Does The "Governing Attribute" Actually Do Anything?

[Magicono43]

So I was doing some testing with the skills advancement system and found some interesting things while doing it. I'll make a separate thread about the primary things, but I found this one strange compared to what I thought I knew. So I was under the assumption that the "governing attribute" of a skill makes that skill either easier or harder to level, based on the corresponding attribute the player has. After some testing, this does not appear to be the case.

Here are two as close to identical tests I could do, the only changed variables being the amount of the governing attribute of the corresponding skill, in this case being the "Medical" skill.

With 90 int and the same skill level, it would take 89 "xp" to advance.

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With 10 int and the same skill level, it would take 87 "xp" to advance.

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Maybe I need to have the skill at a higher level in both tests to have a significantly different result maybe? I don't think so though, because when I search for any trace of the "GetPrimaryStat" method that determines these governing attributes for each skill, it does not appear to be called anywhere in the code base, so it makes me think it does not do anything besides change the text displayed, am I correct here?

[Galraen]

I don't know how it actually works in Daggerfall, but in the later ES games the associated attribute is only used for assessing ability points available when levelling up. There is no other benefit.

In Oblivion for example if you advance blunt weapons by 3 points you get 2 points available to add to strength, advance it by 9 points and you get 4 points, advance it by 10 points and you get 5 points to add to strength.

[Magicono43]

I don't know how it actually works in Daggerfall, but in the later ES games the associated attribute is only used for assessing ability points available when levelling up. There is no other benefit.

In Oblivion for example if you advance blunt weapons by 3 points you get 2 points available to add to strength, advance it by 9 points and you get 4 points, advance it by 10 points and you get 5 points to add to strength.

That is true, but in this case you can freely distribute your attribute points on level. So I figure there had to be some purpose to having the associated "Primary Stat" for each skill, from what I have seen in the code, there does not appear to be one from what I have seen though.

[Galraen]

I have noticed however that the number of attribute points available when levelling up in Daggerfall do vary, I have been assuming the system was pretty much the same except the accumulated points were lumped together.

[Magicono43]

I have noticed however that the number of attribute points available when levelling up in Daggerfall do vary, I have been assuming the system was pretty much the same except the accumulated points were lumped together.

Nope, it's complete RNG in this case for Daggerfall. It just rolls a number between 4-6 and picks that at random. That's why some people "save-scum" before they level, or just do the easier thing and download the levelup adjuster mod: https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/68

[mikeprichard]

In classic Daggerfall, attributes have no in-game effect on skills or leveling speed (https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Attributes). I'm also not aware of any changes DFU has made in this regard.

[Magicono43]

In classic Daggerfall, attributes have no in-game effect on skills or leveling speed (https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Attributes). I'm also not aware of any changes DFU has made in this regard.

Yeah, that's what I interpreted from the page as well, but it sort of just confuses me why they even bothered making the distinction if they don't do anything, lol. I'm likely going to change this in the mod i'm presently working on, but just one of those strange choices the classic devs made, or did not have time to do anything with it seems.

[mikeprichard]

Yep, just another bizarre design choice and/or unfinished aspect of development that gives Daggerfall its special charm!

[sollrakc]

I don't know if that's all there is to it. According to the manual the governing attributes influence the skill's upper limit. Maybe if you have a too low governing attribute the skill can't reach 100%? or maybe they only influence the rate of which the skill is increased at those very high levels.

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Now, I have no idea what to make of the "some equations lel"... I don't think they could be more vague than that.

[Magicono43]

I don't know if that's all there is to it. According to the manual the governing attributes influence the skill's upper limit. Maybe if you have a too low governing attribute the skill can't reach 100%?

Annotation 2020-06-14 160405.png

Now, I have no idea what to make of the "some equations lel"... I don't think they could be more vague than that.

That may have been something they wanted to do during the design phase, but I don't think it ever got finished (like many aspects of Daggerfall). Somebody told me on the Discord channel that Battlespire had this system, where skills maximum level were determined by the players attributes.