Oblivion character generation, etc

[Alatriste]

OK, after logging 15-20 hours in the game I started to notice I was getting left behind. Monsters were more difficult, and even bandits routinely had some truely nice  & surprising weapons (not found in stores; must have bought them in eBay... )

Being nerdish enough to go looking for answers in the Net, now I know more or less why this is happening, but I'm intrigued: which strategy do you favor, custom classes? Less used skills as major? And for levelling, 5+5+5 or 5+5+1 (Luck)?

Also, a few questions and doubts.

I'm getting nice amounts of money from loot and making potions, but shops seem to have only garbage and überitems priced over 6.000 gold coins. It's a bit frustrating...

What's the point of buying a house or staying in an inn when you can join a guild or search for a camp? Am I missing something?

Is magic and arrow shooting so useless at lower levels as it seems? Yesterday I was  sweeping a dungeon (near Skingrad, searching for Erthor) and for the XXXnth time I ended up growling 'Oh, forget it' and using the old, trusty battle axe at close quarters... (khajiit rogue, my sign is the Warrior)

[grumbler]

OK, after logging 15-20 hours in the game I started to notice I was getting left behind. Monsters were more difficult, and even bandits routinely had some truely nice  & surprising weapons (not found in stores; must have bought them in eBay... )

The world levels with you.  If you choose your main utility skills as your primary skills, they will rapidly advance and you will level up quickly.  This generally means that your secondary skills become less useful, and you "fall behind" in terms of actual relative power.  The solution is to choose seldom-used or hard-to-advance skills (like block and acrobatics) as your primary skills, so you don't level so fast.

Being nerdish enough to go looking for answers in the Net, now I know more or less why this is happening, but I'm intrigued: which strategy do you favor, custom classes? Less used skills as major? And for levelling, 5+5+5 or 5+5+1 (Luck)?

I use a different levelling system and FCOM (which eliminates the leveling-up of the world), but when i started I used the less-used skills as majors, and 5+5+1 leveling, with a custom class.

Also, a few questions and doubts.

I'm getting nice amounts of money from loot and making potions, but shops seem to have only garbage and überitems priced over 6.000 gold coins. It's a bit frustrating...

Yes, there is little that you will purchase in the game.

What's the point of buying a house or staying in an inn when you can join a guild or search for a camp? Am I missing something?

Houses can be decorated, and what good is money except to buy houses?

Is magic and arrow shooting so useless at lower levels as it seems? Yesterday I was  sweeping a dungeon (near Skingrad, searching for Erthor) and for the XXXnth time I ended up growling 'Oh, forget it' and using the old, trusty battle axe at close quarters... (khajiit rogue, my sign is the Warrior)

Practice sneaking, and that makes archery a lot more effective.  If you are a mage, there are some decent magic spells that don't cost a lot.  I always liked the restoration spell series that stole enemy health and gave it to me.  Ranged destruction spells start pretty weak, but become devastating (and even game-ruining) at the higher levels.

[ulmont]

which strategy do you favor, custom classes? Less used skills as major? And for levelling, 5+5+5 or 5+5+1 (Luck)?

when i started I used the less-used skills as majors, and 5+5+1 leveling, with a custom class.

This, yes.

[Alatriste]

Thank you.

I'm playing the PS3 version (it was a gift)but I will try to find the PC version too.

By the way, yesterday night, while exploring Derelict Mine, suddenly it started to rain goblins! Three of them, actually, jumping on me from above. Two died on landing and the third was such an easy kill it was almost demoralizing... you just can't trust chairborne guys!

I just had to share it.

[The Minsky Moment]

I use a different levelling system

Which one?

Any other mods in addition to FCOM?

[grumbler]

I use a different levelling system

Which one?

Any other mods in addition to FCOM?

I use Kobu's Character Advancement System.

and about a billion mods! 

The ones I really wouldn't do without are
Team Fantasy Figures
Robert's Male
AltStart Main Quest Cutoff
Phinix Immersive DarkUI
and
DZ Auto Harvest

Deadly reflexes is kinda fun, if you are a fighter, and Midas Spells if you are a magic user.

[The Minsky Moment]

I use Kobu's Character Advancement System.

Does that work ok?  The Fcom site suggested there were compatibility issues.

[Lettow77]

This thread just reminds me how barren RPGS have gotten. Daggerfall was better than this.

Where have all the loely isometric RPGs gone? I had to deal with some fools saying they'd never played fallouts 1&2, but didint feel the need, and dived right into Fallout 3, which of course I refuse to play.

I even wasted my time finishing tactics. You kids, get off my lawn..

The computer RPG world ended at BG:2 and peaked at planescape.

[Alatriste]

Well, I have nothing against isometry, some of my oldest and best frie... games are isometric, but walking across the fields under a thunder storm in Oblivion is a treat! Out with the old, in with the new.

[Monoriu]

Witcher is sort of isometric?

[grumbler]

I use Kobu's Character Advancement System.

Does that work ok?  The Fcom site suggested there were compatibility issues.

It works without issues for me.  I don't recall seeing any compatibility discussions except with Realswords and some other attribute-awarding items.

[Valmy]

God I hate the Elder Scrolls leveling system.  I got inspired and pulled out my notebook and carefully leveled my character in Morrowind but I just cant be arsed to do it again in Oblivion.  Having to figure out what skills to gain in every level to max my stats is too much record keeping then I usually like to do in my spare time.

[Valmy]

This thread just reminds me how barren RPGS have gotten. Daggerfall was better than this.

Where have all the loely isometric RPGs gone? I had to deal with some fools saying they'd never played fallouts 1&2, but didint feel the need, and dived right into Fallout 3, which of course I refuse to play.

I even wasted my time finishing tactics. You kids, get off my lawn..

The computer RPG world ended at BG:2 and peaked at planescape.

I enjoyed Mass Effect, though it was more of an interactive Space Opera-Shooter than an RPG I guess, and I look forward to Dragon Age.  The KOTOR series was alright but very poorly balanced due to the Star Wars IP and its hardon for everything Jedi.

Alpha Protocol also looks intriguing.  Obsidian and Bioware just have to carry RPGs while MMOs continue to rape and destroy the genre.

Dragon Age looks like I can zoom out and play Isometrically with full tactical control of my party.  I am hoping beyond hope that that is true.

[grumbler]

God I hate the Elder Scrolls leveling system.  I got inspired and pulled out my notebook and carefully leveled my character in Morrowind but I just cant be arsed to do it again in Oblivion.  Having to figure out what skills to gain in every level to max my stats is too much record keeping then I usually like to do in my spare time.

That's why I have used a leveling system like Galsiah's or Kobus with every game.  I also hated that whole system, but also dislike the FO/Witcher/ME system of gaining skills/benefits from activities that have nothing to do with those skills activities.

With KCAS you just improve using the skills you use, without the discrete breakpoints of the TES leveling system.  You don't even sleep to level, you just level.

[Valmy]

I also hated that whole system, but also dislike the FO/Witcher/ME system of gaining skills/benefits from activities that have nothing to do with those skills activities.

It is not realistic but it is simple.  Simple is sometimes good.

Galsiah or Kobus eh?  Ok will look into them.  Mods are good.