The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim races have their own set of stating spells, power, and more in addition to a slight boost to certain skills. Exclusive Racial Powers offer a unique bonus such as the ability to regenerate or absorb Magicka. Meanwhile, Racial Abilities include Frost Damage resistance. In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about the best Skyrim races, their power and abilities, and more.
The Elder Scrolls V: Best Skyrim Races
Choosing the best Skyrim race depends on what type of gameplay you want in The Elder Scrolls V. But these differences in gameplay are quite minor, for example, when infiltrating the Thalmor Embassy dressed in the High Elf faction robes, you will find it easier to sneak around undetected compared to other races. Orcs are welcomed in the Orc Strongholds while other races must prove themselves. The tone and color of some dialogue change depending on your race.
Argonians
- Favored Skills: +10 Lockpicking, +5 Pickpocket, Sneak, Light Armor, Alteration, Restoration
- Starting Spells: Flames, Healing
- Racial Power: Histskin: You regenerate health 1 Ox foster for 60
seconds - Racial Abilities: 50% Disease Resistance, Underwater Breathing
Ideal Play Style: Thief (Defensive)
Histskin is one of the best abilities to have in Skyrim. It can bring your character back from the bring death. You can keep attacking enemies while this Power does its work, no focus required. Resist disease reduces the chance of getting a disease from an animal or trap. Underwater Breathing means you don’t ever have to worry about drowning damage while searching for sunken treasure.
Breton
- Favored Skills: +10 Conjuration, +5 Illusion, Restoration, Speech,
Alchemy, Alteration - Starting Spells: Flames, Healing, Conjure Familiar
- Racial Power: Dragonskin: You absorb 50% of the Magicka from incoming spells for 60 seconds
- Racial Abilities: 25% Magic Resistance
- Ideal Play Style: Mage (Defensive)
Breton race is great against other mages; both Dragonskin and Magic Resistance support this theme. It also has great late-game abilities. Meanwhile, Magic Resistance boosts your survivability against magic casters.
Dark Elf
- Favored Skills: +10 Destruction, +5 Alteration, Illusion, Sneak, Light
Armor, Alchemy - Starting Spells: Flames, Sparks, Healing
- Racial Power: Ancestor’s Wrath: Creates a Flame Cloak that does 1 0
damage to nearby foes for 60 seconds. - Racial Abilities: 50% Fire Resistance
- Ideal Play Style: Nightblade (Mage/Thief)
Ancestor’s Wrath is a toned-down version of the Adept-level Destruction spell Flame Cloak. It is a great early power to have. Meanwhile, Fire Resistance is very helpful against Flame Atronachs.
High Elf
- Favored Skills: +1 0 Illusion, +5 Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Restoration, Enchanting
- Starting Spells: Flames, Fury, Healing
- Racial Power: Highborn: For 60 seconds, you regenerate 25% of your maximum Magicka each second
- Racial Abilities: Highborn Magicka (+50 Magicka)
- Ideal Play Style: Mage (Offensive)
Highborn helps you refill Magicka rapidly which allows you to cast spells more frequently. Meanwhile, Highborn Magicka is like getting 5 free levels, a huge boost for mages.
Imperial
- Favored Skills: +10 Restoration, +5 Destruction, Enchanting, One-Handed, Block, Heavy Armor
- Starting Spells: Flames, Healing
- Racial Power: Voice of the Emperor: Calms nearby people for 60 seconds
- Racial Abilities: Imperial Luck (Adds a small amount of gold to most
containers) - Ideal Play Style: Battlemage (Mage/Warrior)
Voice of the Emporer is a toned-down version of the Expert-level illusion spell Pacify. It is a great Power to have if you’re surrounded by multiple enemies. Imperial Luck adds a few extra coins to the chests you come across in Skyrim.
Khajiit
- Favored Skills: +10 Sneak, +5 Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Alchemy, One-Handed, Archery
- Starting Spells: Flames, Healing
- Racial Power: Night Eye: Improved night vision for 60 seconds
- Racial Abilities: Claws (4x Unarmed Damage)
- Ideal Play Style: Thief (Offensive)
Night Eye gives you night vision, allowing you to see more clearly in dark environments. On the other hand, Claws give you a great advantage in melee combat.
Nord
- Favored Skills: +10 Two-Handed, +5 One-Handed, Block, Smithing, Speech, Light Armor
- Starting Spells: Flames, Healing
- Racial Power: Battle Cry: All nearby foes flee for 30 seconds
- Racial Abilities: 50% Frost Resistance
- Ideal Play Style: Warrior (Offensive)
The Battle Cry Racial Power is a toned-down version of a Master-level Illusion spell Hysteria. It is a great ability to against multiple weak enemies. If you are facing Frost Atronachs, having Frost Resistance comes in handy.
Orc
- Favored Skills: +1 0 Heavy Armor, +5 Smithing, One-Handed, Two-Handed, Block, Enchanting
- Starting Spells: Flames, Healing
- Racial Power: Berserk: For 60 seconds, you take half damage, and
inflict double damage in melee combat. - Racial Abilities: None
- Ideal Play Style: Warrior (Defensive)
Berserk is the only Racial Ability available to Orcs but it is extremely powerful as it makes your Orc unstoppable for a minute.
Redguard
- Favored Skills: +10 One-Handed, +5 Archery, Block, Smithing, Destruction, Alteration
- Starting Spells: Flames, Healing
- Racial Power: Adrenaline Rush: You regenerate Stamina 1 Ox faster for
60 seconds - Racial Abilities: 50% Poison Resistance
- Ideal Play Style: Spellsword (Warrior/Mage), Dual-Wielding
Adrenaline Rush restores stamina faster, allowing you to keep up your power attacks. Poison Resistance is useful when facing enemies that use poison damage.
Wood Elf
- Favored Skills: +1 0 Archery, +5 Sneak, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Light
Armor, Alchemy - Starting Spells: Flames, Healing
- Racial Power: Command Animal: Target animal becomes your ally for
60 seconds. - Racial Abilities: 50% Disease and Poison Resistance
- Ideal Play Style: Thief (Archer)
Command Animal is a strong single-target variant of Animal Allegiance Shout. However, it only works on animals. Poison and Disease Resistance makes you effective against enemies that do poison damage, and diseases in general.
And that’s everything you need to know about the best Skyrim races. Need more help? See Skyrim Potions recipes.