This is the original Oblivion, running on Bethesda's own Gamebryo engine, not the 2025 Unreal Engine remaster built by Virtuos. The Game of the Year Edition bundles the 2006 base game with the Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles expansions, and the Deluxe variant adds Fighter's Stronghold, Spell Tome Treasures, Vile Lair and the Mehrunes' Razor add on. What you get is the version with the notorious level scaling, the major and minor skill system that punishes players who level naturally, and a difficulty slider that only multiplies damage in both directions. It is also the version with two decades of mods behind it, including Oblivion Script Extender tools and total conversions the remaster cannot load. If you want prettier faces and reworked levelling, buy the remaster. If you want the moddable original that runs on a laptop, this is the one.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Imperial City
Key resources: Arcane University access, spellmaking and enchanting altars, Arena Grand Champion title, Thieves Guild contacts at the Waterfront Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Goldbrand upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Kvatch
Key resources: First Sigil Stone, Martin recruited, Hero of Kvatch title Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Goldbrand upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Chorrol
Key resources: Fighters Guild questline, Weynon Priory main quest thread, Oak and Crosier contacts Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Goldbrand upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Skingrad
Key resources: Rosethorn Hall player house, the Hassildor questline, Mages Guild recommendation Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Umbra max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Bruma
Key resources: Cloud Ruler Temple base, the Great Gate battle, Sigil Stone from the largest gate in the game Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Umbra max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Imperial City to Kvatch)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Goldbrand once accessible
Mid Game (Chorrol)
- Push Goldbrand to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Umbra
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Skingrad to Bruma)
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Chorrol farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Put skills you never intend to use into your 7 major skills. Because the world scales to character level, a character who levels slowly while training real skills is always ahead of the curve.
- Farm Chorrol during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Guides
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Overview
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Best Builds
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Tier List
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Walkthrough
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Beginner's Guide
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Tips & Tricks
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Weapons Guide
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Combat Guide
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Boss Guide
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Maps & Locations
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Classes & Characters
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