You just got into Oblivion, or you're playing Oblivion again and the level system isn't completely broken, items and characters aren't stuck in the backrooms, and the game doesn't crash every fifteen minutes. This feels like a dream! But whether you're rushing through as many quests as possible or still stuck in the character build planning phase, maybe something has nagged at you?

"Dawnfang and Duskfang are the coolest sword ever! But I'm only level three, it's useless after I reach level ten! And what about the quest I just accepted? Won't this mundane amulet turn into a crappy attribute buff unless I wait? Is there even a point to doing quests right now?"

Absolutely, yes, it doesn't matter, and yes. Even without the extreme difficulty Oblivion scaling is known for, so many things in the game are powerscaled in level brackets when they are spawned, meaning that if you want the true form of a legendary artifact (or at least something worth selling) you'll have to wait a LONG time before they hit their caps. I'd like the premise to an extent, there are enough weapons and armor in each category that your hero's gear can evolve very differently from playthrough to playthrough, but a lot of these are available fairly early on in progression if you choose to commit to any one path, and actively avoiding rewards can take the wind out of your sails very fast.

If you don't want to forsake progression entirely, or just hate standing in an inn casting minor life detect while sneaking into a corner for hours, there are still plenty of effective weapons and armor pieces lying around the world that your dealer doesn't tell you about. Or maybe you still hate levels, I don't judge until drain health walks in. Check out one of these items, a lot are really good! Some are helpful, a means of taking random loot rolls out of factor, and others are better than, well a rusted dagger. By the time it's obsolete you'll have access to artifact quests, sigil stones, magetallow candles or your recommendations for the Arcane University.

Items across the overworld for very early characters to use.

A far more humble set of starting gear right outside the Imperial Sewers, across the bridge and atop a crumbled level above the rest of the ruins. A fine steel bow is not too shabby, and comes with a complimentary emerald ring, pair of five damage shock arrows, and even a scroll of absorb marksman to hold onto until you realize you'll never actually use it. Further north is a hollowed out tower containing the scroll of minor soul trap, all in all a great place to stop before Weynon Priory.

You know it as the Ayleid ruins west of the Imperial City, and unlike the ring you can't miss it. Just underwater of the outward edge straying north is a ring. Good luck finding it. No seriously. Fortify destruction by eight!

Here's a unique helm that offers elven level defense and a number of useful effects for exploration. As the name suggests it gives you waterbreathing, it also provides night eye and detect life in a small radius, perfect for the dungeon explorer. Sinderion is in shambles. Travel to the lady stone right from the Anvil docks, then move west to the island. Dive past the other side and look for bones on the seafloor. I got this view from a sideways angle, if you see these rocks move straight ahead.

At any level, goblin berserkers may carry a dwarven shield at a 25% chance, equal with leather, steel, and chainmail. And dwarven stuff is level six, so you're basically skipping the line to get it if you venture in and out of goblin caves.


South of Sancre Tor is a bridge on the way to Chorrol, and under the waterfalls next to it you'll find this ring. Fortify sneak by six. What, you don't see it?

At the bottom level of Fort Rayles is a steel axe with five points of shock damage on a ledge by the bridge a couple of conjurers are patrolling. Look for the unfortunate skeleton. The fort is south of Cloudtop, you know where Cloudtop is, right? The Fingers of the Mountain spell should be taken immediately, by the way.

Some ways north of Kvatch's west side is a vampire lair, and at the bottom of this fort is a soul trapping weapon. It's on a large podium with other goodies. If you can't reach it, just build a pile of pumpkins. But no seriously, you may not be able to get that high. If you want help, east of the Imperial City is the steed stone which will grant you two minutes of parkour serendipity.

There's a slough off the south end of the Niben Bay. It's not a river, Any Austin has a whole video on the subject. At the end of said slough is Redwater fort, and a cave across it contains a steel shortsword of five frost damage. The first room you enter has a coffin on the north wall, take a dive inside and hope no skeletons send you to the Gravelord's domain.


Check along the canyon west of Skingrad. East of the fort is a skeleton by some rocks is a generic silver dagger with a four point, four second mana drain. Any mana drain at all will be welcome for a peasant atronach sign. Use this terribly suspicious deer for reference.

Fort Bootycall is just east of the shrine of Nocturnal, atop a formation of marshes. At the upper level of the exterior space is a chest, and across from the chest is a bunch of leaves. The amulet is tucked in there, it may jitter like hell and fall onto a nearby platform. Fortify luck by eight.

Directly east down the road from Cheydinhal, on a ledge against the outer wall on the south side. Look outside the structure for the heaping pile of gold, it should be above. Just hop up there and shimmy against the outcropping circle. Fortify speed by six.

Moving into ye aulde Shivering Isles is the museum of oddities, and most of everything you can gather for the museum (save the odd dagger) is worthless. However, the one item present in the museum is a ring that grants water breathing and water walking when worn. This requires robbing Una, who doesn't seem to care at all? I mean I know her memory is bad...

Speaking of oddities, in an urn filled with Din's ashes (may the trivia section rest his soul) you'll find an amulet with some disease resistance and waterbreathing in case you needed it in jewelry form.

This bow can be found at the second level of Dire Warren in a submerged stream to the southwest end. The only requirement is entering the Shivering Isles proper through completion of Through The Fringe of Madness and surviving the delve. It has no enchantment and is simply a worse elven bow. Being worse than an elven bow still translates to stronger than silver and weaker than dwarven, so make of it what you will.

Grummites have their own scaling equipment, including maces equivalent to fine steel or daggers better than silver, which are fair options while making the first trek into the isles.

Last and certainly least is the iron cuirass at Fort Cedrian with 7 poison resist moving on.

No matter when you quest for these items, they will always be the same.

Who could possibly forget the soul sucking infernal blade of Clavicus Vile!? Not me…
To get the sword you must travel to Vin Deisel (directly south of the Imperial City bridge) and defeat Umbra’s wielder in combat. Except she’s practically this game’s version of the ebony warrior. Let’s talk about that, her armor is leveled but only down to orcish quality, which is still really good for early game assuming you can actually stop her, but that’s outside the scope of this guide. (paralyze helps some) Umbra itself is the star of the show. It is more powerful than even daedric longswords and has a two minute soul trap effect for good measure. The only downside is that you must give it up in order to complete Clavicus Vile’s quest, and by proxy gain access to the Oghma Infinium. If that isn’t a problem you can relish the power of the greatest raw damage in the game, all the souls you can collect in an endless feedback loop, and the prevention of a long winded chain of events leading to a flying city besieging the Imperial Capital.

Available in the tomb where the player confronts Agarmir in Unfriendly Competition. Agarmir's Debaser is leveled. Thoronir's Weatherward Circlet is leveled. The freaking elven mace with 10 frost damage that steals attack strength from your opponent is available on level one, and that's exactly how we like it. And that's on a quest that Bethesda wants to yell into your face to engage with no less. Unless you really, really want your 0.7 scale breton boy to wield the fully upgraded Sting as a trademark, the mace is certainly worth passing up the rest of the rewards, which are still at a decent sell value mind you.

Once you reach 10 fame the countess of Bruma sends for you to engage in a quest, Lifting the Vale. The objective is to find the hidden Pale Pass and retrieve the Draconian Madstone. She expects you to offer the amulet to her in return for a crappy leveled ring that gives you agility and minor magic resistance. The amulet in question has 50% resist disease and poison. If you are playing an argonian, redguard, high elf or wood elf, that guarantees you'll be immune to the respective effect that isn't already maxed, and doubling those resistances is nothing to sneeze at either. Keep the amulet or take it back after the quest is complete. In addition, the way leading to the Serpent's Trail has a bit of a treasure hunt waiting for you. Find four containers in sequence, starting with the frozen barrel by the lake near the fort. In the final chest is the Circlet of Omnipotence, which adds three to agility, endurance, strength, speed, and willpower. A lot of small bonuses that aid a warrior type fighter.

Originally I was gonna leave the hunt to be discovered until attempting it myself for verification. No one without a guide should ever have to look for these stupid chests, so here are arrows pointing at their locations. That I had to get. Thrice.





The Udyrfrykte's are back. Go to Dive Rock in the mountains north of Cheydinhal, just look for a place where you might have a really sick view. An invisible troll will jump you, slaying the beast will reveal the sorry remains of Svenja from Bloodmoon. In honor of avenging her honor (again) you may wield a bow with 15 frost damage and more damage than an elven bow. Use it well.

Light armored blade builds rejoice! If you cross the river from the north end of Leyawiin you can find a unique set of armor belonging to the late Brusef Amelion. The armor has the statistics of chainmail, comes with a shield, and has an enchanted cuirass with 6% frost shield and silver longsword with five points frost damage at the dungeon's end ripe for the pickings. The rest of the pieces are strewn about with reckless abandon, but since the models for these pieces is a WHITE EBONY SET it shouldn't be too hard to find if you check each end of every corner. The greaves are tucked behind the grave with the cuirass and sword, all the other pieces are in the first area, some being hidden behind props. These are quest items technically, but they are treated as normal equipment that can be dropped. The fighters guild quest associated with the tomb is fairly late in the progression and only requires that you hold onto the chest piece and sword, so you can always get better things by then. However, since the set is designed after FREAKING WHITE EBONY (more of a seafoam green I guess) and you have the option to pay it off yourself, you can always put that quest off and keep the set for the swagger.

Though the principle of this guide is to direct you to good loot that bypasses the leveling system, and the mission to slay Azani Blackheart is a while into the fighter's guild, so many of the rewards the guild gives you are practical in the early game that I fully recommend engaging with them whenever you please. The Sinweaver has more power than an elven claymore, and though I would not care for draining fatigue, the ten fire damage is more than welcome on such a sturdy sword. Even if it does weigh 55 POUNDS!!

That's it I'm breaking my own rules. Though the entire principle of this section is that the loot isn't level adjusted, the Ring of Aegis given to you after completing More Unfinished Business will always be better than the same generic loot that randomly appears at the level you obtain it. The maxed version appears at level ten. Incredibly generous by the system's standards, and it gives you a total of 18 shield points! That's like taping an ebony shield to your crotch!

Courtesy of the absolute legend that is Rugdumph gro-Shurgak, it is given to you after retrieving his daughter for the fighter's guild. Functionally it is a silver claymore with the stats of a longsword. This means you'll be forfeiting a shield in return for the two-handed moveset on a faster sword. That's quirky in of itself, but the weirdest thing is the absorb speechcraft effect. On a... sword? I guess the lord consumated that he would walk boldly to the faces of his undressers and break their bones, receding that his words would never hurt them. To seal the deal, the sword also has a five second silencing effect, and that alone makes it worth the work.

What IS IT with the fighters guild having consistently good rewards? For the finale you are given the Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw in its full glory, no levels, ridiculous durability, a full ten points to agility and endurance, and daedric defense. DAEDRIC!!! Just join the fighter's guild, you won't possibly regret it.

Some of the most powerful items are just left out in the open to grab, and assuming you're never caught it won't be a problem. Still, since the really good stuff tends to be property more often than not, I'll just have to create its own section anyways. To supplement the rest of this guide, I'll have to acknowledge the fact that technically these things aren't yours. A truly virtuous warrior would never- okay maybe just one.

The robes and hood of the Black Hand Speakers can be stolen from the homes of J'Ghasta in Bruma (safely secured in a beer keg) and Alval Uvani in Leyawiin (behind a painting over the bed). Of course you aren't supposed to have these until being promoted yourself, but that didn't stop the enterprising thief who happened upon such powerful clothes, and damn if you aren't going to sweep through every job they send you. The robes and hood, combined, provide FIFTEEN points in blade, illusion, marksman, sneak, and speechcraft.

In the arena district are two novices sparring with each other. If you aren't above stealing, the chest behind them can be unlocked manually or by picking the key off the redguard. The bracers inside have a whopping 20 fortify hand-to-hand effect! Be sure to stick around too, just watching them gives you bonus hand-to-hand, permanently, and it can net you a level up. This makes unarmed very viable for the early game.

One of the few pieces of specialty gear that can be robbed, though it's a pair of fur boots with resist 10% shock. Didn't know eels had fur... hrrgh. They are kept in a bedroom, and as fortune would have it a fighter's guild quest specifically has you defending his shop from filthy low-life thieves while he's away. Hold the fort down for him, slay the thieves, and apologize that you were unable to find his missing boots as they had magically teleported into your pants.

There is a balcony accessible by the royal quarters with a ring on the table. Umbranox keeps a tight vigil on the rampant thievery in her port town, and if you're unlucky she may venture upstairs with her bodyguards throughout the day, so be swift about it. The only way down is back the way you came or fast travelling. Fortify restoration by six.

Jesan Sextius keeps plenty of company, but if you can find the opportunity there's a Witch Hunter's Helmet on display in his master bedroom. You know, for witch hunters. It's a steel helmet with a decent 9% resist magic effect, and steel helmets look good.

While you're robbing Anvil blind, may as well hit the Heinrich Oaken-Home. He keeps private quarters with some really valuable loot, including a humble iron dagger with a humble drain 30 fatigue for 10 seconds.

Yes, that's actually what they're called. Calindil keeps them on the desk right in front of the entrance where normally no one would pay them a second glance, and with the Wizard's Tower pre-packaged into remastered now he has Aurelinwae to keep him company. You may want to break in at night, though since there are now two of them if they start talking about mudcrabs you gun it.

These are the dishonorable mentions that transcend the discussion of leveled rewards by being absolute garbage somewhat underwhelming. Even without taking enchantments and sigil stones into account there's no point in stalling these items when there are markedly better options. Grab them whenever you please.

Given in return for Mystery at Harlun's Watch. 4-8 strength isn't a lot but it comes with some reflect damage you might like. The difference overall is still minor at best.

This one was completely absent from the initial guide, I mistakenly thought it was leveled. Talk to Aelwin Merowald, sole proprietor of Weye (for those who thought Kynesgrove was bad) in front of the Imperial City bridge. Ironically the best way to complete Go Fish is with the Fin Gleam, a free helmet that gives you water breathing and helps you pinpoint the slaughterfish. Your reward is a ring... that grants waterbreathing. Too little too late. If a ring slot is more expendable than your helm and amulet outside the short bursts it's necessary, or you're some kind of armor class purist, this also comes with the 4 points into athletics. Again, not leveled. And if you wear it along with the Fin Gleam and Slaughterfish Scale Necklace as an argonian, you unlock a set bonus that melts you into a thin slurry!

There are several rewards on the bodies of the Blades here that have leveling up to level 15 or 20, and a case can be made for most being underwhelming. To enter it you must progress halfway into the main quest, and no other leveled rewards are thrusted upon you as far as I'm aware. The Amulet of Ansei is another basic amulet with a fortify skill effect, 6-10 points in block. Easily replaceable, but it synergises well with Valdemar's Shield, with a modest 6-10% reflect effect and the defense of a steel shield. Might as well take it if you plan on taking a break from the main quest for a while. Northwind, likewise, is an ancient akaviri katana with fixed stats save for its frost enchantment, which is highly replaceable by stronger randoms. You'll probably just be happy to have a katana again. The dai-katana is another two-handed sword with the damage and speed of a one handed weapon. Use it with elemental damage if you really want its moveset. That is infinitely more discussion than I reserve for the pre-enchanted Mishaxhi's Cleaver which has a disintegrate armor effect. It exists solely to annoy you.

Gelebourne, Bradon Lirrian, and Raynil Dralas were treasure hunters, closely bound by brotherhood. Once they had located an Ayleid artifact and had joined their skills once again to obtain it. They did not properly understand the scope of its potential, so they hid it in a chest bound by three locks, each opened with a key held by each member. But Raynil, overcome by greed, decided he would be the one to claim the amulet, and thus he betrayed his comrades. He slew Gelebourne in Skingrad, covered up the murder by planting evidence to paint him as a secret vampire, then took credit as a renown vampire hunter. Riding off the coattails of his lies he repeated the process with Bradon, killing him in his own home with his wife Erline as the lone witness. Determined to prove her husband's innocence she contracts a wanderer to uncover the truth. With Gelebourne's journal in tow they hunt down Raynil, bringing him to justice and claiming the artifact as a just reward for their efforts. Though Bradon had trusted his dear Erline to never speak of the artifact, he did tell her the secret word, "brotherhood", should she ever need to unleash its power to whomever is worthy. In recognition of the noble efforts of this mysterious hero, she unlocks the artifact's true potential and restores it to its full luster that this tragedy may come to a close.

It barely buffs ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ speed.

A cutlass that can be obtained from The Ghost Ship of Anvil, also known as RUN YOU ♥♥♥♥♥ the Quest. Talk to the remarkably well dressed elven lady on a pirate ship at the Anvil docks and she will send you to grab a crystal ball from the wraith infested cargo hold. Even a level one character can open the first door they see, grab the key off the captain's body, then sprint for the chest at the end and run back out, though it will be perilous. It drains fifteen points of health off the target's cap for a whopping six seconds. Cool story, Redwave was secretly a leveled item the whole time, but all six versions of it were the exact same sword! I believed that this version was the same. The level five-nine version, which I tested expecting an improvement, is the default sword, the level one version being even weaker and the maxed level 30 version reaching up to 22 base damage. The enchantment, however, never. Changes. Which keeps me warm knowing that the level 12 masterforge cutlasses have 22 base damage and can be enchanted with something that isn't 15 drain health. Even at level 1 drain health is a mixed bag, good for sneak attacks and nothing else. Once you have one weapon that deals drain you really don't need anymore, which is why I'm more than happy to announce-

To obtain this dagger, one must simply join the Dark Brotherhood and break one of the tenets. The simplest way to achieve this is punching M'raaj-Dar in the face and leaving. The next time you sleep, your ass will be visited by one of three ghosts. This is the Wrath of Sithis, and he carries the dagger in question with him to educate you on the consequences of punching M'raaj-Dar in the face a total of two times before you are permanently expelled from the Brotherhood and sent one more ghost out of spite. As such, you can obtain up to three of these daggers, two if you're practical. The stats are that of a silver dagger, but with an enchantment that gives a few procs of drain health 15 points. For six seconds. The downside is that you have to kill the wraith in your bedroom. Just get the Redwave.

In addition to the items addressed in this guide, a great place to find quality and un-leveled gear comes at a cost even greater than experience grinding: actual currency! Shop owners across the game tend to sell powerful enchanted specialty pieces for exorbitant prices. I'd list them but I'm not fully sure (yet) whether any items can be stolen or are bugged or only appear after reaching 50 mercantile, it's a lot of annoying variables. Explore around town, see if there's something you'll enjoy. If you want gold fast****** you can always join a guild, grab everything that doesn't have red text, then limp over to a novice or apprentice merchant who likes you and just purge everything for as long as your patience lasts. This should net you one or two of the good stuff.


Feel free to check again for any potential updates or missed suggestions. I may even throw in a bonus image or two. You could also just look it up on the wiki, I'm not Rasputin. It's also probable that something changed in the remaster that we aren't aware of, or something may be patched at a later date.