Discover everything you need to know about the best Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion including some valuable tips and tricks to run this build.

A Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion focuses on combat skills with magic, utilizing both weapons and spells to dominate the battlefield. Balance your Magicka and Health, use defensive skills, and heal to keep yourself alive in battle. They use Illusion magic to manipulate enemies. Choosing the best race, attribute, and skills is crucial for the Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion as your gameplay mostly depends on it. The Battlemage doesn’t rely on light armor but instead wears heavy armor for tanking damage. In this guide, we’ll discuss the best Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion and the best skills, along with weapons and armor to choose from.
Everything About Battlemage Build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion
The Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion is a unique setup that includes both magic and melee combat effectively. If you want to balance the power of destructive spells with the toughness of physical combat, then this build is a perfect build for you. Our build includes weapons like Shortsword, dagger, and bow to tackle physical combat along with magic spells. Intelligence, Willpower, Endurance, and Strength are the best attributes to invest your points in.
The Breton is arguably the best choice for a Battlemage as they have a natural resistance to magic. Blade, Destruction, Conjuration, Restoration, and Heavy Armor are the best Major Skills that we include in our Battlemage build. Equip the heavy armor as you’re a front liner in combat and tanking damage. However, this build requires proper resource management and gives a penalty for wearing Heavy Armor.
Battlemage Build Pros | Battlemage Build Cons |
---|---|
Crowd Control | Resource Management |
Versatility | Heavy Armor Penalty |
Survivability |
Build Key Aspect
Below are all the essential aspects of the Battlemage Build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
- Class: Spellsword
- Race: Breton
- Birthsign: Mage
- Specialization: Magic
- Attributes: Intelligence, Willpower, Endurance
- Major Skills
- Blade
- Destruction
- Conjuration
- Restoration
- Heavy Armor
- Minor Skills
- Block
- Mysticism
- Alteration
- Marksman
- Alchemy
- Speechcraft
- Weapons: Daedric Shortsword, Daedric Dagger, Daedric Bow
- Armor: Shrouded Armor, Steel Armor
- Faction: Mage Guild
- Trainer: Falion
Class

Spellsword is the best class for the Best Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. This class offers a blend of combat and magic skills from the beginning. You can customize it further with your chosen race and Birthsign. Spellswords excel in both melee combat and magic, making them versatile and adaptable in various situations. They have access to heavy armor, providing a good level of defense. This is crucial for a Battlemage who will be on the front lines. This class offers major skills that allow you to wield swords and other weapons while also having magic skills. They offer a wide variety of spells, including offensive, defensive, and utility spells.
Best Race

Breton is the best race for Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion due to its 50% magic resistance and Dragonkin power. This offers you physical protection in combat, enhancing your survivability. The enhancement in magic resistance is beneficial for a character who will be both fighting and casting spells. The Dragonkin Power grants significant protection against physical damage. Use this race for this build for defensive strategies. It’s worth mentioning that high magicka allows them to survive longer in combat, making your progression very smooth. Bretons have bonuses to skills like Conjuration and Restoration that make it easy to learn utility spells.
Best Birthsign

Mage is the Birthsign for the Battlemage build in ESO. It provides bonuses to Magicka, which is crucial for spellcasting, without any significant drawbacks. However, this Birthsign doesn’t offer any other significant bonuses or drawbacks, making it a safe, general-purpose choice. This Brithsign focuses more on Agility that benefits skills like Sneak, Block, and Security. You can also choose Atronach because it provides a 50% chance to absorb magic and 25% magic resistance. This makes it very resilient to magic attacks, especially useful for a melee-focused battlemage.
Best Specialization

Magic is the best specialization for the Battlemage build because it provides illusion, buffs, and versatility to your character. Mages can use Illusion magic to control enemies, making them fight each other. Restoration magic is the best buff you can gain for this specialization because it bonuses to character such as increased strength, armor, or health regeneration. Magic allows for a wide range of playstyles, allowing you to dominate enemies with the magic. However, the magic can be expensive in terms of Magicka. You choose a specialization while creating a character. It heavily impacts how your skill progresses, so choose the best one according to your playstyle and build. Skills associated with your chosen specialization level up than the skills that are not in the specialization.
Best Attributes
Intelligence, Willpower, and Endurance are the best attributes for investing your points in to enhance your combat effectiveness. Investing points in Intelligence directly influences our Magicka pool, which is crucial for casting spells. Willpower, on the other hand, governs magic regeneration. This allows you to cast spells more frequently. Focus on Endurance to determine your health and stamina, making it crucial for both combat and magic use.
Willpower increases your fatigue. Keep in mind that you need stamina to attack the enemies or perform block, so make sure you have a high Willpower. You can also focus on Strength, as it boosts your melee damage, making it crucial for the physical side of your Battlemage build. Keep in mind that the attributes are capped at 100. The more you invest in these attributes, the more your character becomes a Mage. Leveling up in the game allows you to gain more attribute points.
Major Skills

Blade, Destruction, Conjuration, Restoration, and Heavy Armor are the best Major Skills for the Battlemage build in ESO. Major Skills in Elder Scrolls Oblivion are a set of seven skills that you choose at character creation. These skills are initiated at the higher base level. These skills level up faster than the Minor Skills and impact your attribute bonuses along with the character’s leveling. Skills are unlocked by repeatedly using them, training with NPCs, and reading special books. The primary way to level up skills is by actively using them.
- Heavy Armor- Allows you to tank damage while still being able to cast spells.
- Blade- Useful for close combat and can be leveled up passively while playing.
- Destruction- Provides powerful magical damage, crucial for a battlemage’s offensive capabilities.
- Conjuration- Summons creatures to assist in combat. This offers both damage and distraction in tough encounters.
- Restoration- Provides healing and attribute boosts.
Minor Skills
Block, Mysticism, Alteration, Marksman, Alchemy, and Speechcraft are the best Minor Skills for the Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Minor skills are not that effective but they support your character with other aspects. Choose the minor skills wisely as they can make your character internally stronger. Prefer leveling minor skills to gain attribute bonuses.
- Speechcraft- Use it to interact with the NPCs and gain advantages through persuasion.
- Block- Allows you to block the enemy attacks with your two-handed weapon or Shield effectively in combat.
- Mysticism- Provides support and buffs, potentially allowing you to manipulate the environment.
- Alteration- Grants useful buffs and support spells, such as increasing armor or opening locks.
- Marksman- Allow your attack with the bow to be more precise and deal additional damage.
- Alchemy- Boosts Intelligence, which affects your Magicka pool.
Equipment

Equipment in Elder Scrolls Oblivion consists of weapons, armor, clothing, and various other items. Players can equip them to increase their character’s abilities and stats. Weapons are crafted from different items and each has different stats and appearances. You can even enchant the weapons with magical effects like damage, debuff, or health regen. Use the soul gems to recharge the enchanted weapons. Armor is another equipment that protects you from incoming attacks from enemies. Each piece of armor has an armor rating, which determines how much damage it can absorb. You can equip up to 9 pieces at one time. Heavy Armor is the best option to choose as it increases your survivability and provides maximum protection by reducing the effectiveness of incoming attacks.
Best Weapons
You can choose swords, bows, and daggers for a Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Choose the weapon that increases your magic abilities as well. Here are the best weapons for the best Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion.
Daedric Shortsword
- Damage: 21
- Health: 508
- Base Value: 1500
- Weight: 22
Daedric Shortsword is the best one-handed melee weapon after the dagger to use for the Battlemage build due to its massive damage capability. We recommend you pair it with the Daedric Dagger to deal high damage in tough encounters. This unique setup provides you with more versatility in fights. Daedric shortswords are often carried by Zealots in the Shivering Isles. This weapon has high base damage and a relatively fast swing speed, allowing you to use stealth approaches and quick attacks. Enchanting a Daedric shortsword can significantly enhance its effectiveness. Shortswords are faster and lighter than longswords, making it a good option for the Battlemage build. Use this weapon with the spells to deal massive damage, allowing you to dominate enemies.
Daedric Dagger
- Damage: 19
- Health: 532
- Base Value: 2700
- Weight: 10
The Daedric Dagger is a one-handed weapon that has the highest base damage among any other dagger in the game. Daggers are the fastest melee weapons, allowing you to deliver their enchantments faster. Use this dagger to take down enemies in melee range or for stealth take down. You can enchant the Daedric Dagger with effects like Poison, damage, or fatigue. Daggers are lightweight but deal less damage than swords or maces. Pair it with skills like Blades to enhance the effectiveness of this weapon. Use Daedric shortsowrd in one hand and a Daedric Dagger in the off-hand to shatter the enemies with unique strategies.
Daedric Bow
- Damage: 20
- Value: 3200
- Health: 420
- Weight: 22
Daedric Bow is a good secondary weapon to include in your Battlemage build. This weapon offers the highest base damage in the game, making it a perfect choice for Archers. It’s even better when enchanted with powerful effects, like draining health or damage. This weapon is found in higher-level locations but can also be obtained through quests. Although, the weight of this bow is more, it deals significant damage with the right approach. Use the Daedric Arrow with this weapon to deal high damage in combat. These arrows can be found as loot from certain enemies, particularly in bandit dungeons.
Best Armor

Choosing the best armor is crucial for every aspect, so equip the one that increases your survivability while battling against high-level enemies. Here is the best armor for the Best Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion.
Shrouded Armor
- Armor Health: 520
- Base Armor: 17.5
- Base Value: 0
- Class: Light Armor
Shrouded Armor is another good option to use while running the Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. This armor set consists of two parts, the Shrouded Armor and the Shrouded Hood. It offers several enhancements that favor stealth-oriented characters. The Ancient Shrouded Armor is relatively easy to acquire. Shrouded armor is a single piece of equipment that covers the whole body except the head. It also has unleveled stats and enchantments, meaning the effectiveness increases as you level up in the game. This armor includes the enchantment that boosts backstab damage and poison resistance.
Steel Armor
- Armor Health: 2000
- Class: Heavy Armor
- Base Value: 520
- Weight: 94.5
Steel Armor is the best armor for the Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion because it provides maximum protection to your character in combat. It offers a good balance between cost and effectiveness. Steel armor is a good starting point for your build and offers a significant boost in protection compared to lower-tier armor. Upgrade your armor to make it more effective, especially in tough encounters. It also has unleveled stats and enchantments, meaning the effectiveness increases as you level up in the game.
Leveling Strategy
Focus on a mix of combat and magic skills to level a battlemage effectively in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Use skills like Heavy Armor, Block, Destruction, and Restoration to gain +5 bonuses at each level. Use Alteration spells to buff yourself and explore the environment. You need to heal yourself and others with Restoration spells to keep your skills active. Invest in attributes that will enhance your major skills. Leveling up is based on Skill Increases and the Attributes you assign. Every time you level up, you will get to increase three attributes. Focus on attributes that align with your playstyle. Your Birthsign gives a significant bonus to your stats. You must sleep in a bed to level up. Leveling in Oblivion can take time, so try to balance your activities between exploring, combat, and practicing skills.
Factions

Mage Guild is the best choice for the Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion because it focuses on magic and skills that complement a Battlemage’s abilities. Battlemage excels with skills like Illusion for crowd control, Alteration for buffs, and Restoration for healing. This makes the Mages Guild a good fit for their playstyle, allowing you to dominate enemies. The Imperial Legion is another faction that works well with the Battlemages in most scenarios. This is useful for a Battlemages who might need to engage in combat or negotiate.
Trainers
Falion is the best trainer for the Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. He is a redguard mage in Morthal who studies vampires and can cure vampirism. Falion is available in Morthal, a town near the north end of the map, southwest of Ustengrav. He can perform a ritual to cure vampirism, but it requires a filled black soul gem. Trainers allow you to spend gold to increase your skill levels, which can help you level up skills. Different types of trainers allow you to reach different skill level caps. These trainers can train a specific skill for a set number of times per character level.
How to Play the Battlemage Build
Prefer skills like Block, Destruction, and Restoration, while also investing in skills like Alteration and Conjuration. The best combat strategy for running this Battlemage build is mixing the magic with melee attacks, allowing you to easily take down enemies. Switch to melee in close-range combat and use defensive buffs. Magicka is crucial for casting spells, so use your magic wisely. Cast any buffs that might be helpful before engaging any enemy.
Since you’ll be on the frontlines, wear heavy armor to protect your character from incoming damage. Focus on attributes like Willpower, Intelligence, and strength to enhance your combat effectiveness while running this build. Use the high ground to use spells for maximum damage output. It’s best to craft the potions that buff your character and debuff the enemies. Equip Daedric Dagger and Daedric Bow to deal massive damage in combat. Use a dagger to deal melee damage or stealth take down in combat. Keep your distance and use spells to eliminate enemies if you’re fighting them in ranged combat.
Best Gameplay Tips and Tricks for the Battlemage Build
Here are the best gameplay tips and tricks for Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion.
- Use magic to weaken the enemies from a distance, then switch to melee when required.
- You need to use stamina wisely or else you can become vulnerable in most combat situations.
- Use your weapons wisely, as equipping a lower damage-dealing weapon gives room for the enemies to attack you.
- Use Speechcraft and your charisma to avoid unnecessary conflict.
- Use Heavy Armor to increase your survivability by reducing the effectiveness of incoming attacks.
- Choose the faction, race, and specialization that complements your playstyle and synergizes with the build.
- Use potions to heal your character from time to time in combat, so carry them in your inventory.
- Joining the Mages Guild is a great choice as a Battlemage in ESO, as it provides access to magical resources, training, and spells.
- Focus on leveling your Destruction, Alteration, Restoration, and Conjuration for casting higher level magic spells.
FAQs about Battlemage build in The Elder Scrolls Oblivion
What is a Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion?
The Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion is a unique setup that includes both magic and melee combat effectively.
Which is the best weapon for a Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion?
Daedric Shortsword, Daedric Dagger, and Daedric Bow are the best weapons for Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Use these weapons to tackle physical combat along with magic spells.
Which is the best race for a Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion?
Breton is the best race for Battlemage build in Elder Scrolls Oblivion due to its 50% magic resistance and the Dragonkin power.
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