The world of Cyrodiil is beautiful but expensive. You need coins for better swords, stronger spells, and a warm house to sleep in. If you want to know how to make money in oblivion, you have come to the right place. This guide will show you how to fill your pockets with gold. You do not need to be a high-level hero to start getting rich today.
Getting Ready to Get Rich
Before you start hunting for treasure, you need a plan. You do not need much to start. However, a few items will help you carry more loot back to the city.
Your Starting Kit
| Item Name | Why You Need It | Where to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| Mortar and Pestle | To make potions from plants. | Any Alchemist shop or Shady Sam. |
| Repair Hammers | To fix gear so it sells for more. | General stores like "The Copious Coinpurse." |
| Lockpicks | To open chests in dungeons. | Shady Sam outside Imperial City walls. |
Stats That Matter
Two main skills help you earn more money.
- Alchemy: This lets you turn free flowers into expensive potions.
- Mercantile: This helps you get better prices when you sell items to shopkeepers.
Method 1: The Alchemy Masterclass
Alchemy is the safest way to make money. You do not have to fight monsters. You just have to pick flowers and mix them.
Step 1: Collect Your Ingredients
Walk around the Imperial City or Skingrad. Look for food in farms. Pick every flower you see.
- Flax Seeds: Found in the West Weald.
- Steel Blue Entoloma: Found in Great Forest.
- Corn and Wheat: Found on any farm.
Step 2: Make the Potions
Open your inventory. Click on your Mortar and Pestle. Add two ingredients that have the same effect.
- Restore Fatigue is the easiest potion to make.
- Almost every food item in the game restores fatigue.
- Mix a potato with a piece of bread.
Step 3: Sell Your Goods
Go to a shop. Sell your potions one by one. This helps your Mercantile skill go up faster.
Pro Tip: Never sell to a shopkeeper who hates you. Use the "Persuade" mini-game to make them like you first. They will pay you more gold!
Method 2: Dungeon Crawling for Loot
If you want more excitement, you can explore ruins. These are full of armor and jewelry.
Picking the Right Dungeon
Not all dungeons are equal. Some have better loot than others.
- Ayleid Ruins: Look for these white stone towers. They have Welkynd Stones.
- Forts: These usually have bandits. Bandits wear armor you can sell.
- Caves: Often have monsters. Monsters have "alchemy bits" like teeth or salts.
The "Weight to Gold" Ratio
Your bag can only hold so much. Do not pick up everything.
- Bad Loot: Iron shields, heavy hammers, and cheap clothes.
- Good Loot: Rings, necklaces, daggers, and light armor.
- The Rule: If it weighs 20 pounds but is only worth 10 gold, leave it on the ground.
How to Maximize Profits
Always carry Repair Hammers. A broken chest piece sells for very little. A fixed chest piece sells for the full price.
Method 3: Joining the Guilds
Guilds give you a steady way to make money. They also give you a free place to sleep.
The Mages Guild
Join the Mages Guild in any city. Once you are a member, you can take silver soul gems and books from their shelves.
- It is not stealing if you are a member!
- Sell these items back to the guild's own alchemist.
The Arena
Go to the Imperial City Arena. Talk to Owyn. Ask to become a "Pit Dog."
- Fight: You enter the pit and fight a warrior.
- Loot: You cannot loot the bodies, but you get gold for winning.
- Bet: You can also bet gold on other fighters if you don't want to fight.
Step-by-Step Instructions: The "Skingrad Farm" Run
This is the best loop for beginners to get 500 gold in ten minutes.
Phase 1: The Harvest
Go to the farms outside the East Gate of Skingrad. Look for the rows of grapes and tomatoes.
- Pick all the Skingrad Grapes.
- Pick all the Corn and Tomatoes.
- Run to the nearby stables and find the grain sacks.
Phase 2: Mixing
Sit down in a safe spot. Use your Mortar and Pestle.
- Mix a Tomato with a Grape.
- Repeat until you have 50 potions.
- These potions are light and easy to carry.
Phase 3: The Sale
Walk into Skingrad. Go to "All Things Alchemical."
- Talk to Falanu Hlaalu.
- Sell her all your potions.
- She has plenty of gold to buy them all.
Expert Tips & Troubleshooting
Sometimes things go wrong. Here is how to fix common money problems.
My Bag is Full!
If you find a huge treasure but can't carry it, don't worry.
- Put the items in a nearby sack or chest.
- Most chests stay the same for 3 days.
- Go to town, sell what you have, and come back.
Shopkeepers Won't Buy My Stuff
If an item is red in your bag, it is stolen. Normal shops will not buy stolen goods.
- You must join the Thieves Guild to sell stolen items.
- Look for a man named Ongar the Tired in Bruma. He is a "Fence."
Critical Warning: If a guard catches you, he will take all your stolen items. Hide them in a hollow tree before you talk to guards!
As you get stronger, the world changes. This is called "Level Scaling."
Hunting Vampires
Vampires are scary but rich. They carry Vampire Dust.
- Find a cave with vampires.
- Kill them and take their dust.
- Sell the dust to the Order of the Virtuous Blood in the Imperial City for a big bonus.
Finding Daedric Gear
Once you reach level 20, bandits start wearing Glass and Daedric armor.
- One Daedric sword can be worth 5,000 gold.
- Always keep one "Feather" potion to help you carry these heavy items.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make money by sleeping?
No. You must be active. However, if you sleep and level up, the loot in chests becomes more valuable.
Is stealing the best way to get rich?
It is fast, but risky. If you get caught, you lose your gold and items. Alchemy is much safer for new players.
Where is the best place to sell jewelry?
The Imperial City Market District has the most shops. "The Red Diamond Jewelry" shop is perfect for selling rings.
Comparison of Money Methods
| Method | Effort | Risk | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alchemy | Low | None | Medium |
| Arena | High | High | Low (Early) |
| Dungeons | Medium | High | Very High |
| Stealing | Low | Very High | Medium |
Conclusion
Making money in the province of Cyrodiil is easy once you know the secrets. Start by picking flowers and making potions. Move on to clearing out ruins and selling armor. Remember to fix your gear and talk nicely to shopkeepers. If you follow these steps, you will be the richest person in the Empire in no time. Now, get out there and start earning your fortune!