Skyrim

[Tamas]

I will post a screenshot of my mage later today. Archmage to be more precise. He looks cool.

[grumbler]

How is stealth faring in this game? My standard Elder Scrolls character is a khajiit rogue-type (with illusion magic), would you say it's a good first choice for Skyrim?

Stealth feels a lot like it did in Oblivion, but I have noted that lighting has a lot more effect, as does armor (not just boots).  Metal armor doesn't mix well with stealth.   Can't say yet if that includes elven metal armor.

[ulmont]

How is stealth faring in this game? My standard Elder Scrolls character is a khajiit rogue-type (with illusion magic), would you say it's a good first choice for Skyrim?

The people playing stealthy backstabbing types seem to love Skyrim.  Go light armor though; heavy just totally nukes your stealth rating, at least until you pick up the perk that reduces worn heavy armor weight to 0.

[crazy canuck]

How is stealth faring in this game? My standard Elder Scrolls character is a khajiit rogue-type (with illusion magic), would you say it's a good first choice for Skyrim?

The people playing stealthy backstabbing types seem to love Skyrim.  Go light armor though; heavy just totally nukes your stealth rating, at least until you pick up the perk that reduces worn heavy armor weight to 0.

I have read some posts claiming people could stealth up to targets, disarm them by pickpocketing and then easily kill them.

[Valmy]

Yeah I cant decide who to support either, I've kerry'ed it a few times.  Also playing a heavy armor two handed weapon guy, but stockpiling one handed weapons and shields for future use. 

Also really good with a bow.

Playing an imperial heavy armor dual swords guy with a shield for back up. Don't use magic much. I've decided to support the empire.

Reading a bit of the backstory I think I will end up doing this as well.  The new Aldmeri Dominion seems set on destroying humanity and they were only temporarily stopped by letting Elves hunt down all the Talos worshipers..  Not that fake political context should effect on how you play a game but the Nords breaking away just seems like it would end very badly with that sort of threat...I mean as if the Dragons were not bad enough.

[crazy canuck]

Lettow's support of the separatists has greatly influenced my decision.

[grumbler]

The people playing stealthy backstabbing types seem to love Skyrim.  Go light armor though; heavy just totally nukes your stealth rating, at least until you pick up the perk that reduces worn heavy armor weight to 0. 

Even that perk doesn't help stealth, as far as I know.  Stealth doesn't use armor weight, but rather some measure of metallic noise, as the determiner of penalties, as I understand it.

What makes backstabbing special is the x6 and x12 damage perks you can get with high stealth values.

[grumbler]

I have read some posts claiming people could stealth up to targets, disarm them by pickpocketing and then easily kill them.

Pickpocket and its perks are separate from stealth, though, so you'd have to give up a fair amount of other character development to focus on a highly stealthy and very stealth-deadly and highly effective pickpocket.  Such a path might be high-reward, but it also would be high-risk, because you'd be screwed if you couldn't fight if caught.

[viper37]

Oblivion is currently on sale at 6.24$, Game of the Year edition on Steam.  4hrs left, I'm buying it!

[Valmy]

Oblivion is currently on sale at 6.24$, Game of the Year edition on Steam.  4hrs left, I'm buying it!

Yeah this thread has me so excited to play Skyrim I bought Oblivion last night.  I want to see how the Empire fails.

[ulmont]

The people playing stealthy backstabbing types seem to love Skyrim.  Go light armor though; heavy just totally nukes your stealth rating, at least until you pick up the perk that reduces worn heavy armor weight to 0. 

Even that perk doesn't help stealth, as far as I know.  Stealth doesn't use armor weight, but rather some measure of metallic noise, as the determiner of penalties, as I understand it.

While the wiki is in its early days, it suggests that weight determines noise:

Sneaking now takes into account the combined weight of your armor, instead of just your boots like in Oblivion. You can no longer wear heavy armor and just take off your boots to sneak. It is, however, still possible to just unequip all armor, sneak, then re-equip it later with hotkeys.
Heavy Armor and Light Armor both contain perks that reduce the weight of worn armor to zero, meaning you can sneak with no penalty while wearing full heavy armor sets.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Sneak

If you find anything more authoritative or run the experiment, please let me know; I'm trying to decide if I should spend the perk points on muffled movement or not for my heavy armor guy.

[crazy canuck]

I have read some posts claiming people could stealth up to targets, disarm them by pickpocketing and then easily kill them.

Pickpocket and its perks are separate from stealth, though, so you'd have to give up a fair amount of other character development to focus on a highly stealthy and very stealth-deadly and highly effective pickpocket.  Such a path might be high-reward, but it also would be high-risk, because you'd be screwed if you couldn't fight if caught.

Ah good point.  I wont be rushing to try that then.

[grumbler]

While the wiki is in its early days, it suggests that weight determines noise:

Sneaking now takes into account the combined weight of your armor, instead of just your boots like in Oblivion. You can no longer wear heavy armor and just take off your boots to sneak. It is, however, still possible to just unequip all armor, sneak, then re-equip it later with hotkeys.
Heavy Armor and Light Armor both contain perks that reduce the weight of worn armor to zero, meaning you can sneak with no penalty while wearing full heavy armor sets.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Sneak

If you find anything more authoritative or run the experiment, please let me know; I'm trying to decide if I should spend the perk points on muffled movement or not for my heavy armor guy.

The "Conditioning" perk for heavy armor says that "Heavy Armor weighs nothing and doesn't slow you down when worn. "  It says nothing about snaking.  I'd be very surprised to discover that  perk in heavy armor completely overwhelms a sneak perk ("muffled noise").  Also the same wki under "Havy Armor also states that

However, Heavy Armor is also noisier to move in than Light Armor, so it always adds a penalty to stealth.

(my bold).

Until we see the Creation Engine, we won't know for sure... unless one of the devs talks about it.

[grumbler]

Cracked.com has weighed in
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-personality-flaws-skyrim-forces-you-to-deal-with/

[Alcibiades]

Cracked.com has weighed in
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-personality-flaws-skyrim-forces-you-to-deal-with/

"I'll harvest every fucking cabbage in this field before I so much as glance at the dragon's nest, and you can't stop me."