Skyrim Nord race guide
Hardy warriors native to Skyrim, resistant to cold and at home with two-handed weapons.
- Also called
- Nord
- +10 skill
- Two-handed (starts at 25)
- +5 skills
- Block, Light Armor, One-handed, Smithing, Speech (start at 20)
- Power
- Battle Cry — Make nearby enemies flee for 30 seconds, once a day
- Passive
- 50% frost resistance
- Starting attributes
- 100 health · 100 magicka · 100 stamina
Best builds for a Nord
Looking at the starting bonuses, the Nord gets 25 points of bonuses in warrior skills, 0 in mage skills and 10 in thief skills. That makes it a natural fit for a warrior build, with Two-handed as its strongest early skill.
Remember that the starting bonuses fade in importance as you level. A skill that starts at 25 instead of 15 saves you only a few hours of play. The racial power, Battle Cry, stays with you for the whole game, so pick a race whose power you will actually use.
Comparing the Nord with other races
See the race comparison table for every race's bonuses side by side, or try the Nord in the build planner to see how its bonuses change the level your build needs.
Nord FAQ
What skills does the Nord start with?
Nords start with Two-handed at 25, Block, Light Armor, One-handed, Smithing, Speech at 20, and every other skill at 15.
What is the Nord racial power?
Battle Cry: Make nearby enemies flee for 30 seconds, once a day.
What build is the Nord best for?
The Nord's bonuses lean toward warrior skills, so it suits warrior builds best, but any race can play any build in Skyrim.
What passive abilities do Nords have?
50% frost resistance.