First time trough Oblivion - Some questions

[Blackout0219]

Hey this is my first time trough Oblivion, I'm playing as a female dark elf with the mage birthsign and the crusader class. I was looking for some tips and to get some questions answered. I'm level 12 with already some good equipment and I'm relatively familiar with the layout and engine of the game. I'm also halfway trough the mages guild quest, almost over with the thieves guild, halfway trough the darkbrotherhood and in the beginning of the fighters guild quest. I'm also a member of the arena and I've advanced two ranks (can't remember the name of the rank) and I haven't started the main quest yet.

 

Here's a short list of my equipment (weapons, armour and shields):

Weapons - Chillrend, Dragonsword of Lainlyn, Glass bow, Shadowhunt, Elven war axe, mages staff (fire), slutterhorn, blade of woe

Armour and shields - Dwarven cuirass, orcish "pants" and helmet, steel gauntlets, mithril boots, boots of the bloody bounding, boots of the cheetah, cruelty's heart, escutheon of chorrol and some rings and other necklaces that are useful

Major skills - Blade, hand to hand, blunt, destruction, restoration, heavy armour, athletics

 

Questions:
- When should I start the main storyline?

 

- Should I keep shadowhunt or enchant the glass bow I've found? If so, what enchantment? My strongest soul gem is a "greater" sould

 

- I have room for 280 but I'm already occupying 220, I need to store something, where can I store items (I fear I might forget where they are at)?

 

- Are the two swords I have good enough or should I enchant my own?

 

- What enchantment would fit better my axe?

 

 

[TheMastersSon]

1. Start it whenever you wish. The longer you wait, and higher level you attain, the tougher your opponents will be during the main quest. Just a matter of preference.

 

2. With a greater soul gem, if you obtained Shadowhunt at level 10 or higher you're better off keeping it. Unless I'm misreading the charts.

 

3. Buy a house (or two or three) and use the containers inside. That's the short answer.

 

4. Neither. Keep going in the game. Chillrend looks mean but it's not much of anything compared to later swords, esp. the Daedric artifacts Umbra and Goldbrand.

 

5. See #4. Once you get into the main quest, use the Sigil Stones for enchanting. They're much more powerful than even grand soul gems.

Edited December 27, 2014 by TheMastersSon

[Striker879]

For my current character (who does not yet "own" a house but is squatting in Shetcombe Farm and is shacked up with Umbra when near the IC and I guess technically "owns" the place at Aleswell) I use the more conveniently located non-respawning wilderness chests found at many locations around Cyrodiil.

 

I won't be at my gaming computer for a few days but the ones I can recall easily are; the barrel by the pond with the statue in Anvil, the chest at Dasek Moor (hop onto the "roof" from the road and then work your way around to the west on the ledge), the chest next to the "back door exit" to Ceyatatar Gorihame, the barrel on the second level of the outside of Fort Empire behind the statue (not that far from Aleswell, so of little utility once you have access to the room there), the chest near Fathis Aren's Tower (near Bravil) found on the inside of a curved piece of ruined wall just off the road as you go up the hill toward Leyawiin and the chest located just SW of Telepe next to some rocks.

 

There are plenty of other non-respawning containers that can be used, but those are my main ones. If you want to make certain you have the right one just put something of little value in it that wouldn't normally spawn in a chest (I use three iron arrows). Don't go near the area for more than three days so the cell resets and go back and check for your three arrows. Back when I was learning which containers were safe I used to move the three arrows out of the chest and leave them laying on the ground next to the chest to mark the container as safe.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Striker879

[Blackout0219]

I should have mentioned already that I have the quest award leveler so weapons like shadowhunt level up as I do. I'm now level 16. Should I get umbra right now or should I wait until I can do the quest?

[Striker879]

I like Umbra, and I'm hoping through the mods I use (Give a Gift by Emma mainly) plus a bit of console magic (addscriptpackage to give her a sleep package) to manage to pickpocket the accursed blade from her. If you're not interested in saving her you can get the sword from her at any level (most people use the jump on the pillars trick to stay out of her reach when they're on a lower level character).

 

My first guy used the pillar trick. My second character didn't do that quest (or many of the other Daedric quests). My current guy has been smitten by her charms and has made it his mission to save her.

 

I seldom use enchanted weapons, so don't have a great need for filled soul gems. My biggest use for soul gems is enchanting armor/clothes after I've gotten access to an enchanting station (usually Frost Crag's ... my first guy's the only Mages Guild character I've played).

[Blackout0219]

I figured I can beat her at level 16 without any tricks, just straightfoward combat with my heaviest armor and powerful weapons, as well as some restoration spells.

 

Side question - Is there a way I can turn into a vampire and to get really ugly with a wrinkled face?

[Striker879]

Go to a vampire dungeon, you'll likely get infected and then don't cure yourself. Sleep and you'll start progressing in the disease. If you haven't done the Azura Daedric quest it's a perfect opportunity with a nice reward.

[3rdtryguy]

I usually go to Kvatch at level 5, BEFORE ever meeting Jauffre. Any higher, and most of the Kvatch soldiers will die. None of the Kvatch loot gets any better with higher levels anyway, while it's quite a lot of loot for a 5th level character. Then, much later when it's time to go get Martin, he's already ready to go with no hassle. You can do the "Battle for Kvatch" part of the main quest before really starting the quest, pretty much, and I recommend it. Then you can level up a bit before seeing Jauffre and getting the ball rolling.

You won't get decent Sigil Stones from the Oblivion gates until you reach higher levels, and I don't think Quest Award Leveler makes them any better after you get them. ( but I could be wrong )

As for Umbra, she'll kill you in half a heartbeat without working up a sweat. Make a savegame before tying to fight her. If she hits you even once, you're dead. Your armor is useless, and you have to kill her before she can hit you.

You're almost better off just enchanting your own sword with Soul Trap.

If you want to be a vampire, make a point of finding and saving up a bunch of Empty Grand Soul Gems. I think you need 5. You'll need them for the cure, and you'll want to be cured. Being a vampire is a pain.

Buy a house.

In the Imperial City Market District, the Commerce Office is where you can buy a cheap shack for 2,000. She'll send you to Three Brothers Goods to buy furniture, but all you'll need are the storage bins.

In an emergency you can temporarily store some stuff inside of...clams! Clams don't reset for a month, so you can keep some of your less-valued items in them for a short time while you shop for a house. The tricky part of course is remembering which clams you used. By clams, I really mean clams. In the water you'll find clams which often contain pearls.

Edited January 12, 2015 by 3rdtryguy

[JustATac0]

I always started the main questline first because its just really fun in my opinion

[bben46]

I managed to kill Umbra at 2nd level. It took a LOT of time, a LOT of arrows and a LOT of fireballs. Then found at L2 the armor was too heavy to wear. :pinch:

Never let her get close enough to hit you - that is instant death at low levels.

Hint: Umbra has no ranged weapons or spells at all.

You will be better off waiting a while for Umbra.