Best Skyrim Race for an Archer Build
In Skyrim, there are several different races and cultures. Some of these races are just as fast and nimble as others. Trying to be a true archer in Skyrim poses challenges but the races below will help you develop a character with good range abilities.
A solid archer build should specialize in the archery skill and having some extra points in sneak will help make them more stealthy. It also helps if they get a skill boost in light armor or alchemy.
You would think any type of Elven race would be a good fit for an archer build in Skyrim but not all Elven races are built for archery and stealth.
For assassin builds you will want to focus on sneak and lockpicking as archers in Skyrim get a huge advantage when attacking while being hidden.
Below we will discuss some of the best races for an archer build in Skyrim which include Wood Elf (Bosmer), Khajiit, Argonians, and Redguards.
Wood Elf (Bosmer)
Bosmer (Wood Elf) are the best archers because of their speed, stealth, and skills with a bow. They come from an area known as Valenwood and are known for their ability to work with nature and wild animals.
The Bosmer is an ideal choice for players who want to play as a character that uses both up close stealth and ranged attacks in combat situations but focuses more on their archery skills as they get a big skill bonus in archery.
A Wood Elf would be a good choice to complete the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild quest lines because of their natural sneak and lockpicking abilities.
Their +5 bonus to light armor also gives them a distinct advantage as they can equip lighter armor which makes them less likely to be detected and they can carry more weight than other races.
Bosmer Race Abilities :
- Command Animal – Make an animal an ally for 60 seconds.
- Resist Disease and Poison – The Bosmer blood offers 50% resistance to poison and disease.
Bosmer Starting Spells
- Flames (Destruction)
- Healing (Restoration)
Bosmer Skill Bonuses
- Archery +10
- Alchemy + 5
- Light Armor +5
- Lockpicking + 5
- Pickpocket +5
- Sneak +5
Khajiit
The Khajiit race is known for being traveling merchants in Skyrim but they are also a playable race. They come from an area known as Elsewyr and are known for selling their wares through a caravan.
The Khajiit is an ideal choice for players who want to play as a character that uses both up close stealth and ranged attacks in combat situations but focuses more on their stealth skills as they get a big skill bonus in sneak (+10).
Playing as the Khajiit race would be a good choice to complete the Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild quest lines because of their high sneak and night eye race ability.
Khajiit Race Abilities :
- Night Eye – See in the dark for 60 seconds
- Claws – They do more damage unarmed than other races.
Khajiit Starting Spells
- Flames (Destruction)
- Healing (Restoration)
Khajiit Skill Bonuses
- Archery +5
- Alchemy + 5
- Lockpicking +5
- One-handed +5
- Pickpocket +5
- Sneak +10
Redguards
Redguards are a race of warriors from the desert province of Hammerfell, who have a natural resistance to poison. They are strong and agile, skilled with a sword and shield, and good at stealth and archery. Redguards also have a natural ability for one-handed making them good for using daggers or small weapons to get up close and personal.
Redguards have a unique race ability to regenerate stamina faster for 60 seconds which allows you to fire some arrows and make a quick getaway if needed. They have a few bonuses to some magic skills so they might make a good archer mage option.
Redguard Race Abilities :
- Adrenaline Rush – 10x faster stamina regeneration for 60 seconds.
- Resist Poison – Redguard blood offers 50% resistance to poison.
Redguard Starting Spells
- Flames (Destruction)
- Healing (Restoration)
Redguard Skill Bonuses
- Alteration +5
- Archery +5
- Block +5
- Destruction +5
- One-Handed +10
- Smithing +5
Argonian
Argonians could also be considered to start a build as an archer in Skyrim. Although you normally wouldn’t associate Argonians with the archer class their class offers several benefits to make them a good assassins with their stealth abilities.
The Argonian race gets a few skill bonuses that could give you a head start on an archer build. They get bonuses in Alteration and Restoration. Their unique Water Breathing race ability can allow you to swim up on enemies and attack from unusual vantages.
Argonian Race Abilities:
- Histskin – Can recover health 10x faster for 60 seconds once a day.
- Resist Disease: 50% Disease Resistance
- Water Breathing: Argonians can breathe underwater
Argonian Starting Spells
- Flames (Destruction)
- Healing (Restoration)
Argonian Skill Bonuses
- Alteration +5
- Light Armor +5
- Lock Picking +10
- Pickpocket +5
- Restoration +5
- Sneak +5
I think that the best Skyrim race for an archer build is the Wood Elf (Bosmer). They have powerful archery and light armor bonuses to start the game and will allow you to quietly kill your enemies from afar with their additional stealth abilities.
Redguards and Khajiit would be a close second race for the best archer build because of some of their early abilities but for pure archer builds I would choose the Wood Elf (Bosmer).
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