There are many decisions to take in Elder Scrolls Universalis that offer a wealth of flavor options as well as reoccurring decisions that can be used to enhance overall gameplay. Many of the games decisions become unlocked via technology throughout the vast 2500 year timespan of the game.
Recurring Decisions[]
Within ESU there are several decisions that are always active, and several more which become available provided certain conditions are met and either operate until they end, usually for a duration, and become available again.
Always Active[]
These decisions are always available to use and can be used as often as the player needs provided all conditions are met. The primary purpose of these decisions is to allow an exchange of the various resources which may accumulate throughout a campaign. Most of these decisions are not available to the AI
We need more admin: Pay 100 diplo and mil to get 175 administrative monarch points.
We need more diplo: Pay 100 admin and mil to get 175 diplomatic monarch points.
We need more mil: Pay 100 admin and diplo to get 175 military monarch points.
We need more manpower: Pay 100 mil to get 5000 manpower.
We need more cash: Gain 2.5 inflation and 1 year of income (note that cost of reducing inflation is 50 admin for 1.00 inflation).
- At 5-10 inflation 0.85 years of income is added
- At 10-15 inflation 0.75 years of income is added
- At 15-25 inflation 0.5 years of income is added
- At 25-35 inflation 0.35 years of income is added
- At 35-50 inflation 0.25 years of income is added
- At 50-100 inflation 0.15 years of income is added
- Not possible at 100 inflation
We need to reduce inflation: Pay 1.25 years of income to reduce inflation by 2.5
Invest in the development of a Province: Pay 1.35 years of manpower and 1.35 years income to increase each base dev by 1 in a random province.
This is not possible if player has any loans, and it cannot be enacted twice on the same province within 3-500 years depending on the size of your country. This decision is also available in a similar version for the AI, allowing them to take it. It should also be noted that having unoccupied provinces and high stability will raise province dev on its own.
Recurring[]
These decisions either activate an event chain that continues until the event ends or offers benefits, often for a price, too duration. In either case the decisions are available again, provided conditions are met, throughout a campaign.
Archeology Expedition[]
Throughout a campaign players have the option of starting an archaeological expedition to search for lost treasure and artefacts among Dwemer ruins around Nirn. Selecting this option costs 1k ducats and has a mean time to happen of 10 years with a small bonus to prestige throughout the duration. Three equally likely possibilities may occur: the expedition failing for loss of prestige, the expedition needing 500 ducats to continue or letting it fail for loss of prestige, and the expedition succeeding for prestige and an additional bonus. Because there are 44 possible bonuses that, once discovered, offer permanent modifiers. It can be highly advantageous to select this decision often is money is not an issue for the player. Artefacts each have a 1% chance of success and can only be discovered once.
Permanent Decisions[]
These decisions may be selected once, provided the conditions are met.
Formation Decisions[]
There are over 150 formable nations within game and a variety are available for any starting country, provided the conditions are met. Players must be free and independent, have the appropriate primary culture, and five core provinces. In many cases it is possible to form the 'region' you are in, for example forming Great Plains as Whiterun, and then go on to form the super-region, in this case Skyrim, and finally create an end-game tag, such as Old Kingdom. With over 2000 years of playable experience, the possibilities are endless.
Detailed requirements can be found in our List of Formable Nations page.
Government Reform Decisions[]
These decisions are unlocked via government reforms and can be accessed at any time, provided the requirements are met and the associated reform is unlocked. For example, one of the opening government reforms is to choose the level of banning alcohol, with a greater ban increasing both shipbuilding time and national sailor modifier; additionally, once unlocked this allows for a recurring decision that allows the player to ban production of alcohol (such as wine) in a province.
Union Decisions[]
Specific to Elder Scrolls Universalis are unique sites and provinces in game that represent holy or technologically advanced sites of ancient inhabitants of Nirn. The two primary examples are the Towers, such as White Gold Tower in Cyrodiil or Lightless Oubliette in Coldharbour; and Dwemer research hubs such as Bergama in Hammerfell or Dalales in Vvardenfall. The union of all of any type of province yields very powerful permanent modifiers, making them difficult to achieve and well worth the effort.
Changing Government Type[]
Rather than through Government Reform Progress the government type of a country can be changed through one of three decisions, each requiring having three specific idea groups.
| Monarchy | Republic | Theocracy |
|---|---|---|
| Smithing | Trade | Mysticism |
| Mobility | Diplomatic | Government |
| General staff | Maritime | Jurispundence |
Tribal countries may take a decision to become a monarchy after the year 457.
Changing Government Type will remove all reform Progress
Daedric Invasions[]
Countries located in either the Deadlands or Coldharbour can take a decision to open multiple gates to Tamriel. These decisions may be taken if they either own most of their respective region or after the year 1600.
Other[]
Countries that have taken the idea "Quest for the New World" (Exploration 1) and one of five specific Akavari provinces can take a decision granting them +10% Trade efficiency.
Vassals, Marches, Holy Orders and Treethanes that have 100% Liberty desire any at least 35% army strength relative to their overlord may take a decision which will allow them to declare an independence war without losing stability while also getting extra support. Make sure you have no troops in your overlord's territory when the event is clicked as it prevents the DoW.
If a country has Dwemer provinces or borders a Dwemer Country they will be able to choose between the following decisions:
- Increase Dwemer Influence: +10% Institution Spread, -10% Idea Cost, -5% Technology cost, +5 Years of Separatism, +15% Harsh Treatment Cost, +35 Opinion from Dwemer countries
- Decrease Dwemer Influence: -10% Institution Spread, +10% Idea Cost, +5% Technology cost, -5 Years of Separatism, -15% Harsh Treatment Cost, -35 Opinion from Dwemer countries
Countries of Dwemer culture and Resdayn may take the decision "Dwemer Technologies" granting +15% Institution Spread, -15% Idea Cost, -10% Technology cost, +10 Years of Separatism, +25% Harsh Treatment Cost
There is one decision unique to colonial government nations which allows the country to form a colonial assembly. The country must have 100 admin and at least 25 liberty desire and taking the decision will cost 100 admin and allow a permanent 10% liberty desire.
Lastly, many more decisions regarding the formation of cities in High Rock, establishment of marches and various other events are available to various countries.