There is something truly special about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, as it remains one of the most popular and beloved games of all time, despite coming out in 2011. While some could argue that Bethesda is leaning too much on the game due to the immense pressure for The Elder Scrolls VI, that doesn’t change the fact that Skyrim is still genuinely a good game.

One of the greatest things about the open-world RPG is how it can be played through a variety of methods. Players can build their dragonborn however they wish, leading to unique and devastating (and sometimes hilarious) outcomes. That being said, despite all the different builds available, the Sneak Archer build remains the best among them all.

The Sneak Archer Reigns Supreme

No Other Build Comes Clos

If one were to ask anyone who played Skyrim what their first build was when they played the game for the first time, there is an extremely high chance that Sneak Archer will be the answer. The game sets players up for it, too, as they’re trying to escape Alduin’s attack on Helgen with their life.

Part of this escape requires players to go through a cave system until they see sunlight, then run to the closest batch of civilization from there. While in the cave, though, the player will stumble upon a sleeping bear with the partner they’re escaping with (whoever they choose). There’s a bow nearby, and the player has the option to sneak by and stealthily kill it – and thus, the Sneak Archer is born.

Not to mention, when the player is at an incredibly low level in the game, many of the enemies can be challenging or outright difficult if they’ve never experienced the genre. Sneaking around becomes a habit encouraged early on, at least until the player level up enough (or get properly equipped) to where these enemies will no longer pose the same threat.

As players begin to explore the snowy lands of Skyrim for the first time, soaking in everything around them and leveling up, they’re able to expand their skills in the various Skill Trees available. It just so happens that the Sneak tree and the Archery tree are particularly powerful, showing players just how lethal they can be just by crouching around with a bow.

What Made Sneak Archer So Iconic?

Ease and Power Come Together

Not only is it incredibly easy to sneak in Skyrim (the slower the move, the quieter the player is, genuinely), but the archery mechanics are outright fun. The arrow drop (if there is any, really) isn’t too steep, and it’s incredibly difficult for NPCs to track where an arrow is shot from most of the time. With this in mind, sneaking over and shooting someone from a distance and then returning to the shadows becomes a walk in the park.

If the player is at a reasonable enough distance, NPCs won’t even look for them in their area, as they’ll lose interest by the time they finish searching their immediate area (that is unless players make themselves seen and known, of course). This makes it even easier for the player to sleep back around, shoot another arrow, and resume hiding with intense speed and precision.

As players level up, Sneak Attacks have a multiplier that increases with each perk point invested, which multiplies the damage output. So, instead of a normal attack hurting enough to make an NPC stumble, each arrow becomes an instant one-hit kill, and nobody is able to figure out where it came from. The damage output as players level up Sneak and Archery becomes absolutely busted, practically triggering a cinematic with each shot.

Plus, of all the builds that are available for players to tinker with, Sneak Archer is one of the easiest ones to put together and understand, with Sneak and Archery being the only two trees that need points (obviously). Of course, it’s a smart idea to invest in additional trees to help the build overall (such as Light Armor or Lockpicking), but it’s not necessarily required to still be deadly.

Simply put, players’ power will be unmatched. The only thing that holds them back is being disarmed or running out of arrows – unless, of course, players put points into Conjuration, which will allow them to simply summon their own bow and infinite arrows as a result. The best part? Players can summon this bow anywhere, even in quests where they are disarmed as a requirement, such as Cidhna Mine.

Skyrim is Still Massive After All This Time

Fans Are Eager for Elder Scrolls VI

It’s been nearly 15 years since Skyrim came out, and the playerbase doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Between the mods and the new content continuously being discovered on new playthroughs, players are hungry for The Elder Scrolls in all kinds of experiences.

Yet, despite all the variety in gameplay that is offered with each build, nothing tops the Sneak Archer after all this time. It’s simple, it’s powerful and easily accessible from the very start – and a fully reliable build for players that don’t know what to do on their repeat playthrough. Just play Sneak Archer again, it’s a thrill every single time.