Classes
Adventurers are extraordinary people, driven by a thirst for excitement into a life that others would never dare lead. They are heroes, compelled to explore the dark places of the world and take on the challenges that lesser women and men can’t stand against.
Class is the primary definition of what your character can do. It’s more than a profession; it’s your character’s calling. Class shapes the way you think about the world and interact with it and your relationship with other people and powers in the multiverse. A warrior, for example, might view the world in pragmatic terms of strategy and maneuvering, and see herself as just a pawn in a much larger game. A crusader, by contrast, might see himself as a willing servant in a god’s unfolding plan or a conflict brewing among various deities. While the warrior has contacts in a mercenary company or army, the crusader might know a number of priests, knights, and devotees who share his faith.
Your class gives you a variety of special features, such as a warrior’s mastery of weapons and armor, and a mages’s spells. At low levels, your class gives you only two or three features, but as you advance in level you gain more and your existing features often improve. Each class entry in this chapter includes a table summarizing the benefits you gain at every level, and a detailed explanation of each one.
Adventurers sometimes advance in more than one class. A rogue might switch direction in life and follow the mystical path of the spellsword. A barbarian might discover latent magical ability and dabble in the sorcerer class while continuing to advance as a barbarian. Elves are known to combine martial mastery with magical training and advance as warriors and mages simultaneously. Optional rules for combining classes in this way, called multiclassing, appear in Chapter 6 of the Basic Rules.
Fifteen classes—listed in the classes table—are found in almost every Elder Scrolls game and define the spectrum of typical adventurers.
| Class | Description | Hit Die | Primary Attribute | Saving Throw Proficiencies | Armor and Weapon Proficiencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbarian | A fierce warrior of primitive background who can deflect attacks and deal brutal strikes. | d12 | Strength | Strength & Endurance | Light and medium armor, shields, all weapons |
| Bard | An inspiring magician whose power echoes the music of creation. | d8 | Personality | Personality & Intelligence | Light armor, long blade, marksman, and short blade |
| Crusader | A holy warrior devoted to one of the gods. | d10 | Personality & Strength | Personality & Willpower | Light and medium armor, shield, blunt, hand-to-hand, marksman, short blade |
| Mage | A scholarly magic user capable of manipulating the structures of reality. | d6 | Intelligence | Intelligence & Willpower | Light crossbows, short blade and staves |
| Monk | A master of martial arts, harnessing the power of the body in pursuit of physical and spiritual perfection. | d8 | Willpower | Agility & Strength | Hand-to-hand, staves |
| Necromancer | A spellcaster who has mastery over living death and calls upon the undead to do their bidding. | d8 | Intelligence | Intelligence & Endurance | Light armor, short swords, marksman, polearms, and staves |
| Nightblade | A spellcaster that uses their magics to enhance mobility, concealment, and stealthy close combat. | d8 | Agility & Personality | Agility & Personality | Light armor, marksman, short blade, and long blade |
| Priest | An appointed champion who wields divine magic in service of a higher power. | d8 | Willpower | Personality & Willpower | Light and medium armor, shields, Clubs, short blades, staves |
| Ranger | An explorer who uses martial prowess to combat threats on the edges of civilization. | d10 | Agility | Agility & Strength | Light and medium armor, all weapon |
| Rogue | A scoundrel who uses stealth and expertise to overcome obstacles and enemies. | d8 | Agility | Agility & Intelligence | Light armor, axe, hand-to-hand, marksman, short blade |
| Sorcerer | A spellcaster who is naturally talented and takes advantage of their ability to control the arcane. | d6 | Willpower | Endurance & Willpower | Shield, blunt, light crossbows, short blade |
| Spellsword | A spellcasting specialist trained in martial combat and destructive magic. | d10 | Intelligence & Strength | Endurance & Intelligence | Light and medium armor, marksman, short blade, and long blade |
| Thief | A pickpocket and pilferer who chooses stealth and subterfuge over violence. | d8 | Agility | Agility & Endurance | Light armor, blunt weapon, hand-to-hand, marksman, short blade |
| Warden | A spellcasting defender of the Green, wielding the powers of nature — ice and plant growth, and summoner of animals to aid them. | d8 | Willpower | Intelligence & Willpower | Light and medium armor, shield, blunt, marksman, pole-arm, and short blade |
| Warrior | A master of martial combat, skilled with a variety of weapons and armor. | d10 | Strength | Strength & Endurance | All armor and weapons |
Variant: No Starting Equipment
In the spirit of the Elder Scrolls, it is typical that classes may not start with any equipment, Septims, or any other physical items. Often, the characters in an adventure that fits the Elder Scrolls tradition start off as a prisoner, an average wanderer, or a ship wrecked traveler.
