So after putting Skyrim on hold for a couple of months I want to get back into the game completely. I have previously played a Warrior-ish type character that was on the main quest (somewhere around where you have to retrieve the piece of armor after you went up the mountain to the monastery) and did the whole Companions quest line with him. I also played a thief/assassin character who focused on sneak and backstabbing with daggers for his kills, I completed the thieves guild questline but did only a few of the dark brotherhood quests, then I also started a mage but did only a few quests for the college of winterhold.

What I am looking for in my new character is someone who'll be able to fit in with the dark brotherhood and college of winterhold and at the same time be able to complete the main quest. I myself was thinking some archer type character who supports himself with illusion and restoration but I'd very much like to hear your ideas. This time around I want to have a character that I can see the whole world with and complete the main questlines that I didn't get to before. If you have any ideas or a character of your own that fits the profile I'd very much like to hear all about them.

I got my assassin chick into the 60s using Sneak and Sneak-related skills and then I started messing around with Illusion for the hell of it. You could with an assassin-type what you're planning to do with the archer-type and use Illusion spells instead of backstabs. You could even be a pure mage-type if you wanted: look at Festus Krex...before the assault on the Falkreath sanctuary not after.

You don't actually need much magic to do the College of Winterhold quests, although great magic resistance certainly helps. I've got a Breton archmage who's more of a stealth warrior: dual wielding one-handed, light armor, high sneak and lockpicking. Master enchanter, otherwise dismal at magic. Strong on alchemy and smithing. She got through the College quests on a few basic spells and strong melee offense. Mage enemies die fast when you hit them hard, especially if you paralyze or slow/poison them.

OP, Thief/Assassin with Illusion and Archery is probably the strongest build in the game. The only thing that could make it stronger is to have a high Conjuration skill too. I know from experience that if you spam Soul Trap you can have 100 in Conjuration by level 20 and basically rule the world from there on out---and that was on Master difficulty. Quite boring; I deleted the character.

But anyway, Illusion + Archery + Sneak = Death to Anything You Want in Skyrim.

I went with an Argonian archer wearing light armor who utilizes sneak, restoration and alteration. I left the Illusion out since it would be too strong in combination with the archery and sneak. So far I'm just out of Helgen and having a look towards Bleak Falls Barrow next, I'll see if that gives me any trouble. Thanks for the input guys.

I always play a warrior character. Magic is for the elves, and sneaking is for thieving beast races.

Ok here we go...

Dunmer Rogue
Orc Warlock
Altmer Necromance
Redguard Pirate
Nord Mage
Argonian....?

You can make poison, which makes use of alchemy. Then use the poison to assassinate someone.
Illusion to be invisible/calm/fury etc
Fireball destruction because the explosion is beautiful
I want that spell festus made, that turned the priest inside out. DAMNED messy~