For a powerful early melee weapon, look for Umbra in Vindasel—but expect a difficult fight. For a safer, quest-driven alternative, earn Chillrend in Chorrol by keeping both of Valus Odiil’s sons alive. Archers can seek the Frostwyrm Bow near Dive Rock, while staff users can find a Goblin Totem Staff in Plundered Mine. The best choice depends on your build, how much risk you want to take, and whether you are willing to follow a quest or wait for Oblivion Gates to open.
Best early-game weapons at a glance
| Weapon | Type | Where to find it | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umbra | Sword | Vindasel | Guide-reported as a powerful level-one sword; getting it involves a dangerous encounter or a lure tactic. |
| Chillrend | Short sword | Reward for The Killing Field in Chorrol | Complete the quest with both of Valus Odiil’s sons alive; described as frost-enchanted by Gameranx. |
| Frostwyrm Bow | Bow | Near Dive Rock, north of Cheydinhal | Requires defeating the Uderfrykte Matron, according to Beebom. |
| Hatred’s Soul | Bow | Optional area in an Oblivion Gate outside Chorrol | Becomes available after the Kvatch main quest opens Oblivion Gates; involves exploring beyond the Sigil Gate. |
| Goblin Totem Staff | Staff | Plundered Mine, east of Bruma | An early staff option; PCGamesN notes its shock damage. |
| Redwave | Not stated by Beebom | Ship quest started by speaking to Varulae off Anvil’s Gold Coast | A quest-exploration alternative listed by Beebom. |
| Blackwater Blade | Not stated by Beebom | Bloated Float Inn, Imperial City Waterfront | Rent a room and sleep to trigger the quest, according to Beebom. |
How to get each weapon
Umbra: a high-risk sword in Vindasel
Find Umbra in the Vindasel ruins. PCGamesN describes Umbra as the best level-one sword by base damage and suggests aggroing her, then leading her toward Imperial City guards, who may kill her. Beebom describes a different approach: luring her over a spike trap in the dungeon. These are guide-reported tactics, not guaranteed outcomes. Either way, this is a punishing encounter for an unprepared character; consider returning with better gear or combat skills rather than treating the weapon as a free pickup. PCGamesN also notes that Umbra’s armor is leveled, but the consulted guides do not establish a universal rule for the level scaling of all the weapons here. (PCGamesN; Beebom)
Chillrend: protect both sons in The Killing Field
- Go to Chorrol and speak to Valus Odiil at the Grey Mare, also rendered as the Gray Mare.
- Accept his request to begin The Killing Field.
- Keep both of his sons alive during the battle. Their survival is the condition attached to the Chillrend reward in the cited guides.
Gameranx describes Chillrend as a frost-enchanted glass short sword. Unlike the Umbra routes, this option is tied to a clear quest condition rather than a dangerous boss encounter or lure tactic. (Gameranx; Beebom)
Frostwyrm Bow: climb to Dive Rock and defeat the Matron
Head to Dive Rock, north of Cheydinhal, and scale the mountain to find the Uderfrykte Matron. Beebom recommends attacking from range and reports that the creature has a permanent Chameleon effect and a 75% weakness to fire. Treat those combat details as Beebom’s guide information, rather than an official game ranking or independently verified mechanic. (Beebom)
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Hatred’s Soul: explore an Oblivion Gate after Kvatch
First complete the Kvatch portion of the main quest so that Oblivion Gates open. Gameranx points to the gate outside Chorrol: enter its world, go north past the Sigil Gate, then look for the optional Fume Vaults and Embers of Hatred tower, where Hatred’s Soul is found. Because this route depends on main-quest progress and deeper gate exploration, it is not a first-hours pickup. (Gameranx)
Goblin Totem Staff: search Plundered Mine
For a staff rather than a blade or bow, travel to Plundered Mine east of Bruma and look for the Goblin Totem Staff. PCGamesN notes that it deals shock damage; Beebom describes goblin staffs as artifacts of goblin tribes. (PCGamesN; Beebom)
Redwave and Blackwater Blade: quest-led alternatives
Beebom also lists Redwave, associated with a ship quest begun by speaking to Varulae off Anvil’s Gold Coast. For Blackwater Blade, rent a room at the Bloated Float Inn on the Imperial City Waterfront and sleep to trigger the quest. These routes suit players who would rather discover weapons through quests than seek out the specific boss, mountain, or gate routes above. Beebom does not state the weapon types for these two entries. (Beebom)
Which weapon route should you choose?
- Want a sword immediately? Umbra is the most direct high-risk target; choose the Vindasel route only if you are prepared for a hard fight or want to try one of the reported lure tactics.
- Prefer a quest with a specific success condition? Take The Killing Field in Chorrol and protect both sons to earn Chillrend.
- Play at range? Frostwyrm Bow is an exploration-and-boss route; Hatred’s Soul requires later main-quest progress and gate exploration.
- Prefer a staff? Search Plundered Mine for the Goblin Totem Staff.
- Want to avoid a named boss route? The Redwave and Blackwater Blade leads are tied to quests, though the cited guide gives less detail on their weapon types.
What leveling means for early weapon choices
Bethesda Support explains that enemies scale with character level and that skills such as Blade and Blunt increase through use. That can affect how encounters feel as your character develops, but the available guides do not establish one universal level-scaling rule for every weapon in this list. PCGamesN specifically notes level dependence for Umbra’s armor; do not assume from that statement alone that every listed weapon’s stats change in the same way. (Bethesda Support; PCGamesN)
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Rank #3
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay.
- Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.
- Rediscover Cyrodiil Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.
- Navigate Your Own Story. From the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.
- An Epic Adventure. Step inside a universe bursting with captivating stories and encounter an unforgettable cast of characters. Master swordcraft and wield powerful magic as you fight to save Tamriel from the Daedric invasion.
Bethesda’s beginner guide encourages exploring and talking to NPCs, useful habits for finding quest-led gear and uncovering optional locations. Its advice is general exploration guidance, not a weapon ranking. The guide identifies Oblivion Remastered as available on Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, PlayStation 5, and PC as of April 22, 2025. (Bethesda beginner guide)
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay.
- Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.
- Rediscover Cyrodiil Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.
- Navigate Your Own Story. From the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.
- An Epic Adventure. Step inside a universe bursting with captivating stories and encounter an unforgettable cast of characters. Master swordcraft and wield powerful magic as you fight to save Tamriel from the Daedric invasion.
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