The Ultimate Gold Farming Guide for Thieves in Oblivion Remastered ~ HaploGamingChef

Introduction: Why Go Thief in Oblivion Remastered?

If you're starting fresh in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and wondering how to stack gold fast, the thief route might just be your best bet. Unlike warriors or mages who rely on brute force or spells, thieves capitalize on stealth, precision, and smart decision-making. You won’t just sneak around for fun — you’ll be turning stolen loot into serious coin.

This guide breaks down exactly how to start thieving in Oblivion Remastered, where to go, what to steal, how to sell stolen goods, and the tools you need to build a gold empire right from the start.

Step 1 – Join the Thieves Guild ASAP

You can’t seriously be a thief in Oblivion without joining the Thieves Guild. Why? Because it unlocks access to fences, the only merchants who’ll buy your stolen gear.

How to join: Get caught stealing or talk to beggars around the Imperial City.
First mission: You'll complete an initiation quest that gets you in the door. It’s easy — just a little break-and-enter job.
Why it matters: Fences sell lockpicks in bulk and buy stolen loot. Without them, you’re stuck with inventory you can't sell.

Step 2 – Stock Up on Lockpicks or Get the Skeleton Key

To break into places, you need lockpicks. At low levels, your security skill won’t be great, so expect broken picks. Here’s how to stay prepared:

Buy from fences: They sell them in stacks of 100 once you’re in the Guild.
Loot them: Found randomly in chests and on certain NPCs.
Go magical: If you're running a mage build, use Open Lock spells. They come in ranks like Open Easy Lock, Open Average Lock, and so on.
Best option: Complete the Nocturnal Daedric quest at Level 10+ to get the Skeleton Key. It's unbreakable, and you’ll never worry about lockpicks again.

Step 3 – Start in the Imperial City Market District

When you're ready to go full thief mode, the Imperial Market District is the perfect training ground. It's packed with valuable loot, and most buildings are easy to access at night.

Top stores to hit first:

Red Diamond Jewelry – High-value items, low weight.
The Gilded Carafe – Ingredients and potions worth decent gold.
The First Edition (Bookstore) – Some rare books sell for hundreds.
Slash ‘n Smash – Weapons and armor (watch your weight limit).

⚠️ Always quicksave before breaking in. If a guard catches you, you’ll pay fines or land in jail — and lose stolen goods.

Step 4 – Mastering Lockpicking Without Rage Quitting

Lockpicking in Oblivion takes some practice. When you’re new, it might feel impossible — especially on hard locks. But with a bit of rhythm and patience, you’ll get the hang of it.

Basic tips for new thieves:

Use Auto-Attempt only when you have plenty of lockpicks or a high Security skill.
Manual method: Pay attention to the sound. Each pin has a slightly different feel and timing.
If your Security skill is low, avoid Very Hard locks — try easier targets first.
Perks: As your skill improves, you’ll unlock perks that make the process smoother, like fewer tumblers and slower pin drop speed.

Step 5 – What Items to Steal First for Easy Gold

Not everything you swipe is worth the risk. Prioritize lightweight, high-value items.

Top early-game items to grab:

Jewelry (necklaces, rings) – Easy to carry, often worth 50–250 gold.
Books – Some are surprisingly valuable, especially skill books.
Potions – Alchemy items stack and sell well.
Alchemy gear – Mortar and pestles and other tools fetch good prices.
Weapons/armor – Only steal if you have space. Steel gear is often worth 40–100 gold.

Keep an eye on weight limits. Thieves usually have low Strength, so getting overencumbered mid-heist can be a nightmare.

Step 6 – Know When and Where to Steal

Timing matters. You’ll want to sneak into places when no one’s watching — and when you’ve got time to move fast.

Best time to steal: Between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM
Best locations:

Imperial City – Huge variety of shops and rich interiors.
Anvil – Less guarded, smaller city.
Chorrol – Some good alchemy and mage stores.
Mage and Fighter Guilds – Lots of open valuables.
Chapels – Good loot, often low security.

Use Sneak Mode and watch the eye icon. If it’s fully closed, you’re hidden. If it's glowing, someone sees you.

Step 7 – Fencing Your Loot Without Getting Caught

After a night of stealing, you need to sell stolen items — but only to fences. Here’s how it works:

Top fences to know:

Ongar the World-Weary (Bruma) – First fence, 50 gold max early on.
Luciana Galena (Bravil) – 600 gold limit after some Guild rank-ups.
Fathis Ules (Imperial City) – Endgame fence, 1500+ gold.

🧠 Reminder: You can’t sell stolen stuff to normal vendors. Always look for the "hand icon" in your inventory — that marks stolen gear.

Before selling, raise the fence’s Disposition with a quick speech mini-game. Higher disposition = better prices.

Step 8 – Gear and Perks That Make Stealing Easier

As you level up and grow into your thief role, you’ll want to invest in tools that boost your sneaking, stealing, and carrying capacity.

Must-have thief gear:

Gray Cowl of Nocturnal – Gives +200 to carrying weight and boosts Sneak. Warning: wear it in front of guards and they’ll chase you immediately.
Boots of the Swift Merchant – Increase speed, perfect for a quick getaway.
Feather-enchanted gear – Lets you carry more without leveling Strength.
Chameleon armor – Near-invisibility makes theft almost risk-free.

Skill perks to aim for:

Sneak 25 – No noise from walking.
Sneak 50 – Sneak attacks deal x6 damage (useful if things go bad).
Security 75+ – Makes lockpicking much easier.

You’ll also benefit from putting level-up points into Agility and Speed, not Strength. Your build should focus on stealth and escape, not brute force.

Step 9 – Expanding Your Operation to Other Cities

Once you've looted the Imperial City dry, it's time to branch out.

Tips for new targets:

Bruma – Cold and quiet. The rich homes near the chapel are easy marks.
Anvil – Fewer guards, great for testing riskier jobs.
Cheydinhal Mage's Guild – Tons of magical loot.
Leyawiin – Smaller town, lower-value items but easier break-ins.
Skingrad – Some mansions here are jackpot-worthy.

Move between towns, fence your goods, and return after a few in-game days to let things "cool down." NPCs restock, so hitting the same shop later is totally viable.

Step 10 – Avoiding Jail, Fines, and Getting Caught

You’re not a good thief if you’re sitting in jail. Here’s how to dodge consequences:

If you get caught:

Bribe or flee – Guards can be outrun with Speed boosts or invisibility spells.
Pay the fine – You’ll lose stolen goods though.
Serve time – You’ll lose skill progress. Bad option unless you’re desperate.

Preventative steps:

Always quicksave before any theft.
Use Invisibility potions or spells for high-risk heists.
Keep weight low to escape quickly if things go wrong.
Know guard patrol patterns — or use sneak to watch and learn.

Step 11 – Advanced Gold-Making Tips for Thieves

Once you've nailed the basics, there are ways to seriously boost your profits:

Use stolen items to boost alchemy: Loot ingredients and craft potions to sell legally.
Explore ruins and dungeons: You’ll often find high-value gear and soul gems.
Combine builds: A stealthy character with magic access (for Invisibility, Feather, and Open Lock spells) is incredibly powerful.
Invest in Mercantile: Higher Mercantile skill = better prices when selling.
Track your stolen item value: Advancing in the Thieves Guild requires selling a specific gold amount in stolen goods.

Mixing these advanced tactics with the core thieving loop gives you flexibility and faster earnings as you explore the game.

Conclusion – Becoming a Master Thief in Oblivion Remastered

If you're looking to make serious gold early in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, there's no better path than becoming a thief. From lockpicking shops to selling loot through the Thieves Guild, you’ll learn how to earn fast — and with style.

Just remember:

Get into the Thieves Guild early
Invest in lockpicks, or grab the Skeleton Key
Start looting smart (jewelry > junk)
Fence your goods strategically
Avoid jail by saving often and sneaking smarter

With practice, you'll go from broke beginner to rich rogue in no time.

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