Suggestion: Playable Daedra Race

BadCompany309 · August 24

Since ESO is exploring new directions in development, I’d like to suggest a fresh approach: introducing the Daedra as a playable race.

Unlike existing races, Daedra would not begin in the traditional starter zones. Instead, they would start in a unique Daedric intro area, facing mortal NPCs as their first enemies. To survive in Tamriel, the player would need to use a disguise system in towns, as Daedra are generally seen as enemies.

The story could begin with the player’s Daedric allies being defeated, leaving the character captured. Mortals conduct experiments on them, which shape their chosen class (or alternatively, the class is chosen at character creation, explained through the experiments). After escaping, the player is rejected by other Daedra and forced to integrate into mortal society, offering a fresh narrative path and gameplay experience.

Pros:

Fresh experience: A new race breaking from classic Tamrielic formulas.

Unique storytelling: A Daedra rejected by both mortals and their own kind creates strong roleplay opportunities.

Immersive disguise mechanic, similar to Fallout 76’s ghoul system.

New starter zone: Expands ESO’s world and provides a different introduction.

Lore-consistent intro via experiments and class selection.

Community appeal: Many players love Daedric aesthetics and lore.

Cons / Challenges:

Lore sensitivity: Playable Daedra may risk immersion if not handled carefully.

Technical complexity: Disguise mechanic requires new NPC behavior.

Balance issues: Racial passives must be unique but not overpowered.

Faction integration: Explaining Daedra joining alliances without breaking ESO lore.

Narrative risks: Could overshadow mortal storylines if not balanced.

Overall, this idea could introduce a new race and a unique narrative experience, adding depth and variety while remaining faithful to Elder Scrolls lore.

LunaFlora · August 25

would be fun, but undoubtedly never happening.

it is likelier that we get more Daedric skins and polymorphs like we already have.

tomofhyrule · August 25

I'm not really a huge fan of shoehorning races in, especially if you're implying that one race would have racial-exclusive quests (and then how would that work with race change tokens?)

The Elder Scrolls series has had only 10 playable races since Morrowind (8 before that, since Imperials and Orcs were in game but unplayable in previous games). Still, there's a vast amount of lore that kind of requires the character to have a soul, which makes Daedra a lorebreaking option.

If any races were to be added, Maormer does seem the likeliest considering how much they were expanded upon in the past ten years. However even then, 10 races seems like a reasonable number to have, and bumping that to 11 just feels... weird.
(Then again, we've been sitting at 7 Classes since Necrom, and that just feels all kinds of wrong since everything in the game goes in multiples of 3, 4, or 5)

What would be cool though would be skins/adornments for players to essentially cosplay as one of those races. We have polymorphs, but those are locked to a specific look. It would be more interesting if we had something like e.g. a Maormer skin that resembled the sliver-blue skin that Siravaen has and the finned ears we could have as an adornment so we could make a character who was an Altmer in name only, but ended up looking like a Maormer.

Toanis · August 25

The problem is with the storytelling. Lyranth calling you little mortal when you're a vampire, or dressed up as a lich, can be handweaved by there being a difference between having overcome your mortality and never having been mortal to begin with.

But for a daedric PC, hours of dialogue need to be rewritten and rerecorded, no more "little mortal", no NPCs badmouthing daedra one mortal to the other, etc. This will quickly rise to the costs of a story DLC, with no content aside from the new race.

Hapexamendios · August 25

Would be fun to mess around with, but I think it's impractical for the game. A Daedra isn't going to give a damn what happens to mortals in most of the zones. About the only place it would even make sense is in the Deadlands being aligned with the Daedra in Wretched Spire.

darkriketz · August 25

BadCompany309 wrote: »

Since ESO is exploring new directions in development, I’d like to suggest a fresh approach: introducing the Daedra as a playable race.

Unlike existing races, Daedra would not begin in the traditional starter zones. Instead, they would start in a unique Daedric intro area, facing mortal NPCs as their first enemies. To survive in Tamriel, the player would need to use a disguise system in towns, as Daedra are generally seen as enemies.

The story could begin with the player’s Daedric allies being defeated, leaving the character captured. Mortals conduct experiments on them, which shape their chosen class (or alternatively, the class is chosen at character creation, explained through the experiments). After escaping, the player is rejected by other Daedra and forced to integrate into mortal society, offering a fresh narrative path and gameplay experience.

Pros:

Fresh experience: A new race breaking from classic Tamrielic formulas.

Unique storytelling: A Daedra rejected by both mortals and their own kind creates strong roleplay opportunities.

Immersive disguise mechanic, similar to Fallout 76’s ghoul system.

New starter zone: Expands ESO’s world and provides a different introduction.

Lore-consistent intro via experiments and class selection.

Community appeal: Many players love Daedric aesthetics and lore.

Cons / Challenges:

Lore sensitivity: Playable Daedra may risk immersion if not handled carefully.

Technical complexity: Disguise mechanic requires new NPC behavior.

Balance issues: Racial passives must be unique but not overpowered.

Faction integration: Explaining Daedra joining alliances without breaking ESO lore.

Narrative risks: Could overshadow mortal storylines if not balanced.

Overall, this idea could introduce a new race and a unique narrative experience, adding depth and variety while remaining faithful to Elder Scrolls lore.

What you're describing here is The Elder Scrolls Daedroth, not a new Elder Scrolls Online content.

It's technically impossible and useless to add so much VERY-solo contents in an already existing MMORPG, not speaking of a lore break as big as the freakin' Eiffel Tower that just has randomly spawned in the middle of your videogame studio. You can't miss it even if you're actively trying to.

tmacedo · August 25

I think the closest we might get (and should, why not) is companions in these races: maormer, daedra and etc.

Imo the player choice of the common 10 since previous games is well developed and dont need to increase.

BadCompany309 · August 25

Thank you all for the feedback! I really appreciate the different perspectives. I understand the main concerns about lore (Daedra having no souls, being immortal, and not fitting into mortal storylines) and the technical complexity with dialogues and NPC reactions. Those are valid points.

My main intention was not to rewrite all of ESO’s lore, but to explore whether the fantasy of playing as a Daedra could be possible in some way. Maybe instead of a full new race, it could work as:

A unique polymorph or skin system that comes with its own short Daedric-themed questline.

A limited story mode where the player experiences the perspective of a Daedra through a special event, zone, or DLC.

Or even a “fallen Daedra” concept, where the character has been altered by experiments (hence weakened, mortalized, given a soul, etc.) – which explains why they can live and die like other races.

I agree it would need to be handled carefully to remain lore-friendly, but I still think the idea has potential to bring something fresh. Even if not as a race, maybe as a cosmetic + questline hybrid.