The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion/Catalogs/Races

Argonian

In game history

Little is known and less is understood about the reptilian denizens of Black Marsh. Years of defending their borders have made the Argonians experts in guerilla warfare, and their natural abilities make them equally at home in water and on land. They are well-suited for the treacherous swamps of their homeland, and have developed natural immunities to the diseases and poisons that have doomed many would-be explorers into the region. Their seemingly expressionless faces belie a calm intelligence, and many Argonians are well-versed in the magical arts. Others rely on stealth or steel to survive, and their natural agility makes them adept at either. They are, in general, a reserved people, slow to trust and hard to know. Yet, they are fiercely loyal, and will fight to the death for those they have named as friends. Specials Skill Bonuses Notes Resist Disease (magnitude 75, constant), Resist Poison (magnitude 100, constant), Water Breathing (constant) Alchemy +5, Athletics +10, Blade +5, Hand-to-Hand +5, Illusion +5, Mysticism +5, Security +10 Weak skill bonuses and weak specials. Suitable only for lizard-lovers and certain role-playing concepts. Choose a male for a stealth combat role, a female for a spellcasting role.

Breton

In game history

Passionate and eccentric, poetic and flamboyant, intelligent and willful, the Bretons feel an inborn, instinctive bond with the mercurial forces of magic and the supernatural. Many great sorcerers have come out of their home province of High Rock, and in addition to their quick and perceptive grasp of spellcraft, enchantment, and alchemy, even the humblest of Bretons can boast a high resistance to destructive and dominating magical energies. Specials Skill Bonuses Notes Fortified Maximum Magicka (magnitude 50, constant), Resist Magicka (magnitude 50, constant), Shield (magnitude 50, duration 60 once a day) Alchemy +5, Alteration +5, Conjuration +10, Illusion +5, Mysticism +10, Restoration +10 Recommended for conservative, defensive spellcasters. Good, balanced package of specials. A Breton has marginally better attributes for a pure spellcaster role than the High Elf, which is slightly better suited for occasional melees.

Dark Elf

In game history

Dark Elves are the dark-skinned Elven peoples of the Eastern Empire. "Dark" is variously understood to mean "dark-skinned," "gloomy," and "ill-favored by fate." The Dunmer and their national character embrace these various connotations with enthusiasm. In the Empire, "Dark Elves" is the common usage, but in their Morrowind homeland, and among their Aldmeri brethren, they call themselves the "Dunmer". The dark-skinned, red-eyed Dark Elves combine powerful intellect with strong and agile physiques, producing superior warriors and sorcerers. On the battlefield, Dark Elves are noted for their skilled and balanced integration of swordsmen, marksmen, and war wizards. In character, they are grim, aloof, and reserved, distrusting and disdainful of other races. Specials Skill Bonuses Notes Summon Ghost (duration 60 once a day), Resist Fire (magnitude 75, constant) Athletics +5, Blade +10, Blunt +5, Destruction +10, Light Armor +5, Marksman +5, Mysticism +5 Recommended for battlemage roles. The summoned Ghost is a Level 1 creature, wimpy to start and useless as you raise levels, but the fire resistance is significant against annoy- ances like Scamps. Well-rounded but unexceptionable attributes.