Oblivion Remastered Unveils the Art of Stealth: Your Ultimate Guide to Joining Cyrodiil’s Elusive Thieves Guild—Discover Why Sneaky Players Are Obsessed!
The shadow-drop of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered on April 22, 2025, has sent players back to Cyrodiil’s vibrant world, with Bethesda and Virtuos delivering a stunning Unreal Engine 5 overhaul that topped Steam charts with 182,298 concurrent players. Among the remaster’s many draws is the chance to join the Thieves Guild, a fan-favorite faction that lets you embrace a life of stealth, cunning, and illicit riches. Whether you’re a veteran thief or a newcomer eager to skulk through the Imperial City’s shadows, joining the Thieves Guild in Oblivion Remastered is a thrilling journey that’s been refined with updated mechanics. From finding the right contacts to proving your worth, this guide covers every step to infiltrate Cyrodiil’s underworld, highlighting changes from the 2006 original and why this faction remains a highlight of 2025’s blockbuster remaster.
Why Join the Thieves Guild?
The Thieves Guild in Oblivion Remastered offers a unique playstyle focused on stealth, pickpocketing, and non-lethal thievery, contrasting with the combat-heavy Fighters Guild or magic-driven Mages Guild. Led by the mysterious Gray Fox, the guild operates under a strict code: no killing during jobs, no stealing from the poor, and no betraying guildmates. Membership grants access to exclusive quests, fences for selling stolen goods, and unique items like the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal. The guild’s narrative, blending heists with intrigue, is often praised as one of Oblivion’s best, with Reddit users like u/Shadowed_Scholar calling it “the most immersive faction in any Elder Scrolls game.”
In the remaster, the Thieves Guild benefits from enhanced stealth mechanics, a modernized UI, and improved NPC AI, making sneaking more intuitive than in the 2006 original. The guild’s quests, preserved from the original, shine with updated visuals, and new dialogue adds depth to characters like Amusei and Methredhel. Whether you’re pickpocketing nobles or pulling off grand heists, joining the Thieves Guild is a must for stealth enthusiasts.
Step 1: Learn About the Thieves Guild
To join the Thieves Guild, you must first hear about its existence in-game, as Oblivion Remastered retains the original’s organic quest triggers. The easiest way is to encounter recruitment posters in the Imperial City’s Waterfront District, near the docks. These posters, often found on walls or barrels, advertise a meeting for “talented individuals” at midnight in the Garden of Dareloth. Alternatively, you can overhear NPC conversations or speak to beggars, who are guild informants. For example, talking to Puny Ancus in the Waterfront District or Jensine in the Market District may yield hints about a “Gray Fox” seeking skilled thieves.
In Oblivion Remastered, the posters are more visually distinct, with glowing text that’s easier to spot thanks to Unreal Engine 5’s lighting. The remaster also adds subtle audio cues, like whispered NPC chatter, to guide players. Unlike the original, where finding these triggers could feel random, the remaster’s improved HUD includes a compass marker for the Waterfront District once you pick up a rumor, streamlining the process without breaking immersion.
Step 2: Serve Jail Time (Optional)
If you’re impatient, committing a minor crime—like pickpocketing or trespassing—in the Imperial City and serving jail time can trigger a direct invitation. After your release, a Dunmer named Myvryna Arano approaches, claiming to represent the Thieves Guild and inviting you to the midnight meeting. This method, unchanged from the original, is less reliable due to its reliance on RNG but remains a viable shortcut. Be cautious: serving jail time reduces skill progress, though Oblivion Remastered’s refined leveling system mitigates this by letting you reallocate Virtue Points to recover lost Attributes.
Step 3: Attend the Midnight Meeting
Head to the Garden of Dareloth in the Imperial City’s Waterfront District at midnight (in-game time, between 11 PM and 1 AM). The Garden is a small courtyard behind a shack near the docks, marked by a well and overgrown plants. Wait or rest until midnight, then approach the meeting spot. You’ll find three figures: Armand Christophe, a Redguard guild member; Amusei, an Argonian thief; and Methredhel, a Bosmer thief. Armand explains that the Thieves Guild is seeking a new member, but you must prove your skills in a competition.
In Oblivion Remastered, the meeting scene is enhanced with improved character models and lip-sync tech, making Armand’s dialogue more expressive. The remaster’s 3D spatial audio adds realism, with ambient dock sounds and distant guard patrols heightening tension. The competition’s rules remain identical to the original, but the remaster’s updated stealth system—featuring a Skyrim-style detection meter—makes the next step more intuitive.
Step 4: Complete the Thieves Guild Test
Armand tasks you, Amusei, and Methredhel with stealing Amantius Allectus’ diary from his home in the Temple District before the others do. The diary is in a locked desk, and you must retrieve it without killing anyone, per guild rules. Here’s how to succeed:
Locate the House: Fast-travel to the Temple District or follow the compass marker (new in the remaster). Amantius’ house is a two-story building near the Temple of the One. The remaster’s updated map highlights the door with a subtle glow for accessibility.
Break In: The front door has an Average lock (Hard in the original), but Oblivion Remastered’s lockpicking minigame is smoother, with haptic feedback on PS5 controllers. Sneak in at night (10 PM–6 AM) to avoid Amantius, who sleeps upstairs.
Steal the Diary: Sneak to the desk on the ground floor, pick the Easy lock, and grab the diary. The remaster’s enhanced stealth meter shows NPC detection levels, letting you time your moves. Avoid Methredhel, who may beat you to the desk if you’re slow.
Return to Armand: Sneak back to the Garden of Dareloth and give Armand the diary before midnight the next day. If Methredhel wins, you can pickpocket the diary from her (Sneak skill 50+ recommended) or steal it from her Waterfront shack.
If you fail, you can still join by accumulating 50 gold in fencing fines (unrelated to the test), but succeeding in the test is the fastest route. The remaster’s improved AI makes NPCs like Amantius more alert, so high Sneak or Invisibility spells are helpful.
Step 5: Official Membership and First Quest
Upon delivering the diary, Armand welcomes you to the Thieves Guild as a Pickpocket rank, explaining the guild’s rules: no killing, no stealing from beggars or guildmates, and selling stolen goods only to fences like Ongar in Bruma. He assigns your first quest, “Independent Thievery,” requiring you to steal and fence 50 gold worth of goods to unlock further missions. In Oblivion Remastered, fences have updated inventories, and the Deluxe Edition ($59.99) includes a new fence in Anvil with exclusive loot, adding variety.
The remaster enhances this phase with a streamlined quest log and compass markers for fences, reducing the original’s trial-and-error. New dialogue for Armand, voiced with richer inflection, deepens his character, and the Waterfront’s revamped visuals—complete with reflective water and torchlit alleys—make early quests visually spectacular.
Tips for Success
Build for Stealth: Prioritize Sneak, Security, and Agility. The remaster’s character creation lets you choose Origins (e.g., Arensia for Speed) for stat boosts, unlike the original’s gender-based system.
Use Equipment: Equip light armor and carry lockpicks. The remaster’s updated vendors stock more stealth gear early on.
Save Often: The remaster retains Oblivion’s occasional crashes, especially on PC (125GB size). Save before lockpicking or sneaking.
Leverage the Remaster’s Mechanics: The Skyrim-style stealth meter and smoother animations make sneaking easier. Use shadows and crouch to stay hidden, as the remaster’s lighting affects detection.
Why It’s a Highlight
Joining the Thieves Guild in Oblivion Remastered is a standout experience, enhanced by the remaster’s technical upgrades. The faction’s quests, from heists to infiltrating noble estates, remain a high point, with Reddit users like u/TamrielThief praising their “Ocean’s Eleven vibe.” The remaster’s success—topping Steam with “Very Positive” reviews (83% of 4,000 votes) and 4.93/5 on PlayStation Store—shows its broad appeal. Despite debates sparked by ex-Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra, who doubted remasters against modern RPGs like Elden Ring, the guild’s refined stealth and immersive narrative prove Oblivion’s enduring magic.
With The Elder Scrolls VI years away, Oblivion Remastered lets players relive or discover Cyrodiil’s underworld in stunning detail. Don the thief’s cloak, sneak through the shadows, and join the Gray Fox’s ranks—your heist begins now.
