The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remains one of the most beloved RPGs ever made. Whether someone is loading it up for the first time or returning after years away, a few smart Oblivion tips can transform the experience from frustrating to fantastic. This guide covers everything players need to know, from the quirky leveling system to gold-making strategies and exploration secrets. These practical insights will help anyone get more out of their time in Cyrodiil.
Key Takeaways
- Choose major skills your character won’t use constantly to control when level-ups happen and avoid enemies outscaling your combat ability.
- Use blocking, poisons, and enchantments strategically—well-timed blocks stagger enemies, while stacked enchantments turn basic weapons into serious threats.
- Alchemy is the best money-maker in Oblivion; collect ingredients constantly to craft potions that sell for easy gold.
- Visit all major cities early to unlock fast travel points, saving hours of travel time on future quests.
- Save often in multiple slots to protect against quest-breaking bugs and preserve your progress.
- Adjust the Difficulty slider without hesitation if certain dungeons feel overwhelming—it affects damage dealt and received.
Understanding the Leveling System
Oblivion’s leveling system confuses many players at first. Here’s the short version: the game levels enemies based on the player’s level, not their actual combat ability. This means poor leveling choices can make the game harder over time.
The key lies in understanding major and minor skills. Players pick seven major skills during character creation. Every time those major skills increase a combined total of ten points, the character gains a level. Minor skills still improve through use, but they don’t trigger level-ups.
Here’s one of the most important Oblivion tips: choose major skills the character won’t use constantly. If someone plans to play a sword-and-shield warrior, they should consider making Blade a minor skill instead of a major one. This gives more control over when level-ups happen.
Attribute bonuses at level-up depend on which skills improved since the last level. Raising skills tied to Endurance grants better Endurance bonuses. The maximum bonus is +5 to any attribute, which requires ten skill increases in related skills between levels.
Some players call this “efficient leveling.” It takes effort, but it keeps the character strong relative to scaling enemies. For a more relaxed approach, players can install mods that fix the leveling system entirely. Both methods work, it depends on personal preference.
Combat and Survival Strategies
Combat in Oblivion rewards preparation and patience. Rushing into fights without a plan leads to quick deaths, especially at higher levels when enemies hit harder.
Blocking matters more than many players realize. A well-timed block staggers opponents and opens them up for counterattacks. Shield users should hold block, wait for the enemy to swing, then strike immediately after. This rhythm takes practice but becomes second nature.
Poison and enchantments give huge advantages. Players can apply poison to weapons before combat for bonus damage on the first hit. Stacking damage enchantments on gear turns even basic weapons into serious threats. The Mages Guild questline grants access to enchanting altars and spell-making.
One overlooked Oblivion tip involves the Difficulty slider in the options menu. There’s no shame in adjusting it. The slider affects damage dealt and received, so players struggling with certain dungeons can lower it temporarily.
Alchemy provides another edge. Restore Health potions are obvious, but Fortify Strength and Fortify Skill potions dramatically increase damage output. Players should collect ingredients constantly, alchemy becomes incredibly powerful with the right recipes.
Finally, companions help. The game offers several followers through quests and faction membership. They draw enemy attention, deal damage, and make difficult dungeons manageable.
Making Gold and Managing Inventory
Gold flows slowly in early Oblivion, but several methods speed things up considerably.
Alchemy ranks as the best money-maker in the game. Collecting cheap ingredients and crafting potions generates profit fast. Food items like Bread and Sweetrolls have alchemical properties, combine them with other ingredients to discover effects. Even failed potions sell for something.
Dungeons contain valuable loot, but carrying capacity limits what players can haul out. Focus on high-value, low-weight items. Jewelry, gems, and alchemical ingredients offer the best gold-per-pound ratio. Heavy armor and weapons often aren’t worth the encumbrance unless they’re enchanted.
Mercantile skill affects buying and selling prices. Raising it through practice or training pays off quickly. Haggling successfully also grants Mercantile experience, so players should always attempt it.
Another solid Oblivion tip: join the Thieves Guild. Fences buy stolen goods, and the questline itself rewards substantial gold. The guild also provides useful abilities and contacts throughout Cyrodiil.
Houses offer storage that never resets. Buying a home in any major city gives safe places to stash gear, ingredients, and extra weapons. The cheapest option is the Waterfront shack in the Imperial City at 2,000 gold.
Exploring the World Efficiently
Cyrodiil is massive, and smart exploration saves hours of wandering.
Fast travel unlocks automatically for major cities. Players should visit each city early in the game just to add it to the map. This makes future quests much faster when they send the player across the province.
Horses speed up overland travel significantly. The cheapest horse costs 500 gold at various stables. While riding, players can’t fight, but they can flee from most threats. Shadowmere, obtained through the Dark Brotherhood questline, is the best horse in the game, fast, aggressive, and nearly impossible to kill.
The quest marker system helps, but it sometimes misleads. When a marker points somewhere confusing, check the journal for written directions. Some quests require specific approaches that the marker doesn’t indicate clearly.
Oblivion Gates appear after completing the first main quest chapter. These portals lead to the Oblivion realm and contain valuable Sigil Stones. But, players don’t need to close every gate they see. Prioritize gates blocking progress or those offering useful rewards.
One practical Oblivion tip for exploration: carry Restore Fatigue potions. Running drains fatigue, and empty fatigue means weaker attacks and failed jumps. A quick potion keeps movement smooth during long treks.
Must-Know Quality of Life Tricks
Several lesser-known tricks make Oblivion more enjoyable.
Waiting and sleeping restore health, magicka, and fatigue completely. Players can wait anywhere that isn’t hostile territory. This eliminates the need to burn through potions after minor fights.
The wait function also advances time for timed quests or shop restocking. Merchants refresh their gold every 24 hours, so waiting lets players sell more loot in a single trip.
Save often and in multiple slots. Oblivion occasionally breaks quests through bugs or player choices. Having older saves prevents losing hours of progress. Quicksave before entering any building or starting any quest.
Spell effectiveness depends on skill level. A Destruction spell cast at 25 skill deals less damage than the same spell at 75 skill. This Oblivion tip matters for magic-focused characters, train magic skills early for better results.
Repair hammers fix damaged equipment anywhere. Players should carry several and repair gear after tough fights. Broken equipment provides zero protection and deals minimal damage.
Finally, the Speechcraft minigame has a trick. Watch the NPC’s expression during the rotating wheel. Their face shows which options they like and dislike. Maximize liked options and minimize disliked ones for fast disposition gains.
