Races of Skyrim: Benefits of Each Race

This Guide will help you identify what race will best suit you and your play style in Skyrim.

Introduction

This guide will identify what race will best suit you and your play style. Every race is good in its own way, I will tell you how you can play your character of the choosen race to the best of the races abilities.

I will cover main topics about each race. You will be able to see many important facts on start skill rates and more of each race.

These are the following races that will be covered in this guide:

- High elf
- Wood elf
- Breton
- Dark elf
- Imperial
- Khajit
- Nord
- Orc
- Redguard
- Argonian

Starting Skills By Race

This may get confusing, Steam won't let me add charts.

High elf

Smithing - 15
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 15
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 15
Archery - 15
Light Armor - 15
Sneak - 15
Lockpicking - 15
Pickpocket - 15
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 15
Illusion - 25
Conjuration - 20
Destruction - 20
Restoration - 20
Alteration - 20
Enchanting - 20

Argonian

Smithing - 15
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 15
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 15
Archery - 15
Light Armor - 20
Sneak - 20
Lockpicking - 25
Pickpocket - 20
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 15
Illusion - 15
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 15
Restoration - 20
Alteration - 20
Enchanting - 15

Wood elf

Smithing - 15
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 15
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 15
Archery - 25
Light Armor - 20
Sneak - 20
Lockpicking - 20
Pickpocket - 20
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 20
Illusion - 15
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 15
Restoration - 15
Alteration - 15
Enchanting - 15

Breton

Smithing - 15
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 15
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 15
Archery - 15
Light Armor - 15
Sneak - 15
Lockpicking - 15
Pickpocket - 15
Speech - 20
Alchemy - 20
Illusion - 20
Conjuration - 25
Destruction - 15
Restoration - 20
Alteration - 20
Enchanting - 15

Dark elf

Smithing - 15
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 15
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 15
Archery - 15
Light Armor - 20
Sneak - 20
Lockpicking - 15
Pickpocket - 15
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 20
Illusion - 20
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 25
Restoration - 15
Alteration - 20
Enchanting - 15

Imperial

Smithing - 15
Heavy Armor - 20
Block - 20
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 20
Archery - 15
Light Armor - 15
Sneak - 15
Lockpicking - 15
Pickpocket - 15
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 15
Illusion - 15
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 20
Restoration - 25
Alteration - 15
Enchanting - 20

Khajit

Smithing - 15
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 15
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 20
Archery - 20
Light Armor - 15
Sneak - 25
Lockpicking - 20
Pickpocket - 20
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 20
Illusion - 15
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 15
Restoration - 15
Alteration - 15
Enchanting - 15

Nord

Smithing - 20
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 20
Two-Handed - 25
One-Handed - 20
Archery - 15
Light Armor - 20
Sneak - 15
Lockpicking - 15
Pickpocket - 15
Speech - 20
Alchemy - 15
Illusion - 15
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 15
Restoration - 15
Alteration - 15
Enchanting - 15

Orc

Smithing - 20
Heavy Armor - 25
Block - 20
Two-Handed - 20
One-Handed - 20
Archery - 15
Light Armor - 15
Sneak - 15
Lockpicking - 15
Pickpocket - 15
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 15
Illusion - 15
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 15
Restoration - 15
Alteration - 15
Enchanting - 20

Redguard

Smithing - 20
Heavy Armor - 15
Block - 20
Two-Handed - 15
One-Handed - 20
Archery - 20
Light Armor - 15
Sneak - 15
Lockpicking - 15
Pickpocket - 15
Speech - 15
Alchemy - 15
Illusion - 15
Conjuration - 15
Destruction - 20
Restoration - 15
Alteration - 20
Enchanting - 15

Starting Spells By Race

High elf

- Healing
- Flames
- Fury

Argonian

-Healing
-Flames

Wood elf

-Healing
-Flames

Breton

-Healing
-Flames
-Conjure Familiar

Dark elf

-Healing
-Flames
-Sparks

Imperial

-Healing
-Flames

Khajit

-Healing
-Flames

Nord

-Healing
-Flames

Orc

-Healing
-Flames

Redguard

-Healing
-Flames

Unique Race Powers

You'll be able to use any power once a day, unless otherwise specified.

Orc

Berserker Rage - Take half damage and do double physical damage for 60 seconds.

Dark elf

Ancestor's Wrath - Surrounds the character in fire for 60 seconds.

Redguard

Adrenaline Rush - Regenerate stamina 10 times faster for 60 seconds.

Argonian

Histskin - Regenerate health 10 times faster for 60 seconds.

High elf

Highborn - Regenerate 25% of the character's maximum magicka per second for 60 seconds.

Imperial

Voice of the Emperor - Nearby people are Calmed for 30 seconds.

Nord

Battle Cry - Nearby enemies are Frightened for 30 seconds.

Wood elf

Command Animal - Make all surrounding animals your allies for 60 seconds

Khajiit

Night Eye - Improved Night Vision for 60 seconds (can be toggled multiple times per day.)

Breton

Dragonskin - Absorb 50% of magicka from all incoming spells for 60 seconds.

Unique Racial Effects

High elf: +50 Magicka
Argonian: 50% Disease Resistance, Waterbreathing
Wood elf: 50% Resistance to both Poison and Disease
Breton: 25% Resistance to Magic
Dark elf: 50% Resistance to Fire Damage
Imperial: Find more gold than usual
Khajiit: +15 Base Unarmed Damage
Nord: 50% Resistance to Frost Damage
Orc: none
Redguard: 50% Resistance to Poison

Conclusion

Thanks for checking out my guide! If you found it helpful please leave a rating, favourite and even a comment.

Check out some of my other Guides related to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim:

~ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Information on Houses!

Cheers ~Caypaks

[Bishop]

Meow meow meow Khajiit

[Jackbewitch]

Nord Female is best

[my name Tem lmao]

Orc:none
WHERE IS MY MAGIC RESISTANCE.
Thank Malacath for Mods.

[Sharmastyle]

Thumbs up and fav. Good guide thx man

[maverick7]

thanks :D

[†Médichôn†]

my favorite guide

[juaolmmun]

Thanks

[Tekk]

thanks for this very useful

[idc2hd]

Great job!!!

[maverick7]

Thanks :)