One of the most alluring qualities ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis the high degree of agency that the player is given. Considering how open-ended the mission structure ofSkyrimis, it presents the player with unique opportunities in terms of problem-solving. However, as one player recently proved, the stealth build inSkyrimcreates an extremely efficient and overpowered player character.
Of the many builds that players can choose to pursue, thestealth build inSkyrimis one of the most popular. Being able to sneak around undetected in practically any area, as well as being able to steal anything the player wants or pick any lock is greatly beneficial and can lead to some exciting in-game moments. Although, with the right equipment and weaponry, stealth builds can be ridiculously overpowered in a combat setting.
RELATED:Skyrim Player Gives Thalmor Access to Modded Spells, Instantly Regrets It
AReddituser named Stormsidran posted a brief video clip of them approaching a Nordic puzzle door, when suddenly, Draugr immerge from coffins while the player is crouched. The player then proceeds to one-hit kill every single Draugr in the room, with the whole process taking less than fifteen seconds to accomplish. For non-Skyrimplayers, this may seem incredibly impressive, but is quite the common feat in terms of stealth builds.
While the user likely has the Sneak ability maxed out, equipment also plays an important role in terms of stealth builds. In the case of this player, they were not only wearing Thieves' Guild armor, but were also wieldingMehrunes' Razor, one of the strongest daggers inSkyrimthat allows for a 2% chance of insta-killing an enemy.
Though, what can truly make stealth builds absolutely broken inSkyrimis the combination of certain weapons, armor, and abilities. For instance, a Sneak perk called Backstab multiplies sneak attacks with one-handed weapons by six, but if the player is wearing Shrouded Gloves, which are part of theDark Brotherhoodarmor, it doubles the damage of Backstab. Combine this with another Sneak perk called Assassin’s Blade, then the player can deal sneak attack damage that’s multiplied by thirty, so long as the player is wielding a dagger.
While stealth builds can be incredibly overpowered at times, there are definitely tradeoffs in terms ofplaying a stealth build inSkyrim. For example, players will typically spend the overwhelming majority of the game crouching and will be less effective against multiple enemies, especially if the enemies have already seen the player. Either way, stealth builds still have the potential to be unreasonably overpowered at times.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Editionis out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
