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.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imperial City | Levels 1 to 30, relevant throughout | Arcane University access, spellmaking and enchanting altars, Arena Grand Champion title, Thieves Guild contacts at the Waterfront | Battlemage |
| 2 | Kvatch | Levels 1 to 8, main quest gate | First Sigil Stone, Martin recruited, Hero of Kvatch title | Battlemage |
| 3 | Chorrol | Levels 1 to 15 | Fighters Guild questline, Weynon Priory main quest thread, Oak and Crosier contacts | Knight |
| 4 | Skingrad | Levels 5 to 25 | Rosethorn Hall player house, the Hassildor questline, Mages Guild recommendation | Knight |
| 5 | Bruma | Levels 10 to 30, late main quest | Cloud Ruler Temple base, the Great Gate battle, Sigil Stone from the largest gate in the game | Knight |
Imperial City: Starting Area
The hub city at the centre of Cyrodiil, split into districts including the Market District, the Waterfront and the Arena. The Arcane University sits here and unlocks spellmaking and enchanting once the Mages Guild recommendations are done.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Levels 1 to 30, relevant throughout |
| Key Rewards | Arcane University access, spellmaking and enchanting altars, Arena Grand Champion title, Thieves Guild contacts at the Waterfront |
| Recommended Build | Battlemage |
| Key Equipment | Goldbrand |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Major skills and the level up trap. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Kvatch.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Kvatch: Early Game
The burned city where the main quest properly begins, taken by an Oblivion Gate before you arrive. Closing the gate here is the tutorial for every gate that follows and the route to finding Martin.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Levels 1 to 8, main quest gate |
| Key Rewards | First Sigil Stone, Martin recruited, Hero of Kvatch title |
| Recommended Build | Battlemage |
| Key Equipment | Goldbrand |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Attribute multipliers. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Goldbrand if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Chorrol.
Chorrol: Mid Game
Home of the Fighters Guild headquarters and the nearest city to Weynon Priory, where Jauffre is found. A natural first stop for a warrior character who wants a questline that does not require any magic.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Levels 1 to 15 |
| Key Rewards | Fighters Guild questline, Weynon Priory main quest thread, Oak and Crosier contacts |
| Recommended Build | Knight |
| Key Equipment | Goldbrand |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Umbra becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Level scaled world for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Skingrad: Late Game
The wine country city in western Cyrodiil, ruled by Count Janus Hassildor, whose own questline is one of the better written side stories in the game. Rosethorn Hall is one of the more expensive player houses.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Levels 5 to 25 |
| Key Rewards | Rosethorn Hall player house, the Hassildor questline, Mages Guild recommendation |
| Recommended Build | Knight |
| Key Equipment | Umbra |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Umbra should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Oblivion Gates and Sigil Stones mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Bruma.
Bruma: Endgame
The Nordic city in the northern mountains and the site of Cloud Ruler Temple, the Blades stronghold. The Great Gate defence outside Bruma is the main quest's largest set piece in the original release.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Levels 10 to 30, late main quest |
| Key Rewards | Cloud Ruler Temple base, the Great Gate battle, Sigil Stone from the largest gate in the game |
| Recommended Build | Knight |
| Key Equipment | Umbra |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Assassin for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Imperial City → Kvatch → Chorrol → Skingrad → Bruma. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two 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) Crafting Guide
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Classes & Characters
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