I have a strange issue. With a completely new install of the game (Steam GOTY), using only AlternativeBeginnings by Arthmoor and OBSE 20, with a female character, I am starting as a squire in Geldall Septim's Manor. I take all the armors and weapons from a dead Blade inside and here it is: Everything is equippable, except the Blade iron shield. Actually, when I hotkey it,the message says that the shield has been equipped, but it does not appear on my character and when I try to block, it seems to me like the standard H2H blocking animation (both hands in front of the PC). Could it be because of the gold value of zero? However, all the other armors have the same value and still get visible all right.

Does anyone have any idea, please?

Can you equip other shields? It would help to know if it's a problem with the item, or if it's more general.

Yes, wait until you find another shield and see if it persists .

In general, if you can't equip an item, you also can't take it from a dead NPC. Some things are marked as not playable and Blades armor all exists as two versions, one playable and one not, according to whether you're supposed to be able to take them. In the standard tutorial beginning, the only thing you can take from Captain Renault, for example, is her Katana, but when you get to Cloud Ruler temple, there are playable versions of everything.

This behaviour makes it appear that you have an unplayable version of the shield in your inventory, which isn't supposed to happen. Can you use the console to get its FormID? The playable version is 00023922 and the unplayable (but otherwise identical) one is 00022F7F. You may find the first byte has changed to "FF" because you picked it up in which case all bets are off.

If it's a totally different number, then it may be a third version added by the AlternativeBeginnings mod. I don't have that, so I can't check.

Edit: It's not easy to get the base FormID of an instance of an item without FormIDFinder or RefScope, so this may not help much.

Thank you for ideas, I shall now comment a bit more:

I have actually found this error with a rather full load order and with a robber near the IC, who had a fur shield, with the same results. I have tried to uninstall small groups of mods and have never find the culprint, so I finally wiped out my Oblivion installation completely and reinstalled with just one mod and OBSE, as stated before.

I am almost positive that some time ago this very shield from A. Beginnings was OK and visible, but maybe I am mistaken. However, the shield has been added by the mod and I cannot believe that Arthmoor would pust an unplayable shield there... Also, when equipping the shield via a hotkey, Oblivion tells me that the shield has been equipped. And the shield I take from a dead Blade, who has been put by the mod, so it's nothing like he got killed in some combat. In the Blade's inventory there also are all the armors, and completely equippable.

I will try the console and report back.

EDIT: Well, the name is "Blades Shield" and it's formid is ff000811. The shield has been taken from the actor's inventory in the classical way (opening him), so I really am lost...

Well Arthmoor would have used an unplayable shield if he didn't want you to be able to take it, but since you can take the rest of the armor, it's very likely he wanted you to have a shield as well. The point being that if it's marked not playable, you aren't supposed to able to pick it up, and it won't show in the dead NPC's inventory. The zero value suggests unplayable, but it's no guarantee.

I had one more thought. When it's in your player inventory, does it show up in the armor section, or as a miscellaneous item? Some mods have quest items that use a weapon or armor mesh, but are just unusable replicas that you need to give to someone to complete the quest. They're unique items to make sure you deliver the right one.

Cracked it open in the CS, it's a generic blades shield. Playable.

Yes, I have used FormID Finder before and it was from Oblivion.esm. Also, when I equipp the shield from my inventory, it gets the "equipped" spot around the icon, just it doesn't appear on PC. I thought it could be some overwritten animation or something, but as it is now completely redownloaded GOTY, with INI and other files deleted from the My Games folder, everything should be normal...yet the shield does not appear.

When, you mention the H2H blocking animation.

Do you actually have a 1H weapon equipped. 'cause normal behaviour won't properly equip a shield with H2H, the shield will list as equipped and enchantments wil apply but AR will not, neither will it appear.

:facepalm: Now THAT was really unbelievable :facepalm: . Thank you, Rhomphaia, this was it! Equipping a 1H weapon and presto! the shield also appears! Well, I have never played with a shield before, so I actually didn't know, that such a "feature" exists. But now I intend to play with Duke Patrick's Melee mod and without shield it would be a massacre. :yes:

So, I have actually wiped my game absolutely for nothing - well, I suppose, I shall not forget this for a looong time...

Once again my deepest thanks to you (and everyone else, I just love this community).

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