what to do first in oblivion
What to Do First in Oblivion (Quick Scoop Guide)
Just left the sewers and staring at Cyrodiil thinking “uh… now what?” Here’s a clean, beginner‑friendly path so you don’t feel lost or underpowered.
[3][5][8]Quick Scoop
- Make a “checkpoint” save right before leaving the sewers so you can redo your build if you change your mind later.
- Grab a free bed/storage, then join a couple of guilds for easy early quests, skills, and gold.
- Clear a few nearby starter dungeons, start brewing potions, and look for a free or cheap horse.
- Don’t rush the main story; use early hours to explore, experiment, and adjust difficulty so the game feels fun, not punishing.
1\. Before You Leave the Sewers
That last “Are you sure?” moment before exiting the tutorial is more important than it looks.
- Make a permanent save. Create a named save right at the sewer exit door so you can reroll race, class, or birthsign later without replaying the whole tutorial. [8]
- Double‑check your build. Make sure your major skills actually match how you plan to play (e.g., blade/marksman for a fighter, destruction/illusion for a mage) so you level by doing what you enjoy. [1][2][7]
- Think about magicka if you’re a caster. New players often under‑invest in Intelligence/Willpower and run out of magicka constantly; stacking these early makes magic much smoother. [2][3]
“Save at the Sewers” is a classic early tip people recommend so you can fine‑tune your character later without pain.[8]
2\. First Steps in the Open World
Once you step into the sunlight, the game quietly expects you to wander a bit before committing to anything heavy.
2.1 Get a Free Place to Sleep & Store Gear
- Very early on, you can secure a free bed or cheap home that doubles as item storage, which helps with all the loot you’ll start hoarding. [5][8]
- This makes it easier to try different gear sets and keep alchemy ingredients without constantly selling or dropping things. [5]
2.2 Join Some Guilds Right Away
- Mages Guild: Great for early spell access, enchanting, and safe beds in each chapter hall. [7][2]
- Fighters Guild: Straightforward “go kill these things” quests with armor, weapons, and reliable gold. [1][8]
- Thieves Guild (optional early): Gives you a fence to sell stolen goods once you’re ready for stealth play. [1][5]
Joining multiple guilds early is normal in Oblivion and gives you more quest hooks and rewards without locking you out of anything.
[9][10]3\. Easy Power Moves for Early Game
3.1 Clear Some Starter Dungeons
- Near the early cities you’ll find low‑level caves and ruins that are perfect for practice, loot, and early levels. [3][8][5]
- Think of the first few dungeons as “training runs” to learn blocking, spell timing, and stamina management before tackling harder spots like Kvatch. [7][3]
3.2 Start Doing Simple Alchemy
- Pick every plant you see and combine ingredients to make basic potions; even weak potions sell well and give you alchemy experience. [2][7]
- Early healing, restore fatigue, and shield potions can be the difference between barely surviving and reloading a save. [7]
3.3 Find a Free or Early Horse
- Grabbing a free or cheap horse early cuts travel time massively and makes exploring much more comfortable. [8][5]
- Faster travel = more dungeons, more guilds, and more loot per hour of play. [8]
4\. Handling the Main Quest (Kvatch & Beyond)
The game nudges you toward the main quest, but you don’t need to sprint through it.
- The main quest soon sends you to Kvatch, which can get rough if you go in unprepared or heavily leveled without good gear. [7][8]
- Many players prefer to:
- – Deliver the Amulet to Jauffre,
- – Unlock Kvatch as a location,
- – Then step back and do guild quests and exploration before pushing deeper. [9][7]
- If you like a challenge, you can try tackling Kvatch early with low level but tight fundamentals and lots of potions. [3][7]
5\. Comfort Settings & “Don’t Stress” Tips
5.1 Adjust the Difficulty Slider Early
- Oblivion’s leveling and scaling can feel weird; if fights suddenly feel like damage sponges or one‑shots, nudge the difficulty slider instead of suffering. [4][7]
- Many experienced players recommend using the slider freely to keep combat at a level that feels satisfying, not exhausting. [6][4]
5.2 Don’t Min‑Max Yourself Out of Fun
- Forum regulars often tell new players not to obsess over “perfect leveling” on their first run; it’s easy to burn out if you treat every level as a math puzzle. [10][4]
- Play the character fantasy you like (battle mage, sneaky archer, knight, etc.) and use early hours to experiment without worrying about “optimal.” [6][9]
6\. Popular “First Things to Do” From Guides & Forums
Here’s a compact view of what many guides and community posts recommend you do first.
| Early Action | Why It’s Recommended | Source Style |
|---|---|---|
| Save at the sewer exit | Lets you reroll your build without repeating the entire tutorial. | [8]Video guides |
| Get a free bed/storage | Safe resting place and stash for loot right from the start. | [5][8]Sites & videos |
| Join Mages & Fighters Guilds | Easy quests, early gold, training, and access to spells and beds. | [2][1][8]Guides & community |
| Find a fence for stolen goods | Makes thievery actually profitable if you like stealth. | [1][5]Guides |
| Clear nearby starter dungeons | Practice combat, gather loot, and learn the feel of the game. | [3][5]Forum posts & guides |
| Start basic alchemy | Cheap, scalable healing and income source from plants you pick anyway. | [2][7]Video guides |
| Grab a free/early horse | Faster exploration, less time slogging between objectives. | [5][8]Guides |
| Don’t rush main quest | Gives time to gear up and explore guild lines before tough fights like Kvatch. | [9][7]Reddit & videos |
| Use the difficulty slider | Prevents sudden difficulty spikes from ruining your first playthrough. | [4][7]Forum advice |
SEO Bits (Meta & Keywords)
Meta description: Wondering what to do first in Oblivion after leaving the sewers? Learn the best early moves: guilds to join, places to sleep, starter dungeons, difficulty tips, and more.
This post naturally weaves in phrases like what to do first in Oblivion, early quests, guilds, and community forum discussion, matching how players search for beginner tips and latest advice on starting the game today.
[10][5][8]TL;DR – First Few Hours Plan
- Make a sewer‑exit save and confirm your build.
- Secure a free bed/storage and join Mages + Fighters Guilds.
- Clear a few easy dungeons, start alchemy, and look for a horse.
- Unlock the main quest path but don’t feel pressured to rush Kvatch.
- Tune the difficulty slider and focus on having fun, not perfection. [4][7][5][8]
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
