Update 17: combat and progression changed

Enemies were made more accurate and retuned to compensate. The patch also rebalanced the contribution of Armor skill and the attributes awarded per skill level. HP is no longer awarded simply for gaining a character level. An older build recommendation may therefore feel different even when its named perks still exist.

Armor damage reduction is capped at 85%. That is not an armor-rating target, and the note does not establish the rating formula, best equipment combination or a damage-per-second ranking. Test the encounter and displayed stats on your own build before committing to older assumptions.

Changed in Update 17

This page was compared with the official Update 17 announcement on September 25, 2026. The changes above are developer-reported; details requiring in-game testing remain explicitly unresolved.

What changed

  • Swimming, Running, Blocking, Armor, Lockpicking and Pickpocket received real trees.
  • Level and skill requirements were retuned.
  • Existing saves keep perks already owned.
  • Official grantperk and removeperk commands can adjust perks at the player's discretion.

Browse by skill

  • /perks/one-handed — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/two-handed — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/archery — 3 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/blocking — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/armor — 5 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/sorcery — 6 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/psionics — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/channeling — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/running — 5 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/swimming — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/lockpicking — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/pickpocket — 4 named Update 15 seeds
  • /perks/foraging — 2 named Update 15 seeds

Build planning

Use a build guide to choose a play pattern, then verify each perk's live requirement before spending. The archive does not infer a complete tree from names alone.

Evidence boundary

Exact values, requirements and edge cases stay marked as unverified until they can be checked in the current build.

What the official record supports

Update 11 says XP required for every skill was dramatically reduced and the progression curve changed from exponential to linear. The developer describes leveling to 100 as substantially easier, while training cost increased 2× to compensate.

These statements establish the current direction without publishing a complete per-level XP table, trainer formula, cap behavior or universal leveling route.

Build from the live descriptions

  • Confirm the game is on Update 16.
  • Read the current wording for a perk, weapon or spell before investing around it.
  • Change one part of the setup at a time so the result is attributable.
  • Recheck official notes when a familiar effect behaves differently after a patch.

Original guide diagram

Patch-sensitive progress

flow

Test Progression Against the Live Build

Evidence keyOfficial recordCurrent guide actionEvidence boundary
  1. Patch baselineConfirm Update 16.
  2. Live wordingRead the current description before investing.
  3. One changeAlter one part of the setup at a time.
  4. RepeatRetest in a comparable situation.
A restrained verification loop for skills, perks, weapons and spells while balance continues to change.Not an official in-game map or UI capture.

Archery scaling named in Update 11

Archery now gives +1 HP per level and +2 Stamina per level. It also increases arrow projectile speed per level.

The official note does not publish the exact projectile-speed increase. The confirmed HP and Stamina values should not be extended into an invented damage formula or best-build ranking.

Do not infer another game's rules

Morrowind inspiration does not prove a use-based skill model, attribute multiplier or level-up threshold. Update 11 confirms a training-cost change, but not the full trainer system or price formula.

The same boundary applies to assumed soft caps, hard caps, respec costs and hidden scaling. A familiar genre label is not a substitute for a verified rule.

Evaluate progress without fake damage math

Judge a change by a repeatable situation in your own current save: the same encounter type, the same equipped option and the same patch. That can reveal whether a choice fits your play style without turning one observation into a universal numeric claim.

If a perk, weapon or spell description appears inconsistent with its behavior, record the exact text and build state for a report. Do not fill the gap with an inferred percentage or progression rule.