Should I Join The Blades in Oblivion Remastered?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: You intend to follow the main questline. In Oblivion Remastered, The Blades are the Emperor’s loyal agents, and accepting membership advances the central story toward the confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon. If you want the full narrative experience, joining is essentially the intended path.
• Good fit: Your character benefits from heavy armor and one-handed blades. Membership grants access to Blades armor, an Akaviri katana, and other equipment early in the game. This is especially useful for warrior-style builds that rely on melee combat and heavy protection.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: You plan a free-roaming or side-content-focused playthrough. Joining The Blades commits you to main-quest milestones and can trigger world-state changes, such as additional Oblivion gates opening across Cyrodiil. If you prefer to explore at your own pace without story pressure, you may want to delay membership.
• Warning sign: You want a deep faction with ranks, exclusive quests, and progression. Unlike the Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, Mages Guild, or Fighters Guild, The Blades offer minimal standalone content and no formal rank advancement. Players looking for a full guild experience may be disappointed.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Free equipment and a secure base. After joining, you gain access to Cloud Ruler Temple, which functions as a safe player base with beds, storage containers, and trainers. You also receive Blades armor and an Akaviri katana without spending gold.
• Main-quest progression and roleplay. Membership aligns your character with the Empire’s elite order, opening key story moments and giving the narrative a clear sense of purpose. For players who value lore and story, this is a meaningful advantage.

Cons

• Shallow faction mechanics. Once you join, there is little Blades-specific content outside the main quest. There are no recurring guild jobs, no rank promotions after the initial induction, and limited reasons to return to Cloud Ruler Temple after the main quest ends.
• Build mismatch potential. The standard Blades loadout favors heavy armor and melee combat. Stealth archers, light-armor users, or pure spellcasters may find the equipment less useful unless they invest skill points outside their primary build.

Decision Checklist

• Is completing the main quest a priority for this character, or do I want to avoid main-quest triggers?
• Does my build benefit from heavy armor and one-handed blades, or would the gear go unused?
• Am I satisfied with a small faction tied to the main story, or would I rather join a guild with more quests and progression?

Alternatives to Consider

If The Blades do not fit your current playthrough, several other options may better suit your goals. The Fighters Guild offers combat-focused contracts and rank progression. The Mages Guild provides spell access, training, and its own questline. For stealth and criminal roleplay, the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood provide far more faction-specific content. You can also remain independent, completing side quests and exploring Cyrodiil without formally joining any faction until you are ready.

Final Recommendation

Join The Blades if you are playing through the main quest and want free equipment, a secure base, and a lore-appropriate role in the Empire’s fight against the Oblivion crisis. Delay or skip membership if you are focused on sandbox exploration, prefer deep guild systems, or are running a build that does not use heavy armor or melee weapons. Because this is a low-stakes in-game decision, choose the option that best fits your roleplay and mechanical goals.