What Happens If You Go to Jail in Oblivion? A Gamer’s Guide to Crime and Punishment

Posted: May 2, 2025 | By US Prison Guide Team

In the sprawling fantasy world of *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion*, released by Bethesda Game Studios in 2006, players can live out their wildest adventures as heroes, mages, or thieves in the province of Cyrodiil. But what happens when your character crosses the line—stealing from a merchant, assaulting a guard, or worse? You might find yourself asking: What happens if you go to jail in Oblivion? When you go to jail in *Oblivion*, you’re arrested by guards, taken to a city’s prison, and face consequences like skill degradation, serving time, or attempting a risky escape, all of which impact your gameplay experience. Let’s break down the mechanics of crime and punishment in *Oblivion*, explore the consequences of getting caught, and offer tips for navigating the legal system in this iconic RPG.

Crime in Oblivion: How You End Up in Jail

*Oblivion* offers players immense freedom to roleplay, but actions have consequences, especially if you break the law in Cyrodiil. The game’s legal system is enforced by the Imperial Legion guards, who patrol cities like the Imperial City, Chorrol, and Bruma, ready to apprehend lawbreakers. So, what happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion*? First, you need to understand how you get there.

Crimes in *Oblivion* range from minor infractions to serious felonies, each triggering a bounty on your character’s head. Here are some common crimes that can lead to arrest:

Theft: Stealing items, like a sweetroll from a bakery or a sword from a shop, adds a bounty based on the item’s value. For example, stealing a 10-gold apple adds a 5-gold bounty.
Assault: Attacking an NPC, such as punching a citizen in the Imperial City Market District, incurs a 40-gold bounty per incident.
Murder: Killing an NPC, like a merchant in Skingrad, results in a 1,000-gold bounty per murder, making you a prime target for guards.
Trespassing: Entering restricted areas, like the basement of the Arcane University without permission, adds a 5-gold bounty if caught.
Pickpocketing: Attempting to pickpocket an NPC, such as stealing a key from a guard in Anvil, adds a 25-gold bounty if detected.

When you commit a crime, nearby NPCs or guards may witness it, increasing your bounty. If a guard spots you with an active bounty, they’ll attempt to arrest you, initiating a dialogue with three options: pay the fine, go to jail, or resist arrest. Choosing to go to jail—or failing to escape after resisting—lands you in a city’s prison, where the consequences begin. What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion*? Let’s find out.

Going to Jail in Oblivion: The Consequences

Once you’re arrested in *Oblivion*, guards confiscate all stolen goods in your inventory and escort you to the nearest city’s jail—each of Cyrodiil’s major cities has its own prison, like the Imperial City Prison or Chorrol Castle Dungeon. So, what happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* once you’re behind bars? Here’s a detailed breakdown of the consequences.

Serving Your Sentence: Time and Skill Degradation

When you choose to go to jail, you’ll serve a sentence based on the size of your bounty. The formula is straightforward: for every 100 gold of bounty, you serve one in-game day in jail. For example, a 1,000-gold bounty for murder means 10 days in jail, while a 40-gold bounty for assault means less than a day. During this time, your character is locked in a cell, and the game fast-forwards through the sentence, simulating the passage of time.

The most significant consequence of serving time is skill degradation. For each day you spend in jail, there’s a chance one of your skills will decrease by 1 point. The skills affected are randomly chosen from your major and minor skills, such as Blade, Sneak, or Speechcraft, but core attributes like Strength or Intelligence are unaffected. For example, if you serve 10 days for a 1,000-gold bounty, you might lose 2 points in Sneak, 1 in Athletics, and 1 in Mercantile, depending on the game’s random selection. This can be a harsh penalty for high-level characters who rely on maxed-out skills, making jail a risky choice for some players.

What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* with a low bounty? For minor crimes, like a 40-gold bounty, you might only lose 1 skill point—or none at all if the sentence is less than a day. However, even a short stint can disrupt your gameplay, as you’ll lose any active quests tied to specific times or locations, such as meeting an NPC for a quest in the Mages Guild.

Alternatives to Serving Time

Going to jail isn’t the only option when you’re arrested in *Oblivion*. When a guard confronts you, you’ll have three choices, each with its own consequences:

Pay the Fine: You can pay off your bounty with gold, clearing your criminal record instantly. Stolen goods are confiscated, but you avoid jail and skill degradation. For example, paying a 1,000-gold bounty for murder lets you walk free, but you’ll lose any stolen items in your inventory.
Resist Arrest: If you refuse to pay or go to jail, you can resist arrest, triggering a fight with the guards. This adds a 500-gold bounty for resisting, and if you’re caught again, your total bounty will be higher. If you’re killed while resisting, you’ll reload from your last save, but if you’re subdued (e.g., knocked out), you’ll wake up in jail, facing the same consequences as if you’d surrendered.
Go to Jail: As discussed, this option sends you to prison, where you serve your sentence and risk skill degradation. It’s the default choice if you can’t pay the fine or don’t want to fight.

Another alternative is joining the Thieves Guild, which unlocks the ability to pay off bounties through a fence, like Ongar in the Imperial City, at half the cost. For example, a 1,000-gold bounty can be cleared for 500 gold, and you’ll avoid jail entirely. However, you must be a member of the guild and have enough gold to use this option. So, what happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* without exploring these alternatives? You’ll face the full consequences of serving time, which can set back your character’s progress.

Escaping from Jail: A Risky Option

What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* but don’t want to serve your sentence? You can attempt to escape, though it’s a risky endeavor that requires skill and luck. When you’re placed in a jail cell, you’ll find a bed to sleep on, which triggers the sentence-serving mechanic. However, you can also try to break out by picking the lock on your cell door—a task that requires a high Security skill or a lockpick.

Each cell has a lock with a difficulty rating (e.g., “Hard” or “Very Hard”), and you’ll need to succeed in the lockpicking mini-game to escape. If you fail, guards will notice and attack you, adding a 500-gold bounty for attempted escape. If you succeed, you’ll need to retrieve your confiscated items from an evidence chest, usually located near the jail entrance, and sneak past or fight guards to escape the prison entirely. For example, escaping from the Imperial City Prison requires sneaking past multiple guards in the Bastion, a challenging feat for low-level characters.

Escaping jail doesn’t clear your bounty—it remains active, and guards will continue to pursue you unless you pay it off or clear it through the Thieves Guild. What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* and escape successfully? You’ll avoid skill degradation, but you’ll be a fugitive, making it harder to interact with NPCs or enter cities without being arrested again. This high-risk, high-reward option appeals to players roleplaying as outlaws, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

The Impact on Gameplay: Is Jail Worth It?

Going to jail in *Oblivion* can have a significant impact on your gameplay, depending on your character build and playstyle. What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* in terms of long-term consequences? Here are some key effects to consider:

Skill Loss: Losing skill points can set back your character’s progress, especially if you’re a high-level player with maxed skills. For example, losing 2 points in Blade could drop your damage output, making combat harder until you retrain the skill.
Quest Disruptions: Serving time fast-forwards the game clock, potentially causing you to miss time-sensitive quests. For instance, if you’re supposed to meet Jauffre at Weynon Priory for the main quest, a 10-day sentence might cause you to miss the window, forcing you to restart or adjust your plans.
Reputation: While going to jail doesn’t directly affect your Fame or Infamy stats, being a known criminal can make NPCs less friendly, especially if you resist arrest and rack up a high bounty. Merchants might refuse to trade with you until your bounty is cleared.
Roleplaying Opportunities: For players who enjoy roleplaying, going to jail can add depth to your character’s story. Are you a thief who thrives on the thrill of escape, or a noble hero who accidentally crossed the line? The choice to serve time or break out shapes your narrative.

In Redwood County, Minnesota, where gaming communities thrive through local LAN parties and online forums, *Oblivion* remains a beloved classic. “I always try to escape jail—it’s more fun,” a Redwood Falls gamer shared at a 2024 gaming meetup, reflecting a common sentiment among players who see jail as a challenge rather than a setback. But what happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* and don’t escape? You’ll serve your time, lose some skills, and move on, hopefully a bit wiser about Cyrodiil’s laws.

Tips for Avoiding Jail in Oblivion

What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* can be a hassle, so avoiding arrest in the first place is often the best strategy. Here are some tips to keep your character out of Cyrodiil’s prisons:

Invest in Sneak and Security Skills: A high Sneak skill lets you commit crimes without being detected, while a good Security skill helps you pick locks silently. For example, sneaking into a shop at night in Cheydinhal reduces the chance of getting caught stealing.
Use Invisibility or Chameleon Spells: Spells or enchantments that make you invisible or harder to detect can help you evade guards after committing a crime. The Chameleon enchantment, available on items like the Ring of Khajiiti, can make you nearly undetectable.
Join the Thieves Guild: As mentioned, the Thieves Guild offers a way to pay off bounties at half the cost, avoiding jail entirely. Complete the guild’s early quests to gain access to fences like Ongar in the Imperial City.
Save Often: If you’re planning to commit a crime, save your game beforehand. If you get caught, you can reload and try again, avoiding the question: What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion*?
Pay Fines When Possible: If your bounty is low and you have the gold, paying the fine is often better than risking skill loss in jail. For example, a 40-gold bounty for assault is easily paid off with early-game earnings.

These strategies can help you avoid the consequences of jail, but if you do get caught, understanding what happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* can help you make the best choice for your character’s journey.

The Broader Impact: Crime and Punishment in Gaming

The jail system in *Oblivion* reflects a broader trend in RPGs, where crime and punishment mechanics add realism and consequences to player actions. Games like *Skyrim* and *Red Dead Redemption 2* also feature legal systems, but *Oblivion*’s approach—balancing skill degradation with escape opportunities—offers a unique challenge. According to a 2023 survey by the Entertainment Software Association, 65% of gamers appreciate when games include realistic consequences for in-game actions, as it enhances immersion and replayability.

In *Oblivion*, the jail system encourages players to think strategically about their choices, whether they’re roleplaying a noble hero or a cunning thief. What happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion* isn’t just a punishment—it’s a narrative opportunity, allowing players to explore different facets of Cyrodiil’s world. For gamers in Redwood County, where *Oblivion* remains a favorite at local gaming events, the jail system adds a layer of excitement, challenging players to balance risk and reward in their virtual adventures.

Navigating Oblivion’s Legal System: A Final Word

So, what happens if you go to jail in *Oblivion*? You’ll serve a sentence based on your bounty, risk losing skill points, and face disruptions to your quests and reputation. You can choose to pay a fine, resist arrest, or attempt a daring escape, each with its own risks and rewards. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a newcomer to Cyrodiil, understanding the consequences of crime can enhance your gameplay, making every decision a meaningful part of your character’s story. In a game as vast as *Oblivion*, the jail system is just one of many ways to experience the freedom—and the consequences—of your actions.