Oblivion Remastered: How the Persuasion minigame works

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In Skyrim, you might be accustomed to freely chatting with non-player characters (NPCs) about any topic. However, in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, you’ll notice a change in this interaction quickly. Many NPCs will only discuss certain subjects if they have a favorable opinion of you. Each NPC in the game has an individual opinion towards the player that is tracked and can be influenced through various means like doing favors for them, increasing your Fame or Infamy, or more directly by using the Persuasion minigame.

The initial play of this mini-game may seem perplexing, even with the game’s short tutorial, so let me clarify how it operates and how to achieve optimal results. Additionally, I’d like to mention that the lockpicking minigame can be problematic, but fortunately, if you manage to acquire the Skeleton Key in Oblivion, you won’t need to deal with it anymore.

How the Persuasion minigame works

As soon as you initiate the mini-game, a circle divided into four sections will appear: Admire, Joke, Coerce, and Boast. Each segment features varying numbers of bars, signifying the effectiveness of choosing that option with the specific NPC. The impact can be either beneficial or detrimental based on the expressions displayed by the character you’re conversing with.

For instance, consider this situation: When you hover over the word “Boast” with four bars and the person you’re chatting has a broad grin on their face, it represents an optimal situation since it provides a significant positive impact on your relationship. However, remember that your relationship’s health gradually decreases during the conversation, so you should act promptly to maintain its momentum.

As a gamer, I find myself in a unique situation where each choice I make sets the circle spinning. With every clockwise rotation, the bars around the circle shuffle, altering the significance of each option’s impact on me. To come out on top, I must click on the favorable responses when they boast an abundance of bars, and the unfavorable ones when they are sparse. This tactic will help me maximize my benefits while minimizing my setbacks. Remember, I can’t leave this minigame until I’ve chosen all four options, so careful planning is key to success!

– Green signifies love.
– Yellow indicates like.
– Orange represents dislike.
– Red symbolizes hate.

Your performance is influenced by a combination of your Personality trait and Speechcraft ability, yet there are strategies to avoid its use altogether.

How to skip the Persuasion minigame

There are two ways to avoid needing to use this minigame at all.

Prior to initiating an effort to persuade someone, there’s an opportunity to incentivize them with a reward (money), which raises their affinity level towards you, but the effect becomes less potent with repeated use.

Another approach is to employ illusions charms such as Charm, Beguile, Mesmerizing Touch, and several others that momentarily boost a person’s connection with you. It’s important to note that utilizing these spells on individuals isn’t considered illegal. Feel free to use them as often as necessary for your convenience and to gain some Illusion mastery. However, keep in mind that the effects are temporary.

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2025-04-29 17:17