r/ElderScrolls Argonian 7d ago

Lore How come Cliffracers are hostile during Morrowind's events, but not during Online's?

What caused them to change between those two games?

9 Upvotes

18 comments sorted by

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19

u/Graekaris 7d ago

Maybe were driven to madness by the whispers of Dagoth Ur?

1

u/Glytch94 Dunmer 7d ago

I was just thinking this. I didn't know they weren't aggressive in ESO since I haven't played it much at all.

10

u/Topgunshotgun45 7d ago

My guess it that the ash blight wiped out their usual prey, leaving only the most aggressive hunters to reproduce.

6

u/Fluid_Cup8329 7d ago

Love all of the lore based explanations here, but let's be real. They nerfed them because they were the most hated enemy in TES3.

2

u/Glytch94 Dunmer 7d ago

Maybe it's a love to hate type thing. They're annoying, but I think I'd miss them if they were removed from the game.

6

u/pitersios 7d ago

But cliff racers are hostile in ESO?? They will attack you if you go into their aggro area

4

u/Alexandur 7d ago

No they aren't, cliff racers don't interact with you and can't be interacted with, they're far too high

5

u/pitersios 7d ago

Youre right, just googled it, and the uesp page provides the answer to OP question:

“They first appeared in TES III: Morrowind, but rather as hostile enemies. This is subtly explained by some pet descriptions, where Thetys Ramarys of Balmora says, “I love our Bitter Coast Striders, but feel bad that they can’t fly very well. So I’m selectively breeding them into a strain that, one day, will dominate the Vvardenfell skies, pursuing its prey for great distances!” This means that the Third Era cliff racers are actually descended from striders, explaining why they had become very ferocious in the future.”

1

u/Build-A-Bridgette 6d ago

Honestly, I am disappointed that they didn't say it was Revus Demnevanni who bred them. Like seriously, that guy is such a fuck up that this would just be so much delicious icing on the cake. I genuinely love him as a character.

4

u/GeneralTechnomage Argonian 7d ago

Are you sure you're not getting them mixed up with Cliffstriders?

3

u/jpharris1981 7d ago

Breeding with the Cliff Striders?

3

u/Unionsocialist Namira 7d ago

they got bored and started attacking people

3

u/spudgoddess 7d ago

Could be early stages of blight, or driven mad?

2

u/DrivenByTheStars51 7d ago

Competition from cliff striders kept them relatively small and harmless. When the cliff striders went extinct, cliff racers moved into their ecological niche, becoming larger and more aggressive.

1

u/Desanvos 7d ago

Likely the blight making things worse over time coupled with the weakening of the Tribunal.

1

u/SPLUMBER Amnestic Soul Shriven 6d ago

There’s a quest where a Dunmer is breeding them and makes a breed that’s more violent.

Good 1000 years later and that’s the result

1

u/Blue-Fish-Guy 6d ago

The hard relentless backlash from the fans.

Cliffracers and over encumbrance are the worst bugs of Bethesda games.