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This supplement is intended to give a set of alternatve rules. That is, ways things could have gone in the core rules but didn't. This does mean some things may clash, and you may have to improvise how you'll implement the following mechanics. As always: please, enjoy this stuff and do as you want with it.


Learning by Doing

*This rules variant is intended to replace the core experience mechanic fully. Use it as you will. In addition, this variant requires the usage of a ten-sided dice.

A main part of the Elder Scrolls experience is improving skills by using them repeatedly. This was left out of the core mechanics because it makes character creation of anything beyond the basics difficult, and because an experience system is altogether a more effective system no matter what anyone says.
Anytime a character uses a skill, make a tally on a seperate sheet of paper for that skill. When they reach a specific number of uses dependent on the next skill rank they will achieve, roll a d10; if they roll higher than ther current number of ranks in that skill, increase it by 1 to an obvious maximum of 10.

The number of uses is important in that it determines the rate of character growth. Below are a three growth rates:

Fast-Test once a skill is used a number of times equal to CurrentRank+1.
Average-Test once a skill is used a number of times equal to (CurrentRank+1)^2.
Slow-Test once a skill is used a number of times equal to 10(CurrentRank+1).


The Luck Stat

*This Rules Variant is intended for use to replace the experience system in the core rules, and is therefore not recommended if using experience.

In the world of Tamriel, some people seem to have everything going for them. They're in the right place at the right time, they advance quickly and powerfully compared to their peers, or they sometimes survive things by the skin of their teeth others would find completely fatal. They are, in a word, lucky.

The Luck stat is intended as a counterpoint to Stamina, albeit one with even more weight. It has a variety of uses, and as an optional stat, can be determined multiple ways.
In the most efficient manner, your Luck is an average of your ranks in the three Aspects; sometimes it is just determined beforehand by your GM. You might even just roll some dice and take the result, what with it being Luck and all.
What Luck does and how it is used however are perhaps the most important parts.

Luck may be spent for a variety of actions.

-You may spend 1 Luck to reroll an entire roll after learning its total.
-You may spend 2 Luck to increase a skill or Aspect by 1 to rank 5 or less.
-You may spend 3 Luck to increase a skill or Aspect by 1 to rank 9 or less.
-You may spend 4 Luck to increase a skill or Aspect by 1 to rank 10.
-You may spend 5 Luck to avoid fatal damage. The GM decides how fate intervenes on your behalf, and while you will live, you may not necessarily be all in one piece.
-You may permanantly decrease your Luck stat by 1 to automatically treat one of your rolls as 6/6, or a roll targetting you as 1/1.

Lastly, Luck regenerates only vary slowly, so one must use their Luck wisely. At the start of every adventure/arc/campaign/etc (ie, when your GM decides) increase your Luck pool by your Luck stat. You may have more Luck in your pool than the stat itself, but never more than 20 points of Luck total.



"True" Birthsigns

This variant is, like the Learning by Doing variant, one that was left out due to it being more mechanically complicated than Birthsigns as character themes. Be forewarned that they may disrupt character balance easily and/or be a headache if you give them to NPCs.

The Apprentice
-A character born under the Apprentice gains an additional point of Magicka at every even rank in the Mage Aspect. However, any time they are affected by Magic, double its numerical effect (but never its duration). This does not affect spells of the Alteration or Conjuration schools.

The Atronach
-A character born under the Atronach gains two points of Magicka for every rank they have in the Mage Aspect rather than as normal. In addition, any time they are the target of a spell, roll 1d6; on an even number, the character ignores the spell's effect and regains points of Magicka equal to the spell's rank. Lastly, a character born under the Atronach Sign may only regain Magicka through potions or absorbing spells.

The Lady
-A character born under the Lady may gain the Lady's Blessing effect once a day. For one minute (10 Rounds) they gain a +1 to Speech. In addition, any time they regain Health or Stamina for the duration of the Lady's Blessing, increase the amount regained by 1. They may not exceed their maximum in this way.

The Lord
-A character born under the Lord gains both the blessing and curse of the Trollkin. Once a day, they may activate their Trollkin Blessing for 30 seconds (5 rounds), regaining 2HP each round and reducing all damage taken by 1 point. However, the curse of the Trollkin causes a character born under the Lord to take an additional point of damage any time they are hurt by fire, even when not using their Trollkin blessing.

The Lover
-A character born under the Lover gains the Lover's Kiss blessing. Once per day, they may Paralyze a target they are standing next to for 30 seconds (5 rounds), at a cost of 5 Stamina. If this loss of Stamina lowers them to 0 Stamina or less, they are also Paralyzed for 30 seconds.

The Mage
-A character born under the Mage is naturally adept at magic. The character gains 3 additional points of Magicka permanently, after generating their character.

The Ritual
-A character born under the Ritual gains either the Light Ritual Blessing or the Dark Ritual Blessing, chosen at character creation. Once a day, a character with the Light Ritual may cast Repel Undead for 30 seconds (5 rounds) without paying any Magicka. A character with the Dark Ritual may cast Create Zombie on all corpses in the area for 30 seconds. Regardless of the chosen Ritual, when the Blessing is used the character automatically regains 10HP.

The Serpent
-A character born under the Serpent gains the Viper's Bite blessing. Once per day, they may Paralyze a target they are standing next to for 30 seconds (5 rounds) and poison the target for 1HP each round for 5 rounds, at a cost of 10 Stamina. If they are reduced to 0 Stamina by this effect, they lose 2HP for every left over point.

The Shadow
-A character born under the Shadow gains the Moonshadow Blessing. Once per day, they may become Invisible for 1 minute (10 rounds).

The Steed
-A character born under the Steed gains the Steed's Charge blessing. Once per day, they may take a free move action at any point, even during another character's turn.

The Thief
-A character born under the Thief is naturally lucky. They begin play with 2 additional points of Stamina permanently, after generating their character. If the Luck Variant is being used, they also gain 1 point of Luck.

The Tower
-A character born under the Tower gains the Tower Key blessing. Once per day, they may open any lock of Expert rank or lower for free. In addition, any time the character is hurt for 10HP or more, the source of the damage loses 1HP itself.

The Warrior
-A character born under the Warrior gains the War Cry blessing. Once a day, they may activate their blessing for 1 minute (10 rounds), increasing any physical damage they deal by 1 point.