Stealth Archer Build Guide for Oblivion Remastered

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, released on April 22, 2025, has breathed new life into Bethesda’s 2006 classic, boasting Unreal Engine 5 visuals, refined combat, and all expansions, including Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. With over four million players in its first week, the remaster has reignited passion for Cyrodiil’s open world. Among the countless playstyles, the Stealth Archer build stands out as a fan-favorite, capable of one-shotting enemies from the shadows with devastating sneak attacks. This guide details a beginner-friendly Stealth Archer build that maximizes damage, leverages the remaster’s updated mechanics, and ensures you feel like a deadly predator, even on Expert or Master difficulty. Whether you’re sneaking through dungeons or sniping bandits from afar, this build will let you dominate Oblivion Remastered with ease.

Why the Stealth Archer Build Is So Powerful

The Stealth Archer build combines high-damage bow attacks with sneak multipliers to deliver critical hits that can kill most enemies in one shot. In Oblivion Remastered, bow combat has been enhanced with improved arrow physics and new Marksman perks, such as a chance to paralyze enemies at higher levels. Sneak attacks deal up to 3x damage (6x with perks), and poisons crafted via Alchemy ignore difficulty scaling, making this build effective even on Master, where enemy health and damage are significantly increased. The remaster’s streamlined leveling system also makes it easier to boost key skills like Marksman and Sneak, ensuring early-game potency. This build’s versatility—blending ranged precision, stealth, and magic—makes it ideal for both new players and veterans tackling challenging quests like the Kvatch siege or Dark Brotherhood missions.

Building Your Stealth Archer

To create a Stealth Archer that one-shots enemies, you’ll need to optimize your character creation choices, skills, gear, and playstyle. Below is a step-by-step breakdown of the build, tailored for immediate impact and long-term success.

Character Creation

Race: Wood Elf (Bosmer) with Grahtwood Origin. Wood Elves are the best choice due to their +20 bonuses to Marksman and Sneak, +10 to Acrobatics, Light Armor, and Alchemy, and +10 to Agility and Speed attributes. Grahtwood Origin boosts Endurance (+10) at the cost of Personality (-10), improving health and stamina over Reaper’s March’s Personality boost, which is less useful for combat. Alternatively, Khajiit (with Night Vision and +10 Sneak) or Dark Elf (+5 Marksman, +10 Blade) are viable but less optimal.

Birthsign: The Thief. This grants +10 to Agility, Speed, and Luck, enhancing bow damage, movement, and critical hit chance. While The Shadow’s 120-second daily Invisibility is tempting, The Thief’s attribute boosts are more consistent for stealth gameplay.

Class: Custom Class (Stealth Specialization). Choose Stealth as your specialization for +5 to Marksman, Sneak, and Light Armor. Select Agility and Endurance as favored attributes for bow damage and survivability. Major skills should include:

Marksman: Boosts bow damage and unlocks perks like paralysis at high levels.

Sneak: Increases sneak attack multipliers (up to 6x with mastery).

Light Armor: Provides protection without hindering mobility.

Alchemy: Enables crafting of powerful poisons to amplify damage.

Illusion: Grants access to Invisibility and Chameleon spells for stealth.

Acrobatics: Improves mobility and dodging with perks.

Blade: Serves as a backup for close combat with shortswords or daggers.

Attribute and Skill Progression

At each level-up, allocate attribute points as follows:

Agility (+5 per level): Boosts bow and shortsword damage, Fatigue regeneration, and Sneak effectiveness.

Endurance (+5 alternating levels): Increases Health and Fatigue, crucial for surviving hits on Expert/Master.

Intelligence (+2 remaining points): Expands Magicka for Illusion spells like Invisibility.

Level skills by using them: fire bows to raise Marksman, sneak near enemies to boost Sneak, and craft potions for Alchemy. In the tutorial sewer, sneak behind rats or goblins to quickly level Sneak to 30-40, ensuring early sneak attack potency. Avoid over-leveling non-combat major skills (e.g., Acrobatics) to prevent enemy scaling outpacing your damage. Sleep only when you’ve raised Marksman or Sneak for optimal attribute bonuses.

Gear and Equipment

The right gear amplifies your one-shot potential. Focus on items that boost Sneak, Marksman, or resistances while maintaining mobility.

Weapons:

Early Game: Iron or Steel Bow (looted from bandits or bought in the Imperial City Market District). Apply poisons crafted from apples and wheat grain (found in the tutorial) for extra damage.

Mid-Game: Join the Dark Brotherhood (start by killing an innocent NPC and sleeping) to earn Shadowhunt, a Steel Bow with Health and Magicka damage and a Weakness to Poison debuff, perfect for poisoned arrows. Complete the fifth quest undetected to secure it.

Late Game: The Daedric Bow, available from Daedric Shrines or high-level loot, offers the highest base damage. Pair with Daedric Arrows and poisons for maximum impact. Alternatively, the Frostwyrm Bow (found at Dive Rock) adds frost damage for versatility.

Armor: Stick to Leather or Elven Armor for lightweight protection. Join the Dark Brotherhood for Shrouded Armor, which fortifies Marksman and provides solid defense. Avoid heavy armor to maintain stealth and mobility.

Poisons: Craft Damage Health poisons using ingredients like Nightshade (Skull & Bones in Bravil) and Spiddal Stick (Kvatch wilderness). These ignore difficulty scaling, ensuring one-shots on Master.

Spells: Learn Invisibility (Illusion, buy from Edgar’s Discount Spells in Imperial City) or Chameleon (Illusion, requires higher skill) to stay hidden after attacks. Frenzy (Illusion) distracts enemies, letting you reposition.

Playstyle and Combat Tactics

To one-shot enemies, positioning and preparation are key. Follow these tactics to maximize your effectiveness:

Sneak Attacks: Always initiate combat from stealth, preferably from high ground or cover (e.g., ledges in dungeons). A sneak attack with a poisoned Daedric Bow and Shadowhunt’s Weakness to Poison can deal 6x damage, killing most enemies instantly. If detected, cast Invisibility or retreat to reset stealth.

Positioning: Stay at range to avoid melee combat. In dungeons, kite enemies to choke points or use Acrobatics to reach elevated spots. Outdoors, snipe from cliffs or ruins, exploiting the remaster’s improved arrow physics.

Poison Management: Apply a new poison after every shot, as each arrow consumes one dose. Carry 20-30 poisons (crafted or bought) for extended fights. Use Alchemy to brew Paralysis poisons (e.g., Clouded Funnel Cap) to immobilize tough enemies like trolls.

Backup Plan: If enemies close in, switch to a shortsword or dagger (scaled by Agility in the remaster) for quick strikes. Use Frenzy to make enemies fight each other or Chameleon to escape. Equip Restore Health potions (bought from alchemists) for emergencies.

Difficulty Handling: On Expert/Master, where player damage is reduced (0.28x/0.167x), rely on poisons and sneak multipliers to maintain one-shot potential. Summons (via Conjuration minor skill) can distract enemies, giving you time to reposition.

Early Game Progression

Start strong by leveraging the tutorial and early quests:

Tutorial Sewer: Sneak behind rats and goblins to level Sneak to 30-40. Collect ingredients (apples, wheat grain) for basic poisons. Choose The Thief birthsign and Wood Elf race during character creation.

Imperial City: Buy a Steel Bow and Invisibility spell from Edgar’s Discount Spells. Join the Dark Brotherhood by committing a crime and sleeping to start the questline for Shrouded Armor and Shadowhunt.

Fighters Guild: Join in Anvil for early quests with bandit enemies, perfect for practicing sneak attacks and looting better bows.

Alchemy: Visit farms like Grape Vineyard to gather ingredients and craft poisons, boosting Alchemy and damage output.

Mid-to-Late Game Scaling

As you reach levels 10-20, enemies scale in health and gear, but your build remains dominant:

Daedric Shrines: Complete shrine quests (e.g., Azura’s at level 2) for artifacts and Daedric Bows. These deal unscaled damage, ideal for Master difficulty.

Skill Mastery: Max Marksman (100) for paralysis perks and Sneak (100) for 6x sneak multipliers. Use trainers (e.g., Alawen in Trollius for Marksman) to speed up progress.

Enchantments: Enchant armor with Fortify Sneak or Chameleon (requires Sigil Stones or high Enchanting). These ensure you stay hidden, even in bright areas.

Why This Build Breaks the Game

This Stealth Archer build is considered “broken” due to its ability to bypass Oblivion’s difficulty scaling. Sneak multipliers (up to 6x), poisons, and enchantment damage ignore the damage reduction of Expert/Master, allowing one-shots on enemies like Clannfear or Daedroth. The remaster’s Marksman perks (e.g., paralysis) and improved bow mechanics make arrows feel lethal, while Illusion spells like Invisibility provide near-invincibility. Even on Master, where enemies deal 6x damage, you rarely take hits due to stealth and range. Community feedback on platforms like Steam highlights players one-shotting bosses with this build, cementing its reputation as a game-breaker.

Tips for Success

Save Often: Manual saves (Systems menu) before dungeons or quests prevent progress loss, especially on Master.

Join Factions: The Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild offer stealth gear and quests that complement the build.

Avoid Over-Leveling: Delay sleeping to control level-ups, ensuring Marksman and Sneak outpace enemy scaling.

Experiment with Magic: Add minor skills like Conjuration for summons or Destruction for elemental arrows to diversify your toolkit.

Check for Updates: Bethesda is addressing difficulty scaling complaints, so monitor patch notes on Steam for balance changes.

Conclusion

The Stealth Archer build in Oblivion Remastered is a powerhouse, capable of one-shotting enemies from the shadows with surgical precision. By choosing a Wood Elf with The Thief birthsign, focusing on Marksman, Sneak, and Alchemy, and equipping gear like Shadowhunt and Daedric Bows, you’ll dominate Cyrodiil’s toughest foes, even on Master difficulty. The remaster’s enhanced bow mechanics and streamlined leveling make this build more accessible and lethal than ever. Whether you’re sniping bandits in the Jerall Mountains or infiltrating Daedric Shrines, this build ensures every arrow is a kill shot. Grab your bow, craft some poisons, and become the ultimate shadow assassin in Oblivion Remastered!