Oblivion build tips: Best class, race and birthsign explained
Spec out a great character, lest ye be cast into Oblivion.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is an old-school RPG, meaning choosing the right character can be quite fraught, but with our Oblivion build tips, we’ll help you navigate the best class, race and birthsign.
Whilst Unreal Engine 5 is powering the fancy new visuals, it is running on top of the original Oblivion engine, though there have been some tweaks that change how things worked back in 2006 and we’ll go over these down below.
It’s also worth saying that while there is definitely a meta in terms of build malarkey, fundamentally, Oblivion is a role-playing game, so don’t be afraid to just choose whichever race, class and character sounds the coolest to you.
But if you like to get sweaty, read on for what we reckon is the best all-round build for the Oblivion Remaster!
Oblivion build tips: How to build your characters
When building your character in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, you need to choose a Race and Origin, Class and Birthsign.
There are 10 races (each with two origins), 21 classes and thirteen birthsigns, so it’s quite a lot to choose from!
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed – don’t worry! Oblivion Remastered has changed how levelling up works, so you shouldn’t dig yourself into a hole like you could in the original. however, if you want to put your best foot forward, then take a gander below at what we reckon is the best option.
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Best race in Oblivion

There are a number of races to choose from in Oblivion, with each having different strengths for certain classes. You can see who is best suited to what below:
- Best magic race – High Elf, Dunmer (Dark Elf) or Breton
- Best melee race – Orc, Nord, Redgaurd or Imperial
- Best stealth race – Wood Elf (Bosmer), Khajit or Argonian
With this in mind, let’s see what is the best class to go for, which will help inform what race you might want to pick.
Best class in Oblivion

Since the original game came out in 2006, most folks have agreed that the best class in Oblivion is the Spellsword, and this remains true in the Remaster.
If you opt for a Spellsword, the best races for this are Dumer (Dark Elves) with Vvardenfell origin, or Breton with Systres origin, thanks to their good Magic and Melee skills.
Spellswords have great stats for offensive Magika skills like Destruction, Alteration and Illusion, but Spellswords also have the benefit of being able to fall back on Blade and Block skills if you need to use melee weapons. Spellswords, too, are proficient in heavy armour, meaning you can take more damage.
The Nightblade is a similar class, but it specialises in Light Armour and Acrobatics instead, meaning you won’t last as long in a fight. It’s easy to boost your Acrobat skill by running and bunnyhopping everywhere you go as well, so it’s not really worth choosing a class that gives you a boost here. Oblivion Remastered has changed how levelling up works, so bear that in mind.
With this in mind, Spellswords make for the best all-rounder class in Oblivion, but you should ideally go for the class that sounds the most fun to you.
Best birthsigns in Oblivion

The best birthsigns in Oblivion depend on what your chosen class is, but some are glaringly better than others and you can check those out below:
- The Lady – Bonus 10 points to Willpower and Endurance
- The Thief – Bonus 10 points to Agility, Luck and Speed
- The Mage – 50 points to Magika
- The Warrior – 10 points to Strength and Endurance
- The Ritual – Once a day, you can use Mara’s gift to restore 200 health points and can used Blessed Word, allowing you use Turn Undead on undead creatures (not vampires) up to level 25 for 40 Magika, causing them to flee. Can be used multiple times a day
If you were keen on a Spellsword build, The Mage is a pretty great choice with it granting you a permanent 50 point buff to your Magic skills. The Thief is also a good shout for the +10 Luck.
Read more on Oblivion:
- Best Oblivion mods: Our top picks for the Remaster
- Oblivion cheats: Full list of cheat codes
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Authors

Cole Luke is a freelance journalist and video producer who contributes to RadioTimes.com's Gaming section. He also has bylines for Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, Network N and more.