Mastering the Oblivion Character Creator: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the Foundations

Accessing the Character Creation Menu

The character creation process is easily accessible from the main menu. Begin a new game, and the character creation screen will immediately present itself. Here, the true artistry begins. This menu acts as the digital canvas for your creation, where you’ll bring your imagination to life.

Choosing Your Race

One of the most significant decisions you’ll make is selecting your race. This choice determines not only your character’s appearance but also their starting attributes, skills, and inherent abilities. This seemingly simple choice will greatly influence how you’ll approach gameplay.

The available races are diverse and each brings a unique flavor to the game: Imperials, Bretons, Nords, Redguards, High Elves (Altmer), Wood Elves (Bosmer), Dark Elves (Dunmer), Orcs (Orsimer), Khajiit, and Argonians. Every race has its strengths and weaknesses, influenced by both their heritage and the environment they call home.

Imperials are renowned for their diplomatic skills and are well-suited for roles involving persuasion and trade. Bretons possess a natural affinity for magic, offering advantages to mages and spellcasters. Nords are hardy warriors, strong in combat and resistant to the harsh elements. Redguards are skilled swordsmen, thriving in melee combat. High Elves are gifted with magical prowess, specializing in the arcane arts. Wood Elves excel in archery and stealth, making them perfect for ranged combat. Dark Elves are adept at both magic and combat, combining the best of both worlds. Orcs are formidable fighters, known for their brute strength and combat skills. Khajiit are agile and stealthy, making them suitable for thieves and assassins. Argonians are resilient and adapted to swampy environments, offering unique advantages.

Each race boasts distinct skill bonuses. A Nord, for instance, will typically have bonuses to skills like Blade and Block, while a Breton might have bonuses to skills like Conjuration and Mysticism. These initial boosts can significantly impact the early stages of the game.

Understanding your race allows for an informed decision. Think about how you want to play. Do you envision a stealthy assassin, a towering warrior, or a master mage? Your choice of race should complement your chosen play style and can make or break your enjoyment of the game.

Choosing Your Gender

This is a straightforward choice with a noticeable visual difference. Gender affects the availability of certain dialogue options, and, in the context of the game’s romance system (if you choose to engage with it), the potential partners you may pursue.

Quick Versus Advanced Creation

Oblivion offers two creation modes: quick and advanced. Quick creation allows you to rapidly establish the basics of your character, offering a selection of pre-set faces and body types. Advanced creation opens the doors to detailed character customization, granting granular control over every aspect of your character’s appearance. We highly recommend advanced creation to truly realize the vision you have for your character.

A Deep Dive into Appearance

This is where the Oblivion character creator truly shines, offering unparalleled customization options. Let’s explore the detailed parameters that will help you craft a truly unique individual.

Head Customization

This is where your character’s personality takes form.

Presets

The preset options provide a starting point for your character’s head. Scroll through them to see which option you like best. Remember, these are not the final results. They’re simply jumping-off points. Select one that speaks to your vision, even if it’s just to use as a base to start your modifications.

Facial Features

Fine-tune your character’s features to achieve the desired look:

• Adjusting Face Shape and Size: Modify the jawline, cheekbones, and overall face shape to get the perfect facial structure.
• Eye Customization: Change eye shape, size, and color. Experiment with various hues to see what fits your character.
• Nose Customization: Fine-tune the size, shape, and position of the nose to match your overall character concept.
• Mouth Customization: Adjust the lips, jaw size, and mouth shape to enhance expression.
• Eyebrow Customization: Explore the different eyebrow styles and colors available.
• Ears: Adjust the size, shape, and position of the ears.

Hair Styles and Colors

Choose the perfect hairstyle and color to complete your character’s look. The options are extensive, spanning from simple to elaborate styles, allowing for various expressions of personality.

Body Customization

• Height and Body Type Adjustments: Adjust the height and build of your character. Consider how these elements contribute to their role in the game.
• Muscle Definition: (This is more prominent with certain character types). Fine-tune the muscle definition.

Skin Tone and Complexion

• Skin Color Options: Select the skin color to match the race you’ve chosen.
• Ageing: Add lines and wrinkles.
• Makeup/War Paint: (Optional). Consider war paint and makeup to further define your character.

Lighting and Camera Angles

Pay close attention to the in-game lighting and camera angles. The angle and light can change the way your character looks, so rotate your character and check different areas on the character creation screen.

Class Selection and Its Significance

The Oblivion character creator continues by letting you choose a class.

Premade Classes versus Custom Classes

The game offers premade classes, like Warrior, Mage, and Thief, which come with pre-defined skills and equipment. Alternatively, you can create a custom class. This provides more flexibility and allows you to tailor your character’s skills and stats to your specific playstyle.

How Class Affects Gameplay

Your class heavily influences your character’s starting skills and equipment. For example, a Warrior class starts with skills like Blade and Heavy Armor at higher levels.

Skills and Their Impact

The skill system is crucial. Each skill improves through use, influencing combat abilities, crafting, and social interactions.

Birthsign’s Influence

The birthsign, chosen during character creation, grants unique passive bonuses and effects.

Essential Tips and Techniques

Crafting a memorable character requires thought and a creative process.

Planning Your Character

Think about the character’s history and aspirations. Consider how these details translate into your appearance and choices.

Character Backstory/Roleplaying Considerations

What experiences have shaped your character? What are their goals and motivations?

Choose a play style and character goals and how to reflect this in your choices.

Consider skills and attributes. Ensure that your skills and attributes complement your chosen role in the game.

Using Reference Images

Find inspiration for character appearance. Searching for images, even if not from Oblivion, can help you visualize your creation.

Experimentation and Iteration

Do not be afraid to experiment with different features and options.

Saving and Starting Over

Take advantage of the save feature within the character creator. This allows you to revisit previous decisions.

Limitations of the Character Creator

Be aware of the limitations of the character creator. Consider what you want to achieve with your character and whether the available options can bring your vision to life.

Community Resources and the Power of Mods

Online resources can assist you in creating your character, as well as mods.

Online Resources for Inspiration

Forums and websites such as those dedicated to the Elder Scrolls series host forums where you can find inspiration for your character.

Mods That Enhance Character Creation

Mods can expand the character creator. Options include enhanced face textures, more diverse hair styles, and other additions.

How to Install and Use Mods

Mods are simple to install; follow the installation instructions.

Final Thoughts and Further Exploration

The Oblivion character creator is a powerful tool, and by using the information in this guide, you can create any character. Don’t be afraid to experiment, make adjustments, and enjoy the process. Oblivion is a game that allows you to choose your journey.

Embrace the experience! Have fun.