The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Guide
Archers are very similar to mages in that they're ranged damage dealers. Archers have the benefit of attacking from a distance which keeps damage on your Conjuration minion and/or follower. With a Glass Bow or Ebony Bow the damage gets quite high especially when using high quality arrows. The Breton race is recommended for all builds on legendary difficulty due to the importance of magicka resist later in the game. Also, be aware that leveling unnecessary skills will increase the levels of the enemies that you will be fighting as well. Tip: For a good starting weapon an Elven Bow is available at the beginning of the game by stealing it from Aela's room in the Companions Hall.
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Archery - 80
When you reach eighty skill points with perks you will do twice the damage with your bow.
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Heavy or Light Armor (optional)
This is a choice of play-style. If you want to include stealth in your archer build use light armor as it makes less noise for Sneak. Sneak attacks with bows increase the damage by a multiplier of three times the damage for your first shot fired while Sneak is active. The heavy armor side of the Smithing tree however has the benefit of a higher damage Ebony Bows compared light armor's Glass Bow. You can reach armor cap with both light and heavy armor with Smithing.
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Smithing - 70
Seventy skill points in Smithing for the light armor side of the tree is recommended for Glass Bow and the ability to upgrade the Glass Bow twice as much. Also optionally, you can go for eighty skill points in the heavy armor side for a higher damage Ebony Bow and the ability to upgrade the Ebony Bow twice as much if you choose not to use Sneak with your attacks.
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Enchanting - 80
Eighty skill points in Enchanting is great to reach for full strength enchants. One hundred adds a little damage to your weapon by providing a second enchant on your weapon but it is only a small power increase when using a bow.
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Conjuration - 50
Thirty points in Conjuration gives you a Flame Atronach for more damage and another tank for fighting enemies but you will need to aim for fifty points in Conjuration for legendary difficulty. This will give you the use of a Frost Atronach as a tank when you no longer have a follower to rely on at the end of the game. Conjuration is very important to have in legendary difficulty.
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Restoration - 20
With twenty points in Restoration you can make Restoration's spells fifty percent more effective and decrease the cost of casting the main healing spell by fifty percent.
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Sneak - 40 (optional)
Optional for three times damage with bows when using sneak attack.
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Enchants
Weapon - Fire Damage or Chaos Damage
Helm - Conjuration Cost -25%
Body - Conjuration Cost -25%
Neck - Bow Damage
Ring - Bow Damage
Gloves - Bow Damage
Boots - Bow Damage or Muffle
Important Questlines for Archers
Unlocking the College of Winterhold quest line provides a trainer for Conjuration. Similarly the Companions Hall quest line unlocks a master level Smithing trainer. The Dark Brotherhood will give a light armor with increased bow damage and Muffle the second of which helps significantly with Sneak. The armor can be used or disenchanted if you would like to add the enchantments to your own custom gear. The Thieves Guild also provides a Muffle enchant which improves Sneak but it's received pretty late in that quest line.
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Feel free to check out the tips section for more on legendary difficulty Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
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