Oblivion In-Depth Guide to the Enchantment System

1. Understanding Enchantment: Core Mechanisms and Applications

Enchantment is a pivotal gameplay mechanic in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, allowing players to transcend stat limits, achieve immunity to physical and magical damage, and dominate enemies even on Master difficulty. Whether through pre-made enchanted items or custom creations, mastering enchantment is essential for high-intensity builds. This guide breaks down how to craft, customize, and utilize enchanted gear effectively.

2. Two Methods to Enchant Items

2.1 Enchanting with Sigil Stones

What are Sigil Stones?
Sigil Stones are magical artifacts obtained by closing Oblivion Gates. Each stone carries a unique enchantment effect that behaves differently when applied to weapons or armor. For example:

A "Superior Sigil Stone" might drain 60 mana from enemies when enchanted on a weapon.
The same stone on armor could permanently increase mana by 50 points.

How to Use Them:

Select the Sigil Stone from your inventory.
Choose the weapon or armor you wish to enchant.
Confirm the enchantment.

Key Notes:

Sigil Stones have levels determined by your character's level when obtained. Aim to close Oblivion Gates at level 17+ to acquire "Superior Sigil Stones," which offer the strongest effects (twice as powerful as custom enchantments).
Use save-scumming (save before picking up the stone, reload if the effect is undesirable) to farm desired enchantments.

2.2 Custom Enchantments

For more control, use an enchantment table. Two locations offer these:

Arcane University (Capital City): Accessible after completing seven Mage Guild recommendation quests.
Twin Lamps (northern map): Activate the table with a Candelarum purchased from a magic shop (expensive but worth it for early access).

Requirements:

Spell Knowledge: You must know the spell corresponding to the enchantment effect, with relevant magic skills at the required level (e.g., 50 in Destruction for a "Weakness to Fire" enchantment).
Soul Gems: Empty or filled gems are needed. The soul's strength (petty, grand, etc.) determines the enchantment's power:
- Petty Souls (e.g., rats) allow effects up to intensity 15.
- Grand Souls (e.g., ogres) support intensity 85.

Capturing Souls:

Buy empty soul gems from merchants or loot them in dungeons (higher character levels yield better gems).
Use the "Soul Trap" spell (requires 25 in Mysticism) on non-humanoid enemies (monsters, not humans or daedra). For humanoid souls, use Black Soul Gems (covered in a separate guide).
Summon creatures like Scamps (via maxed Conjuration) to farm Grand Souls repeatedly.

3. Crafting a Custom Enchantment: Step-by-Step

Access the Enchantment Table: Select your item (weapons allow multiple effects; armor allows one).
Choose Effects: Pick spells you know, ensuring their intensity does not exceed the soul gem's capacity.
Balance Duration and Intensity: Shorter durations (e.g., 2-3 seconds) allow higher intensity for damage effects.
Name Your Item and confirm the enchantment, ensuring you have enough gold to cover costs.

Example: The "Weakness Trap Dagger"

Effects (in order):

Shock Damage (top effect).
Weakness to Shock (100% intensity, 3 seconds).
Weakness to Magic (100% intensity, 3 seconds).

Mechanism:

Each hit applies stacking weaknesses. For example:
- 1st hit: 100% magic weakness → 200% shock weakness.
- 2nd hit: 200% magic weakness → 300% shock weakness.
By the 4th hit, damage is amplified by 16x, easily defeating Master-difficulty enemies.

4. Recharging Enchanted Items

Enchantments consume charges (based on soul strength):

Petty Soul: 400 charges.
Grand Soul: 1600 charges.

Recharging Methods:

Soul Gems: Use filled gems in your inventory to replenish charges.
Mage Guild Services: Pay a mage in towns to recharge all items at once.
Varla Stones: Rare stones found in elven ruins that fully recharge all enchanted gear instantly.

5. Tips for Mastery

Farm Grand Souls: Use summoned creatures or high-level monsters to stock up on powerful soul gems.
Prioritize Enchantment Tables: Unlock the Arcane University table for immersive progression or use the Twin Lamps shortcut for efficiency.
Experiment with Combos: Combine elemental weaknesses with direct damage for exponential effects, as shown in the Weakness Trap Dagger example.

With this guide, you’re equipped to harness Oblivion’s enchantment system to create game-breaking builds and conquer even the toughest challenges. Share your unique enchantments in the comments and stay tuned for more advanced strategies!

Happy enchanting!