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The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Remastered

Best Archer Build

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★ Best Birthsigns Tier List | Best Race
★ Best Weapons | Best Armor
★ Weapon IDs | Armor IDs
★ How to Cure Vampirism
★ Leveling System Explained

The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion - Archer Build

This is a guide on the best Archer build in The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Remastered. Find out the best build for the Archer class, the best identity and birthsign for the Archer, and how to play as an Archer!

List of Contents

Best Archer Build

Jump to a section!
Skill Priority Best Weapon Types Best Identity Best Birthsign

Skill Priority for Archer

Armorer Skill
Armorer 		Blade Skill
Blade 		Acrobatics Skill
Acrobatics
Light Armor Skill
Light Armor 		Marksman Skill
Marksman 		Sneak Skill
Sneak

Marksman and Sneak are the most key skills for your Archer build. Marksman is vital for Bow damage and its useful perks. Sneaking is also essential for landing high damaging sneak attacks, as these can quickly thin out enemies before they even spot you, or at least deal large chunks of damage.

For extra utility, Armorer is an important supporting skill to keep your bow repaired, especially if you start utilizing enchanted bows. Blade is a solid backup for when you’re forced into close combat.

For defense when you need it, Acrobatics will be useful mainly for its dodge perk, which can help in melee situations. Finally, Light Armor offers extra protection without compromising much mobility.

Best Weapon Types for Archer

Primary Bow
Alternative Shortsword + Light Shield

Bows are your obvious primary weapon. Keep at a distance, and utilize sneaking to get bonus sneak damage. For a reliable backup, Shortswords are ideal since their weapon damage scales with the Agility attribute just like Bows.

If enemies manage to close the gap, switch to your Shortsword to fend them off. Equip a Light Shield too to get extra armor rating, but you should still prioritize dodging over blocking. This setup keeps you deadly at range, agile, and ready for close-quarters combat when needed.

List of All Weapons

Best Identity for Archer

Best Race Best Origin
Wood Elf Wood Elf Grahtwood

Wood Elves by far make the best archers. They have stat bonuses to Marksman and Sneak, which are the Archer's two key Skills. They also have +10 in the Agility and Speed Attributes, perfect for a mobile archer and the damage scaling of your Bow and Shortsword.

The Grahtwood origin is preferred, for the extra Endurance stat. The alternative, Reaper's March, opts for Personality instead, which is viable if you want to go for more Speechcraft options.

While Wood Elf is the top choice for an Archer build, there are other solid race options worth considering:

  • Khajiit: Night Vision Passive, Good bonuses in Acrobatics and Sneak, Eye of Fear Racial Power (enemies run away)
  • Dark Elf: +75% Fire Resistance, +5 Marksman, +10 Blade, Ancestor Guardian Racial Power

Best Race to Play

Best Birthsign for Archer

Best Birthsign Description
The Thief The Thief Those born under the sign of The Thief benefit from increased Agility, Speed and Luck.
・ Fortify Agility: Increases Agility by 10 points.
・ Fortify Luck: Increases Luck by 10 points.
・ Fortify Speed: Increases Speed by 10 points.

The Thief is the most optimal birthsign for Archer builds. The bonus Agility directly boosts both Bow and Shortsword damage, while also improving stamina management. Luck provides a subtle all-around Skill boost, which is especially valuable since it takes four Virtue points to raise it by one.

The added Speed enhances mobility, making it easier to reposition, dodge, and stay one step ahead in ranged and melee combat.

Best Birthsigns Tier List

Archer Class Info

Attributes and Specialization

Specialization Favored Attributes
Combat Agility
Strength

All Classes Explained

Archer Major Skills

Skill Unlocks
Armorer Image Armorer Base: You cannot repair magic items.
Lv. 25: You can now repair magic items.
Lv. 50: Your Repair Hammers last twice as long.
Lv. 75: You can repair items beyond their maximum durability. Improved weapons deal more damage, improved armors protects more.
Lv. 100: Your Repair Hammers never break. One hammer lasts a lifetime.
Blade Image Blade Base: You have no particular perk.
Lv. 25: Your Power Attacks deal more damage, and Blade weapons are more durable.
Lv. 50: Your Power Attacks apply Weakness to Normal Weapon to your opponent.
Lv. 75: Your Regular Attacks have a slight chance to make your opponents bleed, dealing damage over time.
Lv. 100: The Weakness to Normal Weapon applied by your Power Attack is even stronger.
Blunt Image Blunt Base: You have no particular perk.
Lv. 25: Your Power Attacks deal more damage, and Blunt weapons are more durable.
Lv. 50: Your Power Attacks temporarily grant you Shield.
Lv. 75: Your Regular Attacks have a slight chance to silence your opponents.
Lv. 100: The Shield granted by your Power Attacks is even stronger.
Hand-to-Hand Image Hand-to-Hand Base: Your attacks additionally deal Fatigue damage. You do not recoil armed opponents when blocking their attacks.
Lv. 25: Your Power Attacks deal more damage and you recoil armed opponents when blocking.
Lv. 50: Your Power Attacks have a chance to disarm your opponents. Your attacks can hit creatures immune to physical damage.
Lv. 75: Your attacks deal more Fatigue damage.
Lv. 100: Your attacks deal even more Fatigue damage.
Light Armor Image Light Armor Base: Light Armor you wear degrades much faster.
Lv. 25: Light Armor you wear degrades at a normal rate.
Lv. 50: Light Armor you wear degrades much more slowly.
Lv. 75: Light Armor you wear no longer encumbers you at all.
Lv. 100: While wearing exclusively Light Armor, your protection is greatly increased.
Marksman Image Marksman Base: You consume Fatigue while drawing a bow.
Lv. 25: You no longer consume Fatigue while drawing a bow.
Lv. 50: You can focus your vision while aiming.
Lv. 75: Your arrows have a slight chance to paralyze the target on hit.
Lv. 100: Your arrows have a great chance to paralyze the target on hit.
Sneak Image Sneak Base: Hitting enemies while undetected deals extra damage, particularly with Daggers.
Lv. 25: Your Sneak Attacks are a lot deadlier.
Lv. 50: You make less noise when moving while sneaking.
Lv. 75: You are harder to detect in bright environments.
Lv. 100: Your Sneak Attacks ignore the opponent's armor.

Major skills receive a starting bonus of an initial +20 levels and they increase more rapidly.

List of All Skills

Oblivion Remastered Related Guides

Oblivion Classes

List of All Classes

All Classes

Combat Classes
Warrior Class IconWarrior Barbarian Class IconBarbarian Crusader Class IconCrusader
Knight Class IconKnight Archer Class IconArcher Scout Class IconScout
Rogue Class IconRogue - -
Magic Classes
Battlemage Class IconMage Sorcerer Class IconSorcerer Battlemage Class IconBattlemage
Healer Class IconHealer Spellsword Class IconSpellsword Witchhunter Class IconWitchhunter
Nightblade Class IconNightblade - -
Stealth Classes
Thief Class IconThief Agent Class IconAgent Acrobat Class IconAcrobat
Assassin Class IconAssassin Monk Class IconMonk Pilgrim Class IconPilgrim
Bard Class IconBard - -

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