Beating Oblivion Remastered Without Attacking: The Ultimate Summoner Build with Daedra, Foul Magicks, and Questionable Morals

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered has revitalized Cyrodiil with enhanced visuals, smoother mechanics, and a rebalanced leveling system, making it the perfect playground for unconventional builds. Among the most overpowered is a Summoner build that avoids direct attacks entirely, relying on summoned Daedra, debilitating spells, and morally dubious choices to dominate enemies. This build leverages Conjuration to summon powerful allies, Illusion and Mysticism for crowd control and manipulation, and a playstyle that embraces the darker side of Oblivion—think Dark Brotherhood contracts, Daedric quests, and betrayals. By exploiting Oblivion Remastered’s mechanics, such as spell stacking and summon durability, you can clear the main quest, Oblivion Gates, and max-difficulty challenges without ever swinging a weapon. This 1500-word guide details the ultimate Summoner build, covering race, birthsign, skills, attributes, spells, equipment, and morally questionable strategies, optimized for the May 2025 meta.

Why This Build?

This Summoner build is designed to beat Oblivion Remastered without direct attacks, relying on summoned Daedra (e.g., Xivilai, Storm Atronach) to deal damage, foul magicks (e.g., Frenzy, Paralyze, Soul Trap) to control and debilitate, and morally questionable choices to maximize rewards and power. By focusing on Conjuration, Illusion, and Mysticism, you create a “puppet master” playstyle where enemies are either slaughtered by your summons or turn on each other in chaos. The build exploits Oblivion’s lack of summon limits (one active summon per caster, but no cap on duration or recasting) and the fact that summoned creatures ignore the difficulty slider, remaining effective even at max difficulty. Morally dubious choices—joining the Dark Brotherhood, serving Daedric Princes, and betraying allies—grant powerful artifacts and align with the build’s ruthless ethos. Here’s how to craft this overpowered Summoner and conquer Cyrodiil.

Core Components of the Build

To create a Summoner that never attacks directly, focus on race, birthsign, skills, attributes, spells/equipment, and moral choices. This build assumes you’re aiming for Level 20+ with access to the Arcane University and Daedric quests.

1. Race: Breton

The Breton is the optimal race for this build due to its magical and defensive bonuses, which are critical for a squishy Summoner:

+50 Magicka: Boosts your starting Magicka pool, essential for summoning and casting multiple spells.

50% Magic Resistance: Protects against enemy mages, who are your biggest threat without direct attacks.

Dragon Skin (Greater Power): Grants a 50% Shield spell once per day, providing a defensive buffer when summons are overwhelmed.

+10 Intelligence, +10 Willpower: Enhances Magicka and regeneration, supporting constant spellcasting.

High Elves (Altmer) offer +100 Magicka but are crippled by 25% weaknesses to Fire, Frost, and Shock, making them too fragile for a build that relies on staying alive while summons fight. Bretons’ resistance and balanced stats make them ideal for surviving magical duels and summoning Daedra. For roleplay, Dark Elves offer fire resistance, but their lack of magic resistance is a drawback.

2. Birthsign: The Atronach

The Atronach birthsign is the riskiest but most powerful choice for this build, maximizing Magicka reserves and spell absorption:

+150 Magicka: The largest Magicka boost, allowing multiple summons and spell combos (e.g., Frenzy + Paralyze).

50% Spell Absorption: Absorbs half of incoming spells, restoring Magicka and negating damage, synergizing with Breton’s 50% magic resistance.

Stunted Magicka: Disables natural Magicka regeneration, but this is mitigated by Absorb Magicka spells, potions, and enchanted gear.

The Mage (+50 Magicka) is safer but lacks the raw power of The Atronach, while The Apprentice (+100 Magicka, 100% magic weakness) is too risky without heavy resistance stacking. The Atronach’s absorption makes you nearly immune to mages, and its massive Magicka pool supports summoning high-cost Daedra like Xivilai.

3. Skills: Custom Class for Summoning and Control

Create a custom class with Magic specialization to boost magic skill progression. Choose Intelligence and Willpower as favored attributes. Select these Major Skills to control leveling and maximize summoning power:

Conjuration: Summons Daedra (Summon Xivilai, Storm Atronach) to fight for you. Level by spamming Summon Skeleton in safe areas.

Illusion: Casts Frenzy to make enemies fight each other, Paralyze for crowd control, and Invisibility for escapes.

Mysticism: Uses Soul Trap for enchanting, Dispel to remove enemy buffs, and Absorb Magicka to restore Magicka.

Restoration: Provides Heal Minor Wounds and Fortify Magicka for survivability and Magicka boosts.

Alteration: Offers Shield for defense, Open Lock for utility, and Feather to carry loot from Daedric quests.

Alchemy: Crafts Restore Magicka and Fortify Magicka potions to counter The Atronach’s Stunted Magicka.

Speechcraft: Enhances persuasion for Dark Brotherhood and Daedric quest rewards, reducing combat needs.

Why These Skills? Conjuration summons your “army,” Illusion and Mysticism manipulate enemies, and Restoration/Alteration ensure survivability. Alchemy and Speechcraft support your Magicka and quest rewards, aligning with morally questionable choices. Avoid combat skills (Blade, Destruction) to stay true to the no-attack rule. Keep Sneak as a Minor Skill for Dark Brotherhood quests.

4. Attributes: Magicka and Survivability

Prioritize Intelligence and Willpower, with some Endurance for health:

Intelligence: +2 Magicka per point (e.g., 100 Intelligence = 200 Magicka). Level Conjuration, Mysticism, and Alchemy for +5 per level.

Willpower: Boosts Magicka regeneration (irrelevant for Atronach, but helps Minor Skills like Illusion). Level Illusion and Restoration for +5.

Endurance: Increases health to avoid one-shots, especially in Oblivion Gates. Train Alteration or Minor Skills like Armorer.

By Level 10, aim for ~80 Intelligence, ~60 Willpower, and ~50 Endurance. Use Oblivion Remastered’s Virtue system to boost attributes without excessive skill grinding, ensuring efficient leveling.

5. Spells and Equipment: Summoning and Manipulation

Avoid weapons and armor to maintain 100% spell effectiveness. Use enchanted clothing and staves for utility. Here’s the setup:

Key Spells:

Conjuration:

Summon Skeleton (Novice, 40s duration): Early-game tank, buy from Athragar at Chorrol Mages Guild.

Summon Spider Daedra (Expert, 20s): Fast, uses Shock and melee. Buy from Athragar or Gaspar Stegine at Arcane University.

Summon Xivilai (Master, 40s): Devastating melee and fire spells. Buy from Borissean at Arcane University.

Summon Storm Atronach (Master, 40s): High-damage melee, lasts 40s. Buy from Vigge the Cautious at Skingrad Mages Guild.

Illusion:

Frenzy (Journeyman, 30s): Makes enemies attack each other, useless on Daedra/undead. Buy from Edgar’s Discount Spells.

Paralyze (Expert, 10s): Locks enemies, letting summons attack freely. Buy from Mystic Emporium.

Invisibility (Expert, 60s): Escapes or repositions. Buy from Mystic Emporium.

Mysticism:

Soul Trap (Apprentice, 20s): Fills soul gems for enchanting. Buy from Edgar’s Discount Spells.

Absorb Magicka (Expert, 25pts): Steals Magicka, countering Stunted Magicka. Buy from Arcane University.

Dispel (Journeyman, 100pts): Removes enemy buffs/summons. Buy from Mystic Emporium.

Restoration: Heal Minor Wounds (Novice, 15pts), Fortify Magicka (Journeyman, 50pts).

Alteration: Shield (Apprentice, 30% for 30s), Open Lock (Apprentice), Feather (Apprentice, 50pts).

Custom Spells (Arcane University):

Chaos Touch: Frenzy 50pts + Paralyze 5s for 30s (forces enemies to fight, then freezes them).

Magicka Leech: Absorb Magicka 20pts + Dispel 50pts for 10s (steals Magicka, removes buffs).

Fortify Summon: Fortify Magicka 100pts + Fortify Conjuration 20pts for 60s (boosts summon duration).

Equipment:

Robes: Aqua Silk Robes or Black and Burgundy Robes enchanted with Fortify Magicka or Spell Absorption at Arcane University.

Jewelry: Mundane Ring (35% Spell Reflect, 50% Magic Resist, Level 17 Oblivion Gate) for near-magic immunity with Breton’s 50% resistance. Add Ring of Vitality for health.

Staff: Wabbajack (Daedric quest, transforms enemies) for utility or Staff of Worms (Mannimarco’s staff, reanimates corpses) for extra “summons.” Buy Apotheosis from Rindir’s Staffs for emergency ranged damage without attacking.

Alchemy: Craft Restore Magicka potions (Flax Seeds, Steel-Blue Entoloma) and Fortify Magicka (Bog Beacon, Flax Seeds). Use Soul Trap on summons to fill Grand Soul Gems for enchanting.

6. Morally Questionable Choices

Embrace the dark side to gain powerful artifacts and align with the build’s ethos:

Dark Brotherhood: Join by murdering an innocent (e.g., Rufio in “A Knife in the Dark”). Complete quests for Sanguine Rose (summons random Daedra, reusable) and Blade of Woe (enchanting material). Betray allies like Lucien Lachance for Infamy points, boosting NPC hostility for Frenzy synergy.

Daedric Quests:

Sheogorath: Complete for Wabbajack, turning enemies into harmless creatures.

Sanguine: Gain Sanguine Rose for extra summons, perfect for chaotic fights.

Mehrunes Dagon: Betray allies for Mehrunes Razor, a soul-trapping dagger for enchanting.

Molag Bal: Sacrifice an NPC for Mace of Molag Bal, draining enemy Magicka for enchanting.

Vampirism: Contract vampirism (e.g., from Vicente Valtieri) for +20 Conjuration, Illusion, and Mysticism, plus Vampire’s Seduction to charm NPCs. Feed strategically to avoid sunlight damage. Cure later if desired.

Mages Guild Betrayal: During “Confront the King,” side with Mannimarco for Staff of Worms and Necromancer gear, enhancing your “foul magicks” aesthetic.

These choices grant artifacts (Sanguine Rose, Wabbajack), skill boosts, and Infamy, making NPCs more aggressive and easier to manipulate with Frenzy. They also fit the build’s morally dubious theme, letting you roleplay a ruthless Summoner.

Playstyle Tips

Summon Strategy: Open with Summon Xivilai or Storm Atronach for high-damage tanks. Recast when they die (40s duration). Use Sanguine Rose for a second summon. In early-game, rely on Summon Skeleton or Scamp.

Crowd Control: Cast Frenzy to make humanoids fight each other (ineffective on Daedra/undead). Follow with Paralyze to lock key targets, letting summons focus fire. Use Chaos Touch for efficiency.

Magicka Management: Counter Stunted Magicka with Absorb Magicka on enemy mages, Restore Magicka potions, and Mundane Ring’s absorption. Cast Fortify Summon before big fights.

Positioning: Stay mobile, kiting enemies while summons tank. Use Invisibility to reposition or escape. Cast Shield or Dragon Skin when cornered.

Oblivion Gates: Summon Storm Atronach to tank Dremora, then cast Dispel to remove their buffs. Use Wabbajack on Scamps for chaos. Close Gates quickly to avoid summon timeouts.

Dark Brotherhood: Use Invisibility and Frenzy for stealth kills without attacking. Summons handle combat-heavy contracts like “The Purification.”

Soul Trapping: Cast Soul Trap on your summons (e.g., Xivilai) to fill Grand Soul Gems for enchanting. This is morally dubious, as you’re trapping your own allies.

Why This Build Is Overpowered

Summon Power: Daedra like Xivilai and Storm Atronach deal massive damage and tank effectively, ignoring difficulty sliders. Sanguine Rose adds a second summon, doubling your army.

Foul Magicks: Frenzy and Paralyze turn enemies into chaos or sitting ducks. Absorb Magicka ensures unlimited casting against mages.

Magic Immunity: Breton’s 50% resistance + Mundane Ring’s 50% + Atronach’s 50% absorption = near-immunity to magic, neutralizing enemy casters.

Moral Choices: Dark Brotherhood and Daedric quests grant artifacts (Sanguine Rose, Wabbajack), while vampirism boosts skills. Betrayals maximize Infamy, enhancing Frenzy effectiveness.

No Attacks Needed: Summons and spells handle all combat, fulfilling the no-attack rule while clearing max-difficulty content like Oblivion Gates and Mannimarco.

Challenges and Counters

Early-Game Weakness: Low Magicka and weak summons (Skeleton) make early fights tough. Spam Summon Skeleton and use Frenzy on bandits. Stock Restore Magicka potions.

Stunted Magicka: The Atronach’s lack of regeneration is a hurdle. Rely on Absorb Magicka, potions, and enchanted gear. Avoid prolonged fights without mages.

Daedra/Undead Immunity: Frenzy doesn’t affect Daedra or undead, common in Oblivion Gates. Use Paralyze and Dispel instead.

Summon Duration: Summons last 20-40s, requiring recasting. Use Fortify Conjuration to extend duration and kite enemies to buy time.

Community Buzz

The Oblivion Remastered community on X and YouTube is abuzz with Summoner builds. A YouTuber (@NoAttackMage) beat the game without attacking, using Summon Xivilai and Frenzy to clear Oblivion Gates, inspiring this build. @Deltia praised The Atronach for its “game-breaking Magicka pool,” while u/SummonerSupreme on Reddit noted that Sanguine Rose and Storm Atronach trivialize max-difficulty fights. Post-patch, the Virtue system makes leveling easier, and players report Level 15 Summoners soloing Dagon’s shrine with summons alone.

Conclusion

This Summoner build in Oblivion Remastered is the ultimate no-attack powerhouse, blending summoned Daedra, foul magicks, and morally questionable choices to conquer Cyrodiil. With Breton’s resistance, The Atronach’s massive Magicka, and spells like Summon Xivilai, Frenzy, and Paralyze, you’ll orchestrate chaos while staying untouchable. Dark Brotherhood betrayals and Daedric artifacts like Sanguine Rose amplify your power, letting you roleplay a ruthless puppet master. Whether you’re closing Oblivion Gates or murdering for the Night Mother, this build ensures victory without a single attack. Summon your Daedra, weave your dark spells, and embrace the shadows—Cyrodiil is yours to command!