For what feels like decades, I have listened to friends and family talk about specific builds they’ve made for different playthroughs of Oblivion and Skyrim. Characters with a new look and fascinating backstories which deliberately reinforce how they operate mechanically.

One could be a greataxe-wielding barbarian while the other could dual-wield spells as they summon deadly monsters to do their bidding from the ether. Anything is possible in Skyrim and Oblivion, but as someone who jumps between so many different games all the time, not once did I feel the motivation to return and create a new adventurer that differs from my usual strategy of playing the games once in the coolest way possible.

With Oblivion Remastered, however, that attitude has changed for the first time in years.

Nothing Is More Fun Than Sniping From The Shadows In Oblivion

As I jumped into the remaster, I decided to create a Khajit who walked into most scenarios in the hopes she could be a smooth-talking tactician. If there was a way to complete a quest or make my way out of a situation without violence, I would take it.

I was super-charming with skill points to prove it, but that didn’t stop me from defusing a bad time and then indulging in a pickpocketing spree shortly afterward. I was sneaky, rich, and a suave son of a gun while exploring random cities and conversing with NPCs across the world.

The thing I’m most looking forward to is joining the Dark Brotherhood and assassinating my targets with an arrow instead of the usual methods that end up with me getting caught, bloody sword in hand.

Put me in a dungeon, however, and things change dramatically. I kept my stealthy yet smooth demeanor but swapped my sharp tongue for even sharper arrows. Before I fully signed up to the stealth archer lifestyle, I experimented with my usual arsenal of predictable tools.

One of my hands held a weapon - whether it be a mace, dagger, sword, or axe - while the other used a healing spell whenever I took even a lick of damage. Even with the new dodge mechanics and a more nuanced levelling system, this approach only served to highlight how much this game has aged and how boring the combat can be if you don’t pursue experimentation. So I did, and now I can never go back.

Stealth Archer Is Going To Be My Elder Scrolls Playstyle From Now On

I’m not sure what the official parameters for sniping in Oblivion are, but I’m nailing it. I have a cool bow and loads of arrows, and while there are undoubtedly more powerful or enchanted weapons to be found as I progress through the campaign, this remains a killer start.

Of all the dungeons I’ve explored so far, I make sure to remove all of my heavy armour, equip each accessory I have that helps me stay quieter and less visible, and make sure I’m pulling back on my drawstrings as much as possible before penetrating a poor rat’s cranium.

Or any other creature that dares get in my way for that matter. Zombie? Goblin? Imp? Weird sexy spider creature? It doesn’t matter.

Pull off a headshot from the right distance and the correct angle and there’s a solid chance you can annihilate weaker enemies with a single arrow, with extra damage being afforded when managing to attack them unnoticed.

It makes the relatively predictable design of dungeons and outposts far more enjoyable to navigate because you aren’t just searching for loot and looking for the nearest exit, you’re trying to better understand the location and behavior of enemies before coming down hard on them. If you’re good enough, you can even make it in and out without being spotted at all.

This new combat approach recontextualized how I navigate dungeons, explore the open world, and deal with enemies. In a tight spot, I can still pull out an axe and burn baddies to a crisp with loads of fireballs, but being a stealth archer makes me feel like so much more of a character. It’s a way to replay Oblivion for the first time in over a decade that could have me discovering way more of its world than I ever did as a kid.

So, if you need me, I’ll be hiding in the shadows waiting to put an arrow directly between your eyes.

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Action RPG Open-World Adventure Systems 19 8.5/10 Released April 22, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Virtuos, Bethesda Publisher(s) Bethesda
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