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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Hints
General Arena Combat Tips
1 of 10: You can't switch armor without forfeiting the match, but you can switch weapons during the combat. This can be handy if you have two or more magic weapons and want your enemy to suffer the effects of all of them.
2 of 10: Also, you can use any ranged attacks you want, including spells and arrows. Most of your opponents will be melee-oriented, so it may be hard to keep your distance, but a powerful spell or magic arrow can be very helpful (especially if fired right after the gates lower).
3 of 10: In particular, I recommend getting the once-a-day power from the Serpent Stone and using it. Just be sure not to accept more than one Arena match a day, or you'll be stuck without the power on all but the first match.
4 of 10: Magic staffs can be used as weapons, so if you can afford a good one like Apotheosis, be sure to put it to good use. It's especially devastating in the hands of a low-level character since your opponents are all leveled.
5 of 10: If you can't do the Daedric Shrine Quests that get you really powerful weapons like Goldbrand and the Ebony Blade, then use my Enchanting Tips to get yourself some grand-level souls with which you can enchant very powerful weapons.
6 of 10: And don't forget defense. It's always good to have some strong healing potions and/or spells handy for when your opponent knocks your health down too far. Also, have a good shield equipped and go into Block mode frequently to block attacks by opponents with powerful weapons.
7 of 10: If you're sneaky and can cast a good Invisibility or Chameleon spell, use that to help you sneak-attack your opponents.
8 of 10: It would really help if you could cast a Conjuration spell that summoned a creature to help you. Your opponent will completely ignore the summoned creature, making it easy for it to attack him unhindered.
9 of 10: If your Acrobatics skill is high enough (at least 40), you can jump up on one of the small cement ledges on either side of the two still-closed gates in order to be out of melee range of your opponent. You can then safely shoot arrows and spells at him, though he'll be hard to hit with all the running around he does.
10 of 10: Better yet, jump up onto one of those ledges and then drop down behind the gate. Even spellcasters and archers won't be able to attack you at all while you're back there. Of course, you won't be able to attack them either, so cast one of the above-mentioned Conjuration spells to summon a creature to fight for you. (The only catch is that it's kind of hard to jump back out from behind the gate after your opponent is dead.)
