Advice needed: fundamental mods.

[Linkap]

I reinstalled skyrim after 8 months, and i'm very curious to do a playthrough with a clean character and all the best modding has produced til now.

So i was making a list with big fundamental mods to install, and i'd like few advices about mod choice and compatibility from you experts.

 

->ASIS for general gameplay enhancemente

->Duel or Dadly Combat

->mages's gameplay enhancer/rebalancer (?)

->general perks mod (ACE?) (?)

->Deadly Dragons

->graphics mods: one for player/npc textures and one for the landscape (?)

->item packs (immersive armors, Weapons of the Thitd Era..)

->something to add more spawns/adventurers/mercenaries now that WiS is dead (?)

 

Do you think there's something missing? Could you name some good mod to complete the list?

Thanks for your answers!

Edited August 1, 2012 by Linkap

[Linkap]

None? i'm just asking the best ones you've tried or some you recommend for any reason :)

[kevkiev]

You might want to check out the Skyrim Total Enhancement Project as a great starting point.

 

Here's links to some recent similar threads where I've put in my 2 septims:

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/743142-i-need-your-help-guys/

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/729811-enhancement-mods/

 

I think each has a link to a another earlier thread where I made a buncha specific recommendations

 

Most of those are visual enhancement type things, as those account for most of my mods

[kevkiev]

Ooops...

 

edit: to make some use out of a mistaken post... you might also want to search for Mighty Dragons or Deadly Dragons, (I use Mighty Dragons myself). I'd say those are fundamental once you get to the higher levels. For even more dragon goodness, check out Bellyache's new dragons (just search "Bellyache") - 13 brand new, awesomely textured dragons added to the game, comes in both vanilla and 2x health versions.

Edited August 1, 2012 by kevkiev

[Rustle32]

You need to show a little patience sometimes, most people don't live in the mod forums, they are usually busy with other things.

 

A lot of what you are asking for depends on personal preferences and how well your system can handle the extra work of running multiple mods.

 

There are several routes to go in the personal preference area. Do you want immersion, lore-friendly, anime, overpowered, or some other type of gameplay? There are several sources for mod reviews, I'd suggest you check them out. Examples are Gophur's Skyrim Mod Sanctuary, MXR's Skyrim Mods Weekly and Gamespot's Top 5 Skyrim Videos of the Week videos

 

For me, I'm for the balanced immersion styles. I want a fairness of difficulty, not something like Bethesda does with their difficulty settings by changing how effective your damage is vs the rest of the NPCs. Also, Mods with stuff and fluff as I am a collector.

 

I extremely suggest using a mod manager like Nexus Mod Manager to manage your mods. Makes it easier to install and better yet uninstall your mods. Also use BOSS to help order your mods to reduce conflict issues.

 

The Must Have mods on my list would be:

1. SKSE - Skyrim Script Extender, beacuse
   
2. SkyUi requires it to run. A must have for PC Skyrim players.
   
3. A Quality World Map - With Roads. Higher rez map, which also shows most of the roads and paths,
   
4. A Clear World Map - With Clouds. Deceptive name, only shows clouds over the borders, leaving the rest of the map clear.
   
5. Skyrim Performance and Crash Prevention Mod. Still new, but if it works...
   
6. ApachiiSkyHair. IMHO the best hair mod. Many NPC mods use this.
   
7. Possessive Corpses no more lazy zombies and shy nirnroots. Helps clean up clutter left over from battles.
   
8. Bethesda Hi-Res DLC Optimized. The Official High-Rez DLC, but optimized for performance.
   

 

My I really want and can't play without list:

1. SkyTEST. Adds more wildlife and more intelligent wildlife.
   
2. Enhanced Night Skyrim - Color Galaxy. Because the Vanilla stars are so dull.
   
3. Realistic Lighting with Customization. I had been using ENBs, but was told about this one and I like it better. No performance hits either.
   
4. Amazing Follower Tweaks. I like this one better than the UFO Follower mod for several reasons.
   
5. Crimson Tide. Because combat is a bloody business.
   
6. Radiance. Adds more randomish encounters and stuff. Hard to describe in a single sentence, but well worth it.
   
7. Realistic Ragdolls and Force. Just because the Vanilla Havok is a bit too powerful.
   
8. Unread Books Glow. I know, not immersive, but I don't really need 35 copies of "Thief of Virtue."
   
9. The Dance of Death - Killmoves mod. I love killmoves.
   
10. Improved Candlelight and Magelight spells. Brighter versions for a darkened environment. Messing with the lighting also decreases the light from these spells, this mod fixes that.
    
11. Categorized Favorites Menu. Makes using favorites easier and very practical.
    
12. Uncle Sheogorath's Really Helpful Hints and Tips. He tells it like it is.
    
13. Dragons Diversified. More danger and variety with dragonkind.
    

 

My "I need" in Weapons and Armor.

1. Bandolier - Bags and Pouches. I'm a collector, need a little help carrying my loot.
   
2. Cloaks of Skyrim. Adds a missing element, and does it well.
   
3. Improved NPC Clothing. Makes clothing look much better.
   
4. Winter Is Coming - Cloaks. Very warm and lore friendly cloaks based on Game of Thrones.
   
5. Isilmeriel LOTR Weapons Collection. A bit overpowered, but cool.
   
6. JaySuS Swords. Variety is good, especially for a collector.
   
7. Weapons of the Third Era. More!
   
8. Lost Art of the Blacksmith. Makes all weapons and armor craftable, based on skill perks.
   
9. Arrowsmith. Craft Arrows too.
   
10. Norse Viking Chainmail by Croc. Another lacking item in Vanilla, this version reduces the ratings from the original mod stats.
    

 

Texture mods that enhance my game:

1. Psychosteves DragonPriest Masks. Improves the DragonPriest masks and makes them craftable. (though I don't craft them)
   
2. Automatic Variants. Could be my new must have, we'll see. Best idea for mods in this era.
   
3. Deadly Spell Impacts. Adds more um, impact, to spell impacts.
   
4. 2K High Resolution Map. Increases the resolution of the 'Battle Map" of Skyrim.
   
5. HD High Resolution Books. Makes the books HD.
   
6. HD Sacks and HD Urns. Better looking.
   
7. HiRes Legible Road Signs. Makes signs easier to read.
   
8. Intricate Spider Webs. More detailed spiderwebs.
   
9. Real Ice. More realistic ice
   
10. Real Snow. See above
    
11. Super Realistic Ore Textures. Yeah so? I like
    
12. Beautiful Skyrim - Weapon Packs. Improves vanilla weapon textures.
    
13. Lockpick scratched by player. Makes lockpicking a little easier, yet immersive.
    

 

I need to mention the Texture Pack Combiner mod. It takes several great Environmental Texture packs and picks the best images and combines them into one folder set. But it takes a decent machine and video card to use.

 

Body Mods

Any mod that improves the blockyness of Player and NPC bodies is good. Some may conflict. I like the UNP body better, but the CBBE seems to be more popular. I also use Nude Males by Thegal, just because why should they have underwear when the women don't immersiveness.

Extra Body mods I use:

1. Envision Face
   
2. Body Fair Skin Complexion for CBBE UNP Envison Face
   
3. Natural Eyes
   
4. NoMaaM Breathing Idles BBB - Female BBB and Male Breathing Idles
   
5. RANs HeadMesh Variants
   
6. Body UNP Fitness Body - Also CBBE - CBBE Fitness Body - Curvy Body Alternative 2
   
7. Enhanced Character Edit
   
8. Improved Freckles Skyrim
   
9. Better Beast Races
   

 

Environmental mods that make the world seem more alive:

1. Birds and Flocks
   
2. Birds of Skyrim
   
3. Immersive Skyrim Thunder
   
4. Nicer Snowflakes
   
5. Realistic Smoke and Embers
   
6. Project Reality - Climates Of Tamriel - Weather - Lighting. Not running at the moment due to using the Realistic Lighting mod.
   
7. W.A.T.E.R. - Water And Terrain Enhancement Redux
   

 

Some other mods I use or have used and like:

• 
   
  
• Ancient Nord Armor and Saviors Hide
  
• Dwemer Goggles and Scouter. A little cheat, but a lore friendly cheat.
  
• Field Mage Outfit
  
• Nights Watch Armor
  
• Scout Armor
  
• Thieves Guild Duelist Armor
  
• Better and Younger Lydia. Though the voice is a little young, Lydia is not so bitchy now.
  
• Cerwiden Follower-Companion SMART. A addon Follower NPC, that actually heals you and other party members.
  
• My Home Is Your Home. Allows you to change a follower's home to any location, including mod built homes.
  
• 83Willows 101BUGs. Adds more variety and color to insect life, plus more alchemy ingredients.
  
• Dynamic Merchants. Merchants prosper as you use them.
  
• Dynamic Torches. Allows for the snuffing of torches, for the sneaky types.
  
• Feed on Animals and Creatures as a Werewolf. Humaniods are no longer the only source of meals for werewolves.
  
• Equip More Rings. You do have more than one ring finger, unless your name is One-Hand.
  
• Dovahkiin Relaxes Too. When the game goes into idle mode, your character no longer acts like a statue.
  
• Mini-Mannequins. Because what collector doesn't want to dress up dolls.
  
• Better Horses. Makes the horse experience better. You can call your horses and they have inventory storage.
  
• Eligible Bachelors. Better looking choices for the ladies.
  
• Phenderix Magic Evolved - 272 New Spells. Some overpowered spells and some useful ones too.
  
• Better Quest Objectives. Improves the descriptions of Quests
  
• The Paarthurnax Dilemma. Additional options for dealing with the Paarthurnax quest.
  
• Frost Horse White Retexture. Makes Frost more white than the default grey.
  
• Torch of Everlasting with Dynamic Shadows. Longer lasting torches.
  
• Shenk Thievery Overhaul. Makes thievery harder
  
• Realistic Crime Radius. NPC crime detection moddified to where they don't have x-ray vision or ESP anymore.
  
• Pets of Skyrim. Adds cats and dogs.
  
• N-R HD Display Case. Improves the look of display cases.
  
• Fhaarkas Softer Animal Fur. Furrier Fur for Furred Friends.
  
• Enhanced Horse Skins. Better looking horses.
  

 

Again these are my preferences, someone else might have different preferences for their Skyrim modding experience.

[Spinner385]

I really like imps more complex needs. The eating part isn't to troublesome and gives a use to food. But having to sleep once a day changes how you play the game and makes everything more adventurous.

 

If you really want a new experience try requiem, I used it this play through and it really makes everything more realistic. One arrow can kill you. Mages are deadly. Don't get hit with a power attack if your not blocking. I remember shooting dragurs with arrows and swinging my mace to no avail. Until I realized they were already dead and the only way to stop them was by using a weapon to dismember them. Everything is static leveled so don't try to take on a dragon by yourself at level 10. Other tips, if your hurt you can't carry as much. If your tired you cant move as fast. So don't plan on running away if your low on stamina. If your carrying lots of stuff and get hurt real bad you better drop it so you can run. It's still beta but well worth any bugs you might run into.

[Linkap]

Thanks a lot for your responses, many great resources and mod recommendations! :)

 

I'm all for the "balanced lore-friendly immersion" too, so things like Requiem might be too extreme for me (at least for now).

 

I'll annoy you with one more question: i've browsed skyrim nexus for skill and leveling mods, but i can't seem to decide. What i need is a general improvement to the leveling system, (for ex. not being forced to skill up in blacksmithing on my mage to level up in late game; no bishotting dragons at lvl10 etc). More intelligent skills and leveling but not as radical as fully unleveled game. Basing on your experience, what would you suggest?

[Spinner385]

You could try BYOG - Balance Your Own Game, you can really tweak it to how you like. Haven't used it personally (to many setting overwhelm me). I've also played SkyRe and it was a very good overhaul which is more like an improved Vanilla Skyrim. ACE seems to be another popular one that I haven't tried.

 

If you use Elys uncapper (recommended with SkyRe) you can get skills to 199 and your not forced to use low level skills.

Edited August 2, 2012 by Spinner385

[Roccondil]

The most fundamental mod that I use and will always recommend is the USKP (Unofficial Skyrim Patch). Basically, this mod patches a lot of stuff that Bethesda has not or will not officially patch.

 

Open Cities Skyrim is another good mod- this opens up the cities so that you don't have to go through a loading screen to enter a city.

 

Project Reality - Climates of Tamriel is a good lighting and weather mod - it changes some of the lighting and adds more weather effects.