Skyrim SE Best Archer Starter Build Guide

Skyrim has a plethora of different class and profession builds available to the player in the game. From a powerful Mage to a Ranger or Druid, to a literal Necromancer or Assassin, you can be just about anything you want in the northern province of Tamriel.

In this guide, we’ll be going over every facet of your character to ensure that they can master the bow. This includes race, skills, gear, skills, strategies, and more.

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Race

Starting with the basics, the first thing we have to decide on is your character’s race. In Skyrim, each racial option has numerous traits, skills, and abilities unique to them. For example, a Redguard starts very skilled in One-Handed weapons while having relatively weak Speech, whereas a Wood Elf is highly skilled in Archery yet weak in Blocking attacks.

While initial skills are not nearly as important in the grand scheme of things, for those looking to start the game off in a favorable position for the Archery class as possible, we suggest picking up the Wood Elf (Bosmer) race.

As alleged earlier, Wood Elves start the game off with a +10 to their Archery and a +5 to the Sneak, Light Armor, and Alchemy skills, all of which are important additions to any Archer worth their salt.

Stat Allocation

After choosing your race, the next thing is to determine where you will be allocating your stats as you progress and level up. Most casual players may try to initially spread out the stats, edging one a bit more than the others based on personal preference. If you are trying to get the most effective Archer, you’ll want to consider dropping Magicka entirely from your choice list.

Instead, while it may seem smart to focus more on your health, you’ll want to pump more of your stats into Stamina at a 3:1 – 5:1 ratio. The reason for this is that, as an Archer, you’ll need Stamina to help you zoom in with your bow and slow time when firing shots for a longer period. Not only that, but Stamina is also used to sprint away and gain distance between you and your enemies if they try to surround you.

Skill Ups

Here, we’ll briefly go over a few ways you can dedicate time to improving your Archery skill outside of general usage. Especially in the beginning, you’ll want to take full advantage of these to get your Archery skill up as fast as possible.

Be aware, some of these tips are somewhat exploitive and can even be slightly game-breaking. Still, if you’re looking to have an impressive Archer as fast into the game as possible, this is something worth at least being aware of.

A bit of Friendly Fire

Ok, so this is kind of the worst way to start this option off, but it is what it is. During the initial escape from Helgen with either Hadvar or Ralof, you’ll find a bow and some arrows. After clearing the dungeons, before leaving, spend a few minutes emptying your quiver into your companion. Since he’s considered a Story NPC, he won’t die no matter how many times you shoot him, nor will he ever turn his sword against you.

Is it a slimy and exploitive use of the game’s mechanics? Yes. Will it undoubtedly jump you up several Archery points before you’ve started the game? 100%

Talk to Faendal in Riverwood

Upon escaping Helgen, you’ll be presented with the option to go into Riverwood. While you certainly don’t have to, there is a character there named Faendal. When you talk to him, he’ll offer you a brief side-mission where he nearly destroys an innocent man’s chances with a woman (Don’t worry, if you talk to the other guy first, he’s as terrible). Do this, and he will be an available companion that will follow you. (No, we won’t be filling him with arrows like the last guy)

After you get him as a follower, you’ll note that Faendal is an Archery trainer. If you have enough gold, he can help you gain five additional levels in Archery without any stress on your point.

If you’re looking to game this mechanic, if you ask him to train you after he is a follower, you can go into his inventory and take the gold back after acquiring each level. Again, it’s game-breaking, but at least it’s free.

Meet Angi

After reaching level 50 with your Archery in the game, if you head south of Falkreath into the southern mountains, you’ll find a location known as Angi’s Camp. Here, Angi will train you in Archery and this time through a mini-quest where you’ll be tasked with hitting various targets. Upon completing the quest, you’ll gain an additional 6 points in Archery. There is also an Archery skill book found in her cabin that will automatically raise your level by 1.

One note to consider about this quest. As its completion will automatically result in you getting the 6 points, consider waiting until after you’ve reached level 96. Many have noted that the last remaining levels in Archery are some of the hardest to reach, so being able to gain them through a mini-quest instantly is certainly something worth considering.

Perks

When it comes to Perks, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that unlike other character class builds, all of the perks in Archery are worth getting. Unlike other character class builds, the bad news is that you’re going to have to get every single one of the Archery perks to have a truly Legolas-tier archer.

Early on, you’ll want to prioritize getting the Overdraw Perks (5 in total) so that each of your shots is as powerful as possible. Once you get your Archery to level 30, you’ll want to get the Eagle Eye perk as it allows you to zoom in for more sniper shots when firing off.

At level 40, you’ll want to get Steady Hand (2 points in total) which allows you to slow down time whenever zooming in on a target. Keep in mind that both this and innate zooming drain Stamina to use. As such, you must leveled it up as much as possible over time to fully maximize the skill’s use.

At level 70, you’ll want to get the Quick Shot perk as it allows you to draw a shot from your bow 30% faster than normal. This allows you to fire more shots per second at an enemy, with all other factors being equal, making you much more dangerous as a result.

Alternative Perks

These are a set of skill perks worth getting that are outside of the Archer skill tree. As such, you’ll want to consider raising these skills as well throughout your playthrough.

Deadly Aim: A Sneak-based perk, Deadly Aim allows you to do 3x damage to your opponent when firing at them from behind. It requires a level 40 in Sneak as well as already acquiring the Backstab perk.

Alchemy & Enchanting

A good pair of additional skills to invest in are both Alchemy as well as Enchanting. With Alchemy, you can create numerous poisons for your arrows to significantly increase the damage to your opponent’s health while, more importantly, creating Fortify Archery potions to improve your overall damage when using your bow.

Similarly, investing some points in Enchantment is worth considering as it doesn’t require any Magicka on your part and can help turn standard items into much more powerful ones. Not only that but, like Alchemy, you can use Fortify Archery to aid your firing skills. Here, you’ll be able to apply that to various items, giving them a permanent boost to your archery skills.

Standing Stones

Finally, you’ll want to start the game off by finding the Guardian Stone, the Thief Stone. This stone allows you to increase your Archery, Alchemy, Sneak, and Light Armor skills 20% faster than otherwise. As it is en-route between Helgen and Riverwood, consider making your first stop before entering the town.

Conclusion

And with that, we’ve come to the end of the guide. While there are certainly other things to consider when making an Archer, these are some great foundational points to help ensure your starting the game off on the right track and in the most advantageous position.