Best class in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Wondering which class is best in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered? There are 21 pre-made classes to choose from at the start of Oblivion, from the self-explanatory Archer to the unorthodox Pilgrim. Each of these classes comes equipped with a smattering of skills, some of which are extremely useful, some of which are useless.

The only way to get a precise combination of skills is to create a Custom Class, which was the path often recommended by many players of the original Oblivion game when it came out in 2006. That said, there's nothing wrong with selecting a ready-made class from the getgo, particularly if you're a new player who doesn't feel like adjusting skill points. In this guide, we'll rank all 21 pre-built Oblivion classes, offering insights on which class is the best. We'll also present some advice on which attributes and skills to prioritise if you decide to go the Custom Class route.

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Best class in Oblivion Remastered

The best class in Oblivion is the Spellsword, who combines magic and melee in a potent combo that is likely to maximise your enjoyment, especially if you're a first-time player. The Sorcerer is our choice for the next best pick.

Each of Oblivion's 21 prebuilt classes specializes in either combat, magic, or stealth. For a quick rundown of all of the classes, their specialization, the attributes that they stress, and the skills at their disposal, take a peek at the following table. Each class is outlined in detail and ranked further below.

21. Healer

Healers heal - and not much else. They don't start with any way to reliably deal damage, unless you go all-out with Destruction. They have absolutely no proficiency with Blunt or Blade, meaning they're squishy as heck. Sure, you can talk your way out of some fights and stay alive, but playing a Healer isn't going to be much fun unless you want to give yourself a challenge.

20. Acrobat

Acrobats are agile combatants who specialise in using Agility and Endurance to outlast a foe on the battlefield. This sounds fine in theory, but in practice it isn't great, especially when the Acrobat's major damage skill - Blade - requires Strength. Sure, you can Block with your Endurance attribute, but this mismatch of skills and attributes makes this class a poor choice.

19. Rogue

Rogues stab stuff and get by with the force of their personality. But there are tonnes of other classes here that do basically the same, but much more effectively - check out the Agent, Assassin, Nightblade, Thief, or even the Scout if you like this style of play. The inclusion of the Rogue, alas, is rather redundant.

18. Monk

I like playing as Monks in other games, but the ready-made version in Oblivion isn't great. Your damage output is mediocre, and with Agility and Willpower as your main attributes, you're going to be pretty squishy in a stressful combat situation. Hand-to-Hand just isn't a great skill in Oblivion, alas.

17. Pilgrim

Pilgrims are meant for players who want to emphasise travelling around the world of Cyrodiil, talking to folks, and surviving scraps by the skin of their teeth. It's sort of a generic 'adventurer' class in some ways, but the combination of skills here is objectively worse than the Bard, who does similar things but with much more gusto.

16. Barbarian

Barbarians rush into the fray of battle, unafraid of damage, but their pre-built setup honestly isn't that much better than any other class. Frankly, Oblivion is also a game where spellcasting or a hybrid spell/melee setup tends to shine more than pure melee. For a more effective choice, you can at least go with the Warrior, as Endurance is more vital than having Strength and Speed.

15. Battlemage

Battlemages are pretty similar to Spellswords, but with an emphasis on Strength and Intelligence instead of Endurance and Willpower. While they start with a wider array of skills, allowing them access to more magic than the Spellsword, they feel like the lesser choice. If you're actually going to jump into the throes of combat to fire off spells, it makes sense to have at least one skill that increases Endurance.

14. Thief

Thieves specialise in picking open locks with Security, haggling stolen goods via Mercantile and Speechcraft, and occasionally shooting a guy with Marksman. This is all well and good, but they lack proficiency with Blade and Illusion, making them worse than the Agent, who does most of the same things.

13. Scout

Scouts in Oblivion are a bit like rangers, emphasising movement in the wilderness and a handy array of skills that ensure survivability. They come designed for melee rather than ranged attacking out of the box, and you'll need to max out Endurance, Speed, and Strength to keep them competitive with other classes. They're middle-of-the-road, but not terrible.

12. Archer

The Archer hits things from afar with their bow and is a straightforward, reliable class. With Agility and Strength as their key attributes and plenty of decent skills like Blade, Blunt, and Marksman, they're flexible in most combat scenarios. To make a more effective Archer, level up the Armorer skill to ensure that you aren't so squishy and can gain Endurance bonuses.

11. Warrior

Warriors are no-nonsense fighters who excel with all martial weapons. Their major skills encompass everything you could possibly need in combat, and they're a very easy class for newbies. Since spellcasting and engaging in a bit of roleplay are objectively more interesting in Oblivion than just bashing your way to victory, they're effective, but a little dull.

10. Knight

Knights are decent do-gooders who attack with Strength and specialise in Speechcraft, letting them talk down enemies with the art of chivalry. They're fine melee combatants and a good roleplaying choice, as long as you continuously put points into your Strength, Personality, and Endurance attributes. I like them more than Warriors, but prefer Crusaders and Bards.

9. Nightblade

Nightblades strike from the shadows and rely on dexterity and an effective blend of Destruction and Blade to kill their enemies. This is similar to the Assassin build in some ways, minus the Marksmanship. Unfortunately, the Nightblade doesn't have Sneak as a major skill, which is an odd choice, and why we're ranking the Assassin higher.

8. Witchhunter

The Witchhunter's like the Spellsword, but with a focus on archery instead of melee. This would be a better class if it had some skill to bump up Endurance. Without that, they're pretty squishy - but not a bad shout if you like the idea of alternating between arrows and Destruction spells.

7. Crusader

The Crusader uses Restoration magic to heal friends, and their skill with both Blade and Blunt means that they can smite foes pretty decently, too. This is Oblivion's take on a cleric or paladin, and it's a good choice of class. If you want to fortify your Willpower to make the most of a Crusader, choosing a birthsign like the Lady will help, giving you an extra +10 boost.

6. Bard

Bards in Oblivion are a little different from the norm - instead of busting out killer tunes on lutes and whatnot, they instead focus on Alchemy, Illusion, and Speechcraft to get the drop on opponents. So, more of a swashbuckler than a bard in some ways. At any rate, this is a quality class that offers up a great smattering of melee, spellcraft, and showmanship, and is a nice choice for a Breton character.

5. Agent

Agents are like a combination between the Archer, Acrobat, and Rogue, with an additional focus on using Illusion to sneak past fights and charm foes. They're a good combination of many of the best features of other classes, and if you're playing a race with a focus on talking your way through conflicts - like the Imperials - the Agent might be right up your alley.

4. Mage

Mages really take advantage of Oblivion's emphasis on spellcraft, and they're the only pre-built class with major skills in every single school of magic. For a pure wizard, this is a great class to go with if you want all of the arcane arts at your disposal from the getgo with very little faff.

3. Assassin

The Assassin kills stealthily without leaving any trace behind. For stealth-based characters, this is the best ready-made class that you can choose. Maximise Sneak as much as possible when you level up to ensure that your stealth attacks from the shadows remain effective, and Security is also worthwhile if you want to open locked doors quickly.

2. Sorcerer

If the Mage is a jack-of-all-trades with it comes to all magic schools, the Sorcerer is the rebel who shuns Illusion for Heavy Armor, letting them tank a bit while blasting opponents at close-range. This is a class for spellcasters who want to have lots of magic at their disposal, but refuse to stay on the edges of the battlefield like the Mage.

1. Spellsword

Spellswords are excellently tailored to Oblivion, offering up the right combo of swordsmanship and magic to take down most obstacles in the early game and beyond. Heavy Armor and Block ensure survivability; Destruction and Restoration provide strengths similar to the Crusader, and Alteration and Illusion are good spell schools to dabble in when all else fails. A great class all-around.

Creating a custom class in Oblivion Remastered

Creating a custom class is the way to go to get that highly specific build you desire. If you'd rather do this than go with one of the pre-build classes above, use the following tables to keep track of which specializations use which skills, and which skills go with which attributes.

Keep the following in mind as you select skills:

• Acrobatics and Athletics aren't as good as they first appear. Acrobatics is occasionally nice for jumping away from enemies, but this rarely comes into play in the depths of a dungeon. You can also increase Acrobatics easily by bunny hopping as you explore, so it's probably not worth emphasising as a Major Skill. Athletics, meanwhile, only determines how fast you run and swim, which has limited use.
• Hand-to-Hand damage is sadly mediocre, and if you specialise in it, you won't be able to use any of the sweet magic weapons that lie around Oblivion's world, which is half of the fun of the game. Only select it if you really want to go with a martial artist roleplay build.
• Instead of taking both Blunt and Blade, it pays to specialise in one from the getgo. Swords or maces - you gotta choose!
• Endurance is probably the most important attribute, as it determines how your HP rises after you level up. If you bump up Endurance from the getgo, you'll have plenty of HP by the time enemies get tougher in the endgame.
• Restoration is useful no matter what class you make. If you don't pay Restoration any mind, you'll be forced to resort to healing potions for the entirety of the game.

That finishes our look at which class is the best in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, as well as our advice for rolling your custom class. For more on customising your avatar, check out our guides on the best birthsign and the best race. If you'd like your character to take a darker turn, see our guide on how to become a vampire, and if you're simply hoping to shut down all of those pesky portals, it won't hurt to read up on how to shut Oblivion gates.