Character development is based on the SPECIAL system, complete with the Skilled/Gifted trait combination we all loved in Fallout. There's a choice of race (pureblood, or one of the three tainted types of humans) plus a mandatory racial trait, but skill tagging and rising costs as you invest points remain. Skills are divided into five categories: one combat, three magic and a thieving category (involving lock picking, sneaking, speaking and finding hidden objects). The magic skills are further divided into four branches, each of which offers five spells. Perks offer a wide range of bonuses, though you will probably run out of meaningful choices by the end of the game.