Currently we have very simple racial traits that really don't give much weight to whatever race we select.

We have our "one-a-days" which also don't give much weight to the race we pick, as we can only use this special ability once a day.

So... how about something like this, and we'll use High Elf as an example:

We get +50 Magicka
We get Highborn once-a-day.

How about one, or more of the following, to give better strengths, worse weaknesses, etc but at the same time doesn't force you to play said race as a particular class. Because currently you can be a High Elf Warrior, your racial traits however are practically meaningless.

+5 Magicka upon level up regardless if you choose to level up Magicka or not
+% Magicka Regen based upon how much Stamina you have, i.e. +1% Magicka Regen per 25 Stamina you have
+25% Damage taken from Shock. Shock drains Magicka, being as High Elves are perhaps more sensitive to Magic (being as they have the Magicka bonus), it would make sense that perhaps something that drains Magicka might physically hurt them more
+10% Duration on spells like Oakflesh

Etc, etc

Discuss.

Yeah, but shock damage is all ready over-powered when you're being attacked by it. (When being shocked, I just get straight up [censored]. Whilst shocking an enemy, I realize how underpowered my lightning spells are..)

I don't need to be double-[censored] by even more powerful AI destruction spells, and I don't want mage armor with enchantments to become a requirement for my survival.

EDITS: However, I do agree that all the racial bonuses seem rather insignificant or unnoticable whatsoever. I would have liked to have seen more race specific weapons, armors and abilities or an ability to pick from a list of racially specific abilities rather than starting with skill point bonuses. This would equate to a Redguard starting out with the same skill values as an Altmer, 15 to 20 points in each, but due to the racial perks either race would be able to pick from a list of traits that would augment their starting abilities.

IE: Think "traits" from FO:NV, but formatted in a manner that is more racially specific. Does my Argonian want posion resistance or histskin? Does my Nord want to go with the cold resistance or to weild a two-handed weapon with the ferocity of Ysgrammor himself?

That's true. Our magic svcks, theirs' is great.

Any other thoughts?

I think I would just be happy if Bosmer could actually be the cannibals that they are in lore, without having to turn into a werewolf or do a certain daedric quest.

This is a great idea. It would make you think a little more before you picked your race.

So... what, like the ability to nom anyone and it gives you a bonus to something?

I've been of the mind that perhaps there should a tree of perks dedicated to race.

Shortening the cooldown, providing extra or more in-depth bonuses... etc.

Nothing worse than having to wait 24 hours every time I use berserk, though it is easily a WTFPWNT skill for any melee character.

Bosmers are cannibals?

I thought I knew most things about TES lore, but that one takes the cake.

A dedicated skill/perk tree to your race would have been quite awesome.

Hell, it doesn't even have to be a special bonus, it could just be treated as the way werewolves are as an alternate way to heal yourself.


Bosmer in lore have something called the Green Pact, where they're forbidden to harm plantlife for their own benefit and are religiously carnivorious and cannibalistic. http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Bosmer

Yeah. They can also transform into rauaging beast spirits in combat. But that's kind of a last resort, as they die afterwards.
http://uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Wild_Hunt

Further elaboration:
You're sitting here at character creation trying to pick your race, but you know that all races start with even skill levels, reguardless.
So you decide to roll an Altmer, and now you're going to take a look at the list of racial traits and abilities.

Altmer Racial Traits:
[ ] Highborne: This allows the player to regenerate Magicka at an excellerated speed for 60s and gives a temporary bonus of 50 Magicka for the same amount of time.
[ ] Altmer Tradition: The history of your people is long and strong! You gain 10 skill points in all of the schools of the arcane.
[ ] Arcane Scholar: This allows the player to start with 3 randomly generated spells in addition to the spells the race starts with and a permanant bonus of 50 Magicka.

Altmer Arcane Traits:
[ ] Unbelievable Focus: This ability allows you to cast all ward spells for 25% less and makes all wards 25% stronger.
[ ] Follower of Arkay: This ability allows the player to cast healing hands on friendly NPC's in return for a leveled amount of gold.
[ ] Dominion Domination: Destruction spells cost 10% less to cast and do 25% additional damage to the human races.

Altmer Personal Traits:
[ ] Dangerous Tinkerer: You've burned your house down with arcane fire for the last time! Your trial and errors in the school of destruction magic have earned you a 25% bonus against negating incomming spell damage, but your restoration spells cost 25% more.
[ ] Altmer Anthropology: Your perfect, tall, highborne figure gives you a bonus to your basic running speed. However, you can not carry quite as much on your twiggy back.
[ ] Descendant of the Dominion: This allows the player access to unique (And sometimes benefitial!) conversation options with other Altmer or agents of the Thalmor Embassy.


These traits wouldn't have to be final, of course, and are more or less of an idea.

Bosmer, a fairly nice special trait could be:

Cannibalism, when feasting on a victim the Bosmer receives a permanent +5 bonus to Health. Can be stacked an unlimited amount of times.

And then to follow up...

Whenever the Bosmer has 50% Health or less, they gain +25% Stamina Regen

So, they could have their own like... "blood fury" thing, somewhat akin to Orc's Berserk but having variety to it.

With this... do you keep your Bosmer weak in the Health department to retain better access to this Stamina bonus, or let them feast?

I like those... how about this one:

The Flow of the High Mer: Your Altmer heritage bestows upon you a deep spring of Magicka ability along with the ability to channel this extra power. Upon activation for 120 seconds all current Magicka becomes transferred into your Stamina (or Health). This is not limited by your maximum Stamina (or Health) [i.e. if you have 120 Stamina with a max of 150, and currently had 50 Magicka, you'd bypass the 150 max and now be at 170). Activating this however nullifies your ability to regenerate Magicka and Stamina (or Health) for the duration of the ability + 30 seconds. (i.e. no Regen and no Potions/etc)

To me, Racial Bonuses are better paired with Classes and Attributes. While I am all for character diversity, the skill system in this game can make most Racial Bonuses/Gimps meaningless. Even with prior games, Race/Class only really counted for the first 10 to 15 levels unless you really stuck to your character's role.

Hey, lets not make them snotty Altmers too powerful, yeah?

Format my post for a different race! I'm interested in what others think.

Which means the system itself may need a re~balance.


True, but then one could balance that out as well.

Orcs with Beserk do double damage and take less damage.

Altmer could do the transfer just to Stamina and then take bonus physical damage. So... using this ability would be for either a "RUN AWAY!" situation, or where you have to stand and fight so you just wail away with whatever weapon you may have.

At the moment I won't create more than just one but...

For Orcs, I would find it cool to give them a "bloodlust" ability as well. Something akin to like for every 10 damage you do with weapons you re~gain 1 Health naturally.

Well then...

Dunmer Racial Traits:
Cursed Blood: Your Dunmeri blood grants you greater endurance to buring flames. A permanent 50% resistance to fire is added.
Dunmer Tradition: Your people are trained and renowned in the arts of spells and swords. You start with 15 skill points in Destruction, Illusion, One-Handed and Archery.
Arcane Attunement: You are in greater touch with the power of Magicka. All Destruction and Illusion spells cost 10% less to cast.

Dunmer Combat Traits:
Ancestors Guidance: With the spirits of your forefathers whispering in your ear, telling you the enemy's weak spots, all your hits got a 10% chance to be a Critical Hit.
Arrows of the Tribunal: The power of Almsivi strengthens your hand and sharpens your eye. All Archery hits got a 10% chance to be a Critical Hit.
Fiery Blood: Your Dunmer heritage allows you to master the manipulation of fire. All Fire spells cost 20% less to cast.

Dunmer Personal Traits:
Cursed one: You are a part of Azura's cursed people, and you reflect this. You gain 50% Fire Resistance, which stacks with Cursed Blood. Frost based attacks damage you 25% more.
Bullied around: Your people are a hated one, and hate breeds hate. All attacks on Nords, Imperials, Argonians and Khajiit damage 25% more.
Serjo: You are a true Dunmer of Morrowind. All Dunmer gives you special dialogue options and gives you special discounts at 10%.

Better than nothing.
Take your pick from each category. These are not final for a suggestion.

Edit: Added Arcane Attunement

-General Perk Tree
-Does not share Perk points with other Perk trees
-Stamina, Health, Magicka, and Race are each a branch
-Stamina has Stamina Regen, Increases, Atheletics and Acrobatic Perks
-Health has Health Regen, Increases, and Resistance/Survivability Perks
-Magicka has Magicka Regen, Increases, Spell Cost Reductions, Utility Spell Perks
-Each Race has its own unique Perk path in the General tree. These allow further specialization
-Now every level besides silly +10 Health, Stam, or Magicka I have a way to progress all the way until 81

-Profit.

Do we pick and choose amongst these or get all of them?


This would be amazing.

I just followed that other guys format. But I'd say you choose one from each category.
Of course, the negative ones would have to be expanded on making them good choices anyway.

Why?

If you should choose one trait from each category, and one of the chooseable traits is purely negative, it's just stupid to pick it. I edited my first post to reflect this.
I think it would make for greater customination if you must choose between Archery, One Handed or Destruction specialisation for example.