I'm making a dual wielding warrior that dabbles in Illusion, I was thinking of alteration as well but it just doesn't seem that great (minus paralyze). Do you think this play-style will be playable without sneak? Sneak attacked make the game too easy and boring for me, and shields decimate everything so I was trying something a little more high risk high reward.

With the dabbling I've done in Illusion I think if you have everything in the 'loop' of the Illusion constellation you should be able to survive and succeed without Sneak.

On my assassin chick I have Sneak 100 and all the perks in the Sneak constellation. At higher levels I started messing around with Illusion so I don't know how much my high level may have skewed the abilities, but I'm pretty sure you can do what you need if you focus on Illusion and ignore Sneak.

Thanks, I'm kind of thinking frenzy and calm will be my go-to spells to control the battlefield.

I don't think you will even need it.

I didn't get the perks that apply to Calm, Fear and Frenzy, but I'm pretty sure you won't have any problems if you choose to use those spells and get those perks (Hypnotic Gaze, Aspect of Terror, and Rage). I'm speculating this based upon how well Invisibility works with Quiet Casting and Kindred Mage. Again, the effectiveness for me could be largely based on my overall level of high-60s through 70.

I had a character who was dual-wielding conjured swords, wearing light armor and also using Illusion.
He did pretty well if you ask me.

Nice.. So you never ran into a point that your spells became ineffective at higher levels? Oh nevermind.. You only used invisibility. That's also another worry of mine though; the fact that it will become obsolete after I level up.

EDIT: I don't need sneak if I have invisibility!!!

No need to worry about that, if you get dual casting. You'll be able use the spells on anything except, IIRC, Dragons

Well that's good to hear. What is IIRC?

Shouldn't be a problem if you get the "higher level opponents" perks. I only have Kindred Mage, but no one can see me and they lose me if I cast Invisibility right in front of their faces. And as I read the description for Kindred Mage it should stack with Hypnotic Gaze, Aspect of Terror, and Rage. I'm sure you'll have to get the higher level spells, but I'm pretty sure the spells will work on high level targets.

If I recall correctly.

One thing to note in your planning is that kindred mage doesn't apply to undead but with the middle tree and dual cast, you'll be OK except with Fury, you'll need Frenzy.

Thanks! I psyched to roll Burtan Guster, the Redguard adventurer.

Right now at a low level undead are kicking my butt because I don't have that perk yet.

Yeah, I think it was unfortunate that they made the undead effect both all or nothing and 90 skill. It justs makes it so tempting to spam muffle to get there.

This.

Get Master of the Mind to affect undead.