Why are we doing this again? Has it been another week all ready? The answer hasn't changed from the last 3 threads that came out since the last DLC, and patch.
Skyrim Perk Calculator - Plan the perks for your Skyrim character before spending them!
First off, I don't train up 2Handed, Heavy Armor, and Magic just so I can have more Perks. These are all I Need, and I can get away with even less, especially with a Stealth type. Here's the reasons for some of my selections:
Archery: Mostly a Distraction, and Poison Delivery. As a theif, I'm not too concerned with Killing, or Assassin, i'm only concerned with killing the Target.
1H: I take Critical Charge to combo with Silent Roll. If I'm playing a Pure thief, I drop this tree entirely.
Light Armor: An enchantment carrier, and to proc Wind Walker. Between the Thieves' Guild (Including Linwe's) Nightingale, and Shrouded sets, I don't have to enchant my own.
Sneak: I know how to sneak. IRL, and in the game, Stealth (1) is plenty if you have any concept of how to use cover, which way they're facing, and when to move. No, you can't creep right up in front of guards in broad daylight, but I kind of like that. As Andre pointed out, there's really no need for Shadow Warrior, AND Illusion, as a matter of fact, I do without either, and use Vampire Dust the few times I need it.
Alchemy: This is all the Magic you need. Invisibility, I can combine it with Regenerate Stamina for Silent Rolls, or Regenerate Health, and the other two effects don't wear off just because I touched something.
Pickpocket: I tried it, it's not really fun, but with the last two, you can get items you can't otherwise without killing or an early copy, and a duplicate later in the quest (Like 2 Blades of Woe.) Poisoner is a gimmic, put it on your dagger, and Stab Them!
Lockpicking, Speech: Level these, and don't spend a point on them. You can pick locks without the perks, and spend them somewhere else. I play the Radiant Loot system so well that I get all the Special Treasure I need without Crafting, and Investing in Speech just makes your stuff more expensive so the shopkeepers don't have enough money so you have to Invest in their shoppes. And, you have to waste a bunch of perks in Speech so you have to Invest in a bunch of skills a Thief has no use for to get up to 81. This is not what I call "Perfect." Also, the primary Motive for players to make all that money is to fund Crafting, which a thief doesn't need, because he steals what he needs. Ar you a Smith/Enchanter, or a Thief? Why are you so good a 2 Handed? Heavy Armor? How did you get those skill levels?
Magic: You want to play a Mage, or a Nightblade, then play one, and don't call them a "Perfect Thief." The perfect thief has no need of Magicka, just Luck. Since nobody's talked about anything but Skills, I thought I'd point out that Imperials make perfect Thieves. They don't have all the skills to start, but that evens out in the end, and they have Luck right there in their Abilities, not to mention a Power which can Calm a room, should you need it at low level. 1 Minute of Pacify in a 75 foot radius allows you to Backstab EVERYONE, the others will just watch you slaughter their friends one by one, and maybe Yawn unless someone else shows up. This gets your Sneak skill up quickly, not to mention some 1H experience until you unlock the more powerful perks.
Illusion: What for? Invisibility, I understand that, but it's not like this is a Unique effect. You have to join the College of Winterhold to get the Spelltome, (Even when you have to talk to Enthir, he meets you at the Inn so you don't have to cast your way past Faralda, both times.) So, do you want to be a Thief/Assassin, or do you want to be an Illusionist who steals/backstabs? You have 80 perk points, more than twice the ones I used, and ALL the magic you invested in was Illusion? How much Magicka do you need for 1 School. How many effects are you getting out of it? How many Illusion effects Can't you get from other Perks, Potions/Poisons, or Enchantments that come on Every stealth oriented armor set in the game? Answer, 1. Calm. If you can do without Calm, you can do the rest of the tree with the above build.
Which isn't to say that mine is Perfect, stop there, don't do anything else, the game ends before you reach level 40. There's plenty of room to grow, or expand from, add some perks to the weapon skills, maybe Restoration, or Alteration for Detect Spells, or Telekinesis is always fun. But that's everything you NEED, and nothing you don't. You can also easilly build it with just the skills you use and some to spare with Any race. An Altmer, who starts with all that at 15 can do it with even more leftover perks to sub-specialize in Illusion, for instance. Then, you wouldn't have to spend a single point on Magicka, ever if you can wait until you unlock Expert Illusion to cast Invisibility. (Until then, you can use Vampire Dust, Potions, the Shadow Stone, Shadocloak of Nocturnal... for the rare times you actually Need Invisibility, and Calm/Fury/Fear to control people, like making them run out of the room while you rob them blind, or calm, backstab, and calm for another backstab to grind up Illusion, Sneak, and 1H at the same time at a Very low level, when you don't have the skils for 0ne Hit Kills.
I will warn you, getting Pickpocket up from 15 is nigh impossible without paying a Trainer. You'll make plenty of money for that in the Thieves' Guild even without stealing, and fencing every thing you can get you red hands on.
