Summary
BeforeSkyrim,there wasThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. At the height of its popularity,Oblivionwas just as well-regarded asSkyrimby both critics and fans, with its graphics, storytelling, and gameplay being revolutionary for its time. Even today, many fans regard much of its storytelling, such as its guild systems, main story, and characters to be superior toSkyrim’s, and it remains playable 15 years later.
EnjoyingOblivionrequires a few self-imposed gameplay rulesand guidelines to follow that aren’t necessary but are unspoken rules in theElder Scrollscommunity to make playing it more enjoyable even as the game ages. Here are some of the most common ways to get started.
Practical Rules for Playing Oblivion
Plan for Bugs and Crashes
Oblivionis an older gameand does some unpredictable things. Be prepared forOblivionto crash, and understand that any playthrough may encounter game-breaking, unfixable bugs. The best way to circumvent the damage caused in these situations is to save often and in different slots, so that there are multiple backups if a save slot gets corrupted.
Create a Custom Class
Character class inOblivioncannot be changed after the tutorial and is important because it determines the Major Skills that will level up the player character upon skill improvement.Oblivionwill give a wide variety of class optionswith the classic classes fromDungeons and Dragons, with a short description of the class and a list of the Major Skills it affects.
The decision of the player character’s Major Skills depends on the playstyle the player intends to pursue. Ask the following questions:
Once an idea of a character is formed, their class with the appropriate Major Skills can be chosen. If one doesn’t exist from the premade list, there is the option to create a custom class inOblivion.
Play to Make Oblivion’s Gameplay and Story Better
Don’t Fast Travel
Upon discovering fast traveling to the major cities of Cyrodiil is possible without having visited them before, it may be tempting to simply fast travel everywhere. This is one of the worst things a player can do inOblivion, as it skips what some would argue is the best part ofOblivion: the unpredictable nature of the game. Random encounters, discovering new areas and enemies, exploring dungeons, and meeting NPCs are some of thebest parts of playingOblivion, and so much of that is missed if fast travel is used too liberally. Take it slow, and go off the beaten path to uncover what has yet to be discovered.
Don’t Neglect Acrobatics or Athletics Skills
When choosing the player character’s class, picking the acrobatic and athletics skills as Major Skills will transform any player’s experience when leveling up. While other skills such as Blade, Blunt, Block, and Speechcraft are all useful and are easy to measure when practicing, passive skills like Acrobatics and Athletics are improved while the player is exploring Cyrodiil and give a huge boost to leveling in the background. As they improve, they also increase the player character’s durability, speed, and survivability, making for a better all-round experience.
Join the Guilds
Guilds offer more than a free bed and trainers in every city; they offer game-changing services like the ability to create custom spells, fences for thieves, andrewards during their questlines that transform howOblivionworks. There are four guilds inOblivion, and each one is well worth completing to the end of its storyline, but the standout guilds in terms of gameplay rewards are the Thieves Guild and Mages Guild.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
WHERE TO PLAY
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition presents one of the best RPGs of all time like never before. Step inside the most richly detailed and vibrant game-world ever created. With a powerful combination of freeform gameplay and unprecedented graphics, you can unravel the main quest at your own pace or explore the vast world and find your own challenges. Also included in the Game of the Year edition are Knights of the Nine and the Shivering Isles expansion, adding new and unique quests and content to the already massive world of Oblivion. See why critics called Oblivion the Best Game of 2006.
