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    The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

    Game » consists of 31 releases. Released Mar 20, 2006

    Travel the continent of Tamriel, defend the land against Oblivion's Daedra hordes, and help fill the empty throne of Cyrodiil in the fourth installment of the Elder Scrolls series.

    Short summary describing this game.

    The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion last edited by PlamzDooM on 05/01/22 02:52AM View full history

    Overview

    Oblivion is an action-oriented role-playing game providing players with a world they can traverse at will. Though the core storyline provides a linear, mission-driven experience, the player is free to pursue a staggering number of side quests that slowly develop and improve their character. Players are free to explore the open world of Cyrodiil however they wish, giving Oblivion a unique sandbox element. The game was developed by Bethesda Softworks for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Bethesda also released a Game Of The Year Edition and a Collector's Edition.

    Todd Howard said that originally the easier route was to do a two year sequel, but through much persuasion he managed to convince the "upper management" to give them four years to work on Oblivion. This meant that the team would be developing the game for next gen consoles that didn't even exist yet. In fact, the team didn't get final hardware until the last six months or so of development.

    Plot

    The Great Gate
    The Great Gate

    The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion takes place in the same universe as its predecessors; Arena, Daggerfall, and Morrowind, though its specific storyline is original. The game is set in the imperial province of Cyrodiil, an expansive territory spanning several square miles. Oblivion casts the player as a prisoner within the jail of the Imperial City, imprisoned for an unspecified crime. The player soon encounters the Emperor himself (voiced by Patrick Stewart), who later dies and gives the player character the Amulet Of Kings to give to his son Martin (voiced by Sean Bean), the new heir to the throne, who the player has to protect from a Daedric Prince named Mehrunes Dagon. Dagon is the ruler of the hellish plane of Oblivion, and seeks to conquer the mortal realm with his Daedric armies and the help of a mysterious cult called the 'Mythic Dawn'. At the same time, trans-dimensional portals known as Oblivion Gates appear throughout Cyrodiil and spawn monsters across the landscape.

    After leaving the prison, the player heads to Weynon Priory to locate a man named Jauffre, who is the Grandmaster of the Blades (the guards assigned to protect the Emperor). He directs the player to the city of Kvatch, where he believes the last son of Uriel Septim is located. The player heads there and manages to locate Martin; unfortunately, the entire city is being destroyed by Daedric forces, as an Oblivion Gate opened in the middle of it. The player hooks up with the guards defending Kvatch and after a lengthy battle manages to drive the Daedra out. Martin then agrees to travel to Weynon Priory to see Jauffre and get the Amulet of Kings. However, when they arrive they are attacked by Assassins. The player successfully repulses the invaders, but they discover that the Amulet of Kings is no longer in their possession.

    Mehrunes Dagon
    Mehrunes Dagon

    In order to track down the culprits, the player heads to the Imperial City and meets up with Baurus, who was present when Uriel Septim was murdered. Together they discover the location of a Mythic Dawn shrine, the faction that orchestrated the assassination. The player infiltrates the shrine and manages to steal the Mysterium Xarxes, an evil tome written by Mehrunes Dagon himself. Martin then realizes that they need to open a portal to Mankar Camoran's Paradise, the man that is in possession of the Amulet of Kings. The player then goes treasure hunting, gathering up the necessary items needed to open the portal. He/she retrieves the Armor of Tiber Septim (which has the Divine's blood on it), a Great Welkynd Stone, and the Great Sigil Stone from the Great Gate. With these Martin is able to successfully open a portal to Paradise, and the player ventures into it. The player is able to kill Mankar Camoran and escapes with the Amulet of Kings.

    Unfortunately, all hell has broken loose in the Imperial City. An Oblivion Gate opens, and Mehrunes Dagon himself makes an appearance to reign destruction of everything. A huge battle ensues, and the player escorts Martin to the Temple of the One. At the same time, Dagon smashes through the roof and is about to kill both of them when Martin makes the ultimate sacrifice. He fuses all of the powers and transforms into the Avatar of Akatosh. The two of them battle, and Martin is able to defeat Dagon. However, the creature he has turned into freezes into stone, an eternal monument representing his ultimate sacrifice to save Cyrodiil.

    Side Quests

    Apart from the main quest, numerous guilds offer to recruit the player; each with different specialties and flavors. The Fighters Guild and Mages Guild quest lines are pretty straight-forward, while others, like the Arena make the player get creative against progressively difficult A.I. gladiators. The Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild quest lines require the player to murder and steal, respectively. Apart from the guild quests there are many other quests in Cyrodiil that lead to great rewards.

    Many quests can be completed in more than one way. For example, there is one quest where a player is asked to retrieve a special sword. Once they get the sword, they realize that it clearly belongs to the Castle of Chorral, and at that point they can either return it to the castle or the quest giver, with both options offering different rewards. In addition to side quests are shrine quests that can be taken on when "speaking" to a shrine. There are multiple shrines in the game, each one requiring the player to be a certain level and to make a certain offer before giving the quest. Once the quest is completed, the shrine will give them a reward. One of the possible rewards is the Skeleton Key, which is an unbreakable lockpick.

    Visuals and Modification

    Bloom effects and HDR lighting are all present in Cyrdodiil
    Bloom effects and HDR lighting are all present in Cyrdodiil

    Upon release, the game was noted for being visually striking, providing gorgeous vistas and realistic, sprawling environments for the player to explore. The development team worked from real photographs to deliver the best looking game world they could. While Morrowind featured mostly smoothed over terrain, Oblivion has a much bigger focus on flora. Environments were procedurally generated allowing the landscape to be created very quickly. (They even used SpeedTree!) The draw distance in Oblivion is very lengthy, allowing players to see very far out.

    Dynamic weather and day/night cycles give Oblivion a realistic feel. At any time the weather can change from sunny to overcast to rainy then back to sunny. The weather also fits certain parts of the game world: if the player goes to the murky swamps, it's probably going to be raining a lot. Likewise, if they go up into the mountains it will probably be snowing.

    Bethesda noted the extreme popularity of the previous game, Morrowind, and developed Oblivion to be open to user modification. Soon after release fans began to modify everything from the game's core balance mechanics and inventory interface to specific environmental textures and even something as seemingly insignificant as the effect when drunk.

    Customization

    The game allows players to have highly customizable characters. Their gender, looks, race, and class (custom or default), are all interchangeable. Each class features a specialization mechanic for the twenty one skills, seven major skills, and a bonus for two of the eight different attributes. At the beginning of the game, players choose a race and can alter their character's appearances in many ways, such as adjusting the height of the player character's nose to changing how big their lips are.

    Changes from Morrowind

    Up close and personal
    Up close and personal

    Certain features from Morrowind are not included, with primarily armor and weapon types and skills simplified. For example, Wakizashis and Throwing Stars are not present in the game, as is also the case with the skills Long Blade, Medium Blade and Short Blade. Another important change to the player's interaction with the game world is the removal of the ' Levitate' spell. Players are now able to instantly travel to locations they have previously visited. The Journal, a focus of significant criticism in Morrowind, is a lot more accessible and user-friendly. All conversations with NPCs now involve full voice-acting, unlike the text-based approach of Morrowind. Another key difference is the fact that enemies did not scale in Morrowind, but do scale in Oblivion based upon the player character's level. Arguably the biggest and most noticeable change from Morrowind is the combat itself. Morrowind took the traditional "dice roll" combat approach which determined whether the player controlled character hit the enemies based upon stats, as well as random chance. This made the game play and feel more like traditional pen and paper RPGs. Oblivion took a more modern approach and essentially made it so if the player controlled character made contact with the enemy, that said enemy took damage. (Every enemy also has a health bar so the player can see how much damage they are causing).

    Rating Controversy

    Originally, Oblivion was rated T for Teen by the ESRB. However, PC modders soon dug up nude character model art files within the code and applied them to the game, allowing people to play as a topless female character. Around this time, the ESRB also found out about some of the games gruesome violence that they were not aware of when rating the game.

    When a game is ready to be rated by the ESRB, the developers submit a questionnaire about the game and a video showing the game's most extreme content. These videos can range from a few minutes of footage to hours of gameplay. The ESRB examines these and rates the game based on what they see. (The ESRB consists of volunteer members who have no affiliation with the game being rated). The ESRB claimed that Bethesda purposefully kept the violence they saw out of their reports to get the game a T rating. They also accused Bethesda of including nudity in the game without telling them. Bethesda responded by saying they did not create nude character art in the code and that the topless mods were created by the community.

    The Tamrielic Continent

    Provinces

    Tamriel is divided into 9 big provinces, them being:

    Map of the Tamrielic continent
    Map of the Tamrielic continent
    Cyrodiil
    Both Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's action and story take place in the province of Cyrodiil, whose land is in turn divided into several regions, each one of them with its own specific fauna and flora.
    No Caption Provided

    Blackwood

    • Location: east of Leyawiin
    • Flora: swamp-like area
    • Fauna: mud-crabs, rats, wolves
    No Caption Provided

    Colovian Highlands

    • Location: north of Chorrol
    • Flora: lush highlands
    • Fauna: bears, wolves, deer, mountain lions
    No Caption Provided

    Gold Coast

    • Location: west of Kvatch
    • Flora: rocky hills
    • Fauna: mountain lions, deer, wolves, mud-crabs
    No Caption Provided

    The Great Forest

    • Location: west of the Imperial City
    • Flora: woodlands
    • Fauna: bears, deer, rats, lions, wolves
    No Caption Provided

    The Heartlands

    • Location: north of the Imperial City
    • Flora: green prairies
    • Fauna: deer, wolves, timber wolves
    No Caption Provided

    Jerall Mountains

    • Location: north of Bruma
    • Flora: snowy mountains
    • Fauna: wolves, bears
    No Caption Provided

    Nibenay Basin

    • Location: east of Bravil
    • Flora: dense lush forests and lakes
    • Fauna: wolves, timber wolves, boars, mountain lions
    No Caption Provided

    Nibenay Valley

    • Location: south of the Imperial City
    • Flora: dense lush forests and lakes
    • Fauna: wolves, timber wolves, boars
    No Caption Provided

    Valus Mountains

    • Location: east of Cheydinhal
    • Flora: snowy forests
    • Fauna: wolves, bears, deer
    No Caption Provided

    West Weald

    • Location: east of Skingrad
    • Flora: rocky forests
    • Fauna: bears, West Weal bears, deer, mountain lions, rats, wolves

    Cyrodiil's Major Cities

    ANVIL
    Anvil
    Anvil

    Anvil's Seal
    Anvil's Seal
    One of the only port cities in Cyrodiil, Anvil is a strategically placed city that has direct access to the open sea. It has maintained a successful and long-lasting trade industry due to this advantage; sailors can easily come and go as they please. The docks themselves are designed to serve the needs of crew members belonging to ships that are visiting the city. There is a inn that only seamen can use and a well-known bar.
    BRAVIL
    Bravil
    Bravil

    Bravil's Seal
    Bravil's Seal
    Bravil is a town in southern Cyrodiil. It is most likely one of the poorer towns in all of Cyrodiil. The entire place is bathed in muddy shades of brown, and the houses are all constructed with wood. Also, there is a skooma den within the city, suggesting that crime is high in Bravil and that it isn't exactly a safe place to be.
    BRUMA
    Bruma
    Bruma

    Bruma's Seal
    Bruma's Seal
    Bruma is located high up in the Jerall mountains in the northern part of Cyrodiil. It is heavily populated by Nords who have flocked their due to the city's similarities to their home country of Skyrim. The climate in Bruma is especially harsh, with snowstorms being a common occurrence. As such, both the houses and the people have adapted to the environment.
    CHEYDINHAL
    Cheydinhal
    Cheydinhal

    Cheydinhal's Seal
    Cheydinhal's Seal
    Cheydinhal is heavily populated by Dark Elves due to its proximity to Morrowind. The Dark Brotherhood is based in Cheydinhal in an abandoned house. Not much else is significant about the city, although it is rather beautiful partially because of the lake it is situated on.
    CHORROL
    Chorrol
    Chorrol

    Chorrol's Seal
    Chorrol's Seal
    Chorrol is a pretty settlement found at the base of of the Colovian Highlands. The place is exceptionally clean and wealthy, although there is still some poverty in certain parts of the city. The Guildmaster of the Fighter's Guild, Vilena Donton, lives in Chorrol, suggesting that the city serves as the headquarters for the organization.
    IMPERIAL CITY
    Imperial City
    Imperial City
    The capital of Cyrodiil, Imperial City, can be seen from virtually everywhere. The city has the largest market in the game, with shops in town devoted to nearly everything from alchemy to shields. The large tower in the middle makes it easy for travelers to locate and identify the city.
    KVATCH
    Kvatch
    Kvatch

    Kvatch's Seal
    Kvatch's Seal
    The city of Kvatch is destroyed at the very beginning of Oblivion by the Daedra following the opening of an Oblivion Gate right in the middle of the city. Not much is known about the state of the city before the attack, or what it was like.
    LEYAWIIN
    Leyawiin
    Leyawiin

    Leyawiin's Seal
    Leyawiin's Seal
    Leyawiin is close to Black Marsh and Elsweyr, and because of that it is inhabited mostly by Argonian and Khajiit residents. The city is mostly quiet, and rainfall is very common.
    SKINGRAD
    Skingrad
    Skingrad

    Skingrad's Seal
    Skingrad's Seal
    Skingrad is a mostly gray city situated on a large trench. There are two distinct sides to the city. The side with the large chapel mostly has small houses. On the contrary, the other side of the city is dotted with enormous buildings, each with heavily fortified doors. Vampires seems to be common in Skingrad.

    The Nine Divines

    The Nine Divines is the official religion of Cyrodiilic.

    The original Pantheon of deities consisted of 8 Aedra, which roughly translates as "our ancesters". The Aedra were not immortal in the true sense of the word, but they could not die of natural causes, only if killed-- they were known as the Eight Divines. Talos, once known as Tiber Septim was added to the Pantheon later, after having conquered and united Tamriel under one flag.

    Each of these Divines has Altars, Chapels, Temples and Wayshrines spread throughout Tamriel's lands. Their Altars bless the player with temporary attribute fortifications.

    AKATOSH
    No Caption Provided

    Akatosh's Sign
    Akatosh's Sign

    DesignationBlessingTime Duration
    The Dragon God of Timeplus 5 Speed points300 seconds
    ARKAY
    Arkay's Sign
    Arkay's Sign

    No Caption Provided

    DesignationBlessingTime Duration
    God of the Cycle of Birth and Deathplus 10 Health points300 seconds
    DIBELLA
    No Caption Provided

    Dibella's Sign
    Dibella's Sign

    DesignationBlessingsTime Duration
    Goddess of Beautyplus 5 Personality points300 seconds
    JULIANOS
    No Caption Provided

    Juliano's Sign
    Juliano's Sign

    DesignationBlessingsTime Duration
    God of Wisdom and Logicplus 5 Intelligence points300 seconds
    KYNARETH
    No Caption Provided

    Kynareth's Sign
    Kynareth's Sign

    DesignationBlessingsTime Duration
    Goddess of Natureplus 5 Agility points300 seconds
    MARA
    No Caption Provided

    Mara's Sign
    Mara's Sign

    DesignationBlessingsTime Duration
    Mother-Goddess and Goddess of Loveplus 5 Willpower points300 seconds
    STENDARR
    No Caption Provided

    Stendarr's Sign
    Stendarr's Sign

    DesignationBlessingsTime Duration
    God of Mercyplus 5 Endurance points300 seconds
    ZENITHAR
    No Caption Provided

    Zenithar's Sign
    Zenithar's Sign

    DesignationBlessingsTime Duration
    God of Work and Commerceplus 5 Luck points300 seconds
    TALOS
    No Caption Provided

    Talos' Sign
    Talos' Sign

    DesignationBlessingsTime Duration
    God of Warplus 5 Strenght points300 seconds

    Races

    There are 10 distinct races in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,which come from different provinces. Each one has different Attribute bonuses and minuses, and skill boosts. Several also have racial traits, that affect different stats or provide extra spells or bonuses. Males and females of each race also have slightly different attributes.

    High Elves (Altmer)

    A High Elf (Altmer)
    A High Elf (Altmer)

    High Elves hail from Summerset Isle and are a gold-skinned elven people whose name, the Altmer, means "The Cultured People." They are rather proud and are often seen as snobbish, which is a well-deserved description since they refer to the other races as "lesser races." They are a good choice for a true spell-casting character that likes to go on the offensive. They have a bonus to one of the essential mage attributes, and skill bonuses in several magical fields. However, they have an innate weakness against other mages due to a weakness to fire, frost, and shock. They work best against melee or ranged opponents because of this weakness, but are otherwise a good choice for spell casting.

    Attributes:Males:

    • 10 Intelligence
    • -10 Strength and Speed

    Females:

    • 10 Intelligence
    • -10 Strength and Endurance

    Skills:

    • 10 Alteration, Destruction, and Mysticism
    • 5 Alchemy, Conjuration, and Illusion

    Traits:

    • High Elf Enhanced Magicka: Fortify Magicka 100 points on self, constant (boosts Magicka permanently by 100 points)
    • High Elf Disease Resistance: Resist Disease 75% on self, constant (75% chance to not contract a disease when exposed to it)
    • High Elf Elemental Weakness: Weakness to Fire, Frost, and Shock 25% on self, constant (take 25% more damage from fire, frost, and shock effects)

    Argonians

    An Argonian Thief in Leather Armor
    An Argonian Thief in Leather Armor

    Argonians are originally from Black Marsh, but their time fighting land-dwelling invaders has made them amphibious. They are at home both in water or on land. Generations of fighting on their home turf have imbued in them the skills necessary for quick and decisive surprise attacks. They are reptilian in nature and have small gills that allow them to breathe underwater. Argonians make good Thieves and Rogues, or any other type of sneaky character. If that path isn't desired, they do have some innate ability in magic, so they can make good spell casters as well. Generally an Argonian is a good all rounder for either specialization as they gain bonuses to skills that can be used in combat specialization and for methods of attack in stealth specialization while being capable of magic.

    Attributes:Males:

    • 10 Agility and Speed
    • -10 Willpower, Endurance, and Personality

    Females:

    • 10 Intelligence
    • -10 Personality and Endurance

    Skills:

    • 10 Athletics and Security
    • 5 Alchemy, Blade, Hand-to-Hand, Illusion, and Mysticism

    Traits:

    • Argonian Disease Resistance: Resist Disease 75% on self, constant (75% chance to not contract a disease when exposed to it)
    • Argonian Poison Immunity: Resist Poison 100% on self, constant (Immunity to all poisons)
    • Argonian Water Breathing: Water Breathing on self, constant (Ability to breathe underwater for an unlimited amount of time)

    Wood Elves (Bosmer)

    A Wood Elf civilian
    A Wood Elf civilian

    Wood Elves hail from a forested province in southwestern Tamriel called Valenwood. Their name means "the Tree-Sap People," and is meant to indicate their break with their Altmer and Dunmer cousins. They are much more down-to-earth and humble, preferring to live with and around nature. They have no compulsion to assert their cultured selves over other races like the Altmer. They are agile and cunning, and amazing with bows, abilities that lend them toward stealth gameplay, like the Argonians.

    Attributes:Males:

    • 10 Agility and Speed
    • -10 Strength, Willpower, and Personality

    Females:

    • 10 Agility and Speed
    • -10 Strength, Willpower, and Endurance

    Skills:

    • 10 Alchemy, Marksman, and Sneak
    • 5 Acrobatics, Alteration, and Light Armor

    Traits:

    • Beast Tongue: Command Creature up to Level 5 (20 points) for 60 seconds on target, once per day (Can control small creatures)
    • Wood Elf Disease Resistance: Resist Disease 75% on self, constant (75% not to contract a disease when exposed to it)

    Bretons

    A Breton in Mithril Armor
    A Breton in Mithril Armor

    Bretons are a half-elven people from the province of High Rock. They owe their existence to the fusion of the Altmer elves and Nedic peoples in the First Era. They are highly intelligent, and coupled with a resistance to Magicka, they make good mages, especially against other casters. They are the magical combat "yin" to the Altmer's "yang", so to speak.

    Attributes:Males:

    • 10 Intelligence and Willpower
    • -10 Agility, Speed, and Endurance

    Females:

    • 10 Intelligence
    • -10 Strength, Agility, and Endurance

    Skills:

    • 10 Conjuration, Mysticism, and Restoration
    • 5 Alchemy, Alteration, and Illusion

    Traits:

    • Breton Enhanced Magicka: Fortify Magicka 50 points on self, constant (boosts Magicka permanently by 50 points)
    • Breton Magic Resistance: Resist Magic 50% on self, constant (take 50% less damage from magic effects)
    • Dragon Skin: Shield 50% on self, 60 seconds, once per day (take 50% less damage from physical attacks for one minute)

    Dark Elves (Dunmer)

    A Dark Elf in Fur Armor
    A Dark Elf in Fur Armor

    Dark Elves are the dark-skinned, red-eyed elven people from the Imperial province of Morrowind. Dark Elves make very good combat mages, combining physical attacks with either the sword or bow with magical spells. Growing up around the volcanic Red Mountain has increased their resistance to heat and fire. Dark Elves are balanced, all-around characters, since they have skill in both magic and fighting.

    Attributes: Males:

    • 10 Speed
    • -10 Willpower and Personality

    Females:

    • 10 Speed
    • -10 Willpower and Endurance

    Skills:

    • 10 Blade and Destruction
    • 5 Athletics, Blunt, Light Armor, Marksman, and Mysticism

    Traits:

    • Ancestor Guardian: Summon Ancestor Guardian for 60 seconds on self, once per day (Summons a ghost to fight alongside the player)
    • Dark Elf Fire Resistance: Resist Fire 75% on Self, constant (Take 75% less damage from fire effects)

    Imperials

    An Imperial in Steel Armor
    An Imperial in Steel Armor

    Imperials are humans from the province of Cyrodiil. They are well-known for their disciplined militias, and though they are physically less intimidating than other races, they make good diplomats and traders. Their military discipline along with their diplomatic skill have allowed them to subdue all the other races either by word or by force, to create their glorious Empire. Imperials make good warrior characters as they get bonuses to melee skills and have a racial disadvantage in stealth-related tasks. They're built for taking damage while dispatching foes, rather than hit-and-run tactics.

    Attributes:Males:

    • 10 Personality
    • -10 Agility and Willpower

    Females:

    • 10 Personality
    • -10 Agility and Speed

    Skills:

    • 10 Mercantile, Speechcraft, and Heavy Armor
    • 5 Blade, Blunt, and Hand-to-Hand

    Traits:

    • Star of the West: Absorb Fatigue 100 points on touch, once per day (absorb 100 points of Fatigue from one target)
    • Voice of the Emperor: Charm 30 points for 30 seconds on target, once per day (Increase one target's starting disposition by 30 points)

    Khajiit

    A Khajiiti highwayman in Fur Armor
    A Khajiiti highwayman in Fur Armor

    Khajiit are a feline race from Elsweyr. Their strength and agility make them extremely capable as either Warriors or Thieves, though some are capable in magical arts. If the player wants a stealth-related character, Khajiit, along with Argonians, are the best choice. Khajiit also hold the ability Eye of Fear; a power that makes enemies become afraid and run away for a short period of time.

    Attributes: Males:

    • 10 Personality
    • -10 Agility and Willpower

    Females:

    • 10 Personality
    • -10 Agility and Speed

    Skills:

    • 10 Mercantile, Speechcraft, and Heavy Armor
    • 5 Blade, Blunt, and Hand-to-Hand

    Traits:

    • Eye of Fear: Demoralize up to Level 25 (100 points) for 30 seconds on target, once per day (Causes target to run in fear for 30 seconds)
    • Eye of Night: Night-Eye for 30 seconds on self (grants night vision for 30 seconds)

    Nord

    A Nord civillian
    A Nord civillian

    The Nord are a race of tall humans from the frozen region of Skyrim. The harsh conditions of their homeland have conditioned them to be highly trained Warriors with a high tolerance for cold. They make a their living with transoceanic trade, and are quite skilled at sailing. Nords are a great choice for melee fighters due to their attributes and skill bonuses.

    Attributes:Males:

    • 10 Strength and Endurance
    • -10 Intelligence, Willpower, and Personality

    Females:

    • 10 Strength
    • -10 Intelligence and Personality

    Skills:

    • 10 Blade, Blunt, and Heavy Armor
    • 5 Armorer, Block, and Restoration

    Traits:

    • Nordic Frost: Frost Damage 50 points on touch, once per day (deal 50 Frost damage to one target)
    • Woad: Shield 30% for 60 seconds on self, once per day (take 30% less damage from physical attacks)
    • Nord Frost Immunity: Resist Frost 50% on self, constant (take 50% less damage from Frost effects)

    Orcs

    An Orc Merchant in Leather Armor
    An Orc Merchant in Leather Armor

    The Orcs' ancestral name, Orsimer, means the "Pariah Folk," and they come variously from the Wrothgarian Mountains, Dragontail Mountains, and a city named Orsinium, which translates to "City of the Pariah." Historically, Orcs were feared and hated by the other races, but after service in the Imperial Legion, they have become more accepted in society. They are renowned as fine blacksmiths, especially for their heavy armor, and are highly valued on the front lines of combat. Orcs specialize in Blunt melee combat, and work best wielding a club or similar melee weapon while wearing heavy armor.

    Attributes: Males:

    • 10 Willpower and Endurance
    • 5 Strength
    • -10 Intelligence, Speed, and Personality
    • -5 Agility

    Females:

    • 10 Endurance
    • 5 Strength and Willpower
    • -15 Personality
    • -10 Speed
    • -5 Agility

    Skills:

    • 10 Armorer, Block, Blunt, and Heavy Armor
    • 5 Hand-to-Hand

    Traits:

    • Berserk: Fortify Fatigue (200 points), Health (20 points), and Strength (50 points); Drain Agility (100 points) all for 60 seconds on self, once per day (boosts Fatigue, Health, and Strength; decreases Agility)
    • Orc Magic Resistance: Resist Magic 25% on self, constant (receive 25% less damage from magic effects)

    Redguard

    A Redguard swordsman
    A Redguard swordsman

    The Redguard are a dark-skinned folk from Hammerfell. They are naturally skilled in combat, but their sense of independence and legendary pride discourage an organized army. They are comfortable with many types of weapons and armor types, and their resistance to disease and poisons make them tough. They work best as melee fighters.

    Attributes:Males:

    • 10 Strength and Endurance
    • -10 Intelligence, Willpower, and Personality

    Females:

    • 10 Endurance
    • -10 Intelligence and Willpower

    Skills:

    • 10 Blade, Blunt, and Athletics
    • 5 Light Armor, Heavy Armor, and Mercantile

    Traits:

    • Adrenaline Rush: Fortify Agility (50 points), Endurance (50 points), Speed (50 points), Strength (50 points), Health (25 points) all for 60 seconds on self, once per day (boosts Agility, Endurance, Speed, Strength, and Health for one minute)
    • Redguard Disease Resistance: Resist Disease 75% on self, constant (75% chance not to contract a disease when exposed to it)
    • Redguard Poison Resistance: Resist Poison 75% on self, constant (75% not to be poisoned)

    Creatures

    There are many creatures in the world of Oblivion. Most, though not all, are hostile. There are many different species and over 50 unique creatures. The list below provides information on location, what the creature will drop, and what level the player must be for the creature to appear (on average). Also listed are the diseases that some of the creatures can infect the player character with.

    When infected with a disease, players can get rid of it by using potions or praying at a chapel. The latter requires that the player not be in trouble with guards in any city.

    Animals

    These are non-magical creatures. They all depend on melee combat.

    Black Bear
    A cute Black Bear
    A cute Black Bear
    Black bears are hostile animals.
    • Found: Wilderness, roads, caves and ruins
    • Level: 9
    • Drops: Bear Pelt
    • Resists Frost.
    • Disease: Yellow Tick (Drain Speed 10, Drain Strength 5)
    Boar
    Wild Boar
    Wild Boar
    Boars are hostile animals and will charge at the player with their tusks.
    • Found: Wilderness and roads.
    • Level: 7
    • Drops: Boar Meat
    • Resists frost.
    • Disease: Chanthrax Blight (Drain Agility 10, Drain Speed 10)
    Brown Bear
    Brown Bear
    Brown Bear
    Brown bears are hostile animals that are much larger than black bears and much more powerful.
    • Found: Wilderness, roads, caves, and ruins.
    • Level: 16
    • Drops: Bear Pelt
    • Resists Frost.
    Deer
    Doe, a deer, a female deer
    Doe, a deer, a female deer
    Deer and doe are not hostile animals.
    • Found: Wilderness and roads.
    • Level: 1
    • Drops: Venison
    • Deer are very fast animals.
    • Disease: Dampworm (Drain Speed 5)
    Dog
    Woof!
    Woof!
    Dogs are not hostile animals, unless they belong to bandits or marauders.
    • Found: Pets in towns and at bandit/marauder campsites.
    • Level: 1
    • Drop: Low-value item
    • Disease: Witbane (Drain Intelligence 5)
    Horse
    A Horse
    A Horse
    Horses are not hostile animals, unless they are attacked first.
    • Found: Stables and wilderness.
    • Drops: Nothing
    • Can be ridden.
    Mountain Lion
    Lion of the Mountains
    Lion of the Mountains
    Mountain lions are very dangerous, hostile animals.
    • Found: wilderness, roads, caves, and ruins.
    • Level: 12
    • Drops: Lion Pelt
    • Resists frost.
    • Disease: Wither (Drain Endurance 10, Drain Strength 5)
    Mud Crab
    Annoying
    Annoying
    Mud crabs are probably the most annoying animal the player will face in the game. They are weak but will often prevent the player character from resting.
    • Found: Next to water.
    • Level: 1
    • Drops: Crab Meat
    • Disease: Swamp Fever (Drain Endurance 10, Drain Strength 10)
    Rat
    Rat
    Rat
    Rats are aggressive animals that will attack the player character on sight. They are annoying but easy to kill.
    • Found: Anywhere.
    • Level: 1
    • Drops: Rat Meat
    • Diseases: Blood Lung (Drain Endurance 5), Bone Break Fever (Drain Strength 5), BrainRot (Drain Strength 5), Feeble Limb (Drain Strength 5), Red Rage (Drain Strength 5, Drain Willpower 5), Shakes (Drain Agility 5), Witless Pox (Drain Intelligence 5)
    Sheep
    Sheep
    Sheep
    Sheep are not hostile animals.
    • Found: Outside of villages and farms.
    • Drops: Mutton
    • Attacking a sheep is illegal.
    • Disease: Droops (Drain Agility 5)
    Slaughterfish
    Fish of Slaughter
    Fish of Slaughter
    Slaughterfish are very aggressive animals that can be difficult since they are underwater.
    • Found: Underwater.
    • Drops: Scales
    • Weakness to shock.
    • Disease: Greenspore (Drain Personality 10)
    Timber Wolf
    Timber Wolf
    Timber Wolf
    Timber wolves are hostile animals that are larger than the regular wolves.
    • Found: Wilderness, roads, caves, ruins, and vampire lairs.
    • Level: 6
    • Drops: Wolf Pelt
    • Resists frost.
    Wolf
    Wolf
    Wolf
    Wolves are hostile animals that are pretty weak.
    • Found: Wilderness, roads, caves, ruins, and vampire lairs.
    • Level: 1
    • Drops: Wolf Pelt
    • Resists Frost.
    • Disease: Helljoint (Drain Speed 5, Drain Agility 5)

    Monsters

    Monsters are magical creatures. They are sometimes called mythical creatures.

    Imp
    Imp
    Imp
    Imps are small, winged animals. They are relatively weak.
    • Found: Wilderness except for farmlands.
    • Level: 1
    • Drops: Imp Gall
    • Attacks with elemental damage spells.
    Land Dreugh
    Land Dreugh
    Land Dreugh
    Land Dreughs are large, dangerous creatures that are part-crab part-human.
    • Found: Swamp and rainforest regions.
    • Level: 17
    • Drops: Dreugh Wax
    Minotaur
    Minotaur
    Minotaur
    Minotaurs are bulls that stand up straight. They are aggressive creatures that usually have warhammers.
    • Found: Hills and mountain regions.
    • Level: 14
    • Drops: Minotaur Horn
    • Its horn glows right before it head butts.
    Minotaur Lord
    Note the larger horns
    Note the larger horns
    Minotaur Lords are deadlier versions of the Minotaur. They have more health and more attacks. Also they are significantly larger than a regular Minotaur.
    • Found: Roads, hills, and mountains.
    • Level: 20
    • Drops: Minotaur Horn
    • Resists Magic.
    Ogre
    Ogre
    Ogre
    Unlike Shrek, Ogres are pretty dangerous. They are very aggressive and very powerful. They have a lot of health making them difficult to take down.
    • Found: Hills, highlands, and mountains
    • Level: 18
    • Drops: Ogre’s Teeth
    • Has a weakness to any kind of poison.
    Spriggan
    Spriggan
    Spriggan
    Spriggans are forest spirits. They cannot go into water.
    • Found: Forests and swamps.
    • Level: 13
    • Drops: Taproot
    • Can summon a black bear and can heal itself.
    • Weak to fire, resists shock.
    Troll
    Quite an ugly troll
    Quite an ugly troll
    Trolls are aggressive creatures that are pretty quick.
    • Found: Forest, and rain forest regions.
    • Level: 8
    • Drops: Troll Fat
    • Generate health. 50% weakness to fire.
    Will-o-the-wisp
    Will-o-the-wisp
    Will-o-the-wisp
    WOTW are glowing creatures with powerful magical attacks.
    • Found: Swamp regions.
    • Level: 11
    • Drops: Glow Dust
    • Powerful absorption attacks but they are all on-touch, so it is best to keep a wide berth.
    • Frequently turn invisible, so use Detect Life.
    • Immune to normal weapons, silence, poison, and paralysis.

    Goblins

    Goblins are the most common type of creatures in the game. They are very quick and have forward-jumping attacks. There are many variations of the goblin, thus warranting its own section. They are all found in the outdoors, caves, mines, and forts. Goblins have a 25% chance of dropping lockpicks.

    Goblins are divided into tribes. There are seven tribes in total, they are: bloody Hand, Dust Eater, Rock Biter, Sharp Tooth, Skull Breaker, Three Feather, and White Skin. It is not uncommon to see goblins of different tribes fighting each other. This gives the goblin species a unique culture that can be recognized by the player.

    Goblin
    A Goblin
    A Goblin
    The weakest and most common of the bunch. They only wear a loincloth.
    • Level: 1
    • Drop: Weapon equipped
    • All are equipped with either a one-handed weapon, or a bow and arrows.
    Goblin Skirmisher
    A Skirmisher with a shield
    A Skirmisher with a shield
    The Goblin skirmisher is the second weakest type of goblin. Along with the standard loincloth, they have some armour, some even have shields.
    • Level: 6
    • Drop: Weapon equipped, some armour
    • All are equipped with either a one-handed weapon, or a bow and arrows.
    Goblin Berserker
    Berserker
    Berserker
    The Berserkers are stronger goblins. About 25% of them have shields. All Berserkers wear armour (greaves, cuirass, helmet).
    • Level: 10
    • Drop: Weapon equipped, some armour
    • All are equipped with either a one-handed weapon, or a bow and arrows.
    Goblin Shaman
    Shaman
    Shaman
    Goblin Shamans are the only goblins that can cast magic.
    • Level: 15
    • Drop: Staves
    • They will summon zombies, will cast elemental damage attacks, and can heal themselves.
    Goblin Warlord
    Goblin Warlord
    Goblin Warlord
    Warlords are the strongest goblins. They have the most health and have the best weapons. They also have a lot of armour.
    • Level: 20
    • Drop: Weapon equipped, some armour
    • All are equipped with either a one-handed weapon, or a bow and arrows.
    • Have resistance to magic.

    Undead

    Undead creatures are creatures that are undead. This includes zombies, skeletons, and spirits. All undead are immune to any form of poison and resist frost. They are mostly found in Ayleid ruins and forts, some are also found in caves.

    Ancient Ghost
    Boo!
    Boo!
    Ancient Ghosts are more powerful than the regular ghost.
    • Level: 11
    • Drops: Ectoplasm
    • Can go invisible, immune to normal weapons, and deals out frost damage.
    Dread Zombie
    Braainnssss
    Braainnssss
    Dread Zombies are the strongest type of zombie. Like all zombies, they only have melee attacks. However, the Dread Zombie carries many diseases, making it very dangerous.
    • Level: 16
    • Drops: Mort Flesh
    • Weak against fire, best to kill from a distance since all are infected with Astral Vapors.
    • Dread Zombies regenerate health.
    Faded Wraith
    Faded Wraith
    Faded Wraith
    These are the weakest type of Wraith, but they are still stronger than ghosts.
    • Level: 14
    • Drops: Ectoplasm
    • Usually attacks with frost, some are equipped with a shortsword.
    Ghost
    Yes, this is Casper
    Yes, this is Casper
    Ghosts are the weakest ethereal undead and the most standard.
    • Level: 6
    • Drops: Ectoplasm
    • Usually attacks with frost damage.
    Gloom Wraith
    Gloomy Wraith
    Gloomy Wraith
    Gloom Wraiths are the strongest ethereal undead. They have the most health and have the strongest spells.
    • Level: 23
    • Drops: Ectoplasm
    • Cast devastating frost damage spells, some are equipped with longswords.
    Headless Zombie
    Yes, this is Ichabad Crane
    Yes, this is Ichabad Crane
    The Headless Zombie is stronger than the standard Zombie. It carries diseases, making it quite dangerous. Can be identified by the lack of head.
    • Level: 10
    • Drops: Mort Flesh (deranged zombies drop Bonemeal)
    • Weak against fire.
    Lich
    Lich
    Lich
    Lich are the most powerful undead creature. They can cast many spells and can summon other creatures.
    • Level: 26
    • Drops: Bonemeal and enchanted staves
    • Their spells are generated at random, but all are weak to fire.
    Nether Lich
    A Nether Lich
    A Nether Lich
    The Nether Lich is the weaker version of the Lich.
    • Level: 19
    • Drops: Bonemeal and enchanted staves
    • Similar to the Lich, it is weak to fire.
    Skeleton
    Skeleton
    Skeleton
    The weakest form of bone undead. Skeletons will be encountered often early on in the game.
    • Level: 1
    • Drops: Bonemeal and equipped weapon
    • Some wield war axes while others are archers.
    Skeleton Champion
    What a champ
    What a champ
    The champion is the strongest type of skeleton. It can also summon a Skeleton Guardian.
    • Level: 17
    • Drops: Bonemeal and equipped weapon.
    • Some wield claymores while others are archers.
    Skeleton Guardian
    Skeleton Guardian
    Skeleton Guardian
    The guardian is the second weakest type of skeleton. They are the only type of skeletons to wield shields.
    • Level: 8
    • Drops: Bonemeal and equipped weapon and shield
    • Some wield maces while others are archers.
    Skeleton Hero
    Skeleton Hero
    Skeleton Hero
    Skeleton Heroes are stronger than the guardians but weaker than the champions.
    • Level: 12
    • Drops: Bonemeal and equipped weapon
    • Some wield battle axes while others are archers.
    Wraith
    A regular ol' wraith
    A regular ol' wraith
    Wraiths are strong ethereal undead. They are more powerful than ghosts. Wraiths are stronger than Faded Wraiths, but weaker than Gloom Wraiths.
    • Level: 18
    • Drops: Ectoplasm
    • Some are armed with longswords.
    Zombie
    Braaainsss
    Braaainsss
    The zombie is the standard type of zombie. It is the weakest but it is infected with some diseases.
    • Level: 4
    • Drops: Mort Flesh (Deranged drop Bonemeal)
    • Weak against fire.
    • Has 25% of being infected with a disease.

    Daedra

    Daedra are creatures from the Planes of Oblivion. They can be seen in the regular world though, through conjurers.

    Clannfear
    Yes, this is Jurassic Park
    Yes, this is Jurassic Park
    Clannfears are fast, dinosaur looking creatures. They have powerful jumping attacks.
    • Level: 13
    • Drops: Clannfear Claws
    • Weak to shock, resists fire.
    Clannfear Runt
    A Clannfear Runt
    A Clannfear Runt
    Runts are significantly smaller than the regular Clannfear. They are weaker and have less health.
    • Level: 5
    • Drops: Nothing
    • Weak to shock, resists fire.
    Daedroth
    Daedroth
    Daedroth
    Daedroths are fast, strong, and large. They are quite dangerous.
    • Level: 16
    • Drops: Daedroth Teeth
    • Attacks with fire and melee, weak to shock, and resists fire.
    Flame Atronach
    Woman Fire=Trouble
    Woman Fire=Trouble
    Flame Atronachs are humanoid creatures that are on fire. They are the weakest type of Atronach.
    • Level: 9
    • Drops: Fire Salts
    • Weak to frost, immune to poison and fire.
    Frost Atronach
    Frost Atronach
    Frost Atronach
    Frost Atronachs are stronger than their Flame counterparts but are weaker than the Storm ones.
    • Level: 15
    • Drops: Frost Salts
    • Weakness to fire, immune to poison and frost.
    • Has a restore health spell.
    Scamp
    A Scamp
    A Scamp
    Scamps are humanoid creatures that are annoying and weak.
    • Level: 7
    • Drops: Scamp Skin
    • Melee attacks along with fire damage.
    • Weak to shock but resists fire.
    Spider Daedra
    Woman Spider=Trouble
    Woman Spider=Trouble
    Large spiders that are half woman. They are quick and powerful.
    • Level: 18
    • Drops: Daedra Silk and Daedra Venin
    • Summons a spiderling.
    • Weak to frost and shock, resists fire.
    Storm Atronach
    Storm Atronach
    Storm Atronach
    These are the most powerful atronachs in Oblivion.
    • Level: 19
    • Drops: Void Salts
    • Uses shock damage, no weaknesses.
    Stunted Scamp
    Stunted Scamp
    Stunted Scamp
    A smaller version of the scamp, much weaker with less health.
    • Level: 1
    • Drops: Usually nothing, sometimes bones or low-value item
    • Weak to shock but resists fire.
    Xivilai
    Xivilai
    Xivilai
    Powerful humanoid creatures that can summon Clannfears.
    • Level: 22
    • Drops: Daedra Heart and two handed weapons
    • Some are armed with weapons.
    • Weak to shock but resists fire.

    Interacting With NPCs

    Gold topics mean the person has more to tell the player
    Gold topics mean the person has more to tell the player

    Players are able to converse with nearly every NPC in the game. When having a conversation, the player usually selects from a list of topics that they want to know more about. Occasionally they'll be able to choose an actual dialogue option that can steer a quest in a particular direction. One of the more important options is the Rumors subject. By choosing this, the NPC will tell them about a random rumor about the town they are in or its surroundings, and occasionally a quest can be gained from it.

    Players can also activate a persuasion minigame where they try to get the NPC to like them better by telling jokes, admiring them, etc. The speechcraft skill affects the NPCs disposition towards the player character. A higher disposition is necessary for many quests in order to get someone to provide more information.

    Leveling Up

    Oblivion uses a unique leveling feature that's not seen in many games. Rather than have players earn experience from killing enemies, completing quests, etc., players must practice their major skills before they can advance to the next level. For example, if one wanted to play as a thief, one would level up their character by sneaking and practicing skills associated with thieves. A thief wouldn't level up by casting spells or using battle axes, although leveling up from doing so is still possible if it's a major skill. Likewise, a mage wouldn't advance by sneaking and using swords as quickly as they would by casting spells, and a sword-wielding soldier wouldn't make much progress by throwing fireballs.

    A player can still level up when not in combat. One of the skills in the game is athletics. By running, the player character is increasing their athletics skill. Whenever they jump, the acrobatics skill increases. Because of this, it's entirely possible to advance a level by running.

    Attributes

    Attributes are the player character's personal abilities in different fields. At the beginning of the game they all start at 40, except for Luck which starts at 50. They are affected by what race they choose, and as they level up they can put more points into them. Each attribute, except for luck, is associated with 3 different skills. If the player character levels up those skills, they'll be able to put points into that attribute.

    • Strength: Strength is most important to characters that work primarily by dealing melee damage. It also determines how much the player can carry before becoming encumbered. Every point in Strength has these effects: 5 lbs. to carrying capacity, 1 to Fatigue Stat, and 0.66% to melee damage. Associated Skills: Blade, Blunt, and Hand-to-Hand.
    • Intelligence: Boosts Magicka slightly. Every point in Intelligence gives the player character 2 Magicka. Associated Skills: Alchemy, Conjuration, and Mysticism.
    • Willpower: Boosts the player character's fatigue resistance and also increases their rate of magicka regeneration. Every point in Willpower provides 1 Fatigue. Associated Skills: Alteration, Destruction, and Restoration. Magicka regeneration increases with every point put into willpower, but the benefit gets smaller over time. The time it takes to recharge from 0 to full Magicka at some Willpower milestones is as follows:
    • 0 Willpower: 131 seconds
    • 25 Willpower: 80 seconds
    • 50 Willpower: 58 seconds
    • 75 Willpower: 45 seconds
    • 100 Willpower: 35 seconds
    • Agility: Agility is a stat that is good for both melee and ranged characters. It increases the ability to avoid getting knocked down by melee hits, but it also adds to damage with bows. Every point in Agility has the following effects: 1 to Fatigue, 0.66% damage with bows, and increased resistance to knockdowns. Associated Skills: Security, Sneak, and Marksman.
    • Speed: Speed boosts the alacrity of attack and movement. Every point in Speed adds 0.44% movement speed. Associated Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, and Light Armor.
    • Endurance: Boosts health, essential for melee fighters. Every point of Endurance provides 2 starting Health, and 0.1 Health per level (rounded down). Associated Skills: Armorer, Block, and Heavy Armor.
    • Personality: Personality affects people's starting disposition toward the player character in conversations, though if they have enough money, the right spells, or are good enough at the Speechcraft mini-game, starting disposition is irrelevant. Every point of Personality provides 0.25 points to NPC starting dispositions, so it takes 4 points to increase their disposition by 1. Associated Skills: Illusion, Mercantile, and Speechcraft.
    • Luck: Luck doesn't govern any skills. However, it has a direct effect on all of skills, because the higher the Luck, the better skills will perform. Every point of Luck above 50 provides 0.4 to all skills. Conversely, every point of luck below 50 provides -0.4 to all skills. Luck's effect on skills is detailed in the following equation and table:

    Skill Level ((Luck-50) X 0.4) = Modified Skill Level

    If the player has a 50 in a skill, their Luck score would affect it like this:

    • 10 Luck -- 34 Skill (-16)
    • 20 Luck -- 38 Skill (-12)
    • 30 Luck -- 42 Skill (-8)
    • 40 Luck -- 46 Skill (-4)
    • 50 Luck -- 50 Skill (No change)
    • 60 Luck -- 54 Skill ( 4)
    • 70 Luck -- 58 Skill ( 8)
    • 80 Luck -- 62 Skill ( 12)
    • 90 Luck -- 66 Skill ( 16)
    • 100 Luck -- 70 Skill ( 20)

    Skills and Associated Categories

    • Combat: Block, Armorer, Heavy Armor, Blunt, Blade, Athletics, Hand-to-Hand
    • Magic: Destruction, Alteration, Illusion, Conjuration, Mysticism, Restoration, Alchemy
    • Stealth: Security, Sneak, Acrobatics, Light Armor, Marksman, Mercantile, Speechcraft

    Birthsigns

    • The Apprentice

    Adds 100 points to the players Magicka attribute, but also gives them a weakness to Magic.

    • The Atronach

    Confers a 50% Spell Absorption to recharge Magicka, as it cannot be recharged through resting under this birthsign.

    • The Lady

    Confers a bonus of 10 points to Willpower and Endurance.

    • The Lover

    The player can paralyze an opponent for 10 by kissing them, but loses 120 points of Fatigue by doing so.

    • The Lord

    The player can regenerate health up to 90, but gains a 25% weakness to fire.

    • The Mage

    Adds 50 points to Magicka.

    • The Ritual

    Grants the Mara's Gift power once a day as a Restore Health spell to use.

    • The Serpent

    Gives the Serpent spell to cause a slow but potent poison on touch, while also ridding the player of magic and costing 100 Fatigue.

    • The Shadow

    Grants the Moonshadow power once a day, causing the player to become invisible for 60 seconds.

    • The Steed

    Adds a bonus of 20 to the player's Speed.

    • The Thief

    Adds a bonus of 10 points to Speed, Agility, and Luck.

    • The Tower

    Allows the player to open an Average lock or less once per day. Also allows the player to reflect 5 points of damage once a day for 120 seconds.

    • The Warrior

    Adds a bonus of 10 points to Strength and Endurance.

    Guilds

    In the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, there are five major guilds the player may join. The player can join all five, but some guild rules may conflict with others. Each guild has it's own unique storyline rather than random tasks to complete.

    • The Mages Guild: The Mages guild is for magic-users, although use of magic isn't completely necessary to complete the quest line. Those who join the guild get access to exclusive spells and the ability to craft their own spells and enchantments.
    • The Fighters Guild: The Fighters guild is for warriors, although melee weapons aren't completely necessary to complete the quest line. Those who join the guild get access to exclusive weapons and training.
    • The Thieves Guild: The Thieves guild is for rogues and thieves. Those who join the guild can sell stolen property and remove bounties on their heads for a price without losing their stolen goods.
    • The Dark Brotherhood: The Dark Brotherhood is for assassins. Those who join the guild get access to exclusive armor and weapons for silently killing enemies. Unlike the other guilds, the Dark Brotherhood cannot be joined by simply walking into a building and asking. The player character needs to kill an innocent, and the next time they sleep they'll be visited by Lucien Lachance who will begin the initiation process.
    • The Arena: The Arena is for brave adventurers who wish to test their mettle against others. Those who join the guild get access to battles and the recognition of all the people of Cyrodill once the player becomes Grand Champion. The player also gets to have The Adoring Fan follow them around.

    Voice Talents

    Some really popular actors gave their voice to some of thEme characters in the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

    Voice TalentCharacter(s)
    Patrick StewartEmperor Uriel Septim
    Sean BeanMartin Septim
    Terence StampMankar Camoran
    Ralph CoshamJauffre / Vincent Valtieri
    Wes JohnsonDyus
    Michael MackBaurus / Owyn
    Craig SechlerHigh Chancellor Ocato / Falcar / Alval Uvani / Faelian
    Jeff BakerHaskill

    The Elder Scrolls IV: The Knights of Nine

    Knights of the Nine is an official mod
    Knights of the Nine is an official mod

    The Knights of the Nine is the first major plugin released by Bethesda Softworks for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Unlike many of Bethesda's add-ons for earlier games, which were large expansion packs that took place away from the world of the base game, Knights of the Nine is much smaller in scope, providing ten or so new quests into the existing lands of Cyrodiil. In this way, it is very similar to various guild sidequests found in Oblivion.

    Upon installing Knights of the Nine, the player hears rumors of an attack on the church in the town of Anvil. After visiting the Prophet, who tells tale of the second coming of the evil Umaril, the player must reform the order of the Knights of the Nine and search for the lost Crusader's Relics before finally taking on Umaril himself.

    Besides the new quests, Knights of the Nine also adds new Ayleid ruins, forts, and caves, as well as the Priory of the Nine, which becomes the knights' base of operations. Minor changes are also made to a few existing locations, such as the aforementioned ruined Anvil Chapel. Additionally, several new enemies and items are added to the game, which the player can then use throughout the rest of Oblivion.

    Originally, Knights of the Nine was available as downloadable content from Bethesda's website, as well as on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Additionally, it was available on a retail disc that also included seven of the other eight official plug-ins (the Fighter's Stronghold is not included). Later, Knights of the Nine was included along with the Shivering Islands retail box, as well as included in the Game Of The Year edition of Oblivion. As the PS3 version of Oblivion was released later than the PC and 360 versions, Knights of the Nine was included on the Oblivion game disc.

    The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles

    Entering the Realm of Madness
    Entering the Realm of Madness

    The Shivering Isles is the first and only expansion pack for Oblivion. The extra content leads the player to the Daedric prince Sheogorath's Realm of Madness, which consists of an entirely new map to explore. The realm is effectively split down the middle. The "light" side, Mania, is filled with inhabitants delirious and manic and a color saturated environment to reflect that. The "dark" side, Dementia, is inhabited by the paranoid and depressed, as reflected in its grim environments. The capital city of New Sheoth is similar with Crucible (Dementia), Bliss (Mania), and the Palace District (exact middle and home of Sheogorath), reflecting the two sides of the world, its god and his divided nature.

    In the main quest, the player is recruited by Sheogorath to stop a Ragnarok-style event called the Greymarch. Jyggalag, Daedric Prince of Order and the polar opposite to the Prince of Madness, returns at the end of every era to purge the Realm of Madness, forcing Sheogorath to rebuild his domain. With the player as his champion, Sheogorath plans to fight back. He sends the player on many quests to try and put an end to the Greymarch.

    However, the player ultimately fails and Sheogorath transforms into Jyggalag. The player is able to defeat Jyggalag, and when the fight is over Jyggalag explains that because his realm was expanding so fast, the other Daedric Princes put a curse on him that causes Sheogorath to turn into Jyggalag at the end of each era and thus experience the Greymarch over and over again. Because of this, Sheogorath, against his will, destroys his own realm at the end of each era and has to rebuild it (only the destroy it again). He thanks the player for putting a halt to the cycle and considers him/her the new Sheogorath.

    Collector's Edition

    Upon release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Bethesda announced a Collector's Edition version for the PC and Xbox 360. This edition didn’t change any in-game content; instead it offered the player with a unique set of collectable items packaged alongside the game itself. The contents inside the package are:

    Collector's Edition
    Collector's Edition

    A Gold Septim coin – This is an authentic replicated Septim coin, which is the official currency of Tamriel.

    Pocket guide to the empire – This is a 112 page mini guide to Tamriel. It gives information on each significant event, as well as details on each race and their homeland.

    Bonus DVD – This DVD contains a behind the scenes look at the making of Oblivion, and the lead up to E3. There’s also concept art, screenshots, renders and a trailer included on the DVD.

    5th Anniversary Edition

    No Caption Provided

    The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 5th Anniversary Edition was released on July 12th, 2011. This collector's version includes all the DLC (Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine), The Making of Oblivion DVD, a $10 coupon for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and a collector's steelbook case.

    System Requirements

    As displayed on the back cover of the box;

    Minimum System Requirements:

    • Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP.
    • CPU (Processor): Intel Pentium 4 2Ghz or equivalent processor.
    • RAM: 512MB system RAM.
    • HDD (Hard Drive): 4.6GB.
    • GPU (Graphics Card): 128MB Direct3D compatible video card and DirextX 9.0c compatible driver.
    • Sound Card: DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card.

    Recommended System Requirements:

    • CPU (Processor): Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz or equivalent processor.
    • RAM: 1GB system RAM
    • GPU (Graphics Card): ATI X800 series, Nvidia GeForce 6800 series, or higher video card.

    Downloadable Content

    Bethesda have really embraced the idea of downloadable content - as a result of this, Oblivion now has a wide range of DLC, some praised and some mocked.

    • The Horse Armour Pack (Allows the player to don their horse in either Steel or Elven armor, which increases the horse's damage resistance)
    • An Education in Artifacts - The Orrery (Added a small quest which has the player searching for pieces to repair the Imperial Orrery, and is rewarded with a new power based on the position of the stars)
    • A Wizards Home - Frostcrag Spire (Adds a tower inherited from a long-lost relative, which can be used for storage and to grow a variety of rare ingredients)
    • The Money Making Cove - Thieves Den (Adds a hidden cove underneath Anvil which rewards the player that clears it out with a Pirate crew and a new source of income)
    • A Vampire' Retreat - The Vile Lair ( An easy way to obtain or remove Vampirism, and a hideout for the character either way)
    • InstaMagic - Spell Tomes (Adds books that teach the player spells to loot from various dungeons and enemies)
    • The Ultimate Dungeon - Mehrune's Razor (An elaborate quest which sends the player through a sprawling dungeon to obtain the legendary Daedric artifact, which can kill in a single blow)

    Soundtrack

    Front Cover Artwork
    Front Cover Artwork
    Back Cover Artwork
    Back Cover Artwork

    The soundtrack for the game was composed by Jeremy Soule .

    Track No.Song TitleRunning Time
    01Reign of the Septims01.52
    02Through the Valleys04.21
    03Death Knell01.11
    04Harvest Dawn02.53
    05Wind from the Depths01.44
    06King and Country04.06
    07Fall of the Hammer01.17
    08Wings of Kinareth03.32
    09All's Well02.27
    10Tension02.34
    11March of the Marauders02.10
    12Watchman's Ease02.07
    13Glory of Cyrodiil02.30
    14Defending the Gate01.23
    15Bloody Blades01.16
    16Minstrel's Lament04.43
    17Ancient Sorrow01.06
    18Auriel's Ascension03.07
    19Daedra In Flight01.03
    20Unmarked Stone01.07
    21Bloodlust01.08
    22Sunrise of Flutes02.58
    23Churl's Revenge01.10
    24Deep Waters01.12
    25Dusk at the Market02.12
    26Peace of Akatosh04.10

    Trivia

    The cover of the Arena
    The cover of the Arena
    • There are some references to previous Elder Scrolls games in Oblivion. One of them is the fact that the poster for the Arena is based off of the cover art for Elder Scrolls: Arena
    • During playtesting, Bethesda noticed a bug in which a prisoner that the player speaks to for a quest (who's locked up in his jail cell) would randomly die while the player was away. After investigating the issue, they were surprised to find out that the new Radiant AI system was causing the death. They discovered that the guards in the prison would eventually run out of food and get hungry, and they would all go to the cell, kill the prisoner, and take his food.

    Reception

    Oblivion has received almost entirely positive reviews. Critics have praised the game's scope and how it immerses the player in the experience. On Metacritic, the game holds a 94/100 rating for the Xbox 360 and PC versions and a 93/100 rating for the Playstation 3 version.

    Xbox 360 Game Installation

    The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion requires 6.8GB of space to install on an Xbox 360 HDD.

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