Oblivion Remastered Players Think Soul Gems Are “Terrible Gameplay”

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Summary

  • Oblivion Remastered players are quickly realising just how tedious enchanting is.
  • They’re getting frustrated with how quickly gear runs through charges, and how easy it is to waste grand soul gems on weaker enemies.
  • Fans have a few solutions, though: enchantments recharging over time like in Morrowind, inlaid soul gems that let you use soul trap to recharge weapons directly, or a streamlined singular soul gem akin to ESO.

In the captivating world of Oblivion, players soon find out that this remastered game requires quite a bit of juggling. You’re tasked with stocking your inventory with soul gems, mastering the soul trap spell or an enchantment, and then filling those soul gems to recharge your equipment. However, the challenge lies in the fact that enchantments in Oblivion drain rapidly, forcing you to frequently repeat these steps to boost your frost damage, which can sometimes result in wasting a larger soul gem by accidentally filling it with a mudcrab instead.

User 0L1V14H1CKSP4NT13S received over 4,000 upvotes for stating that ‘soul gems are thematic but lead to poor gameplay.’ They prefer a simplified system where souls have a set value and each soul gem of the same type can store this value. For example, instead of having a grand soul gem with nothing around except scamps, you could capture ten scamp souls and fill that grand soul gem. However, in the current setup, I find myself carrying multiple types of gems in my inventory, which makes me accidentally use something less valuable than a grand soul in my grand soul gem.

“It’s A Mechanic I Mostly Ignore”

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my enthusiasm when it comes to suggestions like the one from u/Cloud_N0ne, who yearns for the next Elder Scrolls game to eliminate the necessity of recharging enchanted weapons. After all, these magical weapons are often left unused by players such as myself, simply because the interruption caused by having to recharge them takes away from the overall gaming experience. It’s not that we don’t appreciate their power, but the pause to re-fill them just doesn’t seem like fun.

Perhaps, the solution could be found in one of the older games, as suggested by u/Inculta666. This idea involves recharging abilities over time and offering a gem-based emergency refill, similar to how Morrowind operates. Notably, Morrowind is nearing its peak player count, so it’s a good idea to join in.

In Morrowind, your enchantment skill level determines the number of uses you have for abilities, which addresses a common concern about gear running out of charges too quickly in Oblivion. However, this would imply that TES6 might revert to its older skill system.

It’s often suggested that to bypass Oblivion’s spell system, you can obtain Umbra (the sword imbued with the soul trap ability) along with Azura’s Star (a reusable soul gem). This combination allows for an alternative method of handling the enchantment system.

If Bethesda is aiming for innovation, u/Rad_Dad6969 proposes a straightforward idea: “Allow weapons to be charged with soul trap.” This feature could simplify the process of filling soul gems, making soul trap a more intuitive spell. However, it should only work with weapons that have inlaid soul gems. If Bethesda continues to focus on customizable gear as seen in Fallout 4 and Starfield, this addition would seamlessly fit into their new systems.

As a dedicated gamer, I can tell you that when things get tough and I can’t find what I need in other games, I always turn to The Elder Scrolls Online. In this game, they’ve made soul gems easier by grouping them all under one category – simply called “soul gems.” Gone are the days of sorting through different tiers; now, they’re all the same. Now, I know some fans might miss the complexity, but it certainly makes the system less time-consuming and fiddly for me.

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2025-05-25 00:04