Khajiit (Skyrim)



 covers the playable race, Khajiit, as it specifically applies to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Description
Khajiit are one of the humanoid races which inhabit the continent of Tamriel, primarily their home province of Elsweyr. The Khajiit are recognized by their cat/lynx-like appearance and their sly accent. A long with the Argonians, they are referred to as the beast-races of Skyrim. They are one of the ten default playable races, and are known for their natural agility and stealth. Many Khajiit disdain weapons in favor of their natural claws. They make excellent assassins & thieves due to their natural agility and unmatched acrobatics ability. Many Khajiit are also warriors, although this is mainly true of the Cathay, and rarely among those found across Tamriel. In addition to their native quickness, Khajiit have developed a natural proficiency in stealth, and have the added benefit of native night vision. These skills, combined with the general tendency of humans and mer to look down on Khajiit and "beasts", leads many Khajiit outside of their home province to become professional assassins, thieves or bandits in other lands.

Ecology
Unlike the Khajiit of Cyrodiil, Skyrim's Khajiit are more like mountainous cats with thicker fur such as Cougars or Lynxes whereas Khajiit in Oblivion and earlier games looked like jungle cats like Jaguars and Leopards. It is not certain if the character designers intended to do this, or if it is simply due to a change in graphics, though according to canon there are as many types of Khajiit, as there are cats on earth.

Lunar influences
The appearance and physiology of a Khajit is based on the lunar calendar of Masser and Secunda. The manifestations seen in Skyrim only encompass some of the possible forms they can assume at birth, ranging from a general house cat, to giant feral beasts.

Skill Bonuses

 * +10 Sneak
 * +5 Alchemy
 * +5 Archery
 * +5 Lockpicking
 * +5 One-Handed
 * +5 Pickpocket
 * +15 Unarmed damage (10 base damage, rather than 4 like non-beast races, totaling 22, a bonus of 18. rather than 15)

Starting Spells

 * Flames - All races have this starting spell.
 * Healing - All races have this starting spell.

Special Abilities

 * Night-Eye - Allows player to see in the dark for 60 Seconds.
 * Claws - Unarmed attacks do 15 points of damage.

Popular Usage & Unique Gameplay
Khajiits excel in stealth roles, making them extraordinary assassins, thieves, and archers. Their excellent sneak level coupled with certain archery and sneak perks make them very deadly archers, especially when sneak attacking. They also have skill in hand-to-hand combat; their natural claws give them 15 extra damage while unarmed. This ability makes them good at brawling as they out-damage their foes. This trait, if paired with the Fists of Steel perk, makes a Khajiit player formidable without weapons. Before this perk is unlocked though if you choose to explore the Ratways you can obtain a pair of gloves that increase your unarmed damage by 10 point, the Gloves of the Pugilist. Although the player can join any guild, a guild that suits the Khajiit's playing style would be The Dark Brotherhood or the Thieves Guild.

This race arguably makes for the best werewolves as the additional 15 unarmed damage stacks with the base werewolf damage.

The so-called "beast races" (Khajiit and Argonian included) are extremely rare in Skyrim, and some players might enjoy roleplaying a "minority" in Skyrim. Khajiit are the subject of racial discrimination all across Skyrim, as they are thought to be more criminally inclined than other races. According to Ahkari, a female Khajit trader who sells in almost every hold in Skyrim, '''...it is the Nords. They do not like outsiders in their land, and so we are forbidden to enter the cities. When they look upon us, they see only pickpockets and Skooma dealers''.' Thus, Khajiit caravans are forced to conduct business and encamp entirely outside of city walls. A Khajiit Dragonborn is never prohibited from entering cities, but will still be the occasional target of racial slurs by the city guards, and more overtly racist NPCs.

Some generic combat phrases used against Khajiit are racist, such as "You'll make a fine rug, cat!". It is important to highlight their social conflict with the Nords, who don't like them entering their land. The exception of course being the Dragonborn, as they can enter the cities after talking to the guards like anyone else. They can kill any beast in hand-to-hand combat better than any species.

Current History
Khajiit, like Argonians, are still considered little more than beast-men by many human and meri cultures. They were oppressed and enslaved by rich families and primary industries in Morrowind, until very recently when King Helseth finally outlawed slavery. They also have a strong racial dislike for Argonians (one which is shared in return), which causes tension in the southern Cyrodiilic cities of Leyawiin and Bravil, where Elsweyr and Black Marsh are both fairly close, and which have strong populations of both races.

Related Pages

 * Skills - Skills in Skyrim
 * Spells - Spells in The Elder Scrolls Universe
 * Race - Races in The Elder Scrolls Universe
 * Perks - Perks in Skyrim