Best mods for a first playthrough?

[Megatarius]

Allow me to present my top 25 Oblivion fix mods. These are mods that improve the game itself, make changes that should have been there in the first place, and might have been, if they hadn't rushed it for the XBOX 360 launch date.

 

 

1. Better Music System http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=26892

The crown jewel of Oblivion mods. People say Deadly Reflex, with very good reason, but this is something much more subtle and awesome. Music is so important. The quality of the music in the game is very good. But whoever programmed it didn't have nearly the inspiration that Soule did. If you haven't gotten it, get it. The first thing it does is vastly improve how battle music works. Do we really need epic trumpets and battle drums for every f'ing wolf in the forest and crab on the beach? Really? It's a much more improved system now. Also, do we actually even need battle music at all? How can it not get annoying and immersion breaking after a while? Well, now you can completely disable it!! You can add your own music to other locations as well. Each different kind of ruin. Each guild. Inns, Homes, Castles. It's a travesty that the namesake of the game, the Oblivion Realm, gets the standard dungeon music. :rolleyes: Not anymore. This mod changes the game in ways not obvious at first glance.

 

2. Automatic Difficulty Increaser http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=28589

This little gem forces the difficulty slider to remain in a certain position that changes as you level up. Customizable in an .ini, but no longer can you break immersion by divinely affecting how strong everyone else is. Those Orc vampires in the Azura Shrine Quest are some bad-ass Samuel L. Jackson m---f---ers. Where's the satisfaction in defeating them if you weren't actually scared to death to face them? Also, cranking it up for 100 hits on a mudcrab just so you can farm your blade skill? Come on. Just use the console to raise your skill at the start if you're character was already a bad-ass before getting arrested. There's no shame in it then.

 

3. Let there be Darkness http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=22819

Torches practically burn forever, they're all over the place and free, and you never even need them! Maybe for Namira's Shrine, but I wouldn't know because I was already using this mod before that. It's just plain more fun when everything you find has a real purpose, you know?

 

4. Actors have Torches http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11169

This adds a lot to dungeons.

 

5. Enhanced Quest Roleplaying http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=12828

Doesn't affect every quest, but basically you have more options now. No longer will your Thieve's Guild character who wants nothing more than to be the Gray Fox jump at the opportunity to help the nice honest working shopkeeps get rid of Thoronir. Now you can select "Maybe Later", instead of "Start from the beginning!", like you actually care :rolleyes: . It's a dog eat dog world you guys. Deal. This is just one example. It makes a lot of difference if you like role playing.

 

6. Stolen Horse Ownership http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=4243

Stealing a horse in Chorrol, riding it to Cheydinhal, getting off in front of the stable and guards, changing your mind, and getting back on, will no longer result in everyone psychically knowing you stole it.

 

7. Merchants Buy Stolen Goods http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=7983

One of the most unrealistic parts of the game, merchants somehow knowing that you stole something. There is no explanation, short of magic, that would make stealing a silver jug from a basement in Leyawiin and not being able to sell it in Bruma believable. The fences in the Thieves' Guild can still be useful in a world where merchants aren't psychic, simply because the Thieves' Guild is an organization that controls a black market and if you want to rise in the ranks, you better chip in.

 

8. Actors Can Miss Now http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=17706

Just a nice little mod that makes anyone shooting at you actually miss sometimes.

 

9. Denock Arrows http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=9670

Canceling your bow attack? Oh yeah, of course you'd be able to do that! It makes so much sense! This seems to be a German version, but it doesn't matter. It's just pressing the grab key. Nothing to read.

 

10. Reneer's Name Mod http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=26369

The man who fixed the guards also fixed NPC interaction in a very nice way. I can't remember the last time I knew somebody on the street's name before introducing myself to them.

 

11. Spell Delete and Item Remove http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=23069

Get rid of those unwanted old spells and quest items just cluttering up your inventory.

 

12. Nirnroot Quest Mod http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2322

Changes the standard Nirnroot quest reward into something much more interesting, I think. However, I am willing to admit the regular reward is good too. It depends on your playing style really, and I personally think this is a vast improvement.

 

13. Rowboats http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=6690

Actually use the rowboats on the shore. It's a little clunky. Maybe could have been done better, but it's still very nice. But why use them though, when you can just swim across the bay with all your heavy armor?

 

14. No Encumbered Swimming http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3331

I love this mod. It unfortunately does not affect NPC's, but it's still leagues better. Water is almost like lava now, to certain characters. Now you have to locate a rowboat to get across, or even better, use a walk on water spell that actually means something now. Changing the value at which you sink is kind of a pain, but I posted in the comments section how to do it. The readme is misleading.

 

15. More Staffs at Rendir http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16716

You know that shop in IC Market that sells staffs? Me neither.

 

16. A Bloody Mess http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=11182

Really adds to the game. It has some limitations due to the game's design, so read all the documentation carefully. This is one of those mods you need to educate yourself on backwards and front, but it's worth it. Also, the cleaning rags are very hard to find. They aren't at nearly enough vendors. Just so you know.

 

17. Keychain http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3409

Just something nice to reduce inventory clutter.

 

18. Natural Rings Limit http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=8635

Of course you don't want to wear all rings and become a god, but only one on each hand?

 

19. Third Person Animations in First Person View http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=18617

One of my favorites. I grew up with Doom and Duke Nukem 3D and all those old 3D games had way better first person. Oblivion's first person looks like a floating camera with a sword and shield glued to it. Combine that with the crosshair and I feel like I'm in an editor, not the game. Buggy, but works with Deadly Reflex. The Shield Bash move breaks the skeleton, and the duck move makes the camera go below the ground. None of these are a problem if you fight in 3rd person. Why use this mod then? Well, for all the times you do want first person, it still makes a world of difference.

 

20. Improved No Crosshair http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2260

If you turn off the crosshair, you can't see the other icons. This keeps those icons, but gets rid of the immersion breaking crosshair. I don't need it to aim a bow, and I certainly don't need it when walking around town or using a sword. It works with DARNified UI and Immersive Interface as long as you load this crosshair after installing those.

 

21. Hand to Hand Idle Stance http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=24587

Ever get tired of seeing your dainty female mage in an elegant silk dress putting up her dukes in the menu like she's spoiling for a bar brawl? This mod fixes the hand to hand "weapon drawn" pose to be the regular idle so you don't roll your eyes every time you press tab. As for actual hand to hand combat, your character will be standing normally after you raise your fists, but it's a small price to pay since any character that looks silly like this in the menu isn't likely to be engaging in fistfights anyway.

 

22. Perfect Working No Quest Markers http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=8680

The simplest of the No Quest Marker mods. Just a straight file replacer. It gets rid of the purple custom marker too, which is kind of a pain, but in a good way I think. There are other mods, but this is the one I use. The less .esp's the better. Now God will no longer tell you where to go.

 

23. Running Revised http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=7484

Nice little mod that allows you to sprint for short periods, as well as modify how the fatigue bar reacts to all running. I've tested it with two different fatigue mods, Tejon's Fatigue Effects, and Loup Sombre's Fatigue and Sleeping.

 

24. Cancel Attack http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=25316

Press Block in the middle of your attack animation to cancel it. It's of course realistic that you're wide open and defenseless while attacking, but combine that with Besthesda's oftentimes laughably slow attack animations and what do you get? Crappy fights, that's what. Well, no longer! Works with Deadly Reflex!

 

25. Side's Backpacks http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=29120

Where am I actually storing all these swords and cuirasses and ingredients if I only have two hands? Why do they suddenly appear out of nowhere when I equip them? If they're appearing out of nowhere, why am I being affected by this arbitrary and unrealistic encumbrance limit? Oh I know! They're in this awesome backpack I'm wearing! From the maker of Better Music System himself, no less. What really makes this mod great is not that it adds a backpack so you can pretend your items are in it. No, they actually are in it. You can drop them all at once before entering the water so you don't drown, and best of all, you can store more items in the backpack then you would normally be able to carry outside of it. Carrying too much outside of it can result in not being able to run or fight, sort of like your minor encumbrance limit. The newest version is practically perfect thanks to his attention to comments despite a busy schedule. :thumbsup:

[kalikka]

List of "recommended modlists".

I recommend the balloffires modlist.

 

My list:

 

Overhauls:

-FCOM (best overhaul mods mixed together)

 

Combat:

-Deadly reflex (Greatest mod for combat/assassin style)

-Unnecessary Violence (DUAL-WIELDING, WOOT)

-DMC Stylish animation replacer (Has optional DUAL-WIELDING animations, WOOT)

-(FCOM)

 

Spells:

-Midas magic (Adds LOADS of new spells that look cool, like thunder storm that changes the weather and calls lightning to strike everything that moves) (You get the recipes and materials for the spells from quests)

-Supreme magicka (awesome, adds new spells/effects/etc.)

-L.A.M.E(Less annoying magic experience, name tells it all.)

 

Maintenance:

-BOSS (To make the mods work together)

-Oblivion mod manager (To install mods and keep them working, easiest way to install mods)

-Wrye Bash (To make different kinds of mods work together)

 

Gears:

-Use "Organise" settings with "endorsements" or "Downloads".

-More

-And the list goes on

 

Other:

-Purse of wonders (A lifesaver, gives a magic purse where you can put your gears/junk/alchemy junk)

-Just choose a category that is interesting and search for most endorsemented and downloaded mods.

 

 

EDIT: NOOOO! DMC Smokin sick stylish mod is gone :ninja:

 

Seemed like a Japanese import mod and someone illegally without permission but it on nexus luckly I downloaded the mod before it got removed.

 

Dem' Japanese know how to make awesome mods because this one is groundbreaking IMO and not overpowered despite what it looks like

[Jenrai]

Lots of good suggestions here, though I have to agree with the earlier posts that if its actually your VERY first playthrough, the only mods you want to be running are the Unofficial Oblivion Patches and any of the official DLCs you might have. That will let you formulate your own (and therefore the only truly important one ;) )of the gamee, and what needs changing or what you believe would be the best improvements. Start from there; Changes you REALLY want to see. Install those and get them working first. Thats your CORE build. And its pretty much unique to each and every single one of us.

 

So... actual mod recommendations. Hmmm.

 

FCOM:

Yes. I am being serious. You'll see a lot of talk about this one in modding circles. Its worshipped & I personally believe that everyone needs to try it once. At least. HOWEVER >> Don't rush into trying this until you are supremely used to installing mods. Its the Grandaddy of all major overhaul mods (Its actually 4 of the overhaul mods in 1) and as such its a real ballbreaker to install. I mean this in the nicest way possible... its 150% fatal to your game if you don't know what your doing and even if you do its still going to cripple it unless you actually READ the homepage and its vast array of links. Try it eventually... but not just yet, eh? :D

 

Better Cities:

Ahhh yes. The Imperial City. The Crown Jewel of the Empire. And it looks (and feels) like a washed up sh*thole of a western ghost town. No worries. As well as fixing the rest of em, the BC team gave the Imperial Capital a real boost. Now it actually looks, and feels, like somewhere the most important people in Cyrodil would want to live. And the rest of them are damn funky too. You really must see Leyawiin's Flood. Fantastic. :) Of course, it used to be a royal pain in the arris to install, but now with OBMM (Oblivion Mod Manager) its easy as 1, 2, 4. Ahem.

 

Modem's City Life:

This is the second mod I use to complete my "city overhaul"... BC overhauls the look and feel of the cities, but they still feel somewhat devoid of life. Well, if your computer can handle it, you want this. Maybe not the most expansive mod ever created as far as things for the player to actually do are concerned, but suddenly the cities are positively teeming with life... its a great mod for immersion & simply putting people in places that just feel like there should be people there. Be forewarned thhough, if you get get lower FPS in the cities anyways, this mod is quite capable of slaughtering that completely.

 

Cyrodil Inn's Revised:

Don't you just hate walking into a bar and finding it empty. I do. In reality and almost as much in a game.Like... 3 people seem to frequent any of the inns... and none of them visit at the same time.

Fixxed! Now the bars have peeps... they have atmosphere. They actually feel a little like bars. Brill idea, and a well made mod.

 

L.A.M.E

Less Annoying Magicka Experience; Fantastically named mod. Ever feel that magic in Oblivion just didn't feel... well... magical? Ever try to play a pure mage charactor on above 50% difficulty? No? Don't. unless you've got this. One of the two prominent Magicka overhauls (the other one being Supreme Magicka but I can't tell you much about that as I've never used it) this is a gem of a mod that I discovered quite by accident searching for the next one on the list... it just makes magic feel, as well as look, and work, better.

 

Midas Magic - Spells of Aurum:

All hail the might Xilverbullet! Seriously, I mean it. The man's a genius. This mod adds something like 400 new spells to the game, and a new way of acquiring those spells, along with a couple of nifty little quests and even fun ways to put all that cr... I mean clutter littering the game to some use. I can't tell you everything about this mod... mainly because even I've not seen or done everything in it yet. I can only tell you to try it. Just once. You won't regret it. Whats more, even though its an old mod (originally) Xilver is still working on and supporting this. As I said, all hail! :)

 

Unique Landscapes:

Remember the big deal made about Oblivion's graphics and how beautiful Cyrodil is? Well.. I personally thought they were only half right. The graphics are fantastic... but frankly, Cyrodil could have been much more beautiful than they made it. Enter the UL team. This is essentially an ongoing project to beautify as much of Cyrodil as possible, this makes what should have been breathtaking views actually take your breath away... there are places in the game now that Igo to simply because I like the place... thats never happened before... wow. Just wow. Be aware that because it alters a lotta terrain in a lotta places, this needs a lotta patches to work with other mods. Don't fret though, because they are available too. And if you find one that isn't, the team will probably make them for you, if the other mod is popular enough and you ask nicely. Outstanding.

 

The Ultimate Combat Overhaul:

Now... caught your breath yet? No? Good. Bare with me. This isn't actually one mod. Its two. I keep seeing people saying they are not compatible... well, I can pretty much assure you that they are, or at least the laterst version of them are. I run them side by side and the only issues I have ever come across are known issues with one or the other, things that happen occasionally anyway when you only have one of them installed, so I have to assume that yeah, they're compatable. The first one:

 

Deadly Reflex:

by the awesome Skycaptain. Current version is 5. Now... Oblivion is a hack n' slash game. And hack n' slash games can get... well... tedious. Unless they are really well done. And frankly, Oblivion's wasn't. This was the first mod I installed, because as I said earlier, it was something I felt REALLY needed changing. I can't state enough how great I think this is. Without it, I probably wouldn't still be playing this game. It adds a whole bunch of new animations, new moves, the ability to dodge attacks, logical usage of shields and therefore loads of new tactics to Oblivion combat... with a twist... your enemies can do them too. Hacking & Slashing has never been quite as much fun as this!

 

Unnecessary Violence:

Now... as a kinda... semi-able scripter myself, I'm in a good place to be able to tell you, the sheer amount of work thats gone into this is phenominal. And its still only a beta! UV gives you the ability to throw weapons, to knock people out instead of killing them, to dual wield ANY weapon, to use bows & staffs as actual melee weapons... and like the duracel bunny, the list goes on, and on. Something in the region of 30,000 lines of scripting make this thing tick... and whilst Hex_off (the author) would be the first to tell you its not glitch free (hey, like I said, its a beta) the trade-offs are really easy to live with once you realise exactly what this (especially when combined with the afforementioned DR) is capable of doing for your game. One thing though... read the paperwork... you really should with every mod you use, but trust me, if you don't with this, your toons gonna die. :ninja:

 

Have fun. And welcome to the wacky world of Oblivion Modding.

Jenrai

[Twazz]

Guys, cannot thank you enough. :D I'll start playing with just the Unofficial Patches and add these as I please.

[Slawter500]

Why not check out the List of modlists, right here on the nexus.

 

If you wish you could also check out my mod list(Self promotion, I know http://thenexusforums.com/public/style_emoticons/Dark/happy.gif), link in my signature.

[TodaY]

DMC isn't gone o_O

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=16459

*and it is a good mod*

[Dimmu666]

Well in my opinion if you're playing Oblivion for the first time ever you shouldn't use any mods so you could see and feel how Oblivion really is without any mods or even official plugins. :happy: