Daggerfall:Background

These background questions generate additional characteristics of your character. After choosing your class, you can either answer these questions or have the game randomly answer them for you. Each question gives you items, skills, or reputation; some even give you a small disadvantage. Note that some classes might not have some of the answers available, even though they are listed as having the question.

For custom character classes, you will get the questions from a class that matches your skills the most.

The answers you choose will also be reflected on your character's personal history.

For information on how the skill increases provided by these questions interact with initial skill values, see Character Creation.

Questions

What motivates you into a life of adventure/burglary?

(All classes)

a. Riches

GP +500

b. Fame

Reputation with Underworld +10

Reputation with Scholars +10

c. Knowledge

A random Book

d. Fun

Skill Etiquette +3

Skill Streetwise +3

e. Helping Others

Reputation with Commoners +10

---

As a child, your nickname was ___.

(All classes)

a. Rabbit

Skill Jumping +6*

b. Guppy

Skill Swimming +6

c. Quicksilver

Skill Running +6^†

d. Scrapper

Skill Hand-to-Hand +6

e. Monkey

Skill Climbing +6

_{*Mages are granted Orcish +6 rather than Jumping
^†Mages are granted Restoration +6 rather than Running}

---

What god, if any, do you worship?

(All classes except Archer)

a. None

Reputation with Scholars +5

b. Arkay, Birth and Death God

Reputation with Arkay +5

c. Zenithar, God of Commerce

Reputation with Zenithar +5

d. Mara, the Mother Goddess

Reputation with Mara +5

e. Dibella, Goddess of Beauty

Reputation with Dibella +5

f. Julianos, God of Logic

Reputation with Julianos +5

g. Akatosh, God of Time

Reputation with Akatosh +5

h. Stendarr, God of Mercy

Reputation with Stendarr +5

i. Kynareth, Goddess of Air

Reputation with Kynareth +5

---

Of all disagreeable types, you have the most personal hatred for ___.

(Archer, Battlemage, Healer, Mage, Nightblade, Sorcerer, Spellsword, Thief)

Answers to this question provide no benefits.

a. Sanctimonious priests

b. Diabolic wizards

c. Stupid peasants*

d. Power-mad robber barons

e. Immoral assassins^†

_{*Thieves are not offered this option; instead "Power-mad robber barons" take its place, and the new option "Greedy merchants" is added
^†Archers are not offered this option}

---

You are friendlier than most with ___.

(Barbarian, Bard, Battlemage, Healer, Knight, Mage, Monk, Nightblade, Ranger, Sorcerer, Spellsword, Thief, Warrior*)

a. the savage Harpies

Harpy Skill +6

b. the simple Giants

Giantish Skill +6

c. the glorious Dragons

Dragonish Skill +6

d. the immodest Nymphs

Nymph Skill +6

e. the infernal Daedra

Daedric Skill +6

f. the bucolic Spriggans

Spriggan Skill +6

g. the primitive Centaurs

Centaurian Skill +6

h. the mischevious [sic] Imps

Impish Skill +6

_{*Warriors instead receive whichever language is two answers above, e.g. selecting Impish actually gets them Spriggan +6; answer A provides Jumping +6 and answer B provides Orcish +6}

---

Since childhood, you have saved ___.

(Archer, Barbarian, Bard, Knight, Monk, Ranger,* Thief, Battlemage, Healer, Mage, Sorcerer, Spellsword)

This question is unique in that the possible answers vary widely depending on class. All options are presented below.

a. 100 gold pieces

GP +100

b. A book / A favorite book / Your favorite book

A random Book

c. A dozen arrows

12 Iron Arrows

d. A cuirass

An Iron Cuirass^†

e. An amulet

An Amulet

f. A pearl

A Pearl

g. A round shield

A Steel Round Shield

h. A katana

An Iron Katana

i. An elven flail

An Elven Flail

j. A buckler

A Steel Buckler

_{*Rangers receive an additional Iron Shortbow and 8 Iron Arrows regardless of their choice here
^†Sorcerers and Rangers instead receive a Steel Cuirass}

---

You have a certain degree of training with ___.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Bard, Rogue)

a. Short-bladed weapons

Short Blade Skill +6

Elven Tanto*

b. Hand-to-hand combat

Hand-to-Hand Skill +6

Iron Gauntlets^†

c. Axe fighting

Skill Axe +6

Steel Axe^‡

d. Blunt weapons

Skill Blunt Weapon +6

Steel Staff^§

e. Archery

Skill Archery +6

Steel Shortbow and 6 Arrows^‖

f. Longblade

Skill Long Blade +6

Steel Longsword^¶

_{*Bards instead receive an Elven Dagger
^†Rogues instead receive a Silver Cuirass
^‡Bards and Rogues instead receive an Iron Axe
^§Bards and Rogues instead receive an Iron Staff
^‖Rogues instead receive an Iron Left Pauldron
^¶Bards and Rogues instead receive an Iron Claymore; Assassins instead receive a Steel Katana}

---

What thieving skill have you been studying the longest?

(Acrobat, Assassin, Bard, Burglar, Nightblade, Rogue)

a. Dodging

Skill Dodging +6

b. Stealth

Skill Stealth +6

c. Backstabbing

Skill Backstabbing +6

d. Lockpicking

Skill Lockpicking +6

e. Pickpocketing

Skill Pickpocket +6

f. Climbing

Skill Climbing +6

g. Critical-Striking

Skill Critical Strike +6

h. Running

Skill Running +6

i. Jumping

Skill Jumping +6

---

Your preferred criminal method is ___.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Burglar, Rogue)

Answers to this question provide no benefits.

a. catburglary

b. mugging

c. pickpocketing

d. swindling

e. smuggling

f. bankrobbing

---

Given your choice of reward, you would most likely choose ___.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Bard, Rogue)

a. 200 gold pieces

GP +200

b. An ebony dagger

An Ebony Dagger

c. An interesting book

A random Book

d. A ruby

A Ruby

e. A silver staff

Silver Staff

f. An amulet

An Amulet

g. A pearl

A Pearl

---

One of the most important survival skills you picked up was how to ___.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Rogue)

a. Mend simple wounds

Skill Medical +6

b. Ingratiate yourself

Skill Etiquette +6

c. Boss people around

Skill Streetwise +6

d. Haggle with merchants

Skill Mercantile +6

e. Fight with a knife

Skill Short Blade +6

---

You were an active child, ___ than anyone else your age.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Burglar, Rogue)

a. faster

Skill Running +6

b. sneakier

Skill Stealth +6

c. a better climber

Skill Climbing +6

d. a better swimmer

Skill Swimming +6

e. a better brawler

Skill Hand-to-Hand +6

---

You can get most of the things you want by stealing from ___.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Burglar, Rogue)

a. Rich Nobles

A Bracelet

b. Scholar Types

A random Book

c. Established Temples

Holy Water

d. Diversified Merchants

A Torch

---

The one skill you could not work without must be ___.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Burglar, Rogue, Thief)

a. Lockpicking

Skill Lockpicking +6

b. Pickpocketing

Skill Pickpocket +6

c. Stealthy Movement

Skill Stealth +6

d. Dodging

Skill Dodging +6

e. Climbing

Skill Climbing +6

f. Backstabbing

Skill Backstabbing +6

---

Your frail health as a child has made you ___.

(Acrobat, Assassin, Burglar, Rogue)

a. Less resistant to poisons

Poison Resistance -5%

b. Less resistant to disease

Disease Resistance -5%

c. Easily tired

Fatigue -5

d. Less resistant to magic

Magic Resistance -5%

---

Which of the following skills have you been studying the longest?

(Archer, Barbarian, Knight, Monk, Ranger, Warrior)

a. Dodging

Skill Dodging +6

b. Stealth

Skill Stealth +6

c. Backstabbing

Skill Backstabbing +6

d. Lockpicking

Skill Lockpicking +6

e. Pickpocketing

Skill Pickpocket +6

f. Climbing

Skill Climbing +6

g. Critical-Striking

Skill Critical Strike +6

h. Running

Skill Running +6

i. Jumping

Skill Jumping +6

---

You have an unusually high affinity with ___.

(Archer)

a. the savage Harpies

Skill Harpy +6

b. the simple Giants

Skill Giantish +6

c. the glorious Dragons

Skill Dragonish +6

d. the immodest Nymphs

Skill Nymph +6

e. the infernal Daedra

Skill Daedric +6

f. the bucolic Spriggans

Skill Spriggan +6

g. the primitive Centaurs

Skill Centaurian +6

h. the mischevious Imps

Skill Impish +6

---

You have the most trouble ___.

(Archer, Barbarian, Knight, Monk, Ranger, Thief, Warrior)

a. Resisting poisons

Poison Resistance -10%

b. Staying awake and alert

Fatigue -5

c. Getting along with others

Reaction Roll -5

d. Avoiding diseases

Disease Resistance -5%

e. Resisting spells

Magic Resistance -5%

f. Fighting and parrying

To Hit -5

---

You have the most trouble ___.

(Bard, Battlemage, Healer, Mage, Nightblade, Sorcerer, Spellsword)

a. Resisting poisons

Poison Resistance -10%

b. Staying awake and alert

Fatigue -5

c. Getting along with others

Reaction Roll -5

d. Avoiding diseases

Disease Resistance -5%

e. Resisting magic

Magic Resistance -5%

f. Fighting without magic

To Hit -5

---

You feel most comfortable ___.

(Archer)

a. On stable ground

Skill Running +4

b. In the water

Skill Swimming +4

c. On a ledge or tree

Skill Climbing +4

d. Anywhere dark

Skill Stealth +4

e. With other people

Skill Etiquette +2

Skill Streetwise +2

---

Given 200 gold pieces as a reward, You decided to ___.

(Archer, Barbarian, Knight, Monk, Ranger)

a. Save it.

GP +200

b. Buy an ebony dagger

An Ebony Dagger

c. Buy a rare book

A random Book

d. Buy a ruby

A Ruby

e. Buy a silver staff

A Silver Staff

---

You spend any free time you have training with ___.

(Archer, Barbarian, Knight, Monk, Ranger, Spellsword,* Warrior)

a. Short-bladed weapons

Skill Short Blade +6

b. Hand-to-hand combat

Skill Hand-to-Hand +6

c. Axe fighting

Skill Axe +6

d. Blunt weapons

Skill Blunt Weapon +6

e. Archery

Skill Archery +6

f. Longblade

Skill Long Blade +6

_{*Spellswords also receive gear based on their answer; respectively, an Iron Shortsword, Iron Gauntlets, Iron Axe, Iron Flail, Iron Bow/6x Iron Arrows, and no item is received when selecting Longblade}

---

You are intimate friends with ___.

(Archer, Barbarian, Bard, Battlemage, Healer, Knight, Mage, Monk, Ranger, Sorcerer, Spellsword, Warrior)

Answers to this question provide no benefits.

a. a Monk

b. a Mage

c. a Rogue

d. a Warrior

e. an Assassin

---

You are most fond of using ___.

(Barbarian, Knight, Ranger, Warrior)

a. Short-bladed weapons

Skill Short Blade +12

An Iron Short Sword

b. Hand-to-hand combat

Skill Hand-to-Hand +12

An Iron Gauntlets

c. Axe fighting

Skill Axe +12

An Iron War Axe*

d. Blunt weapons

Skill Blunt Weapon +12

An Iron Warhammer^†

e. Archery

Skill Archery +12

An Iron Shortbow

5 Steel Arrows^‡

1 Silver Arrow

f. Longblade

Skill Long Blade +12

An Iron Claymore^§

_{*Rangers instead receive Iron Gauntlets
^†Rangers, Knights and Warriors instead receive a Steel Staff, Iron Mace, or Iron Flail, respectively
^‡Rangers only receive 3 Steel Arrows
^§Rangers, Knights and Warriors instead receive an Iron Katana, Iron Dai-Katana, or Iron Kite Shield, respectively}

---

You were loaned and later allowed to keep ___.

(Barbarian, Knight, Monk, Ranger, Warrior)

a. 200 gold pieces

GP +200

b. A great book

A random Book

c. A cuirass

Iron Cuirass

d. Pauldrons

Iron Left Pauldron

Iron Right Pauldron

e. A dai-katana

Steel Dai-Katana

---

What school of magic have you been studying the longest?

(Bard, Mage, Nightblade, Sorcerer)

a. Destruction

Skill Destruction +6

b. Restoration

Skill Restoration +6

c. Illusion

Skill Illusion +6

d. Alteration

Skill Alteration +6

e. Thaumaturgy

Skill Thaumaturgy +6

f. Mysticism

Skill Mysticism +6

---

Whenever you had a chance growing up you liked to spend time ___.

(Bard)

a. socializing with aristocrats

Skill Etiquette +6

Reputation with Nobility +5

Reputation with Commoners -5

b. learning streetsmarts

Skill Streetwise +6

Reputation with Commoners +2

Reputation with Underworld +3

Reputation with Nobility -5

c. practicing acrobatics

Skill Jumping +2

Skill Dodging +2

Skill Running +2

d. learning economics

Skill Mercantile +6

e. swimming

Skill Swimming +6

f. sparring

Skill Critical Strike +6

---

After the College of Destruction, what school of magic have you been studying the second longest?

(Battlemage, Spellsword*)

a. Restoration

Skill Destruction +12

Skill Restoration +6

b. Illusion

Skill Destruction +12

Skill Illusion +6

c. Alteration

Skill Destruction +12

Skill Alteration +6

d. Thaumaturgy

Skill Destruction +12

Skill Thaumaturgy +6

e. Mysticism

Skill Destruction +12

Skill Mysticism +6

_{*Spellswords only receive Destruction +8 and other spell school +3 from their answer here}

---

In between formal study, you spent your time ___.

(Battlemage, Healer, Mage, Nightblade, Sorcerer, Spellsword)

a. socializing with aristocrats

Skill Etiquette +6

Reputation with Nobility +5

Reputation with Commoners -5

b. learning streetsmarts

Skill Streetwise +6

Reputation with Commoners +2

Reputation with Underworld +3

Reputation with Nobility -5

c. practicing acrobatics

Skill Jumping +2*

Skill Dodging +2

Skill Running +2^†

d. trespassing

Skill Stealth +6

e. learning economics

Skill Mercantile +6

f. swimming

Skill Swimming +6

g. sparring

Skill Hand-to-Hand +6^‡

_{*Mages are granted Orcish +2 rather than Jumping
^†Mages are granted Climbing +2 rather than Running
^‡Nightblades are granted Critical Strike +2 rather than Hand-to-Hand}

---

As you grew older, you received additional magical training in ___.

(Battlemage, Healer, Mage, Nightblade, Sorcerer, Spellsword)

a. The School of Destruction

Skill Destruction +6

b. The School of Restoration

Skill Restoration +6

c. The School of Illusion

Skill Illusion +6

d. The School of Alteration

Skill Alteration +6

e. The School of Thaumaturgy

Skill Thaumaturgy +6

f. The School of Mysticism

Skill Mysticism +6

---

At an early age, your family considered it important that you learn how to ___.

(Burglar)

a. Mend simple wounds

Skill Medical +6

b. Ingratiate yourself

Skill Etiquette +6

c. Boss people around

Skill Streetwise +6

d. Haggle with merchants

Skill Mercantile +6

e. Fight with a knife

Skill Short Blade +6

---

Though certainly not due to hard work, you happen legitimately to own ___.

(Burglar)

a. Over 200 gold pieces

GP +200

b. An ebony dagger

An Ebony Dagger

c. A book

A random Book

d. A ruby

A Ruby

e. A silver staff

A Silver Staff

f. Some holy water

Holy Water

---

Where is your expertise in combat?

(Burglar, Thief, Nightblade)

a. Short-bladed weapons

Skill Short Blade +6

Iron Gauntlets*

b. Hand-to-hand combat

Skill Hand-to-Hand +6

Iron Cuirass^†

c. Axe fighting

Skill Axe +6

Iron Axe

d. Blunt weapons

Skill Blunt Weapon +6

Iron Mace

e. Archery

Skill Archery +6

Iron Left Pauldron

_{*Thieves instead receive a Silver Dagger; Nightblades instead receive a Steel Wakizashi
^†Thieves instead receive Iron Gauntlets; Nightblades instead receive Steel Gauntlets}

---

After the School of Restoration, what magic have you been studying the longest?

(Healer)

a. Destruction

Skill Restoration +12

Skill Destruction +6

b. Illusion

Skill Restoration +12

Skill Illusion +6

c. Alteration

Skill Restoration +12

Skill Alteration +6

d. Thaumaturgy

Skill Restoration +12

Skill Thaumaturgy +6

e. Mysticism

Skill Restoration +12

Skill Mysticism +6

---

In gratitude for services rendered, the Emperor gave you ___.

(Battlemage, Healer, Mage, Sorcerer, Spellsword, Thief)

a. Over 200 gold pieces

GP +200

b. An ebony dagger

An Ebony Dagger

c. A book

A random Book

d. A ruby

A Ruby

e. A silver staff

A Silver Staff

f. An elven flail

An Elven Flail

g. A suit of armor

Iron Cuirass

Iron Greaves

Iron Left Pauldron

Iron Right Pauldron

f. An amulet

An Amulet

---

Your favored weapon type is ___.

(Monk)

a. Short-bladed weapons

Skill Short Blade +12

A Silver Wakazashi

b. Axe fighting

Skill Axe +12

An Iron War Axe

c. Blunt weapons

Skill Blunt Weapon +12

An Iron Warhammer

d. Archery

Skill Archery +12

An Iron Longbow

6 Arrows

e. Longblade

Skill Long Blade +12

An Iron Katana

---

Before you set out for the Imperial City, your mother gave you ___.

(Nightblade, Thief)

a. 100 gold pieces

GP +100

b. Her favorite book

A random Book

c. A cuirass

An Iron Cuirass

d. A pearl

A Pearl

e. A buckler

A Buckler of Steel Quality

f. Gauntlets

Iron Gauntlets

---

Scrounging through an alley, you came upon ___.

(Warrior)

a. Two hundred gold pieces.

GP + 200

b. A book

A random Book

c. A ruby

A Ruby

d. A silver flail

A Silver Flail

e. An amulet

An Amulet

---

Besides the bow and arrow, you are best at ___.

(Archer)

a. Short-bladed weapons

Skill Archery +9

Skill Short Blade +3

Iron Short Sword

b. Hand-to-hand combat

Skill Archery +9

Skill Hand-to-Hand +3

Iron Gauntlets

c. Axe fighting

Skill Archery +9

Skill Axe +3

Iron War Axe

d. Blunt weapons

Skill Archery +9

Skill Blunt Weapon +3

Iron Warhammer

e. Longblade

Skill Archery +9

Skill Long Blade +3

Iron Longsword

Notes

• The questions "Of all disagreeable types", "Your preferred criminal method", and "You are intimate friends with" would have most likely been used to give your character enemies and friends related to their background. In the BIOG files, for these questions, you can find commands like "AE M 8 2 +4", where the second number refers to a class related to your answer. This is further supported by the Burglar history, which features an old lady that trains the character into your selected criminal method, and suggests they should visit her later in the Iliac Bay. Any potential mechanics related to this are unimplemented in the released game.

• Many of the errors and inconsistencies listed above were corrected by DFBIOGFIX, which was also incorporated into Daggerfall Unity.