Core Concepts of Character Building in Oblivion
Race Selection: The Foundation Stone
Your race provides the initial building blocks for your character. Each race boasts unique attributes, starting skills, and special abilities. Selecting the right race is about more than just aesthetics; it’s about aligning your inherent strengths with your desired playstyle.
For instance, if you envision yourself as a powerful spellcaster, the Bretons are an excellent choice. They possess a natural affinity for magic, granting them bonuses to Magicka and key magical skills like Conjuration and Destruction. High Elves also excel in magic, starting with a significantly higher Magicka pool.
If you prefer a more physical approach, consider the Orcs. Their natural strength and endurance make them formidable warriors right from the start, and their Berserker ability offers a temporary boost to damage and resistance. Nords are another strong choice, specializing in combat and cold resistance.
The Wood Elves offer unparalleled archery skills, perfect for those who favor a stealthy, ranged approach. The Khajiit, with their natural stealth and unarmed combat abilities, are ideal for those who enjoy sneaking and fast attacks. The Redguard are known for their combat prowess and endurance, while the Imperials provide starting bonuses to Persuasion and Mercantile skills.
Carefully consider the bonuses and abilities each race offers and how they align with the core skills you plan to utilize throughout your adventure.
Birthsign Selection: Destiny’s Guiding Star
Birthsigns add a crucial layer of customization to your character. These astrological influences grant permanent passive abilities, impacting your character’s strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right Birthsign can enhance a chosen build or cover weaknesses.
The Mage provides a valuable bonus to Magicka, further boosting the potential of magic users. The Thief is ideal for stealth-oriented characters, offering bonuses to skills like Acrobatics and Lockpicking. The Warrior, as the name suggests, is a good choice for martial characters, providing bonuses to Strength and Endurance.
The Apprentice birthsign drastically increases Magicka regeneration at the cost of magic vulnerability. The Shadow allows for once-a-day invisibility. The Lord provides a substantial resistance to magic and a regenerative healing ability. The Lady gives you increased health and endurance regeneration. Choose wisely based on your preferred style.
Attributes: The Pillars of Power
Attributes are the underlying stats that define your character’s physical and mental capabilities. They influence your skills, health, Magicka, and stamina. Understanding attributes is essential to optimize your build.
Strength determines how much you can carry and influences melee damage. Intelligence governs your Magicka pool. Willpower affects your Magicka regeneration rate and resistance to magical effects. Agility impacts your combat effectiveness, including your chance to hit and dodge attacks. Speed influences your overall movement speed. Endurance is vital for your health and stamina pools. Personality affects your ability to influence others in social interactions. Luck passively improves many aspects of the game.
When leveling up, you receive a choice to increase three attributes. The skills you have used the most throughout a level determine the attribute bonuses available to you at level up. Carefully consider how you want your character to develop and select the attributes that best support your playstyle.
Skills: Honing Your Talents
Skills are where you truly define your character’s abilities. Each skill governs a particular set of actions, from combat and magic to stealth and social interactions.
Skills are split into four groups: Combat, Magic, Stealth, and Attributes. Combat skills include Blade, Blunt, Hand-to-Hand, Marksman, Block, and Armorer. Magic skills include Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, Conjuration, and Illusion. Stealth skills include Sneak, Security, and Acrobatics. Other skills are like Alchemy, Mercantile, and Speechcraft.
Each skill has a major and minor skill group. Your major skills start at higher levels. The more you use a skill, the faster it increases. The best builds emphasize the skills you want to use most, making the training and improving those skills a top priority.
Class Selection (or Customization)
Oblivion offers the option of pre-made classes to simplify the process or the freedom to build your own. Pre-made classes provide a solid starting point. Custom classes allow for greater control, letting you choose the major skills that define your character.
When building a custom class, select the skills you plan to use most as major skills. Your major skills level faster than your minor skills. Think about your playstyle, choose your preferred skills, and build your character around those.
Character Build Examples
Let’s dive into some popular character builds, outlining the choices and explaining how to maximize their potential. These are merely starting points; feel free to experiment and adapt them to your preferences. Remember to define your playstyle.
The Spellsword: Blades and Incantations
This build combines the raw power of physical combat with the versatility of magic. It’s a balanced approach that offers flexibility in any situation.
Race Suggestion: Breton or High Elf. Breton’s magic resistance and High Elf’s higher initial Magicka pools are invaluable assets.
Birthsign Suggestion: The Mage or The Apprentice. The Mage offers a good boost to your maximum Magicka. The Apprentice dramatically increases your Magicka regeneration, allowing for more spell casting.
Major Skills: Blade/Blunt, Destruction, Heavy Armor, Conjuration, Alteration
Gameplay Style: The Spellsword wades into combat, armed with a weapon and a suite of spells. Start by summoning a creature to act as a meat shield while you sling destructive spells at your enemies. As enemies close in, switch to your melee weapon, using spells like Fortify Strength and Shield to boost your combat prowess.
Equipment: Focus on heavy armor for protection, and wield a blade or a blunt weapon. Enchanted weapons and armor are highly useful.
The Stealth Archer: Shadows and Precise Strikes
This character type thrives on stealth and precision, using the bow from a distance to eliminate enemies before they know you are there.
Race Suggestion: Wood Elf or Khajiit. Wood Elves offer a natural bonus to Marksman, while Khajiit have increased Sneak abilities.
Birthsign Suggestion: The Thief or The Shadow. The Thief increases skills like Marksman and Acrobatics. The Shadow gives you a daily invisibility spell.
Major Skills: Marksman, Sneak, Light Armor, Alchemy, Security
Gameplay Style: The Stealth Archer is all about planning and patience. Use sneak to get into position and pick your shots. Use your knowledge of the environment. Use Alchemy to create poisons. Use light armor to move silently. Use Security to loot.
Equipment: Prioritize light armor for stealth, a bow for ranged attacks, and a selection of arrows. Alchemy is useful for creating poisons to enhance your attacks.
The Tank/Heavy Armor Warrior: The Unbreakable Fortress
This build is a juggernaut, designed to withstand a barrage of attacks while delivering punishing blows.
Race Suggestion: Orc or Nord. Orcs are built for combat, and Nords offer cold resistance and additional stamina.
Birthsign Suggestion: The Warrior or The Lord. The Warrior focuses on strength and endurance. The Lord provides a health bonus and regeneration.
Major Skills: Blade/Blunt, Heavy Armor, Block, Armorer, Athletics
Gameplay Style: The Tank charges headfirst into combat, soaking up damage and drawing enemy aggro. Block incoming attacks to mitigate damage, and use powerful melee strikes to eliminate threats. Use Armorer to keep your equipment in top shape. Athletics is important for moving in heavy armor.
Equipment: Heavy armor is essential for protection. Choose a strong weapon to deliver damage.
Leveling and Progression
Effective leveling is essential. Maximize skill training throughout the level to maximize attribute bonuses. Use the appropriate skills to gain bonuses for your leveling needs. The better you plan your skill usage, the faster you will level.
Advanced Tips and Tricks
Mastering the game requires a level of optimization. Enchant your gear. Experiment with skill training. Finding and improving enchantments will have a huge impact on your character’s abilities. Look for areas that can boost your skills and equipment early on.
Conclusion
**Oblivion character builds** represent the heart of the game’s replayability and depth. They allow you to create a unique and personal experience within the vast landscape of Tamriel. Experiment with different races, Birthsigns, skills, and playstyles. The best way to uncover your ideal build is to simply begin your journey.
Now, it’s time to return to Cyrodiil, armed with the knowledge to build a character that perfectly suits your style. Good luck, and may your adventure be filled with glory!
