I spent a point in Muffled Movement (50% noise reduction from worn armor) and then read in Prima's strategy guide that Muffled Movement is superfluous when a character learns spells like Silence, Muffle, and gains Muffle-enchanted equipment. So...

/slitcharacterwrists
*jump off high cliff, die*
*press F9*
*jump off high cliff, die*
*press F9*
*jump off high cliff, die*
*press F9*

...after I recover from the anguish of having wasted a perk point, should I then consider spending points in Stealth (making me 20-40% harder to detect while sneaking) if I'm going to use a spell like Silence, Muffle or Invisibility in the future?

In other words, will the points in Stealth be left in the shadows by a spell like Silence or Invisibility? How do you think I should plan out my character if I want to use sneak attacks?

Need more info on what type of build your trying to make, so I can try to answer the question.

There's an advantage to not having to use a spell every single time

It really depends on what kind of character you are playing.My current character uses no magick so the mufflled movement perk is right on for me.
If you prefer a more magick oriented character then it might not be for you.

Also like Andymac55 said there are advantages in not having to cast a spell every time.

That said there is also the Shadowstone that can give you a once a day invisibility that you don't have to go through the casting motions to get.Very hany for any stealth character.

It's all your choice.

Happy playing.

Edit:I forgot about Alchemy.
You can make invisibilty potions to help you out.Plus there is fortify sneak potions as well.
Never under estimate Alchemy,it can have some very good effects with the right know how and the right perks.
Very rewarding.

This perk is actually good, because it means you don't have to waste magicka on casting those spells, and you can free up an enchantment slot. Saving magicka and enchantment slots by getting a perk is always a win in my opinion.

When you need to sneak attack someone or something, you do not always have time to cast. There are better enchantments than muffle for gear as well.

i say to [censored] the later perks and use the %%%% for harder to detect ones and just go with using illusion spells to muffle movement, because the sneak skill tree is broken.



i have never once found the perk to muffle your footsteps to even close to as effective as the muffle spell.

ive walked around behind enemies in complete darkness and they would hear me with 100 sneak, while doing the same with 40 sneak and the muffle spell would practically make me entirely invisible

ive come to the conclusion that sneaking is broken in some aspects.

ive been detected by enemies crouch walking extremely slowly, but i can go unnoticed at the same level while running in stealth mode.

and at skill lvl 100 i can remain undetected the entire time behind enemies while not making any movement, but if i tried to even move a single inch they would be able to hear me??????????????????

thanks for the advice.

I read someone say elsewhere on the forums that the Illusion spells take any challenge, any excitement at the risk of getting caught, out of sneaking. I ended up reading in another forum, too, that that side of the Sneak perk tree is worthwhile for Shadow Warrior.

If it means anything, both the boots from the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood have the 'Muffle' enchant, and I've found those to be just as effective as the spell, though this is just personal experience.

Um... Do you get another set of Thieves' Guild armor? because the set I got from joining them (the brown set) does NOT have the muffle enchantment on the boots.