You're standing at the edge of the Imperial City, looking out over the rolling hills of Cyrodiil. You’ve just escaped the sewers. Patrick Stewart is dead. The world is huge. At that moment, most players ask the same thing: how long is this actually going to take? If you're wondering how many quests are in oblivion, the answer isn't as simple as a single number on a stat screen.
It’s about 200. Give or take.
If you look at the raw data found in the game files and the most reliable community trackers like the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP), the number of non-repeating, unique quests sits right around 199 to 215 for the base game. This fluctuates depending on whether you count "hidden" tasks or the various ways certain questlines branch. If you add the expansions—Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine—you’re looking at a total well over 300.
But numbers are boring. The way these quests are distributed is what actually makes The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion feel so much more alive than its successor, Skyrim, at least in the eyes of many long-term fans.
Breaking Down the Quest Counts by Faction
Cyrodiil is a bureaucratic nightmare in the best way possible. The quest structure is heavily segmented into guilds. This is where the meat of the game lives.
The Mages Guild and the Fighters Guild are the heavy hitters here. Each of these carries about 20 quests. However, the Mages Guild has a unique "Recommendation" system. You can’t even get into the Arcane University until you’ve visited every major city and helped out the local guild head. It’s a grind. It’s also brilliant for world-building. You feel like you've earned your spot.
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Then you have the Dark Brotherhood. Most fans agree this is the peak of Bethesda’s writing. You have 19 primary contracts. They aren't just "go here, kill that." They are puzzles. Think about the "Whodunit" quest in Skingrad. You’re locked in a house with five people and have to kill them one by one without the others realizing it’s you. It’s a masterpiece of scripted AI behavior.
The Thieves Guild adds another 11 "Special Jobs," but that doesn't account for the independent thievery requirements. You have to actually fence stolen goods to unlock the next story beat. It forces you to play like a thief. You aren't just checking boxes; you're living the role.
The Arena is the outlier. It’s basically one long string of 22 fights. It’s fast. It’s violent. It’s the easiest way to make gold early on, but does it count as 22 quests? Technically, yes. In reality, it feels like one long afternoon of legalized murder.
The Main Quest and Those Pesky Oblivion Gates
The main storyline is surprisingly short. There are only about 16 core missions. You can burn through them in a few hours if you really want to. But nobody does that. Why? Because of the Daedric Prince Quests.
There are 15 Daedric Shrines scattered throughout the wilderness. These are arguably the best content in the game. From Sheogorath’s rain of flaming dogs to Hermaeus Mora’s soul-trapping demands, these quests offer the most unique rewards—like the Skeleton Key or the Wabbajack.
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Then we have to talk about the "Miscellaneous" category. This is the "everything else" bucket.
- Side Quests: There are roughly 40-50 standalone side quests found in cities or out in the wild.
- Settlement Quests: Small tasks for people in tiny villages like Aleswell or Hackdirt.
- Vampirism Cure: This is one of the longest, most annoying quests in RPG history. It’s technically one quest, but it feels like fifty.
The DLC Factor: Adding to the Tally
If you’re playing the Game of the Year edition, your quest log is going to explode.
- Shivering Isles: This massive expansion adds about 32 quests. It’s essentially a whole new game. The atmosphere is totally different, shifting from high fantasy to colorful, manic insanity.
- Knights of the Nine: This adds a 12-quest arc centered around reclaiming the relics of the Crusader.
- The "Small" DLCs: These are the controversial ones. The Horse Armor (yes, the famous one), the Orrery, and the various player homes like Battlehorn Castle or Frostcrag Spire. Each adds a small quest to your log the moment you install them.
Why the Number of Quests in Oblivion Matters
A lot of modern games brag about having "infinite" quests. They use procedural generation to tell you to go to a random cave and kill a random bandit. Oblivion didn't really do that. Almost every single one of those 200+ quests was hand-written.
When you ask how many quests are in Oblivion, you’re really asking about the density of the world. Compared to Skyrim, which has over 270 "real" quests plus infinite Radiant quests, Oblivion is smaller. But the quests in Oblivion tend to be longer. They have more stages. They have more dialogue.
There's a specific charm to the "Quality over Quantity" approach here. In Skyrim, you’re the leader of every guild within a week. In Oblivion, the climb feels steeper. You start as a nobody. You end as a God, but only after hundreds of hours of work.
Common Misconceptions About the Quest Log
People often get confused because the "Quests Completed" stat in the character menu doesn't always match the lists online. This is because some quests are "hidden."
For example, the "Unmarked" quests. These don't show up in your journal. They don't give you a compass marker. You just find a note or talk to an NPC and do a thing. Bethesda was experimenting with organic discovery. If you include these, the count jumps up significantly.
Also, some quests are mutually exclusive. You might fail one and trigger another. Or you might make a choice that locks you out of a specific faction’s rewards. This adds replayability, but it makes a "perfect" 100% completion run on a single save file a bit of a headache.
How to Track Your Progress Without Losing Your Mind
If you’re a completionist, you need a plan. Don't just wander. You'll miss things.
First, hit the cities. Talk to every beggar. They are the eyes and ears of the world (especially if you're in the Thieves Guild). Second, use your map. If you see a landmark that looks like a shrine, go to it. The Daedric quests are easily missed if you stay on the roads.
Most importantly, watch your infamy. Some quests—specifically those for the Nine Divines—require you to be a "good" person. If you've been murdering people for the Dark Brotherhood, you’re going to have to go on a literal pilgrimage to reset your stats before you can finish certain questlines.
Practical Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you want to experience the best of what Oblivion has to offer, don't just chase the highest number. Start with the Dark Brotherhood in Cheydinhal; it's the gold standard for quest design. Once you've finished that, head to the Shivering Isles. The transition from the "normal" world to Sheogorath's realm is one of the best moments in gaming.
Keep an eye on your journal, but don't let it dictate your fun. Sometimes the best "quest" is just exploring a ruin you found while chasing a butterfly. Check your "Completed Quests" tab frequently. If you're under 150, you've barely scratched the surface of what Cyrodiil has to offer. Go back to the Imperial City and start eavesdropping on the NPCs. You'll be surprised how many plot threads start with just a bit of "rumors."
Totaling it up, you’re looking at roughly 220 quests for a standard "complete" base game run. If you're doing the DLC, aim for 300. It’s a lot of work. It’s even more fun. Happy hunting.
Just stay away from the Mudcrabs. Horrible creatures.
Actionable Insight: To verify your progress, compare your "Quests Completed" count in the Character Statistics menu against the major faction totals: 22 for Arena, 20 for Mages Guild, 20 for Fighters Guild, and 19 for Dark Brotherhood. If your numbers are lower, check the local guild halls for missed "Recommendation" or "Contract" triggers that often stall progress.