Almost two decades on from its original release, Oblivion was been brought to the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles thanks toOblivion Remastered.Whether you’re a newcomer to Cyrodiil or returning after years away, it can take a while to get comfortable with the unique combat system found in Oblivion.

Oblivion’s tutorial level at the beginning of the game does a good job of introducing you to the basics, but there’s a lot more to master in this expansive open-world RPG. Here are eight combat tips that really come in handy as you progress through Oblivion.

A wolf lying dead on the floor after being shot with an arrow in Oblivion Remastered.

Sustainable Archery

Ensuring you have enough consumable items to complete a tough quest or an area with a large number of enemies waiting for you isn’t easy, particularly early on in Oblivion Remastered’s story.Melee weaponsare the most common to be found in chests or dropped by enemies, but the condition of thesewear down quickly.While you may use items like the Repair Hammer to repair them, there is a handy alternative.

Ranged Weapons such asBows and Arrows are excellentfor defeating enemies, not least because you don’t have to get up close and personal to land an attack. While their condition wears down as well, they don’t do so as quickly as melee weapons and you can alsorecover any arrows you shootby searching the bodies of the enemies you defeat. It is a tad tedious to do so, but it’s worth it in the long run as it makes it tough to run out of arrows when you effectively recycle them.

Third person view of a character wearing armour in Oblivion Remastered.

Changing Views

While first-person view is what the vast majority of players prefer to use when playing Oblivion, there is the option to change to a third-person view. Pressingdown on the right analogue stick will change your viewto a close-up third-person viewpoint. Doing so a second time will give you a wide third-person view.

First-person is the preferable camera angle for most situations, but third-person can come in handy for when you’re facing larger groups of enemies or when you’re looking for an enemy that’s engaged in combat with you that you haven’t located yet.

Screen showing the choices of Birthsigns with The Lord selected in Oblivion Remastered.

Changing Birthsigns

While some things from the original Elder Scrolls IV have remained unchanged for Oblivion Remaster, that can’t be applied to all of the Birthsigns in the game. During the tutorial level, you’ll be asked to create your character’s backstory, class and their Birthsign.Birthsigns arethe Elder Scrolls equivalent ofStarsignsand give your character aboost to certain attributes.

There are13 to choose fromand knowing which one to opt for, particularly as a newcomer to Oblivion isn’t an easy choice so early in the game. Even returning players from the original Oblivion may overlook what was one of the worst Birthsigns in that version. The Lord originally gave players the ability to cast a health resoration spell, but had the downside of an increased 25 percentWeakness to Fire.

The level up screen for a character showing their attributes increasing in Oblivion Remastered.

However, in Oblivion Remastered,The Lord providesan additional15 percent resistance to magicand a15 boost to your armourrating.

In general,passive stat boosts are bestfor newer players, as they’re easier to manage and The Lord having no downsides is a big bonus in itself. Other good Birthsigns for improving your combat capabilities include TheWarrior, The Mage, The Atronach, and The Lady.

A player engaged in a Arena fight in the Imperial City in Olbivion Remastered.

Leveling Up

Leveling up has altered significantly since the original game for Oblivion Remastered. When your character goes up a level now, you can use 12 Virtues to increase three attributes. If you’re struggling to defeat enemies or want to boost the effectiveness of your character, you’re best off increasing the following attributes when you level up.

While other attributes such as Intelligence, Luck and Endurance have benefits during combat, Strength, Willpower and Agility are the trio you should focus on most to create a character that is strong during combat.

Player casting a magicka spell during combat in the combat Arena in Oblivion Remastered.

Practice Makes Perfect

Once you complete the tutorial level, one of the first places you should check out is Oblivion’s Arena. If you head straight to the main quest marker to deliver the amulet, this can be easily missed and it’d be foolish to miss out if you’re new to The Elder Scrolls IV.Go to the Imperial City’s Arena,which is displayed using its own map marker.

Head down to the Bloodworks,which is found in the basement of the Arena andspeak to Owyn.You’ll get the opportunity toas a contestant and this will earn you the Pit Dog, Arena trophy. The fights themselves aren’t particularly difficult and they’ll earn youbetween 50 and 1,000 Goldfrom the first and last fights.

Player facing two enemies in the yellow team in the Imperial City’s Arena in Oblivion Remastered.

These fights will earn you a lot of Gold for this early in the game while also increasing your player’s combat stats, meaning you’ll be ready for whatever the world of Oblivion throws at you next.

Enchanting Your Weapons

Ensuring you have the best gear available is always important, but another way to increase the effectiveness of your items it to enchant them. Enchanting is an ability that you’ll unlock by either completing theMage’s Guild quest lineor byclaiming Frostcrag Spire.

Once either has been done, you’ll gain access to an Altar of Enchanting, where you’ll be able to enchant your weapons and armour. This can make your gear many times more effective than before, and it really makes a huge difference on higher difficulties.

The list of Magicka spells that are available to a player in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.

Know Your Enemy

Even if you’ve got the best weapons and armour in the game, knowing when and how to use them is crucial in successfully combating enemies, especially on higher difficulty levels. Certain enemiesdon’t take damage from specific types of weapons,e.g. ghosts don’t take damage from normal, physical weapons. Some require certain types of magic or weapons instead. So, be sure to know which weapon types enemies are immune to before you go deep into the story mode.

Similarly, you should always take advantage of your enemy’s weakness and don’t allow them use their strengths against you. For example, if you’re agile enough, using ranged weapons like bows and arrows against strong melee enemies (like orcs) and keeping your distance is advisable. As the saying goes, work smart, not hard.

Magicka Master

It’s easy to get caught up in believing that Melee Weapons and Ranged Weapons are the best way to navigate combat in Oblivion Remastered and that viewpoint isn’t without merit. However, Magicka isn’t something to be overlooked, especially when you have a Birthsign like The Mage, which boosts your Magicka capabilities hugely.

Be sure tocheck your Magicka tabin the pause menu if you’re unsure which ones you have available to you. Early on,using theFlarespellcan deal a decent amount of damage to enemies, while theHeal Minor Woundsspelldoes what it says on the tin. Unlocking new spells is easy, as it requires you togo to Magic Shops or Mage’s Guilds,which can be found at most large settlements across the map.