Oblivion Remastered rebuilds the 2006 classic in Unreal Engine 5 while keeping the Gamebryo systems underneath, so it looks modern and plays exactly as fans remember. You start as a prisoner, escape into Cyrodiil, and end up closing demonic gates to Oblivion across a lush province. The leveling quirks are still here, which makes build planning matter more than in later Elder Scrolls games.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Imperial City | major and minor skill leveling basics | Stealth Assassin | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Kvatch | birthsigns mastery | Stealth Assassin | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Bruma | spellmaking and enchanting + gear | Battlemage or Stealth Assassin | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Skingrad | Build optimization | Battlemage | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | The Shivering Isles | Min-max | Battlemage or Spellsword | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Imperial City)
The grand capital at the center of Cyrodiil, home to the Arcane University, Arena, and the main markets.
Level/Difficulty: Any Key Rewards: Spellmaking, Arena gold, main quest hub
What to Do in Imperial City
- Learn major and minor skill leveling. You pick seven major skills, and raising any ten of them levels your character. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Stealth Assassin as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Pick major skills you will not constantly use so you can pace your leveling and keep stat bonuses high.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Daedric Longsword or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand major and minor skill leveling fundamentals
- Stealth Assassin selected and functional
- Imperial City main content cleared
- Ready for Kvatch
Phase 2: Early Game (Kvatch)
The ruined city where the first great Oblivion gate opens, the early main-quest set piece.
Level/Difficulty: 1-10 Key Rewards: Main quest progression, first sigil stone, ally recruitment
What to Do in Kvatch
- Work on birthsigns. At character creation you choose one of thirteen birthsigns for a permanent bonus, like The Atronach for huge Magicka and spell absorption or The Steed for speed. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Daedric Longsword if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Choose The Atronach birthsign for a mage or The Lord for survivability on a melee run.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Bruma.
- Consider whether Battlemage might suit your playstyle better than Stealth Assassin.
Phase 2 Checklist
- birthsigns integrated into gameplay
- Daedric Longsword acquired
- Kvatch fully cleared
- Ready for Bruma
Phase 3: Mid Game (Bruma)
A snowy northern city tied to the Mages Guild and the climactic defense of the main quest.
Level/Difficulty: 10-20 Key Rewards: Mages Guild quests, great gate battle, allied troops
What to Do in Bruma
- Master spellmaking and enchanting. Once you reach the Arcane University you can craft custom spells and enchant gear with soul gems. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Umbra. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Train a minor skill three points then sleep, the efficient leveling keeps you ahead of enemy scaling.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Oblivion gates and sigil stones for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- spellmaking and enchanting mastered
- Umbra acquired or in progress
- Bruma fully cleared
- Ready for Skingrad
Phase 4: Late Game (Skingrad)
A wine-country city with a memorable vampire questline and a buyable manor.
Level/Difficulty: 5-20 Key Rewards: Rosethorn Hall home, vampire cure quest, county intrigue
What to Do in Skingrad
- Finalize your build. You should be running Battlemage or Stealth Assassin with optimized gear.
- Umbra should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Close every Oblivion gate you find, each one hands you a free sigil stone for enchanting.
- fame and infamy optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into The Shivering Isles.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Umbra upgraded to max
- Skingrad fully cleared
- Ready for The Shivering Isles
Phase 5: Endgame (The Shivering Isles)
Sheogorath's surreal plane split between Mania and Dementia, the standout expansion with unique gear and quests.
Level/Difficulty: 15+ Key Rewards: Madness and Amber gear, Sheogorath's blessing, new creatures
What to Do in The Shivering Isles
- The Shivering Isles tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Reach the Arcane University early to unlock spellmaking, custom spells outclass everything you can buy.
- The endgame loop: run The Shivering Isles, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Spellsword for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where fame and infamy mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- The Shivering Isles fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Picking combat skills you use constantly as majors, which levels you faster than your gear improves.
- Sleeping to level up without earning the plus-five attribute multipliers first.
- Ignoring custom spellmaking, the single biggest power source in the game.
- Skipping Oblivion gates and missing free sigil stone enchantments.
- Letting enemy scaling outpace you by leveling without upgrading weapons and armor.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Pick major skills you will not constantly use so you can pace your leveling and keep stat bonuses high.
- Choose The Atronach birthsign for a mage or The Lord for survivability on a melee run.
- Train a minor skill three points then sleep, the efficient leveling keeps you ahead of enemy scaling.
- Close every Oblivion gate you find, each one hands you a free sigil stone for enchanting.
- Reach the Arcane University early to unlock spellmaking, custom spells outclass everything you can buy.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Guides
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- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Classes & Characters
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