So basically I want to start a new game after the 1.3 patch is out for xbox 360, my assassin illusion character (level 60+) on master, is riddled with bugs and I hope some will be fixed, I also want a change.
So I think I will go with an altmer sneak mage on master. I realised that with my previous character I don't actually get hit that often, therefore I don't need armor. Plus if I do get hit I will probably die without armor, so its higher risk. I will also use the become ethereal shout for survival.
I will use:
- Sneak, I will go for the perks up to silence on the left tree, and all the perks on the right tree. I will only get the first perk once though.
- Destruction for damage, even though its underpowered in terms of damage at high levels, it will be a challenge.
- 1h daggers for sneak attacks, I won't use the DB gloves for x30 sneak attacks though, to overpowered. I will probably get the armsman perk 5x for the extra 100% damage.
- Illusion for invisibility, also for dual casting calm/fear/fury.
- Conjuration for sponging damage and dealing damage, dremora lords and storm atronachs/thralls. Possible dead thralls, but I don't really use them to much on my character now though.
- Dabble in enchanting and alchemy a bit, to fortify magicka cost of spells and destruction damage potions, not smithing though.
- Alteration for the magic armor spells, not sure how effective they are as I have never used them.
I might cut down on the perks in the left sneak tree, as without armor they problems don't really affect me. How effective are the alteration armor spells with the right perks, and how long do they last with the right perks? Might just go with light armor and scrap alteration though.
Not sure about restoration as I don't think I will need it, maybe for the +50% magicka regeneration rate.
I'm also tempted to be a dunmer, for the fire resistance, I can then be a vampire straight away.
Thoughts?
Sounds like you plan to play like I do.
You want to be a master of Illusion and Destruction. Illusion is your primary defense and a source of great entertainment if you want to watch a boss's minions kill the boss for you.
Destruction is actually fantastic damage. It doesn't compete with sneak attacks ofc.
Don't use daggers and backstab if you want to level destruction as you will still 1-shot everything. And calm/pacify allows chain backstabbing. If anything just get backstab for 6x 1-handed damage, you'll still 1-shot trash and damn near kill everything else in 1 hit.
Get steel smithing, thats all you really need then buy a skyforge steel sword and use alchemy and enchanting potion/gear to improve the sword to something like 70 damage. This will allow you to avoid perking 1 handers completely.
This gives you pretty ridiculously awesome 1-handed sneak damage for 2 perks in sneak, 1 perk in smithing, and no perks in 1-handed, saving you many perk points.
For sneaking you really don't need any perks in sneak tree AT ALL. You definitely want quiet casting, muffle, and invisibility. Sneaking will level automatically while you approach things invisible, muffled, and in sneak mode. Oh and don't wear armor cause they're more likely to hear that.
Basically perk the entire Illusion perk tree except mana reducing perks. With properly enchanted items your mana cost will be reduced enough already.
Similarly for destruction, its not too important to get the mana reducing perks if you're properly enchanted but it still helps if you want avoid using potions in longer fights.
You want the necromage perk in the restoration tree as most things are undead and it increases your destruction damage against them.
Alteration actually offers by far the best defense over the other armors at highest level. I literally have every alteration perk, and between it and the Atronach Stone I need no other magical or physical defenses via potions or enchantments.
Destruction http://skyrimcalculator.com/#20413 deep freeze and intense flames aren't really worth it imo, cause they're usually on the floor begging for mercy by then anyways. Disintegrate simply doesn't offer them the opportunity to beg at all and turns them into a nice little pile of ashes. And runemaster is pointless because it is a pre-battle spell anyways and you won't be using it beyond level 35 anyways.
Umm other than that, I have an enchanting and alchemy guide for this stuff in my signature.
Welcome to the beginning of divinity! Be nice to the mortals.