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| [CBDG04] Choose your Skills |
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Shouldn't this section be called 'Choose your Class' ? No. Classes are
just a selection of major skills, two favoured attributes and a skill
package. Take a look at the Skill descriptions here, and if you find
a good predefined class in game pick it accordingly. However, the
existing classes don't have luck as favoured attribute, and most have
stupid skill combinations from a game play perspective - they are
ok from the lore perspective, but that's not the point of this guide.
First, lets take a quick look which favoured attributes we pick -
favoured attribute equals a one time +5 bonus. The first one is
obviously luck, since its hard to raise (see Character Development for
more info). The other one is up to you, although endurance would be
a natural choice, since later endurance changes are not retroactive
(your starting health is 2x your starting endurance, not 2x your
level 50 endurance).
Secondly, pick a skill package. This affects you in two ways: You get
a +5 bonus to all package skills (packages are Combat, Magic, Stealth)
and you will increase those skills even faster. A major package skill
will rise faster than a normal major one, a minor package skill will
rise faster than a normal minor but still slower than a normal major.
I normally pick stealth or combat, since magic is so easy to raise
anyway. Some hardcore power gamers think one should get the package
with the least major skills, since your maximum level is determined
by (700-(sum of starting major skill points))/10 - but that's not
true since you can decrease your skill points in prison. And its not
fun.
Thirdly, pick your major skills. The 7 major skills rise a lot faster,
they start at journeyman level and 10 skill rises in any combination of
major skills gives you one level-up. However, you can also raise minor
skills, actually as far as major ones - its just slower. Skills give
you certain perks at 25 (Apprentice), 50 (Journeyman), 75 (Expert) and
100 (Master) Skill points. The Spell casting skills have no real perks,
but the perk levels allow you to cast different spells. Ok lets start...
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| Combat Skills |
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Block (Endurance)
Essential Skill for melee. Some good timing is required, but
especially later on it will mean the difference between winning
a fight barely scratched and loosing badly. Its easy rise, so
no need to pick it as major - but DO spend time or money on this
lifesaver.
Novice: fatigued by blocking
Apprentice: not fatigued by blocking
Journeyman: shield/weapon takes no damage from blocking (!)
Expert: chance to do a knock back counter-attack
Master: knock back counter-attack has chance to disarm
Rating A-
Armourer (Endurance)
Repair your stuff to keep it effective. Get it at least to Journeyman
if you use armour and weapons so you can repair magical equipment.
Good overall skill, but since it just saves some money for repairs
and rises fast its not worth a major pick.
Novice: cannot repair magic items
Apprentice: repair hammers last longer (2x)
Journeyman: can repair magic items
Expert: Can improve items to 125%
- yes they get more effective that way !
Master: never breaks repair hammers
Rating C
Heavy Armour (Endurance)
Either pick this or Light Armour if you wear armour at all. Somewhat
cosmetic choices, since both types do not encumber at master level &
Light Armour has 50% AC bonus later on. However, the best non-unique
Heavy Armour has better enchanting capacity than the best Light Armour
and until you reach master level, Heavy Armour is the better choice -
encumbrance is not that much of a problem - staying alife is better
than carrying more. The third choice, no armour, is hard - especially
in many vs one battles. So pick this skill, and pick it major.
Novice: 150 % degration rate
Apprentice: normal degration
Journeyman: 50% slower degration
Expert: encumbers only 50%
Master: encumbers not at all
Rating B+
Blunt (Strength)
Maces, Axes, Mauls, Staffs... you name it. A little stronger than
blade, but also a little slower. There are more unique Blades than
Blunt Weapons, and since effects are an important factor later on,
speed wins over damage. If you don't need Blunt for style reasons
(Mage Staff, Maul Barb), get Blade.
Note by Aerenel: Blunt is stronger against certain creatures, e.g.
Skeletons & Slaughterfish
Novice: basic power attack
Apprentice: Standing Power Attack damage bonus
Journeyman: Left/Right Power Attack have chance to disarm
Expert: Backwards Power Attack has chance to knock-down
Master: Forward Power Attack has chance to paralyse
Rating B+
Blade (Strength)
Daggers, Short Swords, Long Swords, Claymores, Katanas & Dai-Katanas -
something for every range and speed requirement. It wins speed wise
over Blunt. It has more variety. It has more unique weapons. And they
look cool. So if you want to get into melee at all, pick Blade.
Novice: basic power attack
Apprentice: Standing Power Attack damage bonus
Journeyman: Left/Right Power Attack have chance to disarm
Expert: Backwards Power Attack has chance to knock-down
Master: Forward Power Attack has chance to paralyse
Rating A
Athletics (Speed)
Well you run & swim faster - and since you run all the time anyway,
this skill will go up. Swimming will raise it if you don't get any more
raises out of running. Don't take it as major, it will give you gimp
levels en masse.
Novice: running = slow fatigue regeneration
Apprentice: 25% faster fatigue regeneration
Journeyman: 50% faster fatigue regeneration
Expert: 75% faster fatigue regeneration
Master: running does not reduce fatigue regeneration
Rating D
Hand to Hand (Strength)
Hand to Hand is fast - very fast. Knockdowns are abundant. But that's
about it. Both damage and reach are minimal. And all those cool weapons
won't make you smile in your sleep, and you cannot enchant your fists.
Novice: basic power attack
Apprentice: Standing Power Attack damage bonus
Journeyman: Left/Right Power Attack have chance to disarm
Expert: Backwards Power Attack & Block has chance to knock-down
Master: Forward Power Attack has chance to paralyse
Block has a chance to disarm
Rating D+
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| Magic Skills |
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Higher magic skill equals lesser spell costs - so if you find one
of those "Call me Death Star" spells with high Magicka cost, raise
the fitting magic skill. There are no perks, just access to new
spells. Alchemy is the exception, it works just like the other
non-magic skills.
Destruction (Willpower)
Magic Damage for all your needs: fire, frost, shock, health, Magicka,
equipment, attribute or skill - if it has a rating, you can damage it
with destruction. Just destroy your enemy's magic, disintegrate his
stuff and enjoy Mr. Superarchmage fighting naked with his fists. Pick
it !
Rating: A
Alteration (Willpower)
Open locks with magic, alter encumbrance on self and others and water
walking are the not so good parts of Alteration, but Water Breathing is
essential for your underwater expeditions (or Alchemy) and the
shield spells (vs normal/elemental damage) are nice, too. Ok, but not
really worth a major pick.
Rating: C
Illusion (Personality)
Let your enemies fight against each other, while you watch invisible or
join the fight under a chameleon spell. Make them love you, make them
fear you. Paralyse them. And this school has the most effective spell
versus casters: silence. Its fun, however not absolutely necessary as
a major.
Rating: A-
Conjuration (Intelligence)
Well, turn undead and summon weapons/armour is worthless (you want your
stuff enchanted and at 125%) . But summoned beasts are nice, willing
training dummies, and the best Magicka potion for you atronachs (see
birth signs). In fights, you get most damage for your magic from
summons, and they also take damage for you.
Rating: B (A for Atronach Birth sign)
Mysticism (Intelligence)
Dispel and Life Detection are not that important, the basic apprentice
soul trap is completely sufficient, you don't need telekinesis for
most thefts. The real goodies are Spell Absorption & Spell Reflection.
On the other hand, both are better used as constant effect items.
Not worth the major pick.
Rating: C+
Restoration (Willpower)
If Destruction allows you to destroy anything with a rating, restoration
allows you to absorb all those (health, Magicka, fatigue, skills,
attributes), or fortify them, or restore them. You will use this power
often - so often in fact that you will be at 50 skill points very fast.
50 is sufficient, so its a must have, but not must have major.
Rating: A
Alchemy (Intelligence)
The jack of all trades magic skill. Make your own potions and poisons for
every occasion. Creating new crazy potions is a great game on its own.
If you like to try out new stuff, this is for you. Can jump in for any
magic school except conjuration.
Novice: recognises 1 of 4 properties of substances
Apprentice: recognises 2 of 4 properties of substances
Journeyman: recognises 3 of 4 properties of substances
Expert: recognises 4 of 4 properties of substances
Master: make potions from a single ingredient
Rating: A-
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| Stealth Skills |
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Security (Agility)
Open locks. Well, you can open a very hard lock with one lockpick and
skillevel 5, so its not really worth it. If you don't like the mini
game, you are better off with Alteration than with high security
skill levels.
Novice: up to 4 tumblers fall on fail
Apprentice: up to 3 tumblers fall on fail
Journeyman: up to 2 tumblers fall on fail
Expert: up to 1 tumblers fall on fail
Master: no tumblers fall on fail
Rating D
Sneak (Agility)
Move unseen, backstab and pick pockets. This skill is great. There is
no substitute for pick pockets, Backstabbing is the best way to start
a fight and nothing gives you better heart attacks than sneaking into
the treasure chamber (or out of prison). Additionally, you wont draw
attention if you sneak while lockpicking. Pick it major if you are
interested the thief guild / heists / assassin methods in general.
Novice: 4x backstab, 2x marksman undetected critical
Apprentice: 6x backstab, 3x marksman undetected critical
Journeyman: no penalty for weight of boots
Expert: no penalty to chance of detection for moving
Master: backstab ignores armour rating
Rating A-
Acrobatics (Speed)
Jumping and Falling. This skill gets interesting on higher levels:
Since there are no levitation spells in Oblivion, high Acrobatics is
the only way to reach certain places - for example, there are hidden
areas only reachable by water (aka lava) jumping (submitted by Aerenel).
The dodge ability is nice against enemy power attacks, real blocks are
better to break a normal attack sequence with their counter attack.
Also good for getting out of sticky situations in late game (by
LtKerensky). Probably no major pick, but you should train this.
Novice: no attack when jumping/falling
Apprentice: normal attacks when jumping/falling
Journeyman: dodge (block & jump to avoid hit completely)
Expert: 50% less fatigue loss for jumping
Master: jump off the surface of water
Rating C+
Light Armour (Speed)
Pick this or Heavy Armour. Light Armour means less encumbrance early
on, Heavy Armour better defence - but on Master level they are
almost equal (no encumbrance, about same defence). Even then, Heavy
Armor is better for enchantment. However, until master level Heavy
armour is a better, since encumbrance is less important than armour
rating.
Novice: degrades at 150% of normal rate
Apprentice: degrades at normal rate
Journeyman: degrades 50% slower
Expert: does not encumber at all
Master: 50% bonus to armour rating
Rating: B
Marksman (Agility)
You want to show Legolas how one REALLY uses a bow ? Pick this skill.
Double enchantments (bow & arrow are added) with zoom, knock-down &
paralysing chances + 3x critical if you use sneak - your enemies
will be in a bad condition when they reach you - if they reach you at
all. Drawback: It uses ammo (so what?) and requires some tactical
planning in battles against multiple enemies.
Novice: fatigued when holding bow drawn back
Apprentice: not fatigued when holding bow drawn back
Journeyman: block with bow = zoom ability
Expert: chance of knock-down
Master: Chance of paralysing
Rating: A-
Mercantile (Personality)
High Mercantile = better deals. Since money is lying on the streets
anyway, you don't need better deals.
Novice: value is reduced by worn condition
Apprentice: value is not reduced by worn condition
Journeyman: buy and sell any object to any vendor
Expert: invest in shops (shops available gold +500)
Master: all shops have +500 gold for barter
Rating: F
Speechcraft (Personality)
Persuade others. Ok if you don't use illusion, but bribes are working
all right in most cases. You can get the disposition up about 30 points
in the mini game without any training - add illusion and/or money and
you will be all right. Not worth a major pick.
Novice: offer bribes to increase Disposition
Apprentice: free rotation of a wedge in the mini game
Journeyman: timer in mini game is 50% slower
Expert: disposition loss by bad choices in mini game is reduced
Master: bribes for half price
Rating: C-
|||| Conclusion ||||
Good major skills are Block, Heavy or Light Armour, Blunt or Blade,
Destruction, Illusion, Conjuration, Alchemy, (Restoration), Marksman
and Sneak.
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