Building a balanced character

[Tommy G]

I realise I may be teaching people to suck eggs here, but I found the following link incredibly useful when planning out my main character:


http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox360 ... 7345/42091


I have managed to get +5 to three specifically selected attributes at every level using the method outined in this guide. It has taken me over 146 hours to get to level 21, but the satisfaction of having a very powerful character as a result makes all the hours worthwhile.

I use a piece of paper to keep track of my skill increases, obviously saving levelling major skills until I have earned the +5 bonuses.

I'm interested to find out how other people have planned, built and levelled their characters.

[Tom]

That looks like quite an informative guide there. Personally, I created my first character to be a strong Thief, with my only goal being to be as strong and over-powered as possible. Now, I look back and think that this concept, while fun, may have taken away from me some of the true Oblivion experience. That is why I have started a second character, which I intend to level up like the warrior I made him to be. I have to say, though, I had a lot of fun playing with my main character despite how over-powered he was. Sadly, I haven't had much time to play Oblivion lately, so I forget a bit about what it was like.

[rikrik]

I agree with Tommy G. When I bought Oblivion I just played on and put those level points I got into whatever skills I thought was useful. Then I started to loose battles against leveled creatures - especially daedra but even to brown bears *shame*.
With my second character (Elitlaya Assonirishpal - damned dark elves with their complicated names! ) I planned carefully to get +5 every time I levelled up. And yes up to around level 23 I wrote down EVERY skill increase on a piece of paper. Now my poor gal from West Gash can beat everything - even the God of Order! And she's still learning. *smile*

It helps to create a custom class but I hope I can manage to do the same with a vanilla class (warrior) character like I'm planning to do with my 3rd character (Dryngheid, currently at level 6).

This may sound boring but since I'm an old board game player it's natural to have a paper beside me. I sometimes even draw out the dungeons on paper even though all maps are created automatically thesedays.

[Darabos]

I've developed a pretty legit pen and paper routine when playing elder scrolls to track my player increases. Normally it looks something like this,

LVL #: [ tally major skill increases here ]
STR SPD
END WLL
AGL INT

I generally leave off Illusion, because it governs personality and... who cares about that? Not I. I tally up whatever skill into the corrisponding attribute until it gets to 10. When one of those skills is part of my major skills I mark it next to my level. For sake of sanity I normally focus on getting at least two +5's then a +3 or higher in a third category. I'll alos keep a little note below my tallies about whatever I'm focusing on or little things about the game I want to keep a note of.

Also inside the margins i keep notes about alchemy ingredints, lately i've started tracking calendar dates to keep track of arena visits, the arch-mage enchanted chest and other time based event conditions.

Here's what my level 16 charater looks like on paper up to this point:

[Sithis]

I lold when you said that you didnt focus on illusion...second best magicka skill in the game...whatevs.

I used the efficient leveling method as well. That being said, I added some twists here and there (SUPER SOLDIER METHOD) and it only took me 100 hours to hit 51.

That being said, I strongly advice against EL. If you play the game with the appropriate skills, you should not have any problems at mid-bar or a few clicks to the right even (difficulty bar being referred to). Just make sure you stick to what you do best. EL just gives you more options but it isnt necessary.

[josjie]

I lold when you said that you didnt focus on illusion...second best magicka skill in the game...whatevs.

I used the efficient leveling method as well. That being said, I added some twists here and there (SUPER SOLDIER METHOD) and it only took me 100 hours to hit 51.

That being said, I strongly advice against EL. If you play the game with the appropriate skills, you should not have any problems at mid-bar or a few clicks to the right even (difficulty bar being referred to). Just make sure you stick to what you do best. EL just gives you more options but it isnt necessary.

Efficient leveling can be fun as well

It's fun to:
a) Play the game, ignore about EL but make sure you get +3/+4/+5 Endurance
b) Use EL to create a perfect character and put the difficulty bar at 100%

[Darabos]

I lold when you said that you didnt focus on illusion...second best magicka skill in the game...whatevs.

There isn't much illusion can do that I can't do with alchemy. And I love using alchemy, it's benefits are larger as well for the overall scope of the game. Even that said I never make it a major skill because I plan on leveling it up at a frantic pace. At LVL 1, I'll make tons of restore fatigue potions, not only raising my the skill, but in turn increasing my gold by selling the potions.

And I'm a big stickler for maximizing attributes right off the bat. Get your 2 of your primary attributes to about 85-90 by level 5 or 6 then you can start using enchanted armor and weapons to increase them at or above 100. Illusion is part of personality, useless.

[Tom]

Illusion is part of personality, useless.

I've found Illusion somewhat helpful in a couple of circumstances, but it's nothing that Speechcraft can't solve.

[Darabos]

but it's nothing that Speechcraft can't solve.

touche

[The Ninja]

I lold when you said that you didnt focus on illusion...second best magicka skill in the game...whatevs.

There isn't much illusion can do that I can't do with alchemy. And I love using alchemy, it's benefits are larger as well for the overall scope of the game. Even that said I never make it a major skill because I plan on leveling it up at a frantic pace. At LVL 1, I'll make tons of restore fatigue potions, not only raising my the skill, but in turn increasing my gold by selling the potions.

Well said, brother. I also join in with this technique.