I haven't played this for a few weeks due to work commitments

But now I am ready to play again I want to start a new game because to be honest I don't really feel in touch with the character or the quests I was involved in after so long out.

Before I start I want to try and make sure I don't end up increasing too many skills so that I become a jack-of-all-trades and an expert at nothing, which will no doubt ruin my character at higher levels.

I love to play stealth so Archery and sneak will have to be two of them as well as one-handed. I do want to use magic as well (although apart from destruction with my previous Dark Elf I haven't really used the others so aren't sure which I'd like best). I want my character to be a kind of Robin Hood character so maybe pick-pocketing is also needed.

Dark Elf and Wood Elf are my favourite races so based on all that, any idea which skills/perks and how many skills would be a good way to go for this character apart from the ones I mentioned?

Thanks.

Anyone?

Add alchemy with poison perks and you have the perfect assassin character. If that isn't to your taste, maybe illusion? You will have to invest in perks for it to be viable at higher levels though. Use the spells on anything that catches you unawares, and the perfect complement to stealth.

Sneak, Archery, Light Armor, Alchemy and illusion should be your main 5 skills, you could also use One Handed as well if the bow fails or your discovered while sneaking. I would also reccomend Roleplaying and not joining every guild, the game feels better when you go that route.

I picked three skills randomly for every character I made (though one of them has to be a combat related skill), then I maintain a strict rule that 75% of my perks must go into these three skills.

This is what I would shoot for. I have had similar builds that were very successful. This should put you around 50 w/the increases in speech. You will have perks left over to spend as you wish. But this should give you a base to work with. I have found no need what so ever in investing in any armor perks. or even getting a 100 in those skills. I would get Magicka to 250, Stamina to 150 (if that high) and the rest in Health.

1H (11)
Armsman - 5/5
Fighting Stance
Savage Strike
Dual Flurry - 2/2
Dual Savagery
- None of the other perks are worth the cost. The rewards are just not there. -

Sneak (9)
Stealth - 5/5
Backstab
Deadly Aim
Assassin's Blade
Muffled Movemeny
- Taking these perks will make you a stealth god. -

Pickpocket (5)
Light Fingers - 1/5
Night Thief
Cutpurse
Misdirection
Perfect Touch
- Poison could be an option, if you forego that route. (The extra perks could go a few in that) I found no need to take more than 1 in LF. MD is handy and PT is just fun. -

Illusion (13)
All of them
- This school is incredibly powerful, especially when coupled w/Sneak. The Calm and Fury Spells will control almost ANY battle situation. The Muffle spell will stack with the Sneak Perk and enchantments. -

Smithing (2)
Steel
Arcane Blacksmith
- Unless you plan on making your own custom gear, there is no need to take anymore. -

Enchanting (10)
Enchanter 5/5
Fire Enchanter
Insightful Enchanter
Corpus Enchanter
Extra Effect
- This list is very useful for customizing your items to fit your playstyle and character. Fire affects most enemies in the game, and being a Dark Elf, you can easily get 100% to fire. (Dragons) -

EDIT : Ah! I forgot Archery! I have yet to build an Archer. You could back away from using the DW perks in 1H and use them in the Archery tree. With the extra few left over you could easily make a powerful archer with the bonus from Sneak. Extra enchant some gloves with a bonus to Bows and a powerfully upgraded weapon with Fire and Soultrap to oneshot most anything.

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. Will get stuck in to it again on the weekend.