I know that this would never be created, unless I put time and effort into it and made it be completely, and I mean completely free, but I really like this idea that I have in progress.

You’d create a character, select their race and class (there would be the usual 10, plus 10 more, one of them being akavir — this game would not be trying to be lore friendly), and your race choice will always compliment, rather than handicap whatever class you pick, just in unique ways. You’d select their appearance, type out their name, maybe choose from a basic list of birthsigns, but they wouldn’t dictate or affect much. I’d want the player to be able to decide as well if their character is taller and physically more imposing, short and slender, or somewhere in between, so you could be a small nord, or a large wood elf, race wouldn’t dictate this.

Then, you’d select which province/nation you’re fighting in (there’s additional ones for the new races). You’d select whether you’ll be fighting in the overworld (someplace amidst nature and maybe ruins), or in a dungeon that would be unique to the area, or in a distinct populated location (like an arena, or a stronghold that’s under siege.) Fighting within a plane of Oblivion would also be an option for an area.

This game would not be about managing stats. Leveling up would be an automatic process, just gradual boosts to health, stamina, and magicka. You wouldn’t select skills, and you would have six classes to choose from, all races being equally good as any of them, just in different ways — Fighter, Mage, Archer, Battlemage, Nightblade, and Monk. You would decide what armour type you’d wear (light, medium, or heavy), although only fighters and battlemages would be able to choose any of those. Mages would just be limited to robes, but be able to use any form of magic, and to the fullest effect.

Weapons not seen in Skyrim or Oblivion would include throwing blades (the domain of nightblades), hand-to-hand/knuckle weapons, combat staves (both being the domain of monks), crossbows (for archers), and spears. Every class would have unique and dramatic/powerful skills, like fighters having a gap-closing attack, and nightblades being able to do rolls and flips.

The game would be about the player’s speed, coordination, and skill in combat, particularly against increasingly larger and more clever groups of enemies. Every area would have up to six different types of foes. Whenever you defeat an enemy who has better weapons and/or armour that are a type that you would use, and you click a prompt over their body, you’ll automatically wear it instead. Treasure chests would work the same way, and only contain something better than what you’ve currently got. Potions would all just be hotkeys, and you would have very few hitpoints, anywhere from 2 to 4. Health potions would be the most rare. Only stamina and magicka would gradually recharge. Scrolls giving you new spells will drop, if you’re a mage, battlemage, nightblade, or monk.

The game would be in first person view, like every TES game, but combat would be much faster and deadlier, like an arcade-style hack and slash game. Each area you’re in would have its own daedric prince or some other god or god-like being providing narration. They’d always sound imposing and cruel, and say something you would expect to hear. It wouldn’t be possible to win in this game, only survive for as long as you can, getting an increasingly high score that’s shown worldwide, like Devil Daggers. Runs would be recorded, and each area would have its own high score table.

Whatever you would hear upon death would depend on the area you’re in. It could be “you lay here now among countless other warriors”, it could be “I always knew you were a weakling”, it could be “you are one with the hist now”, it could be about you turning to sand and now being a part of the A’likr desert, or something about you going to Sovngarde. It could be about you descending into the ashes of Vvardenfell, and being lower than scum. I feel like it would be enjoyable for players to try to survive in all the different nations and areas, battling unique enemies native to every location, and hearing all the unique taunts that would be thrown their way. What do you think?

If you’re curious, here’s a simplified list of the races that would be selected. The OC names I have for them are left out, because donut steel.

humans (8): imperials, redguards, bretons, akavir, a people analogous to south asians and in particular northern indian peoples, a people analogous to mesoamerican peoples, a people analogous to northern native americans/especially PNW native peoples (they both collectively have metal armour and weapons as a large part of their cultures, they and wood elves in this game would also have wooden weapons and armour that are stronger than steel), and nords

merfolk (7): altmer (high elves), light elves (inspired by hylians in zelda, stereotypically martial casters like dark elves are, and renowned for using mithril), dunmer (dark elves), sand elves (inspired by anime dark elves, they’re the most imperial of elves aside from high elves, and also have strong ascetic/monk cultural elements), bosmer (wood elves), snow elves (falmer if they weren’t all blind and messed up), and orsimer (orcs)

beastfolk (5): rabbitfolk (about as knightly as bretons are or more), khajiit (catfolk), argonians (lizardfolk), squidfolk (stereotypically in magic/caster roles), cow people (you’d better believe they can ram enemies with their horns, even if they’re nimble rogue-like characters or squishy casters)

I also forgot to mention, every area would be randomly generated, and gradually expand with each wave. Dungeons would expand by opening doors to new rooms, while overworld fighting areas would just become bigger, with trees/rocks/natural barriers fading away.

One more note: I would REALLY want this game to have co-op modes, as well as deathmatch, team deathmatch, CTF, etc as well, with players fighting each other and respawning constantly! That, I think, would be REALLY cool!!