Character creation starts as you step off the boat in Morrowind. The process is fairly long and complicated, consisting of 10 possible races, 13 star signs to be born under, and 22 available classes to choose from, including a completely custom class you can build from scratch. And that's not even delving into the slew of character skills and attributes that will come into play.
If you need help sorting out your identity before embarking on your adventures as the Nerevarine across Morrowind, we've got you covered with explanations of all the character-building elements.
The Races
As soon as you set foot on the docks in Morrowind, you will be asked about your race and gender. Your race will determine any special skills, and class predilections you may inherit, along with inborn attributes and skill bonuses.
While you'll likely choose whichever gender you wish regardless, it's important to keep in mind that the genders differ in their attribute values with some races. As a precedent, each attribute's median value for a given race is 40, so attribute deficiencies are considered to be anything below the 40 mark. At the same time, proficiencies are deemed as anything higher than that mark. The attributes that do not fall under proficiencies or deficiencies have been excluded from these charts to better highlight the races' specialties, but the omitted attributes still hold the median value of 40 for the given race.
Altmer (High Elf)
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+10 Alchemy |
30 Strength |
+10 Enchant |
30 Speed (for males) |
+10 Destruction |
30 Endurance (for females) |
+5 Alteration |
50% weakness to incoming magical attacks. |
+5 Conjuration |
50% weakness to fire damage. |
+5 Illusion |
25% weakness to frost damage. |
50 Intelligence |
25% weakness to shock damage |
150% bonus Magicka |
|
75% resistance to common diseases |
Special Abilities
None
Bosmer (Wood Elf)
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+15 Marksman |
30 Willpower |
+10 Light Armor |
30 Endurance |
+10 Sneak |
30 Strength |
+5 Acrobatics |
|
+5 Alchemy |
|
50 Agility |
|
50 Speed |
|
75% resistance to common diseases. |
Special Abilities
- The "Beast Tongue" power enables them to command creatures for 10 minutes at a time.
Dunmer (Dark Elf)
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+10 Destruction |
30 Personality |
+10 Short Blade |
30 Willpower |
+5 Marksman |
30 Endurance (for females |
+5 Light Armor |
|
+5 Athletics |
|
+5 Mysticism |
|
75% resistance to fire. |
Special Abilities
- The "Ancestor Guardian" power grants +50 points of Sanctuary for 1 minute.
Orsimer (Orc)
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+10 Block |
35 Agility |
+10 Armorer |
30 Speed |
+10 Medium Armor |
30 Intelligence (for males) |
+10 Heavy Armor |
30 Personality (for males) |
+5 Axe |
25 Personality (for females) |
50 Endurance |
|
50 Willpower (for females) |
|
45 Willpower (for males) |
|
45 Strength |
|
25% resistance against magical attacks |
Special Abilities
- The "Berserk" power fortifies 20 points of health, 200 points of fatigue, and 100 points of attack at the cost of draining 100 points of Agility. These effects last for 1 minute.
Argonian
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+15 Athletics |
30 Willpower (for males) |
+5 Spear |
30 Personality |
+5 Medium Armor |
30 Endurance |
+5 Unarmored |
|
+5 Alchemy |
|
+5 Illusion |
|
+5 Mysticism |
|
50 Agility (for males) |
|
50 Speed (for males) |
|
50 Intelligence (for females) |
|
100% Poison resistance |
|
75% resistance to common diseases. |
Special Abilities
- Argonians can breathe underwater for two minutes by casting a spell costing only 5 Magicka.
NOTE: Argonians cannot equip footwear or the majority of headwear found in Morrowind.
Khajiit
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+15 Acrobatics |
30 Willpower |
+5 Athletics |
30 Strength (for females) |
+5 Light Armor |
30 Endurance (for males) |
+5 Short Blade |
|
+5 Hand-to-Hand |
|
+5 Security |
|
+5 Sneak |
Special Abilities
- The "Eye of Fear" power causes 100 points of demoralization to humanoid targets for 30 seconds.
- The "Eye of Night" spell grants them 50 additional Night Eye points to see in the dark for 30 seconds.
NOTE: Like Argonians, Khajiit cannot wear footwear or most pieces of headwear due to their beastly features.
Breton
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+10 Conjuration |
30 Endurance |
+10 Retoration |
30 Strength (for females) |
+10 Mysticism |
30 Agility |
+5 Illusion |
30 Speed (for males) |
+5 Alteration |
|
+5 Alchemy |
|
50 Willpower |
|
50 Intelligence |
|
50% bonus Magicka |
|
50% resistance against magical attacks |
Special Abilities
- The "Dragonskin" power acts as a +50 point shield for 1 minute.
Imperial
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+10 Long Blade |
30 Agility |
+10 Speechcraft |
30 Speed |
+10 Mercantile |
30 Willpower for males |
+5 Light Armor |
|
+5 Hand-to-Hand |
|
+5 Blunt weapon |
|
50 Personality |
Special Abilities
- The "Star of the West" power absorbs 200 points of fatigue from targets.
- The "Voice of the Emporer" power subjects targets to 25-50 points of Charm for 50 seconds.
Nord
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+10 Medium Armor |
30 Agility |
+10 Axe |
30 Personality |
+10 Blunt Weapon |
30 Intelligence |
+5 Spear |
|
+5 Long Blade |
|
+5 Heavy Armor |
|
50 Strength |
|
50 Endurance (for males) |
|
50 Willpower (for females) |
|
100% resistance to frost damage. |
|
50% resistance to shock damage. |
Special Abilities
- The "Thunder Fist" power inflicts a target with 25 points of frost damage upon touch.
- The "Woad" power creates a 30 point shield for 1 minute.
Redguard
Proficiencies |
Deficiencies |
---|---|
+15 Long Blade |
30 Willpower |
+5 Axe |
30 Intelligence |
+5 Blunt Weapon |
30 Personality |
+5 Heavy Armor |
|
+5 Medium Armor |
|
+5 Athletics |
|
+5 Short Blade |
|
50 Endurance |
|
50 Strength (for males) |
|
75% resistance to poison damage. |
|
75% resistance to common diseases. |
Special Abilities
- The "Adrenaline Rush" power fortifies 50 points of Agility, Endurance, Speed, Strength, and 25 points of Health for 1 minute.
Classes
Classes determine further specializations for your character and truly begin to hone in on your preferred playstyle, so choose wisely. Classes are made up of different major and minor skills, which set them apart from the other classes and decide your character's core skillset.
The important difference between major and minor skills is major skills progress faster than minor skills, making them easier to level up and thus making their corresponding attributes and the character themselves level up quicker. If a skill isn't labeled as major or minor, it is considered a miscellaneous skill. Leveling up those skills will not count towards the 10 skill points required to level up your character.
Acrobat
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Acrobatics |
Speechcraft |
Athletics |
Light Armor |
Sneak |
Hand-to-Hand |
Marksman |
Spear |
Unarmored |
Alteration |
Agent
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Acrobatics |
Block |
Speechcraft |
Mercantile |
Sneak |
Unarmored |
Light Armor |
Conjuration |
Short Blade |
Illusion |
Archer
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Athletics |
Sneak |
Block |
Restoration |
Light Armor |
Unarmored |
Marksman |
Medium Armor |
Long Blade |
Spear |
Assassin
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Acrobatics |
Athletics |
Sneak |
Block |
Short Blade |
Long Blade |
Marksman |
Security |
Light Armor |
Alchemy |
Barbarian
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Axe |
Acrobatics |
Blunt Weapon |
Light Armor |
Block |
Unarmored |
Medium Armor |
Marksman |
Athletics |
Armorer |
Bard
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Alchemy |
Mercantile |
Acrobatics |
Security |
Speechcraft |
Medium Armor |
Block |
Enchant |
Long Blade |
Illusion |
Battlemage
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Alteration |
Alchemy |
Conjuration |
Enchant |
Destruction |
Mysticism |
Axe |
Marksman |
Heavy Armor |
Long Blade |
Spells |
Effects |
---|---|
"Bound Dagger" |
Conjuration spell, binding a dagger to your character for 1 minute. |
"Shield" |
Alteration spell, activating a shield around your character for 30 seconds. |
"Summon Ancestral Ghost" |
Conjuration spell, summoning a ghost to fight assailants for 1 minute. |
"Fire Bite" |
Destruction spell, inflicting target with fire damage for 15-30 seconds upon touch. |
"Water Walking" |
Alteration spell, enabling your character to walk, run, and jump on water. |
Crusader
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Destruction |
Alchemy |
Block |
Restoration |
Heavy Armor |
Hand-to-Hand |
Blunt Weapon |
Armorer |
Long Blade |
Medium Armor |
Spell
- "Fire Bite" - Destruction spell, inflicting target with fire damage for 15-30 seconds upon touch.
Healer
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Alteration |
Alchemy |
Restoration |
Illusion |
Mysticism |
Unarmored |
Speechcraft |
Light Armor |
Hand-to-Hand |
Blunt Weapon |
Spells |
Effects |
---|---|
"Hearth Heal" |
Restoration spell, restoring your character's health by 20-80 points. |
"Water Walking" |
Alteration spell, enabling your character to walk, run, and jump on water. |
"Detect Creature" |
Mysticism spell, enabling your character to detect all beings with a spirit up to 50-150 feet from the character for 5 seconds. |
"Shield" |
Alteration spell, activating a shield around your character for 30 seconds. |
Knight
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Speechcraft |
Armorer |
Block |
Medium Armor |
Heavy Armor |
Enchant |
Axe |
Mercantile |
Long Blade |
Retoration |
Mage
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Alteration |
Alchemy |
Destruction |
Enchant |
Restoration |
Unarmored |
Illusion |
Conjuration |
Mysticism |
Short Blade |
Spells |
Effects |
---|---|
"Hearth Heal" |
Restoration spell, restoring your character's health by 20-80 points. |
"Shield" |
Alteration spell, activating a shield around your character for 30 seconds. |
"Sanctuary" |
Illusion spell, granting a 10 point increase to evasion of all attack types save magic for 30 seconds. |
"Chameleon" |
Illusion spell, making your character invisible for 30 seconds. |
"Detect Creature" |
Mysticism spell, enabling your character to detect all beings with a spirit up to 50-150 feet from the character for 5 seconds. |
"Water Walking" |
Alteration spell, enabling your character to walk, run, and jump on water. |
"Fire Bite" |
Destruction spell, inflicting target with fire damage for 15-30 seconds upon touch. |
Monk
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Acrobatics |
Restoration |
Athletics |
Light Armor |
Sneak |
Marksman |
Hand-to-Hand |
Blunt Weapon |
Unarmored |
Block |
Night Blade
Major Skills |
Minors Skills |
---|---|
Sneak |
Security |
Short Blade |
Marksman |
Alteration |
Light Armor |
Mysticism |
Unarmored |
Illusion |
Destruction |
Spells |
Effects |
---|---|
"Chameleon" |
Illusion spell, making your character invisible for 30 seconds. |
"Detect Creature" |
Mysticism spell, enabling your character to detect all beings with a spirit up to 50-150 feet from the character for 5 seconds. |
"Water Walking" |
Alteration spell, enabling your character to walk, run, and jump on water. |
"Sanctuary" |
Illusion spell, granting a 10 point increase to evasion of all attack types save magic for 30 seconds. |
"Shield" |
Alteration spell, activating a shield around your character for 30 seconds. |
"Fire Bite" |
Destruction spell, inflicting target with fire damage for 15-30 seconds upon touch. |
Pilgrim
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Speechcraft |
Alchemy |
Mercantile |
Illusion |
Marksman |
Hand-to-Hand |
Medium Armor |
Short Blade |
Restoration |
Block |
Rogue
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Mercantile |
Athletics |
Short Blade |
Speechcraft |
Hand-to-Hand |
Medium Armor |
Light Armor |
Block |
Axe |
Long Blade |
Scout
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Athletics |
Alchemy |
Sneak |
Alteration |
Block |
Unarmored |
Medium Armor |
Light Armor |
Long Blade |
Marksman |
Sorcerer
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Alteration |
Illusion |
Conjuration |
Marksman |
Destruction |
Short Blade |
Mysticism |
Medium Armor |
Enchant |
Heavy Armor |
Spells |
Effects |
---|---|
"Water Walking" |
Alteration spell, enabling your character to walk, run, and jump on water. |
"Detecting Creature" |
Mysticism spell, enabling your character to detect all beings with a spirit up to 50-150 feet from the character for 5 seconds. |
"Shield" |
Alteration spell, activating a shield around your character for 30 seconds. |
"Summon Ancestral Ghost" |
Conjuration spell, summoning a ghost to fight assailants for 1 minute. |
"Bound Dagger" |
Conjuration spell, binding a dagger to your character for 1 minute. |
"Fire Bite" |
Destruction spell, inflicting target with fire damage for 15-30 seconds upon touch. |
Spellsword
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Alteration |
Alchemy |
Destruction |
Enchant |
Restoration |
Medium Armor |
Block |
Axe |
Long Blade |
Blunt Weapon |
Spells |
Effects |
---|---|
"Water Walking" |
Alteration spell, enabling your character to walk, run, and jump on water. |
"Hearth Heal" |
Restoration spell, restoring your character's health by 20-80 points. |
"Shield" |
Alteration spell, activating a shield around your character for 30 seconds. |
"Fire Bite" |
Destruction spell, inflicting target with fire damage for 15-30 seconds upon touch. |
Thief
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Acrobatics |
Athletics |
Sneak |
Hand-to-Hand |
Security |
Marksman |
Light Armor |
Mercantile |
Short Blade |
Speechcraft |
Warrior
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Athletics |
Armor |
Block |
Axe |
Medium Armor |
Blunt Weapon |
Heavy Armor |
Marksman |
Long Blade |
Spear |
Witchhunter
Major Skills |
Minor Skills |
---|---|
Alchemy |
Unarmored |
Enchant |
Mysticism |
Conjuration |
Sneak |
Light Armor |
Block |
Marksman |
Blunt Weapon |
Spells |
Effects |
---|---|
"Summon Ancestral Ghost" |
Conjuration spell, summoning a ghost to fight assailants for 1 minute. |
"Bound Dagger" |
Conjuration spell, binding a dagger to your character for 1 minute. |
The Adventurer
This is the game's custom class in which you get to hand-select each major and minor skill, guiding attributes, and a specialization in combat, magic, or stealth.
Class Selection methods
You can choose between three methods to select a class.
- Take a short quiz to generate a pre-set Class based on your answers.
- Give the notary your information, which allows you to select one of the pre-set classes yourself.
- "Fill out forms" yourself to make a custom class.
Birthsigns
The stars guide the citizens of Tamriel just as much as their racial origins and chosen paths of expertise. We've compiled the entire lineup and some quick tips below, but for a more detailed rundown, be sure to scope out our explanation of every birthsign and their recommended builds.
The Apprentice & The Atronach
The Apprentice and The Atronach are powerful magic signs, though they have some severe setbacks when not used properly. While The Apprentice has a strong aptitude for the arcane arts, those born under this sign are also extremely susceptible to magical attacks, making it suitable for a glass cannon playstyle.
Similarly, The Atronach has a vast Magicka reserve but cannot restore that deep pool of power on its own. While both of these signs can be incredibly powerful with shortcomings that can be easily compensated, they're probably not for beginners.
The Mage & The Ritual
The Mage or The Ritual signs are recommended for those magically inclined who are new to Morrowind or The Elder Scrolls franchise in general. The Mage is a cut and dry magical sign that bestows a 50% multiplier to the Magicka stoors of those born under it.
The Ritual specializes more on the side of necromancy with perks that boost the player's ability to turn the undead. They can also easily replenish their own vitality.
The Lord & The Tower
The Lord and The Tower are more battle-prone mage signs. Though it can't compare with the magicka stores of The Atronach, those born under The Lord would make good Sorcerers or Battlemages with the Willpower attribute egging them towards destruction magic and an inborn ability for self-restoration.
The Tower is a more opportunistic sign, though still magically inclined. With a nose that can sniff out enchantments, keys, and anything with a spirit coupled with a masterful pick locking ability, these individuals make adept Sorcerers or Nightblades.
The Lady, The Lover, & The Thief
The Lady, The Lover, and The Thief are all attuned to the more covert or wily classes such as Thieves, Bards, Agents, or even Healers. The Thief and The Lady are governed by Personality, meaning they rely heavily on charm and wit as their means to an end. The difference is that The Thief has a special tenacity for evading attacks, making it slightly more adept in combat if a scheme goes wrong.
The Lover is governed by Agility, which makes these individuals natural escape artists as well, though it gives them a predilection for Marksmanship too.
The Serpent & The Steed
Those born under The Serpent sign would make deft Nightblades or Spellswords with their poison ability governed by the magically inclined Willpower attribute. Those with the birthsign of The Steed would also make for apt Nightblades, but any class relying on speed is a good fit as well, such as the Thief, Scout, or Assassin. Additionally, they could serve as a more agile breed of Warrior.
The Shadow
The Shadow is a beneficial generalist sign, aiding a wide array of classes in their endeavors to keep out of sight with its invisibility perk. Paths including Thieves, Nightblades, Archers, Acrobats, or even Monks can benefit from the impenetrable stealth abilities of The Shadow birthsign.
The Warrior
The Warrior is another multifaceted birthsign that bestows an extra 10 points of attack power to those born under it. Aside from the obvious pairing with the Warrior class, this sign could bolster several others such as Crusaders, Knights, Healers, Pilgrims, and more. Really, any class outside of the arcane arts you want to make a more heavy-hitting build for can benefit from The Warrior birthsign.
Skills and Attributes
Skills and Attributes are an important part of creating your character, especially if you've chosen the path of a unique Adventurer and are assembling all of your abilities from scratch. However, this convoluted ability system takes a great deal of explanation within itself and is an ongoing building process as you level up. Because of this, we have crafted a separate Beginners Guide To The Skills And Attributes System to suit your needs better.
If you just need a quick refresher, then here you go. Attributes are divided into primary and secondary attributes. Secondary Attributes mainly apply across the board, while Primary Attributes are more build-specific by enhancing and being enhanced by different skillsets and classes. Skills are governed by certain primary attributes and are split up into major, minor, and miscellaneous roles, depending on which class you choose. The three major gameplay styles further classify them: Warrior, Mage, and Thief, though these are primarily to hint at what classes they are best suited for.
Below is a list of the primary and secondary attributes, with a sublist of skills under the primary attributes they are governed by and organized by their best-used playstyle.
Primary Attributes
Strength
Strength assists with a character's general fitness, boosting health, encumbrance, and fatigue, along with making them heavier hitters with melee and ranged assaults. It's primarily an attribute of the combative classes such as Warriors, Knights, and Crusaders. It holds sway over Acrobatics as well, which is a skill honed by many stealth classes.
Governed Skills:
- Long Blade (Combat)
- Blunt Weapons (Combat)
- Armorer (Combat)
- Acrobatics (Stealth)
Intelligence
Intelligence is largely interconnected with the magic classes, boosting the character's Magicka reserves. But it has its purposes amongst the stealthier bunch and it's a good hybrid attribute to pair with birthsigns like The Lady, Lover, or Thief.
Governed Skills:
- Alchemy (Magic)
- Enchant (Magic)
- Conjuration (Magic)
- Security (Stealth)
Endurance
Endurance solely governs combative skills, though its health-boosting and fatigue perks are great for any class.
Governed Skills:
- Medium Armor (Combat)
- Heavy Armor (Combat)
- Spear (Combat)
Willpower
Willpower is a solely magic-based attribute. It bolsters magical prowess in all schools of magic, regardless of whether Willpower governs them. It also makes a character more adept at guarding against magical attacks and plays into their Fatigue threshold.
Governed Skills:
- Alteration (Magic)
- Mysticism (Magic)
- Destruction (Magic)
- Restoration (Magic)
Agility
Agility is primarily a stealth-based skill. In addition to all of the athletic feats you would assume require agility, such as running, jumping, and the like, it also helps with dodging and landing attacks. It's important for blocking attacks with a shield as well, making it a key attribute amongst the more combative classes.
Governed Skills:
- Sneak (Stealth)
- Light Armor (Stealth)
- Marksman (Stealth)
- Block (Combat)
Personality
Personality is a big factor for the social and deceptive classes such as Healers, Bards, Agents, and Thieves. It's primarily built for stealth work, but it also governs Illusion-based magic, making it a great pairing for birthsigns like the Lady, Lover, or Thief.
Governed Skills:
- Mercantile (Stealth)
- Speechcraft (Stealth)
- Illusion (Magic)
Speed
Speed plays a role in every major playstyle. It impacts all movement speed and allows you to cover more distance while jumping.
Governed Skills:
- Short Blade (Stealth)
- Hand-to-Hand (Stealth)
- Unarmored (Magic)
- Athletics (Combat)
Luck
Luck is the only primary attribute not to govern a single skill. Instead, it meddles with nearly every action your character makes, either increasing or decreasing the odds for favorable results. To avoid the bad luck of many off-target attacks and other aggravating if not lethal mishaps, you should always level this attribute up to a base of at least 50.
Secondary Attributes
- Encumbrance is your character's maximum carrying weight equal to five times their Strength. Actions such as running speeds and jumping become impaired as the character becomes more over-encumbered.
- Fatigue is the calculated sum of Willpower, Agility, Strength, and Endurance. Fatigue determines how far you can push your character in strenuous activities such as running and all forms of combat.
- Health is half the total value of your character's Strength and Endurance. Naturally, when the health bar is fully depleted, you die.
- Magicka is the arcane power you pull from to cast spells. Its base value is equal to Intelligence but can be additionally affected by various multipliers.