Oblivion is a game that gives the player lots of decisions – and some of these choices have dire consequences for everyone involved. Today we’re going to take a look at 10 of the worst choices you can make in Oblivion. Some of these choices are just downright evil, while others are from pure negligence and stupidity.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, released on April 22, 2025, has captivated over four million players with its enhanced Cyrodiil, powered by Unreal Engine 5. Its sprawling quests, from the Dark Brotherhood’s assassinations to the Mages Guild’s mysteries, offer freedom but hide perilous choices that can lead to tragedy. Some decisions in quests are downright cursed, causing the deaths of beloved NPCs, derailing storylines, or inflicting lasting consequences. Drawing from community horror stories and detailed quest analyses, here are the 10 most cursed quest-related decisions in Oblivion Remastered that haunt players with guilt and loss.

1. Letting J’skar Die in ‘The Path of Dawn’ (Main Quest)
In the main quest “The Path of Dawn,” players retrieve the Mysterium Xarxes from Mythic Dawn agents at Lake Arrius Caverns. Choosing to fight immediately, rather than infiltrating the cult by accepting the Xarxes from Mankar Camoran, triggers a chaotic battle. J’skar, a cowardly Khajiit mage and Blades ally, often dies in the crossfire, as Reddit players lament, due to his low health and tendency to charge enemies. Sneaking in, grabbing the book, and escaping preserves J’skar for later Blades support, but rushing headlong dooms him, weakening the team.

2. Failing to Save Farwil Indarys in ‘The Wayward Knight’ (Cheydinhal)
This Fighters Guild quest tasks players with rescuing Farwil Indarys, Cheydinhal’s brash heir, from an Oblivion Gate. Charging in without healing potions or high combat skills (Blade or Destruction at 50+) leaves Farwil vulnerable to Daedra, as UESP notes. His death, common at levels 10+ due to scaling Atronachs, locks players out of the quest’s best reward—a magical staff—and earns Count Indarys’ scorn. Escorting Farwil carefully, using Restore Health spells or summons, saves him, but neglecting preparation curses him to a fiery grave.

3. Killing Agronak gro-Malog in ‘The Arena’ (Imperial City)
In the Arena’s Grand Champion match, players face Agronak gro-Malog, the Gray Prince, after his optional quest “Origin of the Gray Prince.” Revealing his vampire heritage via a scroll devastates Agronak, making him refuse to fight, allowing an easy kill. This choice, though tactically sound, feels cursed, as Agronak’s death robs the Arena of its champion and leaves players with guilt, per Steam forums. Sparing him by avoiding the scroll preserves his honor but requires a tougher fight, a moral dilemma many regret.

4. Siding with Silus Serethi in ‘Caught in the Hunt’ (Bravil)
This Bravil side quest pits players between Silus Serethi and Ursanne Loche, whose husband is trapped by the hunter Kurdan gro-Dragol. Siding with Silus, who offers gold, leads to Ursanne’s death when Kurdan betrays both, as GameFAQs details. Her demise, a gut-punch for players expecting a rescue, leaves Bravil poorer and the quest unresolved. Helping Ursanne by investigating Kurdan saves her husband and earns a better reward, but trusting Silus curses an innocent to death.

5. Botching ‘Whodunit?’ in the Dark Brotherhood (Skingrad)
The Dark Brotherhood’s “Whodunit?” requires stealthily eliminating guests at Summitmist Manor. Rushing or attacking openly alerts NPCs, causing chaos where allies like Matilde Petit or Nels the Naughty die in friendly fire, as Reddit horror stories recount. Their deaths don’t fail the quest but diminish its role-playing thrill, as the intended murder-mystery vibe crumbles. Using Sneak (50+) and Illusion spells like Invisibility ensures clean kills, but carelessness curses beloved characters to early graves.

6. Letting Erthor Die in ‘The Necromancer’s Moon’ (Mages Guild)
In this Mages Guild quest, players rescue Erthor, a skittish mage, from Bleak Flats Cave near Skingrad. Entering without sufficient combat skills (Destruction or Blade at 40+) or healing spells risks Erthor’s death to necromancers and zombies, as UESP warns. His loss fails the quest, blocking Mages Guild advancement and leaving Skingrad’s chapter leaderless. Bringing summons or potions to protect Erthor ensures his survival, but underpreparation curses him to a grim fate.

7. Sacrificing a Companion in ‘Namira’s Shrine’ (Daedric Quest)
The Daedric quest for Namira requires poisoning Forgotten Ones at Anga with Black Heart Blight. Bringing a companion, like a Fighters Guild porter or Dark Brotherhood initiate, risks their death, as they can contract the disease or die fighting cultists, per GameFAQs. Losing a follower, especially one bonded through quests, feels cursed, stripping future support. Going solo or using ranged attacks preserves allies, but dragging a companion into Namira’s lair dooms them needlessly.

8. Failing to Protect Dar-Ma in ‘Shadow over Hackdirt’ (Chorrol)
This Chorrol side quest involves rescuing Dar-Ma, an Argonian merchant’s daughter, from Hackdirt’s cultists. Delaying the rescue or fighting recklessly in the caverns lets cultists overwhelm Dar-Ma, whose low health makes her vulnerable, as Reddit users note. Her death fails the quest, devastates her mother, Seed-Neeus, and leaves Chorrol’s market somber. Rushing to her cell with Sneak or Invisibility saves her, but dawdling curses Dar-Ma to a sacrificial altar.

9. Killing Valen Dreth in ‘Scheduled for Execution’ (Dark Brotherhood)
In the Dark Brotherhood’s first contract, players assassinate Valen Dreth in the Imperial Prison. Attacking loudly or without Sneak (25+) alerts guards, who may kill Dreth before the player can, failing the quest, as Steam reviews describe. This botched kill halts Dark Brotherhood progression, locking out its rich storyline and rewards like Shadowmere. Using a bow or Silence spell ensures a clean hit, but clumsy execution curses Dreth’s death to ruin the contract.

10. Abandoning Martin in ‘Paradise’ (Main Quest)
In the main quest’s “Paradise,” players escort Martin Septim to confront Mankar Camoran in a Daedric realm. Leaving Martin behind to fight Dremora alone, rather than keeping him healed with Restore Health potions, often leads to his death, as UESP details. His loss fails the quest, derailing the main storyline and stranding players without the Emperor-to-be. Staying close, using summons to distract enemies, saves Martin, but abandoning him curses the Blades’ hope to oblivion.

These cursed decisions underscore Oblivion Remastered’s punishing quest design, where player choices carry heavy consequences. The game’s level scaling, unchanged from 2006, exacerbates errors, as high-level enemies slaughter NPCs like Farwil or Erthor if players dawdle, echoing the Kvatch scaling woes from community tales. Bugs, like stuttering noted by Digital Foundry, can worsen outcomes, such as guards glitching during “Scheduled for Execution,” costing Valen Dreth’s life. The remaster’s faster leveling, per IGN, pushes players to high levels, making quests like “The Wayward Knight” deadlier without preparation.

Community sentiment on Reddit and X reflects regret over these choices. Veterans exploit systems—like the unbreakable Repair Hammer or gold duplication—to gear up, mitigating risks, but newcomers often stumble, as Eurogamer observes, unaware of NPC fragility. Mods, like “Better NPC Protection,” boost ally health, but console players face raw difficulty. The persuasion minigame, while not quest-critical, ties into poor Speechcraft builds, diverting focus from combat skills needed to protect NPCs, as GameRant notes.

Oblivion’s freedom, lauded by PC Gamer, invites these mistakes. Unlike Assassin’s Creed: Shadows’ guided missions, Oblivion lets players blunder into tragedy, as with Dar-Ma’s preventable death. The $50 remaster, softened by Game Pass, demands foresight to navigate its 200+ hours, especially with minor new quests in the Deluxe Edition. Strategies like leveling Sneak early or using Illusion spells, per UESP, counter errors, but only for those who plan.

Bethesda’s minimal patches, per GameFAQs, preserve exploits like Fortify Armorer, aiding gear maintenance to protect NPCs, but don’t fix NPC AI quirks, leaving allies prone to suicidal charges. Future updates may stabilize quests, but the core challenge—player-driven consequences—endures. Avoiding these 10 cursed decisions, by preparing skills and prioritizing NPC safety, keeps Cyrodiil’s heroes alive, but one wrong move can spell doom.

In conclusion, Oblivion Remastered’s most cursed quest choices turn allies into casualties and victories into regrets. From J’skar’s sacrifice to Dar-Ma’s demise, these mistakes haunt players, proving that in Cyrodiil, a single decision can curse a questline to tragedy. As fans share cautionary tales, the remaster’s unforgiving heart shines, demanding care to spare its NPCs from a doomed fate.