I have been been planning this build for awhile now and have been pretty excited about it. Even though I am not sure if its the strongest I just love the place style and look! It is a semi Rogue/Ranger w/ Bound Weapons and Summoned Pet. So, after playing this for a few days now I have come across a Perk that has been really bothering me and I don't quite understand it usefulness. Soul Stealer, in between Mystic Binding and Oblivion Binding in Conjuration. I understand how the perk works but since this is a separate path from the rest, solely for the purpose of bound weapons, I do not get its presence. Why would I want to cast Soul Trap on targets since I can not enchant my Bound-Weapons? I have to get it to progress to Oblivion Binding but I do not need it. It would fit in any other damage/armor perk tree except Conjuration's Bound Weapon path. Am I missing something? I know I could use it for armor enchants but why would they put it in the weapons since it appears to have absolutely no use for bound weapons. I haven't played since Morrowind and could be missing something, so could someone please explain Bethesda's purpose for this?
Thanks

No all bound weapons automaticly become enchanted with soul trap.

But why do I need Soul Trap on Bound Weapons? Its a "Perk" so what does Soul Trap provide to someone w/ Bound Weapons since I cannot enchant my Bound Weapons with lets say fire or Ice?

Don't do this. Biggest regret ever. You risk filling grand gems with petty souls...you are just in for unnecessary micromanagement of what you kill and what you carry (assuming you rely heavily on the weapons). Basically, you lose control...with soul trap, you are in control.

You can enchant armor...I hope you know...

Levelonemage=I have done this several times already unfortunately.
I do know that you can enchant armor but I like I said before it is a "Perk" if I wanted to use it for Armor then it should not be a "Bound-Weapon Perk".
So basically Oblivion Bindings is impossible to Achieve w/o wasting every soulgem or Sheathing them and Killing an enemy with another weapon/ability

I know one thing, the soul stealing animation on a weapon is freaking awesome. I am going to make a high elf spell sword with a soul stealing and life draining greatsword like Elric one of these days.

I couldn't live with it. It was so bad that I was about to quit my character. I mean, it isn't useless...it's worse than that because it actually hurts you. But after a few hours I figured out how to remove it and put the skill somewhere else, you may be interested:

http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Console_Commands_%28Skyrim%29

(The command to remove a perk is like adding, but it is player.removeperk )

Keep in mind this is the unofficial way of doing things, but I know your pain brother lol. Also, if you do this method you won't get the perk point refunded, so just add something else. Lateral shift.

Just don't carry around soul gems. You can easily buy all of the Soul Gems you will ever need complete with souls in them for all of your enchanting needs. That way it becomes a wasted pre-req perk insteed of a game killing waste.

Levelonemage, can I use that method and still get Oblivion Binding? I love Rogue/Ranger Playstyle and with summoned weapons/pet is just such a beautiful thing!

Very good point Harkle, I am just really perplexed in why that pre-req Perk is even in that path...

i actually am just fine filling all my soul gems that way, when i wanna capture soul bound swords time,
when i wanna use my swords just to kill ill kill with it so what if you fill your grand soul gem with a lesser soul. imo

Haven't verified it, but I'm assuming you could take both perks, then remove soul stealer, then addperk something else. I would save the game and give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, just restore the save.