Each time the player levels up their character, they can select three attributes to augment as well. The player levels up their character by gaining levels in ten pre-determined skills, listed as "major" and "minor" skills. Attributes, however, are improved only when the player levels up. Strength, for example, improves the damage of any physical blow dealt by the player character. Morrowind, like its predecessor Daggerfall, makes a distinction between "attributes" and "skills" skills being those individual proficiencies in particular schools of battle or with particular armor classes, and attributes being broader proficiencies, such as "strength" and "endurance", which are either tied to important features unconnected to any skill, (Health, evasion chance, etc.) or improve the efficiency of a wide variety of skills.
Other skills (Alchemy, Athletics and Security) affect proficiency at other actions such as potion-making, running, lockpicking, etc. Armor skills (Heavy Armor, Light Armor, Unarmored, etc.) affect the defensive strength of the armor. Weaponry skills (Short Blade, Long Blade, Axe, Spear, etc.) affect the character's chance to hit. Study requires reading books found in the game, some of which will immediately raise a skill when read. Training involves paying cash to NPCs in exchange for immediate proficiency increases in that skill. Raising weapon skills requires striking an enemy with the appropriate weapon raising armor skills requires being struck while wearing the appropriate type of armor etc. Practice involves performing the specific actions associated with a given skill, which gradually raises the character's proficiency in that skill. The player character's proficiency with a skill is increased either by practice, training, or study. The player then determines their class in one of three ways Picking from a class list, randomly generating a class via questions, or creating a custom class themselves. These affect the player's starting attributes, skills, and abilities.
The player is successively asked questions by a fellow prisoner, an officer, and a bureaucrat as the player is registered as a free citizen choosing, in the process, the player character's name, race, gender, class, and birthsign. A well-received tutorial depicting the prisoner's release moves the player through the process of character creation. This is a common introductory segment throughout the main installments of the series. Morrowind begins with the player's character, having been imprisoned, arriving in Morrowind by boat in order to be pardoned.
The main story takes place on Vvardenfell, an island in the Dunmer province of Morrowind, which lies in the empire of Tamriel and is far from the more civilized lands to the west and south that typified Daggerfall and Arena.
It was released in North America in 2002 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox.
It is the third installment in The Elder Scrolls series of games, following The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, and preceding The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is an open world fantasy action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.