Everything levels up with you, so most of the items you'll find in the game are level-dependant. I wouldn't worry about that -- you'll come across so many items in the game that you'll constantly be upgrading your equipment.

I especially wouldn't worry about holding off on the Sigil Stones. There are a jillion Oblivion Gates in the game, and there's a Sigil Stone at the core of each one. So get a Sigil Stone now if you feel like it (or not -- you can certainly delay the main quest if you want), and get another one once you level up a few times. And another a few level-ups after that. And so on. Meanwhile, you might find a suit of armor and a sword in a random dungeon whose bonuses you like better anyway, mooting the whole Sigil Stone thing.

I don't think there's a level cap, but as you level up all the skills you normally use (what those are depends on your style of play), it becomes harder to level up. I think I wound up somehwere in the 40s in terms of level from the basic game, then added a few more levels with the plug-ins and expansion pack.

Cast lots of restoration spells and/or find the trainer (there's one out there somewhere).

The cheapest house is in Imperial City. I believe it costs 2,000 gold. You get it by talking to


Other than finding a trainer, the only way to build skills is by doing. Early in the game, my two chief expenditures were lockpicks and repair hammers.

When trying to level up a particular magic i normally go and custom create a spell that i call a cantrip. For heal i would make it a spell that only heals 1 point over 1 second and can only be cast on self. That should make it very very cheap to buy and to cast. Then when running around, just keep constantly spamming the spell. It's like your character is reciting something to memorize it and you will see restoration rise a good deal more quickly. You can do that for any category of spells. Destruction, though, is a little tougher because you want to avoid shooting anyone in town. :lol:

for destruction summon a zombie and kill him, and also capture his soul... azura's star makes that slick and easy...

Also, for you noobs, use the hot keys!! It let's you store 8 spells, weapons, or items in there to use in a split second. This is useful for healing, casting light spells, using Azura's Star, changing weapons, etc... I hate having to go to the menu every time I want to change a spell or weapon.

That's my one complaint so far--using the hotkeys on the 360 version (digital pad) is a little awkward. I've found out that holding the digital pad then navigating to the one I want is a little better.
This is a big game. It's odd, I've tried Morrowind on the PC and just couldn't get into it, I guess I just like console gaming more.
I'm level 5 and I'm in Skingrad, actually, now I'm looking for Nirnroots. Sometime I need to take this guy to the temple.....

The hotkeys on the 360 pad are abysmal. Trying to assign a skill to a diagonal is an exercise in frustration. You end up assigning it to a whole section instead. Also for the person who stated that they created their spell, that's not available until you get a recommendation from every guild correct? I have not finished that quest yet.

Thanks again guys, the tips have been great.

I honestly don't remember when i became able to do it. It was a trick i learned in Morrowind (making the cantrips) so when i started playing Oblivion i worked on getting cantrips ASAP. Well, actually i worked on beating the Thieves Guild line (because those were always my favorite quests) first - then cantrips.

Correct... sorta. There are two ways. Get admission to the university by gaining all the recommendations or buy Frostcraig spire (game addon, real money) :D and then buy the furniture "packages" for the spire that give you the spell making and enchanting alters and the candles. (expensive, game money) :D

Frostcrag Spire is an awesome add-on if you are a magic using class. Especially if you are an alchemist player. The herb garden alone made me :drool:

Do I suck or is money hard to come by (so far)? I accidentally murdered someone so the 1k bail took a big chunk, but I don't even buy all that much stuff and I've only got about 800g. I was up to 2k or so before the murder.I've got a buttload of potions I've created, they're either worth nothing or I want to keep them.

This is why i keep mentioning doing the thief storyline first. You end up being able to just empty houses of their goods and boost your money at the beginning. It also gives you the hookup when there is a bounty on your head. You get a contact where you can pay 1/2 the bail and someone makes the crime go away. :D

Then when you get the reward for attaining the highest level of the Thieves Guild.

Well, we will just say that crime thing isn't so much an issue anymore. :cool:

Nice. I'll have to try that one. I'm a couple quests into the Mage guild series, and I've done in the Fighters guild, but I haven't made any progress on Thief guild.

There's a quest where you have to retrieve an axe in a fort, but the fort has a closed gate which it said is opened elsewhere. Where? I looked all around that little island and didn't see anything.

Need money, go to Rockmilk cave...often!!

Their is a switch nearby the door.

Damn, I looked all over, but I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention.

I just bought a house, and one of those reading furniture sets. Is there any way to put books on a shelf? I tried clicking on the shelf, dropping it by the shelf, but it just goes on the floor. Is this possible, or do you just have to sit there with empty bookshelves?

I forget the button, but I think it it something like holding LB (button above LT) and then you can control the item instead of just dropping it. It is a little better that way, but not great.

I could be wrong on the button to hold (while it is selected in the menu I recall) but you can probably figure it out.

yeah just grab the item and place it...

or use one of the telekinesis spells and do it remotely... i was about 50/50 between those two... some of the places you had to use the spell to place...

i put war hammers or axes in symmetry on the fireplaces...

weapons and armor on all the bookcases and tables...

i went and stole the cuirass of each town's guards and put it in the houses...

put stuff everywhere...

I was wondering what that grab button was. I didn't realize you grab stuff from the menu. I don't have any telekinesis spells. I barely have any spells at all. I'm pretty far up in the thief's guild, and I want to finish that section of the game first. I find it fun robbing people's houses, and it's now pathetically easy to pick locks, even though I'm only about level 38 in that skill.

It seems so annoying to build up your magic skills, and it's especially tough for me, since I really never use magic except to build up magic skills. The only time I really needed magic was cleaning out a vampire nest, and I finally figured out you could only harm a ghost with magic. Luckily I had a fire spell to hit him with.

I also think I need to buy a cabinet soon because I lug around so much stuff, like potions, that I don't want to sell, but it's getting ridiculous and starting to weigh me down so that I have trouble robbing armor and weapons without becoming overencumbered.

Any house you buy should have at least one chest in it. You can put a ton of stuff in one before it fills up. I think they all have one even before you buy furniture sets. Or you can just throw everything on the floor. It'll stay there. I have a nice big weapon pile on my floor so I can choose what I feel like using.

Which mission is it that has infinite lockpick?

The Nocturnal Daedric quest, but you gotta be level 10. You should be able to find info from Alves Uvenim at the Leyawin Mages Guild.

The easiest way to get this quest is to

you don't really need a strategy guide...

there is an entire Wiki devoted to this game...

with very detailed maps of everything...

even the mathematical formulas used to determine weapon damage with related skill numbers, like strength and blade for instance, and overall level of player... and crap like that is TOO in depth...

the Oblivion Wiki... i use the hell out of it... way more info than even a strategy guide... and it's searchable...

Link to Oblivion Wiki...

I am now the Guildmaster of the Thieve's Guild. Can I use that room as if it's my own house? Meaning can I store stuff in the chests, cases, etc. and will it stay there? I would hate to store a bunch of stuff and have it disappear.

I got suspended from the Mage's Guild, but I don't know how to get reinstated. I went to the Arcane University, but the doors are locked to get to the person I need to talk to. Is there anywhere else I can find him, or am I just doing something wrong?

:lol: I got suspended from them once. Go to any "branch" Mage's Guild and talk with them. If I remember correct, in order to reinstated, you had to do some shitty errand for someone - picking some specific plants for a mage, I think.

They said I have to talk with a certain person at the Mage's Guild. When I click the quest the arrow is red behind those gates, and the doors in the University to get to the other side are locked, key access only. I can't even get them to give me the fetch quest.

Damn it, now I want to play this game again. :lol:

The person may travel in and out of the University. Try waiting a few hours and see where he/she goes.

I broke in. :shrug: :lol:

i posted a link to the Oblivion Wiki... i mean try it out it's very useful... you won't find a better source of info... it even covers cheats...

everything is covered there in painstaking detail...

you talk to Raminus Polus... Link... who does stay in the first tower at arcane most of the time...

all i did was search on 'suspended from mages guild'...

here's the link...

Link...

look at the hours he is available in that link above... he will be in that first room then... not behind the doors...

Quick question. Newbie here. Can I use Battlehorn Castle to store my stuff? Also, can I just drop it in a room or do I have to drop it in a chest?

I'll check those times out and see if it helps. I may do that, or I may focus on doing all the Dark Brotherhood quests.

You can store stuff there, and you don't need a chest to put it in. It gets to look like shit after a while, and you may have trouble finding what you're looking for, but you can just drop stuff on the floor.

some chests will reset the contents in battlehorn castle! Look it up in the oblivion forums. The chests in your room are safe but i lost a whole list of stuff that was in a chest by the front door.

My OCD took over when I played this game.

I spent hours (over the course of days of playing) to keep everything super organized. I had one room for extra weapons, with swords in one chest, bows in another, etc. A desk with drawers had different types of potions in each drawer.

I knew it was silly to keep so much extra stuff and to organize it so, but I couldn't help myself.

I had tons of fun for a few weeks, finished maybe half the game, but it has been over a year since I played. If I started again, I'd have to start from scratch.

I kinda hope I never pick it up again, as i know it will consume every waking moment for a few weeks or more.

I always sold all weapons, armors, and shields. I only keep what I used the most or the most lethal weapon.