Players will be able to choose one of several different classes before setting out into the open world of Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. Some of these classes will focus a lot on the combat side of things, some on the stealth side, and the rest will have a large focus on magic.

The Spellsword is a hybrid-focused class that takes some skills from the typical warrior archetype and mixes them with those from a mage archetype. This gives players everything they need to tank enemies up close and personal while being able to break out spells to solve specific hurdles.

How to Build a Spellsword in Oblivion Remastered

Spellsword is one of the best beginner classes in Oblivion Remastered, offering a balanced approach with heavy armor and magical versatility

Each class offers a Specialization, 2 Favored Attributes, and 7 Major Skills. Playing to these stats will provide the fastest leveling experience for players.

Specialization

Spellsword have Magic as their Specialization, meaning they will leave their schools of magic the fastest. However, they also make use of Combat skills, so it is best to get up close and personal a lot. This makes sure that these skills don’t fall behind in getting stronger as players progress through the game.

Major Skills

There is a hefty number of skills featured in Oblivion Remastered. Spellswords have 4 Skills governed by Magic, and 3 governed by Combat. Here is how each of them should be handled to ensure players level all of them up fast and efficiently.

Skill Name

Specialization

How to Use It

Destruction

Magic

Players will want this to be their preferred means of ranged combat. Using a bow is wasted on a Spellsword and is something a Thief should focus on instead. There is a massive arsenal of Destruction spells to exploit the many different foes you will face.

Heavy Armor

Combat

Spellswords will close the gap and get into the faces of many foes. Heavy Armor provides a lot of defense and will level up from when players foes hit them. So close the gap often and level this skill up.

Block

Combat

In addition to having Heavy Armor, Spellswords will be blocking with their shield. This reduces how fast their health will drop in combat and outlast any foe. Blocking is best for enemies that hit harder, and you should let weaker enemies hit you while you keep attacking them to boost both your Blade and Heavy Armor Skills.

Blade

Combat

Speaking of the Blade Skill, Spellswords can use any sharp one-handed weapon while holding a shield. Striking enemies up close with this weapon will see this skill constantly gaining xp alongside their other skills.

Restoration

Magic

Players should open their menu to pause the game and set their active spell to their best healing option once an enemy is up close to them. Players will find many healing spells of varying effectiveness throughout the game. This means they can mitigate all damage dealt to them to make them even harder to kill.

Alteration

Magic

Alteration can be used to open locks, breath underwater, and give players resistance to many damage types when they are about to engage an enemy. Players should use these spells whenever any of these situations present themselves.

Illusion

Magic

Just like Alteration, these spells will help overcome several hurdles. This can be used to change the behavior of enemies, turn invisible, see in the dark, paralyze, and be able to stop targets from being able to cast spells. Using this to make enemies fight amongst themselves is a great way to end fights even faster.

Favored Attributes

Willpower and Endurance are the Spellsword’s two Favoured Attributes, meaning they will get an increase to them at the start of the game. This is perfect for having some extra magicka and some extra health to play into their preferred playstyle. However, players should not pour everything they have into just these 2 Attributes.

Players will want to spread out their points when leveling up among the following Attributes:

  • Willpower - Faster magicka regen.
  • Endurance - More health.
  • Strength - Higher carrying capacity and damage.
  • Intelligence - Increase total Magicka.

Willpower governs Destruction, Restoration, and Alteration. All of which are used by the Spellsword. Faster Magicka regen will make players far more formidable in battle, but they will want to invest points into Intelligence as well. There will be stronger spells players will find, but they will see when they need to start investing.

Endurance will increase players' health. This, combined with their Heavy Armor, Shield, and Restoration, makes them one of the tankiest classes in all of Oblivion Remastered. Players will want to alternate between investing in Endurance and Strength. Strength will keep increasing their carrying capacity and their melee damage.

Players can afford to hold off on increasing Strength for the earlier parts of the game.

Best Race for Spellsword Oblivion Remastered

While Nord and Redguard have a lot to offer on the Endurance front, they see little in terms of their Willpower. Likewise Altmir have some great starting stats in Intelligence and Willpower, but are more squishy. A race that has the perfect blend of high Endurance and Willpower is the Orsimer — also known as orcs.

Orcs aren't just one of the best races for warriors, they are great for warrior hybrids too.

In addition to this starting Attribute synergy, they also offer +10 to both Block and Heavy Armor. Their Racial Power is Berserk, which fortifies their health, fatigue, and strength. This lets them heavily push going into melee fights and shaking off weakening effects. While the Altmer have weaknesses to many elemental effects, the Orsimer have none of these weaknesses along with a resistance to magic damage. Making this build even more tanky and more deadly.

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Best Birthsign for Spellsword Oblivion Remastered

The Lady Birthsign in The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered

Players that wish to play a Spellsword should take The Lady as their Birthsign. This Birthsign will raise both their Willpower and their Endurance by 10 points. The Spellsword has everything it needs in its kit already and does not need any of the special abilities granted by some of the other birthsigns. These powers will merely slow down the level progression of skills for a Spellsword.

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Tips & Tricks for Playing a Spellsword in Oblivion Remastered

Chillrend drawn in exploration, a powerful enchanted sword in Oblivion Remastered

As outlined in the skills above, start by wearing some heavy armor. Equip a shield and a one-handed sword. Use destruction magic to engage foes from a distance. Before getting into melee range, use either an Alteration spell or an Illusion spell and then switch to a Restoration spell for when melee combat begins.

Alteration is best for harder flights to bolster yourself. Illusion can be useful for turning enemies on one another to thin the group, or to paralyze single target threats.

Block stronger foes' attacks, and let weaker foes hit you to level up both these skills. Use Restoration to constantly top up lost health, but not if you have only lost a tiny bit of health. This playstyle will let players make the most of the Spellsword class and see all of these chosen skills get the attention they deserve.

Should Spellswords Focus on Other Skills in Oblivion Remastered?

Yes, just because this class doesn’t outline any interest in other skills doesn’t mean other skills should be ignored. Here is how players should handle raising other skills to keep gaining levels in them for even faster level ups:

Players should sprint constantly. Burning through stamina and swimming across water will see their Athletics level up fairly regularly. Players should not try to slowly go down small slopes; just run off any ledge you know won’t kill you — then use a healing Restoration spell. This will raise Acrobatics and Restoration. Crouching while moving through dungeons will raise Sneak, and sneak attacks are fun to pull off.

You will find all manner of ingredients in the game; turn them into potions and poisons for some levels in Alchemy. You may find yourself needing to cure a disease at some point. Use repair hammers to mend your gear for easy points in Armorer.

Sell anything you don’t need and buy any repair hammers you see. This keeps your Armoror leveling alongside Mercantile. While Alteration lets them open locks, sometimes they will not have a strong enough spell. Make a save and use lockpicks on tougher locks; even failed attempts will raise the Security skill.

Lastly, Speechcraft is easy to level up by just exploring each color on the speech wheel, then aligning choices so that red gets the 1 bar. This can open up new dialogue choices.

Players can ignore Hand-to-Hand, Blunt, Light Armor, Marksman, and Conjuration, as these skills will only slow them down. Unless they have completely stonewalled on leveling up.

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
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Released
April 22, 2025
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Developer(s)
Virtuos, Bethesda
OpenCritic Rating
Strong
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