Once you start Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, the first thing you’ll be required to do is choose your race after waking up in the Imperial Sewer. You can customise your character after exiting the introductory part, but it is better to start with a better race. It allows you to predict the build of your character from the get-go.
Best Races in Oblivion Remastered
There are 10 races in the game, and each of them is best in its way. Each comes with its own set of perks and stats, so choosing the best race for the game depends on the player and the play style they’ve envisioned.
High Elf
If you’re looking forward to playing as a pure caster, then the ideal race for you is the High Elf. These are Mages who use only spells and are the only race with a weakness to Elemental damage. Make sure to avoid Fire, Frost, or Shock spells at all costs.
- High Elf Skill Bonuses: Alteration, Destruction, Mysticism, Alchemy, Conjuration, Illusion
- Auridon Origin Attributes: Intelligence (+10), Strength, Speed (-10)
- Summerset Origin Attributes: Intelligence (+10), Strength, Endurance (-10)
- Increased Magicka: Passive – Fortify Magicka 100 points
- Disease Resistance: Passive – Resist Disease 75%
- Elemental Weakness: Passive – 25% Weakness to Fire, Frost, and Shock
Wood Elf
Wood Elves are the best choice for Ranger Style gameplay due to their high Agility and skill bonuses, such as Sneak and Acrobatics. Along with sharp Marksmanship and Agility, you can utilise them the best for a stealthy playstyle and ranged combat.
- Grahtwood Origin Attributes: Agility, Speed (+10), Strength, Willpower, Personality (-10)
- Reaper’s March Origin Attributes: Agility, Speed (+10), Strength, Willpower, Endurance (-10)
- Wood Elf Skill Bonuses: Alchemy, Marksman, Sneak, Acrobatics, Alteration, Light Armour
- Beast Tongue: Greater Power allows you to Command a Creature up to Level 5 for 60 seconds
- Disease Resistance: Passive, Resist Disease 75%
Dark Elf
Dark Elves are best suited for a mixed playstyle revolving around Magic and Combat. They are ideal for hybrid Battlemages due to their bearing attributes, such as insane speed, across both origins. However, the special abilities of Dark Elves are really handy along with their racial bonuses, such as Blade, Destruction, Marksman, and Light Armour.
- Vvardenfell Origin Attributes: Speed (+10), Willpower, Personality (-10)
- Mainland Origin Attributes: Speed (+10), Willpower, Endurance (-10)
- Dark Elf Skill Bonuses: Blade, Destruction, Athletics, Blunt, Light Armour, Marksman, Mysticism
- Ancestor Guardian: Greater Power can summon an Ancestor Guardian for 60 seconds
- Fire Resistance: Passive, Resist Fire 75%
Breton
If you’ve already envisioned your character walking on the path of a Mage, then the best race for you is the Breton. This race is best suited for Battlemages who prefer using control, defence, and summoning spells compared to destruction spells.
- Systres Origin Attributes: Intelligence, Willpower (+10), Agility, Speed, Endurance (-10)
- High Rock Origin Attributes: Intelligence, Willpower (+10), Strength, Agility, Endurance (-10)
- Breton Skill Bonuses: Conjuration, Mysticism, Restoration, Alchemy, Alteration, Illusion
- Increased Magicka: Passive – Fortify Magicka 50 points
- Magic Resistance: Passive – Resist Magic 50%
- Dragon Skin: Greater Power – gain a 50% Shield for 60 seconds
Redguard
This race is best suited for melee combat style due to their attributes, such as high Strength and Endurance. The racial bonuses are crucial for your combat skills as they enhance abilities such as Blade, Blunt, and Heavy Armour. You also get the Adrenaline Rush ability, which is like levelling up your Agility, Endurance, Strength and Health temporarily. You also gain approximately 75% resistance to Disease and Poison.
- Dragontail Mountains Origin Attributes: Strength, Endurance (+10), Intelligence, Willpower, Personality (-10)
- Alik’r Desert Origin Attributes: Endurance (+10), Intelligence, Willpower (-10)
- Redguard Skill Bonuses: Blade, Blunt, Athletics, Light Armor, Heavy Armor, Mercantile
- Adrenaline Rush: Greater Power that grants Fortify Agility, Endurance, Speed, Strength, and Health for 60 seconds
- Disease Resistance: Passive, Resist Disease 75%
- Poison Resistance: Passive, Resist Poison 75%
Orc
The Orc race bears the strength of Berserk Power and Magic Resistance, making them an ideal choice for a melee-based combat style. However, they fall behind if you compare their attributes with Redguard’s Adrenaline Rush power and high passive resistances.
- Stronghold Origin Attributes: Willpower, Endurance (+10), Strength (+5), Intelligence, Speed, Personality (-10), Agility (-5)
- Orsinium Origin Attributes: Endurance (+10), Strength, Willpower (+5), Personality (-15), Speed (-10), Agility (-5)
- Orc Skill Bonuses: Armorer, Block, Blunt, Heavy Armor, Hand to Hand
- Berserk: Greater Power, Fortify Fatigue, Health, Strength, and Drain Agility for 60 seconds
- Magic Resistance: Passive, Resist Magic 25%
Imperial
These are the people of Cyrodiil, the homeland of the Septim Empire and the middle of Tamriel. Since their land connects with other regions of Tamriel, Imperials have a significant social aspect, and their personality is way superior to that of other races in the game. Imperial also gets a bonus to Mercantile and Speechcraft.
- Nibenay Origin Attributes: Personality (+10), Agility, Willpower (-10)
- Colovia Origin Attributes: Personality (+10), Agility, Speed (-10)
- Imperial Skill Bonuses: Heavy Armour, Mercantile, Speechcraft, Blade, Blunt, Hand to Hand
- Star of the West: Greater Power can absorb 100 Fatigue on touch
- Voice of the Emperor: Greater Power Charm (30 points) a target for 30 seconds.
Argonian
If you’re curious about playing the game as a stealth master who happens to be an anthropomorphic lizard, then Argonian is the best race for you. Albeit it appears a lot different from other races in Oblivion Remastered, Argonians are well suited for Nightblade-type builds. These builds utilise a combination of Magic and Stealth, making them ideal for assassin-styled gameplay.
- Arnesia Origin Attributes: Agility, Speed (+10), Willpower, Endurance, Personality (-10)
- Thornmarsh Origin Attributes: Intelligence (+10), Endurance, Personality (-10)
- Argonian Skill Bonuses: Athletics, Security, Alchemy, Blade, Hand to Hand, Illusion
- Disease Resistance: Passive, Resist Disease 75%
- Poison Immunity: Passive, Resist Poison 100%
- Water Breathing: Passive, can breathe underwater
Nord
If you aren’t someone who likes to play strategically and rush straight into combat, then Nord is a helpful race for you. Best suited for berserker-style gameplay, you can defeat your enemy to absolute nothing with the help of Nord’s skill bonuses, such as Blunt and Blade. However, if entirely roguelike gameplay isn’t your thing, then choosing Redguard or Orc is more useful.
- Western Origin Attributes: Strength, Endurance (+10), Intelligence, Willpower, Personality (-10)
- Eastern Origin Attributes: Strength (+10), Intelligence, Personality (-10)
- Nord Skill Bonuses: Blade, Blunt, Heavy Armor, Armorer, Block, Restoration
- Nordic Frost: Greater Power deals 50 points of Frost Damage on touch
- Woad: Greater Power gain 30% Shield for 60 seconds
- Frost Immunity: Passive, Resist Frost 50%
Khajiit
The infamous feline race in Oblivion Remastered, Khajiit, is beneficial for stealth builds due to their cat-like abilities and race bonuses. You get a massive boost in Agility in both the origins of this race, and these cat people of Tamriel are the best for Sneak and Security in the game. The best part about this race is that you can demoralise
- Anequina Origin Attributes: Agility (+10), Willpower, Endurance (-10)
- Pellitine Origin Attributes: Agility (+10), Willpower, Strength (-10)
- Khajiit Skill Bonuses: Acrobatics, Hand to Hand, Athletics, Blade, Light Armor, Security, Sneak
- Eye of Fear: Greater Power can Demoralise up to Level 25 targets for 30 seconds
- Eye of Night: Lesser Power gain Night Eye for 30 seconds for 0 Magicka
