Orsimer Nightblade

Alteration

Robes will grant you the best bonus to Magicka regeneration while also not impeding your stealth.

• Philosopher 1 (10): Alteration spells cost 25% less Magicka.
• Mage Robes 1 (20): You have 50% extra Magicka Regeneration while wearing robes.

Archery

You’ll gain Bound Bow later in the early game. Make it a weapon you can rely on.

• Marksman 1 (10): Bows deal 25% more damage.

Conjuration

Bound weapons will be your main source of damage. You do not want them giving up on you mid-fight.

• Summoner 1 (10): Conjuration spells cost 25% less Magicka.
• Arcane Weapon (20): Bound weapons last five times longer.

Illusion

The school of Illusion offers several useful tools for a Nightblade. Consider this a vow to continue studying.

• Illusionist 1 (10): Illusion spells cost 25% less Magicka.

One-handed

A Bound Sword or Dagger might be all you have at this point of your adventure. Boost them accordingly.

• Skirmisher 1 (10): One-handed weapons do 25% more damage.
• Quick Slash 1 (20): Swords and daggers have a 10% chance of dealing critical damage.

Sneak

Getting the jump on a foe will be risky at this juncture, so make it equally rewarding.

• Agent 1 (10): You are 25% harder to detect while sneaking.
• Silent Casting (20): Your spells are silent to others.
• Merciless (20): Sneak attacks with melee weapons deal 50% more damage.

Alteration

From the shadows you can greatly decrease your enemies’ capabilities while bolstering your own.

• Mage Armor 1 (30): Armor spells are 50% stronger while wearing robes.
• Balance 1 (30): Alteration spells last 50% longer.
• Philosopher 2 (50): Alteration spells cost 50% less Magicka.
• Mage Robes 2 (60): You have 100% extra Magicka Regeneration while wearing robes.

Archery

Attacking undetected from afar may seem cowardly but it’s a valid means of survival in a harsh world.

• Eagle Eye 1 (20): Bows have a 10% chance of dealing critical damage.
• Quick Draw 1 (30): You draw your bow 20% faster.
• Power Shot (40): Bows have a 50% chance to stagger enemies.
• Grim Focus 1 (40): Critical hits with bows deal three times damage.

Conjuration

Restoration escapes you. Sustain yourself through your enemies instead.

• Chaos Binding 1 (30): Bound weapons have a chance to deal Fire, Frost, and Shock damage.
• Mystic Binding 1 (40): Bound weapons deal extra damage.
• Summoner 2 (50): Conjuration spells cost 50% less Magicka.
• Chaos Binding 2 (70): Bound weapons have a chance to deal extra Fire, Frost, and Shock damage. 

Illusion

Here you’ll be able to Calm a strong foe, land an easy backstab, and reposition yourself to your advantage before they get their senses.

• Captivating Presence 1 (20): Your Illusion spells last 50% longer.
• Serenity (30): Calm spells persist through one additional hit.
• Indomitable Will 1 (40): Your Illusion spells are 50% stronger.

One-handed

A predictable and necessary boost to your Bound melee weapons.

• Precise Cuts 1 (40): Critical attacks with swords and daggers deal three times as much damage.
• Skirmisher 2 (50): One-handed weapons do 50% more damage.

Sneak

Vanish into the shadows and deliver additional pain whilst there.

• Trespasser (30): You no longer trigger traps, and you can execute a silent roll while sneaking.
• Deadly Aim 1 (30): Sneak attacks with bows deal 50% extra damage.
• Backstab (40): Sneak attacks with one-handed weapons 50% extra damage.
• Agent 2 (50): You are 50% harder to detect while sneaking.
• Infiltrator (60): You move 25% faster while sneaking. 

Alteration

Push your Magicka pool to its limits.

• Balance 2 (60): Alteration spells last 100% longer.
• Mage Armor 2 (70): Armor spells are 100% stronger while wearing robes.
• Magicka Well (100): Your Magicka regenerates twice as fast when you fall below half Magicka while wearing robes. 

Archery

Your bow becomes an especially deadly tool for tackling men, mer, and perhaps dragons at this point.

• Marksman 2 (50): Bows deal 50% more damage.
• Ranger (60): You can move faster with a drawn bow.
• Eagle Eye 2 (70): Bows have a 20% chance of dealing critical damage.
• Steady Hand (80): Zooming in with a bow slows down time.
• Grim Focus 2 (90): Critical hits with bows deal five times damage.
• Lethal Shot (100): Your critical chance and critical damage with bows are doubled against enemies who fall below half Health.

Conjuration

Yet another predictable but necessary boost to your weapons.

• Mystic Binding 2 (80): Bound weapons deal even more extra damage.
• Haunting Curse (90): Bound weapons reduce enemy Magic Resistance by 50% for 10 seconds.

Illusion

Your mastery of magical tools now robs your foes of them, leaving them utterly defenseless.

• Illusionist 2 (50): Illusion spells cost 50% less Magicka.
• Tranquility (60): Silence spells dispel any magical effects on the target.
• Master of the Mind (60): Your Illusion spells affect the undead. 
• Captivating Presence 2 (60): Your Illusion spells last 100% longer.
• Indomitable Will 2 (80): Your Illusion spells are 100% stronger.

One-handed

Your Bound blades fail to dull, cutting as sharp as ever here.

• Quick Slash 2 (70): Swords and daggers have a 20% chance of dealing critical damage.
• Precise Cuts 2 (90): Critical attacks with swords and daggers deal five times as much damage.

Sneak

You’ll want to fully shift from Bound Sword to Bound Dagger as you master the shadows.

• Deadly Aim 2 (60): Sneak attacks with bows deal 100% extra damage.
• Assassin’s Blade 1 (70): Sneak attacks with daggers deal 50% extra damage.
• Hidden Threat (80): Once every 10 seconds, you can sneak in combat to turn invisible for 5 seconds.  
• Assassin’s Blade 2 (90): Sneak attacks with daggers deal 100% extra damage.

The Mage (Guardian)

Path of Wisdom: Your Magicka is increased by 50, and your spells and enchantments cost 10% less.

You’ll want a large Magicka pool and this provides one early in the game. It doesn’t help your martial side at all but it’s the best option of the three stones.

The Apprentice

Elfborn: Your Magicka regenerates twice as fast, but your Magic Resistance is reduced by 25%.

Aptly named for this build, this stone leans into the glass cannon concept. Your Magicka pool will greatly benefit from this blessing however you may find yourself promptly cooked by opposing mages if they discover you.

The Shadow

Moonshadow: You are 25% harder to detect while sneaking, and you deal 25% more damage with sneak attacks and spells.

Sneaking, sneak attacks, and sneak spells are pretty much your modus operandi in full. This stone benefits everything you aim to do which makes it a safe mid-to-late-game option.

Julianos

Your Magicka is increased by 25.

This is a solid benefit for anyone dipping their toes in the religion of the Empire. Especially early on when 25 Magicka is a solid chunk of your total.

Malacath

Your Stamina is increased by 25.

You could never turn your back on Malacath. The extra Stamina he grants can be put to use with your bow or running to safety when discovered.

Syrabane

Your Magicka Regeneration is increased by 25%.

The Warlock’s God is also a suitable choice for a young arcanist. If you feel your Magicka pool is large enough, feel free to switch to this blessing from Julianos.

Alteration

Use the school of alteration to bolster your own defenses just in case. Also use it to scout ahead and to make your enemies vulnerable. Alteration is a powerful toolbox in the right hands and your hands look plenty capable.

• Oakflesh (Novice+): Your Armor Rating is increased by 40 for 120 seconds.
  With your perks you can get fairly respectable armor ratings from these spells. They will save your life from a stray hit if you’re ever detected.

• Detect Life (Apprentice+): You can see nearby living targets through walls.
  You should know where your enemy is if you intend to hide from them.

• Corrode Armor (Adept+): Reduces enemy Armor Rating by 150 for 60 seconds.
  Stripping the enemy of their defenses before stabbing them in the back is just good form.

Conjuration

The combination of your smithing training in the stronghold and your curiosity with magic has led you to conjured weapons. With your perks these weapons will be viable throughout the game and keep your status bars topped off.

• Bound Dagger (Novice): Summons a Bound Dagger for 120 seconds.
  This will be your go-to melee weapon later in the game when you have ranks of Assassin’s Blade.

• Bound Sword (Apprentice): Summons a Bound Sword for 120 seconds.
  This benefits from every One-handed and Sneak perk as daggers with the exception of Assassin’s Blade. Meaning you’re more than welcome to use it until the late game.

• Bound Bow (Adept): Summons a Bound Bow for 120 seconds.
  It’s a bit of a climb to get to this one but you’ll want to be able to use it ASAP. Don’t be afraid to spend money on Archery training before you get here.

Illusion

You’ve found that dabbling in Illusion can make others temporarily forget about your slights, giving you the chance to reposition for better advantages.

• Calm (Novice+): Living targets up to level 5 won’t fight for 30 seconds.
  A good way to put some distance between an aggressive enemy and yourself. Once you have Serenity you can abuse the effect to land an extra sneak attack without breaking the spell.

• Silence (Apprentice+): Living targets up to level 10 won’t cast spells for 30 seconds.
  Most of the time your enemy will be too surprised to cast but when it’s unavoidable you’ll want to make sure they can’t. With Tranquility you can use this to strip off magical protections.

• Muffle (Adept+): You move silently for 30 seconds.
  This line of spells gets more and more reliable with every tier. Use it for that extra boost you need to stay hidden.

Aura Whisper

Cooldown: 30/45/60 seconds

• Laas: You detect all nearby living creatures for 30 seconds.
• Yah: You detect all nearby living and dead creatures for 30 seconds.
• Nir: You detect all nearby creatures for 30 seconds.

Like Detect Life, it’s much easier to hide from enemies if you know where they are. There’s no meditation for this shout but the uptime makes it very convenient.

Marked for Death

Cooldown: 60/90/120 seconds

• Krii: Reduces enemy Health by 50 and Armor Rating by 50 for 30 seconds.
• Lun: Reduces enemy Health by 75 and Armor Rating by 100 for 30 seconds.
• Aus: Reduces enemy Health by 100 and Armor Rating by 150 for 30 seconds.
• Meditation: Marked for Death reduces enemy Magic Resistance by up to 25%.

If you can mark them without being discovered, the debuffs to their defenses will make enemies even more susceptible to your sneak attacks. The meditation will make the chaos damage from your bound weapons even better to boot.

Throw Voice

Cooldown: 30/20/10 seconds

• Zul: Throws voice.
• Mey: Throws voice.
• Gut: Throws voice.

Simple and with a short cooldown with all 3 words. You excel at taking enemies out one by one so use this to isolate your targets when needed.

Head

• Fortify Archery: You deal 25% extra damage with ranged weapons.
• Fortify Illusion Cost: Your Illusion spells cost 25% less.
• Fortify Conjuration Cost Your Conjuration spells cost 25% less.

If you have your Bound Bow ready, boosting your ranged damage is a terrific option. You can also benefit from reducing your spell costs if either school is draining your Magicka pool too fast.

Chest

• Fortify Illusion Cost: Your Illusion spells cost 25% less.
• Fortify Conjuration Cost Your Conjuration spells cost 25% less.
• Fortify Alteration Cost: Your Alteration spells cost 25% less.

Boosting your resistance is usually a safe option here. Usually. You don’t plan on taking any direct fire from the shadows, however, so lower your spell costs even more so casting is that much more manageable.

Gloves

• Fortify Sneak Attacks: You deal 25% more damage with sneak attacks and spells.
• Fortify One-handed: You deal 25% extra damage with One-handed weapons.
• Fortify Magicka: Your Magicka is increased by 50.

Damage boosts your go-to here. Alternatively, an increase to Magicka might give you the ability to cast a new, powerful spell. Fortify Magicka Regeneration is an alternative if your Magicka pool is large but in that case just go with the damage.

Boots

• Muffle: You make 50% less noise while moving.
• Fortify Sneak: You are 25% better at sneaking.
• Fortify Stamina: Your Stamina is increased by 50.

When combined with invisibility, Muffle makes you practically undetectable, making it an essential enchantment for a stealth build. If you don’t have access to it, an Illusion spell will have you covered. Beyond that, simply having more Sneak or Stamina to work with is better than other options.

Necklace

• Fortify Archery: You deal 25% extra damage with ranged weapons.
• Fortify Illusion Power: Your Illusion spells are 25% stronger.
• Fortify Alteration Duration: Your Alteration spells last 50% longer.

Again, if you have your Bound Bow you’ll want to support it. Otherwise, the boost to Illusion will help you handle stronger enemies earlier. If you like to make use of Alteration’s utility spells, a 50% duration boost can make them more set-and-forget.

Ring

• Fortify Sneak Attacks: You deal 25% more damage with sneak attacks and spells.
• Fortify Sneak: You are 25% better at sneaking.
• Fortify Illusion Power: Your Illusion spells are 25% stronger.

Take the boost to your bread and butter attack. If that’s unavailable, become more stealthy to get more of those bread and butter attacks. And if that is also unavailable, Calm your way into free sneak attacks.