This post is my guide to modding The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion with about fifty mods that work well together, don’t break immersion, and actually make Oblivion into a more modern and deep game. Feel free to choose which ones to install or use this guide as a stepping stone to learning about modding.
Wrye Bash can be used to install these mods, either fully through its Install or Wizard functions. However I have also included how to install them manually just in case.
Manually Installing Mods
- Use a utility like 7-Zip or WinRar to extract the files to a temporary location.
- Once extracted, Copy the required items into your Oblivion/Data folder.
- Use Wrye Bash to check and activate the mods.
- Right Click Bashed Patch.esp and click Rebuild Patch…
- Run BOSS to ensure the mods are in order.
Installing Mods with Wrye Bash
- Place the downloaded archive in your Bash Installers folder.
- Launch Wrye Bash.
- Open the Installers tab.
- Right-click on the downloaded archive and click Install/Wizard.
- In the Mods tab tick box next to mod name to activate it.
- Right Click Bashed Patch.esp and click Rebuild Patch…
- Run BOSS to ensure the mods are in order.
I recommend installing the mods in the order roughly below. However BOSS will correct the order and most mods don’t overwrite other files.
Contents:
- Wrye Bash
- The Oblivion Script Extender (OBSE)
- BOSS
- Unofficial Oblivion Patch
- Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch
- Unofficial Oblivion DLC Patches
- DarNified UI
- 4GB Ram Patcher
- CTD and Memory patch ENBoost
- Engine Bug Fixes
- Oblivion Stutter Remover
- Oblivion Stutter Remover Sound Fix
- Qarl’s Texture Pack 3 Redimized
- Bomret’s Texture Pack for Shivering Isles
- All Natural Weather
- Martigen’s (Marts) Monster Mod
- Knight of the Nine Revelation
- Sounds of Cyrodiil
- Children of Cyrodiil
- Clocks of Cyrodiil
- Toggle Quantity Prompt
- A To Take All
- Midas Magic Spells of Aurum
- Better Saves
- Better Dungeons
- Blockhead
- Universal Skeleton Nif
- EVE HGEC Eyecandy Variants Expansion
- Robert Male Body Replacer
- Oblivion Character Overhaul
- Seamless – OCOv2 Edition
- Seamless Equipment – Robert Male v5.2 Edition
- Seamless Equipment – HGEC Edition
- Weapon Expansion Pack for Oblivion Nthusiasts
- Immersive Weapons
- Bounty Quests Fixed and Polished
- Enhanced Camera
- Archery Rebalance
- Quest Of The Week Season 1-4
- OBSE Universal Silent Voice
- Roads of Cyrodiil
- Unique Landscapes Compilation
- Harvest Flora
- Skill Perk Descriptions
- Oblivion Uncapper
- Keychain
- Maskar’s Oblivion Overhaul
- Francescos Creatures and Items
- Deadly Reflex
- Oscuros Oblivion Overhaul
- Oblivion XP
The Best Oblivion Mods
Wrye Bash
File: Wrye Bash 307 Beta3 – Installer
I recommend you use Wrye Bash to install, uninstall, and manage mods. Once you learn how to use it you wont need anything else. It is essential in running mods for Oblivion.
Installation
Use the installer and install to the Oblivion folder. When you install dependencies, just install them to their default locations.
The Oblivion Script Extender (OBSE)
File: OBSE 0021
OBSE extends the scripting capabilities of Oblivion and is essential for many mods.
Installation
Copy obse_1_2_416.dll, obse_editor_1_2.dll, and obse_steam_loader.dll to your Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Ensure you have enabled the Steam community in-game, or OBSE will fail to load. Go to Steam > Settings > In-Game and check the box marked “Enable Steam Overlay”.
BOSS
File: Boss
Setting the right load order for your mods is a crucial step to enjoying a stable modded game. BOSS can help with that, by providing automated load order and diagnostic help.
Installation
Run the boss.exe from the bin folder.
Unofficial Oblivion Patch
File: Unofficial Oblivion Patch
This Oblivion mod fixes over 2,500 bugs (and 70,000 object placement errors).
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch
File: Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch
This mod fixes the vast amount of bugs in the Shivering Isles expansion pack for Oblivion.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Unofficial Oblivion DLC Patches
File: Unofficial Oblivion DLC Patches
This mod fixes many bugs existing in the official mods.
Requirements
Fighter’s Stronghold, Horse Armor Pack, Knights of the Nine, Mehrune’s Razor, Orrery, Spell Tomes, Thieves Den, Vile Lair, and Wizard’s Tower DLC.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
DarNified UI
File: DarNified UI 132 7z Archive
This mod gives the Oblivion UI the most extensive facelift yet. Fonts are smaller, settings can be adjusted in game, user controls are scaled, more info on screen, and the hud is vastly improved.
Installation
Extract archive to steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Copy the desired fonts to steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\fonts
Edit “My Documents\My Games\Oblivion\Oblivion.ini” to use one of the new fonts (Normal or Large).
Normal fonts:
[Fonts]
SFontFile_1=Data\Fonts\Kingthings_Regular.fnt
SFontFile_2=Data\Fonts\DarN_Kingthings_Petrock_14.fnt
SFontFile_3=Data\Fonts\DarN_Kingthings_Petrock_16.fnt
SFontFile_4=Data\Fonts\DarN_Oblivion_28.fnt
SFontFile_5=Data\Fonts\Handwritten.fnt
Large fonts:
[Fonts]
SFontFile_1=Data\Fonts\Kingthings_Regular.fnt
SFontFile_2=Data\Fonts\DarN_LG_Kingthings_Petrock_14.fnt
SFontFile_3=Data\Fonts\DarN_LG_Kingthings_Petrock_18.fnt
SFontFile_4=Data\Fonts\DarN_Oblivion_28.fnt
SFontFile_5=Data\Fonts\Handwritten.fnt
DarNified Books is handled in Wrye Bash from. You need Wrye Bash to DarNify your books, Rebuild Patch and select “Tweak Assorted then DarNify Books”.
4GB Ram Patcher
File: 4gb_Patch_plus_Ram_optimization
Small .exe with sole purpose of applying a 2GB lus patch to .exe and .dll files. Automatically makes backups of original files. Applying this to all .exe and .dll related to Oblivion may give some of those with 4GB plus ram a performance boost. Even then extra tweaks and additional utilities are usually necessary to optimize things.
Installation
Use the 4GB utility to apply the LAA patch to all .exe and .dll (optional) related to oblivion. You just open the program and select which files to patch and click open on each. The program makes backups of the original files automatically (with a “.Backup” file type you simply remove to overwrite the patched file if need be). This allows them to use greater than the default theoretically limit of 2GB. To take the fullest advantage of this patch requires 4GB of free ram.
CTD and Memory patch ENBoost
File: ENBoost 1_0
x64 optimized patch for heavily modified games, it much more efficiently utilize memory. Specially for users with HD textures.
Installation
Unpack ENBSeries files from “WrapperVersion” folder to your game folder where Oblivion.exe file is. For some users “InjectorVersion” should be used to fix compatibility issues with other software or for laptops with Optimus.
Select proper enblocal.ini to your hardware file from ENBoost archive folders and extract it to game folder by replacing the same one from ENBSeries.
Engine Bug Fixes
File: EngineBugFixes v2.1
An OBSE plugin containing bug fixes for the Oblivion game engine.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Oblivion Stutter Remover
File: OSR_4-1-37
Makes Oblivion not stutter so much and improves stability.
Installation
Place in the OBSE/Plugins/ folder.
Oblivion Stutter Remover Sound Fix
File: OSR Sound Fix 3.0
Restores missing weapon sound when using Oblivion Stutter Remover.
Installation
Place in the OBSE/Plugins/ folder.
Qarl’s Texture Pack 3 Redimized
File: QTP3 Redimized 1.3 Patched Fixed and Optimised
This is Qarl’s Texture Pack 3 Redimized. Included in this version are PYFFI Optimized QTP3 Meshes – Fixed. Most of the textures are 1K.
Installation
Be sure to set textures to Large from the game menu.
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Bomret’s Texture Pack for Shivering Isles
File: Bomret’s Texture Pack for Shivering Isles with meshes from USIP
This is Bomrets Texture Pack: Shivering Isles v1 with the fixed meshes from the USIP
Installation
Be sure to set textures to Large from the game menu.
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
All Natural Weather
File: Weather – All Natural
All Natural changes the weather system, interiors, and lighting in order to provide the greatest weather and environment experience possible.
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Wizard”. The Wizard may take some time to load.
- Allow the Wizard to guide you through setting up the mod.
- When you get to the final menu, check the box at the bottom and click “Finish”.
- Right click on the mod again.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”. The mod will take some time to extract the necessary data.
Martigen’s (Marts) Monster Mod
File: MMM 3.8 and MMM 3.8 BSA
The variety in MMM is almost limitless. Each creature and NPC, both original and new, spawns with a randomized size; randomized adjustments to stats all particular to their class; as well as range-randomized confidence; aggression; and even combat fighting styles. No more clones of creatures or NPCs where each one is identical; with MMM every encounter is different because every creature even within the same race is a unique individual.
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- Select the contents in the right box.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”.
If you have problems running Oblivion then Marts Monster Mod will likely be the cause of it.
Knight of the Nine Revelation
File: Knights of the Nine Revelation 1_3_7 Full Install
From the creator of Anduril Reforged comes a sequel to Knights of the Nine. Umaril has been vanquished and the people of Cyrodiil hail you as the Divine Crusader. But little do they know that Pelinal’s relics hold the key to protecting the freedom of all humankind… or enslaving it.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Playable after completing the Nights of the Nine DLC.
Sounds of Cyrodiil
File: SoC Full Version
Adds 250+ sound effects played from 5400 + hand-placed emission points. No environment or cell is soundless anymore.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Children of Cyrodiil
File: Children of Cyrodiil ver 1 1
Approx. 90 children of various races and ages are roaming the streets of Cyrodiil towns, several babies are sleeping in their cradles, and you will also find that a new generation is on its way, as some female NPCs are actually pregnant.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Clocks of Cyrodiil
File: Clocks of Cyrodiil
Adds clocks that to the land of Cyrodiil, including clock towers, street clocks, grandfather clocks, wall clocks and table top clocks. Clocks show accurate game time.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Toggle Quantity Prompt
File: TQP v3-2-0
With this mod, you can auto-confirm the quantity prompt and confirmation prompt that you get when an item or spell is transacted. Items may be transacted one at a time by holding down either Ctrl key, or an entire stack at a time by holding down either Shift key. These hotkeys may be customised.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
A To Take All
File: A Takes All
Press the ‘A’ button to loot all items in a container or body.
Installation
Put the .esp in your data folder and activate.
Midas Magic Spells of Aurum
File: Midas Magic Spells of Aurum 0995
This mod adds over 290 new and unique spell types. It adds beam, spray and projectile attacks. Turn bodies to gold, summon your own magic carpet, or dwemer transformer, or protect yourself with a ring of fire.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Better Saves
File: Better Saves
Replaces the normal auto save and quick save features to prevent possible save corruption.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Better Dungeons
File: Better Dungeons non-BSA
Better Dungeons makes almost all the caves unique and interesting.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Blockhead
File: Blockhead 11.0
An OBSE plugin that adds support for gender variant head models and textures for NPCs. Enables NPC/Race/scripted body/head texture/model overriding. And animation overriding. And equipment model overriding.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Universal Skeleton Nif
File: UniversalSkeletonNIF181
A universal usable skeleton.nif working with all mods changing this unique game file. Works with all races. Strictly recommended for all mod users and all modders. Contains the whole set of Scale Bones from Controlable Skeleton (including vertebral Scale Bones).
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
EVE HGEC Eyecandy Variants Expansion
File: EVE_HGEC_BodyStock and Clothing Wrye Bash BAIN and EVE for Martigen Monster Mod BAIN
Replaces the vanilla/Mods Oblivion clothing and armor to match several versions of the HGEC female body.
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- Select the contents in the right box.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”.
Robert Male Body Replacer
File: Robert Male Body Replacer V52 BAIN
Male Body Replacer V5 with 10 different body types. Most of them have new high-resolution body textures and normal maps (only Argonian, Khajiit and Dremora still have the old textures)
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Wizard”. The Wizard may take some time to load.
- Allow the Wizard to guide you through setting up the mod.
- When you get to the final menu, check the box at the bottom and click “Finish”.
- Right click on the mod again.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”. The mod will take some time to extract the necessary data.
Oblivion Character Overhaul
File: Oblivion Character Overhaul v203
A comprehensive, all-in-one revamp of Oblivion character heads. New head shapes, skin textures, normal maps, eye textures and some new hairstyles covering all races in the game, including Dremoras and Shivering Isles races, all built to a single unified art direction that adheres to the styles of Skyrim and TESO. Affects both player and NPCs.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Seamless – OCOv2 Edition
File: SR- OCOv2 BAIN 44676
Seamless Replacers for OCOv2’s Heads and Textures.
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- Select the contents in the right box.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”.
Seamless Equipment – Robert Male v5.2 Edition
File: SE- Robert Male v5.2 CORE for OCO
Seamless Equipment Replacer for Robert Male Body v5.2.
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Wizard”. The Wizard may take some time to load.
- Allow the Wizard to guide you through setting up the mod.
- When you get to the final menu, check the box at the bottom and click “Finish”.
- Right click on the mod again.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”. The mod will take some time to extract the necessary data.
Seamless Equipment – HGEC Edition
File: SE- HGEC CORE 24078 and SE- HGEC MMM 24078
Seamless Equipment Replacer for HGEC EVE.
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- Select the contents in the right box.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”.
Weapon Expansion Pack for Oblivion Nthusiasts
File: WEPON Base Install Oblivion and SI
Adds new Amber, Madness, Mithril, Orcish, Fine Iron, and Rusty Iron weapons to the game. Also fixes over 100 mistakes made by Bethesda not covered by the Unofficial Patches.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Immersive Weapons
File: Immersive Weapons 2
Adds hundreds of weapons to the game, fully integrated into all levelled lists and will level with the player. Found in stores, loot, NPCs, and also adds uniques earned as rewards for completing quests. All weapons will not break immersion, hence the name.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Bounty Quests Fixed and Polished
File: Bounty Quests V2
This is a rewrite of WiS’s Bounty Quests mod. It adds a bulletin board like quest system to Tamriel, offering 20 quests to each of the cities for you to complete.
Installation
Place contents (except the “OOO Patch”) in steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Enhanced Camera
File: Enhanced Camera
This is a OBSE plugin that enables a visible body when in first person. Also, any points where the game force switches to 3rd person are now in 1st person.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Archery Rebalance
File: Archery Rebalance
Tired of shooting darts with your bow? This mod give arrows more realistic physics and makes arrows feel and behave like arrows!
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Quest Of The Week Season 1-4
File: QOTW Season One to Four Pack
Quest Of The Week (QOTW) is where us group of modders will make a miscellaneous quest weekly for Oblivion and Shivering Isles.
Don’t use this mod, If you dislike silent dialogue for the new quests and the possibility of them bugging out.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
OBSE Universal Silent Voice
File: OBSE -Elys- Universal Silent Voice v93
This OBSE plugin makes Oblivion play a 8 seconds duration silent voice for any missing voice file.
Installation
Place Elys_USV.dll, Elys_USV.mp3, and Elys_USV.lip in the OBSE/Plugins/ folder
Roads of Cyrodiil
File: Roads of Cyrodiil
Expands on the existing road network in Cyrodiil to make getting around easier, especially around the Imperial Isle.
Installation
Place 00 Core folder contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
For best results, use Wrye Bash and use the “Import Roads” option to select the road file you want. This file should be left deactivated to save an ESP slot for something else.
Use ROC Standard Road Record.esp for games using standard city layouts (including Open Cities).
Unique Landscapes Compilation
File: Unique Landscapes Compilation v2.1.1
This is a compilation of the Unique Landscapes mods, which change many outdoor locations, making them more diverse and interesting.
Installation
- Put the 7z file into your “…\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers” folder.
- Start up Wrye Bash.
- Click the “Installers” tab. It may take some time for Wrye Bash to refresh your listed data.
- Right click the mod, which should show up on the list in the box to the left.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Wizard”. The Wizard may take some time to load.
- Allow the Wizard to guide you through setting up the mod.
- When you get to the final menu, check the box at the bottom and click “Finish”.
- Right click on the mod again.
- From the dropdown menu, choose “Install”. The mod will take some time to extract the necessary data.
Harvest Flora
File: Harvest Flora v3_0_1
This mod will make all flora behave more realistically by changing their appearance when you harvest them. When you harvest a plant if its ingredient is a flower then the plant’s flowers will disappear and so on.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Skill Perk Descriptions
File: Skill_Perk_Descriptions_1_1
You can now see all perk descriptions in skill tooltips.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Oblivion Uncapper
File: Oblivion -Elys- Uncapper
Extents skill caps from level 100 to 200.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\OBSE\Plugins\ folder.
Keychain
File: Keychain v5_00
Adds a keychain to your inventory to hold your keys, reduce inventory clutter, and decrease Journal and Container load times.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Maskar’s Oblivion Overhaul
File: Maskar’s Oblivion Overhaul 4_9_3
This is an overhaul mod, improving many aspects of the game, while maintaining the overall feel of the game and ensuring compatibility with most other mods.
Installation
Place contents into steamapps\common\Oblivion\Data\ folder.
Other Oblivion Mods
These mods are popular but I haven’t tested fully and are mostly the same as the ones above.
Francescos Creatures and Items
Files: Francescos Creatures and Items – V5B1
Tired that nearly all creatures level up with you? Bored that at level 25 every bandit in the world are god-like enemies with daedric equipment? Then this mod is for you. We think that the game has to be challenging, but that not every fight has to be an epic one. This mod aims to create a more realistic and enjoyable Oblivion experience.
It works similarly to Martigen’s Monster Mod.
Deadly Reflex
File: Deadly Reflex v6_0_beta101
Deadly Reflex – Combat Moves is combat enhacing mod for Oblivion, which adds new dimension, tactics and violent action to the Oblivion Combat by adding new combat moves for both the Player and the NPCs.
I used Deadly Reflex for a while but setting it up is a hassle and not worth the time as it can mess with other default combat skills and mods.
Oscuros Oblivion Overhaul
File: OOO 136 Complete BSA Installer EXE
Oscuro’s Oblivion Overhaul aims to make Oblivion a much more interesting, challenging, realistic, and dangerous place, and also offers great rewards for the daring adventurer regardless of your level.
It is similar in ways to Maskar’s Oblivion Overhaul.
Oblivion XP
File: Oblivion XP v415 – OMOD
This mod completely changes the default levelling system to one similar to the classic XP systems found in games such as Baldur’s Gate and World of Warcraft. For example, you now gain XP for completing quests or feeding on someone as a vampire.
I prefer the default Oblivion levelling system as it feel more natural.
Video
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Mods Demonstration.
The video above is a demonstration I made of some of the mods in action, and to show how they blend into the normal gameplay.
I may add more mods to this post if I find more good ones, or get other ones to work well. It is worth mentioning that downloading mods from the Nexus website requires a free Nexus Mods’ account.
King Toko 