Character Creation Tips

[m3lisk]

Okay, a lot of people will disagree I'm sure, but here are a few skills, you don't need if you have any skill in oblivion:

 

Security- even for a thief, if you can do the little mini game well(i rarely break a pick) then this isn't a nessesary skill. Now, your guy wont look like a thief if you view your skills, but know at heart he is.

 

Speechcraft- Just start persuading everyone you meet, it will get better.

 

Mercantile- once again, the bonus is nice, but sell lots of stuff at the highest percent you can, and it will raise.

 

well, that's about it... your character will kinda suck if you forget about anything else.

[Rhydderch Hael]

A Journeyman of Illusion can cast Charm at high enough magnitude (since you don't need it to last more than three seconds) to raise anyone's Disposition for barter or conversation. I have a Level 30 character whose Personality is 40-ish or so, yet he's been able to unlock every dialogue option required with ease because of his "Hypnotic Whisper" spell (Charm 100 on Touch for 5 seconds).

 

Charm (and the fact that time stops when you enter trade or conversation with an NPC) makes Speechcraft superfluous.

[m3lisk]

Cool, one person agrees with me so far! :D

[Malchik]

I'm not sure what you are getting at here, m3lisk. Any skill goes up if you use it. Alchemy goes up so fast it is faintly ridiculous. Master of alchemy at level 1? If you play as a Breton your magicka regenerates faster than the lowest level spells can use it up. Rest something on the 'c' key and within a short time you are master in alteration, mysticism, conjuration, restoration, illusion and destruction. (Still at level one if you did not choose them as majors.) As master of alchemy you can produce plenty of restore health potions at no charge, so let a bunch of skeletons, goblins etc beat up on you to raise armour and block skills quickly. From time to time you'll need to repair the armour which will raise your armoury skill too.

 

Need I go on?

 

Th most important thing to consider when choosing skills is NOT to pick ones you will use a lot near the beginning of the game. Skills go up quickly at first and you can level up fast. As most monsters and brigands etc are level based it is too easy to find yourself outclassed. Oblivion then ceases to be fun unless you alter the difficulty slider, which seems a bit wimpish to me.

 

You will want to level up. So your weapon or prime magical defence skill is useful as a major. Otherwise I'd go for skills you don't normally use. Then you can fix it so you level as and when you are ready.

 

And although you don't have to rest and level when it tells you to, you do risk losing the skill increase multiplier effect if you don't.

[m3lisk]

Yeah, I see your point. I was just trying to help some people who wanted to be sly thieves that are just starting to play oblivion. I made the mistake by having those as majors.