Magic can be a powerful—and unpredictable—force in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. One unlucky player discovered this the hard way when they accidentally cast a devastating Paralyze spell on themselves, effectively freezing their character in place for 66 in-game years.
The incident was shared by Reddit user Vaverka, who posted on the r/oblivion subreddit about their experience. According to the post, the spell they created was supposed to paralyze enemies. However, due to either a scripting error or unintended side effect, it was self-targeted and lasted a whopping 2,097,762,304 seconds—roughly 66 years in Tamriel time.
“I paralyzed myself for 66 years—longer than Uriel Septim ruled,” they wrote. “It was terrifyingly funny.”
This accidental magical mishap is already being dubbed one of the most absurd glitches in Oblivion Remastered since its release nearly a month ago. Despite its updated visuals and smoother mod support, the remastered version remains just as delightfully chaotic as the original 2006 title.
Players Are Having Fun… and Finding Bugs
Rather than rushing to close Oblivion gates or follow the main story, players in Oblivion Remastered have embraced the freedom of Cyrodiil’s open world. Many spend their time discovering quirky bugs, experimenting with magic, customizing characters, or engaging in wild roleplaying antics.
Some notable examples include:
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Players racking up massive bounties in Kvatch.
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Trying to save guards from Oblivion raids—often with comical failure.
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Creating intricate book domino chains just for fun.
But Vaverka’s self-imposed magical prison may top them all. It’s a humorous reminder that even veteran spellcasters should read the fine print on custom spells, especially in a game as moddable—and unpredictable—as Oblivion Remastered.
A Glitch Longer Than an Emperor’s Reign
Interestingly, the 66-year duration of the paralysis surpasses the reign of Emperor Uriel Septim VII, the ruler whose assassination kicks off the plot of Oblivion. That historical irony wasn’t lost on fans, many of whom joked that Vaverka should now be considered a “living relic of the Second Era.”
Whether this is a bug caused by a custom spell, a mod conflict, or an obscure engine limit being broken, it’s one of those Elder Scrolls stories that will go down in fan history.
So next time you think about experimenting with spell crafting, remember: in Cyrodiil, a single miscast spell can leave you standing still for decades.