The character creation process in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a bit more involved than the systems that players have gotten used to after years of Skyrim replays, and every new character must choose a Birthsign in addition to their Class and starting stats. A Birthsign grants unique abilities and stat buffs to Oblivion Remastered characters, but they're not all created equal.
Some Birthsigns in Oblivion unlock active abilities that can be cast like spells, while others simply increase a character's base stats and attributes. Some of the abilities are super helpful, while others are incredibly situational. Some players may just want to go with stat buffs, too, so there are quite a few factors to consider when selecting a Birthsign for a new Oblivion character.
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All Oblivion Birthsigns Explained
There are 13 total Birthsigns to choose from in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
|
Birthsign |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
The Apprentice |
The Apprentice ability confers a 100-point bonus to your Magicka attribute, but gives you a 100% Weakness to Magic. |
|
The Atronach |
With the Atronach ability you don't regain Magicka over time. Instead you have a 50% Spell Absorption to recharge your Magicka. Your base Magicka is also increased by 150 points. |
|
The Lady |
The Lady's Blessing confers bonuses of 10 points to your Willpower and Endurance attributes. |
|
The Lord |
Armor Rating is increased by 15 and Magic Resistance increases by 15%. |
|
The Lover |
Use the Lover's Kiss power once a day to paralyze an opponent for 10 seconds at the cost of 120 points of Fatigue. |
|
The Mage |
The Mage ability confers a permanent bonus of 50 points to your Magicka. |
|
The Ritual |
Those born under the Ritual use the Mara's Gift power once a day as a powerful Restore Health spell. The Blessed Word forces the undead to flee in horror for 30 seconds. |
|
The Serpent |
Gain the Serpent spell to cause a slow but potent poison on touch, while simultaneously curing yourself and dispelling magic on yourself. Casting this spell costs 100 points of Fatigue. |
|
The Shadow |
Use the Moonshadow power once a day to become Invisible for 60 seconds. |
|
The Steed |
The Steed ability grants a bonus of 20 to your Speed attribute. |
|
The Thief |
The Thief ability grants a 10-point bonus to your Agility, Speed, and Luck attributes. |
|
The Tower |
With the Tower Key power, once a day open a door or container of Average lock level or less. The Tower Warden reflects five points of damage for 120 seconds once a day. |
|
The Warrior |
The Warrior ability grants a bonus of 10 points to your Strength and Endurance attributes. |
Only one Birthsign can be chosen for an Oblivion character, and a character's Birthsign cannot be changed later in the game. The only opportunity players have to change their character's Birthsign is at the end of the tutorial before exiting the sewers into the open world.
Which Oblivion Birthsign is Best?
The best Oblivion Birthsign depends on a person's playstyle and desired character build, but there are a few choices that rise above the rest. Birthsigns aren't very
important past the opening hours of the game, but some of them have more utility than others.
The best Birthsign for melee characters is The Warrior, which grants a 10-point bonus to the Strength and Endurance attributes. The Thief is another solid choice for players who prefer Agility, Speed, and Luck instead. Magic users should choose The Mage, since a 50-point increase to Magicka is a huge help.
The best overall Oblivion Birthsign is The Shadow, however, since the Moonshadow ability it unlocks is incredibly useful throughout the entire game. Whether it's used to sneak past tough enemies or to eavesdrop on NPCs for a quest, the ability to turn completely invisible for 60 seconds once per day is a godsend. It's so much more useful than the other Birthsigns, and every type of character can get some use out of it.
Still, a character's Birthsign isn't as important as their Class and preferred attributes, so players shouldn't worry too much about their character's Birthsign during the character creation process. The leveling system in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is super flexible and allows characters to master many different things anyway, so players can make up for any potential weaknesses by grinding XP and acquiring new gear.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
- Released
- April 22, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Violence
WHERE TO PLAY
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay. Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.
Rediscover Cyrodiil
Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.
Navigate Your Own Story
From the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.
Experience an Epic Adventure
Step inside a universe bursting with captivating stories and encounter an unforgettable cast of characters. Master swordcraft and wield powerful magic as you fight to save Tamriel from the Daedric invasion.
The Complete Story
Experience everything Oblivion has to offer with previously released story expansions Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine, and additional downloadable content included in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Open-World, Adventure
