Deciding which attributes to enhance in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to the Luck attribute. Unlike other attributes that have specific impacts—like Strength for melee attacks or Intelligence for magic—Luck is more general. Although the game states that Luck influences various skills, the lack of details makes it challenging to determine if it’s a wise investment.
Oblivion Remastered alters the skill leveling system, adding another layer of complexity even for seasoned players. Similar to Skyrim, all skills now contribute to level-ups and can be leveled at any time, making the system less restrictive. This flexibility can change how valuable investing in Luck may seem.
How Luck Works in Oblivion Remastered
Smaller Boosts to Every Attribute
In Oblivion Remastered, Luck functions similarly to how it did in the original game. Its effect on other skills is determined by how far it is from a score of 50, and all races begin with a Luck score of 50. While other attributes need just one Virtue point to increase, Luck requires four, which balances out its broad impacts.
To gauge the effect of Luck on other stats, subtract 50 from your Luck score and calculate 40% of that number. For instance, if your Luck score is 70, you subtract 50 to get 20, then multiply that by 40%, resulting in an 8-point boost. This boost applies to all skills, except Acrobatics, Athletics, and Speechcraft, but this number won’t be displayed in-game.
If your Luck drops below 50, it will negatively affect your other stats, resulting in a negative multiplier.
Besides enhancing other stats, Luck can also influence various chance-based situations. It can improve outcomes in gambling, using repair hammers, and avoiding illnesses in Oblivion Remastered.
Focus on Luck Early On
Luck Becomes Less Useful Later
Luck can be advantageous in the early stages of Oblivion since you’re likely working to enhance your character’s overall abilities. You can only invest one set of four Virtue points into Luck per level up, so there’s minimal risk of overspending. However, if you’re aiming for optimal returns from your Virtues, leveling Luck is less efficient.
Other attributes affect three skills each, while Luck impacts 18. Though Luck seems appealing due to its wide influence, the high investment cost dilutes its effectiveness. After boosting Luck five times, for instance, you’d add 2 points to 18 different skills, costing you 20 Virtues—a return of only 36. In contrast, distributing those 20 Virtues among standard attributes would yield an effective return of 60 since each attribute enhances three skills. This ratio shows that Luck is only 60% as effective as focusing on other attributes.
If you’re committed to improving Luck, choosing a Thief class will give you an initial +10 bonus to that attribute.
Aside from its random benefits, an early investment in Luck helps amplify your preferred attributes while providing minor boosts across the board. Since you can only invest 5 Virtues into any other attribute at each level, raising Luck can complement your chosen attribute and all others. However, because Acrobatics and Athletics don’t benefit from Luck, this strategy might not be ideal if Luck is your main focus.
As you progress in Oblivion, the utility of investing in Luck begins to wane. The gradual increase in its percentage boost becomes less satisfying as your other stats rise, and Luck won’t impact attributes past their maximum cap of 100.
Ultimately, whether you decide to level up Luck or not won’t make or break your Oblivion experience, but it can be beneficial up to a certain point. The key is recognizing when to stop investing in Luck, as it becomes one of the least effective strategies as the game progresses.
