Classes (Oblivion)



Classes are occupations, vocations, or jobs fulfilled by player characters and NPCs in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Oblivion hosts 21 pre-made classes for players to choose from, each with its own skill set, governing attributes, and abilities. Classes specializing in stealth include Acrobat, Agent, and Thief. Magic-using classes include Mage, Sorcerer, and Witchhunter. Fighter classes include Knight, Barbarian, and Warrior. Some classes cross the traditional barriers of gameplay, sampling skills from each of the three archetypes. The Nightblade class, which uses swords, magic, and armor, illustrates this cross-class genre of character class. If none of these options suit a player, they can create their own class.

Custom class
Custom classes can be created in Oblivion. After selecting all the appropriate skills, specializations, and attributes, players can give their newly created class a unique name.

Specialization
Players can select one specialization for the class -- Stealth, Magic, or Combat. Whichever class specialization is selected helps increase skills under that specialization quicker. For instance, choosing Magic causes skills such as Destruction or Alteration level faster.

Attributes
In addition to this, players select two governing attributes. The character starts with a permanent +5 in those attributes. Attributes control the magnitude at which a skill can be used. For instance, Personality governs the skill, Illusion; having a higher Personality rate augments the effectiveness of Illusion spells when Personality is selected as a class-attribute. Luck tends to be a popular attribute, as it can only be leveled up by 1 point each level.

Skills
Thirdly, seven unique skills can be selected. Skills chosen should reflect the type of character the player wants to play. Characters, for instance, with a specialization in Stealth would benefit more from choosing skills under that specialization, such as Sneak or Security. Skills chosen are listed as "Major Skills". These skills level up faster and contribute to when the character levels up.

Acrobat
The kind of person that uses agility and endurance to their advantage. Unafraid of jumping long distances.
 * Specialization: Stealth
 * Attributes: Agility, Endurance
 * Skills:
 * Acrobatics
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Marksman
 * Security
 * Sneak
 * Speechcraft

Agent
Charming when they can be seen and almost invisible when in shadow.
 * Specialization: Stealth
 * Attributes: Agility, Personality
 * Skills:
 * Acrobatics
 * Illusion
 * Marksman
 * Mercantile
 * Security
 * Sneak
 * Speechcraft

Archer
A marksman, adept at combat at great distances. Able to take down most foes before they have a chance to draw sword.
 * Specialization: Combat
 * Attributes: Agility, Strength
 * Skills:
 * Armorer
 * Blade
 * Blunt
 * Hand to Hand
 * Light Armor
 * Marksman
 * Sneak

Assassin
Nimble and quiet, they move in darkness to strike at the unsuspecting. Locks hold no doors shut to them.
 * Specialization: Stealth
 * Attributes: Intelligence, Speed
 * Skills:
 * Acrobatics
 * Alchemy
 * Blade
 * Light Armor
 * Marksman
 * Security
 * Sneak

Barbarian
Fearsome brutes who inspire fear and dread in the hearts of their enemies. Like a storm, swift and powerful. Finding little use for heavy armor, they rely on smashing their foes into the ground.
 * Specialization: Combat
 * Attributes: Speed, Strength
 * Skills:
 * Armorer
 * Athletics
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Blunt
 * Hand to Hand
 * Light Armor

Bard
Intelligent and personable, they prefer to accomplish tasks with their words first, and sword second.
 * Specialization: Stealth
 * Attributes: Intelligence, Personality
 * Skills:
 * Alchemy
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Illusion
 * Light Armor
 * Mercantile
 * Speechcraft

Battlemage
Able to resolve most conflicts with either spell or sword. They are a deadly mix of scholar and soldier.


 * Specialization: Magic
 * Attributes: Intelligence, Strength
 * Skills:
 * Alchemy
 * Alteration
 * Blade
 * Blunt
 * Conjuration
 * Destruction
 * Mysticism

Crusader
A combatant who wields the power of brute strength and medicinal knowledge. Cheating death after every fight, they rely on their keen knowledge of restoration to fight yet again.
 * Specialization: Combat
 * Attributes: Strength, Willpower
 * Skills:
 * Athletics
 * Blade
 * Blunt
 * Destruction
 * Hand to Hand
 * Heavy Armor
 * Restoration

Healer
Fighters of poison and illness. The ancient art of restoration is their ally, and the deadly art of destruction is their weapon.
 * Specialization: Magic
 * Attributes: Personality, Willpower
 * Skills:
 * Alchemy
 * Alteration
 * Destruction
 * Illusion
 * Mercantile
 * Restoration
 * Speechcraft

Knight
The most noble of all combatants. Strong in body and in character.
 * Specialization: Combat
 * Attributes: Personality, Strength
 * Skills:
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Blunt
 * Hand to Hand
 * Heavy Armor
 * Illusion
 * Speechcraft

Mage
Preferring to use their extensive knowledge of all things magical, they wield a might more powerful than the sharpest blade.
 * Specialization: Magic
 * Attributes: Intelligence, Willpower
 * Skills:
 * Alchemy
 * Alteration
 * Conjuration
 * Destruction
 * Illusion
 * Mysticism
 * Restoration

Monk
Quick and cunning with the empty hand, they are strong in spirit. They prefer to solve conflict by arrow or by fist.
 * Specialization: Stealth
 * Attributes: Agility, Willpower
 * Skills:
 * Acrobatics
 * Alteration
 * Athletics
 * Hand to Hand
 * Marksman
 * Security
 * Sneak

Nightblade
Spell and shadow are their friends. By darkness they move with haste, casting magic to benefit their circumstances.
 * Specialization: Magic
 * Attributes: Speed, Willpower
 * Skills:
 * Acrobatics
 * Alteration
 * Athletics
 * Blade
 * Destruction
 * Light Armor
 * Restoration

Pilgrim
Hearty folk, well-versed in the tomes of old. They profit in life by bartering in the market, or by persuading the weak-minded.
 * Specialization: Stealth
 * Attributes: Endurance, Personality
 * Skills:
 * Armor
 * Block
 * Blunt
 * Light Armor
 * Mercantile
 * Security
 * Speechcraft

Rogue
They use speed in combat rather than brute force. Persuasive in conversation, their tongues are as sharp as blades.
 * Specialization: Combat
 * Attributes: Personality, Speed
 * Skills:
 * Alchemy
 * Athletics
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Illusion
 * Light Armor
 * Mercantile

Scout
Preferring the rolling countryside to the city life, the forests rather than busy highways, they are gifted with the ability to evade, guard and protect themselves with great proficiency.
 * Specialization: Combat
 * Attributes: Endurance, Speed
 * Skills:
 * Acrobatics
 * Alchemy
 * Armorer
 * Athletics
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Light Armor

Sorcerer
Besting the most well-equipped fighters, they rely on the spells of the mystic arts. Unique to these mages is the bodily stamina to be armed with the thickest armor.
 * Specialization: Magic
 * Attributes: Endurance, Intelligence
 * Skills:
 * Alchemy
 * Alteration
 * Conjuration
 * Destruction
 * Heavy Armor
 * Mysticism
 * Restoration

Spellsword
More nimble and athletic than the sorcerer, and better suited for spell-casting than the knight, their attacks are unpredictable. Students of combat and magic.
 * Specialization: Magic
 * Attributes: Endurance, Willpower
 * Skills:
 * Alteration
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Heavy Armor
 * Destruction
 * Illusion
 * Restoration

Thief
Profiting from the losses of others is their love. Able to be swift in shadow, and crafty in bartering. Locks are enemies, and lock-picks are their swords.
 * Specialization: Stealth
 * Attributes: Agility, Speed
 * Skills:
 * Acrobatics
 * Light Armor
 * Marksman
 * Mercantile
 * Security
 * Sneak
 * Speechcraft

Warrior
Unafraid of light weaponry, they plow into the fray with little regard for injury. Masters of all melee tools, they put little faith in the magical arts.
 * Specialization: Combat
 * Attributes: Endurance, Strength
 * Skills:
 * Armorer
 * Athletics
 * Blade
 * Block
 * Blunt
 * Hand to Hand
 * Heavy Armor

Witchhunter
Swift on foot and clever with spells, they use distance as their ally. Slower adversaries are fodder for their arrows.
 * Specialization: Magic
 * Attributes: Agility, Intelligence
 * Skills:
 * Alchemy
 * Athletics
 * Conjuration
 * Destruction
 * Marksman
 * Mysticism
 * Security