Sneak | Skills TES V: Skyrim Guide
Last update: 05 December 2019
This TES V: Skyrim World Atlas page describes Sneak skills. These skills are related to the thief archetype. Our tutorial in addition to describing the skills will tell you how to develop them, and what related best features are worth unlocking.
How to increase skill: This skill can be increased by performing successful surprise attacks and by staying hidden while close to characters that may detect you. In both of these cases it doesn't matter if the character you're hiding from is friendly or hostile.
Main purpose of developing this skill: Increasing the chances of staying undetected.
Available perks: 13.
Best perks: Stealth, Deadly Aim, Assassin's Blade.
Comments:
- It's recommended to unlock all perks from this skill category if you want your character not only to become a better thief (less likely to get caught while opening locks or pickpocketing civilians), but also a skilled and quiet assassin.
- Having all the perks is not the only thing you can do to increase your chances of staying hidden, because there are also a few other methods. It's recommended to perform actions during nighttime, because it's easier to find dark places to hide in and other characters have a limited line of sight. You should also rely on your equipment and by that I mean assassin's armor (preferably one of the armors received during Dark Brotherhood quests) and a good weapon (a dagger or a bow are the best choices).
- If you're more interested in making it harder for other people to detect the main character you should focus on unlocking perks from the left side of the constellation and if you're more interested in dealing as much damage as possible with surprise attacks you should focus on unlocking perks from the right side of the constellation. The best choice obviously will be to purchase at least several perks from each side, so your hero won't have any weak sides when it comes to acting stealthy.
STEALTH
This perk has five ranks and each time you unlock a new rank it gets better.
Requirements (rank 1): None.
Requirements (rank 2): Sneak skill increased to at least 20 points.
Requirements (rank 3): Sneak skill increased to at least 40 points.
Requirements (rank 4): Sneak skill increased to at least 60 points.
Requirements (rank 5): Sneak skill increased to at least 80 points.
Description (rank 1): 20% less likely of being detected when sneaking.
Description (rank 2): 25% less likely of being detected (in total) when sneaking.
Description (rank 3): 30% less likely of being detected (in total) when sneaking.
Description (rank 4): 35% less likely of being detected (in total) when sneaking.
Description (rank 5): 40% less likely of being detected (in total) when sneaking.
Comments: It's good to unlock all the perks from this group as soon as possible (or at least the first one). Staying hidden is the key of success and it doesn't matter whether you want to use that to avoid someone, to kill some person or to steal something.
MUFFLED MOVEMENT
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Stealth perk (rank 1).
Description: Noise caused by armor lowered by 50%.
Comments: Purchasing this perk may be a good idea if you often like to sneak up on other people to perform surprise attacks on them. You should know that you can achieve the same (or even better) effects if you decide to use spells.
LIGHT FOOT
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to at least 40 points. Unlocked Muffled Movement perk.
Description: Pressure plates are never triggered if the main character steps on them.
Comments: This is a rather useless perk and the only reason why you should unlock it is to gain access to other perks from this side of the constellation. Pressure plates are always easy to spot and avoid.
SILENT ROLL
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Light Foot perk.
Description: Ability of doing a silent roll if the main character has started running while sneaking.
Comments: This ability may assist in some way in the main character staying hidden, however it's much easier to rely on good armor designed for a thief or on spells which increase the chances of staying undetected.
SILENCE
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to at least 70 points. Unlocked Silent Roll perk.
Description: Ability to walk and run without increasing chances of detection.
Comments: This is a much better perk than the one explained above, however you can still achieve a similar effect with spells and potions and they don't require spending any skill points to ensure they'll work.
SHADOW WARRIOR
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to 100 points. Unlocked Silence perk.
Description: Ability of stopping a fight by crouching, forcing nearby opponents to start looking again for the main character.
Comments: The main purpose of this perk is to guarantee yourself a free chance to run away if the main character gets spotted by enemy units or if he sustains heavy injuries during a fight. In my opinion unlocking this perk isn't absolutely crucial and worth spending several skill points on less useful previous perks from this side of the constellation, but the final decision is up to you.
BACKSTAB
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Stealth perk (rank 1).
Description: Six times more damage dealt when performing a one-handed weapon surprise attack.
Comments: This is an excellent perk if you plan on your character being a skilled assassin specializing in eliminating its victims in close combat. The game doesn't force you to attack your target from the back, however the approach from the front is only possible if you've become invisible. Make sure to check Assassin's Blade perk as well, because it's an improved version of this one.
DEADLY AIM
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to at least 40 points. Unlocked Backstab perk.
Description: Three times more damage dealt when performing a ranged weapon surprise attack.
Comments: This is an excellent perk if you plan on your character being a skilled assassin specializing in eliminating its victims using ranged attacks. Remember that you must remain hidden until the arrow reached its target, because otherwise you won't receive the bonus to a surprise attack.
OSTRZE ZABÓJCY
Requirements: Sneak skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Deadly Aim perk.
Description: Fifteen times more damage dealt when performing a dagger surprise attack.
Comments: This perk is an improved version of Backstab. It's not spectacular, because it works only with daggers, however you can overcome this problem by equipping yourself with one of the best daggers available in the game (Blade of Woe from the Dark Brotherhood quest is a great pick). Having a good dagger is important, because you'll want to inflict so much damage that your target will die as a result of a single blow.