Transportation
Navigating the vast province of Cyrodiil is a crucial aspect of your adventure in Oblivion. Fortunately, the game offers several convenient methods of transportation, allowing you to traverse the landscape efficiently, whether you're embarking on a grand quest or simply returning to town to sell loot. Understanding these options can save you valuable time and help you reach your destinations faster.
The primary modes of transportation include:
- Walking/Running: The most basic form of travel, always available but the slowest. Useful for exploring areas in detail or when you need to conserve resources.
- Fast Travel: Once you have discovered a location (by visiting it), you can fast travel to it from the world map. This is the most efficient way to move between known locations, especially across long distances.
- Horses: You can purchase horses from stables located in major cities. Horses offer a speed boost over walking and can be useful for traversing open terrain. They can also carry a small amount of extra weight.
- Stables: Stables are found in most major cities and serve as the primary point for purchasing and managing your horses.
- Boats: While not a primary mode of transport for the entire province, boats can be used for specific travel between certain coastal locations or islands, particularly in quests.
- Fast Travel via NPCs: In some instances, specific NPCs might offer transport to certain locations as part of a quest or service.
Horses:
Purchasing a horse is a worthwhile investment for most players. They are available at stables in cities like the Imperial City, Cheydinhal, and Skingrad. Each horse has its own stats and can be equipped with horse armor (available as DLC) for added protection. Be aware that your horse can be killed in combat, so protecting it is important.
Fast Travel Mechanics:
Fast travel is unlocked by physically visiting a location. Once a marker appears on your map, you can select it and choose to travel there instantly. This is invaluable for quickly returning to quest givers, merchants, or your home base. However, fast travel is disabled if you are in combat or in a dungeon.
Tips for Efficient Travel:
- Discover Locations: Prioritize visiting new towns, cities, and points of interest to unlock them for fast travel.
- Horse Management: If you own a horse, keep it with you when possible, especially when traveling through open wilderness.
- Map Awareness: Regularly check your map to plan your routes and identify potential fast travel points.
- Quest Objectives: Always note the location of your current quest objective on the map for easy navigation.
Efficient transportation is key to maximizing your time in Oblivion, allowing you to focus more on exploration, combat, and questing.