The Absence of a Forgemaster
Do you ever find yourself yearning to forge a legendary blade, brew a potion that grants you the power of flight, or weave intricate enchantments onto your armor to become a demigod? Many role-playing games (RPGs) today boast robust crafting systems, allowing players to customize their experience in myriad ways. But what about the iconic game, *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion*? Does it share in this tradition? Can you truly *craft* in Oblivion?
Well, let’s embark on a journey into the world of Cyrodiil, exploring the depths of crafting and uncovering what treasures await us. This isn’t just a question of whether crafting exists, but how crafting shapes the experience. *Oblivion*, a pivotal entry in the *Elder Scrolls* saga, captured the hearts of countless players with its vast open world, engaging story, and immersive gameplay. The question of item creation is central to understanding how you can hone your skills and gain advantages.
Here’s a key revelation: Oblivion doesn’t embrace the same kind of crafting system seen in many other modern RPGs. While it offers ways to customize your equipment and enhance your character, you won’t find detailed blacksmithing, woodcutting, or tailoring systems. You can’t, for example, gather raw materials, melt down ore, and hammer out a custom-made sword. This is a significant difference from games like *Skyrim* or *Fallout*, which have become renowned for their detailed and extensive crafting systems. *Skyrim*, for example, lets you become a master blacksmith, creating everything from swords and armor to arrows and bows. *Fallout* allows you to meticulously construct weapons, armor, and settlements. In those games, crafting takes center stage as a central component.
The absence of such complex systems in *Oblivion* isn’t a flaw. It’s a deliberate design choice that reflects the game’s overall focus. *Oblivion* prioritized storytelling, exploration, and questing. While the development team obviously realized that they wouldn’t have enough time or resources to fully implement the types of crafting that would be seen in later games. It’s a balance between ambition and execution. The core gameplay loop of Oblivion is built around exploration, combat, and character progression through skills. It’s about becoming a master mage, a stealthy rogue, or a powerful warrior, using the tools provided by the world.
Alchemy: A Brewmaster’s Delight
Alchemy is a cornerstone of item creation in Oblivion. It’s your primary means of creating potions, whether for healing, restoring your attributes, or unleashing devastating effects on your enemies. It’s all about finding and combining ingredients.
The world of Cyrodiil is brimming with ingredients. Flowers, herbs, fungi, animal parts, and magical substances can be found throughout the game world. Some are common, like the humble wheat or the glowing glow dust, while others are rare and require exploration, careful observation, and a bit of luck to obtain. You might find certain ingredients in the wild, grow them in your own home, or purchase them from alchemists throughout Cyrodiil.
Alchemy is not just about picking ingredients; it’s about understanding their properties. To create a potion, you’ll need an Alchemy station, which usually includes a mortar and pestle, a retort, a calcinator, and an alembic.
Tools of the Trade
- The mortar and pestle is your basic mixing tool, allowing you to combine ingredients and create simpler potions.
- The retort can concentrate the ingredients and refine their effects.
- The calcinator, is used for more complex formulas.
- The alembic is used for mixing potions, and can influence potency.
The process of potion-making involves experimentation. When you combine ingredients for the first time, you won’t know the exact effects of the resulting potion. This is where the magic (or the potential for disaster) lies. Each ingredient has multiple effects, and you learn them by mixing ingredients together. It’s through trial and error that you discover which combinations create the effects you desire. Mixing ingredients is one of the most rewarding parts of the game.
The benefits of alchemy are immense. Healing potions are vital for survival in combat. Restore attribute potions can turn the tide of battle. Poison potions can cripple your foes. Fortify attribute potions can enhance your abilities. The options are limited only by your imagination, the ingredients you have gathered, and your skill.
As you practice alchemy, you level up your Alchemy skill. With each increase, you’ll be able to craft more potent potions, discover more effects, and make the process more efficient. You’ll learn which combinations work best and unlock new recipes and options. Alchemy is a constant process of learning and discovery.
Enchanting: Weaving Magic into Equipment
Another key avenue for item modification is Enchanting, which allows you to imbue weapons, armor, and clothing with magical properties. Enchanting can provide a significant edge in combat, giving you access to buffs, damage effects, and other advantages.
To enchant an item, you need a soul gem. These magical containers hold the essence of a defeated creature, harvested through the use of Soul Trap spells or enchanted weapons. The size and quality of the soul gem will determine the strength of the enchantment. Grand soul gems hold the largest souls and thus allow for the most powerful enchantments.
You will need to visit an Enchanting Alter, usually found in guilds or other special locations. Here, you can select the item you want to enchant, choose the soul gem, and select the enchantment effect you want to apply. You can choose enchantments that create damage, restore health, add additional attributes and more.
Enchantment Effects
- Damage effects: Poison, Fire, Shock, Frost
- Restoration effects: Restore Health, Magicka, or Fatigue
- Attribute boosts: Fortify Strength, Speed, Intelligence, etc.
- Special abilities: Chameleon (invisibility), Feather (reduce item weight), Absorb Health, etc.
As you practice enchanting, your Enchanting skill will increase, and this will allow you to create more powerful and longer-lasting enchantments. You’ll be able to enchant items more efficiently, maximizing the power of the soul gems and the effects you apply.
Other Systems that Complement Item Creation
While *Oblivion* doesn’t offer full crafting, it does have a few related mechanics:
- Repairing Items: Your equipment will degrade with use, and eventually, it will break. You can repair items at blacksmithing stations, and repairing equipment becomes a crucial skill.
- Character Progression and Customization: You can’t build a sword, but you can become a master swordsman by leveling the blade skill, gaining perks, and finding better weapons.
Comparison to Later Elder Scrolls Games
If you’ve played *Skyrim*, you’ll notice a vast difference. *Skyrim* has dedicated crafting skills: Smithing (weapons and armor), Enchanting (enchantments), Alchemy (potions), and even a cooking system. *Skyrim* allowed you to truly shape your character and their equipment through crafting.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Oblivion’s System
Let’s weigh the pros and cons of Oblivion’s approach to item creation.
- Advantages: The Alchemy system is simple to understand and implement. It allows you to make useful potions, and it fits the world. The Enchanting system is simple, but it is effective. The system also fits the game’s style and overall atmosphere.
- Disadvantages: It is very limited and lacks the depth of crafting systems found in later games. Alchemy can be very repetitive. Enchanting is limited by the need to gather ingredients.
Closing Thoughts
So, can you *craft* in *Oblivion*? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. While it lacks the extensive crafting systems of later games, the Alchemy and Enchanting systems provide a means of customizing your experience. The game provides a means of creating potent potions and magical gear. Alchemy and Enchanting are the cornerstones of item creation in *Oblivion*, and mastering them is essential for survival.
The crafting mechanics contribute to the richness of the experience. It is a testament to *Oblivion*’s focus on exploration, character progression, and open-world gameplay. In the end, whether the crafting suits you comes down to your personal preferences.
