Summary
Choosing a race from a selection during character creation is a staple of RPGs, andThe Elder Scrollsseries is no different. Different race options often offer different benefits, such as unique spells or resistance to different types of magic.Skyrim’s race system offered similar decisions but was limited in that, as the Dragonborn progressed through the game and leveled up, the race bonus gradually became redundant.The Elder Scrolls Onlineoffers a different racial skill systemthat unlocks as the player character levels up. This is a system that is more rewarding, and it keeps racial benefits relevant.
The advantages of racial skills that are introduced at later character levels are that they keep the racial class decision relevant for gameplay, add to strategic builds, improve replayability, and reward the player for progressing further. This is particularly useful for a game likeThe Elder Scrolls Online, butThe Elder Scrolls 6can take this even further by taking the best parts of this system and making them more robust, with better benefits that hit harder for each race.
Racial Skills in The Elder Scrolls Online and Adapting Them for TES 6
Racial Skills in The Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls 6could adoptThe Elder Scrolls Online’s system of racial skillsthat uses a leveling system, rather than sticking toSkyrim’s system. There are a number of ways it could do this that depend on its leveling system. Overall,The Elder Scrolls 6would benefit from a system where racial benefits develop and grow with the characters as they level up. While some may prefer a system where a racial choice is more of an aesthetic and lore choice, lore and game mechanics can be integrated together seamlessly and, when it’s done well, can be more rewarding for both role-playing and gameplay.
The Cons of the ESO Racial Skills System
Racial skills forThe Elder Scrolls Online, however, also tend to suffer the same problem where they become irrelevant when the player character reaches a certain level, although thisplateau happens later in-game than inSkyrim. This is because racial passives are overcome with other components such as items and abilities. While this effect may only happen far later than otherThe Elder Scrollsgames likeSkyrim, it still kicks in, to the point where racial passives ultimately become pointless unless the player is dedicated to min/maxing their character.
Implementing a New Racial Skill System in The Elder Scrolls 6
IfThe Elder Scrolls 6wants to keep racial benefits relevant for longer, Bethesda could take inspiration fromThe Elder Scrolls Online’s racial passive system and make improvements, rather than merely copying it. More robust racial benefits would make picking a racial option more significant, and affect gameplay further down the line. The racial passives would also need to be balanced, so that every race has a passive that’s valuable at every level of gameplay, thus making every build viable.
As well as giving the player access to better skills at later parts of the game because of their decisions,givingThe Elder Scrolls 6more robust racial skillscould also improve replayability and would encourage players to create new characters of different races and with different builds. Rewarding players for exploration doesn’t have to be limited to the in-game world and can begin with character creation.
The Elder Scrolls Online
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience an ever-expanding story across all of Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls Online, an award-winning fantasy RPG. Explore a rich, living world with friends or embark upon a solo adventure.Ultimate freedom—Create your ultimate RPG character, play solo or adventure with friends, and determine your fate in an ever-expanding world. With no level restrictions, go anywhere at any time in a truly open world.Choose your adventure—Begin your adventure where you like: emerge from Coldharbour in the Base Game, battle Dragons in the Elsweyr Chapter, or get ready to face the Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, in Blackwood. All content is accessible for new players, and you can switch adventures whenever you like.
