How do sneak attacks work on skyrim?

Question

I know that if you attack someone without them detecting you first it will count as a sneak attack and give you sneak exp and do at least x2 damage.

But there are so many times where Im in a dungeon, and I enter a new room and see enemies just standing around or otherwise patrolling, and they don't know Im there at all, I even crouch to check and the reticule is just a horizontal line, I pull out my bow and shoot an arrow straight into one of the far away guys backs, and yet I get no sneak attack message, and no bonus damage.

So I attacked him, and he didn't know I was there. What other sectret requirements for a sneak attack am I not doing? because it seems like a sneak attack to me.

I actually thought I was getting sneak attacks for the first like 25+ hours of gameplay this way, until I decided to attack a cow in town for no reason, and happened to be sneaking at the time, and I got the "Sneak attack 2x damage" message. Then I thought, "wait...Ive been doing sneak attacks this whole game...why have I never seen that message before? ****."

Can someone just explain to me in detail how sneak attacks work? Like if I sneak attack someone from a distance (with an arrow or a spell) and they start trying to find me, so Im still not detected yet, is every attack I hit them with until they actually discover me a sneak attack? or do I have to hide until Im hidden again, and then I can get another sneak attack in? Does the eye need to be completely shut?

Answer 1

I play Skyrim on PS3, I've played for over 900 hours, and I do a lot of sneak attacking. The eye needs to be completely shut, and you need to be in crouch (sneak mode) before you attack, even if they haven't noticed you yet. I pretty much stay in sneak mode most of the time, whenever I'm doing missions. Soon as you hit them, if you haven't killed them, they are going to start looking for you, as are their friends. You can hide (or stay hidden) until the "eye" closes again, then sneak attack again. I think it's sometimes possible for the "eye" to be ever so slightly open, or on it's way to closing, and you can get in another sneak attack, but in general, if they know someone is there and are actively looking for you, you can't do a sneak attack. Even if you drink an invisibility potion or use an invisibility spell, they can still hear you, unless you have Muffle, enchants or a really high sneak skill.



As your sneak skill improves, and if you have other sneaking bonuses (racial, vampire, enchants, potions, perks) you will be harder to spot in shadows or darkness. I've been crouched right in front of wispmothers, bandits, etc, and had them not see me, while I shot them with arrows. But that's with really high sneak and all the perks.



Something else to keep in mind: You must move slowly and wear light armor (or no armor) or else you will make noise and sneak attack might not work. Sometimes the act of drawing your weapon will alert them, so draw at a distance. Also, any followers you have with you might make noise, even if they're in "sneak" mode with you, and their noise can give you away.



See this link for other information about sneak attacks: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Sneak#Sneak_Attacks



There are sneak perks you need to get in the sneak skill in order to do more damage while sneaking:



Backstab: Sneak attacks with one-handed weapons now do six times damage.

Deadly Aim: Sneak attacks with bows now do three times damage.

Assassin's Blade: Sneak attacks with daggers now do a total of fifteen times normal damage.



I don't think sneak attack bonuses apply to spells, but I could be wrong. My 3rd character is a Breton mage and I generally don't bother being in sneak mode with her, because it doesn't seem to change the damage of her spells.

Answer 2

Keeping it simple, as long as you get the kill without alerting any other foe in the area, you are doing OK. True sneaking is moving without detection, this includes squatting still while the potential detector is moving around the Dragonborn.



http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Sneak

I have even found that once the Sneak skill points are around 50 to 70 the need for Sneak Enchantments is not needed. Form 6 games of using Sneak/Weapon enchantments, I have gone to Weapon/Carry with no appreciable change in combat effects.

Answer 3

You don't always get the bonus, if you're referring to that sound you hear when you deal a lot of damage during a sneak attack, that's for when you get a critical hit.

Answer 4

You have to be crouched and undetected while you attack for it to be a sneak attack.