Since the launch of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered on April 22, longtime fans have been flooding forums with one critical piece of advice: get to Kvatch early — before level 10 — or suffer the consequences. While Oblivion’s open-world design encourages freedom, veteran players are urging newcomers to prioritize this early main story quest to avoid a brutal difficulty spike.
Kvatch: Your First Taste of the Oblivion Realms
Breaking the Siege of Kvatch is not just one of the most iconic missions in the game — it’s a pivotal moment where players first enter an Oblivion Gate. As part of the main story, it’s easy to delay this quest while exploring the vast world. However, doing so can turn a memorable mission into a nightmare.
According to multiple threads on Reddit, once players hit level 10 and beyond, the enemies inside the Kvatch Oblivion Gate begin to scale aggressively. Flame Atronachs, Daedroths, and powerful Scamps swarm the area, and many newcomers are reporting near-impossible fights and massive resource depletion.
“I did Kvatch at level 15 and went through 30 health potions, broke every piece of my armor, and drained all my enchanted weapons,” one user reported. “It took me 15 minutes just to sort through my inventory in the middle of the fight.”
Why You Should Finish Kvatch Early
Veterans recommend that new players complete Kvatch before hitting level 10, when enemies are still manageable. After that threshold, the Oblivion Gate becomes a punishing challenge — especially for unoptimized characters or those unfamiliar with the game’s level-scaling system.
Waiting to level 20 to do Kvatch was a mistake…
byu/LANTIRN_ inoblivion
The Benefits of Doing Kvatch Early
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Easier enemy difficulty: Daedra are less overwhelming below level 10.
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Smoother gameplay progression: You’ll unlock key main story elements earlier.
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Prestige title: Completing the quest grants you the “Hero of Kvatch” title, which changes NPC interactions throughout the game.
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Less gear strain: Avoid unnecessary equipment breakage and potion chugging.
A Warning for Explorers: Open World, But With Limits
While Oblivion Remastered retains the freedom and flexibility that made the 2006 original a classic, this updated version comes with sharper graphics — and even sharper consequences for delaying key quests. Veterans are clear: you can go anywhere, but you shouldn’t wait forever.