Dahyka's Vanilla Racials and Birthsigns Improved
⚪ Last updated 2017⚠️ Install Order · 2 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
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🔍 Analysis
- 👍 0.5% endorsement rate
- 🏆 #74 of 308 Gameplay Effects and Changes mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Announcement: I've added a Recommended Mods and Installation section!
General Description:
I find that the way the vanilla game handles racials and birthsigns, especially when it comes to the magical arts to be, well... broken. The Breton are infamous for their staggering 50% resistance to all outside magical effects while, comparatively to Breton, The Altmer's handling of weaknesses to the elements next to its fortify magicka bonus is a little silly. This isn't even mentioning the imbalance of those classes for being pure spellcasters when compared to the other races. Because of this I decided to pick up the Construction Set myself for the first time and do some minor doctoring. My intentions with these changes are fairly simple; Bring Breton and Altmer more in line with other races whilst also liberating the magically inclined playstyles from those characters by redistributing the total magicka bonuses into the caster-oriented birthsigns instead of races, all with as little mud-tracking on the carpet as possible. I've also touched up racial bonuses in general, all whilst trying to keep as close to vanilla as possible.
Version 2 is Finished! In version 2 I've continued to assess racials and, much moreso, birthsigns, attempting to bring the untouched signs up to a point where they can compete more effectively with the altered caster signs and be more useful in general. In my attempt to complete this task I tried to stay as close to vanilla as possible whilst also considering balance. However, I also took some liberties and went beyond basics with certain signs that I felt to be dull or in need of a complete overhaul. As such, the original version with the largely untouched birthsigns from version 1 will remain available for download.
To clarify, all of the listed changes below this point are in version 2. The changes from version 1 will be marked in the description below. You should only be downloading one version of this file, using both may cause issues. Changelog: : I found an issue in the version two file concerning the Restore Fatigue effect in The Steed birthsign: It wasn't there! Oops. This should be fixed now. : I spotted an issue in the description section concerning The Serpent birthsign. I d
A minimalist, lore-friendly mod that tweaks vanilla race and birthsign balancing, especially for pure caster characters. With 379 endorsements and over 82,000 downloads, it's a well-received tweak for players who want subtle gameplay adjustments without overhauling the system.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Community-approved with 379 endorsements
- Over 82,000 downloads show it's widely used
- Lore-friendly tweaks keep the game's feel intact
⚠️ Cons
- Last updated in 2017 — may be outdated for current game versions
- Minimalist scope might not satisfy players wanting major overhauls
For players who want subtle balance tweaks to races and birthsigns, especially if you play as a pure caster. Skip if you're looking for a complete overhaul or major new content.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Check if your game version is compatible with mods from 2017
- Load order matters — place this mod after other gameplay overhauls to avoid conflicts
- Test with a new character to see the balance changes clearly
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- Oblivion Mods
- Author
- Dahyka
- Version
- 2.0
- Downloads
- 82,032
- Endorsements
- 379
- Category
- Gameplay Effects and Changes
- Created
- 3/9/2017
- Updated
- 4/8/2017
🔧 How to Install Oblivion Mods
Download from Nexus.
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