History questions

After you build a class, the game asks a short questionnaire about your past. Each answer can give skill points, starting items, reputation with a social group or temple, or a small permanent modifier.

§Which questions you get

The questions belong to the 18 standard classes. A custom class borrows a set:

1. The game counts how many of your 12 skills appear in each standard class’s 12 skills.
2. The class with the most matches lends you its questions.
3. On a tie, the class earlier in the list wins.

A build full of Stealth, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Climbing, Dodging and Running will almost always get the Thief, Burglar or Acrobat questions, even if Archery is your main skill.

The questions themselves are read from the game files in the game’s ARENA2 folder, so they match classic Daggerfall.

§Picking answers

In order of value:

1. Points in a primary or major skill. These raise skills that also drive your level. A +6 to one of your primary skills beats almost anything else.
2. A good starting item, like a bow, a blade or a better dagger. An ebony dagger from the questions starts worn down to 20% condition.
3. Reputation with the group you will deal with most: the Underworld for a thief, a temple for a healer, merchants for a trader. It changes how those people react to you.
4. Temple reputation (+5 with one god). Small. Pick the temple you might join. If you do not care, Zenithar, god of trade, suits a merchant.

Skip points in skills you will never use, such as a language you did not pick.