Yes skill is important, basically, all you have to do is keep and eye out for those little nooks in the landscape where smugglers hide. Loot those, deadric shrines, and dwemer ruins. They usually have some sweet stuff. A note though: I wouldnt go off looking for golden saints unless you have skill. They're tough for me and im level 72. They just have a lot of magick and they arent afraid to use it. Also, if your a skilled enouigh thief, you can raid the treasuries at the house cantons in Vivec. They have some cool swords. I found a glass clamore in the Hllalu one.
