Assassin Character

[eN_CarboN]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum. I've been playing around, not getting to serious with any of my characters, just having fun. Lately though I've started out an assassin character. Just curious your guys opinions: what are some of the best things to do to get the full enjoyment from a stealth/assassin character? Different weapons, tricks and what not. Any interesting ways to kill people?

Anything random is helpful. I am curious though, does chameleon really do anything? I've noticed some guys talking about enchanting your own armor to 100%.. how is this possible? Stealth is something I'm big on, so please, give me all you've got.

[Belthan]

Welcome aboard!

I've run a few goody-two-shoes characters who would be disgusted with what I'm about to tell you, but here's the skinny from the ruthless, amoral perspective. Maybe self-evident, but I ran a pretty successful assassin-type concentrated on marksman & sneak. You can plug them 2 or 3 times with 3x critical damage from a distance before they spot you - not many things live through that. Take the time to watch 'em before you strike; consider who's looking at who and you can take down several opponents in sequence before any of them even notice they're being attacked.

If you prefer it up close and personal, blade & sneak would probably serve a similar purpose, but if you prefer it up close and personal you should probably be a fighter, not an assassin Of course, a good blade and the skill to use it can save your skin if the target manages to get up close and personal against your will...

Poison on arrows is handy (or magic arrows when you can find them), especially silence (or drain magicka, less effective but better than nothing) against spellcasters who like to stand off and throw magic at you. Hey, you're the assassin, you're the one who should be dealing death from a distance! High acrobatics skill helps you get into places where the victims can't hit you with melee weapons but you can still hit them with arrows, in case you don't take them all down before they spot you.

Favorite dirty trick (besides getting on top of something where they can't hit me and perforating them at my leisure): abuse "essential characters". If an NPC has a crown icon instead of the normal icon when you talk to them, they can't be killed. If they want to follow you, let them take a few hits on your behalf. Show them the world (or at least the more dangerous parts of it). Minor spoiler: Sure, Martin needs to get to Cloud Ruler temple, but not before he sees a few planes of Oblivion first-hand

Temporary chameleon over 100% is pretty easy if you have a few items or armor with chameleon effects plus a decent chameleon spell. It is possible to get permanent chameleon equal or above 100% (with the right sigil stones from oblivion gates, or enchant your own items & armor if you have a chameleon spell and either A) get far enough in the MG questline to gain access to the Arcane University or B) buy the Frostcrag Spire plugin from Bethesda). A bit of warning though: I've done it and it's pretty much god-mode when nothing can see you, so unless you like a game with essentially no challenge at all, stop at 95%.

[Fljotsdale]

Hiya, eN_CarboN

All that Belthan said is true, I just want to add a bit.

You CAN sometimes be seen, even with over 100% Chameleon. Not often, but you need to take into consideration that it IS possible that you will be seen. It depends to a very great extent on the Perception level of the NPC/Monster. And you will, of course, ALWAYS be seen by any NPC who is programmed to speak to you about Quest-based stuff.
The great advantage of Chameleon is that it doesn't 'switch off' as soon as you take any action, like using a weapon, opening a door. Invisibility acts like 100% Chameleon, but it DOES switch off, so Invisibility is not so valuable to you as Chameleon; but Invisibility has it's uses, all the same.

And Join the Mage Guild, at least until you have access to the Arcane University, because once you have free access to the University you will be able to make spells and enchant items.
Note: To enchant items you need filled Soul Gems, so learn a SoulTrap spell and cast it at critters just before you kill them. Grand Soul Gems containing Grand Souls give the best enchantments, but even a filled Petty Soul Gem can give such useful items as Waterwalk, Waterbreathing, Night Eye. And no Adventurer should ever be without them!

[Mr. Arrow]

what i have found helpful is to have a khajit assassin.
i believe the most useful skills are
sneak
marksman
acrobatics
blade
illusion

although almost no one will agree i think acrobatics is an important skill.
it can be EXTREMELY useful if you use it constantly.

just always have marksmanship and sneak and you can be a good assassin.

[Fljotsdale]

I like Acrobatics for a Stealth character, too. And Khajiit are best at Acrobatics. Not that I have ever played a Khajiit...

But Illusion is so easy to raise that I NEVER put it in Major skills. You would be leveling up too much in Personality without the other skills keeping pace.

[eN_CarboN]

Thanks guys, you've been a nice help.

My current character attacks with blade.. but maybe I could just start another one and go with marksman.

A few questions though: HOW do I get enchanted armor and weapons that make me.. chameleon, or whatever. Where do I find these stones and how do I put them to work? Something about sigil stones and the Arcane University?

Thanks again

[Alien_Newborn]

To get some sweet chameleon gear, you need to first of all know a chameleon spell , and then you just need to have access to the enchanting altars in the arcane university. As for the stones, I would reccomend using grand and/or black soul gems (The black ones can soultrap humans as well), which you can find all over the place. Black ones can be made out of grands by finding one of the four necromantic altars around cyrodiil, putting a grand gem into it, and casting a soul-trap on the altar.

On to some tips straight from Das'Kaar (my assassin):
-shortswords are the best mix between speed and strength when you need to get close and personal with your quarry. They do, however, break quite often, so you might want to carry two.
-Don't run unless you have to
-paralysis is perfect for quick escapes and quiet kills
-Keep a good sized quiver (maybe 60 arrows), because you never know when you're going to need to turn an enemy into a pin-cushion to bring them down.
-observe your surroundings;make note of the patrols of guards, keep an eye out for dark corners to hide in, and don't go near any light/cast any spells (which give off light) unless there's no-one around.
-Detect Life spells are your best friend when outnumbered.
-In good light, guards can ALWAYS see an invisible/chameleon'd person
-Make your own poisons (by 50 skill they'll be better than anything the game has to offer)
-Learn to know your alchemy, and make note of ingredients with debilitating effects (nightshade is probably the best overall)
-only use invisibility when hiding
-stage distractions (eg. there were two guards about 10 feet apart facing the same direction, so I shot past the head of the first one, who turned around to go "what the hell?" as the arrow wizzed past his head. Then, right as the arrow stuck his buddy, I ran up from behind and knifed him)
-Don't use your eyes when picking locks; just listen to the click, and learn what sound is the locking, and you'll save hundreds of Drakes on lockpicks
-Think your plans of action through before using them (improvised assassination only works on easy difficulties)

[Fljotsdale]

Thanks guys, you've been a nice help.

My current character attacks with blade.. but maybe I could just start another one and go with marksman.

A few questions though: HOW do I get enchanted armor and weapons that make me.. chameleon, or whatever. Where do I find these stones and how do I put them to work? Something about sigil stones and the Arcane University?

Thanks again

Alien Newborn has given a lot of good advice. I just want to add a bit:

Unless you are planning to start the Main Quest (where you will be able to steal the Sigil Stones that keep the Oblivion Gates open. Sigil stones carry 2 enchantments - one good for weapons, one good for items, but frequently nothing you specially WANT), you will need to join the Mage Guild, do all 7 quests (one for each of the 7 Guildhalls. They are mostly VERY easy and don't take much time) and so get access to the Arcane University alters of enchantment and spellmaking.
As Alien Newborn said, you need both a simple, cheap spell, and a filled Soul Gem.
Grand Soul Gems containing Grand Souls are best. You can find or buy full or empty Soul gems. If you are in the Mage Guild you can freely pick up the Soul Gems that are lying about on desks and shelves, etc within the Guild building - but a few will show the red hand, so don't take them! You will rarely find Grand Soul gems in Mage Guilds - you have to go delving into holes in the ground - preferably Ayleid Ruins with Necromancers inside 'em.

To soul trap a critter, you need a Soul Trap spell. You can buy one from one of the magic shops in the Market District.
A spell of Chameleon has to be purchased from a Guild Mage specialising in Illusion.

PS: You don't need to change your character - just have him start using a bow. Go out crab hunting to get some practice.

[v3nomblade]

just wanted to say that i currently play with a dark elf thief class character did a few missings with the dark brotherhood to get the armour (very good for an assassin/marksman) and did the first gate and used the sigil stone to put soul trap on my bow (so if i kill the creature the souls get trapped in my Azure's stone) usually carry 280+ iron arrows and just wonder around. just been kicked out of mages guild (dont remember doing anything wrong) so looking for redwort flowers, dragon tongue plantss and rearranging peoples items in their houses. Best advise is just play about do a few missions if you want to and keep a couple of steel shortswords with a shock enchantment on them for when i get bogged down.

play about and have fun best advise (and well worth repeating)

[Quench]

Blade, Blunt, or Hand to Hand are also excellent skills to keep around - more of personal preference on my part, but I make sure that any of my characters have two methods of putting holes in someone.

Besides, you never know when you're going to be forced to fight in a small room or get yourself backed into a corner, and a sharp stick goes a long way. Besides - with the Sneak Attack modifier on close combat, a decent enchanted weapon, and a higher-quality poison, you can gank quite a few various people, creatures, and monsters before they can launch an attack of their own, even up close.

Not that I'm endorsing cold, heartless, endlessly amusing murder.

[Vigilante]

spioler maybe cause of item mentioned.

If you want acrobatics keep the boots of sprinffield jak. Those things rock in oblivion. Detech life maximum feet on an item will never have you guessing about enemies. Also complete a deadra quest for the ring of kajiiti. I didn't do stealth charactor but I went with a mageknight and those kept me ahead of everybody and I really needed it.

[NightBlade]

All you gotta do is get my favorite weapons,

1: Staff of Worms

2: Umbra

And then some other items

Gray cowl of noctournal

Skeleton key

Azura's star

hromir's icestaff

paralyze scrolls
and a wide range of robes and black soul gems, if necessary to recharge on the go.

i got the tan robe from sadrassa from the garrideans tears quest, killed him with a poison apple.

Staff of worms from a mages guild quest where COLOR="Black"][/color] When the Archmage stores his soul in the colossal black soul gem and you go kill the king of worms and get his staff, hood if he has it, and robe. it looks cool.