Oblivion:Combat

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This article provides suggestions on combat techniques.

Contents 1 Basic Combat in Oblivion 2 Techniques and Tactics 3 Melee Weapon Tactics for Various Foes 4 Ranged Weapon Tactics for Various Foes 5 Basic Guide for the Magical Character 6 Pros and Cons for Different Types of Combat 6.1 Blade and Blunt-One Handed 6.2 Blade and Blunt-Two Handed 6.3 Hand to Hand 6.4 Spells 6.5 Marksman

[edit] Basic Combat in Oblivion

The keys and buttons used to control combat are summarized in the Controls article, for all platforms. Learning how to use the controls quickly and fluidly is key to staying alive.

To cause maximum damage through straight combat in Oblivion, you'll want to work on increasing one of the four attack skills: (Blade, Blunt, Hand to Hand, Marksman) and their governing attributes (Strength for Blade, Blunt and Hand to Hand; Agility for Marksman), (see Weapon Damage Calculations). The actual damage you do is further influenced by your Fatigue, the armor worn by your opponent, and other factors, as detailed in The Complete Damage Formula. Specializing in more than one of these skills at a time is often considered inefficient, as you may only ever use one weapon at a time. However, players wanting to take advantage of all of the equipment in the game may naturally want to select more than one of these skills as a Major skill, or (at the very least) practice with them a lot.

Notes

• You cannot use a shield to block when you have a two-handed weapon equipped.
• You cannot change weapons while attacking.
• You cannot change armor while in combat.
• You can assign weapons and spells to hotkeys for quick selection during combat, or you can press the Open Journal button to pause the game and select a new weapon from your your inventory or a new spell from your spell list.
• Bringing up the hotkey feature does not pause the game, so be sure to move while you try to select the right weapon, or memorize which hotkey has which weapon or spell.
• Keep in mind that the brute force techniques are not the only way to fight your way through Oblivion. You can also create a character that mainly uses magic. (See below for the Magic Characters Basic Guide).

[edit] Techniques and Tactics

(Note that the Swordplay page also covers many combat tactics)

• An excellent tactic for fighting successfully is to block enemy swings and then strike while your opponent is recovering. This is one of the better tactics available to players new to or inexperienced with the game's combat system. You can also keep holding the block control while pressing the attack control. When your attack is completed, your character will resume blocking. Remember that regardless of whether you block with a shield or a weapon, the damage you take is based on your Block skill.

• Combining this with a forward/backward motion seems to help to avoid getting hit and succeeding in hitting the enemy, e.g., move back when blocking and forward before striking. However, this probably only works against slower creatures, such as Ogres.

• When using a melee weapon, pressing the attack control will perform a normal attack and holding it for a second will perform a Power Attack. There are four different types of Power Attack - Standing, Left/Right, Back, and Forwards. The attack that is performed is dependent on your movement (for example, if you were moving left when you performed the Power Attack, you'd do a Left Power Attack). At the start of the game, all of these attacks will have the same effect - considerable damage at the expense of speed - but different animations. As your skill with Blade, Blunt or Hand to Hand increases, you'll gain perks that allow you to perform Master Power Attacks. The details of the Mastery perks can be found in the game manual or on our Blade, Blunt and Hand to Hand skill pages.

• With a one handed weapon and shield, a useful technique for somewhat more experienced players is to stand without blocking as your opponent charges. When they perform their first attack, quickly block and then step around them rapidly attacking. If you're quick enough, you can circle them while attacking, and get a good few hits in. Rinse, repeat.

• If you are fighting an enemy that doesn't want to approach you, an archer, for example, keep your shield up and when you hear or see him shoot at you, wait for the shot to hit your shield. Then fire back or advance on the archer and raise the shield again when he fires another arrow. Note that this won't work at all for spellcasters - raising your shield against them at range has no benefit whatsoever.

• Alternatively, if you can time it right, side-stepping left or right can dodge most projectiles with relative ease, but you must be aware of your surroundings, especially ledges. This is also the only way to reliably avoid magic attacks.

[edit] Melee Weapon Tactics for Various Foes

There are a plethora of tactics one could use with the game's various weapons, the most effective often depending on what attacks the foe uses. Different weapons have different reach, weight and speed characteristics; for example, longswords have a medium-long reach and are relatively light, making fatigue drain minimal. Maces are the the 'longswords' of the blunt weapon category and are generally heavier, draining more of your fatigue per attack. However, blunt weapons in general often have higher base damage and weight, the latter of which causes enemies to be staggered more often.

One-handed weapon with shield - The easiest tactic is to block and strike. The recoil from the enemy hitting your shield will stun them long enough to get at least two hits in (or sidestep as mentioned above). Unless you are out of your league and get constantly knocked back or disarmed, in which case running would be a wise idea. If you have been diligent with leveling up your speed and endurance, you can dance in and out of a fight. Step back when the enemy swings, staying just out of range, and then dance in to place a quick blow with the tip of your sword. This tactic is more difficult, as timing is essential. If you attack too slowly you are apt to hit their shield and be stunned yourself.

Two-handed weapons - Two-handed weapons do considerably more damage than their one-handed counterparts and usually have greater reach. However, they can be very slow, and nearly all two-hand blunt weapons in the game are notoriously slow at recovering from a swing. A simple tactic with a faster weapon is to simply run into range, and immediately begin to back off. Normal attacks, even with a warhammer, are often fast enough to hit you and cause considerable damage. Ideally, you'd wait for your opponent to wind up a Power Attack and then hit them as they recover. With enough practice you will rarely need to use your shield when fighting a two-handed blunt user.

Ranged Weapon Opponents or Magic attackers - The easiest way to kill ranged weapon users is to get in close. Charge in and either ignore the projectiles or block at the absolute last second. If there are no other enemies around and you have a good amount of armor, charging works the best. You are a fighter after all and a little damage won't kill you. If the ranged user is a mage, start sidestepping in one direction while they are casting, the second the projectile emerges, sidestep the other way (they will anticipate your move and overcompensate). Once you're up close to the ranged user, rapidy attack until the enemy is dead. Note that while archers and marksmen will often fight with a melee weapon when you get close, magic users often don't have such weapons, and so just run away - and their lack of armor makes them difficult to catch up with. Some players may find it easier to fight a ranged opponent with a bow, as arrows move fast enough to catch enemies with minimal movement compensation required.

Summoners - If an enemy summons, ignore the summoned creature. Run past them, jump over them, whatever you can do, and attack the summoner. Once the summoner is dead, the summoned creature disappears. Many summoners are very physically weak. They will, however, try to run away and heal themselves or use a weapon (if they have one) to block your attack. If the summoned creature still bothers you, you can try summoning your own creature to distract it or help you kill the summoner.

Hand to Hand - Hand to Hand strikes do fairly small damage as compared to weapons and have an extremely short reach. However, they're fairly rapid, and do direct damage to your opponent's fatigue - with help from Destruction magic, Hand to Hand makes knocking your opponent out much simpler than using poisons as you might with weapons. Note that Hand to Hand attacks can never gain enchanted effects or be poisoned, but they never need to be repaired (your fists have infinite durability).

Notes

• It is imperative to keep your weapons and armor prepared and ready for battle at all times. Always carry a stockpile of repair hammers. After 2-3 fights your weapon could be doing half damage, making fights last longer and the chances of you getting killed greater. It is recommended that you repair your items every chance you get, even after every fight. It's expensive and weighty at first, but once the armorer skill goes up, a pile of 10 repair hammers will last 3-4 dungeons. Once your armorer skill reaches 75 and you become an expert you can improve your items to 125% durability. This will give your weapon an extra 2-4 damage points, and your armor an extra 1-3 points. It might not seem like a lot, but once you start fighting with a Daedric weapon at 125% condition, you'll notice your enemies dying a bit faster.

[edit] Ranged Weapon Tactics for Various Foes

Archers have the advantage of not having to face an enemy at close range, thus eliminating the need for heavy (and noisy) armor. Sneak and Marksman go hand in hand in this game, so be sure to sneak when attacking, it'll give you a 3x damage bonus!

You'll want to go for light armor, or if you're feeling really confident, regular clothes. Staying well out of your enemy's range and making sure it doesn't see you before you land your first hit is critical for a good start to any battle. Note that once your Marksman skill reaches 50 you gain a new ability; zoom. This is your most useful asset as an archer, since it gives you the option to stay even further away from your enemies.

The enemies you'll encounter can generally be divided into 4 types: Bandits, Fighters, Mages and Archers.

Bandits - If you're using light armor, then bandits are equal to you in the defense department, meaning easy to kill. If the bandits are in their wilderness camps, you can sneak your way into an appropriate "sniping" spot and preemptively begin the fight. Even though bandits wear light armor, it may take quite a few arrows to bring them down, and you will have to retreat when they near your position. Bandits usually use blunt weapons, which can give their attacks a bit more weight than their oft-meager strength can manage.

Fighters - The most common type of fighter are Marauders. Fighters usually wear regular heavy armor, but sometimes carry enchanted stuff. These guys are your worst nightmare, especially in a dungeon where you've got little space to evade their melee attacks. The strategy for taking these guys down are basically the same as Bandits, but you will end up using many more arrows, and if you are stuck fighting them in close quarters, you may be in trouble. If a Fighter is giving you a beating, you should bring up your inventory and poison your next shot (if you have any poisons). Poisons are best saved for big fights like these, so save them when you get them, as they can make the difference between life and death.

Mages - The best way to bring down a mage is to get the advantage of surprise. Try to get a critical sneak attack and reduce their health as much as you can, as you never know what mages will pull out of their hat. They will most likely use a combination of destruction magic and conjuration, so run from the summoned creature and concentrate all of your arrows on the mage. This battle will be similar to an archer battle, as both mainly fight at range. They usually aren't too difficult to bring down, as they have no armor, but beware that they will probably heal themselves when you've hurt them enough.

Archers - When two archers are engaged in battle, the fight is usually slow and sloppy, as many shots will simply miss their targets. Quicker players might actually find this easier When a shot does manage to hit, it will do good damage to its target, as archers - excluding Marauder Archers - wear light armor. Do your best to dodge the enemy archers' shots, and cock your bow back all the way, for maximum range and damage. The good thing about fighting a fellow archer is that once you have killed them, you can go loot all of their arrows for your own need.

[edit] Basic Guide for the Magical Character

Even if you create a magic-based character, it's a good idea to give them at least one major combat skill (such as blade or blunt, or an armor skill), as near the start of the game, many spell effects that can help you survive aren't available, and it takes time for your character to level up enough to be able to use the powerful ones. This is especially evident for Illusion spells, as effective Frenzy, Demoralize, and Invisibility or Chameleon spells only come into play at Journeyman level. The same might apply for Restoration, as good Fortify Health spells and the like also only kick in at Journeyman level.

Alchemy is a very important skill for a magical character. A powerful Alchemist can make many potions that fortify and restore magicka so they can keep casting away at their enemies. You'll probably need to take time finding ingredients and memorizing recipes to get the most out of Alchemy.

Conjuration is an extremely powerful skill to have later in the game, as you will be able to summon very powerful creatures, such as Daedroths, to assist you. The skill can also be a great help early on - the Apprentice-level Summon Zombie spell can keep Bandits at a distance for quite a while at low levels.

Mysticism is an odd skill. It's important as it includes the Soul Trap spell that allows you to recharge your weapons using soul gems, or create new magical items. Detect Life can also be an immensely useful spell effect. Effects such as Reflect Spell and Spell Absorption only kick in at high levels, but they can be extremely useful at that point. You just need the patience to get there!

Alteration is an important skill for characters that are lacking in other skills, since it can be used to do things such as open locks and breathe under water. It also includes the Feather and Burden spell effects which can be occasionally useful, and the effective Shield series of spells.

Destruction is useful for obvious reasons. It is the powerhouse of all of the magic skills. Destruction includes spells that cause direct damage to enemies. You'll mainly be using elemental spells if you decide to use Destruction - Fire, Frost and Shock. At higher levels, you might also find a use for Damage Health, as it's rarely resisted.

Restoration can be important for all types of characters, as it is one of the two main ways to heal yourself or allies (among other effects). Restoration should arguably be a major skill of every character - however, potions aren't too rare, and the Heal Lesser Wounds spell you begin the game with is one of the more magicka-efficient spells, especially at low levels.

Illusion spells include some of the most useful spells in the game (such as invisibility) that can get you out of a tricky situation and save a lot of frustration. Would you rather sneak your way through a dungeon swarming with guards, getting caught every two seconds, or comfortably sprint through to your objective while invisible? A high level illusionist can also mix one or two seconds of paralyze into a destruction spell, stopping enemies (those without resistances) in their tracks as you damage them. Illusion becomes far more useful at Journeyman level - you may want to constantly cast Light on yourself to help increase your skill level. At Apprentice level, Illusion doesn't help you out much.

Tips

• If you're using Destruction, when you begin to make a living in Oblivion, purchase a well-balanced array of Destruction spells. For example, as an Apprentice of Destruction, you should buy one spell of each element that you are able to use (Fire, Frost, Shock). Ideally, you'd progress through the early Mages Guild quests to gain access to the Arcane University, and create better spells of your own design as you progress.

• Make sure to not forget to level one of your magic skills, as it will fall behind and become useless later on if you do.

• If your character is focusing on magic, remember that armor lowers your Spell Effectiveness - heavy armor especially so. If you plan to bypass this by wearing no armor at all, invest in some Shield spells, or something like Invisibility, or enemies will kill you very easily up close.

• Remember that you can cast magic and fight with a weapon at the same time, so don't be afraid to fight close quarters until you are wounded and then drop back and finish your enemy off with magic.

• There are many advanced magic techniques that can be discovered and used as you will. Be on the lookout for unusual spells that could be useful in combat or fun to cause mayhem in town.

• If you manage to get each of these magical skills to at least the journeyman level, you will be unstoppable, with an extremely long list of spells to choose from.

[edit] Pros and Cons for Different Types of Combat

[edit] Blade and Blunt-One Handed

Advantages:

• One handed weapons allow you to carry a shield, which is more effective at blocking than a weapon alone.
• One handed weapons are generally faster and lighter than two handed weapons.
• One handed weapons are generally cheaper than two handed weapons.
• One handed weapons allow you to carry a torch at the same time as your weapon.
• One handed weapons allow you to sneak attack.
• Some one handed blades, such as Goldbrand or Umbra, are among the most powerful weapons in the game.

Disadvantages:

• One handed weapons are generally less powerful than two handed weapons.
• One handed weapons generally have a shorter reach than two handed weapons.

[edit] Blade and Blunt-Two Handed

Advantages:

• Two handed weapons are more powerful than one handed weapons.
• Two handed weapons are longer than one handed weapons.

Disadvantages:

• You cannot carry a shield with two handed weapons. You can still have one equipped, in which case any enchantments (e.g., Reflect Damage) will still be effective, but the shield will not contribute to your armor rating.
• Two handed weapons are more expensive than one handed weapons
• Two handed weapons are generally slower and heavier than one handed weapons. (There are some exceptions, e.g. Akaviri Dai-Katana)
• Two handed weapons do not allow you to carry a torch at the same time as your weapon. This can be a problem in dark caves if you do not have spells, potions or enchantments for Light or Night-Eye.
• If you sneak attack with a two-handed weapon you will not get the sneak attack damage bonus.

[edit] Hand to Hand

Advantages:

• Punches are very rapid.
• Punches damage enemy fatigue.
• You do not need to waste money on weapons.
• You are not encumbered or slowed down by weapons.
• You cannot drop your weapons, making them always effective in combat.
• There is no need to repair your weapons because your fists cannot be damaged.

Disadvantages:

• Nothing makes your punches more powerful, unlike weapons, which you can upgrade.
• You cannot enchant your fists with damage spells.
• You cannot use poisons.
• Hand to hand users cannot carry a shield.
• All weapons reach further than punches.
• Hand to Hand is weak at lower skill levels, and does not get much more powerful.
• Once you become a Master, holding down the block button will automatically trigger your counterattack. This makes it very difficult to yield to friendly NPCs.

[edit] Spells

Advantages:

• Spells can be used at range.
• Spells can inflict more damage than the most powerful unenchanted blade.
• Conjuration can be used to call assistance to your fighting.
• Spellcasters can still use weapons, shields, and armor.
• Many creatures have weaknesses to certain types of elemental magic (mostly Shock).
• Spells can be used to make up for weaknesses in other skills (such as security or sneak).
• Spells can greatly assist in non-combat missions as well (such as stealth missions).

Disadvantages:

• Spells cost Magicka, and once a mage runs out of magicka and potions to restore it, they will have to resort to retreating or fighting close quarters.
• More powerful spells must be purchased or made.
• Some creatures are impervious to certain types of elemental magic.
• Spell bolts move slowly compared to arrows, and it is therefore quite easy to miss moving targets with them.
• Conjured creatures are not very powerful at lower levels.
• No sneak attack damage bonus.
• It takes much time to be able to use the most powerful spells.

[edit] Marksman

Advantages:

• Bows are used at range.
• When combined with sneak, arrows are very powerful.
• Bows can be enchanted and poisoned, enchanted arrows can be found. When used in combination, they are deadly.
• Some of your fired arrows can be retrieved from foes and the environment.
• It is easier to make sneak attacks with a bow, for you do not need to get close to your enemy.
• You do not take damage from creatures that reflect physical damage or magic^(?).

Disadvantages:

• Arrows are mostly useless up close.
• It is hard to hit a moving target.
• You may run out of arrows when you need them most, since sometimes a strong enemy can take many arrows to take down. They can be expensive to buy in large quantity, and without them you'll be forced into close combat.
• Arrows can only be fired at a very short distance in water, effectively rendering them useless in combat against enemies while you are underwater.
• Arrows cannot be retrieved when used against undead or summoned creatures. Enchanted arrows (quite rare and VERY expensive) disappear when they hit a creature, and if you miss they disappear in about 10 seconds^(?).