Started a new character and ran through the thieves guild quests, now ready to do DB but I was hoping to enchant some stuff....Do I really have to join the mages guild to get access?

If you have not been accepted in the University, I don't think you can 'break in' and access the altars. (All my characters enjoy the mages guild, so I have never tried to break in.) I'll be happy to stand corrected if wrong and hopefully another poster can verify this.

Ways to access spellmaking/enchanting altars include:

- Complete the simple quests to enter the University (even simpler if you fast travel).
- Install and upgrade the DLC Wizards Tower.
- Bring up the desired altar menu via the command console (if on PC).
- Mods that provide alternative access to the altars (if on PC).

It is impossible to break into the Arcane University without exploits.

If you are on console, your only solution is The Wizard's Tower DLC.

So am I to assue that no one that has ever faught with the mage's guild was smart enough to have these tools available to them? That's pretty convienent if you in the mages guild. Your enemies are at a significant disadvantage.

Even the enemies of the fighters guild are smart enough to use a weapon so the playing field is somewhat leveled.

I thought mages were supposed to be intelligent...

What's to say they don't? In Morrowind, Spellmaking was accomplished by paying a fellow mage to craft the spell for you. I would assume that those other people you mention would be able to do the same, including in Oblivion.

Altars of Spellcrafting exist to allow those who do not have the time or focus to invest into their work to be able to easily and quickly craft their own spells. As far as technology goes in Tamriel, I would consider that cutting edge. So naturally, the Arcane University would have reason to keep it to themselves (with one exception for a very noteworthy wizard).

The other guys simply do it the old fashioned way.

Wizard's Tower and a few other DLCs offered for Xbox were not given to PS3 players, sadly.



I would imagine it's easier to craft a weapon than it is to enchant it. All you need is a hearth and some tools to make a weapon, while enchanting takes more know-how. It's like the difference between making a book with paper and making a computer program.

I would also imagine it's easier to buy a spell for your spellbook than write it yourself. But it is kind of a mystery (flaw) that NOBODY out in the wilds of Cyrodiil has the tools to enchant or spellmake. Of all the necromancers and conjurers out there, you'd figure at least a few of the smarter ones would be able to figure out how to perform such actions. But they're all "in the dark" about this technology apparently. Strange, since they obviously know how to create black soul gems.

If they are able to enchant items (which would explain how enchanted items occasionally can be found in chests and on boss enemies at lower levels) their method of enchanting is a mystery, since there are no altars anywhere except in the AC or Wizard's Tower. (EDIT" ACTUALLY Thomas has explained the reasoning for this up above)

But to the player (me and you, not the NPCs), if we consider that the Mage's Guild factions are supposed to have been unified by the Imperial Empire's influence, it makes sense that they now have some control and/or influence on how the MG is supposed to run.

In effect, enchantments which were available to any player in Morrowind days can now only be acquired by a legitimately practicing mage who's made his/ her way into the Acane Uni, and it is now "illegal?" to simply pay a mage to have an item enchanted.

This is because the Imperial Empire only wants this technology available to a select few (and only to a magic-user who is deemed "responsible"; a magic-user who has displayed responsibility by completing the Mage's Guild requirements), so they can maintain control. It's easier to "keep the peace" in such an environment.

Of course, as the player levels the game higher and higher, and NPC enemies start wearing armor and carrying weapons which are more advanced than the Imperial Legions who are still dressed in simple armor, all of these theories make zero sense. Bandits who previously could only fashion fur or armor are now wearing and carrying stuff that is way far advanced to their supposed lack of intelligence.

There's a mod to add Morrowind-style self-enchanting to Oblivion.

The need to replenish Enchantments with charges makes Enchanting a lot less useful in Oblivion, and you can make enchanted items as an unschooled Barbarian, using a Sigil Stone, more easily than a professional enchanter can do it with the entire resources of the Arcane University. I started playing OB with a custom character designed to become an Enchanter. That lasted about 2 days until I realized how pointless it was, and I restarted.

Yes, Oblivion has a way of not making sense sometimes. In the end, I don't think Bethesda expected anyone to anolyze why this gameplay change was done in accordance to the world other than "Traven said so."

Or whatever else he said in his 'Mages Magistrate of Magical Materialism' or something. All I get out of it is that Necromancy is banned and a bunch of elves have a point in their ears about it.

Thomas,
You make a good point. Beth probably didnt expect us to think about it so much.

But the forcing my burly Nord warrior to join a guild when he clearly has no interest in magic seems quite an oversight. I mean the spell making option being limited to the guild.....ok I could see that. But enchanting is a big woops. To be competitive at later levels and not have the ability to enchant your gear would be a significant disadvantage to any warrior.

This means I not only have to join the mages guild but I have to do a minimum of 7 different quests in order to have access to this option.

I would liken this to buying a sword. Instead of just buying it from a blacksmith, you'd have to join the smithing guild then go to 7 different cities and contribute something significant to that local smithing club's chapter then go back to a separate 8th city and only then you'd have access to to buy a weapon from only 1 or 2 vendors in the whole land. If you ever wanted to buy another weapon, you guessed it, you'd have to trek all the way back to these few smiths in this 1 city in order to buy it.

When I think about it. They really could have runied this game by applying that same principle over many different levels.