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About this mod
Adds the option to dig up graves and loot items from them, and use some of the newly added items in necromantic practices.
- Requirements
- Permissions and credits
-
Translations
- Russian
- Changelogs
Grave Digging extends the roleplay of a necromancy focused character by allowing you to dig up graves and make use of the items you find inside.
Grave Digging uses Base Object Swapper to replace otherwise inert graves with a container holding items you might typically expect to find in a grave – personal effects, clothing, remains…
Searching a grave requires a SHOVEL. Either of the two base game shovels will do, and this mod adds a crafting recipe for the long-handled shovel in case you can’t find or buy one easily: Just take 1 iron ingot and a piece of firewood to a forge.
Searching a grave TAKES TIME. If you have a shovel in your inventory, then when you search a grave, a small animation will play followed by a fade out before finally opening the container menu. All in all, it takes about 5 real world seconds. At present, no in-game time advances by a noticeable amount, just a small message is displayed to give the feeling of time passing.
Searching a grave is a CRIME. This is achieved by simulating an assault on any nearby NPCs and thus the crime is independent of being undetected while sneaking (How were you planning to dig up a grave sneakily?). When you exit the container menu any NPC within 65 feet will become hostile, which depending on the NPC could mean surrender is possible, but could mean being chased out of town. Make sure you only dig up graves when no one is around!
Searching a grave yields NEW ITEMS. A new grave dirt ingredient is added which has some alchemical properties useful for a necromancer. Things like burial shrouds and coffin nails might also be dug up. Additionally, the desiccated remains of the deceased can be used alongside other added items as part of new crafting options described below. And yes, graves respawn over time: think of it as new dead being buried in conveniently emptied plots. Integration patches are provided to distribute usable bones, such as an Ordinator patch for the bones used by the Bone Collector perk of that mod.
Lastly, searching a grave tells a STORY. The contents of each grave are drawn from custom levelled lists that provide a great many possibilities and allow you to get a sense of who this buried person was. Were they buried with a family sword? Did someone lay a flower on their coffin? Were they a slain vampire put to rest? You never know what you might dig up…
Grave Digging allows you to make “Grave Preparations” at a cookpot, which are potions using the desiccated remains you sometimes find in graves.
A necklace called the Vial of Protection can also be crafted at the cookpot with enough resources.
To be able to make these Grave Preparation potions (and the necklace) you need a perk granted by a particular book, hidden in an appropriately named vanilla location. The book gives an in-game description of what is required for each recipe.
Grave Digging requires Base Object Swapper in order to achieve its main goal of making graves lootable.
Grave Digging was created using an updated Creation Kit which produced an ESP with file header version 1.71, so Backported Extended ESL Support is needed for older game versions unless you want to attempt to change the file header yourself.
Grave Digging also requires SKSE in order to handle certain container-related behaviour.
SkyUI is recommended for smoothest container transitions when digging animation plays. Not required for the mod to work, but you might get a peek inside before the animation plays.
Practically no vanilla cell edits. A skill book in a vanilla location is replaced by Base Object Swapper in favour of a new book to teach the new crafting recipes, and it also gives the same skill increase. However, another copy of that skill book can be found in the vanilla game in the same hold not too far away.
It is recommended to install on a new game due to the use of scripts.
It is not recommended to uninstall midgame due to the use of scripts.
powerofthree for Base Object Swapper
Ian Patterson, Stephen Abel, Paul Connelly, and Brendan Borthwick (ianpatt, behippo, scruggsywuggsy the ferret, and purple lunchbox) for SKSE
Grave Digging uses Base Object Swapper to replace otherwise inert graves with a container holding items you might typically expect to find in a grave – personal effects, clothing, remains…
Features
Searching a grave requires a SHOVEL. Either of the two base game shovels will do, and this mod adds a crafting recipe for the long-handled shovel in case you can’t find or buy one easily: Just take 1 iron ingot and a piece of firewood to a forge.
Searching a grave TAKES TIME. If you have a shovel in your inventory, then when you search a grave, a small animation will play followed by a fade out before finally opening the container menu. All in all, it takes about 5 real world seconds. At present, no in-game time advances by a noticeable amount, just a small message is displayed to give the feeling of time passing.
Searching a grave is a CRIME. This is achieved by simulating an assault on any nearby NPCs and thus the crime is independent of being undetected while sneaking (How were you planning to dig up a grave sneakily?). When you exit the container menu any NPC within 65 feet will become hostile, which depending on the NPC could mean surrender is possible, but could mean being chased out of town. Make sure you only dig up graves when no one is around!
Searching a grave yields NEW ITEMS. A new grave dirt ingredient is added which has some alchemical properties useful for a necromancer. Things like burial shrouds and coffin nails might also be dug up. Additionally, the desiccated remains of the deceased can be used alongside other added items as part of new crafting options described below. And yes, graves respawn over time: think of it as new dead being buried in conveniently emptied plots. Integration patches are provided to distribute usable bones, such as an Ordinator patch for the bones used by the Bone Collector perk of that mod.
Lastly, searching a grave tells a STORY. The contents of each grave are drawn from custom levelled lists that provide a great many possibilities and allow you to get a sense of who this buried person was. Were they buried with a family sword? Did someone lay a flower on their coffin? Were they a slain vampire put to rest? You never know what you might dig up…
Crafting
Grave Digging allows you to make “Grave Preparations” at a cookpot, which are potions using the desiccated remains you sometimes find in graves.
A necklace called the Vial of Protection can also be crafted at the cookpot with enough resources.
To be able to make these Grave Preparation potions (and the necklace) you need a perk granted by a particular book, hidden in an appropriately named vanilla location. The book gives an in-game description of what is required for each recipe.
Spoiler:
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Start in Falkreath
Spoiler:
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Go to Grave Concoctions alchemy shop
Spoiler:
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Look behind the baskets near the bed
Requirements
Grave Digging requires Base Object Swapper in order to achieve its main goal of making graves lootable.
Grave Digging was created using an updated Creation Kit which produced an ESP with file header version 1.71, so Backported Extended ESL Support is needed for older game versions unless you want to attempt to change the file header yourself.
Grave Digging also requires SKSE in order to handle certain container-related behaviour.
Spoiler:
Show
There is no Vanilla way to close a container menu or prevent access to a container based on having an appropriate item as with the shovel here. Interestingly the SKSE TapKey function doesn’t work when in container menu to simulate an exit-bound key being pressed, so this mod makes use of an SKSE UI function.
SkyUI is recommended for smoothest container transitions when digging animation plays. Not required for the mod to work, but you might get a peek inside before the animation plays.
Changes
Practically no vanilla cell edits. A skill book in a vanilla location is replaced by Base Object Swapper in favour of a new book to teach the new crafting recipes, and it also gives the same skill increase. However, another copy of that skill book can be found in the vanilla game in the same hold not too far away.
Spoiler:
Show
De Rerum Dirennis in Grave Concoctions is replaced, but there is a copy in the vanilla game at the Alchemist's Camp, an unmarked location above Evergreen Grove in Falkreath Hold.
Installation/Uninstallation
It is recommended to install on a new game due to the use of scripts.
It is not recommended to uninstall midgame due to the use of scripts.
Compatibility & Patches
Spoiler:
Show
Base Object Swapper makes Grave Digging compatible with most things, and will even add the ability to dig up vanilla graves added by other mods.
Whilst Grave Digging is technically compatible with Quick Loot RE the animation will play when you take a first item. Subsequent items can be looted from the container menu rather than the QuickLoot UI (else the animation will play each time you take an item). If you don’t have a shovel, Quick Loot still allows you to loot the grave, which is not very immersive.
For QuickLoot IE - A QuickLoot EE Fork you can add the following to QuickLootIE.json under container blacklist. Thanks to peljok for bringing this to my attention.
Grave Digging is compatible with any mod that merely replaces the textures of the vanilla graves (i.e. keeps the same base mesh name) or adds/moves vanilla graves. For example:
Patches are provided for the following mods which add new grave models:
An Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim integration patch is provided to dig up the bones used by the Bone Collector perk. Alternatively an integration patch for Path of Sorcery - Magic Perk Overhaul is provided for the bonecraft perk.
A patch for Dead and Daedric Guardians is provided to use the bone crafting components from that mod.Can be used alongside Grave Digging's Ordinator integration patch, but Don't use this with D&DG's own Ordinator bone patches. Incompatible with Grave Digging's Ordinator integration patch (can be made to work alongside with a bashed patch, but then you would have two different types of bone assets knocking about to be drawn from the levelled list).
A configuration for Achievement Injector is provided so you can unlock custom achievements related to Grave Digging!
A SWAP_ini file is provided for KasalaBS’s Dawnstar Burial Site Graveyard. The other Burial Site series of mods from KasalaBS are 99% compatible with Grave Digging (the odd grave is not accessible, mostly ones with stone coffins which I don't want to replace with BOS due to their potential use elsewhere where it doesn't make sense to dig them up, such as in halls of the dead).
A Container Item Distributor CID file is provided that adds some items to the inventories of The Broker from Undeath Remastered, and the merchant from Dead and Daedric Guardians.
Patches for Graveyards of the Tundra and Graveyards of the Marshlands are provided. They contain loose meshes which overwrite some of the meshes from those mods' BSA folders. In order to provide the option to dig up these graves, collision had to be added to the original meshes, so you may find that navmesh amongst the graves is affected. Because of the clustered nature of the grave meshes you may also find grass briefly disappears and reappears when the digging animation plays.
Whilst Grave Digging is technically compatible with Quick Loot RE the animation will play when you take a first item. Subsequent items can be looted from the container menu rather than the QuickLoot UI (else the animation will play each time you take an item). If you don’t have a shovel, Quick Loot still allows you to loot the grave, which is not very immersive.
For QuickLoot IE - A QuickLoot EE Fork you can add the following to QuickLootIE.json under container blacklist. Thanks to peljok for bringing this to my attention.
Spoiler:
Add the following entries to QuickLootIE.json under container blacklist:
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|804",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|805",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|806",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|807",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|808",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|809",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80A",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80B",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80C",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80D",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80E",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|D62",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|D63"
Add the following entries if using Sepolcri patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|800",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|801",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|802",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|803",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|804",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|805",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|806",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|807",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|808",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|809",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|80A",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|80B",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|80C"
Add the following entries if using Falkreath Diversity patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|800",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|801",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|803",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|804",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|805",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|806",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|807",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|808"
Add the following entries if using Graveyards of the Tundra patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|800",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|801",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|803",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|804"
Add the following entries if using Graveyards of the Marshlands patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|800",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|801",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|803",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|804"
Show
Add the following entries to QuickLootIE.json under container blacklist:
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|804",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|805",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|806",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|807",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|808",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|809",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80A",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80B",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80C",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80D",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|80E",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|D62",
"GD_GraveDigging.esp|D63"
Add the following entries if using Sepolcri patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|800",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|801",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|802",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|803",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|804",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|805",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|806",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|807",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|808",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|809",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|80A",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|80B",
"GD_sepolcriPatch.esp|80C"
Add the following entries if using Falkreath Diversity patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|800",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|801",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|803",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|804",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|805",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|806",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|807",
"GD_GraveDiggingFalkDiv.esp|808"
Add the following entries if using Graveyards of the Tundra patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|800",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|801",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|803",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardTundraPatch.esp|804"
Add the following entries if using Graveyards of the Marshlands patch (remember to have comma between all entries except last)
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|800",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|801",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|802",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|803",
"GD_GraveDiggingGraveyardMarshPatch.esp|804"
Grave Digging is compatible with any mod that merely replaces the textures of the vanilla graves (i.e. keeps the same base mesh name) or adds/moves vanilla graves. For example:
Patches are provided for the following mods which add new grave models:
- Sepolcri - Acomplete Burial Sites overhaul
- Falkreath Gravestone Diversity - Base Object Swapper (The ESP version)
An Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim integration patch is provided to dig up the bones used by the Bone Collector perk. Alternatively an integration patch for Path of Sorcery - Magic Perk Overhaul is provided for the bonecraft perk.
A patch for Dead and Daedric Guardians is provided to use the bone crafting components from that mod.
A configuration for Achievement Injector is provided so you can unlock custom achievements related to Grave Digging!
A SWAP_ini file is provided for KasalaBS’s Dawnstar Burial Site Graveyard. The other Burial Site series of mods from KasalaBS are 99% compatible with Grave Digging (the odd grave is not accessible, mostly ones with stone coffins which I don't want to replace with BOS due to their potential use elsewhere where it doesn't make sense to dig them up, such as in halls of the dead).
A Container Item Distributor CID file is provided that adds some items to the inventories of The Broker from Undeath Remastered, and the merchant from Dead and Daedric Guardians.
Patches for Graveyards of the Tundra and Graveyards of the Marshlands are provided. They contain loose meshes which overwrite some of the meshes from those mods' BSA folders. In order to provide the option to dig up these graves, collision had to be added to the original meshes, so you may find that navmesh amongst the graves is affected. Because of the clustered nature of the grave meshes you may also find grass briefly disappears and reappears when the digging animation plays.
Odd Behaviour
Spoiler:
Show
The option to search "small" grave markers typically found in Riften has not been implemented. This is because many other mods use this model for statue plaques etc. These grave markers also remind me of the kind used as cremation markers, for which there would be no grave to dig up.
In some places there might be a sense of immersion breaking in being able to dig up the same grave twice: e.g. in Falkreath Hold there is an unmarked location near the abandoned Falkreath Watchtower where a tombstone pillar asset is used in conjunction with a burial cairn asset. Since this mod allows both to be searched it might feel as if you are raiding the same grave twice.
Depending on where you look when you search the grave, the animation camera might be a little off. Note that the Sepolcri grave markers are near the base of the respective models.
In Windhelm, due to Bethesda’s laziness, most of the graves are not individual assets, but split into clumps of models. This means you can only search the respective model once. To compensate, the levelled lists for these Windhelm graves have an increased number of item drops.
The necklace "Vial of Protection" may display with visual distortion if your character weight is not exactly 0 or 1.
With the Ordinator bone collector patch, you might find you are able to dig up the bones before taking the perk, but since you would likely only add this patch if you were planning on taking the perk anyway, I don’t see too much of a problem.
In some places there might be a sense of immersion breaking in being able to dig up the same grave twice: e.g. in Falkreath Hold there is an unmarked location near the abandoned Falkreath Watchtower where a tombstone pillar asset is used in conjunction with a burial cairn asset. Since this mod allows both to be searched it might feel as if you are raiding the same grave twice.
Depending on where you look when you search the grave, the animation camera might be a little off. Note that the Sepolcri grave markers are near the base of the respective models.
In Windhelm, due to Bethesda’s laziness, most of the graves are not individual assets, but split into clumps of models. This means you can only search the respective model once. To compensate, the levelled lists for these Windhelm graves have an increased number of item drops.
The necklace "Vial of Protection" may display with visual distortion if your character weight is not exactly 0 or 1.
With the Ordinator bone collector patch, you might find you are able to dig up the bones before taking the perk, but since you would likely only add this patch if you were planning on taking the perk anyway, I don’t see too much of a problem.
Recommended Mods
Spoiler:
Show
The following mods match the theme of Grave Digging:
- KasalaBS’s Burial Site series
- Corpse Preparation - SSE
- Dead and Daedric Guardians– Integration patch provided for this mods bones used in crfating skeletal minions and the necromancer merchant will sell some items from this mod with the optional CID merchant file
- The Great City Of Dawnstar SSEEdition – Adds a Cemetery within Dawnstar’s city limits
- Watchman's Ritual Stone and Graywinter Watch - Adds some burial cairns (amongst other things) near the Ritual Stone
- Vampiric Tomb of Pelagius Septim (Vampire Player Home) - Effectively doubles Solitude's cemetery
- Undeath - Classical Lichdom - The graves in the Dragontail mountains can be dug up using Grave Digging, and The Broker will sell some items from this mod with the optional CID merchant file
- Next Of Kin - Draconis Family Lore Friendly Graves - Another mod of mine, with a patch for Grave Digging so you can dig up the Draconis family
- Ossuary - Necromancy Addon - Another necromancy mod of mine
Showcases
Credits
powerofthree for Base Object Swapper
Ian Patterson, Stephen Abel, Paul Connelly, and Brendan Borthwick (ianpatt, behippo, scruggsywuggsy the ferret, and purple lunchbox) for SKSE