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Can You Get Oblivion Walker with The Black Star? A Definitive Guide

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Yes, you absolutely can get the Oblivion Walker achievement (or trophy, depending on your platform) in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim even if you choose to obtain The Black Star instead of Azura’s Star. The misconception that The Black Star locks you out of the achievement is one of the most enduring myths in the Skyrim community. Let’s break down why this myth persists and, more importantly, how you can snag that sweet, sweet Oblivion Walker achievement regardless of your choice.

Understanding Oblivion Walker and Daedric Quests

The Oblivion Walker achievement/trophy is awarded for collecting 15 Daedric artifacts throughout your Skyrim adventure. These artifacts are obtained by completing various Daedric quests, each tied to a specific Daedric Prince. Here’s the crucial point: the achievement doesn’t require you to keep all 15 artifacts at the same time. You simply need to obtain them at some point during your playthrough. Some quests offer you a choice, presenting you with slightly different versions of the same artifact, but only one of them will count.

The quest for Azura’s Star and The Black Star is one such example. You’re essentially presented with a choice: a reusable soul gem that can only hold white (common) souls, or a reusable soul gem that can only hold black (humanoid) souls. The key to understanding Oblivion Walker is that both versions of the star count towards the achievement.

The Azura’s Star/Black Star Questline: A Closer Look

The quest begins when you hear rumors of a mage searching for information about Azura’s Star. This leads you to the Shrine of Azura south of Winterhold. Speaking with Aranea Ienith will initiate the quest. She will direct you to find Elanya in Winterhold to learn more. Elanya will tell you to seek out the journal of Nelacar in the Frozen Hearth Inn in Winterhold. You find out that Nelacar is the one who truly understands the Star. Nelacar will then ask you to retrieve the broken Azura’s Star from Ilinalta’s Deep.

After retrieving the broken Azura’s Star, you’re presented with a choice:

Return the broken star to Azura: This will result in you cleansing the star and receiving Azura’s Star, a reusable soul gem that can only hold white (creature) souls.
Take the broken star to Nelacar: This will result in you corrupting the star and receiving The Black Star, a reusable soul gem that can only hold black (humanoid) souls.

Crucially, both Azura’s Star and The Black Star count as a Daedric artifact for the Oblivion Walker achievement. You don’t need to get both on a single playthrough. Choosing one does not preclude you from getting the achievement.

Why the Confusion? The Persistence of the Myth

The confusion likely stems from a few factors:

Early Game Guides and Speculation: Initial guides and forum discussions might have misinterpreted the achievement requirements, leading to widespread misinformation.
Difficulty Tracking Progress: Skyrim doesn’t explicitly track which Daedric artifacts you’ve obtained for the achievement. Players often rely on memory or checklists, which can be unreliable.
The ‘Unique’ Nature of Daedric Artifacts: Some players assumed that you needed to possess all 15 unique artifacts simultaneously, leading them to believe that choosing The Black Star somehow invalidated the quest.

Earning Oblivion Walker: A Step-by-Step Guide

To guarantee you unlock Oblivion Walker, follow these steps:

Complete all available Daedric quests: This is the most important step. Ensure you trigger and finish all the Daedric quests in the game. A list of these quests can be found below.
Make careful choices: Some quests present choices that can affect the outcome. Make sure the result of the quest gives you an artifact! Some Daedric Princes let you keep multiple artifacts from the same quest.
Track your progress: Keep a checklist or journal to track which artifacts you’ve acquired. This will help you avoid missing any.
Consult a reliable guide: Use reputable online resources to confirm the specific requirements and potential pitfalls of each Daedric quest.
Consider multiple playthroughs: If you’re unsure about your choices, you can always obtain the remaining artifacts on subsequent playthroughs.
Utilize Skyrim wikis: Websites dedicated to Skyrim often contain detailed information about Daedric quests, potential bugs, and workarounds.

List of Daedric Quests and Artifacts for Oblivion Walker

Here’s a comprehensive list of Daedric quests and the artifacts they yield, ensuring you’re on the right track:

The Black Star/Azura’s Star: As discussed above, either version of the star counts. Start by speaking to Aranea Ienith at the Shrine of Azura.
Boethiah’s Calling: Complete Boethiah’s quest to acquire Ebony Mail. Start by finding the Sacellum of Boethiah.
A Daedra’s Best Friend: Complete Clavicus Vile’s quest, which involves finding Barbas. You can get either The Rueful Axe or Masque of Clavicus Vile. To get Masque of Clavicus Vile, you must spare Barbas.
Discerning the Transmundane: Septimus Signus will give you this quest. You will be awarded the Oghma Infinium for completing this quest.
The Break of Dawn: Complete Meridia’s quest to obtain Dawnbreaker. Start this quest by finding Meridia’s Beacon.
Ill Met By Moonlight: Complete Hircine’s quest. You can get either Savior’s Hide or Ring of Hircine. Kill Sinding for Savior’s Hide or help Sinding for Ring of Hircine. Return to Hircine afterwards for the reward! After getting Ring of Hircine by helping Sinding, go back to him afterwards to get Savior’s Hide as well! This will count as two Daedric artifacts!
The House of Horrors: Complete Molag Bal’s quest to receive the Mace of Molag Bal. Go to Markarth and find Vigilant Tyranus outside an abandoned house to start this quest.
The Cursed Tribe: Complete Malacath’s quest to obtain Volendrung. Go to Largashbur to start this quest.
Pieces of the Past: Complete Mehrunes Dagon’s quest to obtain Mehrunes’ Razor. Go to Dawnstar and speak with the museum curator to start the quest.
The Only Cure: Complete Peryite’s quest to obtain Spellbreaker. Speak to Kesh the Clean to start this quest.
The Whispering Door: Complete Mephala’s quest to obtain the Ebony Blade. Go to Whiterun and speak to Hulda at The Bannered Mare about Jarl Balgruuf’s children to start this quest.
Waking Nightmare: Complete Vaermina’s quest to obtain Skull of Corruption. Go to Dawnstar and speak to Erandur to start this quest.

By completing these quests and obtaining the associated artifacts, you’ll unlock the coveted Oblivion Walker achievement, regardless of whether you choose Azura’s Star or The Black Star.

Why Play Skyrim? The Educational Value of Games

Video games like Skyrim are more than just entertainment. They provide immersive experiences that can foster creativity, problem-solving skills, and even historical awareness. Organizations like the Games Learning Society are dedicated to researching and promoting the educational potential of games. You can learn more about their work at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Studying and playing video games is becoming a science itself and has huge benefits!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about the Oblivion Walker achievement and Daedric artifacts in Skyrim, addressing common concerns and misconceptions:

Does killing a Daedric Prince prevent me from getting Oblivion Walker? No. You only need to obtain the artifact associated with their quest; their survival is irrelevant.
Can I sell a Daedric artifact after obtaining it and still get the achievement? Yes. As long as you’ve possessed the artifact at some point, selling it doesn’t affect the achievement.
What happens if I destroy a Daedric artifact? Destroying a Daedric artifact also doesn’t prevent you from getting the achievement, as long as you had it in your inventory at some point.
Does the Oblivion Walker achievement require the Dragonborn DLC? No, the Oblivion Walker achievement is part of the base game and doesn’t require any DLC.
Can I get Oblivion Walker using console commands or mods? While it’s technically possible to add artifacts to your inventory using console commands, this may not trigger the achievement correctly. Mods can also interfere with achievement tracking. It’s best to earn it legitimately.
I accidentally killed a quest giver for a Daedric quest. Am I locked out of the achievement? Not necessarily. Check if the quest giver can be resurrected using console commands (if you’re on PC) or if there’s a workaround detailed on Skyrim wikis. Some quests might have alternative starting points.
I’m not sure if I’ve completed a Daedric quest. How can I check? Consult a reliable online guide that lists all the Daedric quests and their completion criteria. Compare your quest log with the guide to see if you’ve met all the requirements.
Is there a minimum level requirement for the Oblivion Walker achievement? No. But some Daedric quests require you to be a certain level. It’s recommended that you are at least level 20.
Can I miss out on any Daedric artifacts permanently? Yes, some quests have choices that lock you out of receiving a particular artifact. For example, in A Daedra’s Best Friend sparing Barbas will give you the Masque of Clavicus Vile, while killing him will give you the Rueful Axe.
What if I start a Daedric quest but don’t finish it? An unfinished quest won’t contribute to the Oblivion Walker achievement. You must complete the quest and obtain the artifact.
Does the difficulty level affect the Oblivion Walker achievement? No, the difficulty level doesn’t affect your ability to obtain the achievement.
Can I get multiple versions of the same Daedric artifact on different playthroughs and have them all count? Yes, if you get different versions, or multiple artifacts in a quest, you can get more than 15 items to count!
Is it possible to “glitch” or exploit the game to get Oblivion Walker? While exploits may exist, relying on them can be risky, as they might not work as intended or could corrupt your save file. It’s always best to earn the achievement legitimately.
If I have The Black Star, does it affect the soul trapping for enchanting? The Black Star functions the same as any other soul gem, except it can only trap black souls (humanoids), which provide grand souls for enchanting.
Where can I find reliable information about Skyrim and its achievements? Reputable online resources like the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP) wiki and the Games Learning Society website ( GamesLearningSociety.org ) are excellent sources of information about Skyrim and its achievements.