Must-Have Skyrim Mods

[Mango Cobra]

I decided I'm going to play skyrim again for the first time in a few years, and I was wondering if any of my fellow Kiwis had some good suggestions for a Dark Elf Telvanni wizard playthrough?

 

[The Connected Nose]

Has fuckall to do with your character build, but SkyUI is an absolute must (think it needs SKSE to work, but can't remember). Literal night and day over the stock menu system.

 

[Mango Cobra]

Has fuckall to do with your character build, but SkyUI is an absolute must (think it needs SKSE to work, but can't remember). Literal night and day over the stock menu system.

Oh absolutely. I have all those "essential" stuff, I'm more talking about gameplay / companions / spells, etc. Thanks though!

 

[Crocodylus Acutus]

I don't have to tell you that the best Telvanni mage game play is in Morrowind (which I've been wanting to mod), but as far as Skyrim goes:

• Spells: One of the three big spell mods: Arcanum, Apocalypse, or Mysticism (depends which one you prefer and won't conflict with other mods). Spell crafting is worth a look too, but I don't know how well it works with magic overhaul mods.
• Magic visuals: Spell impacts and Frozen Electrocution and Combustion makes spells have more of a visual effect on the world and on characters
• Perks: Ordinator adds a lot of new skills, which aren't completely balanced but are fun. The author, EnaiSiaion has a lot other gameplay overhauls I recommend checking out.

If you want some more inspiration, the modlists on Wabbajack usually have their own githubs or websites with complete, organized lists of their mods and conflict patches.

 

[Mango Cobra]

I don't have to tell you that the best Telvanni mage game play is in Morrowind (which I've been wanting to mod), but as far as Skyrim goes:

I can invite you to the Morrowind Modding Discord, if you'd like. They're really keen on helping people learn to mod - They've been helping me with my own project, actually.

Also, thanks!

 

[M3xus]

In addition to Apocalypse, Summermyst is a great enchanting mod that adds enchantments that are missing from the base game but should have been in from the start, like "Destruction spells are X% stronger".

 

[Crocodylus Acutus]

In addition to Apocalypse, Summermyst is a great enchanting mod that adds enchantments that are missing from the base game but should have been in from the start, like "Destruction spells are X% stronger".

It's crazy how much you need to mod this game in order to have it not feel so bare bones. Cities of the North is another mod that does the bare minimum and makes Dawnstar, Falkreath, Morthal, and Winterhold feel unique, and not copy pasted.

 

[Troonos]

Keep up the recommendations. I haven't played it in a decade, and I'm starting to get the urge to do another playthrough, but the sheer volume of mods today is just overwhelming.

 

[Mango Cobra]

Keep up the recommendations. I haven't played it in a decade, and I'm starting to get the urge to do another playthrough, but the sheer volume of mods today is just overwhelming.

Yeah exactly why i made this thread. I don't have the time or energy to try to figure out wha tmods to use on my own rn lmao.

 

[ratnoid]

As long as you don't fall for the shitty bootleg Dark Souls meme, you should be fine with mods like Ordinator and other stuff that EnaiSiaion makes. Stuff is there up to preference, but you can enhance the game mostly seamlessly with his stuff. Everything else is visual fixes, Unofficial patches and so forth.

 

[Asian tech support]

The werewolf rape mod. If anyone questions that one, claim it's your wife's.
The mod that reverts the unofficial patch "fixing" the fortify restoration loop exploit.
Scoped bows.

 

[Shig O'nella]

For a mage:

Alex's destruction spells.
New Concentration Master Destructive spells.

(because spellcasting goes to shit after about level 40)

Windyridge player home - nice little gaff in Winterhold. Gives you a base without you having to rush the archmage questline (edit: note, it can be fussy about the sale sign appearing. Don't install it until you actually get to Winterhold)

General ones I'd recommend for the fun of them and for expanding the challenge:

Aethernautics (this one is just awesome fun and the design is stunning)
Skyrim Underground - its good. Gives a neat alternative route between holds, too.
Hammet's dungeon packs plus any of his standalones that catch you eye. They're all good and well balanced.
I'm pretty fond of The Siderat, too. Soothes my nomadic soul.

 

[Crocodylus Acutus]

I can't believe I forgot about this, but Moon and Star is a great quest mod for a dark elf centered playthrough.

 

[Troonos]

What are the best immersion mods? An example would be the mod that makes being wet and cold a hazard. Looking for others in the same vein.

 

[Shig O'nella]

Frostfall is still king of those.

You could try Hateful wenches. You'll never blase a tomb again with that one on the higher spawn rates.

 

[General Emílio Médici]

I always liked the Clockwork mod which adds a very nice house along with a quest for it, though maybe it isn't for everyone.

I have a list of mods saved somewhere but can't access it now, will look once I can and report back.

I can remember the Ordinator Perk Overhaul is also a must as has been mentioned already as it makes for more interesting playstyles and such. Speaking of which you should get one of the "Better Start" mods which changes the game from the regular memed to hell intro to a more immersive one where you pick out a basic character and it spawns you somewhere random with a quest to check out Helga for when you want to do the main story. I think it was called Random Alternate Start or something like that? Though not sure if that is the one that died and was replaced or the replacement to the one that was abandoned.

 

[Mango Cobra]

What are the best immersion mods? An example would be the mod that makes being wet and cold a hazard. Looking for others in the same vein.

Frostfall + Campfire and your choice of "Needs" mod. I used to use iNeed but I heard good things about Last Seed.

I think it was called Random Alternate Start or something like that? Though not sure if that is the one that died and was replaced or the replacement to the one that was abandoned.

The alternate start mods are good, my favorite is Immersive Start where Helgen isn't destroyed till you go to the tavern and rent a room, and then the next morning the opening sequence starts with you as an observer.

 

[General Emílio Médici]

Immersive Armors and Immersive World Encounters were pretty good when I played. Guard Dialogue Overall makes it so the guards won't repeat the arrow knee meme 30 times a minute. Omnisway Clothing Replacer makes the clothing look better including the cloth like robes. Quality World Map makes the map better but now I am getting into graphical mods and those tend to be pretty straightforward.

 

[Mango Cobra]

Immersive Armors

Depending on the armor, that mod can range from beautiful to genuinely hideous. Same with Immersive Weapons, it conflicts with Skyforge Weapons and Skyforge Shields so I tend to edit out the ugly Chinese "wolf" weapons it gives the companions.

now I am getting into graphical mods and those tend to be pretty straightforward.

No no. Please share the graphical recommendations too.

 

[General Emílio Médici]

SMIM is the big one you install first, which updates all the meshes to make them look better and sorta gives the whole game that little first polish. AOF Detailed Mountains makes the LOD better for distant terrain since we don't have to worry about limited VRAM like the Xbox 360. Skyrim Flora Overhaul gives all the flora some touch ups and better textures (and while at it I forgot to mention Harvest Overhaul. which is a mod that improves the interaction with flora and alchemy sources a bit more so that when you harvest a entire bush you don't come out with a single flower when you can CLEARLY SEE that fucker had at least 5 flowers, or makes it that when you are skilled in alchemy human hearts are easier to find and so on and so forth). Enhanced Lights and FX, Dust Effects, Expanded Snow Systems and Realistic Water Two are to do with the enviroment and give that little boost to visuals.

Etheral Elven Overhaul gives the knife ears models that look a bit better and for the lizors I used FAR (Forgotten Argonian Roots). Pretty sure I had one for the cats too but can't find it. I also used both the CBBE (Calientes Beautiful Bodies) and SOS (Schlongs of Skyrim) so the bodies of the men and women would look better, both have the option to come with underwear thankfully so you can avoid people thinking you are installing sex mods. I was gonna just install CBBE but then the male bodies look weird and out of place compared to the women with the default or lower quality models and that triggers my austism something fierce.