Summary
ThoughSkyrimis famous for its stealth archer build, one of its players managed to build a very enticing alternative: the shield assassin. Players have been makingcomparisons betweenSkyrimandStarfieldever since the latter launched, and curiously, the reevaluation has reflected rather glowingly onSkyrim, as well as on the immense legacy it established over the years. The main reasons whySkyrimhas been so long-lived are twofold: the amount of crazy builds that the game shamelessly enables, and the unprecedented modding community that it nurtured.
As a result,Skyrimhas a myriad of combat modsand overhauls that transform its gameplay entirely, catering to the latest trends or specific tastes of each individual player. However, the vast majority of fans prefers to play with the baseline combat mechanics established by Bethesda, choosing at most an animation update or an improved perk system to augment the experience. Fortunately, this shield assassin build is perfect for players in unmoddedSkyrim.
The Shield Assassin Build is Viable in Vanilla Skyrim
For Geta92, it would seem that their shield assassin build is largely restricted to a vanillaSkyrimplaythrough, which makes the discovery even more impressive. Stealth archers inSkyrimhave long been considered second to none, as the combination of superior range and sneak attack multipliers meant that most enemies would be felled in one shot. That being said, shield assassin seems to be giving stealth archers a run for their money, as thisSkyrimbuild lets players execute kill cams while blocking by triggering the Shadow Warrior perk from the Sneak skill tree.
The other benefits that come with the playstyle include chain rolls, getting sneak kills from a block, and even being able to move at regular speed while blocking. Pairing a dagger with the shield is the main reason why this build is so lethal, asdaggers inSkyrimprovide insane damage multipliers from sneak attacks. Their lack of noise and slashing speed also play a major role in enabling the build, as being able to follow up with a swift power attack makes taking on tougher opponents such as dragons a breeze.
The shield, on the other hand, allows the Dragonborn to sneak faster when blocking thanks to the Block Runner perk, and the even crazier part of the build is that sprinting while sneaking with a shield does not break stealth. Given thatThe Elder Scrolls 6is in early development, it will take years before players are able to kick off a brand-new adventure in Tamriel, but creative builds such as the shield assassin makeSkyrimworth at least one playthrough more.
