Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Jump to:
  • How do Skills work?
  • How to increase skills
  • Major Skills and Minor Skills
  • Skill abilities and talents
Don't miss these
The best Windrose build
Survival Games Best Windrose builds to get high damage and destroy enemies
Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls The Elder Scrolls 6: Everything we know so far
Starfield backgrounds lin and heller
RPGs All Starfield backgrounds and the best ones to pick
Starfield XP level up
RPGs How to farm Starfield XP and level up quickly
Arc Raiders automaton in a headset
Third Person Shooters Embark tells Arc Raiders fans expect "significant changes" to skill tree, admits many skills suck
Three of the Heroes of Might and Magic Olden Era Skills.
Strategy Games Best Heroes Olden Era Skills and how to reach elite class
Starfield ending explained
RPGs Todd Howard thinks the message behind Starfield's original New Game Plus "got lost on a lot of people"
Attributes and Stats in Saros
Roguelike Games Drive, Command, Resilience and Proficiency in Saros explained
Starfield traits options chosen
RPGs All Starfield traits and the best ones to pick
Starfield New Game Plus
RPGs Starfield New Game Plus explained
Crimson Desert: Macduff looking out into the distance during the new game, Crimson Desert.
RPGs The ultimate Crimson Desert guide for exploring Pywel
Permanent Upgrades in Saros
Roguelike Games All abilities and permanent upgrades in Saros
The Future of Starfield branding
RPGs Here's the 5 biggest changes coming to Starfield this April, from interplanetary travel to more varied exploration
no rest for the wicked builds
Action RPGs How to create the best builds in No Rest For The Wicked
Games like Skyrim: Gerlat giving a thumbs up during the Witcher 3 Wild Hunt.
RPGs The best games like Skyrim to play in 2026
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. RPGs
  3. The Elder Scrolls
  4. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

Skills and the Skill system in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered explained

Guides
By Joel Franey published 25 April 2025

The Oblivion Remastered skill system is based on usage and multipliers

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Oblivion Remastered skills
(Image credit: Bethesda)
Jump to:
  • How do Skills work?
  • How to increase skills
  • Major Skills and Minor Skills
  • Skill abilities and talents
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Oblivion Remastered skills and the system built around them have been slightly changed since the original, though some things remain the same. As you use abilities across your time in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered tied to certain skills, they'll improve accordingly to superb results.

That being said, this system isn't the most intuitive thing, so we figured it was worth an explanation for both those who are new to Cyrodiil and those who want to know what elements have changed since last time. Here's how skills work in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered, and what you need to do to improve them.

How do Skills in Oblivion Remastered work?

Oblivion Remastered skills

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Skills in Oblivion Remastered improve as you use the abilities tied to those skills. For example, your Security skill improves as you keep trying the Oblivion Remastered lockpicking minigame, and your Blade skill improves as you fight people with swords. Effectively this is the idea of practice makes perfect – the more you do something in Elder Scrolls 4, the better you'll become at it.

Article continues below
You may like
  • Avowed ranger creating vines to grab bandit All Avowed skill trees and abilities explained
  • An icon for one of the many Starfield skills. All Starfield skills and the best to unlock first
  • Crimson Desert Most powerful skills in Crimson Desert to learn early

As skills improve, you'll unlock new abilities at certain levels, as well as generally improving the talent as a rule. For example, going unarmed in Oblivion Remastered scales your damage to your Hand-to-Hand stat, but you can also get individual perks and new ways to punch people at specific milestones. You can check how far you are in the Skills tab of the Character menu.

How to increase skills

Oblivion Remastered skills

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Skills in Oblivion Remastered can be increased in numerous ways, though the one I outlined just above is by far the most common. Still, there are other options, some permanent, some temporary.

  • Find a trainer (Permanent). Certain NPCs will improve a specific skill if paid to do so.
  • Skill books (Permanent). Certain books improve specific skills when read, and serve as special treasures hidden around the world.
  • Race (Permanent). The species you choose to play as can grant permanent skill buffs. The best race in Oblivion Remastered for Acrobatics, for example, is the Khajiit.
  • Equipment (Temporary). Certain weapons and armor will improve skills when worn.
  • Vampirism (Permanent). Being a vampire improves certain skills, like Hand-to-Hand and Sneak. The effect is permanent, unless you go about the rigmarole of learning how to cure Vampirism in Oblivion Remastered.

Major Skills and Minor Skills

Oblivion Remastered skills

(Image credit: Bethesda)

When picking out the best class in Oblivion Remastered, you'll get both major skills and minor skills. Major Skills are those 7 specific skills tied to the class that make sense for it to know (such as a Thief knowing the Sneak skill, among others). Minor skills are all the others that aren't tied to the class you pick.

Major skills get a +20 bonus off the bat when you pick the class, and level up faster through use. Minor skills level up more slowly, but can still be levelled through use all the same, it's just a matter of speed.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Skill abilities and talents

Oblivion Remastered skills

(Image credit: Bethesda)

All skills have five unlockable talents/abilities that are earned at the same milestones, which you can see in advance from the skill tab, as well as how close you are to reaching them. Those milestones are:

  • Novice (Default/Level 0)
  • Apprentice (Level 25)
  • Journeyman (Level 50)
  • Expert (Level 75)
  • Master (Level 100)

There's plenty to discover out in the forests of Cyrodiil. We explain how to start the Dark Brotherhood questline in Oblivion Remastered here, or check out the answer to the question: Can you dual wield in Oblivion Remastered here!

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Xbox Series X PS5 Platforms Xbox PlayStation
Joel Franey
Joel Franey
Social Links Navigation
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Avowed ranger creating vines to grab bandit
Action RPGs All Avowed skill trees and abilities explained
 
 
An icon for one of the many Starfield skills.
RPGs All Starfield skills and the best to unlock first
 
 
Crimson Desert
RPGs Most powerful skills in Crimson Desert to learn early
 
 
Oblivion Remastered
The Elder Scrolls This Oblivion Remastered mod adds actual jobs to Bethesda's revamped RPG, in case you're not already sick of working IRL
 
 
A screenshot of Lord Sheogorath in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered.
The Elder Scrolls Todd Howard explains Bethesda's approach to Oblivion Remastered was "what would we have done if we kept supporting it?"
 
 
The Elder Scrolls Oblivion Remastered screenshot with 'Future of Starfield' branding
RPGs How returning to The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion reshaped Todd Howard's stance on remastering Bethesda's RPGs
 
 
Latest in The Elder Scrolls
A Redguard sailor has a shocked expression
The Elder Scrolls Redguard fans discover the 28-year-old game has a special way of protecting women from creeps
 
 
A black dragon roaring with a manor house behind it and lighting in the sky during Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls Skyrim mod has you slay dragons "by debating them on the geopolitics of Tamriel"
 
 
A ghostly woman in The Elder Scrolls: Arena
The Elder Scrolls Elder Scrolls co-creator believed bugs were a necessary evil for Bethesda's massive RPGs
 
 
Todd Howard Starfield reveal
RPGs Todd Howard agrees Starfield is "different" than The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, but those RPGs were divisive too
 
 
A dragon blasts a man with a shield in Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls New Skyrim mod turns Bethesda's RPG into the "ultimate" MMO I've always wanted by transforming NPCs into real players
 
 
Todd Howard Starfield explainer
The Elder Scrolls Skyrim lead says Bethesda is "going to feel it" when Todd Howard leaves because he touches everything during development
 
 
Latest in Guides
Arc Raiders Shoring up Defenses
Third Person Shooters How to complete Shoring Up Defenses in Arc Raiders
 
 
Arc Raiders batten the hatches
Third Person Shooters Where to find the seawall, shoreline, and oil pipe in Arc Raiders
 
 
Arc Raiders Riven Tides
Third Person Shooters How to complete the Arc Raiders Avian Alarm project
 
 
Tortuga in Windrose
Survival Games Tortuga location and guide for Windrose
 
 
Demonic enemies approach a player in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, who shoots several energy crystals of varying sizes at them
Diablo What's the difference between the Diablo 4 Seasonal and Eternal Realms?
 
 
Roblox versions of Attack on Titan characters stand together in AOTR.
Action RPGs All AOTR codes (April 2026) for free Gems, spins, and more
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Kliff resting by a stream in a forest in Crimson Desert
    1
    Despite Crimson Desert's popularity, almost 80% of Steam players haven't made it halfway through the story yet, proving how massive Pearl Abyss's open world is
  2. 2
    The Boys fans thinks season 5 is being "too scared" so far when it comes to killing off major characters: "Someone needs to die this week"
  3. 3
    I love Slay the Spire 2, I hate Slay the Spire 2
  4. 4
    The Steam Controller doesn't appear to be a hit for competitive play, so here are the alternatives I'd recommend instead
  5. 5
    I'm gassed that Valve is "hard at work" on Steam Deck 2, but let's get the Steam Machine out of the way first

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...