Has there ever been a more difficult choice than selecting your race?
The fifth installment of the Elder Scrolls presents the player with ten playable races. Each race begins with a +10 boost to one skill and +5 to five others. The races also have special abilities reflecting the homelands they come from, and though every race has its unique charm, only one can be picked. In this article, we delve into the strengths and weaknesses of each race, the classes they’re good for, and the race you should choose for your next playthrough.
10. Bosmer (Wood Elf)
Incredible archers and one with nature, Bosmer are truly men of the hunt.
Nestled in the verdant forests of Valenwood, the southwestern province of Tamriel, the Bosmer built their humble homes and carried out their daily lives following the “Green Pact,” prohibiting them from destroying vegetation. The Bosmer’s devotion to Y’ffre, God of the Forest and Song, has granted them sympathy for and attachment to the natural world and its inhabitants. Quietly hunting prey within dense woodland areas from youth, the Bosmer are masterful archers and proficient at stealth.
With a starting skill bonus of +10 Archery and +5 Sneak, the Bosmer are brilliant at any thief- and assassin-related quests. However, the people of the forest find themselves last on this list due to their scarcely used ability, Command Animal. In my playthroughs with the race, I didn’t touch this ability once, opting instead for Conjure Familiar or Atronachs which lasted longer than the negligible 60 seconds. Their 50% resistance to disease and poison, however, proves to be especially useful in combat against vampires and frostbite spiders. Lastly, the starting skill level of 20 in Alchemy is only useful much later after traversing through Dwemer ruins and caves where potion items can be made.
In conclusion, the woodland elves may be excellent hunters in the forests of Valenwood but their abilities barely give them any advantages in the diverse combat situations encountered in Skyrim. For playthroughs seeking balanced gameplay, this race would be one of the latter options chosen. The only playstyle that would appreciate this vegan elven race would be one based around archery and combat from a distance.
Wood Elf (Bosmer) is great for:
- Archer - 25 Archery starting skill level provides them with an advantage with a bow, and 20 Alchemy allows poison arrows to be crafted sooner.
- Scout - +5 boost to light armor is advantageous as scouts wear armor that muffles sound, and +10 Archery boost allows a Bosmer scout to avoid engaging in direct combat.
- Assassin - targets can be neutralized from the distance as the Bosmer are excellent marksmen
- Thief - skill boost of +5 for light armor, lockpicking, sneak, and pickpocket matches the main skills used in the Thieves Guild
- Vampire/Werewolf Hunter - 50% resistance to disease and poison reduces their chances of being infected with Vampirism or Lycanthropy
- Apothecary/Alchemist - 20 Alchemy from start allows the Bosmer to have an advantage in all potion and poison crafting
9. Bretons
A Breton archer stands guard in one of Skyrim's many mines.
Hailing from the fertile soil of High Rock, the Bretons, also known as Manmeri, are Nedic-Elf hybrids with the magical abilities of the Aldmeri coursing through their veins. Embracing their Elven ancestry, Bretons use their magical affinity to hone their skills for its use in battle. The Bretons are especially known for the Mage’s Guild which has its roots in Glenumbra and Stormhaven.
Breton builds tend to center around their magical prowess and resistance to Magicka. Beginning the game with 25 Conjuration and 20 Illusion, Restoration, and Alteration, these true mages are the building blocks of Necromantic and Healing playstyles. Dragonskin enables the Manmeri to absorb 50% of Magicka from hostile spells for 60 seconds, an ability that is especially useful in the final chapters of the College of Winterhold questline. Combined with Lord Stone, Magic Resistance perk, and the Agent of Mara, Bretons can use their natural resistance to reach 85% resistance to magic leaving them impervious to an enemy mage’s attacks. The only drawback of their Dragonskin ability is that the Atronach Stone and Atronach perk renders it obsolete.
In my opinion, the completion of College of Winterhold’s quests at Master difficulty practically requires a Breton mage for their tremendous magic resistance and conjuration affinities. The Conjure Familiar ability, available to Bretons from the escape from Helgen, enables faster leveling through the Conjuration tree and quicker access to the more powerful summons.
Bretons are great for:
- Mage - enhanced resistance to magic, +10 Conjuration, and +5 Alteration, Illusion, and Restoration skill boosts present Bretons as advantageous beginnings for Mage builds
- Mage Assassin - +5 skill boost to Illusion magic and +10 to Conjuration allow Breton mages to perform assassinations as well using elusive spells such as Invisibility and Bound Dagger
- Battle Mage - Bretons advanced Conjuration magic allows them to conjure Bound Battleaxes, Atronachs, and Dremora Lords in open combat. Additionally, their magic resistance decreases damage taken by opposing mages. Lastly, Alteration and Restorative spells can be used for further protection in warlike situations.
- Bard - +5 boosts to Speech allow these characters to firmly ground themselves in quests related to the Bard’s College.
- Necromancer - starting boosts of +5 to Restoration and +10 to Conjuration allow Bretons to conjure familiars to deal great damage and then heal them from a safe distance.
- Healer - +5 boost to Restoration and magic absorption allows Bretons to enter combat with tank followers such as Kharjo or Uthgerd the Unbroken.
8. Dunmer (Dark Elf)
Illusory and destructive magic flows through the veins of Dunmer mages.
Beneath the violent ash storms that torrent Morrowind’s desolate, mountainous lands, the Dunmer strive to carry out their existence. With the unbearable heat from the bellicose Red Mountain volcano and the threatening ashfall, Dunmer warriors have become versatile and ferocious mages wielding fire and lightning. Many belonging to this oppressed race in Skyrim have taken refuge in the shadows, choosing to study their abilities at the College of Winterhold or using the art for assassination through the Dark Brotherhood.
The Dunmer are a versatile race able to stealthily stalk targets for assassination or burn their enemies in a flaming inferno with spell casting. Builds focused on masterful spellbinding can easily make use of the Dunmer race due to its 25 Destruction and 10 Light Armor starting skills and because they have Spark before any other race. Casting surges of lightning and flaming fireballs at Dovah, the Dunmer have also proven themselves to be excellent Dragon hunters with their innate ability of 50% resistance to fire. In my experience, with minor changes, this weathered race can be used in almost any playstyle. The only build type wherein the Dunmer offers no advantages would be heavy tank builds.
To conclude, the Dunmer race can be suited to any situation that’s most easily solved with stealth and magic. They present unimaginable expertise with Destruction magic which makes them a first choice to the College of Winterhold, and their proficiency in Sneak provides them with ample opportunity to excel in the Thieves Guild. Dark Elves vampires are also able to reverse the 50% weakness to fire felt by other races.
Dunmer are great for:
- Elemental Mage - +10 Destruction and +5 Illusion and Alteration skill boost offer an advantage to Dunmer mages from Helgen. +5 Light armor skill boost allows for use of mages robes early on. Sparks and Flames, and Ancestors Wrath available to Dunmer show their aptitude with elemental attacks.
- Assassin - 20 Sneak, Light Armor, and Illusion are useful for stalking prey while wearing Dark Brother garb. Ancestor’s Wrath is useful when their hiding location has been compromised. Their starting Alchemy of 20 can also be useful for poisons.
- Dragonhunter - Fire Resistance (50%) shields Dunmer warriors from a dragon’s fiery breath. +10 Destruction and early access to Sparks gives Dunmer hunters an advantage in magical attacks.
- Thief - 20 Light Armor, Illusion, and Sneak starting levels allow for quick completion of the starting Thieves Guild quests.
- Battle Mage - Dunmer have a natural inclination to magic-based combat with a +10 Destruction skill boost and 50% fire resistance, giving them greater damage and protection in battles. 20 Alchemy as a starting boost also provides a Dunmer Battle Mage with powerful potions earlier.
7. Imperial
Honorable and determined, Imperials are excellent soldiers.
With a mighty Imperial Legion and bustling, wealthy cities, the Imperial people have advanced themselves beyond the simple settlements and tribes of most other races. Imperials can be further divided into two ethnic variants, known as the Nibenese and the Colovians. The Empire, an Imperial governing system, demands law and order be the cornerstone of its influential leadership, and these qualities have filtered into the inhabitants of Cyrodiil. As trained warriors, the militant Imperial men lead in battle with fervent discipline and an iron will.
Beginning the game as an Imperial with 25 Restoration and 20 Block, Destruction, Enchanting, Heavy Armor, and One-handed, you’ll have a balanced foundation upon which a powerful build can be created. The skill boosts in Restoration and Destruction enable you to take your Cyrodilic character through the College of Winterhold while also being able to fend for yourself in open combat with skill boosts for Block, Heavy Armor, and One-handed. The Imperial Luck ability, which increases the amount of gold found by an Imperial, grants the race a permanent financial advantage that is especially helpful during quests related to the Thieves Guild. Further increasing their versatility, these sons and daughters of the Empire can use Voice of the Emperor to calm nearby humanoids for 60 seconds, allowing them to retreat and heal or deal extra damage to affected enemies.
In my experiences with the Imperial race, they can be used for any build from powerful mages to temperate generals. Their ability is especially useful because unlike Command Animal, possessed by the Bosmer, it can bring variety to combat as most of the enemies fought in Skyrim are humanoid. And who wouldn’t a little extra coin in their purse with Imperial Luck?
Imperials are great for:
- Warrior - trained in the armies of the Empire, their starting skills of 20 Block, Heavy Armor, and One-handed advance them in combat. The additional skill boosts of +10 Restoration and +5 Destruction allow these Warriors to balance magic and mettle.
- Spellsword - skill boosts to Heavy Armor, One-handed, and Destruction and 25 Restoration from the start allow Imperials to not only cast spells from the side but also engage enemies head-on.
- Thief - Imperial Luck enables them to find more gold when pickpocketing or searching chests, and Voice of the Emperor can be used when discovered by threatening guards
- Crusader - as knights with the powers of sorcery, Imperials have an even balance between magical attacks (+10 Restoration and +5 Destruction) and swordsmanship (+5 Heavy Armor, One-handed, and Block).
- Healer - 25 Restoration grants Imperials a gift for healing from the beginning of the game, and their +5 skill boosts to Block and Heavy Armor allows them to heal allies without sustaining great damage.
- Rogue - as deserters of the Empire, Rogue Imperials use Voice of the Emperor to calm their former allies while skill boosts to One-handed and Destruction grants them the power to destroy their newfound enemies.
6. Redguards
An Alik'r warrior remains alert as he patrols through a dark ruin.
Having conquered the vast expanse of Hammerfell, Redguard warriors are adept with a sword and shield and have acquired versatility from their training in the Alik’r Desert. By combining their mastery of the scimitar with destruction magic, these Redguard armies have truly proved themselves as being one of Tamriel’s most determined and disciplined. The Alik’r Warriors, a class of Redguard fighters, are hardened soldiers who have become proficient at combat in harsh desert conditions. Many Alik’r seamlessly fit in as scouts or adventurers.
As agile and acrobatic scimitar-wielding warriors, the people of Hammerfell can call on Adrenaline Rush to regenerate Stamina 10x faster for 60 seconds, allowing them to channel their energy and place more attacks in difficult situations. Weathered by the conditions of their harsh homeland, Redguards can resist up to 50% of poisons and diseases encountered. Their prowess as natural-born scouts is evident by their starting skill boosts of +10 One-handed and +5 Block and Archery. As desert mages, the Alik’r have sorcery scourging through their veins as all Redguards begin with 20 Destruction and Alteration.
In my playthroughs with Redguards, they offer sufficient skill boosts from varying skill trees enabling them to be used in a variety of hybrid builds. With starting boosts to One-handed and Block, the Alik’r warriors can slaughter countless enemies using their attacking skills in unison with Adrenaline Rush.
Redguards are great for:
- Warrior - +10 One-handed and +5 Archery and Block allows the desert warriors an advantage over other races in war. Additionally, Adrenaline Rush presents them with enough stamina to produce consistent charges of attacks when outnumbered.
- Spellsword - With skill boosts to One-handed, Archery, and block on the offensive and starting skills of 20 Destruction and Alteration, Redguard spellswords are almost evenly balanced.
- Archer - 20 Archery from the start enables Redguards to wield the bow as early as possible while also defending themselves in close combat with their +10 boost to One-handed and +5 boost to block.
- Beast hunter - with 50% resistance to poison and disease, Redguards and Bosmer are the most protected from Lycanthropy and Vampirism. Additionally, skill boosts to One-handed and Block grant them a great advantage in combat. Lastly, the Adrenaline Rush allows Redguards to counter the enhanced power and agility of Werewolf form or Vampire form.
- Scout - starting with 20 Archery and 25 One-handed, Redguards can easily balance attacking from a distance with combat at close quarters.
5. Argonians
Pouring forth streaks of lightning, this Argonian is a master of Destruction magic.
The land which Argonians call home is one through which most Nords or Imperials would trudge due to its dense marshlands and moist bogs. Black Marsh, home of the Hist, is also the home of this lizard beast folk. Argonians are experienced, guerrilla warriors highly adapted to combat in difficult situations such as the swamps that make up Black Marsh. In their youth, they also consume the sap of the Hist, a mysterious living organism that possesses a hive mind, which grants them enhanced abilities.
The Argonians are proficient at stealth and looting due to their starting advancements in Pickpocket, Light Armor, Lockpicking, and Sneak. Serving as the only race in possession of three special abilities, they can invoke the power of the Hist to regenerate health ten times faster for 60 seconds with Histskin, resist up to 50% of disease and poison, and breathe underwater indefinitely. This is impressive; however, the Waterbreathing special ability is hardly useful as not much of the game requires swimming or underwater exploration.
Argonians are excellent for any stealth-based builds due to their 20 Pickpocket, Sneak, and Alteration starting skills. Though not as magically inclined as High Elves, the Black Marsh lizards also have proficiency as mages with their +5 Alteration and Restoration skill boosts. My personal experience with Argonians usually sent me through the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood quests. The only great problem encountered with Argonians is their lack of starting boosts to combat or magical attack skills such as One-handed, Destruction, or Shield.
Argonians are great for:
- Mage - Argonians can be masterful mages from the beginning of the game by using and improving upon their +5 Alteration and Restoration skill boosts. Using a combination of The Atronach Stone and Histskin grants you a boost to Magicka absorption and health regeneration, which are useful for difficult enemies.
- Thief - As thieves, Argonians are the only race who can lockpick chests early due to their +10 Lockpicking skill boost. Using Thieves Guild armor, skill boosts to Light Armor and Sneak enable you to stealthily traverse through most quests. Lastly, the 20 Pickpocket starting boost enables you to begin your criminal career right from the start.
- Assassin - Similar to Khajiit, Argonians begin with skill boosts to stealth skill trees, making them great assassins. Argonian assassins are also able to use Histskin when discovered by enemies, allowing them to recover health as they evade detection.
- Mage Assassin - Argonians receive boosts to Sneak and Restoration, enabling them to stealthily kill their targets and heal themselves in tough situations.
- Adventurer - with 25 Lockpicking from the start and Waterbreathing, Argonian adventurers can treasure hunt underwater for an infinite amount of time and can get to chests in shipwrecks that wouldn’t be possible for any other race. As adventurers travel light, Argonians use their +5 Light armor skill boost to make the most of the leather cuirass and their 20 Sneak enables them to move through Draugr tombs undetected.
- Lusty Argonian Maid - hey, it’s a role only an Argonian can fill!
4. Altmer (High Elf)
Born of pure magical blood, Altmer mages are unmatched in battle.
Existing in the fabled archipelago of the Summerset Isles, the arrogant Altmer are an advanced race of elven wizards and warlords ruling over a picturesque island brimming with archaic towers, fruitful farmland, and cornucopian villages. Refined in matters related to the study of magic, politics, and science, the Altmer are ahead of most races in their thinking, combat, and governing methods. The Summerset Isles are currently governed by the Thalmor, an extremist paramilitary authority established under the First Aldmeri Dominion.
High Elves are the cornerstone of all magical builds due to their unblemished spellbound blood which grants them starting skills of 25 Illusion and 20 in all other branches of magic. These pompous elves can also call upon their ability of HighBorn once a day to receive greater Magicka regeneration for casting additional spells to defeat any mighty mage that just won’t die. Further cementing their place in magical builds, High Elves are born with +50 Magicka, a trait that can be further increased with Vampirism and the Necromage perk in Restoration.
Personally, High Elves are my expert choice for battlemages and sorcerer builds because their starting bonus of +50 Magicka allows you to focus on spending skill points elsewhere. Also, their starting skill boosts of +10 Illusion and +5 Conjuration, Alteration, Destruction, and Restoration provides a great advantage for using magic in the early stages of the game. Additionally, the starting spell of Fury only further makes the point that these arrogant elves deserve to be in a magical build.
Altmer are great for:
- Mage - they’re natural-born mages with two special attributes, Highborn and Fortify Magicka, focused solely on magic and all of their starting bonuses are Magicka related. Using Necromage perk and the abilities related to vampirism, Fortify Magicka can be increased from +50 to +62 starting Magicka.
- Nightblade - +10 Illusion and beginning with Fury allow High Elves to undertake the role of assassin with magical qualities aiding them in battle. Additionally, a +5 skill boost to Conjuration allows bound weapons to be accessed earlier.
- Battlemage - faster Magicka regeneration once a day and a starting boost of +50 Magicka allow these mages to engage in open combat and annihilate their enemies using their Destruction and Restoration skill boosts.
- Healer - High Elves can make use of their +5 Restoration skill boost and Highborn ability to regenerate Magicka and consistently heal surrounding allies.
3. Nord
Staring coldly into the face of war, Nords fear nothing.
Flourishing in the mountainous and fertile region wherein the game takes place, the Nords are Skyrim’s citizens. Nordic roots, however, can be traced to the Atmora in Ehlnofex, a region smitten with biting frost and permanent winter. Adaptation to the frozen territory gave rise to the Nord’s impressive resistance to frost. Adventurers at heart and emboldened by Nordic family values of honor, Nords settled in Skyrim led by Ysgramor, leader of the Five Hundred Companions. Most of Skyrim’s true citizens find themselves either captaining ships or fighting within the ranks of the Stormcloaks.
Built for battle, the Nords are a classic choice for those inclined to warrior or soldier playstyles. Incorporating the +10 Two-handed and +5 Block, Light Armor, and One-handed skill boosts with weapons such as Wuuthrad and Gauldur Blackblade can result in powerful Nordic characters with true lore integration. The Nords also possess Resist Frost granting them 50% resistance to frost damage. This ability is superior to other races as most mages encountered early on use frost spells and it proves to be useful further in the game as some dragons rely heavily on frost attacks.
In my playthroughs, Nords have been a staple choice for a balanced character that can be used up to Master difficulty with no problems. The Nords ability of Battle Cry, which sends targets fleeing for 30 seconds, is also useful in escaping difficult battles early in the game. The only disadvantage of the Nordic skill boosts and abilities is that they present no usefulness in Mage or Sorceror builds which prefer High Elves or Dunmer.
Nords are great for:
- Warrior - Nords begin with skill boosts of +10 to Two-handed and +5 Block, Light Armor, and One-handed, skills which are all essential to a well-rounded warrior. Additionally, the 20 Smithing from start allows a warrior build to create the weapons he uses.
- Barbarian - Equipped with Battle Cry which sends enemies fleeing and skill boosts to both One-handed and Two-handed, Nordic barbarians are skilled in battle and proficient with battleaxes as well as swords and maces.
- Knight - 25 Two-handed enables Nords to wield greatswords early in the game. +5 Speech and Battle Cry bring further immersion into a Nordic Knight as he sends his foes fleeing and can convince and command others in battle.
- Scout - Nordic scouts use their skill boosts in Light Armor and One-handed to give them an advantage in the battle with weapons and armor that call for stamina and agility.
- Wanderer - relying on their trusted sword and leather armor, Nords have an advantage with their starting bonuses to One-handed and Light Armor. Additionally, Battle Cry can be useful when the pilgrim is attacked by roaming bandits.
- Rogue - having turned away from the Stormcloaks, the rogue crafts his own weapons and skill boosts to Smithing aid in that. Battle Cry quickly disbands his former allies when encountered and his proficiency with a mace or battleax is shown by early boosts to One-handed and Two-handed.
2. Orsimer (Orc)
Nothing can get past these muscular warriors!
The metal clang of a heavy hammer striking molten metal into a sharp weapon reverberates through the mountainous peaks of Wrothgar, the home of the Orsimer. In Skyrim, the Orsimer remain honest to their origins and are a powerful race that primarily remain within their secluded settlements and carry out lives revolving around mining and blacksmithing. In battle, these towering combatants rely on brute force and blatant anger to strike fear into the wise and obliterate those foolish enough to fight them.
Starting with 25 Heavy Armor and 20 Block, One-handed, and Two-handed, Orsimer provide the greatest starting boost for Tank and heavy weaponry builds. This race also offers a starting boost of +5 to Smithing, allowing you to start building your heavy armor and weapons from the beginning of the game. Calling upon their powerful anger, Orsimer can enter a trance-like state called Berserker Rage in which half damage is taken and double damage is dealt. Using this rage ability, this race can deal out unimaginable damage with enchanted weapons such as the Drainblood Battleaxe or Soulrender and Bloodscythe. Additionally, the +5 skill boosts to One-handed and Two-handed allow Orsimer characters to wield any weapon from maces to battleaxes found early in the game.
In my experience with Orsimer, they’re a focused race that has the greatest advantage in builds centered around specific weapons and heavy armor variants. Using them in magical quests is also possible as the lack of magical protection felt by Orsimer can also easily be fixed using The Lord Stone east of Morthal which grants 50 points of damage resistance and 25% magic resistance. Lastly, using the boost to enchanting allows you to place Destruction enchantments such as Fire and Frost or the bloodthirsty variants such as Absorb Stamina and Health from early on in the game.
Orsimer are great for:
- Warrior - “No one bests an Orc” rings true as they begin with a boost to every skill needed in a warrior’s arsenal, Two-handed, One-handed, Block, and Heavy armor. Berserker Rage is undeniably useful in almost every battle encountered in the game.
- Spellsword - adept with swords, shields, and heavy armor, Orsimer spellswords find their +10 Heavy Armor and +5 One-handed and block to be highly advantageous. First by using the Mage Stone to learn all magic skills 20% faster and then switching to The Atronach Sword to acquire 50 Magicka and 50% spell allows spells to be wielded alongside their already powerful combat weapons.
- Knight - Completely adorned in steel heavy armor and wielding an Ancient Nord Greatsword, Orsimer Knights use Berserker Rage in war to strike their opponents out of existence while also taking minimal damage. Orcs receive +10 Heavy armor and +5 Two-handed skill boosts which are crucial to any Knight’s combat style.
- Tank - this classic class sees Orsimer using their Heavy Armor, Two-handed, and Block skill boosts to start the game with a fair balance between great protection and a mighty offense. Orc Tanks deal the most damage in the game thanks to Berserker Rage.
1. Khajiit
A Khajiit huntress uses stealth and agility to outwit her opponents.
In the deserts of Anequina, North of Elsweyr, nomadic Khajiit tribesmen became adept at fighting under tormenting conditions and surviving off what the land had to offer. Alternatively, agile and nimble Khajiit adapted to the jungles of Pelletine are found in Southern Elsweyr where an aristocracy centered around Moon Sugar plantations was established. Adept at archery, scouting, stealth, and agility, the Khajiit found in Skyrim are an amalgamation of the two divisions found back in their homeland. Incorrectly viewed as pickpockets and sly merchants, most Khajiit reside either outside city walls in caravans or beneath Riften as professional thieves.
In my opinion, Khajiit are the most well-balanced race that is available in Skyrim. With +10 Sneak and +5 Pickpocket and Lockpicking, these felines are essential for stealth builds, however, they also receive starting skills of 20 Archery and One-handed, enabling them to be used in close or distant combat as well. And with 20 Alchemy from the beginning, Khajiit can craft a wider variety of potions before any other race. The special abilities available to this race, Night Eye and Claws, are useful throughout the game with Claws being specifically applicable in the Morthal Quest, No One Escapes Cidhna Mine. Night Eye, allowing them to see in the dark for an unlimited amount of time, proves its use in almost every tomb and crypt.
At Master difficulty when most builds struggle, Khajiit stealth archers can complete most quests with relative ease because of the overpowered damage dealt by a sneak attack coupled with Auriel’s Bow and Dragonbone arrows. Additionally, their feline skill set perfectly matches the necessities of two of Skyrim’s major factions, the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood.
Khajiit are great for:
- Thief - with impressive +10 Sneak and +5 Lockpicking and Pickpocket skill boosts, Khajiit make perfect thieves from the start of the game. Additionally, when sneaking in darkness, Night Eye grants them a clear advantage over other races.
- Assassin - Khajiit can stealthily neutralize enemies from the beginning of the game using their starting advancements in Sneak and One-handed. Their proficiency in alchemy, evident from a 20 starting skill boost, allows them to produce powerful poisons and potions. Lastly, as bow-wielding assassins, Khajiit can use Night Eye to achieve headshots with sneak damage.
- Brawler - Slashing the throats of opponents with their special ability Claws, Khajiit deal 22 unarmed damage, identical to that of Ebony Greatswords. Combining their menacing claws with Gloves of the Pugilist obtained in The Ratway and/or the Fists of Steel perk from the Heavy armor skill tree, Khajiit can practically finish the game without touching a weapon or spell.
- Archer - Khajiit archers use their +10 skill boost to Sneak for powerful sneak damage and by starting with 20 Archery, they’re proficient archers from the stealthy bear kill beneath Helgen.
- Scout - Khajiit are stealthy scouts, using their starting proficiency in Sneak and Lockpicking to explore enemy camps unannounced and discover details about how to approach combat situations.
- Acrobat - the nimble felines blend perfectly into the lore of this class. Additionally, their 25 Sneak and 20 One-handed starting skills prove them to be skilled at stealth and open combat. Claws can further be used for unarmed acrobatic characters.
- Monk - adorned in light mage robes and relying on alteration spells and stealthy takedowns, Khajiit are perfectly balanced for this class. They have skill boosts in One-handed and Alchemy allowing for use of a sword or mace with potions to deal extra damage. Lastly, Jzargo, a wizard from the College of Winterhold, can be enlisted as a follower for further immersion.
- Nomad - Staying true to Elder Scrolls lore, Khajiit are nomadic people who traverse the lands of Skyrim in caravans. Their skill boosts to Sneak, Lockpicking, and Archery enables them to enter major cities and stealthily loot supplies for their journey.
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