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Our Best Race Tier List In Elder Scrolls Oblivion ranks all 10 playable races and explains which one is the strongest and why.
Elder Scrolls Oblivion is one of the best Open World Role Playing Games Of All Time. Set in Cyrodiil, it’s the fourth mainline entry in The Elder Scrolls video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios. Elder Scrolls Oblivion begins with you as an unnamed prisoner with no background story. After that, everything changes when Emperor Uriel Septim unexpectedly claims he has seen you in a prophetic dream. From there, you become the Protagonist in a quest to stop the Antagonist Mehruns Dagon’s Daedric invasion.
To begin your journey in Elder Scrolls Oblivion, you will need to create your character first. The character creation menu gives you several options to define who you are. You can choose your gender, customize your appearance, pick a birth sign, select a class and choose your race. Indeed, choosing your race is one of the most important decisions you’ll make before your main quest even begins. TES IV Oblivion offers ten playable races with unique strengths and weaknesses that affect your build and gameplay. This guide will help you determine the best and worst racial choices in Elder Scrolls Oblivion.
Race Overview in Elder Scrolls Oblivion
There are ten playable races in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Each race possesses unique racial abilities, ability boosts, and attribute bonuses that immediately impact gameplay. Your choice of race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion significantly affects your character development.
Furthermore, every race in Elder Scrolls: Oblivion has advantages and disadvantages. With their enormous Magicka bonus, certain races—like Altmer or High Elves—are designed with magic users in mind. Redguards and Orcs are better at fighting physically. The Khajiit or Wood Elves might appeal to stealth players. who are adept at archery and stealth by nature. In addition to your initial characteristics, race affects your resistances, unique abilities, and how NPCs respond to you. Every race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion will respond to you in a unique way. Additionally, the speeds at which each race moves vary. Due to their lack of height, Bosmer (Wood Elves) are the fastest race.
What To Consider When Choosing The Best Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion?
While Oblivion’s class and levelling systems are flexible, your race can give you a strong head start in specific roles and weapon usage. Your race plays a vital role in shaping how your character interacts with the world around them. High Elves (Altmer) start with 50 Intelligence and 40 Willpower, along with a massive +100 boost to Magicka so they make for great mage builds. However, they are also more vulnerable to magic, with weaknesses to fire, frost, and shock. So, there is a balance to be had when you select your race. Also, keep in mind that some racial buffs are gender specific as well. For example, High Elf or Altmer males get 30 in speed while their female counterparts get 50. As you can see, race will play a huge role in how you tackle enemy confrontations, explore the map and complete quests.
Elder Scrolls Oblivion Best Races Tier List
Elder Scrolls Oblivion’s best race tier list is ranked below best to worst:
- S Tier: Breton, Orc
- A Tier: Redguard, Argonian, Dunmer (Dark Elf)
- B Tier: Nord, Khajiit, Bosmer (Wood Elf)
- C Tier: Altmer (High Elf)
- F Tier: Imperial
What’s the Best Race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion?
The best race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion is commonly regarded as the Breton, due to their 50% resistance to magic and a +50 Magicka bonus, which makes them extremely powerful and durable as mages. This benefit is particularly valuable throughout the main quest, where you encounter Dremora enemies regularly while closing Oblivion gates. Bretons’ innate resistance allows them to shrug off approaching spells that otherwise would rip your health bar, providing them with a big advantage in Oblivion realm dungeons.
Argonians are also a good race selection in Elder Scrolls Oblivion, providing 75% disease resistance and full poison immunity. Plus, they enjoy the special passive trait of breathing underwater. A feature no other race has. Argonians are great with the right stat allocation as swift thieves or assassins. They are perfect for stealthy, rogue-like builds due to their +10 to Security and Athletics.
Redguards are an elite choice for straight warrior playstyles. With +10 Strength, +10 Athletics, and a strong once-daily ability named Adrenaline Rush — which briefly increases several physical attributes — Redguards are quick, resilient, and powerful. They also have 75% resistance to poison and disease, providing them with superior toughness in close combat and against status-inducing foes.
Here’s a ranking of the best and worst races in Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
| Position | Race | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breton | S |
| 2 | Orc | S |
| 3 | Argonian | A |
| 4 | Redguard | A |
| 5 | Dunmer | A |
| 6 | Nord | B |
| 7 | Khajiit | B |
| 8 | Bosmer | B |
| 9 | Altmer | C |
| 10 | Imperial | F |
S-Tier Best Races
Breton – Best All-Rounder Mage
Bretons are generally regarded as the best race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Whether you are a pure mage, battlemage, or hybrid spellcaster, Bretons provide unparalleled consistency, survivability, and magical power. When you play a Breton, your character gains a permanent +50 Magicka bonus and 50% resistance to Magicka. They also acquire Dragon Skin, a racial Greater Power that once a day can apply a 50% Shield effect for 60 seconds, significantly lessening incoming damage in difficult battles. Bretons have 50 Intelligence and 50 Willpower at the beginning, enhancing your overall Magicka and regeneration rate.
But Bretons suffer from lower Strength (30) and Endurance (30 for males, 40 for females), making them generally less capable in direct melee combat. Nevertheless, their spellcasting benefits are particularly useful in Oblivion gate quests, in which most enemies such as Dremora depend much on casting spells. With excellent early and late game utility, Bretons are the best rounded and most capable race for magical playstyles.
Breton players begin with good magical utility because of their skill bonuses. They have a +10 bonus to Conjuration and +10 to Restoration, so they can summon allies and heal effectively right from the start. They also have +5 in Alteration, Illusion, Mysticism, Alchemy, and Speechcraft, which provides them with a broad array of support and utility-type spells early on. These abilities supplement their large Magicka pool and resistance, which makes Bretons versatile casters in and out of battle.
High Elves ( Altmer ) have more starting Magicka, but take 25% more magical damage. Bretons sacrifice a smaller pool of Magicka for endurance, and are thus the more stable choice for long term survival
How to Use the Breton Race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion
Breton race is ideal for magic players. Their resistance makes Oblivion Gate runs much safer against spell-dominant Dremora. Use the Atronach birthsign for 100% Spell Absorption (though it deactivates natural Magicka regen), or use Mage or Apprentice for quicker casting and additional Magicka. Conjuration synergy allows you to summon tanks while you cast from afar.
Orc – Best Melee Tank
Orcs are the most resilient race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion, and as such, they are best suited to melee-based builds. Orcs make excellent tanks that can rush into combat. If you play as an Orc, your character has a permanent 25% resistance to Magicka, which provides good protection against spellcasters. They also gain access to Berserk, a racial Greater Power that can be activated once every day to bestow +50 Strength, +50 Endurance, and a 50% Shield effect for 60 seconds, although it does lastingly lower Agility by 50. This ability allows Orcs to plow their way through early and mid-game combat and survive more difficult enemies in drawn-out battles.
Male Orcs begin with Strength 45 and Endurance 50, which is the highest base physical strength in the game. Female Orcs also begin with Strength 40 and Endurance 45, similarly making them very tough. Both male and female Orcs have lower Personality and Speed, in the range of 25 to 30, which restricts their social and mobility abilities.
The Berserk racial ability of Orcs provides huge increases in Strength and Endurance, as well as 50% damage reduction, allowing them to bulldoze through early to mid game battles and live through fights that would kill other Elder Scrolls Oblivion races.
Orcs begin with a solid physical combat foundation due to their bonus to skills. They get a +10 bonus to Armorer and Heavy Armor, which means they can wear and use strong armor from the start. They also get +5 in Blade, Block, Blunt, and Hand to Hand, which addresses all of the primary melee offense and defense.
Nords also lean into melee, but Orcs have better starting stats for tanking and a more impactful active ability. Redguards are faster, but Orcs are sturdier and hit harder when it counts.
How To Use The Orc Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion :
Orc race is ideal for players who love the classic tank build. Choose the Warrior birthsign for Strength and Endurance boost, or the Lord birthsign for added Health regeneration. Activate the Orc racial ability Berserk to gain +50 Strength, +50 Endurance, and 50% damage reduction for 60 seconds. Focus on Heavy Armor and Armorer to become nearly unbreakable in close quarters. A shield and blunt weapon combo allows you to block, bash, and overwhelm enemies with nonstop pressure.
A-Tier Best Races
Argonian – Best Stealth Survivability
Argonians are the most durable race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion, which makes them ideal for stealth oriented, exploration heavy, or survival builds. When you play as an Argonian, your character gets a permanent 100% resistance to poison and 75% resistance to disease. These passive abilities enable you to venture into dungeons and Oblivion gates without the use of potions or spells to cure status effects. Argonians also share the special racial trait of being able to breathe underwater, gaining access to hidden routes and secret loot locations unavailable to other races.
Male Argonians begin with 50 Agility and 40 Speed, and females with 50 Agility and 50 Speed. Yet, their lower Strength (30) and Endurance (30 for males, 40 for females) render them less effective in close combat.
Argonian race starts with great utility and stealth based skills. Argonians have a +10 bonus to both Athletics and Security, which enables them to run at a fast pace and pick locks without issues. They also get +5 in Acrobatics, Alchemy, Alteration, Mysticism, and Hand to Hand, which provides them with tools for agile exploration, potion-making, and mild magical utility. This mix of survivability along with sneaky effectiveness makes Argonians a high-tier selection for unorthodox and stealthy playthroughs.
Khajiit have better sneak and agility, but Argonians are far tougher. Compared to Dunmer, they lack magic power but dominate in survivability and traversal.
How to Use The Argonian Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
Argonian race is best suited for players who are fans of stealth play and exploration. Go with the Thief birthsign for higher Agility and Luck, or the Shadow birthsign for a once-per-day invisibility power. Utilize the Argonian racial resistances, 100% poison resistance and 75% disease resistance, to remain healthy sneaking in sewers, ruins, and gates of Oblivion. Their ability to breathe water provides access to secret underwater regions inaccessible to any other race. Specialization in Security and Athletics to sneak past traps and unlock locks with ease. A dagger and bow combination allows you to take out enemies quietly and quickly before they even realize you’re there.
Redguard – Best Physical DPS
Redguards are the most combat aggressive melee race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion and thus perfect for high speed, damage oriented builds. They are oriented for physical damage and close range movement and perform well in one on one encounters and ambushes. When playing as a Redguard, your character gains a permanent 75% resistance to poison and disease, which makes them fit for lengthy dungeon crawls and against status dealing enemies. They also acquire Adrenaline Rush, a racial Greater Power that can be utilized once a day to provide +50 Strength, +50 Agility, +50 Speed, and +50 Endurance for 60 seconds. This power makes Redguards unbreakable warriors in pivotal fights.
Redguards start with the highest Strength of any race. Male Redguards begin with Strength 50 and Endurance 40, while female Redguards start with Strength 40 and the same Endurance. Intelligence and Personality are lower, falling in the 30 to 40 range, which limits their magical and diplomatic effectiveness.
Redguards start with excellent combat mobility and offense due to their skill bonuses. They receive a +10 boost to Athletics and Blade, enhancing both their movement and swordplay. They also gain +5 in Acrobatics, Alteration, Blunt, Light Armor, and Security, giving them solid versatility in physical builds.
While Orcs are better tanks, Redguards outpace them in speed and stamina. Compared to Nords, they have better disease/poison resistances and a superior racial ability.
How to Use The Redguard Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
Redguard race is ideal for players who enjoy fast paced melee combat and aggressive playstyles. Choose the Warrior birthsign to boost Strength and Endurance for stronger attacks and more durability, or pick the Steed birthsign to enhance mobility and keep pressure on enemies. Use the Adrenaline Rush racial power during critical fights to gain a massive temporary boost to Strength, Agility, Speed, and Endurance, allowing you to break through enemy lines or escape danger when outnumbered. Redguards are well suited for warrior or rogue warrior builds that rely on speed and damage. Focus on Blade and Athletics to stay mobile while landing fast, high damage strikes. Combine Light Armor with Acrobatics for better defense without sacrificing speed. A sword and shield or dual weapon setup lets you control the battlefield and strike with deadly precision.
Dunmer – Best Hybrid Class
Dunmer are the most flexible race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion, making them ideal for hybrid builds that blend magic, stealth, and melee. When you choose a Dunmer, your character receives a permanent 75 percent resistance to fire, which is incredibly useful during Oblivion Gate quests and Daedra encounters where fire based spells are common. They also gain access to Ancestor Guardian, a racial Greater Power that summons a ghost ally for 60 seconds once per day. This ability provides a reliable distraction or support in tough battles.
Both Dunmer males and females begin with 40 Strength and 40 Intelligence, with equal offense and Magicka potential. They also begin with good Agility and Speed, between 40 and 50, so they can avoid attacks and quickly move around in a fight. They are less viable for speech or single-magic builds due to their lower Willpower and Personality, between 30 and 40.
Dunmer begin with skill bonuses that reflect their hybrid character. They get both Destruction and Blade boosted by +10, enabling them to apply heavy damage from spells or sword. They also get +5 in Athletics, Light Armor, Marksman, Mysticism, and Sneak, providing them with tools for rapid movement, stealth strategies, and magical diversity from the outset.
Compared to Bretons, Dunmer lack Magicka resistance, but they compensate with more offensive capability and better mobility. They’re also more stealth-ready than Orcs or Redguards.
How to Use The Dunmer Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion
Dunmer race is perfect for those players who desire a versatile build capable of handling any kind of encounter. Use the Mage or Thief birthsign to increase magical strength or stealth abilities, or the Warrior birthsign to increase melee fighting. Leverage the Dunmer racial fire resistance to ignore fire spells cast by Dremora and Daedra, particularly during Oblivion Gate quests. Use Ancestor Guardian to call forth a ghost ally in difficult battles, opening space or drawing aggro when overwhelmed. Center on Destruction and Blade for an aggressive style that combines spell and melee combat. Sneak and Light Armor enable you to move quickly and strike from the shadows when necessary.
B-Tier Best Races
Nord – Best Anti-Frost
Nord race is built for excellent frontline bruisers in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. When you choose a Nord, your character gains a permanent 50% resistance to Frost, offering strong protection against cold-based magic and northern creatures. Nord race also receives two racial powers: Woad, which grants a 50% Shield effect for 60 seconds once per day, and Nordic Frost, a ranged frost spell that deals 15 points of damage in a 10-foot area for 10 seconds.
Male Nords start with Strength 50 and Endurance 45, while females begin with Strength 40 and Endurance 40, giving both strong melee durability. However, both have low Intelligence and Willpower at 30, making them less suited for magic-heavy builds. Their Personality and Luck fall in the 40 to 50 range.
Nords begin with a solid melee background due to their skill bonuses. They have a +10 bonus to both Blunt and Heavy Armor, allowing them to hit hard and absorb damage wearing heavy protection. They also get +5 in Armorer, Blade, Block, Restoration, and Security, which addresses repairs, alternative weapons, simple healing, and some exploration or dungeon diving utility.
In comparison to Orcs, Nords have poorer endurance and a less potent racial power. They also don’t have poison/disease resistance like Redguards, so they are more situational.
How to Use The Nord Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
Nord race is ideal for players who want a straightforward melee fighter who can charge into battle and take hits. Choose the Warrior birthsign for a boost to Strength and Endurance, or the Lord birthsign for added Health regeneration to stay in the fight longer. Activate Woad in tough battles for a 50% Shield effect, making you much harder to kill. Use Nordic Frost to slow or damage clustered enemies early on. Focus on Heavy Armor and Blunt for a classic barbarian-style build.
Khajiit – Best Sneaky Melee Scout
Khajiit are one of the best races in Elder Scrolls Oblivion for stealth-focused players who prefer speed, agility, and quick-strike combat. They begin with high Agility 50 for both males and females, and Speed 40 for males and 50 for females, making them fast, evasive, and hard to hit. Their racial powers include Eye of Fear, a once-per-day ability that demoralizes enemies up to level 25 for 30 seconds, and a constant Night Eye effect that improves vision in dark areas, perfect for dungeon crawls and nighttime missions.
Khajiit have low Strength, starting at 30 for males and 40 for females, and low Endurance 30 for both, which limits their health and melee resilience. They maintain average scores in Luck and Personality, both at 40.
Khajiit begin with strong stealth and mobility-oriented skills. They receive a +10 bonus to Acrobatics and Security, enhancing movement and lockpicking right away. They also gain +5 in Athletics, Blade, Hand to Hand, Light Armor, and Sneak, giving them solid options for both evasive movement and quick melee takedowns.
Compared to Argonians, Khajiit are faster and more agile, but lack poison and disease resistances and cannot breathe underwater, making them better suited for surface-level infiltration than deep exploration.
How to Use The Khajiit Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
Khajiit excel at stealth plays and are suited to Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood play. Their high Agility and Speed provide them with high ability to avoid attacks, move past enemy formations, and hit critically with daggers or bows. Emphasize Sneak attacks, pickpocketing, and the use of Security to sneak past locked doors quietly. Eye of Fear is well-suited for getting out of tight spots by dispersing enemies.
Combine Khajiit with the Thief birthsign to add additional Agility and Luck boosting, allowing your stealth to be even more effective. The Shadow birthsign adds a daily invisibility ability, ideal for high-risk operations or ambushes. Illusion magic also suits the playstyle of Khajiit by offering crowd control in spells such as Calm or Invisibility to take control of the battlefield and remain ahead.
Bosmer (Wood Elf) – Best Ranged Stealth
Bosmer are a prime pick for those that enjoy ranged stealth gameplay in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. They start with max Agility at 50 and Speed at 50 for males and 40 for females and are quick and difficult to hit in combat. They also gain a racial Greater Power, Command Creature, that allows them to command animals level 5 or less for 60 seconds once a day, giving creative support opportunities in wilderness battles. Bosmer also enjoy a permanent 75 percent resistance to disease, providing them with an advantage in dungeon exploration and survival-style playthroughs.
Male Bosmer begin with Strength 30 and Endurance 30, and female Bosmer begin with Strength 40 and Endurance 30. Both begin with well-balanced Personality and Luck ranging from 40 to 50 that helps with social interactions and critical success rates. Their physical attributes promote agility over resilience, so they are good at ranged combat but not as effective in prolonged melee fighting.
Bosmer gain a +10 bonus to both Sneak and Marksman, becoming deadly from range and hard to spot. They are excellent snipers or scouts with these bonuses. Bosmer are more accurate and stronger at bows but a bit slower compared to Khajiit.
How to Use The Bosmer Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
Bosmer are perfect for sniper-style builds in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. Their high Agility and natural bonuses to Marksman and Sneak make it easy to stay hidden and eliminate enemies from a distance before they can react. Their Command Creature ability can be used to tame nearby animals, turning them into temporary allies or distractions while you reposition or land critical shots.
Pair with the Thief birthsign for increased Agility and faster stealth progression, or choose the Lover birthsign for added mobility and a once-per-day paralyze ability that can give you the upper hand in early-game encounters. Focus on light armor and ranged weapons, and use terrain to your advantage to stay out of reach. With patience and positioning, Bosmer can clear entire areas without ever being seen.
C-Tier Best Races
Altmer (High Elf) – Best Pure Mage Glass Cannon
Altmer are the most magical race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion with unparalleled spell-casting potential. They begin with a whopping +100 bonus to Magicka so you can already cast powerful spells from the very start. Altmer have high Intelligence and Willpower, quickly regenerating Magicka and keeping pressure in lengthy battles with an extensive array of spells.
But they are also the most vulnerable race. Altmer have 25% vulnerabilities to Fire, Frost, Shock, and Magicka, and 50% vulnerability to Disease, so they are very exposed to enemy spellcasters and elemental damage. They have low Endurance and Strength, which prevents them from enduring much physical damage or heavy loads, so they need careful positioning and strategy.
Male and female Altmer both begin with Intelligence 50 and Willpower 40–50, but possess extremely low Endurance at 30. Strength is also low at 30, while Agility is 30 and Luck is 50.
They start out with excellent magical abilities, being granted +10 in Alchemy and Alteration, thus they are capable potion makers and utility spellcasters right off the bat. Such magical expertise positions Altmer well for the player who desires to play a clean mage or glass cannon-style spellcaster.
How To Use Altmer Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
Altmer is an excellent pick for veteran Elder Scrolls players who wish to create high-risk, high-reward mages. Their enormous pool of Magicka and robust magical skill multipliers make them ideal for summoner or pure mage builds that kill enemies at a distance without ever sustaining damage. Altmer can dominate almost any fight with the proper spell rotation, summons, and positioning.
F-Tier Best Races
Imperial – Best Roleplay and Worst Combat
Imperial is a balanced but underwhelming race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion. They are best suited for roleplay-heavy builds like merchants, diplomats, or smooth-talking thieves. Their racial power, Voice of the Emperor, calms humanoid enemies up to level 25 for 30 seconds, which can be helpful for escaping or de-escalating fights, but it is not effective in most high-level combat scenarios.
They have no elemental resistances, no bonus Magicka, and no real edge in combat or stealth. Stat-wise, they sit in the middle of the road, with most attributes in the 40 to 50 range and no major strengths or weaknesses. Their skill bonuses support a social playstyle, with +10 to both Mercantile and Speechcraft, and +5 to Blade, Blunt, Hand to Hand, Heavy Armor, and Illusion. While not optimal for power builds, Imperials can shine in RP-heavy campaigns where negotiation and gold matter more than brute force.
How To Use The Imperial Race In Elder Scrolls Oblivion:
Imperial is fun for roleplaying a charismatic diplomat or silver-tongued noble. Veteran players can have lots of fun roleplaying Imperials.
What methodology is used for the best Races tier list in Elder Scrolls Oblivion?
Ultimately, the best race in Elder Scrolls Oblivion depends on your playstyle, character concept, and the role you want to fulfill in the game’s story. This tier list ranks races based on objective in-game stats and how consistently those stats impact gameplay—not on personal preference or roleplay flavor. Each race starts with different values in core attributes like Strength, Intelligence, and Willpower, which affect health, magicka, stamina, and more. They also receive +5 or +10 bonuses to specific skills, as well as unique racial powers and passives that can greatly influence survivability and utility. A key factor is how well a race’s advantages scale over time. For example, Bretons may not have the highest starting stats like Orcs, but their 50% Magicka Resistance remains powerful throughout the game
FAQs about Races in Elder Scrolls Oblivion
How many races are there in Oblivion?
There are 10 playable races in Elder Scrolls Oblivion.
Do races affect gameplay?
Yes your race choice affects gameplay.
Can I change my race later in the game?
Once you leave the prologue area the only way to change your race is through Console Commands. Use ‘ ` ‘ key to access the console command menu and type showracemenu . It will open up the character creation tab where you select your race. Always make a clean save before entering and using console commands.
Do NPCs react differently based on race?
Yes, NPC will change their reactions slightly based on your race.
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