Argonian Agent

Alchemy

For now, Alchemy is simply a means of income. Make what you can and sell it to fund your other expenses.

• Herbalist 1 (10): Potions and poisons you make are 25% stronger. 
• Experimenter (20): Eating an ingredient reveals all of its effects.

Alteration

You’ll be unarmored but not undefended. Keep a Flesh spell up at all times just in case.

• Philosopher 1 (10): Alteration spells cost 25% less Magicka.
• Mage Robes 1 (20): You have 50% extra Magicka Regeneration while wearing robes.
• Mage Armor 1 (30): Armor spells are 50% stronger while wearing robes.

Illusion

Courage will make your ally beefier, and Fury will turn your enemies against each other.

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

Restoration

Poison Spray is but a humble beginning on your path of decay, but it’s your main way of dealing damage when needed.

• Healer 1 (10): Restoration spells cost 25% less Magicka. 

Security

Along with Alchemy, the goal here is far off in the distance.

• Collector 1 (10): You are 25% better at lockpicking and pickpocketing. 

Sneak

When all goes well, you’ll want to be invisible on the battlefield. Start practicing here.

• Agent 1 (10): You are 25% harder to detect while sneaking.
• Silent Casting (20): Your spells are silent to others.

Speech

Soon, you’ll be able to sell water to a well. For now, just make a few extra septims.

• Merchant 1 (10): You receive 25% better prices.

Alchemy

You’re close to mastering poisons, but with no weapon you still can’t apply them. That will come later still.

• Intensity 1 (30): Poisons last two additional hits.
• Green Thumb 1 (40): You gather one extra ingredient from plants.
• Herbalist 2 (50): Potions and poisons you make are 50% stronger. 

Alteration

Being unarmored will become the key to numerous benefits.

• 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.

Illusion

You can further tilt the scales of the battle from the sidelines.

• Captivating Presence 1 (20): Your Illusion spells last 50% longer.
• Indomitable Will 1 (40): Your Illusion spells are 50% stronger.
• Howl of Rage (40): Frenzy spells increase the target’s weapon damage by 50% against everyone except the caster.
• Illusionist 2 (50): Illusion spells cost 50% less Magicka.
• Master of the Mind 1 (60): Your Illusion spells affect the undead. 

Restoration

Your poison spells are becoming potent and quite hard to resist against.

• Affliction 1 (30): Poison spells deal 25% more damage.
• Healer 2 (50): Restoration spells cost 50% less Magicka. 
• Plague 1 (60): When you have a Poison spell equipped, you reduce the Poison Resistance of all nearby enemies by up to 50%.

Security

You’ll need experience getting into people’s pockets unnoticed. You will be caught from time to time. No risk, no reward.

• Golden Touch (20): You find more gold when opening chests and picking pockets. 
• Poisoner 1 (30): Poisons you place in enemy pockets deal 50% extra damage. 
• Sleight of Hand 1 (30): You are 50% more likely to succeed at pickpocketing while undetected.

Sneak

Attacking from the shadows becomes child’s play for you.

• Trespasser (30): You no longer trigger traps, and you can execute a silent roll while sneaking.
• Shadow Casting 1 (40): Damage-dealing spells are 50% stronger while sneaking and undetected.
• Agent 2 (50): You are 50% harder to detect while sneaking.

Speech

You’re living a life of villainy. You should be able to enjoy its fruits.

• Supply and Demand 1 (30): Merchants have extra gold for bartering.
• Black Market (40): You can sell stolen items to any merchant.

Alchemy

Poison perfection, and more of them. Kill whoever slights you and sell the extra to fatten your wallet.

• Solvency 1 (60): Poisons you mix are 25% stronger.
• Intensity 2 (70): Poisons last four additional hits.
• Solvency 2 (90): Poisons you mix are 50% stronger.
• Chemist (100): Create twice as many potions and poisons from the same number of ingredients.  

Alteration

Magicka is your lifeline, make sure you’re never caught without it.

• Meditation (80): Spells and enchantments cost 10% less while wearing robes.
• Magicka Well (100): Your Magicka regenerates twice as fast when you fall below half Magicka while wearing robes.   

Illusion

Very few creatures in Skyrim will resist your influence at this point. Use it to your advantage.

• Captivating Presence 2 (60): Your Illusion spells last 100% longer.
• Cry of Terror (70): Fear spells reduce the target’s Armor Rating by 150 and their Magic Resistance by 25%.
• Indomitable Will 2 (80): Your Illusion spells are 100% stronger.
• Master of the Mind 2 (100): Your Illusion spells affect the undead, Daedra, and Dwarven automatons.   

Restoration

Your backup of poison spells is now at its most deadly.

• Affliction 2 (70): Poison spells deal 50% more damage.
• Scourge 1 (80): Poison spells deal 50% extra damage to targets who fall below half Health.
• Plague 2 (90): When you have a Poison spell equipped, you reduce the Poison Resistance of all nearby enemies by up to 100%.
• Scourge 2 (100): Poison spells deal 100% extra damage to targets who fall below half Health.  

Security

Beyond the petty thievery, this will allow you to use alchemical poisons with extreme confidence.

• Collector 2 (50): You are 50% better at lockpicking and pickpocketing. 
• Poisoner 2 (60): Poisons you place in enemy pockets deal 100% extra damage. 
• Sleight of Hand 2 (70): You are twice as likely to succeed at pickpocketing while undetected.
• Misdirection (80): Your maximum chance to succeed at pickpocketing is increased to 100%.  

Sneak

Move with conviction through the shadows and hit your targets quickly.

• Infiltrator (60): You move 25% faster while sneaking. 
• Shadow Casting 2 (70): Damage-dealing spells are 100% stronger while sneaking and undetected.
• Hidden Threat (80): Once every 10 seconds, you can sneak in combat to turn invisible for 5 seconds.
• Living Shadow (100): Once every 10 seconds, sneaking in combat causes enemies to stop searching for you.

The Mage (Guardian)

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

The Mage Stone is the ideal starting stone for you. Though the agent is technically a Stealth class, the benefits of the Thief Stone aren’t too beneficial. Feel free to carry this blessing into the mid game.

The Serpent

Serpent’s Kiss: Your Poison Resistance is increased by 50%, your potions last 50% longer, and your poisons last for 50% more hits.

The Serpent Stone is hit or miss for this build, ironically. An additional hit of poison can be great if you’re stabbing your victims instead of reverse pickpocketing. Otherwise, this does next to nothing for you.

The Shadow

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

If you run into problems sneaking, the Shadow Stone is your best friend. It will help you stay hidden and boost your spell power at the same time.

Sithis

You are 10% better at sneaking.

The Dark Brotherhood is a natural fit for you and Sithis is a natural fit for the Dark Brotherhood. Boosts to Sneak are always welcome and, since you’re not getting any Pilgrim or Cultist perks, this is about as perfect as it gets.

Alteration

Your investment in Alteration is mainly for the Magicka benefits however there’s no reason not to pick up a few useful spells along the way. Feel free to grab any number of utility spells to help level this skill during your travels.

• Oakflesh (Novice+): Your Armor Rating is increased by 40 for 120 seconds.
  Early on you might find yourself in more scuffles than you’d like. This will give you some protection. Just don’t rely on it later in the game.

• Open Novice Lock (Novice+): You can open any lock of Novice difficulty for 30 seconds.
  You skipped the lockpicking side of Security for a reason. This is it.

• Weakness to Poison (Expert): You reduce enemy Poison Resistance by 50% for 60 seconds.
  You mainly output Poison damage so it would be problematic if the enemy was resistant. Why take a chance when you can be sure they aren’t?

Illusion

Sometimes it’s impossible to sneak up on everyone in a room but if it’s possible to influence one of them that might just be enough. Illusion will allow you to cause mayhem from afar, thinning the herd before you enter and clean up the rest. The rune variety of spells at Expert level are tempting but without revealing yourself it’ll be hard to get enemies to walk into them.

• Frenzy (Novice+): Living targets up to level 5 will attack anyone nearby for 30 seconds.
  If they can’t see you they have no choice but to attack someone else. Likely an ally.

• Fear (Apprentice+): Living targets up to level 10 flee from combat for 30 seconds.
  Send someone away from the fight, preferrably after you’ve given them a large dose of poison.

• Invisibility (Expert+): For 30 seconds, you cannot be seen or heard. Activating an object or attacking will break this spell.
  For when you need to vanish and reset the situation.

Restoration

You’ll rarely be using this to heal someone, if ever. Your knowledge of the restorative arts exists solely to rob others of their lives. Take every Poison spell you can find as you’ll never know when the right situation will present itself. Below are just the bread and butter options.

• Poison Spray (Novice+): Deals 8 Poison damage per second. Poisoned targets take extra damage over time.
  A staple from the start, you can use this to triumph over others in open combat.

• Poison Bolt (Apprentice+): Deals 3 Poison damage per second for 10 seconds.
  You’ll have a hard time fighting dragons without this. And with it they’re still challenging.

• Poisonous Touch (Apprentice+): Deals 4.5 Poison damage per second for 10 seconds to enemies in melee range.
  If reverse pickpocket isn’t possible you’ll still be in range for this to be effective.

Kyne’s Peace

Cooldown: 60/90/120 seconds

• Kaan: Calms targets up to level 20 for 30 seconds.
• Drem: Calms targets up to level 30 for 30 seconds.
• Ov: Calms targets up to level 40 for 30 seconds.
• Meditation: Kyne’s Peace works on the undead, Daedra, and Dwarven automatons.

An alternative to Bend Will that’s easier to access. Calming an enemy will give you a chance to hide and reset the situation when it goes off the rails.

Poison Breath

Cooldown: 60/90/120 seconds

• Laas: Deals 7.5 Poison damage per second for 10 seconds.
• Slen: Deals 11.25 Poison damage per second for 10 seconds.
• Aus: Deals 15 Poison damage per second for 10 seconds.
• Meditation: Poison Breath deals double damage to enemies who fall below half Health.

Thematically perfect for a poison master and not a bad panic button to hit whenever enemies detect you and get in your face.

Slow Time

Cooldown: 180/240/300 seconds

• Tiid: Slows time by 50% for 10 seconds.
• Klo: Slows time by 50% for 20 seconds.
• Ul: Slows time by 50% for 30 seconds.
• Meditation: Slow Time is twice as strong.

Slow Time’s effect doesn’t cover damage over time such as poison, which is the majority of your damage. In other words, this shout makes your poison work through your victims at an accelerated pace while helping you sidestep pretty much anything coming your way.

Weapon

• Weakness to Poison: Reduces enemy Poison Resistance by 50% for 30 seconds.
• Poison Damage: Deals 4 Poison Damage per second for 10 seconds.
• Paralyze: Living targets up to level 40 have a 25% chance to be paralyzed for 10 seconds.

Your weapon is just a vessel for your poisons so you’ll definitely want to make your stab victim more susceptible to whatever you laced it with. Extra Poison doesn’t hurt (you) but it doesn’t benefit from perks. Lastly, paralysis can prevent a counter attack while the Poison does its work.

Head

• Fortify Restoration Cost: Your Restoration spells cost 25% less.
• Fortify Illusion Cost: Your Illusion spells cost 25% less.
• Fortify Armor Rating: Your Armor Rating is increased by 100.

Choose a boost to the school of magic you use more often. Otherwise, you can shore up your physical defense on top of your Alteration spells.

Chest

• Fortify Restoration Cost: Your Restoration spells cost 25% less.
• Fortify Illusion Cost: Your Illusion spells cost 25% less.
• Resist Magic: Your Armor Rating is increased by 100.

This is a similar decision to head. You can make the same school of magic even cheaper, balance it out, or shore up your resistance against mages.

Gloves

• Fortify Security: You are 25% better at lockpicking and pickpocketing.
• Fortify Magicka: Your Magicka is increased by 50.
• Fortify Magicka Regeneration: Your Magicka Regeneration is increased by 50%.

This seems like an obvious choice. If that’s unavailable, grab more Magicka for your spellcasting.

Boots

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

In a stealth-focused build the first two options are golden. If you feel as though you’re undetectable without the enchantments, grab the last option. The extra carry weight will give you room to stock up on poisons for the adventure ahead.

Necklace

• Fortify Restoration Power: Your Restoration spells are 25% stronger.
• Fortify Illusion Power: Your Illusion spells are 25% stronger.
• Resist Magic: Your Magic Resistance is increased by 25%.

You don’t get too many chances to boost your damage output in this build so take it. Boosting Illusion instead will allow you to tackle tougher areas earlier by raising the level cap on your spells.

Ring

• Fortify Restoration Power: Your Restoration spells are 25% stronger.
• Fortify Security: You are 25% better at lockpicking and pickpocketing.
• Fortify Sneak: You are 25% better at sneaking.

Unfortunately for you, the ring slot is capable of fortifying all of your key skills. If it’s a tough decision on which one you go with, think about the method with which you kill the most enemies.