I always thought stealth was lame. Because any archetype can kill the opponent. Stealth only kills them slower. With might and magic you dispatch enemies much faster, and stealth only works to SLOW DOWN the game phase. I told myself for so long that... "This is how it is right?" well - I learned I was indeed wrong.
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z543bcpuxDA ) &--#60;--- me being wrong.

I finally started my first REAL cloak and dagger character, not a hybrid like the old ones. And the excitement is thrilling. I sneak around and hear a noise. I stop and hide in the corner. A second later a big mean draugir comes by, that feeling - oh boy - THAT FEELING of your heart PUMPING as you sneak behind him hoping he wont turn around, then sinking that dagger into his back. That feeling when two bandits are near eachother, and with 0.5 seconds being the difference between utter failure and stunning success as you cut his throat and hide just in time. Only to go around back and send the other bandit to meet his brother in the afterlife.

I realize that my previous failure to appreciate this playingstyle, was rooted in neglecting feelings and emotions - and bothering to much about logic and theory-crafting. Also the stealth playingstyle was something I considered "Failure/detection means reload", but it doesent. I never knew but you can actually rehide in combat. You can fight, use potions and other tactical tricks that gives room for tactical and different approaches. It boils down to heartpounding excitement pre-battle, great relief in victory and smart tactical play when failing. As failure in stealth simply means learning experience + new strategic playstyle compared to reload. The reload-when-failing attitude was simply my own failure to realize that it actually experience new fun challenges. As for pickpocketing, that also was a reload-fest before with no EMOTION. Now even such "simple" course of action is filled with adrenaline. As I decided to FACE THE CONSEQUENSES by jail or flight when I failed. Again, failure=reload=just another way to butcher the potential emotional experience of playing stealth.

Stealth re-made the game for me, but first I had to re-make the spoiled unappreciative brat that somehow had played skyrim FOR me the last year.