Summary
AnElder Scrollsfan has created a massive chart that shows how skills have evolved from one game to another. MultipleElder Scrollstitles have been released over the years, and this image highlights one key difference between each of them.
The Elder Scrollsseries began in 1994, and since then there have been four mainline titles and many spin-offs. The main games were added to as well, withexpansions released forOblivion,Morrowind,andSkyrim. As the series has evolved over the years, some things have changed to simplify the experience. The open worlds and characters have become more graphically impressive, but some players have expressed displeasure at aspects of the franchise changing, like the classes and character building. ThisElder Scrollsfan has compiled all the ways that skills have been adjusted fromDaggerfalltoSkyrim.
Reddit user Stained_Class recently shared a chart showing the evolution ofElder Scrollsskills inMorrowind,Oblivion, andSkyrim. The image shows thatDaggerfallhad combat skills like Critical Strike, Running, and Swimming. Critical Strike skill fell by the wayside over the years, while Running and Swimming got grouped up into the Acrobatics skill inOblivion, and were gone bySkyrim. TheDaggerfallStealth category shows that Pickpocketing was grouped into Sneak, but itreturned inSkyrim. The magic portion of the chart has 16 spells that are shrunk down to 9 inMorrowind, 7 inOblivion, and only 6 inSkyrim.
While many aspects ofThe Elder Scrollshave been simplified over the installments, this chart highlights the specifics regarding skills. Other skills that are mentioned that have disappeared include Mercantile, Etiquette, Security, Hand-to-Hand, and Dodging. In most cases, these skills were grouped to be part of a broader category, but others were seemingly erased all together. The chart specifies that Thaumaturgy was partly absorbed by Conjuration, while the rest of it joined Alteration,which still exists inSkyrim. Out of the three skill categories, magic was the most impacted one, which suggests thatDaggerfallis an essential title for Mage-build players.
Though some players may be surprised to seeSkyrimwith fewer skills than the other games, it offers some within their categories. The chart shows that hand-to-hand combat has also disappeared by the release of the latest mainline game, but some players still useaSkyrimunarmed build. Mages in the earlier games are also able to Spellcraft, which expands the possibility of the magic category beyond what’s labeled in the image.
