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Gaming

In reply to the discussion: Any mod suggestions for Skyrim? [View all]

dogknob

(2,431 posts)
10. My current list.
Tue Feb 12, 2013, 04:58 PM
Feb 2013

Done... the right way. If you're gonna mod the game. TES5edit, Wrye Bash, BOSS, Merged Patch, and Bashed Patch should become basic terms in your vocabulary...

...if you don't do this stuff (above), mods might work... or you might start randomly crashing around level 50 like I did after I installed Dragonborn DLC.

I choose mods that I feel make the game more like an old-school RPG and less like a first-person shooter.

Skyrim, Update, Dawnguard, Hearthfire, Dragonborn, and Space Core (all cleaned with TES5edit before modding and all unofficial patches installed).

SkyUI -- Complete overhaul of the user interface. I can't imagine going back to the game's clumsy, console-oriented default.

Any mods with an asterisk (*) require SkyUI EDIT: Correction -- SKSE and/or SkyUI

Frostfall* -- Everyone complains about how cold Skyrim is. With Frostfall you actually have to deal with the elements.

Deadly Dragons* -- Why does the world need The Dragonborn if a group of bandits can take down a dragon? This mod addresses that. Lots of new dragons with all sorts of nasty abilities. Just leave it on vanilla settings.

Deadly Monsters* -- Both this mod and Deadly Dragons allow you to notch up the difficulty in a more detailed fashion than the game's vanilla settings -- even on Master, the game starts getting really easy at higher levels.

Wet & Cold* -- Nice compliment to Frostfall, but independent. Adds some spiffy cold-weather gear to the game and NPCs are aware of the cold.

ImmersiveHUD* -- Gets the HUD out of your face when you don't need it.

Forgotten Magic -- Adds some new, improvable spells without totally unbalancing the game. Adds a quest to the game which is not, at this time, voiced... so you need to turn on the subtitles when dealing with the new character, Dominus in Whiterun. [probably twice in the whole game you need subtitles].

Headbomb's Better Sorting -- Standardizes the inventory so things are easier to find. "Iron Arrow" becomes "Arrow - Iron." Stuff like that.

Duel - Combat Realism -- Improves the combat system; enemies are smarter and you have some more realistic moves to use. Advanced blocking and parrying, etc...

UFO - Ultimate Follower Overhaul -- Allows multiple followers and many more options for interacting with them. Allows you to mark followers as "important" so they don't get killed. Also allows you to set them so they don't attack you if you accidentally hit them in a close fight (you will). Removes auto-magic respawning arrows; you have to keep your buddies supplied. If you are going to use ASIS (see below), get this or you will die quickly and often.

JaySus Swords -- adds a whole bunch of beautiful, craftable weapons to the game.

Harvest Overhaul -- Why do you always get only one flower when harvesting an entire bush? HO addresses that by making the number random, within reason. Spend less time scanning for nirnroots and more time being alert -- because if you install this whole list, you are going to need to be alert.

Weapon & Armor Fixes
Smithing Perks Overhaul
Complete Crafting Overhaul
-- These three are interdependent and make the crafting system in the game less console/more realism.

Run For Your Lives
When Vampires Attack
-- When dragons and vampires are sacking the town, the little old lady who is supposed to give you a quest later doesn't try to be a hero and get killed. She gets in the damn house.

EDIT: Categorized Favorites Menu -- Transforms the favorites menu into an organized, full-screen interface. Allows you to create item sets.

ASIS -- Totally improves all AI in the game; enemies have (and use) healing potions, employ tactics proportional to intelligence. Enemies will also use all features from the other mods you have installed, like new spells. REQUIRES JAVA -- once you have decided which mods you are going to use, you need to execute the .jar app to compile the ASIS script. If you have Deadly Dragons installed, you need to edit 2-3 lines in the ASIS .ini files to prevent all dragons in the game becoming more powerful than Alduin (!).

Automatic Variants -- another JAVA .jar that scans all of the texture mods you have and randomizes them throughout the game, so if you get attacked by a pack of wolves, they're not all gray -- some might be white, or brown. AV doesn't add any content -- it manages the content you add. Very cool.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I had to get it on PS3, so no mods for me but... Ohio Joe Dec 2012 #1
Make sure you get the all the updates and they just play it for a while ProgressiveProfessor Dec 2012 #2
The graphic mods look really nice, but I would want a mod ZombieHorde Dec 2012 #3
The Dawnguard DLC allows you to make arrows. Lone_Star_Dem Dec 2012 #4
Don't forget about Vampire armor... dogknob Jan 2013 #6
SkyUI dogknob Jan 2013 #5
Towns and Villages Enhanced BklnDem75 Jan 2013 #7
Skyrim Nexus. Decoy of Fenris Jan 2013 #8
Master the Space-Time Continuum BklnDem75 Jan 2013 #9
My current list. dogknob Feb 2013 #10
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