After having some fun RPing then retiring a travelling merchant, I'm looking for a heroic char who can survive the deadly FCOM world. I play dead is dead. Here is my planned build, I'm looking for feedback:

Race: Breton (+50 Magicka, +50 Magic Resistance, Shield +50 daily spell)
Birthsign: The Warrior (+10 Str/End, because Str is a royal pain to level [and for the +encumb] and End to balance out the -10 End Bretons have for the HPs)

NOTE: I lean away from the +magicka signs because: 1) No mana recharge on atronach is a huge pain for "training" (see below); 2) +100 weakness to magicka on apprentice is really risky early in FCOM where dangerous magic users can appear in bunches; 3) The mage is decreased to only +30 magicka +10 WP, which doesn't seem as worth it to me

Specialization: Magic (I thought about combat here, as in FCOM you get +10 to the skills and they level faster, but am preferring to kill with conj/dest/illus instead)
Attributes: Str/End (See comments on The Warrior birthsign)

Class: Heroic Battlemage

Major Skills:

Conjuration (Summoning support is always helpful)
Destruction (Main killing skill, esp from range)
Restoration (For buffs/healing and levels slow)
Illusion (For frenzy/command/calm/invis/chameleon/charm -- very useful skill)
Mercantile (For $$$ and levels slow)
Blunt (Back up killing skill, esp from melee -- I prefer blunt>blade for battlemages because when you conjure a sword it is the 2H and I prefer to use a weapon + shield for the added defense; also, it is less encumb to carry a blunt main and dagger/blade secondary than a sword/blade and a blunt secondary)
Block (For added defense and levels slow)

"Training":

My survival strategy is as follows:

--Join the TG as an additional means of making money
--Steal steel armor, weapons, alchemy tools, and anything else that I can get my hands on that might be useful along the way
--Complete the few IC quests that are not that risky
--Steal a horse and ride safely/quickly to Chorrol and join FG, MG for a place to sleep in each city and for the quests, deliver amulet to start MQ
--While in Chorrol FG, "train" in their basemant training area by: 1) Using blunt/blade/h2h on summons to level str; 2) let summons hit armor/shield and repair them to level end; 3) use alchemy/myst (detect life) to level int -- do this to level str/end/int +5 each level
--Once Int maxes out later, use alt to raise WP +5 each level; once END maxes out later, switch to LA to level speed; once STR maxes out later, switch to sneak/marksman to level AGI (means focus is on FG/MG earlier and TG/DB later)
--Ride horses between cities while travelling from Chorrol (MG) --> Bruma (TG/MG) --> IC (TG) --> Cheydinhal (TG/FG/MG)--> IC (TG) --> Skingrad (MG) --> Anvil (FG/MG) --> Bravil (MG) --> Leyawiin (TG/MG) --> Bravil (TG) --> IC (MG -- University)
--Along the way keep training in each city to level up, try to avoid real combat as much as possible
--Try and make money through stealing, alchemy, and completing less risky quests -- goal is enough money to afford repair hammers for training
--Once I have levelled up for the hp/magicka/encumb and have some better equipment/spells, then I'll slowly start being more adventurous in terms of dungeon diving and questing

Most deadly opponents to avoid especially early are (try and run for it to safety or to guards for support):

1) Marauder-esque opponents in HA, especially spell-tossing battlemages (my nemesis and rival; their strengths are also my growing strengths)
2) Spellcasters in general, such as goblin/bandit shamans
3) Mobs, especially those that are resistant to my current frenzy/command and other mob-management spells

So far, so good. I've progressed through the list to the point of arriving in Chorrol. Good thing I stole a horse to get there because on the way I passed a large mob of bandits, as well as an ogre. And, one of the drawbacks of this build is -10 spd (Breton). Combined with HA, makes for a slow initial char, which is not so good when trying to run away.

Now to get to training.

Maybe it's because I'm just too old and stupid....what's FCOM?

Instead of all that premeditated leveling you've got planned, why not use a leveling mod, such as Realistic Leveling or nGCD??

Yeah, I really need to get a leveling mod -- are either of those compatible with FCOM?



FCOM is a huge mod integration of Francesco's, warCry, OOO, and MMM that makes more enemies, harder enemies, more and interesting loot, and about a bazillion other changes that make Oblivion a much better and way harder experience overall.

Ahhh...I see. Well then, all the more reason for me to plan the move from Xbox to PC.

Both are. And nGCD's presets generally suit an FCOM/OOO playthrough. I'd highly recommend both. More so nGCD due to the customization options.

Very cool, I'll have to look into nGCD in more detail Recently, I've just been extremely happy that I finally got FCOM installed and working with no problems! It's a very complicated process for those who are not overly familiar with these kinds of things I'm used to the mod install procedure in FO3/FONV, which is much easier

WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! THANK YOU

I successfully installed nGCD tonight and it is HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE

Oh man, I want to laugh my head off, I'm so happy with this mod combined with FCOM -- it's the PERFECT game now

I superduper love this levelling mod because now I can just play the game without worrying about levelling up or picking skills to level up -- I can just pick the skills based on RPing and not worry about it

YAY!

Now I can play the char I always wanted to play without worrying about gimping him due to the dumb levelling system:

Race: Dark Elf

Birthsign: The Shadow

Specialization: Stealth

Attributes: Ag/Spd

Class: Stealth Assassin

Major Skills:

Sneak (for sneaking)
Illusion (for sneaking)
Alteration (for sneaking -- e.g., water walking/breathing, bypassing locks)
Mysticism (for detecting targets)
Marskman (for assassinating)
Blade (for assassinating)
Alchemy (for assassinating)