Custom races - How do they work?

[wendera]

I've been searching the forums for info on how the game handles custom races because I eventually want to make my own. I know that Oblivion needed that custom race fix for the game to function properly (or at least to get out of the tutorial dungeon), so what about in Skyrim? I know there is a similar 'race check' right after you create your character and also many race-specific dialogues throughout the game. So are people at this point making a vanilla character, then switching to custom after Helgen? I'd still think that this would cause many dialogues to either glitch or not trigger at all. Or, are people just copying races at this point and letting the game think that the custom race is one of the vanilla ones?

[veteran2010]

You can start the game with a custom race. I haven't noticed any issues with gameplay with the exception that you are just referred to in voice dialog as an outsider with no racial background.

[jabaho]

Are there any special mods to download because i am using a custom race now and it started off fine however i am experiencing more stops to all quests with it. An example will be that there is no bouncer for the thalmor embassy during diplomatic immunity, nor is there the prisoner. Also the esben guy will not open the door, and i could not complete the first thieves guild quest. I have read up on this and the last two happening has been reported so i dont think its a custom race but ever since i installed it i am having problems moving the story forward.

[steve40]

The problems with Esben is an infamous bug in the vanilla game. Ditto with the Thalmor Embassy quest afaik.