Recommended slow-leveling/de-scaling/combat overhaul mods (on top of STEP)?

[erikolaix]

Playing for the first time in 3 years. I have:

- Carefully installed the majority of recommended STEP mods (though more minimalist than 'Core')

- Added a few favorite mods: Frostfall, Campfire, Deadly Dragons, RealVision ENB

 

Now all that remains is to address these issues:

- I don't want to level too quickly

- I don't want enemies to scale to my level (there should be 'too dangerous areas')

- I want more interesting combat and perks

 

I considered PerMa for the combat & perk overhaul, but it seems far too 'intrusive' and like begging for mod conflict issues and CTDs.

 

Am I best off installing the relevant SkyRe modules, or are there better alternatives?

Edited October 16, 2016 by eriknm

[Elias555]

1. Use skytweak and adjust the experience multipliers.

2. Skyrim scaling stopper, permazones. I think it's part of Requiem but that's a total overhaul.

3. Ordinator

 

Did you even have a look around, do a few searches before asking?

[panurgy]

SkyTweak (as Elias555 said) is a great one-stop shop for control over a huge number of variables. You can make some combat tweaks there, as well as a lot of other changes. This includes economy tweaks, experience, timescale, and a lot more. It also plays well with other mods, so I always have it installed, even with other combat/economy/whatever mods.

 

If you want a more comprehensive, granular experience control mod, the Skyrim Community Uncapper is the ultimate tool. It has an ini file that allows you to control pretty much everything, and it allows you to raise skills over 100 (and the game actually uses it), to slow down or speed up particular skill experience, to slow or speed up overall leveling speed, etc. The only drawback is that there's a large ini file (set to default Skyrim values), and you have to learn how to configure it. There are a lot of pre-configured inis around if you search. There are options for every major overhaul.

 

For perks, you'll probably want to take a look at Ordinator, and if you're mage Path of Sorcery too. There are compatibility patches so you could use both. There's even a Custom Uncapper for Ordinator, which is an Uncapper config (though it's to the author's taste, obviously).

 

Combat is largely to taste. Several of the big older ones are considered potentially dangerous because of the large number of scripts. And some of the popular ones have unfixed bugs. There's also a potential issue with cloaking scripts that are used for locational damage and other effects.

 

Keeping all that in mind, two of the modern ones are among the best choices: Wildcat and Vigor. Both make changes to stamina, have simple injury systems, etc. Wildcat has a great description on it's page. Some people use them together. You can turn off conflicting features in the MCM menus.

 

You can also mix them with other mods like Combat Evolved (mostly changes combat styles), though I think both Wildcat and Vigor already handle those, so it's a taste issue.

 

Another mod that I'll mention is Duke Patrick's combat mod. This is, IMO, the best combat mod around by a long shot (with caveats below). It really changes the combat experience. He's been modding like crazy since Oblivion, he is/was active in the SCA for years, and has even written a book on medieval combat. Everyone should at least give it a try at some point. Also, you know Skyrim's archery system? Bethesda credited his Oblivion mod with the idea for it.

 

The potential downsides are:

• It's script heavy. The Skyrim scripting engine is much laggier than Oblivion's. This effects all scripted mods, but especially those that try to accomplish the most, and combat mods in particular because it happens so often.
• You need a decent rig to run it.
• It makes a lot of changes to the game, so a fair number of mods won't be compatible. It does offer a lot of config options, though.
• Frequent updates. This is both good and bad.
• You don't add Duke Patrick's mod to your mod list, you build a mod list around Duke Patrick's.

I haven't tried recent versions of DP's mod (I will again, soon, though.). In the past I was able to run it with Frostfall, but other mods like CWO were impossible. I wouldn't use it for every playthrough, but I would use it for the occasional combat-oriented playthrough.

[lofgren]

For deleveling, here is what I do:

 

1. Download my mod Training Options:
   http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/56457
2. In the MCM, go to the Skills page and give yourself some skill boosts to get yourself to a reasonable starting level:
   Level 10 = Villager
   Level 25 = Bandit
   Level 35 = Bandit Boss
3. Level yourself up and claim your perk points.
4. Go back to the MCM and go to the Leveling page. Tell the mod to static your level and then move the slider up to level 81.

Voila, perfectly static world with dramatically slowed down leveling and 100% compatibility with all other mods.