Tribute - Gold Based Leveling offers a lightweight and configurable power that converts gold into character levels. In addition, by combining it with other mods, it becomes part of a flexible framework for highly configurable gold based leveling.





When the mod initializes the player is given the power "Level Up". It costs 0 magicka, and triggers a brief sitting animation with minor visual effects. The power's description tells you how much gold you need to level up. When you use the power, assuming you have enough gold, the gold is removed from your inventory and you level up. If you don't have enough gold nothing happens. Here's a demo of it working:



The gold cost of the power increases with your level, and can be configured via the MCM as follows:

• Initial cost - how much gold is needed to grow from level 1 to 2 (default=250).
• Target level - an arbitrary benchmark in your characters growth, you can continue past this level (default =50).
• Total cost - how much gold is needed to grow from level 1 to your target level (default=250,000).
• Growth rate - how the cost grows across levels. 0=flat, no growth; <1=grows at first, but decelerates and levels out; 1=linear growth; >1=accelerating growth (default=1.5).
  

Tribute requires Experience as the latter exposes character growth to script functions. However Tribute is fully compatible with other leveling mods such as the uncapper, static skill leveling and geometric stat growth. These mods can be combined in creative ways to create unique progression systems. To illustrate here is my own:

• Experience stops skills contributing to character growth, but I also disable all sources of character growth such as questing.
• Tribute adds a gold based leveling spell, which, due to Experience, is the only way to level your character.
• The uncapper disables skill growth through use, so no more grinding.
• Static skill leveling lets you pick skills on level up, and I configure it so all level ups bring 3 skills ups regardless of how advanced that skill is.
• Geometric stat growth means that h/m/s grow geometrically, unlike vanilla where they grow linearly.
  

So now, progression goes like this: you go adventuring (or whatever) to get gold; you convert gold into character levels; each level lets you advance a skill three times and advance an attribute that grows geometrically.

For more details about how to implement this, open the spoiler below.






Requirements
SKSE
SkyUI
Experience

Installation
Download and install through your manager of choice. It is safe to install midplaythrough. Remember to configure other mods as desired.

Updating
Check the change logs. Updates that change script properties will need a new game.

Uninstallation
Safe to uninstall at any time. If you don't cast the spell the mod will never do anything anyway.

Performance impact
None

Compatibility
Compatible with everything.





Building Your Character
Master of One - A perk overhaul that transforms perks from generic character progression into a means to craft unique and specialized builds.
Curse of the Firmament - A standing stones overhaul that emphasizes tough choices.
Legacy - A race overhaul that bring strengths and weaknesses to each race.
Acolyte - A progressive-yet-unobtrusive religion overhaul with a long path to divinity.

Enemies and Combat
Know Your Enemy (armor module, patcher version) - A resistance and weakness overhaul for enemies and armors.
Know Your Enemy 2 (armor module, integration patch) - An upgraded resistance overhaul: more damage types, more configuration, more polish.
NPC Stat Rescaler - A patcher that adjusts player and NPC stats for faster, fairer, and less spongy combat.
Enemy Releveler - A patcher that adjusts NPC levels to truly delevel the world.

Stats and stat growth
Exhaustion - Incremental Fatigue - An ultra-lightweight injury/fatigue system.
Exercise - Incremental Growth - An add-on for Exhaustion that converts fatigue into stat growth.
Geometric Stat Growth - Stats grow by a configurable percentage on level up, instead of a fixed value.

Leveling and skills
Tribute - Gold Based Leveling - A configurable and lightweight spell that turns gold into character levels.
Configurable Perks Per Level - An MCM to edit how many perk points you get on level up.
Trainers Galore - An expansion of the training system designed for "training only" leveling.
XP Editor - A patcher that adjusts xp gain and leveling.

Miscellanea
Challenging Spell Learning - Spell Tomes trigger a costly ritual you must pass to learn spells.
Pick Your Poison - An alchemical handbook to support strategic foraging.
Sightseer - Standing Stones - Guidebooks for the standing stones, collectibles to find, and a hidden quest to unite them.

Mod Lists
Thoughtful Skyrim - A small, gameplay-focussed modlist that rewards preparation and planning.




Thanks to zax for exposing character growth to the papyrus engine. Thanks to the authors of other gold based leveling mods. Thanks to u/shockshockshad for the image used on this mod page.