An Unofficial Elder Scrolls Guide To Everything In Xanathar's Guide To Everything (UESGEXGE) P
With the release of Xanathar's Guide to Everything, I wanted to provide my own commentary on how you can bring the new player options into your Elder Scrolls game. We start with a quick look at the new Barbarian and Bard subclass options. Each subclass is summarized and provides a few lore friendly ideas to expand on your character's background. You will need Xanathar's Guide to Everything to follow along.
BARBARIAN
Although everyone experiences anger, barbarians uniquely focus their rage into an almost supernatural feat of strength and endurance.
Xanathar's provides new ideas to consider for your barbarian character, including personal totems, tattoos, and superstitions.
Personal Totems. Many barbarians have few possessions beyond their necessities. The few other items they carry likely provide a special significance to the character's background.
Tattoos. The members of many barbarian tribes decorate themselves with tattoos that represent the bearer's ancestry, spirituality, or perhaps momentous event.
Superstitions. Barbarians live with particular attitudes that are likely to give rise to superstitions. These beliefs are often passed down within a family group or clan.
PRIMAL PATHS
At 3rd level, a barbarian gains the Primal Path feature. The following describes how to use these options in your Elder Scrolls game.
PATH OF THE ANCESTRAL GUARDIAN
Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors, calling on the warriors of the past for aid to protect the living.
Many cultures from Tamriel devote themselves to ancestral worship. The most notable of these are the Dunmer, Nords, and Redguard. Other noteworthy societies are the Altmer and Orsimer. Any of these races are perfect choices for a barbarian that follows this path.
Altmer. While not the most obvious choice, altmer have a great respect for their ancestors. Many altmer revere their lineage and go to considerable efforts to keep their descendants pure. Although uncommon, it would not be unheard of for altmer warrior clans to call on their ancestors in times of need.
Dunmer. Sacred rituals are performed by dunmer families to bind themselves to their ancestors, making this path a likely choice for any dunmer barbarian.
Nord. Sovngarde is the place where nords go when they die valiant deaths. Speakers of the Thu'um are able to call forth spirit guardians from Sovngarde to fight by their side, and it is possible that worthy nordic warriors would be able to call forth their ancestors.
Orsimer. Orcs are known to produce brutal, hardened warriors and the best of these warriors achieve honorable deaths, whether from battle or a final, glorious feat. Malacath or Trinimac look over their champions with great fondness, offering ancestral guardians to aid them in their battles.
In some rare cases, the ashes of celebrated orsimer fighters are forged into great weapons. The wielder of this weapon may be able to be granted protection from their ancestor.
Redguard. Perhaps the most fervidly devout, the redguard revere their ancestors with a devotion usually dedicated to the gods. This devotion can earn favor with the Tricky God, the Shepard of Souls, to bring forth champions from the Far Shores.
PATH OF THE STORM HERALD
Barbarians who follow the Path of the Storm Herald transform their rage into a mantle of primal magic. Tapping into the powerful forces of nature, these elite champions create powerful magical effects.
These protectors of nature hone their craft either by studying alongside druids and rangers, or by throwing themselves into the wrath of the worlds most volatile terrains. Storm Heralds attune themselves to a particularly harsh biome, the desert, sea, or tundra.
Desert. The Alik'r Desert of Hammerfell and central Elsweyr are the main deserts in Tamriel. These desolate wastelands are some of the most treacherous environments and are home to dangerous creatures. Any barbarian that attunes itself to the desert likely personifies these traits.
Sea. Dry land isn't the only perilous place to live. The violent seas of Tamriel have wiped out armadas and entire civilizations. Almost every culture throughout Nirn has a connection to the sea with the Maormer being the most notable.
Tundra. The Nords of Skyrim and the Orcs of Wrothgar, along with the other races that choose to live there, have been hardened by the difficult life only found in the Tamriel's coldest regions. Barbarians are commonly found in the tundra, as the cruel and ruthless habitat offers very few luxuries for any other lifestyle.
PATH OF THE ZEALOT
Some deities in the pantheons of Tamriel inspire their followers to pitch themselves into a ferocious battle fury. These barbarians are zealots – warriors who channel their rage into powerful displays of divine power.
Although there are a variety of divines and daedra that inspire their followers to embrace this path, there are three that truly stand out.
Boethia. The prince of plots, deceit and murder, Boethia is worshiped as one of the 'good' daedra by the dunmer, and has an avatar of war by others. She is known to bless the strongest of her followers with powerful artifacts.
Malacath. Protective of his followers, Malacath finds pleasure in vindication, especially against those who exile others. Those who follow the code of Malacath have an unrepentant belief in respect, tradition, and vengeance.
Talos. God of might and war, Talos is the Hero-god of Mankind. In his mortal life, Tiber Septim was known for his unstoppable conquest of Tamriel. Those who worship him believe in might, honor, and law, above all else.
BARD
Bards tell the stories of history and fiction through songs and tales. They take great effort to preserve history by passing on the memories of epic events even when no written record remains. Bards also take a role to chronicle the stories of every day heroes, both their feats of valor and embarrassing failures.
What sets bards apart from other story tellers and musicians is the style and substance of their performances. When creating your bard character, think about how they represent themselves on stage and off stage. Often, bards are flamboyant and outgoing while performing, but that doesn't always reflect their personal relationships. Consider using your favorite actors and pop stars as role models for your character.
Xanathar's also gives you additional ideas on how to flesh out the finer details of your bards background. The areas to consider are your defining work, instrument, embarrassing events, and your muse.
Defining Work. Every successful bard has at least one piece of work from their repertoire that has been proven to please most audiences. Consider whether it's a song or a poem, or another type of performance art. Refer to the table below for possible ideas.
Instrument. A bard's instrument is one of the most important part of a bard's performance. Although a bard is likely already in possession of their favored instrument, they may make it a priority to find the most elaborate or exquisitely constructed version to impress their audience. Perhaps your character's ideal instrument is an old heirloom, or maybe it was a gift from a important person in your life. Refer to the table below to get some ideas about your bard's favored instrument.
Embarrassment. Even the most successful bard's had to start at the bottom, and as with most public professions, it is likely that they've had at least one bad experience.
Muse. Inspiration comes in many forms to a bard. It can be easy to draw from a wide range of experiences, but for more personal projects, a muse can provoke a deeper art. If your bard character has a muse, it could come from nature, love, or conflict, or one of your own devising.
DEFINING WORKS
d6 Defining Work
1 “The Three Flambinis,” a ribald song concerning mistaken identities and unfettered desire.
2 “Waltz of the Baliwogs,” an upbeat tune that children in particular enjoy.
3 “Sheogorath's Golden Arse,” a dramatic poem you claim was inspired by your personal visit to the Shivering Isles.
4 “The Pirates of Anvil,” your firsthand account of being kidnapped by sea reavers as a child.
5 “A Hoop, Two Pigeons, and a Hell Hound,” a subtle parody of an incompetent noble.
6 “A Fool in Oblivion,” a comedic poem about a jester's travels among the daedra.
INSTRUMENTS
d6 Instrument
1 A masterfully crafted breton fiddle
2 A mithral horn made by altmer
3 A zither made with spider daedra silk
4 An orcish drum
5 A dwemer tonal music box
6 A tinker's harp of khajiiti design
BARD COLLEGES
At 3rd level, a bard gains the Bard College feature. The following describes how to use these options in your Elder Scrolls game.
COLLEGE OF GLAMOUR
The College of Glamour, as stated in Xanathar's, is home for bard's who studied in the Feywild, or were taught by someone from there. There is no direct analog to the Feywild in the Aurbis, however, the general sense of the college is of beauty and manipulation.
The magic found within the College of Glamour can be used to inspire audiences or calm dismayed. Nefarious bards use this power to exploit peoples fears and bend the minds of others to do their bidding.
Although the Feywild may not exist in the Aurbis, there are realms that focus on many of the same aspects of glamour. Bards who find themselves in Sanguine's Many Realms of Revelry doubtlessly learn how to use their magic to delight and captivate others.
Bardic followers of Meridia and Dibella find pleasure in the beauty of life and use their gifts to gladden the downtrodden and undermine their oppressors.
COLLEGE OF SWORDS
Sword swallowers, knife jugglers, and other performers of the blades join the bardic College of Swords. These entertainers use daring feats of weapon prowess to captivate their audiences, but are highly trained warriors in their own right.
Redguards are known for their expertise with bladed weapons and many of their entertainers would be easily skilled in such an art. Orcs and Nords use their brute strength to please the crowds, while Imperials, especially those with martial training, are noted swordsmen and accomplished performers. Anyone with a mastery of bladed weapons and a knack for entertainment make perfect candidates for the College of Swords.
COLLEGE OF WHISPERS
The College of Whispers can be sometimes confused with the institution of magic of the same name that came into power after the fall of the Mages Guild. While both seem to focus on pursuing powerful magic, the bardic college covers more mysterious topics and seeks to uncovers secrets and gain hidden knowledge through extortion and threats. Bards who follow this college usually claim to be of another to avoid suspicion.
Bards from this college make great additions to the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood. Spies, assassins and thieves are not the only ones who see value in the dark nature of whispers. Several of the daedric princes have spheres that compliment the inherent nature of the College of Whispers.
Mephala. The contradictory sphere of Mephala is poorly understood, but it contains aspects of murder, sex, and secrets. The only consistent theme that persists is her amusement in interfering with the affairs of mortals.
Nocturnal. The Night Mistress, as she is known, controls the sphere of darkness and night. She favors thieves among other mortals, gifting those she sees as paragons of their trade to follow her as Nightingales.
Vaermina. Dreams and nightmares, along with dark omens, make up Vaermina's sphere of influence. Each of the feature granted to Bards who follow this college fit perfectly within Vaermina's realm.
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