Introduction
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, released in a bygone era, continues to captivate gamers with its expansive world, immersive quests, and unparalleled freedom. Central to this experience is the character creation system, a foundational element that shapes your entire journey through Cyrodiil. The choices you make – from your race and birthsign to your skills and attributes – will determine how you interact with the world, how you approach challenges, and ultimately, how you forge your legend. This is where your unique story begins to write itself.
Crafting the perfect character in Oblivion can seem daunting at first, with a myriad of options and stats to consider. But fear not! This comprehensive guide aims to demystify the character creation process, providing you with the knowledge and insights necessary to build a hero, or perhaps an anti-hero, perfectly suited to your desired playstyle. We will explore every facet of character creation, from the lore and stats of each race to the intricacies of skills and attributes, empowering you to create a character that is both powerful and deeply engaging. This article will provide a comprehensive guide to Oblivion’s character creation system, covering everything from race and birthsign selection to skills and attributes, empowering players to create the perfect hero (or villain) for their adventure.
Race to the Finish Line: Choosing Your Ancestry
The first pivotal decision in *Oblivion*’s character creation is selecting your race. Ten distinct races inhabit the world of Tamriel, each possessing unique attributes, abilities, and cultural backgrounds that significantly impact gameplay. Your race defines your starting attributes, innate abilities, and how NPCs perceive you, making it a crucial choice for shaping your character’s identity and playstyle.
Let’s delve into each race, exploring their strengths, weaknesses, and roleplaying potential:
Nords
Hailing from Skyrim, Nords are renowned for their strength, resilience, and martial prowess. They possess high Strength and Endurance, making them excellent warriors. Their ability to resist frost and their Battle Cry power further enhance their combat capabilities. Consider them if you envision a hardy, axe-wielding hero who thrives in close-quarters combat.
High Elves (Altmer)
Towering and intellectually gifted, High Elves are masters of magic. They boast the highest Magicka pool of any race, making them formidable mages. However, they are vulnerable to fire. If you plan on wielding powerful spells and dominating enemies from afar, the High Elf is a strong contender.
Bretons
With a mixed lineage of human and elven ancestry, Bretons are naturally adept at magic and possess a strong resistance to it. They are versatile characters, capable of excelling in both magical and physical combat. Their inherent magic resistance makes them resilient against enemy spells, making them a solid choice for a balanced, adaptable character.
Imperials
Citizens of Cyrodiil, Imperials are known for their diplomacy, mercantile skills, and disciplined legions. They possess a bonus to Personality, making them adept at persuasion and bartering. Their Star of the West ability allows them to drain fatigue from enemies, disrupting their combat effectiveness. They are well-rounded characters suitable for a variety of playstyles.
Redguards
From the deserts of Hammerfell, Redguards are renowned for their unparalleled swordsmanship and their mastery of the blade. They possess high Agility and Strength and are highly resistant to poison and disease. Their Adrenaline Rush ability allows them to temporarily boost their Strength, Agility, Speed, and Endurance. If you desire a swift, deadly warrior with unmatched swordsmanship, the Redguard is an excellent choice.
Dark Elves (Dunmer)
Native to Morrowind, Dark Elves are versatile and resilient, possessing a unique blend of magical and martial skills. They are resistant to fire and possess Ancestor’s Wrath, which damages nearby enemies with fire. Their well-rounded abilities make them adaptable to various playstyles, from stealthy assassins to powerful spellcasters.
Wood Elves (Bosmer)
Agile and stealthy, Wood Elves are skilled archers and hunters. They possess a bonus to Agility and Speed, and are resistant to disease. Their Command Animal ability allows them to temporarily control animals. If you prefer a stealthy approach, picking off enemies from afar with your bow, the Wood Elf is a natural choice.
Orcs (Orsimer)
Strong and fiercely loyal, Orcs are renowned for their blacksmithing skills and their ferocious combat abilities. They possess high Strength and Endurance and are resistant to magic. Their Berserk ability allows them to temporarily increase their Strength and reduce damage taken. If you crave a heavily armored, unstoppable force on the battlefield, the Orc is a formidable option.
Khajiit
Feline humanoids from Elsweyr, Khajiit are known for their agility, stealth, and uncanny ability to see in the dark. They possess Night Eye and a bonus to Agility and Speed, making them excellent thieves and assassins. If you prefer to stalk your prey in the shadows, picking pockets and delivering critical strikes, the Khajiit is your ideal race.
Argonians
Reptilian humanoids from Black Marsh, Argonians are naturally resistant to poison and disease and can breathe underwater. They possess a bonus to Speed and are skilled in alchemy. Their Histskin ability allows them to rapidly regenerate health. They are well-suited for exploring underwater environments and can excel in roles that require stealth and resourcefulness.
Crafting Your Destiny: Class Selection and Skill Specialization
After choosing your race, you must define your character’s class. *Oblivion* offers a variety of premade classes, each specializing in different skills and attributes. However, the true freedom lies in creating a custom class, allowing you to tailor your character to your exact specifications.
Your class determines your character’s primary skills, influencing how quickly those skills level up and how effectively you perform related actions. The major skill categories are Combat, Magic, and Stealth. Each category encompasses a variety of individual skills, each with its own distinct purpose:
- Combat: Blade, Blunt, Hand to Hand, Armorer, Block, Heavy Armor
- Magic: Alchemy, Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion, Mysticism, Restoration
- Stealth: Acrobatics, Athletics, Light Armor, Security, Sneak, Speechcraft
Attributes represent your character’s core strengths and weaknesses. Each attribute influences a set of skills and directly affects your character’s stats:
- Strength: Affects melee damage, carrying capacity, and Blade, Blunt, and Hand to Hand skills.
- Intelligence: Affects Magicka and Alchemy, Conjuration, and Mysticism skills.
- Willpower: Affects Magicka regeneration and Alteration, Destruction, and Restoration skills.
- Agility: Affects bow damage, Sneak, Security, and Acrobatics skills.
- Speed: Affects movement speed and Athletics skill.
- Endurance: Affects health and Heavy Armor, Armorer, and Block skills.
- Personality: Affects Speechcraft, Mercantile, and Illusion skills.
- Luck: A subtle attribute that affects almost everything, but in smaller increments.
Building Your Own Legend: The Custom Class Advantage
Creating a custom class empowers you to design a character that perfectly aligns with your desired playstyle. To craft the perfect custom class, begin by identifying your core skills – the skills that you intend to use most frequently. Choose a set of major skills that synergize well and complement your chosen race. This allows you to efficiently level the skills you rely upon.
Consider your desired playstyle when selecting your primary skills. For instance, a stealthy assassin might prioritize Sneak, Blade, and Security, while a powerful mage might focus on Destruction, Alteration, and Mysticism. Avoid selecting too many major skills, as this can dilute your skill progression and make it difficult to level up efficiently.
Utilizing the custom class option unlocks the ability to truly play as you want. Taking this option allows you to play with what you like.
The Sign Above: Selecting Your Birthsign
Your birthsign grants your character a unique ability or attribute bonus, further shaping your strengths and weaknesses. Each birthsign offers a distinct advantage, influencing your character’s overall capabilities.
- The Warrior: Offers a Strength bonus, making you a formidable melee combatant.
- The Mage: Provides a Magicka bonus, empowering you to cast more spells.
- The Thief: Grants an Agility bonus, enhancing your stealth and speed.
- The Apprentice: Grants a significant increase to magicka, but makes you more vulnerable to magic.
- The Lover: Grants a personality increase and the ability to paralyze an enemy once per day.
- The Lord: Grants a substantial bonus to endurance, and the ability to restore health.
- The Lady: Grants increases to Willpower and Endurance.
- The Steed: Increases speed.
- The Atronach: Grants a massive boost to magicka but inhibits regeneration.
- The Ritual: Grants the ability to turn undead and restore health.
- The Serpent: Allows you to poison enemies.
- The Shadow: Grants the ability to turn invisible for a short time.
- The Tower: Allows you to unlock doors and reflect damage.
When choosing a birthsign, consider how it synergizes with your race and class. A High Elf mage might benefit from the Mage or Atronach birthsign, further amplifying their magical prowess, while a Nord warrior might prefer the Warrior or Lord birthsign, enhancing their combat strength and durability.
Crafting Your Identity: Appearance and Background
While stats and skills are crucial, crafting a compelling character also involves defining their appearance and backstory. *Oblivion*’s character customization options are surprisingly robust, allowing you to sculpt your character’s face, hair, and features to your liking.
Creating a character background, even a simple one, can significantly enhance your roleplaying experience. Consider your character’s motivations, goals, and history. Are they a noble seeking to restore their family’s honor, a cunning thief seeking wealth and power, or a devoted mage seeking forbidden knowledge?
Your character’s background can influence your decisions throughout the game, adding depth and meaning to your actions.
Tailoring Your Hero: Playstyle Optimization
The beauty of *Oblivion* lies in its flexibility. You can create a character to suit any playstyle. For a warrior, focus on Strength and Endurance, selecting combat skills like Blade, Blunt, and Heavy Armor. For a mage, prioritize Intelligence and Willpower, choosing magic skills like Destruction, Alteration, and Mysticism. For a thief, emphasize Agility and Luck, selecting stealth skills like Sneak, Security, and Acrobatics.
Hybrid builds, combining elements of multiple playstyles, are also viable. A battlemage, for instance, might combine Destruction magic with heavy armor and melee combat. Experiment and find a build that suits your personal preferences.
Navigating the Pitfalls: Avoiding Common Mistakes
Even with careful planning, it’s easy to make mistakes during character creation. Avoid spreading your skills too thin, as this can hinder your skill progression. Neglecting essential skills, such as a means of healing or combat style, can leave you vulnerable. Finally, failing to consider how your chosen skills and attributes synergize can lead to an ineffective and frustrating experience.
Embrace Your Destiny: Final Thoughts
Character creation in *Oblivion* is more than just selecting stats and skills; it’s about crafting a character that resonates with you, a hero, or a villain, whose story you are eager to tell. Experiment with different races, classes, birthsigns, and backgrounds to find a combination that excites you. Don’t be afraid to break the mold and create a unique character that defies expectations. Ultimately, the perfect character is the one that allows you to fully immerse yourself in the world of *Oblivion* and forge your own unforgettable adventure.
What are some of your favorite character builds in Oblivion? Share your thoughts and creations in the comments below!
