Can You Customize Your Character Again in Skyrim

I love to explore the relationship betwixt the fictional worlds we create for movies, books, games, etc. and the real world.

Having second thoughts? Read on to learn how to change your character'south appearance in "Skyrim."

With all of the character customization options bachelor in Skyrim, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to go overboard and choose an advent for your character that'south exciting at kickoff . . . but then quickly loses its appeal.

Irresolute Your Character's Proper name and Appearance in Skyrim

If you've already invested dozens of hours in your character, earned a ton of gold, and completed numerous quests, it's not surprising if you don't desire to get back and do it all again with a new character merely to change the manner you await. Fortunately, at that place is a way to change your character's proper name and advent later in the game by using the panel. Read on to learn how.

Note: You tin can also use this to change your sexual practice if yous want, just don't change your race! (See the notes later on.)

Earlier we brainstorm, don't forget the number one rule of modding: Always make a new save before making whatsoever changes to your character's appearance or name. (The same applies to all console changes.) This will allow you to revert to a working saved game if for some reason changing your character causes any problems.

How to Change Your Character's Appearance

1. Open up the console past pressing '~', which is located in the top left corner of standard North American keyboards.
2. Type 'showracemenu' in the console and hit Enter. This will pull up the grapheme cosmos screen that y'all came across when you initially created your character.
3. Printing '~' over again to close the console and then that yous tin can start making changes.
4. You can modify anything about your character'south appearance, including gender. Avoid changing your character's race, though, as it may mess up your stats. (More on this beneath.) When y'all are done, just select 'Done'.
5. You will exist prompted to re-enter your character's name and the game volition resume.

How to Change Your Character's Name

1. If you just desire to alter your character'southward proper name, you don't take to make any changes to your advent, just select 'Done' and type your new proper noun.

Here's my character before changing his advent.

How to Modify Your Grapheme's Race

If you modify your character's race, your stats will modify as well. This is considering each race in Skyrim has different strengths and weaknesses—these are reflected in the different starting levels of dissimilar skills. Therefore, changing your race should, in theory, change your skill levels because your old racial modifiers will be removed and your new racial modifiers will be practical. However, this isn't the case. Instead, irresolute your race may upshot in the following:

1. Mismatched Experience and Skill Levels: Unfortunately, the game doesn't automatically allocate your previous feel with the same skills that yous've built upward while playing, so your new skill levels won't match those that you had before. In fact, it seems to just sort of dump all of your experience into Devastation and Restoration (at least in all my attempts.)
2. Rebalancing Your Stats and Changing Levels: Fifty-fifty worse, it affects more your skill levels. Irresolute your race also leads to the outcome of either rebalancing your Magicka, Wellness, and Stamina stats by setting them equally all equal, or information technology'll set them all to 100. The changes to your skills may too outcome in your level changing likewise.
3. Losing Item Race-Related Powers: Changing your race may too cause you to lose the race-related power you lot had when you lot started the game, and won't necessarily be applied to your new race.

All in all, changing your race using showracemenu is a bad idea.

Using SetRace and SetPlayerRace to Change Your Race

What about changing your race without using showracemenu? You can use the console commands 'setrace raceId' or 'setplayerrace raceId' (you need to modify Race ID to the proper race, like ImperialRace or KhajiitRace, etc.) to change your grapheme's race. However, this has the unfortunate side consequence of causing the game to forget where your head texture is located. The side by side time you load the game, your head will exist missing!

Therefore, in that location is no known way to permanently alter your grapheme'southward race without causing a bug of some sort.

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Changing Your Character'south Size

The weight slider allows you to accommodate your graphic symbol's build, but it doesn't give you any control over the character'south size. If you want to make your character taller or shorter, therefore, you have to utilize the console. As always, use console commands at your own risk.

How to Modify Grapheme's Size

1. Open up the console '~' and type: player.setscale x.x (where x.x is the scale yous would like your grapheme to exist set at—for instance, setting your character'due south scale to 0.98 will make them a little smaller, and 1.02 will make them a little taller. The default is 1.0.)
2. Type '~' over again to close the console when you're done.
3. Yous can cheque the electric current scale of your graphic symbol by typing thespian.getscale (you lot don't demand to provide a number).

Note: Don't become crazy with these settings considering it'due south very piece of cake to blow your character mode out of proportion. (Unless, of course, that'due south what you lot want to do.) Commonly adjusting them past .two or .3 is enough to get the effect you lot're looking for. If you make your character as well pocket-sized or too big, you may run into gameplay problems. (For case, I set ane character to 0.5 and afterwards a couple of minutes they started to run really slowly.)

Messing around with the console sometimes results in unintended side-effects. Don't lose your caput over it, though.

Playing as a Non-Playable Character

In response to a number of requests, I've started uploading screenshots of the slider settings for diverse NPCs from Skyrim.

Yous can use these settings to make yourself look like some other graphic symbol from the game (tweaking them however y'all like, of course) or, if y'all're a PC gamer, utilize the plugins or save files I've created to play as one of these characters 'out of the box'.

ThorOsuch on June 28, 2019:

Sorry...I tin't remember...I went to a pgae that had a listing of all in-game characters that you could download and play equally...I tin can't recall how I got there or the page...would somebody please give me the URL to go there.

Umknowm on April 23, 2018:

Does it piece of work on Skyrim se

Mh'eitaal on February 10, 2017:

I but wanted to add that as far as advent goes, you lot tin can still change your characterif you play on consoles, but not your race or name. Just go to the Ragged Flagon and pay the creepy lady on the demote by the h2o 1,000 Septims. Y'all can change your appearance every bit many times as y'all like that style, just if y'all are a vampire or werewolf she volition not allow you lot to do it.

hush-hush on July 13, 2015:

xbox360 and ps3 u just go to riften about thieves order and talk to the altmer lady

Dadiocoleman on February 10, 2015:

For XBox 360:

i. Copy profile and gamesave from 360 to flash drive

2. On the PC extract the gamesave with Modio or Horizon

3. Get your gamesave which should be a .exs

four. Change the extension to a .ess

5. Load the .ess file on Skyrim for PC

6. Follow the tutorial

vii. Save the game

8. Get the .ess file and modify back to a .exs

9. Inject to flash drive with Modern

Nordlys on January 08, 2015:

I use the same character appearance I use in Saints row IV (to practice this, I needed mods), so is unlikely i will grow sick of him. I will edit him more to make him match, or at least to make him closer to his saints row counterpart (I already succeeded for nigh part)

Body of water on Baronial 10, 2014:

Had a wood elf character, I changed his height only by ane.075, and ane of the shop owners in Skyrim referred to me as a nord...

Dar'Purr on April 18, 2013:

This 1 is very pleased with your insights, friend. May your path lead yous to warm sands.

mayang on November 15, 2012:

wow, this is very helpful! now I don't take to offset all the training once more just to modify my character hair. thank you so much for sharing this

j-u-i-c-e (author) from Waterloo, On on September 07, 2012:

@JV: Did y'all think to exit the console before trying to make your changes? You need to open the console with ~, type showracemenu, then close the panel with ~. And then y'all tin can offset editing your grapheme. If y'all click on anything with the console open you lot'll get the grade id for the object which is a cord of hexadecimal characters.

JV on September 04, 2012:

When I did it and tried to change my name, it showed some weird code(like ,1000140 or something) and wouldn't let me dorsum out.

j-u-i-c-e (author) from Waterloo, On on May 01, 2012:

@nat: I agree. It would be easy to do and make a lot of players happy. Seems like a no-brainer. Thanks for reading.

nat on May 01, 2012:

They really do need to add a change character appearance option into the game.

j-u-i-c-due east (author) from Waterloo, On on April 14, 2012:

@bob: If you modify your race, it will mess upwardly your Health/Magicka/Stamina and sometimes your perks and skills. I recommend you Not alter your race. You can always create a new save, change your race using that salvage to see what happens, and if information technology'south completely borked, you can simply delete the salvage. Brand sure you write down all of your stats first, though.

It is possible to fix all of your settings afterward irresolute your race past using the console if you're really expressionless assault it. You need to learn how to add together/remove perks, change stats, etc., which is too much to cover here. Go to the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP) for information nearly changing all of this stuff. Check nether Skyrim Panel. You can as well find all of the editor ids you lot need in that location.

bob on April fourteen, 2012:

so i tin can not chang my race

skyrim on Apr 12, 2012:

It actually rox

Reid on March ten, 2012:

@Justin D on my ps3 it only shows the last 4 times I've saved so how do i change my character, I'm so far into the game i don't want to start over. I'm just wondering how to modify my character?

j-u-i-c-east (author) from Waterloo, On on February 09, 2012:

@Kensaimage: Thanks for the exhaustive testing and detailed analysis! I'm sure there are a lot of X360 users out there who will be happy to take reward of this. :)

Kensaimage on Feb 08, 2012:

I should have clarified, but this glitch was tested and replicated succesfully on the Xbox 360, current with Skyrim'south latest patch as of 02/08/12

Kensaimage on February 08, 2012:

Alright, I tin can practice Justin D's glitch with a 100% success rate. I actually ran into information technology past myself by accident, and it took me quite awhile to replicate the bug. Justin is on the right track, merely he'due south missing a few crucial steps. This is what MUST be done, and I tested it for days.

1. Preset has to be the same, as Justin said

2. Weight has to exist the same, as Justin said

3. Sex, race, and preset, equally Justin said

Now for what Justin DIDN'T say

4. All facial "types" must match the base of operations model. For instance, you have the 2d nose selected for the character you want to edit. To re-edit him, you HAVE to select the SAME nose type or the glitch volition not piece of work.This goes for colors, also, and hair and facial pilus styles. Make EVERYTHING match, but practise Non worry about the proportion sliders. Like the nose example, it has to be the same "type", but y'all can shape it however you want with the proportion sliders.

5. Eye colour MUST be the same

6. Scars must match. If they are present. I tested this and I found that ADDING a scar will cause the glitch to fail, only adding warpaint Tin be done. I practice not know why.

vii. Even the minute details MUST match. Even oral fissure type, but colors as well. This includes lip color, eyeliner, and whatsoever heart shadow, etc

And bam, those are the missing keys to the puzzle. Obviously, due to everything needing to macth, the glitch isn't too terrible useful except to maybe requite your guy minor tweaks. Say y'all made his eyes up a bit to high, you tin can lower them, or trim downwards his nose or adjust his jawline, etc. Yous cannot give him a haircut or add together scars, but you Tin add together warpaint.

Last detail: The game uses your original base model for any modification. Transforming into a werewolf and back will reset your face to what information technology was when you lot showtime made him, and becoming a vampire will exercise the same.

Conclusion: You tin tweak the face, but ultimately, only gonna exist useful for the really nit picky or for those who wanna try out new warpaint. WHIIIICHHHH in and of itself is actually kinda absurd. I did not test if removing the warpaint is possible. The change is permanent, and can but be undone by condign a vamp/werewolf, OR loading your previous salvage on a separate memory unit (flash drive), then loading your your other salvage over again later will alter him back if you screwed up. Keep in mind the change will affect ALL of your saves with that grapheme, fifty-fifty if the image on the save doesn't reflect the changes. So don't freak out, information technology's still easily reversible, and if you don't have a flashdrive, vampirism is hands cured and can be contracted endlessly. And yeah, the guy that does the ritual is immortal and can't die, and if your a werewolf, transform One time and back once more and your golden. Savor

Michael on Jan 26, 2012:

An excellent article - thanks so much!

superfly on January 22, 2012:

HA HA!¡! loose your head! that's funny and cool!

j-u-i-c-e (author) from Waterloo, On on Jan 17, 2012:

That's studded armor. There are pictures of the dissimilar types on the lesser of this folio:

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Armor

Shammy on January 16, 2012:

What blazon of Hide Armour is that?

Jj on Jan 10, 2012:

Justin, On Xbox if we do what you said with the glitch can nosotros then load back to where nosotros were currently playing with our new appearance or would nosotros have to start completely over?

j-u-i-c-e (author) from Waterloo, On on December 26, 2011:

@Eranofu: :)

@Rokkyu: No. But if you apply it to just change your name you may find that your color settings take changed. Whenever you lot open the showracemenu your skin colors revert to defaults and have to exist reset.

@noname: I recall the reason why your skill levels modify has to exercise with the fact that each race receives different starting bonuses, so the engine tries to recalculate them. My hunch is that when you change your race it runs this code but at the wrong time so it's not doing information technology properly. It doesn't touch your perks because no one starts with perks and then information technology doesn't have to recalculate annihilation.

noname on December 25, 2011:

Interestingly enough your perks remain after changing your race with showracemenu. Fortunately i can now increase again my levels sky high with blacksmithing (which in my instance was reset). Archery is mode too high though. Anyway information technology seems interesting (thank god i had already made the damn dragon armor).

Rokkyu on December 25, 2011:

Nice chore, no need to mess with relieve files

Eranofu from Europe on December 21, 2011:

Haha, don't lose your head over information technology. xD Still laughing... Heeehhhh...

j-u-i-c-e (author) from Waterloo, On on December 16, 2011:

@GUest: Changing presets hasn't affected my characters, but it'southward a good thought for each person to test this for themselves. Changing race volition always cause stats to modify.

GUest on Dec 16, 2011:

The trick to using Showracemenu bug free is not to switch to a unequal race or to a preset, if you exit these untouched you lot should be able to still adventure scars, hair, skin tone, etc.TIP- If you lot see your avatar artillery cross, you've changed something and reset the majority of your stats to LVL 1 ranks; and must restart your save.

therandomguy on Dec 06, 2011:

Justin I accept tried post-obit your steps merely it doesn't seem to work. Can yous peradventure make a video, or postal service a more detailed description of how you got it to piece of work? I retrieve it would exist really helpful for all the Xbox 360 owners who have Skyrim. Thanks!

j-u-i-c-e (author) from Waterloo, On on Dec 02, 2011:

Corking tip, Justin D. Thanks for sharing!

Justin D on Dec 02, 2011:

I play on Xbox 360 and have found a glitch which allows you lot to change your appearance on whatsoever character. What you must do is:

1. make a save with the character you want changed

2. load the starting time salvage of the game where y'all are still the nord prisoner (earlier you customize your character)

3. choose the same race, sex, preset, and weight every bit the character you want to change

4. once you have done that, y'all may change the face however yous want, DO Non name your character

5. load the save you made in step ane.

Presto! Your character will look like the one you were just making. I've done this twice now in a row and it worked perfectly each time every bit long as you start with the same preset and weight. May work on PS3, only I don't have ane so I cannot ostend.

j-u-i-c-e (author) from Waterloo, On on November 26, 2011:

@dane anderson: Skyrim doesn't give you an option after grapheme creation like Oblivion did at the exit to the tutorial dungeon and in that location doesn't announced to exist whatsoever way to exercise it in-game, so short of them releasing it as a feature in a DLC I call up you're out of luck.

I retrieve they should include at to the lowest degree i way to change your appearance in every game. They did this to a limited extent in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas but with the number of people who want to change it it should just be a standard feature.

dane anderson on November 26, 2011:

i play on xbox 360, is there anyway to change it on there? cause i hit "b" on accdent and canceled all of information technology and i didn't think it was a large bargain at the time crusade i thought i could change it, but so far i don't remember y'all tin:( so practise you think there is a way? or they might come up out with information technology in the furture?

j-u-i-c-east (author) from Waterloo, On on Nov 23, 2011:

Great tip, okita. Thank you for the proposition!

okita on Nov 23, 2011:

my advice is to write down all your skill levels, shouts learned, etc. even your health, magicka and stamina levels... save that for later. Now look online for the way to modify those stats which is "player.setav (skill) (number value of skill desired)" Write all of these in one text(txt) file, one on each line. Information technology'll be kind of long because you need a line for every skill, your health/magicka/stamina bars and your shouts. I think that'south all the stats it will mess upward. Once yous've saved this as a filename you lot'll recollect (in .txt format) relieve it in your Skyrim directory in My Computer. Right inside the skyrim folder. Load up the game, go to the character that has the now messed up stats from changing race... blazon in the console command "bat (name of file)" and enter. It volition run through all the commands you entered in the text file and bring your graphic symbol back to what it was before you altered its race. Now, if yous ever want to alter your graphic symbol again, y'all just load that file up, update it to what you are now before changing... make your changes, then run that file again. Best workaround I came up with.

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Source: https://levelskip.com/rpgs/How-to-Change-Your-Characters-Appearance-and-Name-in-Skyrim

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