I'm a little unclear about the leveling system used in this game. The instructions say that "certain attributes may receive a bonus modifier, which is determined by which skills you have increased since your last level". Does that mean I penalize myself if I level immediately when I can as opposed to trying to raise attributes higher to try and get a bigger modifier? Ultimately does it really matter or do you typically gain so many levels (assuming you do most of the side quests) that you don't really have to worry about the modifiers in the long run?

The way it worked in morrowind was, you got a 1/2 multiplier towards a governing attribute for every skill you raised. For instance, if you level up a major skill with a speed atribute 10 times you would get a 5x multiplier for speed if you choose that as one of the three attributes when you level up. (note, multiplier is rounded down). So yes, it can be advantagous to wait until you have higher multipliers.

I am not sure how oblivion works exactly, but my guess is it is close to that.

Well, bear in mind that when you level up, your "experience to go" until you level up again doesn't go away. For example: If you're in a huge dungeon, and you start nearly at your next level, and fight through the dungeon without leveling, when you come out and eventually level, you may already be about to level up again. Happened to me that I actually leveled up twice in a row.

I don't think you can raise your multipliers any further after the point where you gain the ability to level up. I'm thinking you can't (that it saves the multipliers when you gain the ability to level up and starts saving your data after that point for your next level up), but I'm not certain.You might experiment around with it. If you find otherwise, post back on here; I'd be interested to know.

It was true in Morrowind, and it's likely the same in Oblivion, that in the long run, it doesn't really matter so much, as you'll likely max all of your governing attributes eventually anyway.

Hope that helps.

You're right. Since making the original post I've played around with it some and it does start on a new set of multipliers when you get the ability to go up an additional level so there aren't to many reasons not to advance as soon as you can.

Although I wonder if you could finish the game without leveling since the difficulty of the creatures you encounter scale with the level you are. I went from level 1 to level 9 because I never bothered to actually rest and I was doing fine at that point in the game. Leveling that way actually was bad since I was then fighting level 9 monsters with level 1 equipment.

The booty you get from them though is higher, if I kill a monster now I ussually get sets of armor worth 400-1600 per piece, and 70-300 gold.

There is a major catch too, the enemies get harder as you get to a higher level so they match you, but your allies for some reason doesn't. I waited until I was at level 20 to really start the main quest and some of those missions where you have to protect people from attacks were extremly hard since they'd die in a couple hits.

Hmm, I'm level 25ish and I've done maybe two quests in the main quest. Am I screwing myself if I don't drop everything and get on the main quest? I'd like to do all of the side quests (or at least as many as I can find), do I get to keep playing at the conclusion of the main quest?

yeah, the game doesn't end by far when the main quest is over. The main difference is that the oblivion gates are destroyed.

Really, the main quest ends with you literally doing things all over the entire world, so there no reason you can't hit a couple side missions on the way through towns.

I had a hard time, mostly because I'm a theif with light armor and weapons.


BTW: Does anyone know, or want to know how to dupe items? It can kill the game for those who are lazy but it's a great way to keep from buying lockpicks or arrows.

I wouldn't mind knowing for the lockpicks and arrows..

http://oblivion.gamewikis.org/wiki/Cheats

for legit lockpicks check out this quest

http://oblivion.gamewikis.org/wiki/Shrine_of_Nocturnal

Not what I meant... duping items means exactly what I mean. It works on the 360 as well as the PC. I already know about the shrine of Noctural but using the skeleton key doesn't increase your skills, making it a noob way of doing things in Oblivion.


(Button layout is for the 360, since I'm not familier w/ the PC yet)


Step 1: Get a bow, 2 different types of arrows (one will determine the amount of copies by it's arrow count)

Step 2: Equip the bow and the smaller arrow pack.

Step 3: Pull an arrow back and hold it in place with right rudder

Step 4: Go into inventory by hitting 'B' then hit 'A'onto the 2nd set of arrows (the one that will control the copies made) remember that it needs to pop up with the message saying that it can't be equiped again (you'll need to hit 'A' twice to do this)

Step 5: While still in the inventory find the item you want to dupe (potion, picks, rings, some types of armor, skulls) and drop the item on the ground by hitting 'X'.

Step 6: Exit the inventory, and if done right you'll see a cascade of the item hitting the ground (be carefull though, if you go over 300 dupes in one shot it has the possibility of slowing the game down ALOT)


A friend told me how to do this but I found out how to explain it alot better so that it works 99% of the time.


Be carefull though, this can easily ruin the game. By duping a item worth over 2k, you can get over 100k in gold in under 5 minutes. I'd recommend sticking with rare arrows, varla stones and potions when needed.

Yeah it does. My security just leveled up with it.

A friend was wrong then, maybe I'll do the quest if I ever get offered it.

I just became Listener of the Dark Brotherhood (it won't show up on my GamerCard until I get back to Rolla, though), and when you *SPOILER SPOILER* take over the Cheydinaal (sp?) sanctuary, your new murderers sell you lockpicks. */Spoiler*

It's a legitimate way, anyway. If I've paid for a game, I can't justify duping/cheating whatever. Anyway, level 25 and kicking ass. I stopped with the main quest after the infiltration mission, and have since just done side quests. I'm Arch Mage, Listener, Grand Champion of the Arena, and am about halfway done with the Fighter's Guild and have joined the Thief's Guild. Hope I'm not screwing myself either with the waiting to do the main quest bit. Ah, this game is way too fucking addictive. 50 hours so far. How about anyone else?

About 85... but that's including a lot of time just leaving my 360 while I do other things.