At the start of Skyrim you make exactly one choice that really shapes how the game plays: your race. Everything else, from your standing stone to your fighting style, can change later. This guide covers all ten races and their bonuses, the most useful Standing Stones, what happens in your first hours and how levelling works. It applies to both Special Edition and Anniversary Edition, and the details are verified as of 19 October 2026.
Character creation: what actually matters
Race is the only choice in character creation that affects your skills and abilities. Every race gets +10 to one skill and +5 to five others, plus its own racial abilities. Appearance, sex and name barely affect gameplay. Sex only matters for a handful of perks and for how some characters react to you.
Your race isn’t set in stone either. On PC you can change race and appearance with showracemenu, which reopens character creation. Changing race resets your skills, though, so do it early if at all. More handy commands are in our list of console commands.
Races and their bonuses
There are ten playable races. The table shows the skill each race gets +10 in and one notable racial ability. It isn’t a tier list, just an overview to help you match a race to how you want to play.
| Race | +10 skill | Notable ability |
|---|---|---|
| Argonian | Lockpicking | breathes underwater |
| Breton | Conjuration | 25% magic resistance |
| Dark Elf | Destruction | 50% fire resistance |
| High Elf | Illusion | +50 magicka |
| Imperial | Restoration | finds more gold |
| Khajiit | Sneak | Night Eye and claws for unarmed combat |
| Nord | Two-handed | 50% frost resistance |
| Orc | Heavy Armor | Berserker Rage |
| Redguard | One-handed | 50% poison resistance |
| Wood Elf | Archery | 50% poison resistance |
The Orc’s Berserker Rage works once a day: for 60 seconds you take half damage and deal double damage. If you want to cast spells, Breton, Dark Elf, High Elf and Imperial all get a bonus in a school of magic. Nord, Orc and Redguard lean towards close combat, while Khajiit and Wood Elf suit sneaking and archery. The full list of racial abilities is on UESP.
Standing Stones: speed up your progress
Skyrim has 13 Standing Stones. Each gives a permanent bonus, usually only one is active at a time, and you can swap at any point by activating a different stone. So there’s no need to worry about locking yourself in for the whole game.
You’ll find the first three right at the start. The Guardian Stones (Mage, Thief and Warrior) stand together by the road southwest of Riverwood. Each one makes a group of skills level 20% faster: magic, stealth or combat. Pick the one that matches what you’ll do most.
| Stone | Effect |
|---|---|
| Mage / Thief / Warrior | a group of skills levels 20% faster |
| Lover Stone | all skills level 15% faster (northeast of Markarth) |
| Steed Stone | +100 carry weight, armour weighs nothing and doesn’t slow you (northwest of Solitude) |
| Lord Stone | +50 armour and 25% magic resistance |
| Lady Stone | health and stamina regenerate 25% faster |
| Atronach Stone | 50% spell absorption, +50 magicka, but 50% slower magicka regeneration |
All 13 stones are described on UESP.
Your first hours: escaping Helgen
The game opens with the quest Unbound. You wake up as a prisoner on a cart heading to Helgen, and a dragon attacks. You escape into the keep either with Ralof of the Stormcloaks or with Hadvar of the Imperial Legion.
The main quest has 17 required and 2 optional quests and, according to UESP, takes roughly 15–30 hours depending on your character’s level. All quests are listed on UESP.
How levelling works
Your character’s level in Skyrim goes up as your skills improve. That’s why it pays to pick a stone that speeds up exactly the skills your playstyle relies on.
When to start the DLC
Special and Anniversary Edition both include the three add-ons. Dawnguard opens from level 10, when guards or the characters Durak or Agmaer approach you, or you hear a rumour from a city guard. Dragonborn only starts after the main quest The Way of the Voice. When and how to start each one is covered in Skyrim DLC order.
If you’re still choosing an edition, the differences are summed up in our edition comparison.
Join our Discord and get tips from other players for your first character: GamersTogether Discord.
How players and critics rate the game is summed up in our Skyrim review (8/10).
FAQ
Pick based on how you want to play. Every race gets +10 in one skill, for example Breton in Conjuration, Nord in Two-handed and Khajiit in Sneak. On PC you can change race later with showracemenu, but it resets your skills.
By the road southwest of Riverwood. Three stones stand there together: Mage, Thief and Warrior.
Yes, at any time. Activate a different stone and it replaces the previous one. Usually only one stone is active.
According to UESP, roughly 15–30 hours depending on your character’s level. The main quest is made up of 17 required and 2 optional quests.
By improving your skills. As your skills rise, your character level rises with them. Stones speed up skill gains, the Guardian Stones by 20%.
Information verified on 19 October 2026. More guides are waiting in our Skyrim guides.