- Skills

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Guide - The Basics, Character Creation

Skills

There are 21 skills in total. The seven skills your character class is composed of are referred to as “Major Skills” and the rest as “Minor Skills.” There are set points considered as “Mastery Levels”. When you reach a new mastery level, you'll gain a new perk for that skill. Major skills start off at the Apprentice mastery level (25). Below is a list of the level ranges of each mastery.

Novice: 0-24
Apprentice: 25-49
Journeyman: 50-74
Expert: 75-99
Master: 100

Combat Skills

Block

Governing Attribute: Endurance

Parry melee attacks with shields and weapons. Successful blocks reduce damage received.

Novice: A Novice of Block is fatigued when blocking. Also, hand-to-hand blocking against weapons has no effect.
Apprentice: An Apprentice is no longer fatigued when blocking.
Journeyman: A Journeyman's shield or weapon is no longer damaged when he/she blocks. Opponents may recoil when blocking with hand-to-hand.
Expert: An Expert blocking with a shield has a chance to do a knockback counter attack, staggering the enemy if the shield blow connects.
Master: A Master blocking with a shield has a chance of disarming an enemy with a successful knockback counterattack.

Armorer

Governing Attribute: Endurance

Repair damaged weapons and armour. Damaged pieces of equipment are less effective.

Novice: A Novice cannot repair magic items.
Apprentice: Repair hammers last twice as long. Magic items still cannot be repaired by an Apprentice.
Journeyman: A Journeyman of Armorer can repair magic items.
Expert: An Expert can repair items beyond their highest condition (to 125%). Expert-improved weapons do more damage and Expert-improved armour offers better protection.
Master: Repair Hammers never break when used by a Master.

Heavy Armor

Governing Attribute: Endurance

Make more effective use of armours classed as Heavy Armor. The Heavy Armor category includes Iron, Steel, Dwarven, Orcish, Ebony, and Daedric.

Novice: Heavy Armor degrades rapidly with use (150% of normal rate).
Apprentice: Heavy Armor worn by an Apprentice degrades at a normal rate.
Journeyman: Heavy Armor degrades at a 50% slower rate.
Expert: Worn Heavy Armor only encumbers by 50%.
Master: Equipped Heavy Armor does not encumber at all.

Blunt

Governing Attribute: Strength

Use weapons categorized as Blunt more effectively. The Blunt category encompasses maces, hammers, and axes.

Novice: A Novice performs a basic power attack with a damage bonus in all directions.
Apprentice: Gain damage bonuses with a Mastery Standing Power Attack (hold RT/R2).
Journeyman: Gain damage bonuses with the Mastery Left and Right Power Attacks (push Right Stick left or right and hold RT/R2). Has a chance of disarming the opponent.
Expert: Gain Mastery Backwards Power Attack (pull back Right Stick and hold RT/R2). Also gains a chance of a knockdown.
Master: Mastery Forward Power Attack (push up on Right Stick and hold RT/R2) with a chance to paralyze.

Blade

Governing Attribute: Strength

Use weapons categorized as Blade more effectively. The Blade category encompasses daggers and swords.

Novice: A Novice performs a basic power attack with a damage bonus in all directions.
Apprentice: Gain damage bonuses with a Mastery Standing Power Attack (hold RT/R2).
Journeyman: Gain damage bonuses with the Mastery Left and Right Power Attacks (push Right Stick left or right and hold RT/R2). Has a chance of disarming the opponent.
Expert: Gain Mastery Backwards Power Attack (pull back Right Stick and hold RT/R2). Also gains a chance of a knockdown.
Master: Mastery Forward Power Attack (push up on Right Stick and hold RT/R2) with a chance to paralyze.

Athletics

Governing Attribute: Speed

Run and swim faster. Also affects rate of lost Fatigue recovery.

Novice: A Novice regenerates Fatigue slowly when running.
Apprentice: An Apprentice regenerates Fatigue 25% faster when running.
Journeyman: A Journeyman regenerates Fatigue 50% faster when running.
Expert: An Expert regenerates Fatigue 75% faster when running.
Master: A Master's Fatigue regeneration rate is never reduced while running.

Hand To Hand

Governing Attribute: Strength

Attack without weapons using your fists to damage and fatigue opponents.

Novice: A Novice performs a basic power attack with a damage bonus in all directions.
Apprentice: Gain damage bonuses with a Mastery Standing Power Attack (hold RT/R2).
Journeyman: Gain damage bonuses with the Mastery Left and Right Power Attacks (push Right Stick left or right and hold RT/R2). Has a chance of disarming the opponent.
Expert: Gain Mastery Backwards Power Attack (pull back Right Stick and hold RT/R2). Gains a chance of a knockdown. Also gains a chance of a knockback attack when blocking.
Master: Mastery Forward Power Attack (push up on the Right Stick and hold RT/R2) with a chance to paralyze. While blocking, gains a chance of to disarm on a knockback attack.

Magic Skills

Destruction

Governing Attribute: Willpower

Cast spells to inflict magical fire, frost, and shock damage or lower resistances to magic attacks.

Novice: Cast Novice level Destruction spells.
Apprentice: Cast Apprentice level Destruction spells.
Journeyman: Cast Journeyman level Destruction spells.
Expert: Cast Expert level Destruction spells.
Master: Cast Master level Destruction spells.

Alteration

Governing Attribute: Willpower

Cast spells to breathe or walk on water, open lock, shield from physical or magical attacks, and alter encumbrance.

Novice: Cast Novice level Alteration spells.
Apprentice: Cast Apprentice level Alteration spells.
Journeyman: Cast Journeyman level Alteration spells.
Expert: Cast Expert level Alteration spells.
Master: Cast Master level Alteration spells.

Illusion

Governing Attribute: Personality

Cast spells to charm, conceal, create light, silence, paralyze, command, and affect morale or aggressiveness.

Novice: Cast Novice level Illusion spells.
Apprentice: Cast Apprentice level Illusion spells.
Journeyman: Cast Journeyman level Illusion spells.
Expert: Cast Expert level Illusion spells.
Master: Cast Master level Illusion spells.

Conjuration

Governing Attribute: Intelligence

Cast spells to summon demonic creatures, magical weapons, armour, and turn the undead.

Novice: Cast Novice level Conjuration spells.
Apprentice: Cast Apprentice level Conjuration spells.
Journeyman: Cast Journeyman level Conjuration spells.
Expert: Cast Expert level Conjuration spells.
Master: Cast Master level Conjuration spells.

Mysticism

Governing Attribute: Intelligence

Cast spells to absorb, reflect, and dispel magic. Move objects, sense life, and bind souls.

Novice: Cast Novice level Mysticism spells.
Apprentice: Cast Apprentice level Mysticism spells.
Journeyman: Cast Journeyman level Mysticism spells.
Expert: Cast Expert level Mysticism spells.
Master: Cast Master level Mysticism spells.

Restoration

Governing Attribute: Willpower

Cast spells to restore, fortify or absorb physical and magic attributes, cure disease, and resist magic attacks.

Novice: Cast Novice level Restoration spells.
Apprentice: Cast Apprentice level Restoration spells.
Journeyman: Cast Journeyman level Restoration spells.
Expert: Cast Expert level Restoration spells.
Master: Cast Master level Restoration spells.

Alchemy

Governing Attribute: Intelligence

Create potions and gain benefits from alchemical ingredients more effectively.

Novice: Recognize only the first of four potential alchemical properties of a substance.
Apprentice: Recognize the first two of four potential alchemical properties of a substance.
Journeyman: Recognize the first three of four potential alchemical properties of a substance.
Expert: Recognize all four potential alchemical properties of a substance.
Master: Create potions from a single ingredient.
 

Stealth Skills

Security

Governing Attribute: Agility

Utilize lockpicks to open locked doors, chests, containers, and so on.

Novice: As many as four tumblers will fall a pick is broken due to being unsuccessful.
Apprentice: As many as three tumblers will fall a pick is broken due to being unsuccessful.
Journeyman: As many as two tumblers will fall when a pick is broken due to being unsuccessful.
Expert: Only one tumbler will fall when unsuccessful.
Master: No tumblers will fall when a pick is broken due to being unsuccessful.

Sneak

Governing Attribute: Agility

Become harder to detect when moving through the shadows. Pick pockets more effectively (click the Left Stick to toggle Sneak Mode).

Novice: Gains a 4x damage bonus for one-handed and hand-to-hand, and a 2x damage bonus for ranged attacks, when undetected.
Apprentice: Gains a 6x damage bonus for one-handed and hand-to-hand, and a 3x damage bonus for ranged attacks, when undetected.
Journeyman: Receives no penalty to his/her chance of detection while sneaking for the weight of his/her equipped boots.
Expert: Receives no penalty to his/her chance of being detected while sneaking for moving faster rather than slower.
Master: An undetected sneak attack made by a master will ignore the target's armour rating.

Acrobatics

Governing Attribute: Speed

Jump higher and farther. Avoid damage when falling great distances.

Novice: Cannot attack while jumping or falling.
Apprentice: Perform normal attacks while jumping or falling.
Journeyman: Gain the dodge ability, hold block and jump in a direction to roll. Hold RT, Right Stick left or right, and press Y/Triangle or hold RT/R2 and down on the Right Stick to perform a backflip!
Expert: Fatigue loss for jumping is reduced by 50%.
Master: Gains the Water Jump ability. With good timing, a master can jump off the surface of water.

Light Armor

Governing Attribute: Speed

Make more effective use of armours classified as Light Armor. The Light Armor category includes Fur, Leather, Chain, Mithril, Elven, and Glass.

Novice: Light Armor degrades rapidly with use (150% of normal rate).
Apprentice: Light Armor worn by an Apprentice degrades at a normal rate.
Journeyman: Light Armor degrades at a 50% slower rate.
Expert: Equipped Light Armor does not encumber the user at all.
Master: While wearing only Light Armor, the Master gains a bonus of 50% to the rating of that armour.

Marksman

Governing Attribute: Agility

Make more effective use of bow and arrow weapons.

Novice: A Novice is fatigued while holding a bow drawn back.
Apprentice: No fatigue cost for holding a bow drawn back.
Journeyman: User can zoom in using LT/L2 while the bow is drawn.
Expert: Arrow attacks have a chance of knocking the target down.
Master: Arrow attacks have a chance of paralyzing the target.

Mercantile

Governing Attribute: Personality

Get better deals when buying or selling items.

Novice: Value of item is reduced by worn condition of the item.
Apprentice: Value of item that is being sold is not reduced by the worn condition of the item.
Journeyman: Can buy and sell any object to any vendor, even if he or she does not usually deal in that type of wares.
Expert: Has the ability to invest in a shop, giving the merchant money to permanently increase his or her shop's available gold by 500.
Master: All shops in the world always have 500 more gold available.

Speechcraft

Governing Attribute: Personality

Use speech to persuade listeners to like and trust you.

Novice: Can offer bribes to increase disposition of certain people.
Apprentice: Gains a free rotation wedge in the persuasion menu.
Journeyman: Falling disposition timer in the persuasion mini-game is 50% slower.
Expert: Disposition loss from negative results in the mini-game are reduced from -150% to -100%.
Master: Bribes cast half as much as they normally do.