Waterbreathing isn't pointless. Being able to jump into water and hide out while I heal, immune to attack and without concern for drowning has saved my scaley hide on several occasions. I've also found a few ruins that have sizable networks of room completley under water. And hey, the Falmer and various treasure hunting archeologists can't breath water, right? (Indeed, the treasure was quite a bit above average.)

Sure, it would be nice if there was more deep water to hide out in, but this isn't "Blackmarsh Marine Commando", its "Skyrim". As racial abilities go, its actually pretty handy, and isn't limited to one use per day.

Would they not have? If Skyrim's history was similar to how its present form is in the game, it would seem that they would have had a lot of exposure to frost magic.



They may prefer to stay warm compared to being cold. I am "immune" to 50 degree F temperature, but I would MUCH prefer it to be in the 70's. Temperature alone may not harm Nords, it could be associated effects that come with the cold. For example, if a Nord got stuck in an avalanche, he could die from the initial impact, suffocation, or starvation... not necessarily by freezing to death.

One problem with the game is when you have frost spells that launch giant ice shards/spears at a target. Even Nords should die by getting skewered by those... just as they would if those shards were made of anything else. In that case, resisting it simply because it's "frost" doesn't make sense to me.



Hey, every choice should come with consequences, haha! Cryomages would certainly be a challenge, but Skyrim would be a very fitting place for that. Going unarmored is vulnerable to melee. Melee is vulnerable to ranged enemies. There is a weakness no matter what, only by varying degrees. Cryomages would be vulnerable to Nords, but players should know that going into the game. It's like trying to fight a dragon using only melee... if it continues to fly, you're out of luck. Switch to an alternative method of attack or simply run away. There are always options

Besides, using a mod that gives Nords such an advantage is completely voluntary. Because of that, I wouldn't suggest it to anyone wanting Cryomages to have an easy time. The main problem will simply be making the AI to avoid using frost against Nords.

I think immunity is just too much. It does not make sense either. Why would Nords fight Ice Wraiths as a right of passage if they are completely immune to frost? How is that a right of passage?
Simple, they are not immune to frost nor should they be. Besides as you said it would cause oddities like ice shards sticking out of you when you are supposed to be immune to frost. Being immune to cold does not mean immune to impact.

No it was a mistake making them 100% immune to frost in Morrowind AND it would make being a Nord boring in Skyrim. A great majority of enemies in Skyrim use frost damage. You would be immune to a wide majority of enemies. So imo not only is immunity to frost boring, it is not supported by lore and it would break realism for ppl. Besides the powers and traits of the races change every single game. Dunmer if we go back to Arena or Daggerfell are supposed to be incredibly strong. Should they have a permanent 20% melee damage increase?

Yes the mod is optional and if it had that as an optional option it would be fine. But maybe that is something most people dont want. So I think we can agree that there should be optional parts of the mod? It is completely up to the mod author though. The best we can do is convince the author of our own POV or hope he creates options.

This is from my mobile so sry about errors and the like.

great idea the current ones lack depth but i think the originals are out dated...for instance i dont think waterbreath or night eye should be spells kind breaks the point of them being different imo try passive effects, also i feel those resists are to much the current nord and dunmer resists already let you wade through such attacks no need from 75-100% immunity, id keep them as they are at 50% and maybe add new effects in place theyve been different every game im sure you could immagine some suitable replacements.
appreaciate the effort not just knocking keep up the good work bro x

What do you think of the stuff in this http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1317953-funner-lore-friendly-ish-racials/page__fromsearch__1? Trying to find ways of making each of the races interesting lore friendly and balanced at least in regards to how you as the PC interact with the world.

@Talyn82, I made some fairly big changes in that other topic I linked you to. I think you should check it out. Especially the powers. I am curious as to what is doable and what is not.

The Nords will still retain their 50% resistance to frost. As well as the added 25% to shock resistance. If there is enough interest in making them immune to frost I'll make an optional esp. I will try to make this mod as modular as possibe.

Dunmers will still retain there 50% fire resistance.

Once again thank you all for your inputs.

You do understand that in Morrowind, 50% Magicka Resist did NOTHING against Fire/Frost/Shock damage even if they were spells but it worked in Oblivion. As a result, in Oblivion Bretons became the best race to play by far thanks to that. Oblivion did break the Breton race by improving their racial into the OP zone.

Skyrim by scaling back the Breton Magicka Resist racial made them more in line with how they where in Morrowind although still not the same : they can resist magic better than all races but they still don't get a protection to Frost as good than Nords and to Fire as good than Dunmers at the same time.

Ok, here a few pics of the new Dunmer abilities:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/638/tesv2012021107381488.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/831/tesv2012021107382753.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/338/tesv2012021107383457.jpg/


The ancestor worship ability is 90% done.

Just going to PM you Talyn

I haven't cracked open the CK yet, so forgive me if this is stupid, but... can't the sound file (or the path to the sound file) just be deleted for Argonians? If so, I have to agree, it would make more sense to get rid of it if you add waterbreathing to Argonians. There might be a way to justify it, but it still sounds odd to me.

I really like the re-envisioning you are doing to the racial powers, Talyn. They seem a lot more relevant and interesting, while still keeping the basic concept for the races that have made the races so distinct in past games. Can't wait to try out the release.

And I have to admit, I don't think Nords should be entirally resistant to frost, etiher. 50% seems quite reasonable.

My guess would be you'd have to replace the gasp sound with a silent audio file, instead of just outright deleting it.

Why can't the Argonians simply be switching from gills to their mouth when they come up for air?

@Talyn82, what will the name of your mod be when it is made? So I can look it up and find it later.

Hi everyone, I recently had some serious medical issues and stopped working on the mod. But now that I am out of the hospital, I will continue to work on this and have it released asap.

As for the mods name right now it's callled "Better Racials".

Glad you're feeling better, Talyn82. Look forward to seeing this as it unfolds. GL.

Thanks Falcone.

I forgot to mention earlier I will be releasing this mod on Nexus, because I don't like having Steam forced on me or other players. I like the freedom of choice.

Well wouldn't uploading to both be a choice?
I don't care if you do upload it top sw since I don't use it, only teasing.

Ok, here's an update on the mod.

The mod will be modular in nature. For example: If you only want to use the new Dunmer abilities, then just select "Better Racials- Dunmer Edition.esp"

Here's what I've done so far:

Altmer:

Superior Breeding- 75% disease resistance

Arcane Attunement- 25% weakness to fire, frost and shock.

-Magical Tradition-100 extra magicka

Bonuses
+10 Illusion
+5 Destruction
+5 Enchantment
+5 Alteration
+5 Conjuration
+5 Restoration

Dunmer:

Ancestor Worship- Summon a long dead leveled ancestor from Aetherius.

Blighted by Fate- 50% disease resistance

Bonuses
+10 destruction
+5 one handed
+5 light armor
+5 conjuration
+5 sneak
+5 illusion

Bosmer:

-Command Animal- Make an animal an ally for 60 seconds, once per day. This power has magnitude 99 pts and area of effect 75 ft.

Children of the Forest- 50% Poison and Disease resistance (It's already ingame, just renamed it).

Bonuses
+10 Archery
+5 sneak
+5 light armor
+5 alchemy
+pickpocket
+llusion

Argonians:

-People of the Root-75% Poison and Disease resistance

Bonuses
+10 lock picking
+5 sneak
+5 alteration
+5 illusion
+5 one handed
+5 alchemy

Nords:

-Winterkin-50% frost resistance
-Stormborn-25% Shock Resistance
Bonuses
+10 two handed
+5 light armor
+5 speechcraft
+5 smithing
+5 restoration
+5 block

Redguards:

-Distinct Blood-50% Poison and Disease resistance

Bonuses
+10 One handed
+5 Archery
+5 Block
+5 Smithing
+5 Light Armor
+5 Sneak

Orsimer

-Cursed Heritage-25% Magicka resistance

Bonuses
+10 Heavy armor
+5 Two handed
+5 Smithing
+5 Block
+5 Archery
+5 One handed

Khajits:

-Night Eye- Toggleable ability to see in the dark, can be used as a power but it just activates and deactivates. No timer or cool down.

Bonuses
+10 Sneak
+5 Pickpocketing
+5 Lockpicking
+5 One Handed
+5 Light Armor
+5 Archery

Bretons:

-Ancestral Inheritance- 30% magicka resistance and 20% Spell absorption

Bonuses
+10 Conjuration
+5 Illusion
+5 Alteration
+5 Enchanting
+5 Restoration
+5 Speech

Imperials:

-Voice of the Emperor- Calms nearby people for 60 seconds, once per day. The magnitude of the power is 99 pts and the area of effect is 75 ft.

Bonuses
+10 Speech
+5 Heavy Armor
+5 Block
+5 Restoration
+5 One Handed
+5 Destruction

Currnetly things I can't do due to ck limitations or bugs. Can't add regenerative abiliies, such as "Meric Heritage" or "Human Endeavor". Can't add fortify skill abilities, such as "Malacath's Burden" or "Imperial Tradition". I can add both regenerative and fortify abilities in the ck, but they won't show up ingame. Also altering npcs appearance is bugged in the ck. Must wait for further updates to ck.

To do list:

Finish leveled powers.

Ah, thank you Lyssia. But I can't take credit for all the ideas, most of the ideas came from Albinodunmer and others as well.

Alright everyone I'm almost done with the mod.

Here's a preview of the new Dunmer Ancestor's Wrath ability.

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8118/tesv2012022123494008.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3258/tesv2012022123501618.jpg

Here's the progress so far:

Better Racials- Dunmer Edition 98%

Better Racials- Altmer Edition 100%

Better Racials- Orsimer Edition 100%

Better Racials- Redguard Edition 98%

Better Racials- Bosmer Edition 90%

Better Racials- Nord Edition 95%

Better Racials- Argonian Edition 100%

Better Racials- Breton Edition 0%

Better Racials- Imperial Edition 0%

Better Racials- Khajit Edition 0%

Wonderful..

This is one of the things I have been waiting for before I started the game. All the previous ES games had something like this and I was really missing it. I do not care so much what the advantages are,
I just wanted there to be some.

Please continue on this. I eagerly look forward to it and will really appreciate it.

Thanks patpierson. I will be releasing the Dunmer version very soon. Then I will release the others as they're are completed.

Here's a pic of the Mythical Ancestral Hero:

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/5563/tesv2012022201563741.jpg

The first part of the mod has been released.

Here's the link to the new thread:

http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1351748-better-racials-a-race-overhaul-mod/

So I have a question about the methodology behind the mod. Are you creating PC effects that create these changes? or are you literally changing the base resistances of the entire races? I only ask because I want to edit the shock reistsances of Dwemer constructs, but can't seem to find where to do this in the CK, nor find a place that shows me how.

Create the pc effects. As for resistances the vanilla ones are unchanged except for maybe the name. For Example: Instead of just saying resist fire, the Dunmer now have an ability called "Ashborn",

As to how to modify the resistances in general:

1) Open the CK load up the Skyrim esm

2) In the object window under where it says filter look for where it says magic.

3) Under magic there are some categories, click on ability.

4) In the main object window all in game abilities will be listed. I suggest you sort them by name.

5) When you find the one you want double click on it, or right click on it and select edit.

6) In the new window that appears. Double click on the entry, in the new window that appears you can adjust the magnitude.

7) Then just click on OK, then after the little window closes click on Ok again.

8) That's it your done.

btw the one you want is AbDwarvenAutomatons or Dwarven Resistances.

Closed by request of the op.