Your character
Death and lineage
Enduring, Bloodline or No Lineage: what each choice does when you die, online and off.
Right after creation the game asks “Will your line endure?” This choice cannot be changed later.
The three choices
| Choice | When you die | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Enduring | You come back, but the death costs years of your lifespan. When the years run out, an heir takes over. | Most players, especially online |
| Bloodline | Death is final. A sibling, child or newborn of your blood takes your place and can recover what you lost from your remains. When nobody is left, the line ends. | Players who want real stakes |
| No Lineage | No family at all. Death works as in classic Daggerfall. Offered online only. | Players who ignore the family system |
How much a death costs (Enduring)
Arkay takes a share of a lifespan for every death. The share is a setting:
| Setting | Lifespan per death |
|---|---|
| Light | 4% |
| Standard | 6% |
| Heavy | 10% |
Lifespan by race
The share is taken from a lifespan that depends on your race. A character starts at a quarter of it, becomes an elder at three quarters, and when the span is spent the next death is the last one for that character and an heir takes over.
| Race | Lifespan (years) | Starting age | Years lost per death (Standard) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redguard | 80 | 20 | 5 |
| Khajiit, Argonian | 85 | 21 | 5 |
| Breton, Nord | 90 | 23 | 5 |
| Wood Elf | 150 | 38 | 9 |
| Dark Elf | 180 | 45 | 11 |
| High Elf | 200 | 50 | 12 |
A Daggerfall year is twelve months of thirty days, and your character ages on its own clock while you play. The elves last roughly twice as many deaths. All eight are in the race database.
Elders may pass the mantle to an heir at any time. Your family tree is on Numpad /.
Online
- Bloodline is enforced by the server. A death is final on every device; you cannot reload around it.
- Enduring works the same online and off.
- Dying in the Wrothgarian Mountains has its own rules. See PvP and the Wild Zone.
Category: Your character