The Elder Scrolls 6 Should Allow Fans to Literally Fight Like Cats and Dogs

All eyes are on Bethesda to draw back the curtain on The Elder Scrolls 6, doubly so now that Starfield is out of the way. Bethesda Game Studios is reportedly throwing its full weight behind The Elder Scrolls 6 now, leaving many to wonder when it will arrive, and just how much it will deviate from the conventions established by its predecessors.

It’s been almost fourteen years since Skyrim was released, and it will be more years still before The Elder Scrolls 6. This glaring gap between releases has heightened assumptions that TES 6 will be a significant upgrade from its predecessor, not just in terms of graphical fidelity, scope, and modern features, but game mechanics and RPG systems as well. It’s undeniable that the gaming landscape, especially as it pertains to western RPGs, has changed dramatically since 2011, and with watershed releases like Baldur’s Gate 3 still in the rearview, the next Elder Scrolls game will have to lean into what makes the series unique. There are a number of ways Bethesda can do this, and digging deep into franchise lore is one of them.

The Elder Scrolls 6: The Case For and Against Base Building

Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield have all featured some sort of base-building and management system, and The Elder Scrolls 6 could follow suit.

The Elder Scrolls’ Lilmothiit Race, Explained

Though they never appear in the flesh, the Lilmothiit have been referenced in several Elder Scrolls games. Lilmothiit are described as being vulpine in appearance, but with humanoid bodies and comparable intelligence, much like the Khajiit and Argonians. Though many believe them to be extinct, there’s still enough ambiguity to justify featuring them in a future game.

Much like the other anthropomorphic animal races of the Elder Scrolls universe, the Lilmothiit lived in tribal, sometimes nomadic, societies, and it’s been suggested that they share an ancient connection with the aforementioned animalian races. The Lilmothiit predominantly settled in the southern coastal region of Tamriel, founding the settlements Lilmoth and Blackrose, the latter of which was a location players could visit in The Elder Scrolls: Arena. Since Lilmoth was eventually settled by Argonians, some in-universe scholars believe that the Argonians may have driven the Lilmothiit out. Another theory is that the race fell victim to the Knahaten Flu, which ultimately drove them to extinction. All of this is to say that the Lilmothiit are shrouded in mystery, making them a potentially promising option for a new playable race.

How The Elder Scrolls 6 Could Have Fun With Playable Lilmothiit

A lot of Elder Scrolls players naturally gravitate toward Khajiit and Argonian when selecting their character’s race, and for good reason: these species are fascinating, and can add a layer of high-fantasy otherworldliness to a given playthrough; there’s no reason why the Lilmothiit couldn’t be similarly intriguing. This is especially true when it comes to race-specific abilities, of which there could be many interesting options, including:

A heightened sense of smell
A faster sprint
A bite attack

When it comes to narrative integration, the enigmatic nature of the Lilmothiit could be a worldbuilding opportunity rather than a roadblock. Perhaps players who opt to play as this race can explore an intriguing, loosely defined backstory, establishing where they hail from, and why the Lilmothiit have remained in the shadows for so long. Alternatively, the Lilmothiit could indeed be distinct, with the player-character being brought back to life somehow.

The Lilmothiit’s lore significance could also influence how The Elder Scrolls 6 NPCs interact with the player, as many of them would no doubt be shocked to see such an unfamiliar creature. Perhaps the player could even nurture some rivalry with the Khajiit, pitting the canine and feline races against each other in a comedic fashion. All in all, bringing the Lilmothiit into The Elder Scrolls 6 could be a great way to further expand both the lore and the role-playing elements of the series.