Strength Rankings of Skyrim Races: Who Comes Out On Top?
Strength Rankings of Skyrim Races
When considering the strongest races in Skyrim, various attributes come into play, including unique abilities and skill bonuses.
- Orcs: The Orc race is by far one of the best races, as the unique race skill is absolutely incredible for a wide variety of builds. Their ability ‘Berserker Rage’ allows players to receive and deal double physical damage for 60 seconds. This duration is perfect for both stealth builds, enabling assassins to sneak into the enemy backline and eliminate targets, and for full-tank builds to hold the front while their party unleashes a volley of arrows and magical bolts overhead.
- High Elves: Unquestionably, the best possible race in Skyrim unless the player plans on using absolutely zero magic. High Elves possess the ability Highborn, which allows for a very quick restoration of a massive amount of their magicka pool. This enables them to unleash an unending flurry of magical abilities, making them supreme wielders of magic across Tamriel, even at high-level spells.
- Nords: Nords have a similar ability to the Imperials, releasing a roar that impacts hostiles in the surrounding area. This ability temporarily frightens enemies for 30 seconds, offering valuable defensive options against non-human foes in Skyrim.
- Imperials: Skyrim Imperials align closely with the usual ‘human’ archetype but influence other humans with their ‘Voice of the Emperor’ ability. While it may seem limited, this ability’s effectiveness shines in numerous human encounters throughout quests and stories.
- Other Notable Races: Some of the strongest races include:
- Bretons: Good for a mix of magic and martial abilities, starting with 25 in Conjuration and 20 in Alchemy, Alteration, Illusion, Restoration, and Speech.
- Redguards: Focused on martial combat and swordplay, inspired by real-world cultures.
- Bosmer (Wood Elves): The best race for archery, being natural with bows and having an affinity for animals.
- Altmer (High Elves): The objectively best race, not just because they excel in magic. Interestingly, a character’s speed, jump height, and melee damage modifier are based on height. Altmers are the tallest race with a height stat of 1.08.
Best Races for Magic s in Skyrim: Which One Reigns Supreme?
In Skyrim, the best races for playing a pure mage are typically the High Elves (Altmer) and Bretons.
High Elves (Altmer):
- They have the highest starting Magicka pool, making them excellent for casting powerful spells early in the game.
- They start with +50 in Alteration, +20 in Enchanting, and +20 in Restoration.
- Their special ability, Highborn, allows them to regenerate Magicka 50% faster for 60 seconds once per day.
- For a pure mage build, they are often considered the best choice due to their high starting Magicka and faster regeneration.
- Though race choice can give a significant advantage, the most important aspect is choosing a playstyle and magic school that suits your preferred gameplay.
Bretons:
- They have a balanced skill set with +25 in Conjuration, +25 in Restoration, and +25 in Alteration.
- Their special ability, Dragonskin, absorbs 30 points of Magicka from hostile spells for 60 seconds once per day.
- Bretons provide great survivability against magical attacks with their magic resistance and Dragonskin ability, making them versatile.
- While High Elves excel in pure mage attributes, Bretons are better suited for mage/warrior hybrids.
- Late game, Magicka won’t really be a huge issue as players can use Enchanting to get additional benefits.
Dark Elves (Dunmer):
- They can also be a good choice for players interested in Fire magic.
- Dunmer start with +25 in Destruction and have a natural resistance to fire.
- Though their magical abilities are not as versatile as those of High Elves or Bretons, they are effective for players focusing on destruction spells.
In summary, High Elves are better for a pure mage, while Bretons are preferable for a mage/warrior hybrid. Both are solid choices depending on the kind of mage you want to play.
Top Warrior Races in Skyrim: Who Hits Hardest in Combat?
The warrior races in Skyrim include Redguards, Orcs, Nords, and to a lesser extent, Imperials. Here’s a breakdown of their effectiveness in combat:
- Redguards: They are considered the best warriors in the game. They excel in various combat styles such as Sword’n’Board, Two-Hander, and Dual Wield. The race description explicitly states they are “the best warrior” and they are known for their natural talent and speed compared to Nords and Orcs. Additionally, Redguards managed to repel the Thalmor, showcasing their capabilities.
- Orcs: They are seen as the strongest by some, mainly due to their Berserker Rage ability, which is beneficial for both archers and warriors. The lore s their effectiveness in combat, placing them ahead of Nords and Redguards.
- Nords: They are often ranked below Orcs and Redguards, but still maintain a strong presence as warrior races.
In conclusion, while different perspectives exist, Redguards are often viewed as the most versatile and skilled, followed closely by Orcs and then Nords.
Exploring the Most Popular Races Chosen by Skyrim Players
The number one spot on our list ranking the races in Skyrim has to go to the Bretons of High Rock.
- They’re primarily made to be mages, with a 15 point bonus to Conjuration and 10 point bonuses to Speech, Alchemy, Illusion, Restoration, and Alteration.
- Their Dragon Skin ability also allows them to absorb 50% of magika from all incoming spells for 60 seconds and they get the Conjure Familiar spell for free.
- Moreover, they have a 25% resistance against all magic, making them a desirable choice for any build as they ively minimize incoming spell damage.
Next, we have the Altmer, or High Elves, who sailed to the continent from the Summerset Isles.
- They are quite simply the best race for mages in the game. High Elves get their 15 point bonus in Illusion, along with 10 point bonuses in Conjuration, Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, and Enchanting.
- Their Highborn ability allows them to regenerate 25% of the character’s maximum magika every second for 60 seconds and they get free access to the Fury spell.
- Additionally, they have a bonus 50 magika right at the start of the game.
Following that, we have the Orsimer (Orc), who hail from High Rock and Orsinium.
- Orcs receive an extra 15 bonus points to Heavy Armor and 10 to Smithing, Block, Two-Handed, One-Handed, and Enchanting.
- This means they’re proficient at making and using the best weapons and equipment available.
- Their Berserker Rage ability is one of the best special abilities in the game as it allows them to deal double damage and take half damage for 60 seconds.
The Imperial race can be described as ‘jacks of all trades’.
- They can perform in almost every type of build.
- However, they are best suited for the role of a Paladin, focusing on toughness and heavy armor, diplomacy, and a bit of offensive and restorative magic.
Moreover, the Dunmer (Dark Elf) is perfect for a magical assassin playstyle.
- Their traits and abilities reflect this and lend themselves to magical and stealthy builds.
- The Ancestor’s Wrath ability can be cast once per day, granting them a fiery shield for 60 seconds.
- They also possess a natural resistance to fire.
In summary, the strongest races in Skyrim are:
- Argonians – Renowned for their waterbreathing ability, useful for underwater exploration.
- Bretons – Known for their 25% magic resistance, making them strong mages.
- Orcs – Excellent choice for warrior characters due to their skills and Berserker Rage ability.
Ultimately, the two strongest choices regarding racial effects are Argonians and Bretons.
Choosing the best Skyrim race for magic is crucial if you plan to master the arcane arts. The Altmer, or High Elves, are widely regarded as the best Skyrim race for magic. They start with a +50 Magicka bonus, which is a huge advantage early in the game.
Weakest Races in Skyrim: Which Ones to Avoid and Why?
The weakest races in Skyrim can often be considered those that lack strong combat abilities or advantageous powers. Here’s a breakdown of the races generally viewed as weaker choices:
- Khajiit: At the bottom of the list are the Khajiit. While they may be intriguing for their feline nature, their abilities are generally lackluster. Night Eye provides better night vision, but it’s not significantly useful in the well-lit world of Skyrim. Additionally, Khajiit are not recommended for unarmed builds due to their low base damage for fists.
- Bosmer/Wood Elf: The Wood Elf has a height value of 0.98 and while it has skill bonuses in Archery and stealth-related skills, its overall combat effectiveness can be lower compared to races like Orcs or Nords, which have more pronounced combat abilities. They also have almost useless resistances and a racial power that can be replaced with a far better alternative. Furthermore, they move the slowest due to their small size.
- Argonians: Argonians boast a unique set of skills, including Waterbreathing and Histskin, which rapidly regenerates health. However, disease resistance isn’t particularly valuable, and Waterbreathing has limited application, as Skyrim’s underwater world is sparse. Although Histskin’s healing boost can be handy, it is considered situational.
- Redguards: The Redguards of Hammerfell are well-suited to physical combat, with a focus on One-Handed and Block. Adrenaline Rush provides a burst of stamina regeneration, useful in battle. However, their 50% Poison Resistance might not be as essential as other resistances, making them less versatile.
In summary, the Bosmer/Wood Elf ranks as the number 9 spot due to their various weaknesses. The Khajiit and Wood Elf might be seen as weaker choices due to their lower combat effectiveness and less versatility in comparison to races with stronger combat-oriented abilities.
The following table summarizes the differences between the ten playable races:
| Race | Weakness to Cold | Height | Notable Skills |
| Argonian | 25% | 1.00 | Waterbreathing |
| Wood Elf | N/A | 0.98 | Archery, stealth |
| Khajiit | N/A | 1.00 | Night Eye |
