Hardcore Ventures to Tamriel

At last! At long last! Yours truly has sat down with a build of The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™, and, after narrowly dodging the wrath of friends jealous at the thought, has lived to tell the tale. This epic roleplaying game from Bethesda must take many hours to complete, but it's safe to say that twenty hours of play has left with me a few observations … not the least of which are a few key points on taking the less self-indulgent, more difficult, and (in the end) more gratifying route. Read on and learn!

The Magic Route
The theory that brains over brawn leads to a more cerebral and more difficult experience is an old axiom in roleplaying games (RPGs), and it remains true here. Put simply, charging into battle with sword and shield is the most direct resolution to conflict; while satisfying, it should not be the hardcore gamer's default path.

Need a serious challenge? Dominate
with fists and fists alone. Good luck.

Adding to this rule of thumb is the sheer variety of spells to use. Oblivion goes above and beyond the standard "heal / lightning bolt / fireball" spell-casting so often found in RPGs. My recommendation is a staunch loyalty to the Restoration, Conjuration, and Illusion schools of magic. Try using spells from those schools to pass each challenge and you'll find forward thinking and ingenuity will be your most valued assets. That's a hardcore approach I can get behind.

Now that's some hardcore armor.

You're a Hero, Not a Merchant
Though the patience required to pick up each bit of trash-loot from a dungeon, haul it back to town, sell it, return to the dungeon, and repeat the process is a trait to be applauded, it can't be recommended. Fattening your purse with such tactics is a product of sheer labor, not careful contemplation, and, frankly, keeps you from the meat of the game.

Pick and choose the items you take back with you carefully: Rare jewels, artifacts, master-crafted weaponry and armor (though that stuff is heavy), rare books, and exotic plants should be your focus, not just sheer volume of merchandise and a hope that you get lucky. Remember that each merchant represents a unique form of trade, so don't pawn off weapons on the general-goods trader, potion ingredients to the blacksmith, or armor to the apothecary.

Put that bloody sword away and use your noggin!

Explore!
This fast-travel feature is well and good when you're all ready to head to another town, but, beyond that, it strikes me as the lazy-gamer's means of travel. Plus, you have to explore the world to uncover all the good stuff anyway—there's no fast-travel shortcut. The good folks at Bethesda have crafted an intricate world brimming with secrets, treasures, and spontaneous adventures. Don't do them the disservice of not experiencing the rich reward of exploring the wonders of Tamriel.

Unarmed, I'm Serious
The plethora of unique and powerful weapons to be used in Oblivion precludes me from suggesting that you follow this advice on your first play-through, but if you're any kind of RPG fan, you may find yourself "rolling" a new character before long. When you do, consider playing them as an unarmed specialist. Yes, the skill is there; it is possible to dominate with fists and fists alone. Need a serious challenge? Crank up the difficulty and give this hardcore suggestion a go. Good luck.

I wonder if fur burns.

Natural Progression
Little perturbs me more than a skill not properly gained. With the natural skill progression found in Oblivion, it's easier to do here than in most games. Because your skills and spells progress the more you use them, you can find empty spots in time (such as when traveling) to simply repeat an action over and over again to progress your skill. Of course, the better your skills get, the harder they are to increase and the longer it takes.

So if you find yourself jumping up and down over and over again like a stark-raving lunatic just to bump your Athletics skill up, I'm taking your hardcore certificate away from you. That nonsense doesn't fly here.

Article by Hardcore