Okay, I finished the second main plot quest, and I closed the big gate to Oblivion near Kvatch. Now as I wander around the countryside, I see numerous gates to Oblivion just hanging around, guarded by small number of baddies. Should I attempt to close them as I find them? Heck, can they even BE closed? And will closing them as I find them (or not) have any effect on the game later-on?

What is recommended?

You get a couple of things for closing them:

• 1 point of Fame (2 points for the ones outside of the cities, but they shouldn't be open yet)
  
• a sigil stone (more or less random enchantment effect that always works)

There are also ingredients that are hard to find outside of Oblivion, various and sundry goodies (mostly leveled, so that might be "meh"), and whatever skill increases you can rack up while you're closing it. They're mostly pretty short trips once you know where you're going and how to get there. I mostly close them for the fame point and the Sigil Stones and everything else is gravy.

I very highly recommend closing all the Oblivion Gates you find. Why?

1. Rare ingredients for Alchemy (Including monster ingredients that are only found in oblivion and a few caves)
2. A good challenge and practice for the Big Gate
3. Excellent Loot (15% Magic Resist ring ftw)
4. At higher levels Daedric armor (Which is worth tons) is pretty common
5. Dremora weapons and armor
6. Sigil stones give powerful enchantments. You get one for each gate you close.

And yes, gates can be closed. To close it you must proceed to the top of the main tower in the Oblivion plane and Take the sigil stone. Its not as easy as it sounds, however. Sometimes you need to open gates, go through caves, battle lots of enemies, and dodge traps and lava. Don't let that deter you, though, its well worth it! Also, closing the random Oblivion Gates (The ones not right outside the city) will have no significant effects on the game. Closing the ones outside cities will help you in the quest Allies for Bruma.

Yes, I would recommend closing them. It's an opportunity for more exp, ingrediants, items and gold. Unless you've reached your level cap, I'd take the time to do it.

Okay, thanks, guys. I'll start closing them as I find them.

They can be a bit tedious and repetitive but some people enjoy RPing as a hero who closes them - plus the loot is some of the best in the game.

I close them, but I usually only fight until I have reached my encumberance limit with Daedric items, and then just cast invisibility spells and run as quickly as possible through the tower until I close the gate. After three years, I don't really feel the need to kill every Dremora I come across anymore.

Good for low levels, too. Take any crappy sigil stone, enchant a piece of weapon or armor you're not using. Bam, it's worth goes up hundreds of gold. Sometimes thousands.

The Sigil Stones are what you are after. Everything else you get beyond that is just a bounus.

Oh and I'll drop a massive spoiler since it's a spoiler forum. There is 25% frost, and shock, elemental sheild sigil stones that can be aquired at levels 9-12. Grab four of those and apply to street clothes and you get the only armor set you'll ever need. 85DR, that never needs repair, early in the game is so nice to have.

(by 4 clothing items, I assume hood, shirt, pants, shoes?)

Also I would suggest for 1 amulet and 2 rings: 1x Resist Magic, 2x Resist Disease (at level 17+, that is 100% Resist Disease! All but for vampirism... the UOP fixes "Astral Vapors").

Yes -- but actually five items, if you've kept the wrist irons from the intro.



Or just carry mandrake root, and save those two Resist Disease spots for something else. Lots of options.

Wouldn't bother with Resist Disease. Only Astral Vapors causes any real problems and it's caught from one enemy if I remember right. For the rest a "Cure Disease" spell (50 Restoration skill required), or mandrake root, does the trick.

I tend to burn my jewlery slots on +50 Magicka and the high-end multi-enchantment items.