Skyrim is my first Elder Scrolls game and I absolutely love it! But my friend tells me that I have to buy Oblivion because it's equally as good.

So, before I buy it. What are the differences between the two games? Good and bad, and is the leveling system and perk system the same?

Basically, I want to know how everything works in the game, if that's not too much to ask!

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:First_Time_Players

I'm going to just point out right now, there are no perks upon leveling up.

It's a wonderful game. Don't let the Morrowind elitists tell you otherwise. I've played Morrowind, loved it, played Oblivion, loved it. One thing I need to point out is that you shouldn't compare Skyrim and Oblivion. Treat it as a stand alone game if you can.

It's great but morrowind is better

Oh jesus... Give it a rest

There are a few big changes from Oblivion and Skyrim. First, there are classes. You pick 7 major skills, and leveling these skills level you up (these skills also start at 25 + racials, others start a 10 + racials I think). You also have to pick 2 attributes when you pick or make a class. Attributes affect many things, like skill use, health and stamina and magic, staggering, speed and other things. Certain skills are governed by certain attributes. The two attributes you pick get a boost, and everytime you level up you get to pick which attributes to increase. The more skill increases in attributes governing skills, the higher you can boost that attribute (increases each level range from 1-5).

You also have to pick a PERMANENT Birthsign. Birthsigns are the same as the Standing Stones from Skyrim, but you have to pick one and stay with it the entire game.

The perk system is not the same as in Skyrim. You don't pick perks, you get them when you reach 25, 50, 75 and 100 in each skill.

The effectiveness of your abilities, like blade (governs the use of shortswords, daggers, longswords, and claymores (greatswords)) are determined by how high you skill is. Ex. You do more damage with a longsword when your blade is 50 than if it was 25. The point I'm trying to make it there are no perks that straight up give 20% more damage.

Dual-wielding is not in the game, and there is a magic button, meaning you can have a sword, shield and a spell all equiped at once. Don't expect the graphics or combat to be as good as Skyrim, play for the quests (the guilds are much better in my opinon), characters and world.

Give What a rest? OP asked an opinion. I think all the tes games are worth playing and morrowind happens to be my favorite ergo in my opinion, the best.