Oblivion:Block

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Skill: Block
Governing Attribute: Endurance
Specialization: Combat

Block allows you to reduce damage from melee combat, using a shield, weapon, or hands. At higher levels, block gives you a chance to recoil, disarm, or knock down your opponent.

Contents 1 Mastery 1.1 Mastery Perks 1.2 Skill Increases 1.3 Dialogue 2 Character Creation 3 Messages 4 Notes

[edit] Mastery

[edit] Mastery Perks

• A Novice is fatigued by blocking, and hand-to-hand blocking against weapons has no effect
• An Apprentice is no longer fatigued by blocking
• A Journeyman's shield or weapon is no longer damaged when he/she blocks, and opponents may recoil when blocking with hand-to-hand
• An Expert blocking with shield has a chance to do a knockback counterattack, staggering the enemy if the shield blow connects
• A Master blocking with a shield has an additional chance of disarming the enemy with a successful knockback counterattack

[edit] Skill Increases

Your block skill increases by 1.25 experience points each time you successfully block an attack, whether using a shield or a weapon, regardless of the amount of damage blocked.

General tips on how to increase your block skill are provided at General Combat Strategies.

In addition, the Fighter's Stronghold official plug-in comes with a trainer, Shagrol gro-Uzug, who can be used specifically to train your block skill.

See also:

• Increasing Skills: General tips on how to improve your skills semi-naturally.
• Trainers: Pay for block lessons.
• Block Training: Prove to a master of defense that you are proficient enough to receive her training.
• Skill Books: Books that provide lessons in block.
• Increasing Attributes: Tips on training skills to improve the Endurance attribute.
• Free Skill Boosts: Several free skill boosts are available for block.

[edit] Dialogue

When your block skill reaches 70 people will start saying "Your shield arm looks strong".

[edit] Character Creation

The following races provide initial skill bonuses in block:

• +5 bonus: Nord
• +10 bonus: Orc

The following standard classes include block as a major skill:

• Acrobat, Barbarian, Bard, Knight, Pilgrim, Rogue, Scout, Spellsword, Warrior

[edit] Messages

The following table provides the messages that are displayed when your Block skill levels up.

Level	Message
Apprentice	The truly skillful fighter learns to block with shield and weapon. Diligent practice has made you an Apprentice at Blocking. Blocking with your shield or weapon no longer drains fatigue.
Journeyman	The truly skillful fighter learns to block with shield and weapon. Diligent practice has made you a Journeyman at Blocking. Blocking no longer damages your weapon or shield. Blocking with your bare hands will cause opponents to recoil a bit, although you take full damage from the attack.
Expert	The truly skillful fighter learns to block with shield and weapon. Diligent practice has made you an Expert at Blocking. Blocking with a shield can now be used like an attack to knock back and stagger your opponent.
Master	The truly skillful fighter learns to block with shield and weapon. Diligent practice has made you a Master of Blocking. Blocking with a shield now has a chance to disarm your opponent.

[edit] Notes

• You block 75% of a hit when using a shield, at Master level skill, 50% if blocking with a weapon. If you block 75% of the damage with a shield, and have an armor rating of 85%, then the actual end damage delivered to your hitpoints is 1*0.25*0.15 = 3.75% of the original hit.
• Both the game manual and the official game guide incorrectly have Block listed as an Agility-governed skill.
• Although the description of the skill points only at melee-attack blocking, you can block arrows for a 50% damage reduction. If you have a staff, sword, or the like, you can "catch arrows" by crouching (sneaking) and making the physics curve the arrow down. This creates a 25% damage reduction.
• Once your renown reaches 60, you can visit the Shezarr heaven doomstone to receive the greater power Shield of Shezarr. One of several benefits of this power is that it fortifies your block skill 20 points once a day for 120 seconds.
• This only works with the Xbox 360 version of the game (It may also work with the PS3 version) and is not very useful. However, it is common knowledge that your character walks very slowly when blocking, but if you only push the Left Stick a little bit (just as much as when NOT blocking, the character still walks) it will move a lot faster.
• Opponents will take longer to attack while you are blocking (unless they are using magic or possibly ranged weapons). Therefore, it is more efficient to release the block, then restart it as your enemy starts to attack.

Skills in Oblivion
Combat:	Armorer | Athletics | Block | Blunt | Blade | Hand to Hand | Heavy Armor
Magic:	Alchemy | Alteration | Conjuration | Destruction | Illusion | Mysticism | Restoration
Stealth:	Acrobatics | Light Armor | Marksman | Mercantile | Security | Sneak | Speechcraft