Oblivion players, need some help (char creation for slow leveling)

[malmapus]

"Finished" Oblivion a week ago or so. But have just been messing around with all the quests I can find for my char. Kinda disappointed though in the way that EVERYTHING levels up with my character as well as what seems to be every common bandit now weilding daedric. I'm going to go through again and try to make my character not level up as fast so that I can get a more real gameplay. Was just insane my character walking around with the money I had because I was looting daedric off everybody I was fighting just about lol.

Basically going to go with a custom class (was playing a mage). But thought I would try to keep my magic skills as minor skills. Would that be better?

Maybe throw in some BS skills as my major so that I don't level as quickly this time. I kinda want to have some major NPC type characters live this time around while doing quests with them (don't want to ruin it for those who haven't played but just about everyone I ran into in the storyline died as I made my way through the world since monsters were leveling with me and these NPCs must have been staying at a certain level because they were getting wiped out...it was very Shakespearean =( ).

I'm thinking about going with skills that I rarely used for my major and then can level up my "minor" skills without worry of gaining character levels.

[NewHampshireDem]

1. That's exactly how to do it

You want to keep the skills you use the most out of your major skills. So, for example, my character is a custom class Paladin. I use Heavy Armor, Blunt, Armorer, and Restoration most often, so they were left as minor skills.

My major skills are skills that I can control how frequntly I use: Blade, Light Armor, Conjuration, Alchemy, Sneak, and Merchantile. (That list may not be exact, but you get the idea.)

When I want to pump up my multipliers, I put on some light armor, equip a sword, and conjur up some skeletons or scamps to fight. Or, I go into town and sell arrows one at a time. Or, I make low-grade potions by the tubful or just eat ingredients.

There are also mods out there to change the way the game levels creatures and NPC's back to the old system.

[malmapus]

2. Been looking for mods, must have missed the one you mention

Really would hate to leave my old char, but then again would like to at least hit a few more Oblivion gates before sealing them off (I finally got pissed off cause so many were open and messing up some other quests I was working on that I went ahead and finished the main quest to close them lol) and maybe having some of those npcs that I grew to like over the course of the game be alive still!

[NewHampshireDem]

3. Unfortunately, the bestsoft and elderscrolls sites are down right now

Otherwise I'd post a link for you :( I'll try to check later.

Meanwhile, I did find these links, which may be helpful to you:

This is Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul, which makes a lot of changes, including changes to the scaling/NPC leveling system:
http://www.tescreens.be/oblivionmodwiki/index.php/Oscuro%27s_Oblivion_Overhaul

Here's a good mod site, with many, many to chose from:
http://www.tessource.net/files/popular.php

[NewHampshireDem]

4. Found another for you ...

The mod is a couple of months old, but people over at the TES forums recommend it (thuogh it is not as popular as Oscuro's mod)

http://www.tessource.net/files/cache/2518.html