LE MR for One-Handed Version of Unique Two-Handed Weapons

[ADragonCalledGeorge]

Yes I know it's lore-breaking and unrealistic but I wish Bethesda would stop forcing us Skyrimians to use two-handed weapons. It seems to me that the vast majority of unique weapons received as quest rewards are two-handed weapons (e.g. the Ebony Blade, axe of Ysgramor, Bloodskaal Blade, etc. to name a few). It annoys me to no end as I have never played a two-handed warrior and probably never will. Two-handed combat is just so slow and clunky in my opinion. You are just a slow and stupid horker trudging up to your enemy while the NPC laughs at you and throws magic or missiles in your face. It gets old quickly so I much prefer either sneaky combat or sword and shield combat. Even Dual Wielding is better in my opinion but that's just me.

 

Sadly, Bethesda has a different opinion and since the game is centered around the Nords of Skyrim who use two-handed weapons mostly (they start out with 10+ XP in two-handed) it makes sense that most of the quest rewards are two handed weapons. However, I wish someone could make a mod or point me out to one if it exists already that changes this and gives you the option to have either a one-handed version or a two handed version. That would be really, really cool and a total game-changer. It would allow me to use many other weapons that I would otherwise discard and dump on a weapon rack in Breezehome. But enough of my grumbling and here's to hoping that someone takes up this project as I would be extremely grateful and use it all the time.

 

Many thanks in advance and fingers crossed!! :)

[Moraelin]

You can do it yourself, you know.

 

I can give you the longer way to change the existing weapon in NifSkope from back to hip type (you literally only need to change one string in an input field), but here's an even simpler idea, if you don't want to unpack and edit mesh files:

 

- find some mod which has a weapon of that type that you like. E.g., if you want to change the Ebony Blade, just find a mod that has a katana you like (e.g., my Weapons Of The Shogunate has a whole bunch of Japanese blades, but then so do lots of other mods,) and use its mesh.

 

Just install the mod normally, or let NMM do it for you. It has to be the loose files mod, not the BSA packed type, unless you want to unpack the BSA archive.

 

But anyway, at this point you should have your eyes set on one of the weapons there that are already one-handers and whose mesh you wish to use.

 

- Get the construction kit. It's free on Steam.

 

Start it. Go to File -> Data in the menus, check the checkbox just for Skyrim.esm as a master file. Wait for everything to load.

 

Find the weapon record. Change its mesh to the weapon you want from the mod. It's literally as easy as loading a new mesh file, using the normal Windows open dialog.

 

Change the equip and animation type to whatever is apropriate for the type of 1 hand weapon you want to end up with. It's drop-down boxes, so nothing arcane. E.g., for the Ebony Blade, just look at how the Akaviri katana is set up as.

 

At this point it will still have its old look in the inventory or crafting menu, and many modders leave it at that anyway.

 

But if that bothers you, optional step: Find the 1stPerson record for the weapon you wish to change (the search box above the tree might help). Change its mesh to the 1stPerson mesh file that came with the mod, if it has one, or otherwise to the same mesh you set the normal weapon to. Most of us don't make a separate 1stPerson mesh (which actually has nothing to do with playing 1st Person, but actually means the image in the inventory screen), and just make one mesh that works fine in both roles.

 

Save and pick a name for your mod file.

 

Now just go to the data files in the launcher or NMM, make sure your new plugin is selected, and there you go. You just replaced the weapon of your dreams with a 1 hand weapon.

 

 

Now you can start the game and enjoy the realization that you now have the power of the very gods themselves: the power of creation. (Or at least so far of changing the world to your liking. You have to make a non-replacer before it counts as creation;))

 

 

Note that at this point you may not redistribute that mesh unless you get the modder who made it to say you can. For mine, permission is already given, but most other people keep their copyright.

 

BUT essentially you don't have to. You can upload just your .esp plugin file as a mod, and list the other mod in the requirements. As long as people install the mod that has the mesh, and your plugin that just references it, it will work just fine.

 

Warning, though, if you upload to Steam, it WILL pack the mesh too. Make sure you either get permission from the mesh author, or refrain from uploading to Steam.