In Skyrim, you will come across different sorts of races that you can select to play with. Each race has its own strength and weakness. However, it is not necessary that the strength of one race will be useful in Skyrim overall. In total, there are ten races in Skyrim, and some of them are Imperials, Nords, and Redguards. Once you know their specialty in Skyrim, then only you will be able to find out the best race among them.
- There are a total of ten races in Skyrim, and they include Orcs, Altmer, and Bosmer.
- Each race has its own special ability, such as Wood Elf’s Beast Tongue, Imperial’s Voice of the Emperor, and Orcs’ Berserker Rage.
- Khajiit: Skilled in sneaking, +10 Sneak, Night Eye for dark vision.
- Wood Elf: Agile, +10 Archery, 50% poison/disease resistance, Beast Tongue to command animals.
- Argonian: Lockpicking experts, +10 Lockpicking, 50% disease resistance, Hitskin for fast healing, underwater breathing.
- Imperial: Diplomatic, +10 Restoration, Voice of the Emperor for calming conversations.
- Dark Elf: Fire-resistant (50%), +10 Destruction, Ancestor Guardian summons spirit.
- Orc (Orsimer): Aggressive, +10 Heavy Armor, Berserker Rage for heightened aggression.
- Redguard: Skilled in close combat, +10 One-Handed, Adrenaline Rush for increased stamina, 50% poison resistance.
- Nord: Cold-resistant (50%), +10 Two-Handed, Battle Cry intimidates enemies.
- High Elf (Altmer): Magic-focused, +10 Illusion, The Highborn regenerates Magicka quickly.
- Breton: Magic-resistant (25%), +10 Conjuration, Dragon Skin increases magic resistance temporarily.
- Author’s Note: With more than dozens of hours of experience in Skyrim, I feel more than obliged to provide you with hands-on experience on the topic below.
BEST Mage Races In Skyrim Compared
No. | Races | Residence | Unique Ability | Resistance | Skill Bonus +10 | Skill Bonus +5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | Khajit | Elsweyr | Night Eye | To Disease | Sneak | Archery, Pickpocket, One-Handed, Alchemy, Lockpicking |
9 | Wood Elf | Valenwood | Beast Tongue | 50% to Disease and Poison | Archery | Light Armor, Alchemy, Sneak, Pickpocket, Lockpicking |
8 | Argonian | Black Marsh | Histskin | 50% to Disease | Lockpicking | Alteration, Sneak, Light Armor, Pickpocket, Restoration |
7 | Imperial | Tamriel Empire | Voice of the Emperor | - | Restoration | Destruction, Block, One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Enchanting |
6 | Dunmer | Morrowind | Ancestor Guardian | 50% to Fire | Destruction | Alchemy, Sneak, Light Armor, Alteration, Illusion |
5 | Orsimer | Wrothgarian | Berserker Rage | - | Heavy Armor | Enchanting, Block, Two-Handed, One-Handed, Smithing |
4 | Redguard | Hammerfell | Adrenaline Rush | 50% to Poison | One-Handed | Archery, Alteration, Destruction, Smithing, Block |
3 | Nord | Snowy Tundras | Battle Cry | 50% to Cold | Two-Handed | Block, Smithing, Light Armor, One-Handed, Speech |
2 | High Elf | Summerset Isle | The Highborn | - | Illusion | Conjuration, Alteration, Restoration, Enchanting, Destruction |
1 | Breton | High Rock | Dragon Skin | 25% to Magic | Conjuration | Alteration, Alchemy, Speech, Restoration, Illusion |
10. Khajit

The skill bonuses that you get as a Khajit are:
- +10 Sneak
- +5 Archery
- +5 Pickpocket
- +5 One-Handed
- +5 Alchemy
- +5 Lockpicking
Apart from that, many of the Khajits you see will be merchants, traders, and thieves. Unfortunately, they have involved themselves in addictive substances, which include moon sugar and skooma. Other than that, some Khajiits are also known for their involvement in the illegal trade of such substances.
9. Wood Elf (Bosmer)

The Wood Elves have 50% resistance to both disease and poison, which makes them a good candidate for defense. Their skill bonuses include:
- +10 Archery
- +5 Light Armor
- +5 Alchemy
- +5 Sneak
- +5 Pickpocket
- +5 Lockpicking
8. Argonian

The Argonians start off with the following skills:
- +10 Lockpicking
- +5 Alteration
- +5 Sneak
- +5 Light Armor
- +5 Pickpocket
- +5 Restoration
Moreover, as an Argonian, you will experience their mastery in adaptability and resilience. They have a unique relationship with Hist Trees, which they consider to be sacred. The Hist Trees are the reason for Argonian’s ability to heal quickly. Other than that, they are also famous for their intelligence and their skills in infiltration and thievery.
7. Imperial

One of their most notable abilities is the Voice of the Emperor’s power. The ability allows you to pacify people in conversation. Not only can you use the ability for a better diplomatic playstyle, but it can allow you to defuse tense situations and, in some cases, even avoid combat.
The skills bonuses you get as an Imperial are:
- +10 Restoration
- +5 Destruction
- +5 Block
- +5 One-Handed
- +5 Heavy Armor
- +5 Enchanting
6. Dunmer (Dark Elf)

Moreover, the signature ability of the Dark Elves is the Ancestor Guardian power. It will allow you to summon an ancestor spirit to aid you in battle. Most of the time, it will be a significant advantage for you, as it allows you to have an extra ally in combat.
The skill bonuses of Dark Elf are:
- +10 Destruction
- +5 Alchemy
- +5 Sneak
- +5 Light Armor
- +5 Alteration
- +5 Illusion
5. Orsimer (Orcs)

The skill bonuses of Orcs include:
- +10 Heavy Armor
- +5 Enchanting
- +5 Block
- +5 Two-Handed
- +5 One-Handed
- +5 Smithing
When it comes to strength, the Berserker Rage power is the main ability of the Orcs. The ability allows the Orcs to enter combat effectiveness with a state of heightened aggression. Moreover, it can bring a significant advantage for you if you prefer a more offensive playstyle. Not only will it allow you to deal more damage, but it will also let you take on more difficult challenges.
4. Redguard

Moreover, the Adrenaline Rush power is the distinct ability of Redguards. It will increase your stamina regeneration for a short period of time. Additionally, it is super useful for players who prefer a more active playstyle, as it allows them to perform more actions and maintain a sustained level of combat effectiveness. Therefore, if you want to keep on going in a fight, you should think about picking Redguard.
The skill bonuses include:
- +10 One-Handed
- +5 Archery
- +5 Alteration
- +5 Destruction
- +5 Smithing
- +5 Block
3. Nord

The skill bonuses that you will get as a Nord are:
- +10 Two-Handed
- +5 Block
- +5 Smithing
- +5 Light Armor
- +5 One-Handed
- +5 Speech
Apart from that, Nords can get quite dangerous once they use their Battle Cry power. It allows them to intimidate nearby enemies, which makes them flee or become less effective in battle. So, if you feel a bit more aggressive in the middle of the fight, don’t hesitate to use it. The Battle Cry will allow you to gain control on the battlefield and take on more difficult challenges.
2. High Elf (Altmer)

The skills of a High Elf include:
- +10 Illusion
- +5 Conjuration
- +5 Alteration
- +5 Restoration
- +5 Enchanting
- +5 Destruction
1. Breton

Moreover, they are also known for their 25% natural resistance to magic. On the loading screen, you might see 50% resistance, but actually, it is only 25%. The skill bonuses of Bretons include:
- +10 Conjuration
- +5 Alteration
- +5 Alchemy
- +5 Speech
- +5 Restoration
- Illusion: +5
Moreover, the Bretons’ signature ability is the Dragon Skin power, which allows them to temporarily increase their resistance to magic.
Final Words
All in all, there are ten races, and the best one in Skyrim V depends on your playstyle. However, in most cases, if not all, you will find Breton and High Elves dominate the battlefield with the help of their magic. Since magic is not the only tactic in Skyrim, you can even use Khajits to defeat an enemy through perfect sneak.
Apart from the fights and races, you should also take a look into Making Gold With The Transmute Spell and Skyrim Alchemy Recipes so you can understand the game mechanics well. Moreover, Here Are All The Black Book Locations In Skyrim that will help you complete the Black Book Quest.
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