat. Lydia's decked out in steel plate armor from head to toe, two pieces enchanted, and all came from locked chests.

Are you kidding? Sneaking is the very definition of over-powered. Those sneak criticals hit big time, and when sneak bonuses are applied to weapon bonuses, it's why we can one-shot dragons to death.

I'm not disagreeing with your reasoning here, but realize that if a gamer is asking for help on how to exploit the game for Sneak 100, they're not giving a care in the world to playing a balanced game.

My opinion was targeting the comic someone linked to, and I had to disagree that someone said it was true.

I think "we must preach the holy gospel of natural progression", of course.
In all seriousness, the OP deserves a fair warning that this game is more fun if you don't rush. More fun to me anyway. Doesn't mean it's the same for him, he wouldn't be asking how to powergame if it was, but it's still something to consider. Other RPGs usually have much different levelling systems, so effects of powergaming aren't as noticable until later and even then they're not gamebreaking. But overdo it in Skyrim and you quickly turn it into a boring grindfest.

My lockipicking characters didn't fare significantly better than those who didn't lockpick. There's plenty of good loot to be found outside chests. I didn't say that lockpicking doesn't help at all, just that it has a smaller impact on your combat prowess than other skills.

We can one-shot dragons because of a combination of stealth bonus, weapon skill and crafting. A basic steel dagger in the hands of level 8 character won't one-shot any bosses.
What I meant though is that Sneak level 100 doesn't make you OP in and of itself. Assassin's Blade does, but it's available at 50 Sneak and by this time you already have ways to make your movement very quiet, so you don't really need another 50 levels. You should be acquiring a good blade and the skill to wield it instead. Not to mention practical experience in sneaking, because powerful backstabs are useless if you lack tactical sense and stupidly alert all enemies in the area.

Tbh, I don't think it's entirely true. It has a grain of truth, more like. Minmaxing upsets the game balance, sometimes it makes you stronger (crafting synergy), sometimes weaker (I'll try again, Speech. Please don't tell you can prove that Speech makes you an excellent warrior. ) In the end it's not worth it - again, in my personal opinion.

LOL, this made my day.

And I gotta agree, My cousin used that sneak exploit at helgen and got all the way to lvl 35 (He kept making sneak legendary) afterward....Man, he couldn't even fight a normal bandit lol.