In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the persuasion system is a minigame used to increase an NPC's disposition toward the player, which can unlock information, discounts, or other benefits. Here's how persuasion works:
Basic Mechanics
- When you initiate persuasion during a conversation, a circular wheel appears divided into four quadrants, each representing one of four actions: Admire, Boast, Joke, and Coerce.
- Each NPC has a fixed reaction to these actions: they will love, like, dislike, or hate each one. Their facial expressions when you hover over each action give clues about their feelings toward it.
- The wheel is also divided into wedges of varying sizes, representing how much disposition points each action will add or subtract if selected.
- You must select each of the four actions exactly once per persuasion attempt.
- Each time you select an action, the wheel rotates 90 degrees clockwise, changing the wedge sizes associated with each action.
- The goal is to end the sequence with a net increase in the NPC's disposition. Disposition starts at a certain number (0 to 100) and changes based on your choices.
- The minigame is timed, and disposition decreases slowly over time, so you must act quickly
Strategy Tips
- Identify which actions the NPC loves and hates by their facial expressions.
- Try to select the actions they love when their wedge is largest to maximize disposition gain.
- Select disliked or hated actions when their wedges are smallest to minimize disposition loss.
- Plan your sequence ahead, considering how the wheel rotates after each choice.
- If the NPC's most loved action isn't in a good position initially, consider selecting other actions first to rotate the wheel advantageously.
- After maximizing disposition gains from persuasion, you can also use bribes to further increase disposition if needed
In summary, persuasion in Oblivion is a puzzle-like minigame where you balance using all four speech actions while maximizing positive and minimizing negative effects on NPC disposition through strategic timing and selection. This system rewards careful observation of NPC reactions and planning your choices accordingly
