I'm just wondering, when you pick a race of character to play, do you pick it with the particular strength you want to have in that game in mind or just pick any one and then work at the ability you want to have (even if it is a weakness for that particular race).

For instance, if you want to be an expert sneak, would you play a Khajit, who are masters at it, or play a Wood Elf if you want to be the most skilled at archery, or would you just pick whatever you want regardless.

I started playing as a Wood elf and really enjoy it but would like to be better at sneaking and two handed armor. Should I change character and start a new game, or is picking the right character for the ability you want ultimately not important if you work at it? I'm interested to know what race the posters on this forum have picked to play and what your favourite ability is!

I pick character for RP purposes. In the future, I plan on making an Imperial assassin. The Imperials have no bonuses to Light Armor, Sneak, Archery, and Alchemy.

It depends on what you plan to do with a character.

You don't always have to play as a stereotype. A user here plays as an Altmer barbarian I believe.

The bonus to sneak for Khajit is helpful early on in the game, but once you start leveling then it starts to make less of a difference. Yah a Khajit may have a higher sneak skill then another race at equal levels, but its only a difference of 5 points 10 at most. Now if they had something like a racial passive that made them better at sneaking (one better then night vision), then that would be a better incentive for me to chose them for a sneak type class. So in other words the increased skill levels dont mean that much to me but racial passives do (and appearances as well). Pretty much all my characters are Bretons because of the passive 25% magic reduction. My assassin, mage, 1h+shield+heavy, 2 hander+light, archer+light are all Breton.

I never pick races because of their stats. Like Shadow_Titan, I pick races for roleplaying reasons.

Break the stereotype by doing an Orc Mage or Altmer warrior.

I have kind of done that with my wood elf by being more skilled in two handed weapons now than anything else. Recently started playing as an Orc and have decided to play that as a sneak (but also comes in handy that Orcs are skilled in two handed). One day, however, I WILL play a Khajiit sneak just because they are the best at my favourite ability.

The most ironic thing is that I'm terrible at archery and have only used a bow on a couple of occasions as a Wood Elf!

Yeah, add me to the "Whatever the hell I want at the time" camp.

I rarely go with stereotypes, except when it comes to Bretons. But that's because I play Bretons most of the time and Mages,Spellswords, and Battlemages are my preferred playstyle. (It's a "Chicken or Egg" type of thing)

My heavy armored, warhammer-wielding Bosmer is one of my favorite characters I've ever made on this game.

I tend to pick the race I want for RP reasons. I do play alot of Nords, but it's there home so, it makes sense.

I pick Nord or Imperial because those are the two races I like.

Anyone else and it's purely for RP purposes.

In my case it's the other way around, I want to play as an Altmer, and since they are good with magic, most of my first characters are.

I don't pick races for their strengths because basically it's a non issue by end game. Everyone is same/same at level 100 so it really doesn't matter. I love archery and I really like Bosmer so most of my archers are Bosmer but not because of any strength to archery. I've also played Khajiit and Nord mages *shrugs*. I just kinda go with what feels right.

I have lots of varying Builds... and lots of Khajiit

One thing I'll note is the least often used Build I use for them is their Stereotype.

I have both.

Most of my characters I pick based on:

1. Hot hot of a female can I make. Of course, this means I have a lot of female nords and female bretons.

2. Role play to break the mold - Orc wizard, altmer 2 hand warrior, etc.

But for the most part, I do play based on how hot/sixy I can make the female character or how badass I can make the male.

First I stop and consider what sort of "class" I want to build... are they a mage, a warrior, a thief? Something more specific like an archer or paladin? What are their primary weapons, and what armor do they use? What skills and/or magic schools do they focus on? Sometimes I map out their perks and health/stamina/magicka.

Then I make an Altmer.

I get character ideas popping up in my head - some are old characters that have been with me for a long time (then I pick the race that fits them best from appearance and background), others are new. I usually have an idea for a face and background long before starting a new game.

I do get inspired by skills, stats and stereotypes and have a classic Nord warrior and a Bosmer hunter among my girls and guys, but sometimes that works in an opposite way (Orc merchant, Altmer BA 2H warrior). But generally, it matters little to me. My thief was Imperial because I already had his backstory and looks ready (he's from a story I've written), and Imperial fitted the best. My Breton warrior was a random choice first time I played the game, and when I rerolled her, I made her the same race. My Dunmer was Dunmer because Dunmer looks awesome and I wanted one, and so Medea the fire-obsessed witch was born and started to have opinions on everything. And so on.

I pick my characters based on... Nothing. I like Altmer race the most so I play Altmer. I like warriors most so I play warriors. At first I did restrict my characters based on arbitrary rules but then I felt it just kills too much of the fun so I just started playing characters without any planning. I do what I want without regard for silly RP rules. I usually start out as a warrior but then turn to magery towards the end. I did try to force myself to play a thief character but I lost interest pretty soon because as said I don't like playing a too restricted character.

+1

I like to play human/elf races - avoiding Kahjiit and Argonians - but other than that, I pick whatever's strong for my chosen playstyle.

I pick one I have not played yet, so I get to try out the differences between each race. Still have a few to go for the next game.

I always pick Mer. Dunmer or Bosmer. Always Female.

I like the progression in TES when my smaller-framed character's gradually become stronger and more skilled - cutting down larger and more dangerous opponents. There was a great moment in Morrowind when my female Dunmer visited a quest-giver (can't remember the exact npc, Telvani female sorcerer?) and how the quest giver reacted to the fact that the Nevarine was female. And Dunmer.

Never played Altmer. Never taken much interest in playing 'human' or 'animal' characters.

Not necessarely. My favourite character is a pretty stereotypical Nord Warrior on the outside, but a very intelligent and magic-capable man in the inside, capable of mastering the schools of Restoration, Alteration and Mystici...Enchanting

Same here.

This is the first TES title that I've played with a Nord. I always thought that they were the one race that had the greatest *learning disability* ever since the Naked Nord in Morrowind, so I refused to create a handicapped character. But playing Skyrim gave me a new respect for the Nords... though there are some *naked Nord* types out there... such as all of the town guards.

I pick my race and six for roleplay reasons and try to come up with interesting lore related backgrounds. I try a little bit of everything..

I made an Altmer barbarian who wields a warhammer and uses no magic, potions, etc. and revels in crushing Thalmor skulls with his big boy hammer

I don't let race define my characters

The couriers...