10 Choices in Oblivion Remastered That Are Totally Useless!

by

The re-mastered version of “The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion” is generally considered to offer a richer RPG experience than “Skyrim,” largely due to its diverse and impactful quests. In “Oblivion,” the decisions you make truly matter, whether it’s a specific line in a key quest or a more ambiguous choice in the open world. Your actions often lead to significant repercussions.

In Oblivion, not every choice significantly affects the game or the story. Some choices may lead to slightly altered dialogues or different NPC locations, but their impact on your overall gaming experience will be negligible. Here are ten decisions in Oblivion Remastered that you can make without too much worry; they don’t have a big influence on the game’s outcome.

10. Positioning The Mages In “Ambush”

Mages Are Expendable

In the course of the “Oblivion Remastered” Mages Guild storyline, during the mission named “Ambush“, your task involves protecting a series of Ayleid ruins from encroaching necromancers. One aspect of this quest is figuring out the tactical placement of three mages: Thalfin, Merete, and Iver. They will each offer you insights into their unique combat skills when asked, however, the positioning of these mages, once chosen by you, won’t influence the outcome.

In essence, Merete’s position at the forefront could lead to her demise, but let me clarify that the death of any or even all of the three mages has minimal impact on the overall quest, rewards, or story outcome.

9. You Don’t Have To Save (Most) Fighters Guild NPCs

If You Don’t Mind Losing A Little Gold

In Cyrodiil, the Fighters Guild stands out as the top employer for all types of mercenaries – be it swordplay, stealth, or sorcery. If you decide to join their ranks, there are rewards tailored to your style. The tasks assigned by the Fighters Guild are pretty standard for a fantasy hero: travel to a location, slay a beast, and save someone in peril. However, what they don’t make clear is that when rescue missions come up, you often won’t need to fret excessively about keeping the rescued person safe.

In certain instances, such as successfully saving all three NPCs within “The Desolate Mine“, you’ll receive a superior reward and a Fame point. Generally speaking, most of these NPCs are vital, which means they can’t be eliminated – if their health drops to zero, they merely faint instead. You have the option to abandon them temporarily, complete the cave where they were found, and then escort them out later.

8. What To Do With Glarthir

You Can’t Save Everyone

In one of the intriguing side quests in “Oblivion,” titled “Paranoia, ” you find yourself aiding an enigmatic character named Glarthir in Skingrad. He claims to be under a coordinated surveillance, a conspiracy orchestrated by various local nobles. His request is for you to investigate this matter. Based on your findings, you might need to eliminate three distinct individuals: Bernadette Peneles, Toutius Sextius, and Davide Surille.

In many different approaches, you can tackle Glarthir’s mission: either appease him, fuel his paranoia, or inform on him to the higher-ups. However, let me clarify, there’s no peaceful resolution for “Paranoia,” regardless of your choice; someone will inevitably meet their end. The only variables are the identity and timing of the deceased. It doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things; all the characters involved in this quest are unique to it, so you won’t miss out on any other storylines if someone dies.

7. Should You Choose Mania Or Dementia?

Starting The Shivering Isles

One intriguing aspect of the game Oblivion is the DLC known as the Shivering Isles, a peculiar and extensive side-journey that explores the human mind by enabling you to visit a place where mental disorders are represented physically. Once you embark on the Shivering Isles, you’ll be faced with a significant decision: Dementia or Mania? Initially, this choice might appear crucial for your adventure within Sheogorath’s realm; however, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t have a substantial impact on your overall experience.

Essentially, you’re choosing where on the Shivering Isles to begin your adventure; you can explore the other areas later. This choice will also bestow upon you a Greater Power, either the Blessing of Dementia or the Blessing of Mania. Both blessings have a similar effect: they distract your enemies, providing you with an advantage during intense battles. Ultimately, choose the one that appeals to you more as both will serve a similar purpose in battle.

6. Who To Kill For The Dark Brotherhood Initiation

Most NPCs Are Safe

To become a member of the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion Remastered, you simply need to assassinate an innocent NPC anywhere in the game world. Contrary to the more structured initiation process in Skyrim, you can initiate the questline at any point and in any manner in Oblivion. While there are lists of supposedly “safe” NPCs online, truth be told, you can kill almost any NPC without facing significant consequences.

Indeed, it’s important to maintain a certain level of stealthiness to avoid any penalties, and taking lives from individuals associated with the other key guilds is not advisable. However, keep in mind that most NPC characters are considered “essential” until they finish their quests. This means, quite literally, you won’t be able to kill them because doing so might block your access to game content.

5. Joining The Blades Or Not

Jauffre May Be Disappointed

As you progress deeper into the story of “Oblivion”, you’ll guide Jauffre and Martin towards Cloud Ruler Temple. This is where the future king will be hidden until his public coronation. During your visit, an opportunity arises for you to join The Blades – a group dedicated to safeguarding the Emperor. You can choose to accept or decline this offer, which might seem like a significant plot twist, but its impact on the overall narrative is not substantial.

Becoming a member of The Blades grants you the opportunity to plunder the Cloud Ruler Temple, but it doesn’t significantly impact your gameplay or storyline otherwise. While there are some good early-game weapons and armor hidden in the Cloud Ruler Temple, you can compensate for what you miss by finding alternatives elsewhere.

4. Your Birthsign Doesn’t Matter

You Can Get Another One Later

When creating a character in Oblivion, you’ll be prompted to select their Birthsign, essentially a collection of abilities (with potential disadvantages) based on the constellation they were born under. The choice of Birthsign plays a significant role in your character development – there aren’t many chances for gaining abilities in Oblivion, so it’s crucial to make the most out of the few opportunities you get. However, don’t worry too much about finding the optimal Birthsign; you’ll have the chance to acquire others later on.

Throughout Cyrodiil, there are notable structures known as Birthsign Stones. At these sites, you have the opportunity to acquire an additional perk associated with a Birthsign for free. However, it’s important to note that you can only be connected to one Birthsign Stone at a given moment. This feature does slightly diminish the unique advantages permanently bestowed by your Birthsign in both story and gameplay aspects.

3. Killing The Unicorn Is Totally Fine

A One-Of-A-Kind Creature

In Oblivion Remastered, there’s a hidden unicorn mount, but you’ll need to make certain concessions to obtain it. This enchanting creature can be found in Harcane Grove, situated south of the Imperial City. However, it plays a role in the Daedric Artifact quest, “Hircine“. The challenge arises when you aim to collect Hircine’s reward; the Daedric Prince of hunting insists on receiving the unicorn’s horn as part of the deal. You might assume that slaying a unicorn would result in significant repercussions, but surprisingly, it turns out not to be such a major issue.

In essence, your decision should be based on practicality: do you prefer the unicorn as a mount or the Savior’s Hide? The Hide is a decent armor with 12 base protection and offers 25% magic resistance, but it’s not particularly impressive among Daedric Artifacts. It could still serve a purpose in the quest “Paradise,”, if nothing more. On the other hand, the unicorn is a disappointing mount – it moves slower than the horse you receive during the Dark Brotherhood questline, and if neglected, it will return to Harcane Grove, possibly leaving you in a difficult situation.

2. You Don’t Have To Complete “Allies For Bruma”

Oblivion’s Worst Quest

In my humble opinion as a movie critic, one tiresome mission in “Oblivion” that springs to mind is the “Allies for Bruma.” This quest involves traversing vast landscapes, sealing a chain of Oblivion Gates, all to win over local figures who promise to send reinforcements to Bruma before a pivotal battle. The process is laborious, monotonous, and frankly, seems excessively added – but here’s the silver lining: you can bypass the majority of this quest without any immediate consequences.

Once you initiate “Allies for Bruma“, you can embark on the quest “Defense of Bruma” at your convenience, regardless if you’ve gathered all potential armies. This implies that you might find yourself in battle with fewer allies to support you. However, by adopting appropriate strategies and employing some clever tactics, you should be able to finish the battle with minimal losses.

1. It Doesn’t Matter What You Do When

Oblivion Is Truly Open-Ended

If you’re a newcomer embarking on your first adventure in the game called “Oblivion,” you might find yourself unsure about where to start. You’ll likely come across numerous guides online, each offering varying advice and strict guidelines such as “be sure to acquire this before moving forward with that” or “don’t forget to encounter this character before accepting a certain quest.” I want to emphasize that the order you play “Oblivion” is completely flexible.

In “The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered”, the most enjoyable experience comes from embarking on your journey as you please. Feel free to tackle the main storyline, sidequests, or even guild missions first, based on what catches your interest. Delve deep into engaging narratives and memorable characters, and don’t hesitate to wander off the beaten path, discovering hidden corners and getting yourself into mischief along the way. While a perfectly optimized playthrough has its merit, the true charm of this game lies in the freedom to create your own unique adventure.

Read More

2025-05-26 22:59