Different every time

[Emzi 43]

I think we can all agree that each playthrough of Oblivion can be either drastically or subtly different, only recently, whilst playing the fantastic mod "Ruined Tail's Tale" I discovered the wild paint horses that can be found South(?) of the Imperial City. I honestly the think the joy of Oblivion is in the little things like this, with some mods it could be a very atmospheric game. So what do you guys remember the most from your second, third or Nth playthrough? How was it different and most importantly - was it a nice surprise?

[PrinceJonathan]

On my very first playthrough, I was obsessed with Final Fantasy and wanted to play a Red Mage-type character. I ended up making a Dunmer with blue skin who majored in Blade and Destruction. I only made it to level 12 before the game came around to bite me in the ass because I had no idea what efficient leveling was.

Second playthrough I picked a Breton and did the whole efficient leveling crap, learned how to make a Chameleon Suit at level 1 (I used to think you needed to be at a high level to do that), and found out how to break the game using a Mundane Ring, Ring of Iron Fist, Necklace of Swords, and the Escutcheon of Chorrol.

I've been a Breton ever since.

After several more playthroughs and trying different mods to remove the leveling crap (Oblivion XP Update is so far my favorite), I've come to be obsessed with Alchemy. Oh I can spend hours browsing the UESP's ingredients page trying to cook up some new sinister poison.

My favorite recipe so far is Harrada, Peony, Dryad Saddle, and Milk Thistle. It makes a poison with Damage Health, Damage Speed, Frost Damage, and Paralyze. I've learned Damage Speed is a truly powerful effect. Especially against annoying creatures.

One dose on an Ogre, and I can just walk away like a boss as its speed is quickly reduced to zero making it unable to move or even detect me anymore.

I am currently doing the Shivering Isles again for the...yeah I lost count. I'm playing this time without any fancy enchanted stuff. Just an Amber Bow and Arrows with a suit of Amber Armor and my poisons.

I'm currently trying to make a poison similar to the recipe above, but with Fire Damage instead of Frost as Grummites resist frost but are weak to fire. I don't think it's possible though.

I did figure out how to make one with Damage Health, Frost Damage, Shock Damage, and Damage Speed. I think it was Black Tar, Dryad Saddle, Ectoplasm, and Milk Thistle. No Paralyze effect though. Then again it's only three seconds long at maximum, so it's no big loss I suppose.

[Chicken Slayer]

After some fast failures I became obsessed with power...how to kill as quickly and efficiently as possible. Now I'm going towards minimalism and finding out more about how the game was designed...why certain dungeons are put where they are. Yesterday I confirmed that all of the crates and barrels in Milkrock Cave are safe containers...so you can store all that damaged armor and repair it later when you need Armorer points. And Barren Cave on the road to Cheydinhall has two bosses, so no matter what type character you are playing you have a good chance of getting the most up to date weapon and armor in there--Need an elven bow for master marksman training at level 9? Stop there on one of your many Guild trips to Cheydinhall. Ever wonder why Magru gro-Orum gives you a marker to Fort Naso? Because you can walk straight to the vampire boss to see if he has what you need.

I still haven't figured out why the Fighter's guild has you walking back and forth, and up and down, across the country so many times instead of reporting to local chapters like you do in the mages guild.

[Dark Spark]

Two discoveries stand out: a moonlit trek through the Valus Mountains with my Cheydinhal Ranger took on an especially spooky turn as I stumbled upon a lit candle atop a chest among this stand of burned-up trees. The second surprise was finding out that the pesky spy in the Thieves Guild was actually spying on you in the bushes when Christophe sets you up on the Elven Maiden quest.

Then there's the thing about my Dark Brotherhood character being the last character I created after I had exhausted all the roleplays one can get with white-hat spell slingers burdened by little things like a moral conscience or sanity. The experience was so liberating for me, I carried the adventures of Princess Deathbell and Mister Stabby on over straight into Skyrim.

[Emzi 43]

I have also found that chest, in exactly the same way, I just completely stumbled across it. Only difference is, it was a bright, sunny day for my hedge knight, who was out for a walk.