I'd say definitely play the vanilla game first before you add mods in. It's an absolutely quality game without the mods imo

I plaid the whole game through on the PS3 first and then bought it for PC because of the mods. Really extended the game's appeal for a long time for me.

The only Mod I would recommend for a first play through would be something like DarkUI'd DarN http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=oblivionmods.detail&id=2897

This improves the general look of the menus and more importantly the Inventory, giving more lines of text, over the ridiculous console specific number. This would improve the fun from playing without impacting on the original feel of the game.

Thanks a lot for the help! I really appreciate it! I'll definitely buy Oblivion when I'm back from my student trip to London or while I'm there. Depends on the price.

I'll go bare bone for my first play through and then OD on mods the second time around.

I dont really get the mods in oblivion, the game itself the 2nd time though just was impossible to get into since the story and sideqquests are kinda runied from prior knowledge, you just end up doing very specific things to benefit you and it just saps the fun out of the game

Been wondering what version of Oblivion to get. Don't know if I should buy the retail version of Oblivion and Shivering Isles, but Steam has the deluxe version with all the DLC and it seems it's the only way to get it.

Is the extra DLC worth to get?

If you get into Oblivion, you'll wish you bought it.

Yep, Shivering Isles is fun and bizarre and well worth the deluxe version alone.

You also get the awesome Horse Armour so, whats not to like.

You are hard to bargain with. Fine, I'll get the deluxe version and feel like a horse armour wearing assassin with no lube.

I feel bad about the Horse Armour joke now...