How do I tell the difference between a Nord, Imperial and Breton?

[Torok]

I seriously can't tell the physical difference between them, is there a way to tell right off the bat just by looking at them?

 

[JakeGeorge!]

Sometime I can't tell if a person is a light skinned Redguard or a dark skinned Imperial/Nord/Breton. They could have done a better job with the facial features, in that certain races will have certain features that other can't. Nose shapes or eye colors that only belong to one race or something. Like Altmers eye color, pretty sure they're the only ones with golden eyes, might be wrong though.

 

[thatwudbryan]

If you notice bretons have more of circular shaped heads than nords or imperials. Only way I can tell nords n imps. apart is by listenin to their accents you can tell whose who once they talk

 

[Xivia4]

Well, in terms of height the Bretons are shorter than Nords and Imperials. It's quite jarring when you realise it for the first time. My Breton is so small standing next to Vilkas, Vorstag, and even Aela!

As for faces, well that's a bit tough.

Bretons: Rounder, softer faces, and tend to be lighter than the other two
Imperials: Darker skin (think olive complexion), dark hair, more rugged faces
Nords: A bigger (in height and overall body) version of Bretons but with the rugged faces of Imperials.

 

[DovahCap]

I've never noticed much physical difference, but you can atleast tell the difference between an Imp, Breton and a Nord by their names. Like, Hjaknir the Nord, Vicci the Imperial, and Anton the Breton. Nords have nordic names, Imperials have latin/whatever names, and Bretons have (apparently) french names.

 

[Dagmar]

Nords are taller than Bretons and Imperials and female Imperials are taller than female Bretons. Other than that and console commands, the only way to know is if something in their dialogues or someone elses dialogue provides the information either directly or by inference.

While it's true that if they have an accent that sounds Northern European it's a safe bet that they are a Nord, several Nords don't have an accent. For example the voice actor Corri English doesn't really change the character of her voice for any of the 30 plus characters she does including Camilla Valerius (Imperial), Elisif the Fair (Nord) and Muiri (Breton).

 

[Dar'Neko]

Not that they're included in-topic, but I have always noticed Redguards sounding really British. Anyone else notice that?

 

[Dagmar]

Not that they're included in-topic, but I have always noticed Redguards sounding really British. Anyone else notice that?

Which Redguards would those be? Certainly not Amren, Nazir, Faleen or Ahtar.

 

[bulbaquil]

Some Bretons sound British, but I don't think any Redguards do.

 

[Dar'Neko]

I've met loads of them. Pretty weird....

 

[azali100]

Nords are tall and pale, and have very obviously Nordic names more often than not.

Imperials are average and brown, Latinish/Italianish names

Bretons are short, round faced, and have very wrinkled foreheads. And they have really
Frenchy/Englishy sounding names.

Aside from that, accents.

 

[Exelex]

Well, if you ask me, Bretons have a peaceful face, Imperials have a cunning face, and Nords have a barbaric face.

 

[Chase]

Not that they're included in-topic, but I have always noticed Redguards sounding really British. Anyone else notice that?

Unless you are talking about the Redguard in Whiterun who implies that you don'y visit the cloud district very often, then no, I hardly ever see Redguards with British accents.

 

[Dagmar]

I've met loads of them. Pretty weird....

Are you sure you're not thinking of another Elder Scrolls game? I can't think of a single Redguard with a British accent including, aside from the ones I mentioned before, Kematu and all his Alik'r mercenaries and all the Redguard women they harass in the game, Saadia, Nazeem (sorry Chase but that's not a British accent), Saffir, Braith, Ahlam, Sayma, Endon, Kerah, Adara, Anwen, Maramal, Shadr, and Tonila.

 

[Arrow Slinger]

Doesn't matter as they are all flesh bags to temporarily hold some of my arrows.

 

[Shouts-At-Dragons]

Well Imperials have a darker skin tone and have more sharper faces.

And I think Bretons have more rounder faces and pointed ears.

 

[Gehenna]

Ah.. I reminisce for the days of Oblivion, where one could tell the characters' race by their voice actor alone. Actually I think it's pretty cool that it's harder to tell. I got pretty sick of Linda Carter being the voice of so many characters. Don't ask me why, but she bugs me more than any of the others - even though I do know she is in Skyrim too, at least it's not so overdone.