I was thinking the other day if you could get an extra bonus damage if you are in stealth mode and cast a fire spell (or any spell that does damage). Since sneaking and shooting arrows gives you a bonus damage (3x dmg as seen in a gameplay video) is it possible to get the same thing with magic. I would love to play a sneaky thiefmage but maybe thats just imba?

Fire is known for lighting up rooms, so not much stealth for magic users.

Only for touch spells.

I would love a stealth takedown with a touch based damage spell.

^ This, but it would probably end up being waaaay to op.

How so? It's like a melee one, but after you kill 3 or 4 people, you brain melts and the fire goes out...

A blast of magic directly on the neck is just as lethal as getting a blade entirely though it...

Am I wrong in thinking that the stealth based bonuses are based on the fact that you get to aim or select where you are hitting them better, therefore granting you a bonus? How does magic do that? A spell is a spell whether they know you are there or not. Same for dragon breath. It's roasting me at the same level regardless of my awareness of where he was when the roasting began.

A controlled and focused blast of magic is far more deadly that rapidly slung spells whose magic has left the mage's reach as soon as it's slung.

It depends if you can make your own magic or not, but you bring up a good point =)

I cant imagine any magic working in sneak mode, magic is comparable to a giant battle axe, not very sneaky...

I understand your logic, but the magic in Elderscrolls has never worked like that. It all depends on what's in the spell. Take a fireball spell, for example. In Morrowind the Firebite spell had a bigger bang as a purchased spell than Fireball, but one only had to buy a more powerful Fireball to do as much, if not more damage. Think of it as a nuclear bomb... whether it explodes next to you with the person hitting the detonator right there, or if it explodes next to you after being shot from another continent... it's the megatons in the bomb, not the initial proximity to it's intended target, that determines the damage taken.

Now there should be types of magic that could mask your attacks. Say... an fireball cloaking spell, but it still shouldn't change the damage of the spell, just hide your location.

How? Same effect as shoving a blade into someones spine.

Stealth with magic is just overpowered in design. Pretty much all magic makes a ton of noise.

Actually, I would like it if spells required spoken words. Like if you could hear an arcane word when casting a weak fireball. When going over a certain spellcost the word would be longer and so on. It would make sense with a silence soell then. Hearing a stramge, mystical word then being grilled is more cool than just BOOM, you're dead. Of course the sound could be just a whisper when sneaking, allowing a less chance of being busted, as long as no one sees the murder.

Here's an example.

Level 1, mana cost 1-25: Confuxio
Level 2, mana cost 26-50: Confluxionio
Level 3, mana cost 51+: ConfluxionioBOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Problem?

I'd think glowing hands would relay your position awfully well.

only on touch spells otherwise i'd say mages would get too op. That and it would make bows and arrows a tiny bit redundant.

In Oblivion, magic gave you away because it cast light, or at least it was supposed to. Some spells such as telekinesis, shouldn't give you away as easily as fireball would but I hope some moderate stealth will be available to spell casters.

Well, technically you can be stealthy with a 2H claymore as well... but leave sneak multipliers to the stealthy weapons, bows and daggers.

This sounds alot like Harry Potter... :huh:


And thats not a good thing.

Extra sneak damage would not have to be awarded seeing as you can charge spells with both triggers and have time to aim well due to you being in sneak mode.

So what if it gives you away to the other enemy's, you should still be able get one magical sneak attack in before the enemy's friends are alerted. They already said they buffed daggers to the point its overpowered, why not touch spells? It would not be overpowered since you can only get one magical sneak attack off. Plus ranged magical sneak attacks would be a nice indirect nerf to bows, so that they are no longer the only ranged sneak attack.

The number bonuses on the sneak attack for magic should be low but noticeable.

i would love for a flourish style magic stealth attack... imagine wrapping your hands around an enemies face and letting off a blaze of fire.... or drop a fire ball down an enemies throat that then explodes..... lol dunno but would be cool

Shove a flame ball down a bandit's throat.

I'm actually playing a pure mage in morrowind right now. There are ways you can go about being stealthy with magic, but I really can't see the sense in a multiplier. That said, if it's not in, I'm sure someone will get it done... for those who want it. :shakehead: