The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) Tier List: Current Rankings

Q: Is this the same as Oblivion Remastered?

No. Appid 22330 is the original 2006 game on Bethesda's Gamebryo engine, sold as the Game of the Year Edition with Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. The remaster is a separate 2025 release built by Virtuos on Unreal Engine 5, with reworked levelling and rebuilt visuals.

Q: Why would I buy the original instead of the remaster?

Price, hardware requirements and mods. The original runs on almost anything, costs a fraction as much, and has nearly two decades of mods behind it including OBSE dependent tools and total conversions the remaster cannot load.

Q: What is the level scaling problem?

Enemies, loot and bandit equipment scale to your character level, so a level 25 character meets highwaymen in Daedric armour. Combined with the major skill levelling system, a character who levels quickly without raising the right attributes gets weaker over time rather than stronger.

Q: What does the Game of the Year Edition include?

The base game plus Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. The Deluxe version adds Fighter's Stronghold, Spell Tome Treasures, Vile Lair and the Mehrunes' Razor add on, which is a separate thing from the Daedric artifact of the same name.

Q: Does it run on modern Windows?

Usually, with adjustments. It is a 32 bit executable from 2006, so expect to run windowed, disable the Steam overlay, and install a community stutter fix. Most long term players run it through Oblivion Script Extender with the Unofficial Oblivion Patch installed.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) tier list ranking every build and equipment option. Updated rankings with detailed reasoning.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

This The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.

Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.

Builds Rankings

Tier	Build	Rating	Playstyle
A	Knight	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Battlemage	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Nightblade	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Spellsword	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Assassin	8.5/10	Balanced approach

Detailed Builds Analysis

Knight (A-Tier)

Knight is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Umbra. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Battlemage (A-Tier)

Battlemage is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Goldbrand. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Nightblade (A-Tier)

Nightblade is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Mehrunes' Razor. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Spellsword (A-Tier)

Spellsword is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Volendrung. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Assassin (A-Tier)

Assassin is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Wabbajack. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Equipment Rankings

Equipment	Best With	Notes
Umbra	Low level characters willing to fight well above their weight for a permanent upgrade	A soul trapping sword carried by the Umbra of the same name, who is far above the level curve when you first find her at Vindasel.
Goldbrand	Blade users who want fire damage without spending charges on spellcasting	Boethiah's Daedric artifact, a katana with a fire enchantment, awarded for the shrine quest.
Mehrunes' Razor	Assassin builds where a single hit chance to end a fight is worth more than raw damage	The Daedric artifact from the Mehrunes Dagon shrine quest, carrying a chance to kill outright regardless of the target's health.
Volendrung	Heavy armour warriors who already invested in Blunt rather than Blade	Malacath's warhammer, granted by his shrine quest.
Wabbajack	Players who want chaos rather than efficiency, and anyone heading into the Shivering Isles in character	Sheogorath's staff, which transforms whatever it hits into a random creature.

Check our weapons guide for in-depth stats and comparisons.

Equipment Analysis

Umbra: A soul trapping sword carried by the Umbra of the same name, who is far above the level curve when you first find her at Vindasel. Killing her early is a genuine skill check and the sword outclasses everything you can buy for many levels.

Goldbrand: Boethiah's Daedric artifact, a katana with a fire enchantment, awarded for the shrine quest. It stays relevant far longer than most levelled loot because artifact stats do not scale down with you.

Mehrunes' Razor: The Daedric artifact from the Mehrunes Dagon shrine quest, carrying a chance to kill outright regardless of the target's health. Note that a separate add on of the same name exists in the Deluxe bundle, which confuses search results constantly.

Volendrung: Malacath's warhammer, granted by his shrine quest. Slow, heavy, and paired with a strength draining effect that suits a pure Strength build.

Wabbajack: Sheogorath's staff, which transforms whatever it hits into a random creature. Unreliable as a weapon and genuinely dangerous when it turns a rat into something worse, but it is the most characterful item in the game.

Meta Analysis

The current meta in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (2009) centers on Major skills and the level up trap and Attribute multipliers. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one. Our combat guide explains these interactions in depth.

What's strong right now:

Knight with Umbra is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
Level scaled world builds are gaining ground as players find new combinations.
Nightblade remains essential for learning hard content. See the boss guide.

What's underrated:

Battlemage is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
Mehrunes' Razor offers excellent performance for its investment level.

What's overhyped:

Pure Assassin builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.

Quick Picks by Situation

Situation	Best Build	Best Gear	Why
Overall best	Knight	Umbra	Highest consistent performance
New player	Battlemage	Goldbrand	Most forgiving, teaches mechanics
Hard content	Nightblade	Mehrunes' Razor	Survivability when you need it
Group play	Spellsword	Volendrung	Utility and team support
Experienced player	Assassin	Wabbajack	Unique challenge and high ceiling

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