you get on with the adventuring. Still not THAT cool of a skill.

Learn how skills improve and how to level up in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Understand the use-based system and attribute point allocation for character growth.

Alright, so you've probably noticed that your character gets better at stuff the more they do it in Daggerfall. That's the core of the skill system here – it's all about practice. The better you get, the more your character improves, and when that happens, you'll level up, get more health, and get those sweet attribute points to customize your hero even further.

But how exactly does a skill actually go up? It's not just about swinging your sword around willy-nilly. You've gotta meet a few conditions:

• You've gotta use it enough: This is the big one. The game tracks how much you use each skill, but here's the kicker – it gets exponentially harder to raise a skill the higher it gets. Going from skill level 14 to 15 is a breeze compared to pushing from 59 to 60. The game doesn't give you a progress bar, so you just have to keep at it.
• Wait at least 6 in-game hours: Yep, you read that right. After you've used a skill enough, you can't just immediately get the benefit. You need to have at least 6 hours of in-game time pass since your last skill increase for it to register.
• Rest or Travel: This is the final step. Your skill won't pop up the instant you've done enough or waited long enough. You need to finish a rest cycle or travel somewhere to let your character 'absorb' the new knowledge.

Now, leveling up is a bit of a black box. The game doesn't exactly spell out how it works, and the math behind it is pretty involved. Basically, the game keeps an eye on your 3 Primary skills, your 2 highest-ranked Major skills, and your single best Minor skill. When the combined total of these skills increases by 15 points, you'll level up. There's a small exception: it only takes 2 skill raises to hit level 2. Honestly, don't sweat the exact numbers too much. Just play the game, use your skills, and you'll level up when you're meant to. It's meant to feel like a natural progression, so try to treat it that way.