I suggest you try using these mods alongside: Realistic Needs and Diseases Hunterborn Dynamic Things Ultimate Combat (Load before Requiem) Frostfall Wet And Cold Take a look into compability recommandations/patches aswell. Why? RND/Hunterborn/Frostfall -> For the immersion/roleplay part of the game, tweaks and adds a lot for the theme they are associated to. Wet And Cold -> Provides visual immersion, on the practical side aswell, also adds Travel Backpacks which are very welcomed to carry Frostfall's Items (those being relatively heavy while playing with Requiem, such as tents and bedrolls) Ultimate Combat -> Combat part. Overhauls the NPC's combat behaviour, more pragmatic/flexible and generally smarter, that's on step closer to what Dark Messiah's/Dark Souls' AI has to offer. Dynamic Things -> That's another overhaul, turns a lot of static items into dynamic ones, including new usages, such as training mannequins, cutable trees, and more. For the early game, I suggest you choose you train your skills on Mudcrabs and Mannequins added by Dynamic Things. Collect ingredients and spend time at the Alchemy Lab crafting healing potions (you'll need them a lot). Spend some time Hunting and occasionally sell your loots at the local General Goods store. Cut some wood for a innkeeper if you lack starting funds, till they get friendly and let you use their kitchen, then you'll be able to cook with their ingredients, and sell your dishes to them. Travel to a mine when you get about level 9-10, then craft your first armor set. When you get level 15 you should be ready to get into your first real fights, Bounty Hunting for example, I highly recommend you hire a Mercenary on your first contract that said. ( -> Hoth Follower perhaps).