I want to know what the best 7 major skills are for a powerful Nordic or Orc character, blade, block, blunt etc. also what 7 major skills are for a powerful Mage i do not know how to use alchemy but i want to learn. Are there any people out there who want to take on a student in the arts of alchemy??

PM me about the last comment.

A couple things to say:
1. There is no perfect build. Every character would eventually end up the same with the following exceptions:
Altmer (+200 Magicka)
Breton (+100 Magicka)
Apprentice sign users (+100 Magicka)
Atronach (+150 Magicka, stunted Magicka)

(That is in a God-Tier since)

Other than that every single character will be the same at the end. Your just picking how you get there. TO decide that refer to my guide in the signature.

For Alchemy... O lordy I am the best advise you can get. I have literally played through the game on pretty much just this skill alone.

What you do is get the apparatuses for it. Best way is to join a mages guild and take them off the selves.
Then you go out in the woods and gather ingrediants (Plants) when 2 diferent plants have the same effect you can combine them and get a potion or poison.
Its really really simple actually. The problem is that most players just focus on Restore health, Restore Magicka, and Damage Health. ALchemy has so much more to offer in way of effects and buffs. Do it right and you can make steriods.

What else do you want to know bout alchemy??

I want to know about making really strong poisons to be honest? any advice?

Well the potions get stronger as you upgrade your apparatus Those increase magnitudes.

As you level up in Alchemy you unlock more ingrediant effects. Then you just combine ingredients that have multiple effects in common and the resulting potion or poison will have those effects.

The real beauty of Alchemy though is stacking.

Take a bunch of potions that have the same effect and watch what happens.

At Master level (which can be reached very very quickly) you can pick and choose your effects. Its pretty much the best thing in the game... Master Alchemy.

Thanks alot, your advice will be put into action when i get back to Oblivion. I will PM you with some results or maybe some more questions about it.

Sounds good. My MSN btw is Metal7188@hotmail.com

First there is the obvious: increase Alchemy Skill by making a whole lot of potions and poisons. And get the best Alchemy equipment you can.

Particular at low levels getting ingredients can be the problem. Since most foods Restore Fatigue making restore Fatigue potions to self train Alchemy is a good way to get better. Some people "steal" food from farms around Skingrad (I don't with most characters, even though it's not considered stealing by the game). Also there is a huge amount of flax around Skingrad, and it weighs nothing. So if you can use that as an ingredient it helps alot. Also a bunch of nice ingredients south of Bravil.

For equipment, Mages Guildhalls sell them. And you can find them in dungeons, often better than what is sold. Conjurer Dungeons are best, followed by Necromancer. Undead, Mythic Creature and Vampire dungeons may also have some.

BUT the real secret to powerful potions and poisons is multiple effects. Adding a bunch of damage to a single poison is powerful. Or maybe add invisibily, restore health and restore fatigue to one potion, then use it when you're surrounded by tough enemies. Or fortify Health and Strength if your character is a warrior in a tough fight.

And think beyond Restore Health and Damage Health. For example, Lilly Nectar, Primrose, Motherworth and Lady Smock are all readily available. And mixing them at Expert level creates a damage fatigue and damage strength potion. That is very very powerful against enemy warlords (NPC or Goblin). Also Damage Speed is an amazing poison, particularly against enemies without a ranged attack.

I like this website for figuring out muliteffect potions and poisons

http://oblivion.melian.cc/?cmd=cmdOblivionAlchemyWizard


Any other questions on Alchemy?

The lands just to the south of Bravil is full to the brim with Nightshade. Try there if you are after damage heath.

Some good early combinations- Apprentice level.

Cure disease (mandrake, elf root cap)
Water breathing (onion, white seed pod)
Silence (vampire dust, rice)
Damage heath & damage magicka (harrada, spiddal sticks)

Spell stacking and spell chaining trumps Alchemy stacking for one big reason... it's weightless.

Flax seed and venison.

:thumbsup:

Not as good as using spell chaining which is zero weight.

True this. But you have to be a member of the Mages Guild, be on the PC using mods, or have the Frostcrag DLC to enjoy the benefits. Alchemy can be used to great effect by the dumbest Orc in vanilla.