The Elder Scrolls Online features nine familiar races to choose from. Each race is part of a greater alliance and has its own particular strengths and weaknesses. Choose your race and alliance carefully as it will define your choices and options available to you as you play.

Bretons

Hailing from the province of High Rock, the Breton people were once ruled by High Elf overlords. Known as passionate and eccentric individuals, their innate grasp of the arcane is unparalleled among the human races. These born spell weavers display an amazing ability to resist and cast magic, and what they lack in physical skills, they more than make up for it cunning and intelligence. Their natural creativity and ingenuity make them excellent craftsmen and their tendency toward prosperity over battle prowess fuels a robust economy.

Redguards

With deep roots in the sifting sands of the Alik'r Desert, Redguards are a fierce people, hardened by the harsh conditions of the desolate wastes in their homeland. A militaristic society, the Redguards of Hammerfall value battle prowess above all else, and are taught to conduct themselves with great honor and dignity. These natural warriors are deeply spiritual and view the arcane with dark suspicion and disdain. In order to advance into society, Redguard youth must undergo a grueling rite of passage that will put their endurance and discipline to the ultimate test. It is a true survival of the fittest social order where only the strongest will succeed.

Orcs

Often dismissed as nothing but barbarians and beasts, these fierce warriors are born from an ancient culture bathed in blood and battle. Great masters of the forge, their smithing skills are second to none and warriors throughout Tamriel often covet their weapons and armor. Living in the harsh mountain region of Orsinium, the Orcs have been hardened by brutal conditions and have learned to live by one simple code of honor - only the strong can survive and only the strongest can lead. Some of the greatest warriors of Tamriel have been Orcs.

Nords

An impetuous and boisterous people, the Nords live life loudly. Hot tempered and strong, they once ruled the majority of Tamriel, which fills them with a strong and sometimes overbearing sense of entitlement among the other races. Natural born warriors, Nords channel the ferocity of the berserker which helps to drive fear deep into the heart of their enemies. Nords are an extremely hardy people, born with an innate ability to resist even the coldest temperatures and frost magics.

Dark Elves

Dark Elves have known little peace in their history. Their homeland of Morrowind, a place plagued by earth quakes and falling ash, has been besieged time and again, transforming the dark elves into a hardened race. Their great intellect and innate affinity for the arcane makes them natural spell casters, but with the natural grace and dexterity of the elven people, they also have the potential to make great warriors.

Argonians

Entrenched in the dark recesses of the Black Marsh, the Argonians are a shadowy race, well versed in the art of stealth and covert operations. They are masters in bladework, preferring to use guerrilla warfare tactics in battle. Because of this, they make excellent scouts and skirmishers and are a great asset to any army. Argonians are also no stranger to the arcane; their cool intellect giving them the ability to weave powerful and debilitating spells.

High Elves

Wood Elves

Some of Tamriel's most talented and deadly archers are the Bosmer, or Wood Elves, masters of defense. Bright, curious, and agile creatures, the wood elves thrive in the wilderness, and choose to walk among the forests, aligning themselves with nature and painting their bodies to blend into their wooded environment. Their homeland of Valenwood consists mostly of large swaths of untamed wilds and their cities are located in giant migratory trees that roam the jungles.

Khajiits

Known for their great natural agility, stealth, and swiftness, the noble feline Khajiit are one of the original beast races to walk Tamriel. Due to a devastating outbreak of the Knahaten Flu, the population of Khajiit has been decimated, and this fierce race has struggled for survival in the recent years. They are indebted to Ayrenn, Queen of the High Elves, for her aid in helping to restore order during the resulting chaos the plague created. Khajiit can be self-indulgent, their love for the affluent leading them to make excellent thieves, but they have also been known for their ferocity on the battlefield.