The Alchemy Glitch in Oblivion Remastered: A Double-Edged Trick

In the world of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, players have recently come across a frequently occurring but powerful exploit: the alchemy duplication glitch. This glitch is a remnant of the original game and allows players to replicate an item, often in stacks, to gain a considerable advantage in their inventory or assets. 

To perform the glitch, players need access to a storage container (chest or crate) and five copies of an item, preferably arrows due to their abundant supply. By following a certain procedure—placing these items in a container and executing a specific set of actions—the game triggers a bug that duplicates the selected items. Many players use this simple and repeatable process to stockpile alchemy ingredients, potions, or other valuable items.  

The second step, after the copying, is to convert these items into gold. Some foresight is required here. Most merchants in Oblivion have a transaction limit; in other words, merchants can only purchase individual items up to a certain predetermined quantity.

After an item has been duplicated the next step is to turn it into gold and to do so requires a bit of planning. Most vendors in the realm of Oblivion have a business transaction limit set in place which prevents merchants from purchasing single items above their threshold. Therefore if a merchant’s cap is set to 1,000 gold, it means they will not make the offer on any item that is valued at more than 1,000 gold. However, these merchants do possess an unlimited gold reserve, so players can sell items that are just below this limit in bulk and across many transactions. The Imperial City Market District is well known for this as it contains an abundance of shops and other containers.

Although this chase is tempting, the glitch does come at a price. It counteracts the challenge of the game alongside catering toward the player’s sense of achievement that is otherwise painstakingly earned through effort. Some players consider the glitch an amusing oversight while others feel it ruins the entire experience. Regardless, there is no right choice as it is literally up to every player to decide for themself if the convenience is worth the price to their enjoyment.