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oblivion what to do first

Here’s a friendly, SEO‑ready “Quick Scoop” on “oblivion what to do first” after you leave the sewers in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (including remastered).

Oblivion – What To Do First (Quick Scoop)

1. Right at the Sewer Exit: Make a “Master Save”

As soon as you step out of the tutorial sewers and see the open world:

  • Open the menu and make a permanent manual save right there.
  • Keep this file untouched; use it whenever you want to restart with a new race/build without replaying the entire tutorial.

Think of this as your “character lab” save: anytime you get the urge to try a new build, load this one and go wild.

2. Tweak Difficulty Before You Commit

Before you wander too far:

  • Open the Gameplay options and adjust the difficulty slider to where combat feels fun, not miserable.
  • Use the next few fights (rats, wolves, bandits) as a test; if enemies feel like sponges or two‑shot you, tune it down a notch.

Oblivion’s scaling can be brutal; setting difficulty early keeps the game feeling adventurous instead of punishing.

3. Secure a Free/Fast Early Base

Very early on, you’ll want somewhere to safely sleep and store items :

  • Do a quick early‑game quest or two near the Imperial City to get access to a bed and safe storage (many beginner guides recommend snagging a cheap/free bed as one of the first priorities).
  • Once you have a “home”, you can hoard loot, alchemy ingredients, and backup gear without worrying about losing them.

A safe chest and a bed turn you from “homeless sewer survivor” into an actual adventurer with a base.

4. Hit a Nearby Starter Dungeon

Right in front of you after leaving the sewers is the Ayleid ruin Vilverin , a classic first dungeon mentioned in many beginner guides.

Why it’s good to do early:

  • Packed with low‑to‑mid‑level enemies, good for testing your combat style and spells.
  • Drops early magic items, weapons, and soul gems that can kick‑start your build.
  • Great practice for traps, sneaking, and lockpicking.

If you struggle, step away, explore, level a bit, then come back.

5. Decide on Your Character’s Role (Without Overthinking)

Early on, focus your playstyle around a simple fantasy:

  • Warrior vibe : prioritize Strength + Endurance, use heavy armor, melee weapons.
  • Mage vibe : Intelligence + Willpower, focus on Destruction/Conjuration/Restoration and magicka gear.
  • Thief/assassin vibe : Agility + Speed, use Sneak, Security, Marksman, and daggers/bows.

The important part is choosing your major skills thoughtfully, since they level faster and control how you level up overall.

6. Join a Couple of Guilds Early

You don’t have to min‑max; guilds are the easiest way to get money, gear, and quests:

  • Fighters Guild : Great for melee characters, straightforward combat jobs and gold.
  • Mages Guild : Access to spell vendors and, eventually, enchanting and spell‑making altars.
  • Thieves Guild : Lets you sell stolen goods to fences, plus sneaky questlines.

Most early‑game video guides specifically list “join some guilds” as a top early step because of the resources and progression they unlock.

7. Learn to Handle Lockpicking and Ghosts

Two things frustrate beginners fast: locks and ghosts.

  • Practice the lockpicking minigame early on; getting a feel for the “sweet spot” speed makes the game much smoother.
  • Make sure you have at least one way to hurt ghosts (enchanted weapon, silver weapon, or appropriate spells) before diving into certain dungeons.

An example: heading into an old ruin with only a basic iron sword and no magic is how many new players get stuck.

8. Grab a Free/Quick Horse If Possible

Several early‑game guides recommend going after a free horse as one of the first convenience upgrades.

  • A horse makes traveling between cities faster and safer, especially when you’re under‑geared and avoiding random encounters.

You can still fast travel, but riding between locations lets you discover more map markers and find side quests.

9. Start, but Don’t Rush, the Main Quest

Once you’ve looted a bit and done a couple of guild or side quests:

  • Report to Jauffre at Weynon Priory in Chorrol as instructed in the main quest to get early supplies and move the story forward.
  • After that, feel free to pause the main quest and wander; many players prefer to delay heavy Oblivion Gate content until they are stronger.

The early main‑quest steps give free gear and structure without locking you into a strict path.

10. A Few “Forum‑Style” Beginner Tips

From community and forum discussions focused on new Oblivion players:

  • Don’t stress about “perfect” leveling; enjoy the story and world first.
  • Talk to NPCs in every city—many quests (and some of the best stories) trigger just from conversations.
  • Use the early game to test everything: sneaking, magic schools, armor types. You can always restart from your master save if you want a cleaner build.

A common sentiment from long‑time players in recent threads: “Just explore, join a couple of guilds, and let Cyrodiil surprise you.”

Mini TL;DR

  • Make a permanent save right outside the sewers.
  • Adjust difficulty so early fights feel fair.
  • Get a bed + safe storage and clear a nearby starter dungeon like Vilverin.
  • Join at least one or two guilds quickly for gear, spells, and money.
  • Nudge the main quest forward to Jauffre, then take your time exploring.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.