Changing an Intelligent Being's Race?

FilteredRiddle · June 2019

I posted this on r/teslore but got no response, so I figured I'd try here:

Within the ESO timeline (2E 582), would there be any reason that a man (Imperial) could be physically altered (Redguard) or turned into a mer (Orc), such as intervention by Daedric Prince or a plague/curse?

To provide context, I've played ESO since the beginning and have 16 characters. All but two of my characters have been Imperial or Breton, with Imperial names; they're brothers within, "House Valerius of Nibenay" and my personal head canon has been that they've an Imperial father and Breton mother. I took some liberty with not making them all Breton, but the argument could always be made that genotypically they are all Breton but some brothers are just assumed to be Imperial given their Imperial names and martial aptitudes. For years, this worked out as even though neither race was the meta for DPS, Healing, or Tanking, both races were in the top 3 for their relevant roles and I was a skilled enough player that I closed the gap. However, recently ZOS made some racial changes that made Breton the meta for magicka DPS and Healing but made Imperial far from ideal for stamina DPS and as an end-game player I can keep up but I can no longer excel. As someone who suffers from a plethora of diagnosed mental health issues which breed anxiety when I fail to exceed or maintain consistency, frankly it's (literally) driving me a bit nutters. I changed my Tank to the new meta race, and retcon'd him to be one of my character's lovers, but for my main - who I view as the head of house - I can't do something more flippant. I am the type of player who has spent 8 hours, non-stop, grinding for an achievement which had me doing nothing but riding from spawn location to spawn location to talk to NPCs which required I light a fire for them; this is legitimately creating issues for me.

My original thought was to change all of my Imperial characters to Redguard, change all of my Valerius characters' names to Breton names, say all of them have a Breton father and Redguard mother, and carry on as I have. However, [1] that will be exceptionally expensive ($300) for doing something because I need to stick to head canon consistency due to being ever-so-slightly loony tunes, [2] I am not a fan of retcons where they can be avoided, [3] I've had many of these characters for years, and I'm attached to their names and appearances. I created my most recent character as a Redguard, and found a new potential family name (in addition to new first names) but it feels a bit dirty. I even tried recreating a facsimile of my main character as a Redguard on PTS but I cannot remake him quite right in the Redguard race, and it honestly makes me sad. It'd be different if I were to say he was cursed, or suffered the divine touch or some such, because there'd be an expectation of difference.

Thus, this brings me to my original question. Is there any lore-friendly way I could change some of the Imperial's races to Redguard or Orc, while maintaining their core identity?

Thank you for your time and any and all help.

WrathOfInnos · June 2019

Sure, there are plenty of in game appearance change explanations. Disguises for quests sometimes magically change your race, items such as the Shadow silk gem can even make you appear like a goblin. Polymorphs and skins can also completely change your appearance.

That being said, I don’t think Imperial is far from Redguard. Depending how many weapon skills you use, the Imperial 3% cost reduction (which also includes ultimates) may outweigh the Redguard 8%. The Redguard resource rerun is more Stamina, but Imperials also heal and get some Magicka. Imperial also gets 2k extra health.

Orc is powerful, it’s hard to argue against Orc if you’re ok with their appearance.

Robo_Hobo · June 2019

Sheogorath in TES Blades can change the player character's race. I remember there's a quest in, I think, Greenshade, where a Dunmer tries to turn into a Khajiit, but ends up turning into an Argonian. The Hist can change Argonian's biological gender with a ritual.

There's that earring in Skywatch that you use to look like an Altmer for a couple quests, and Raz has magic used on him to look like Queen Ayrenn.

Then there's the whole matter of Polymorphs. It depends on how you view those, but if you can shapeshift to look like a Xivkyn, or a skeleton, I'm sure looking like another race isn't too impossible.

Besides your character is the Vestige after all, your body recreates itself each time after death with azure plasm, it would probably be a lot easier for your character to change their race than the standard person, seeing as normal people don't have their bodies constantly being recreated with chaotic creatia.

All in all, if you come up with a good explanation it can probably be believable - but there will always still probably be an underlying feeling of disconnect to it when it comes to headcanon what other characters will think of your decision to change your race, since no NPC will notice your race change, but if you can live with that, then that's the biggest problem out of the way.

RaddlemanNumber7 · June 2019

I've included race changes in a few of my characters' stories.

One changed from Nord to Argonian because Meridia gave her back the wrong soul, and the Nord morphotype of her vestige was overridden by the much stronger Argonian morphotype of the mortal soul.

When I recently changed my last Bosmer to Dunmer it was because of the principle that "you are what you eat". He's always been a traditionalist and followed the meat mandate. He fights AvAvA for AD, and ate so many Dunmeri livers, he acquired Azura's curse. He still identifies as a Bosmer though, and wears a bag over his head to hide his ashen skin and red eyes.

ArchMikem · June 2019

Illusion Magic is definitely a thing. I don't know of any methods of permanently changing a person's Race biologically, most cases I remember always dealt with some kind of Magical force, which like I said, consisted of Illusions to change one's outward physical appearance, either through Spell or Alchemy.

Eporem · June 2019

what of an option for leaving your Main one, the head of the house, as is, excusing the lack of stamina/power to an injury or age

as the Imperial Abnur Tharn does:)

FilteredRiddle · June 2019

Thank you for all of your replies! It's definitely something I'll need to keep thinking on. I need to make a decision, well, yesterday but I'm admittedly struggling heh. You've definitely all giving me lore or angles that I hadn't thought of.

Sand_Traven · June 2019

Since they're a noble house, have you considered retconning their backgrounds to make them retainers of said house rather than blood members of it? I presume that could work for a redguard, and could definitely work for an orc. I know you said you weren't a fan of retconning, but I don't personally see a way of changing their races in a lore-friendly way that isn't a bit... snowflakey. I suppose anything's possible, but everyone wants their characters marked for special attention from daedra/aedra, whether they need it for IRL reasons or not. Having said that, the idea given by someone above of being given back the wrong soul is one of the cleverest I've ever heard.

Honestly though, if you can reconcile yourself to the fact most of this family belongs to a faction that thinks their race shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the ruby throne I think you can square a retcon. Or just change the existing character's race and name to have them be a new headcanon character and do the "facsimile" idea. I did that for a wood elf of mine because you can't change class in this game.

max_only · June 2019

The game recognizes the race you were originally. Not only in dialogue but also in function like which craft style you know by default. I assume it shows in more places as well.

Thevampirenight · June 2019

It could be possible a Daedric Prince can do this. Theodor Gorlash in the mobile game Elder Scrolls blades has the power to change the characters race/gender, and there is evidence he is Sheogorath and its possible he might be Voiced by Wes Johnson in the latest update that added voices to character dialog if it is wes johnson then Thedor Gorlash is Sheogorath and not very subtle about it. Sheogorath as a result might be the best way to explain it. Maybe your characters made some sort of a deal with Sheogorath to have your race changed or gender changed or something. Could use that to explain it.

Marginis · June 2019

Something something magicka oblivion daedra illusion something something.

worrallj · June 2019

Boethia created orcs by morphing them from aldmer, and azura did the same for dunner from chimer. So yes absolutely if your house pissed off a Daedric price they could be transformed.

However I'd consider just staying off meta. My main is an Imperial magplar (RP reasons). Driven from cyrodill by the war he joined up with the star gazers in craglorn.

Sure I'm not doing top tier DPS, but I'm certainly still decent. I do like 38k DPS and once I get the last few peices of my build traited & golded and get my rotation on lock Im hoping I could hang with the big boys.

Honestly even though I'll never be top tier DPS, the racial passives plus the nature of my build itself I really feel makes my toon more adaptable & survivable than a pure glass cannon. I feel like I bring something different to the table, while still getting enough DPS to pay my bills. Plus I'm way better solo than I otherwise would be.