How should I have leveled in Oblivion?

[StaceyPowers]

 @Shagger and @Crazycrab, you both wrote amazingly detailed and thoughtful rants/responses on my discussion about Oblivion’s difficulty with regard to levelling. I am very appreciative of the time you took, and I feel I understand a little bit more now.

I feel like I would understand the most by looking at the example of my own character. If either of you has some time at some point and is willing to help, could you please give me some advice on how I should be levelling?

I am playing a redguard with a custom (probably terribly incorrect) class. I am playing with a single handed weapon, a shield, and conjuration. I wear light armor. What should I have picked as my major skills when I created my class and where should I be putting my points when I level?

[Shagger]

It's difficult to explain how I would set my character up without showing it. When I find the time, I'll boot up the game and take a few screenshots. For now, what's most important to know is what major skills you selected, what level are and what your current attribute stats are. So if you can tell us, that would help. Here's  a couple of basic tips beyond what was discussed in the other thread.

1) Level Endurance as fast as possible. Your health raises by a factor of what you current endurance actually is, so it's vital to max that out as fast as you can. Raising Heavy Armour, even as a lightly armoured rogue, can help with this.

2) Even if you are a warrior, make the "Recommendation" Mages Guild Hall missions a priority. With those done, you can access the spell craft facilities in the Mages Guild proper to craft your own spells. I always make very low power spells form each school to cast on myself to help level up the magic skills. I know your player is a warrior type character, but there are still very helpful magic in the game for you, not to mention this can help raise the attributes of Willpower, Personality and Intelligence as well.

3) For reasons explained in the other thread, I hope you have not picked three skills all governed by the same attribute, but if you have, don't panic. You just have to try to avoid raising your other major skills if you want to raise that attribute. Trainers can be useful for this as they can help you get through a level in this situation very quickly and hopefully avoid being forced to use your other major skills.

Edited December 21, 2019 by Shagger

[StaceyPowers]

@Shagger I think I picked Intelligence, Strength, and ... something else. I will have to update this thread the next time I am playing the game. And more of a warrior-summoner than a straight-up warrior. I heavily rely on conjuration. 

"Level Endurance as fast as possible"

Why does it have to be fast? Is there a long-term consequence if it isn't? Or does it just make it easier earlier on?

[Shagger]

1 minute ago, StaceyPowers said:

@Shagger I think I picked Intelligence, Strength, and ... something else. I will have to update this thread the next time I am playing the game. And more of a warrior-summoner than a straight-up warrior. I heavily rely on conjuration. 

"Level Endurance as fast as possible"

Why does it have to be fast? Is there a long-term consequence if it isn't? Or does it just make it easier earlier on?

 

Every time you level up, the amount of health that is added to your total health bar is increased. How much it increases by is dictated by how high the character's current endurance is. You can grant your character much higher health in total by levelling endurance quickly and maxing it out as early as you can. You don't have to do t that way, but I find it's useful further into the game.