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About this mod
Dovahlean is built around the idea that “vanilla is good enough.” Like everyone I have hardware, space, and time constraints that don't leave a lot of room for a heavily modded Skyrkm SE. I just want to mod with as little hassle as possible to refresh this game and improve how it plays…then actually spend time playing.
- Permissions and credits
Welcome to Dovahlean: The Lightweight, Lean, Vanilla Enhanced Skyrim SE Modding Guide!
website
After my massive Secunda modding guide, I wanted to take a distinctly "vanilla is good enough” approach to modding Skyrim SE. Creativity blossoms with limitations, in the end.
And simply put, like everyone I have hardware, space, and time constraints that don't leave a lot of room for a heavily modded Skyrkm SE. I just want to mod with as little hassle as possible to refresh this game and improve how it plays…then actually spend time playing.
So while the aim of Dovahlean is being even more vanilla plus and performance friendly with enhanced vanilla graphics, my focus is moreso on better sound, animations, immersive details, and improved quests.
Serene Benefits of Dovahlean
Vanilla enhanced, which means it improves what's already beautiful about Skyrim's vanilla textures, but is moreso focused on better sound, animations, immersion, and questing
Lean because it’s performance friendly, especially for laptop users
Lightweight because it reduces hundreds of redundant replacers and pathching headaches, resulting in high compatibility and visual consistency
Dovahlean includes essential performance tweaks and detailed setup and installation instructions!
Dovahlean is built around the idea that “vanilla is good enough.”
Meaning, this modding guide enhances what is already there instead of drastically altering things like graphics, gameplay, and systems.
For example:
Skyrim's distinct art style is entirely preserved but the visual fidelity of the textures has been vastly improved.
The vanilla weather system is retained but enhanced by new thunder and rain sounds, as well as new rain, lighting, and snow effects.
Existing lighting luminosity and volumetrics are enhanced, paired with a subtle, performance friendly Reshade.
No armor set retextures, additions, or overhauls are used. Rather, mods that add variance are applied to keep clothes and armors dynamic.
With this in mind, Dovahlean greatly reduces hundreds of clutter and replacer mods, compatibility conflicts, messy patches, and load order headaches for a smooth, performance friendly experience.
This modding guide has 1,357 mods and 865 plugins in total.
To be clear, these are not just graphics mods! Texture mods comprise only a small portion of this guide. Dovahlean instead revolves around Vanilla Remastered (Optimized) and SMIM, and is powered by Base Obiect Swapper to provide object variety.
You will need approximately 202gb of disc space for Skyrim SE and all these mods.
Create a free Nexus Mods account and AFK Mods account so that you’ll be able to download and install mods.
You will need a free tool such as WinRar to extract a few .zip files. Download it from the website and install. Ignore and close any popups about upgrading. To extract a .zip file, right click on it and hover over WinRar > Extract here (to your desktop)
The approximate time it takes for you to install everything varies according to your internet speed and given available time.
I’ve structured Dovahlean to be easy to follow, starting with fundamental mods such as numerous bug fixes and UI. That's followed by mods you can see an immediate impact for, like sound and animations, to encourage you. Although the Core Stability, Fixes, & UI, Animation, and Immersive Details sections are the longest in this guide, they aren't necessarily the most time consuming–for example, Fixes and Animation mods install instantly. Do keep in mind that there purposefully aren't many massive or numerous texture mods.
A new game is absolutely required!
Setting Up Skyrim SE
To start with, you’ll need to have Skyrim Special Edition. Once you’ve installed it, configure a few settings:
Right click on Skyrim SE in your game library > Properties
In the Updates tab, set “Only update this game when I launch it” and “Never allow background downloads”
In the Installed tab, click on “Verify integrity of game files,” which will prompt Steam to check again to make sure everything is installed correctly.
Next, navigate to Steam in the upper left corner of your screen > Settings
In the In Game tab, disable all the overlay settings, because you don’t want Steam to possibly be interfering with any mods.
At this point, you can launch Skyrim through Steam for the first time to tweak its settings!
Go to Settings > Advanced and untick Snow Shaders in order for the Footprints and snow shaders to display properly. Tick 64bit Render Targets.
In Options > Advanced, set Shadow Quality and Shadow Distance to Medium, Decal Quality to High, Godrays to Low.
Under View Distance, set Distant Object Detail and Fade to Medium.
Save your settings, then start Skyrim.
Once you’ve reached the main menu, exit the game again. You needed to start it this way through Steam just once so it generates the proper .ini files.
From this point on, you’ll always be launching Skyrim through SKSE via Mod Organizer 2.
Downgrading To Skyrim 1.5.97
Downgrading to Skyrim 1.5.97 is essential for this guide and necessary to prevent any future Bethesda updates from wrecking your load order.
On December 5, 2023, Bethesda released updates to Skyrim that broke everyone's load orders. Prior to this, the method to prevent any updates through Steam used to be:
Right click on your installed game > Properties > Updates > Automatic Updates > “Only update this game when I launch it” (you will always be launching Skyrim SE from the SKSE loader).
Set Background Downloads to “Never Allow Background Downloads”
I still recommend doing this, just in case!
However, as we all found out on December 5, 2023, this method no longer works. Even people who had these settings were forced to have an automatic Skyrim update.
The only way to prevent this from happening again is to downgrade Skyrim to 1.5.97, so Steam can no longer read the App Manifest files.
This straightforward video explains the quick, easy process. It will take you less than 10 minutes and permanently disable updates that wreck your load order.
While the video will help you visualize each step, here it is written down for your reference:
Open the Steam console: Win+R and paste "steam://nav/console”
Copy and paste these three lines one at a time into the Steam Console to download the depot files:
download_depot 489830 489831 7848722008564294070
download_depot 489830 489832 8702665189575304780
download_depot 489830 489833 2289561010626853674
Just wait for each depot to actually download, Steam’s console will tell you when it’s successfully done.
Copy your file path: C:\Program Files (x86) \Steam\steamapps\content\app_489830\
Paste it into your File Explorer bar and hit enter. You will now be in the folder containing all the downloaded depot files for Skyrim 1.5.97.
Copy and paste the contents of each folder into your Skyrim main directory, where Skyrim.exe is located, overwriting existing files when prompted.
Go to Steam\steamapps and find the file: appmanifest_489830.acf
Right click on it > Properties > Check the Read Only option for the Attributes > Apply > OK
Please do take the time to downgrade to version 1.5.97. Once you've done that, you're going to be looking for mod versions 1.5.97, so pay attention to that!
Skyrim INI Tweaks
One of the best things you can do to greatly boost Skyrim’s performance is to apply certain .ini file tweaks!
First, manually download BethINI
Extract this tool anywhere you’d like—I keep mine in the Skyrim main directory—run it, select the High preset, just make sure to also tick Recommended Tweaks.
Select Skyrim Special Edition
Ignore the pop up about updating BethINI
The following tweaks are suggested in the extremely helpful Sweet Sweet Frames guide:
BethINI settings
Under the Basic Tab, to reiterate, choose the High preset and ensure you've ticked Recommended Tweaks.
Make sure Lock FPS and Clamped (60 FPS) are set!
Under the Detail tab, reduce the God Rays to Low. FOV should be 70.
Set Shadow Resolution to 1024.
Save and Exit. Select No for the pop up about setting iFPS to its default value.
Return to the Skyrim SE launcher and see if God Rays are still set to Low. If not, set this setting to Low again. Turn on Interior Godrays.
Next, we'll apply the suggested tweaks to the Skyrim.ini and SkyrimPrefs.ini files:
Find these files in My Games > Skyrim Special Edition, then afterwards make sure they also match in MO2's INI Editor (the puzzle icon)
SkyrimPrefs.ini:
bBorderless=1
bFull Screen=1
iSize H=1080
iSize W=1920
fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist - Set to 2048
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist - Set to 4096
fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance - Set to 2048
fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance - Set to 4096
fTreesMidLODSwitchDist - Set to 8192
fTreeLoadDistance - Set to 32768
fBlockLevel0Distance - Set to 16384
fBlockLevel1Distance - Set to 32768
fBlockMaximumDistance - Set to 131072
File > Save to save all your changes
Skyrim.ini
iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure - Set to 10
iMinGrassSize - Set to 70
fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=9000.0000
fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=400.0000
File > Save to save all your changes
Back in the SkyrimPrefs.ini:
iMaxSkinnedTreesToRender - Set to 60
[Particles]
iMaxDesired=1500
Then, disable autosaves in the SkyrimPrefs.ini by setting bSaveOnPause, bSaveOnTravel, bSaveOnWait and bSaveOnRest to 0.
File > Save to save all your changes
Once you've applied all these tweaks in MO2, click Save and exit the INI Editor.
Downloading & Configuring Mod Tools
Mod Organizer 2 is the mod manager you’ll use to mod Skyrim. Download the main file from Nexus.
From your Downloads folder, drag the MO2 installer onto your desktop. Then run it.
When you get to the part where it asks for the install directory, do one of the following depending on your situation:
Keep the default C drive location if that’s where you have space and you’ve also initially installed Steam/Skyrim SE there.
If you have an additional drive, say a D drive, where you keep your games/media stored, and that’s also where you’ve initially installed Skyrim SE: create a new folder named “Modding” in that drive, make another folder named “Mo2 Modding,” then point MO2’s installer to that location so it will install there.
Keep all default settings suggested by the installer.
When it asks if you want to create a shortcut, I recommend doing so.
Once the install process is complete, you can click Finish and MO2 will start.
MO2 will prompt you to create an instance. Select Portable Instance.
Next, you will choose the game you’re modding. Click browse to find where you installed Skyrim SE and select it.
For the data install location: if you installed MO2 to the default location earlier, just keep the autofilled location MO2 uses. If you installed to another drive, check “Advanced Options,” click the three dots for the Base Directory bar > navigate to the Modding folder in your other drive > create a new folder named “MO2 - Dovahlean” > make sure it’s highlighted when you click on it, then choose Select Folder.
Connect to your Nexus Mods account.
A tutorial pop up box will show. Click “Never ask to show tutorials” then choose Yes.
MO2 will ask if you want to “associate with nxm links,” choose Yes so that when you download mods from Nexus Mods, you will almost always use the “Download with Mod Manager” button.
Here’s how to familiarize yourself with MO2 quickly and easily:
Close the dialogue at the bottom of the screen showing messages, you don’t need it.
Navigate to Tools > Settings > Style and choose a theme from the dropdown menu. I prefer Dark.
Find the Profile dropdown bar > Manage > Create > Name it Dovahlean Skyrim SE and do not select Default .ini game settings
To create a separator for mod sections, right click on an empty spot on the left side of the window and “Create Separator”
Sometimes you will download mod “update” files. MO2 will ask if you want to Merge, Replace, or Rename them. Unless stated otherwise, Rename them to “(mod name) - Update” or something similar.
The left side of the MO2 window is where all the mods will be installed.
The right side of the MO2 window is where all the Plugins are found (and also where you manage Downloads)
In the Plugins tab, check off all the available plugins at this point to activate them.
To download and install a mod in MO2:
Click on the links in this guide
Go to the indicated file and click “Download with Mod Manager”
Navigate to the Downloads tab to the right in MO2
Once the mod is finished downloading, double click on it (sometimes you’ll go through a FOMOD installer with options) and it will appear on the left side of the window.
Tick the box to install and enable the mod!
Be aware that for a few indicated mods, you will need to manually install through MO2.
Rather than using the “Install with Mod Manager” button, these mods will be downloaded manually and appear in your computer’s Downloads folder.
Grab the archived mod from your Downloads folder and drag it onto your desktop.
At the top of MO2’s toolbar, find the disk icon to “Install a new mod from an archive”
Select the downloaded mod to import it into MO2 (ignore any popups about BSA archives, just click “no” and “remember selection” if they do come up)
Install and enable the mod as usual by ticking the box!
Now you’re going to install your second modding tool, LOOT: Load Order Optimization Tool.
On the LOOT Github page, download the “win64.exe” file from the latest release.
Drag the file from your Downloads folder onto your desktop.
Run the installer.
For the install location, the default one is fine.
Make sure “Download the latest master lists” and “Create desktop shortcut” options are both checked.
Install LOOT!
LOOT will automatically sort your load order and manage any mod conflicts.
To do this, you need to add and run it through MO2.
Navigate to the app dropdown menu just beside the Run button:
Choose Edit
Choose the + icon beside the Executables button
Add from file > browse to where you’ve installed LOOT and select its executable
Apply, then OK
LOOT is now added to the apps dropdown menu! Whenever you use it from now on, select it and then Run.
Do that now, so LOOT will open in its own window.
On the top left side, find the drop down bar and choose Skyrim as the game LOOT will be sorting.
To sort mods:
Click Update Masterlist
Click Sort Plugins
Accept LOOT’s load order
Finally, you’ll install the SSEEdit script:
Download the file manually and put it anywhere you want. I prefer to keep mine in the Skyrim main directory for easy access.
Just like you did with LOOT, add SSEEditQuickAutoClean as an app in MO2.
Well done, you now have everything you need to mod Skyrim!
Cleaning Skyrim's Master Files with SSEEdit
For a solid modding foundation, it’s important to clean Skyrim’s master files.
You’ll be using SSEEdit’s Quick AutoClean script to do this.
The files you will be cleaning are:
Update.esm
Dawnguard.esm
HearthFires.esm
Dragonborn.esm
Survival Mode.esl
Adv.DSGS.esm
Fish.esm
Make sure to select one file at a time, then click Okay. Wait for the script to work its magic, then exit the app and repeat for each file.
Playtesting
Before you add any mods past the Core Stability, Fixes, & UI section, start a new game in Skyrim and choose Skip Introduction.
You'll get a pop up message summarizing the prologue and you can choose to go with Ralof or Hadvar.
Skyrim’s introduction perfectly sets the tone, so I do recommend at least watching it. But even on an entirely unmodded Skyrim, the opening cart sequence and Helgen Keep are prone to game breaking bugs and crashes. This is true even more so for a modded game, so that’s another good reason I recommend skipping it.
Once you leave the cave, save and exit your game. You will use this save to test your game stability as you mod along.
Try to install mods in batches of 4-8 using MO2 > Run LOOT > playtest and make a proper save in the surrounding area (e.g. near water, near Riverwood, beside some trees or the Standing Stones, ect). Repeat testing throughout this modding guide.
Here are some useful console commands (open the console using the tilde key ~, the wavy hyphen) to test the weather:
fw 0010e1f2 (sunny and nearly cloudless)
fw 0010e1ef (cloudy sky)
fw 0010e1f2 (cloudy sky with fog)
fw 0010a7a6 (cloudy sky with fog and light rain)
fw 0010c32f (dark cloudy sky and very stormy)
Press T to wait in game for a few hours and test different times of day
Remember to install mods using the “Install with Mod Manager” button unless stated otherwise!
For AMD Users
Open AMD Software Adrenalin Edition. Select Skyrim SE. Under Display to the right, turn off AntiLag and Radeon Image Sharpening.
Turn on Radeon Chill and set both minimum and maximum FPS to 60. Turn off Image Sharpening. For the setting Wait for Vertical Refresh, select “Always On.”
Under Advanced settings, set Anti-Aliasing to Use application settings. Anti Aliasing method is Multisampling. Toggle off Morphological Anti-Aliasing. Anisotropic Filtering is x4. Set Texture Filtering Quality to Performance.
As a general rule of thumb I also disable Surface Format Optimization to be on the safe side and avoid my whole screen getting blurred due to Depth of Field.
Set Tessellation Mode to “Use application settings” and turn off OpenGL Triple Buffering.
Core Stability, Fixes, & UI
SKSE
Download the old file from October 2021, because it’s for Skyrim 1.5.97 and install it with MO2:
A box will pop up, warning you about the directory. Click the arrow next to the main skse 2_00_20 folder, then right click the Data folder and select "set as data directory.”
Now download the file again manually. Place the Data and src folders, and the .dll and .exe files into your Skyrim SE main directory (where your SkyrimSE.exe is).
Go to game root folder > Right click SKSE_loader.exe > Properties > Compatibility > Change high DPI settings > select Override high DPI scaling behavior > Handled by Application
This is a good spot to playtest! Add skse.64_loader/SKSE as an executable in MO2. Launch Skyrim through SKSE in MO2. In the pause menu screen, you should see version 1.5.97 in the lower left corner so you know it’s installed correctly.
DLL Plugin Loader
Manually download the mod.
Go to your Skyrim Special Edition root directory. This is the same folder where the actual SkyrimSE.exe is, usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\"
Rename "binkw64.dll" to "binkw64_.dll" <- now there's a _ at the end.
Put the "binkw64.dll" from the downloaded mod archive into the folder mentioned in step 1.
If you did it correctly you should have two files in your folder now: "binkw64.dll" and "binkw64_.dll"
Net Script Framework Skyrim SE V18
No Bethesda Intro
Main Menu Design Replacer (I use Clean)
Main Menu ReShaped
SkyUI
SkyUI Flashing Savegames Fix
SkyUI Plugin With Master Added (get the ESPFE file)
SkyUI Ghost Item Bug Fix
Animated Celtic Icons For SkyUI SE
Wider MCM Menu for SkyUI (Novice)
Immersive HUD
True HUD - HUD Additions
Wait a few moments for the MCM menu to register in-game. Then you can find iHUD in the MCM and tweak settings as you like.I keep opacity at 75%, make the HUD toggleable, and set it to whatever key you want
JS LockpickingUI SE (2k)
Security Overhaul SKSE - Lock Variations (in the installer, choose 2k and 1.5.97)
Security Overhaul SKSE - Regional Locks (2k)
Security Overhaul SKSE - Lock Addons
Remember Lockpick Angle - Updated
Recipe Auto-Learn
Detection Meter
Oxygen Meter 2 (choose 1.5.97 in the installer)
Faster HDT-SMP
Dear Diary - Paper SkyUI Menus (make sure you don’t install the Loading Screen and Main Menu replacers and the font changes)
Dot Crosshair - With Sneak Eye (get the second main file)
Main Font Replacement SE (I use Magic Cards)
Starlit Lakes Loading Screens
Immersive Load Screen Message Overhaul (first main file)
Address Library for SKSE Plugins (download the All In One - Special Edition file)
Backported Extended ESL Support
MCM Helper (get the 1.5.97 Backport file)
SSE Engine Fixes (download Part 1 with MO2, then download Part 2 and extract the contents to your Skyrim main directory, where SkyrimSE.exe is)
Bug Fixes SSE (for Skyrim 1.5.97)
Optional Quick Start (enables you to skip the legendary Skyrim introduction if you want and more importantly for modding purposes to playtest quickly)
Survival Mode Prompt Removed (first main file. You can enable Survival Mode in the Gameplay settings at any time if you want)
Recursion Monitor
Skyrim Priority SE/AE
Take 1m30s to watch this GamerPoets tutorial about how to implement Skyrim Priority properly and enjoy your FPS boost!
Skyrim Project Optimization SE (get the ESL version)
SSE Display Tweaks (once you’ve installed this, right click on the mod in MO2 > Open in explorer > you’ll be in SSE Display Tweaks in SKSE > Plugins and then set DisableActorFade=true in its .ini configuration file > File and Save your change)
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (v.1.5.97, it will download manually, so just install it manually in MO2)
Vanilla Script (micro) Optimizations
Cleaned Skyrim SE Textures (use the PRE 1.6xx second main file and get the Snow Patch update file, users report 5-10 FPS gain and I can confirm it works effectively)
Stay At System Page
Better Dialogue Controls & Better MessageBox Controls
Dialogue Interface Reshaped
1st Person Candlelight Fix
Picta Series - Improved Sky Meshes (main file)
No Edge Glow - Magic and Transformations
Yes I’m Sure (get the version 1.5.97 file)
Guard Dialogue Overhaul (use the ESL file)
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul (also get the USSEP Patches Final optional file, install it and then untick the RDO - CRF - USSEP plugin in MO2)
Follower Commentary Overhaul (You can find FCO in the MCM. From there, you can set the “How Often” threshold to whatever you want. I have mine at 15%, as I find the commentary occurs too frequently for my liking at higher values)
Fuz Ro D-oh - Silent Voice
Scaleform Transition Plus Plus (get the 1.5.97 file)
Whose Quest Is It Anyway (get the version 1.5.97 file)
Atlas Map Markers SE (in the installer, choose the Delphine’s Map Reveals Dragon Mounds)
JContainers SE (install the 1.5.97 file)
MFG Fix (install the 1.5.97 file)
Unequip Quiver SE
Better Jumping SE
Sprint/Sneak Movement Speed Fix
Sprint Stuttering Fix
Exit Sneak On Sprint
Barter Limit Fix
Critter Spawn Congestion Fix
powerofthree’s Tweaks
Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes (in the installer, choose 2-1k texture and the Believable Weapons patch with Greatsword Scabbards option)
Major Cities Mesh Overhaul (both files)
Assorted Mesh Fixes (main file)
Equip Enchantment Fix (install the 1.5.97 file)
Navigator - Navmesh Fixes (use the ESL option)
More Informative Console
Copy and Paste in Console (get the second 1.5.97 file in the Old Files section)
Console Commands Extender
powerofthree’s Papyrus Extender
PapyrusUtilSE - Modders Scripting Utility Functions (get the third main file for Skyrim SE 1.5.97)
Payload Interpreter (get the SE 1.5.97 file)
Base Object Swapper
AnimObject Swapper
Spell Perk Item Distributor
Sound Record Distributor
Music Type Distributor
Merge Mapper
Keyword Item Distributor
Sonders Keyword Distribution Resources
Container Item Distributor (main file)
Footprints (non-ENB)
SPID For Footprints
Footprints - Alternative Design
Ultimate Fix - SPID For Footprints (And Kids Addon)
Footprints Bright Snow Fix (Disabled Particles)
Complete Crafting Overhaul Remastered
Quests Are In Skyrim (install the second file)
Save Unbaker
Vanilla Scripting Enhancements (first main file)
ConsoleUtilSSE NG
Scrambled Bugs (download the third main file for Skyrim 1.5.97)
Actor Limit Fix (download the third main file for Skyrim 1.5.97)
RaceMenu (in the Old Files section, it’s version 04-16, October 2020)
XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Edition Extended (choose the Extended, Latest, and RaceMenu + XPMSSE MCM install options. In MCM, under Styles, uncheck the box at the top related to shields)
XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended - Fixed Scripts
XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended - Legacy Settings Loader
XPMSSE - Nemesis - Papyrus Stack Fix (second file)
Animated Static Reload Fix
NPC AI Process Position Fix - NG
Behavior Data Injector
Face Discoloration Fix (1.5.97)
Motionless Rocks Killing People Fix-For Player Too
Dynamic String Distributor
No More Radial Blur - Performance Optimization
HD Local Map
Trainwreck - A Crash Logger
PrivateProfileRedirector SE - Faster Game Start (INI File Cacher)
(download the third main file for Skyrim 1.5.97)
SkyPatcher
Auto Focus
SSE Reshade Helper (this is not, in fact, obsolete)
Camera
RBEs Enhanced 1st Person Camera Bob Skyrim SE (Standard Version)
Customizable Camera
RG Medieval Camera Preset 1.1 For Customizable Camera
For this preset, in game go to your MCM, find "Customizable Camera" click Profiles & Help, then Under "Load Files" click "Profile 5"
If you’re using a 16:9 aspect ratio, under Features, set the FOV somewhere from 60-75 (I use 70) and Save.
Lighting & Reshade
Although I’ve used Community Shaders before and Secunda was specifically built around them, updates since then have unfortunately made them increasingly unstable and performance heavy by default, especially since frame generation is integrated now. As other users have reported, there are frequent CTDs before shaders can even compile.
So I simply stopped using them in favour of vanilla weather and shaders, combined with lighting mods and Reshade that substantially overhaul Skyrim’s look and feel.
Skyrim Is Luminous (In the installer, don’t choose any of addon options)
Unofficial Skyrim Is Luminous-USSEP Patch
Skyrim Is Luminous - Enhanced (both files)
Download the latest version of Reshade.
Download the performance friendly Depth Reshade preset manually and extract the skyshade.ini file into the main Skyrim directory (where SkyrimSE.exe is).
Install Reshade: browse and select SkyrimSE.exe > Reshade will automatically detect DirectX 10/11/12 (or just select it yourself) > click browse and find the skyshade.ini preset file you extracted to your main Skyrim directory > Reshade will automatically detect shader effects > click Next and then Finish.
Launch Skyrim SE. Reshade’s shaders will compile briefly.
Press Shift + F2 (possibly Shift + Fn + F2) or your Home key (#7 on the number pad, if you’ve got it) to access Reshade’s interface.
From the dropdown menu, select the skyshade.ini preset file. Then tick Performance Mode.
All done!
Weather
Mists of Tamriel
Storm Lightning for SSE - Minty Lightning 2019 (main file, pick the 1.5.97 option in the installer)
Thunder Sounds - Wizkid Mix
True Storms Special Edition (main file and the No Fog Camera Effects file)
Pouring Rain
Splashes of Storms
Splashes of Skyrim (for 1.5.97)
Ethereal Clouds - Special Edition (2k)
Rainsong (Vanilla)
TB's Improved Rain
TB’s Better Snowflakes - A Falling Snow Improvement Mod
Skyland Night Sky
Skygazer Moons SSE - Masser and Secunda HD Textures - With Glow
Twilight
Sound
Unofficial High Definition Audio Project (install Music, English Voices Part 1 and English Voices Part 2, more language options are available)
Reverb and Ambiance Overhaul Updated ESL
Mu Impact Framework
Immersive Sounds - Compendium
Dynamic Impacts (main file and ISC Patch)
Regional Sounds Expansion
Reverb Interior Sounds Expansion
Acoustic Space Improvement Fixes
Talkative Dragons
Talkative Dragons Audio Replacer
Phoenix Sounds - Compendium
Yggdrasil Music and SoundFX Overhaul SE - Yggdrasil SoundFX (only use the SoundFX optional file)
Louder Nature - Birds and Insects
Ambient Bird Sounds Expanded
Wildwood Echoes
Murder of Songbirds
Nordic Winds
Blackreach Eerie Ambience (choose No Birds and Blackreach Water Loop in the installer)
Distant Dragon Roars
Ambient Warfare
Whispering Tombs of Apocrypha
Revenant Spirits of the Soul Cairn
The Standing Stone Sounds (check Ryn’s patch in the installer)
Volkihar Soundscape Overhaul (pick Skyrim Is Luminous in the installer)
Dungeon Sounds Overhaul
Murmurs and Mead
Esbern Voice Consistency Fix
The Black Door Revoiced
Night Mother Revoiced
Improved Horse Step Sounds
Old People Sounds AIO
Hircine Restoration Project
Meridia Revoiced (first main file)
Potema Revoiced (first main file)
Peryite Voice Redux
Thundering Shouts (get the Normal Pitch main file)
Still - Skyrim Inspired Music (first main file)
Hun Lovaas - Skyrim Fan-Made Combat Music (main file)
Melodies of Civilization - Skyrim Fan-Made Music (main file)
BA Bard Songs
NPC Dialogue Audio Enhancer
More Painful Death Sounds SE (main file and update file)
Bleeding Edge - Bladed Weapons SFX Overhaul (main file)
Skullbreaker - Blunt Weapons SFX Overhaul
Seismic Tide - Skullbreaker Fists Addon
Bulwark - Shield Audio Overhaul
More Distinct Diving Sound
TB’s Improved Book Sounds - Full
Unique Shaders Sound FX
Troll Sound Overhaul
Skeletons Don’t Breathe SSE (second file, install manually in MO2)
Realistic Dog Sounds
Sound Hammering Sounds
Crackling Fire
Underwater Loop and Swimming Sounds
Better Low and Critical Health Heartbeat Sound Replacer
Binaural 3D Surround Sound for Headphones - HRTF (download manually and extract it to your Skyrim main directory)
Animations
Nemesis Unlimited Behavior Engine
In MO2, right click on the installed mod and rename it to simply “Nemesis.”
Then add it as an executable in MO2: the location should be in the same folder your current modding profile for MO2 is > Mods > Nemesis > Nemesis Engine > choose the Nemesis executable
We’ll use the engine with its selections at the end of this section!
Open Animation Replacer
Open Animation Replacer - Dialogue Plugin
Form List Manipulator
Dynamic Activation Key
Dynamic Activation Key - MCM
Animation Queue Fix
Paired Animation Improvements (get both main files)
Animation Motion Revolution
Self-targeting Staff Animation Fix
Weapon Switch Animation Fix
Super Fast Get Up Animation
Loki’s Wade In Water
Wade In Water Redone (NG file)
Dripping When Wet (SPID)
True Directional Movement - Modernized Third Person Gameplay
True Directional Movement - Diagonal Sprinting Fix
First Person Target Locking Fix
Crosshair-aligned Crossbow
Pristine Vanilla Movement
Better Third Person Selection (in the MCM, you can tweak settings to your preferences. I do recommend turning on the Enabled In First Person Option)
Precision
Precision Trail Replacer - Simple
Precision - Magic Trails
Recoil On Objects
Dynamic Impact - Slash Effects X (choose the EBT + ISC option in the installer)
NPC's Run and Walk at Your Pace
Don’t Sheathe Bound Weapons (first main file)
Unique Animations Reworked
Conditional Expressions - Subtle Face Animations
Vanargand Animations II - Unarmed Non Combat Locomotion
Vanargand Animations II - Unarmed Pugilism Stance
Vanargand Animations II - Unarmed Normal and Power Attacks
Leviathan Animations - Two-Handed High Stance
Leviathan Animations - Two Handed Normal Attacks for High Stance
Leviathan Animations - Two Handed Power Attacks
Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Normal Attacks
Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Power And Sprint Attacks (both files)
Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Sneak Locomotion and Attacks
Goetia Animations - Enchanted Staves (get the main file and the first optional file)
Vanargand Animations - Archery
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Archery
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Idle Walk and Run
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Thrust Attacks
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Strike Attacks
Vanargand Animations - Dual Wield Normal and Power Attacks
Vanargand Animations - Dual Wield Sneak Strikes
Vanargand Animations - One Handed Mid Stance
Vanargand Animations - One Handed Normal Attacks
Vanargand Animations - One Handed Power Attacks
Poise Stagger Animations for Vanilla
Subtle Feminine Stagger Animation SE by Xtudo (OAR)
First Person Stagger Animation Remade
Disable Turn Animation (Version 2)
Player Character Gestures
Gesture Animations Remix (OAR main file and Shield Patch)
NPC Animation Remix (OAR main file and Shield Patch)
Lively Children Animations
Arm Movement Animations
Dynamic Torch Idle Animations (OAR)
Horsemen Torch Wield Fix and Mount Tweaks SE
Crawling Bleedout (get the Everyone file)
EVG Conditional Idles
EVG Conditional Idles Extended
Dynamic Fus Ro Dah
Dynamic Random Spell Idle (second file)
Randomized One Handed Block and Idle Animations (both main files, and get the Both Genders Block and Idle files)
Jump Behavior Overhaul
Dismember Those Chaurus
Dismember Those Mudcrabs
Divines Prayer Animations - My DAR Version by Xtudo (get the Default main file, as well as the Molag Bal and Sanguine files)
Smooth Random Equip Animation - Unarmed
Smooth Random Equip Animation - Dagger
Smooth Random Equip Animation - DAR Conditions by Xtudo
Sharpen Other Swords II - AnimObject Swapper
Sharpen Other Swords - Believable Weapons Patch
Stronger Swimming Animations SE
Random Swimming Animations (main file)
No More Swimming In Air - Fixed Floating SwimIdle
Dynamic Female Swimming Idles
Tools Not Weapons
More Powerful Mining Animations
Simplified Reanimation SE
Gunslicer Sexy Drum Animation
Lute Breast Cripping Fix
Flute Animation Fix
EVG Animation Variance (main file)
Better Player Combat Expressions
Death Expressions DX
Dynamic Female Weather Idles (main file and optional file)
Ghosts Float
First Person Combat Animations Overhaul 2.0 -SIZE MATTERS (All In One)
Finally First Person Magic Animation (Variant 1 7.0 in the installer)
Random First Person Magic Animation SSE
Little Idle Animations for Females
Casual Dog Animations (both files)
Unarmed Idle Animations (Everyone)
Steel For Humans - Killmoves Replacer
No Spinning Death Animation Merged
UNDERDOG Death Animations (Death Animations and No Spinning Death Animation Patch in the installer)
Guaranteed Death Animations
Reanimated NPC Animations - OAR
Reanimated NPC Animations - Unofficial Addon
Look Around - Searching Animations for NPCs
Modern Female Sitting Animations - OAR (main file and randomized file)
Dynamic Sitting Idles (first main file)
Improved Barstool Exit Animation
SD's Seamless Sneak Transition and Idles OAR
Horses Simply Turn Better
Ice Skating Fixed For Real
Draugr Magic Casting Animation
Simple Draugr Stagger Animation
Smooth Random Idle Animation (Shield On Hand file)
Seamless Varied Feminine Idles
Seamless Varied Masculine Idles
Smooth Magic Casting Animation
Immersive Equipping Animations
Eating Animations and Sounds SE
To Your Face (for Skyrim SE 1.5.97)
Animations from Skyrim Horse Renewal (Horse and Rider)
Powers Have Animations (main file and Alternate Animations file)
Warming Hands
Dynamic Female Hand Warming (get the Randomized file)
Jarl Sitting Animation Replacer
Better Tomboy Animations (first main file)
Followers Salute Casually (OAR)
Lively Cart Driver Animation Replacer (OAR)
Conditional Tavern Cheering
Blind People Animations
Blind People Animations Play In The Dark and When Blinded
NPCs Take Cover
Improved Table Sit Transition Animations (Vanilla Replacer)
First Person Animation Teleport Fix
Immersive Interactions - Animated Actions
Dynamic Horse Petting Animations
Immersive Interactions - Integration Patch (both files)
I’m Glad You’re Here
Nemesis Selections:
As before, launch Nemesis. Select:
Precision
Eating Animations and Sounds
Payload Interpreter
Giant New Animation
GP Offset Movement Animation
Horsemen Torch Wield Fix & Mount Tweaks
Ice Skating Fixed for Real
Jump Behavior Overhaul
True Directional Movement - Headtracking
Animated Shouts
Animation Teleport Bug Fix
Update the engine, then launch and let it run, exiting only when it’s finished generating behaviours.
Base Textures
Static Mesh Improvement Mod (in the installer, read through all the presented options carefully. I use the Full version with no issues, but there are Lite and Performance versions specifically as well)
Misc. SMIM Fixes
Static Mesh Improvement Mod - SMIM - Quality Addon
SMIM Improvement Mod (check the meshes for Hawk and the new Dwemer Post, Dynamic Things Alternative, Real Rabbits, Wiseman’s Flora Fixes, and the SMIM Quality Addon option)
SMIM Weight Saving (ESP file)
SMIM Upper Furniture and Other Fixes (use the 1k Smooth Dark file)
Silver Objects SMIMed
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Glazed and Nordic Pottery
3D Dwemer Sun - Subterranean Object SMIMed (Copy of Vanilla Textures)
Unofficial Material Fix (first main file. Also get the Stone Solitude Castle Floor file)
For many years, I was misled into thinking that high resolution textures and replacers were the key to making Skyrim look up to date and amazing. I didn't understand how much VRAM they consumed by their very nature, nor did I appreciate the look of a unified, cohesive Skyrim that looked familiar, but simply refreshed.
Then I came to understand that all Skyrim actually needs to look good are enhanced vanilla textures and new normal maps.
There is not any need for hundreds of overlapping texture, model, and clutter mods. It's time to stress less about compatibility and clashing visual styles, and instead focus more on Skyrim's pure beauty.
So the Vanilla Remastered Optimized and The New Normal mods are literally game changers:
Vanilla Remastered Optimized (all three files and the USSEP Patch)
Blended Roads
Misc. Blended Roads Fixes
Dragon Bridge Blended Roads Fix
Blended Bridge Dirt
Vanilla Remastered Upscaled Patches (Assorted Mesh Fixes Upscaled, Major Cities Mesh Overhaul Optimized, and Blended Roads Patch)
The New Normal AIO (grab the Clothing Jewelry optional file too)
ERM - Enhanced Rocks and Mountains (main file)
Enhanced Vanilla Landscapes (download the main file manually. Then download the Solthsteim Update file with MO2 and merge it)
Various Meshes & Textures
Rather than overloading on texture and model replacers, which is redundant and increases compatibility issues, the purpose of this section is to add mesh variety and a bit more of a higher polygon count to Skyrim's enhanced vanilla textures, including improving certain locales.
TB's Better Chains for SMIM 2k Performance
High Quality Shadowmarks
FYX - Dawnstar Fixed Fences (Vanilla)
Brandy-Mug- Fixed Consistency
3D Dwemer Barriers and Shelves (Alternate UVs file)
Oil - My HD Version by Xtudo (1k)
High Poly and Improved Hitch Posts
Solitude Objects SMIMed - Solitude Well
Solitude Objects SMIMed - Festival Ropes
Solitude Objects SMIMed - Castle Dour Spire
Kanjs - Bones 2k
Rustic Daedra 2k
Real Rabbits HD - Color Variants and High Poly Mesh with Fur (Diverse)
Dynamic Animal Variants
Fluffworks (Quality)
Fluffworks Auto Patches - Dynamic Animal Variants Patch
Fluffworks - Tweaks and Expansion (make sure to select one of the Horses options)
Bears of the North
Size Matters - Base Object Swapper Scale Transforms for Various Objects (second main file)
Kanjs Torch (2k)
Rustic Cooking 1k
Rustic Animated Potions and Poisons (1k)
Wizkid Forgotten Potions and Poisons
Rustic Windows 2k
El Sopa Paper HD
Spell Books Retexture
Retexture for the Scroll SE
Overlooked Dungeon Objects Retextures 2k
Diverse Windmill Sails - Base Object Swapper - All Variants
Halffaces Folded Rags Overhaul
Grindstone Variants - Base Object Swapper
Oddments and Miscellanea - Assorted Mesh Replacers AIO
Deep Slumber - A Dwemer Bed Replacer - BOS Timeworn and New Distributed
Pride of the Companions - Shields of Jorrvaskr (I use the Gilded Wood file)
CC's Enhanced Ore Veins SSE Edition 2k (check the Hearthfire option in the installer)
No Flat Rubble
Subdivide and Smooth - Vines (No for ENB Light and No Pulsating Vines)
Prolonged Longboat Prong Unlonged
Subdivide and Smooth Sovngarde Brazier
Cave Brazier
Subdivide and Smooth Falmer Drip
Ratway Well Consistefyer
Glorious Giant Clutter and Fixes Vanilla Paths
Noteworthy Trees Uniquefied (both files)
Prime FireWood
Shavings of Sawdust 1k
Fish Rack
Glorious Grainmills (first main file)
Disabling of Decals - Forgotten Vale (No Decals version)
The Business Ledger HD
Thalmor Embassy - Texture variance - Bug fixes - Proper LOD (Full Suite)
Subdivide and Smooth - Storm Atronachs
Drift Material Fixes
Remove Ash Pebbles (Drift Material Fixes version file)
Scrubbing Off Spunk (all three files)
Soul Cairn Fissures and Craters redone - With swirls (No to Parallax and ENB Light)
Solitude Rock Arch LOD Fix (By force)
Scattered Embers Mesh and Position Fix (No ENB Light file)
Scaffolding Over Sovngarde - Collision Overhaul - Corrective Kinetics (High Poly file)
Better Karstaag Skull Wall
Better Effigy of King Olaf (main file and optional retexture file)
Falmer Rag Animation and Texture Fix
Stretching Hoes Fix
Subdivide and Smooth with complementary mesh fixes - Hagraven
HFs Spit and Hanging Bones 4k
Subdivide and Smooth - Bandit Poles
The Smallest Windhelm Mesh Fix
OSHA-Compliant Sovengarde Mesh Fixes
Better Wine Labels (Vanilla Version)
Halffaces Noble End Tables AIO 1k
HF’s Upper Nightstand - BOS 1k
Halffaces Diverse (BOS) noble chair (Lite) 1k
Halffaces Trapdoor Ladders AIO 1k
Halffaces Mine Entrance Real 3D 2k
Halffaces - Diverse Wooden Bowl (BOS) Lite (2k)
Halffaces - Diverse (BOS) Wooden Plate (4k)
INI Tweaks for Halffaces’ BOS Mods
Higher Poly Vanilla Alchemy Stations - Clutter
Lore Friendly Wooden Swords Replacers (first main file)
Lore Friendly Wooden Swords Replacers - Corrected UVs
Smaller Firewood Piles (for Vanilla)
Water In Wells - Mesh Only Animated Wells (keep No Parallax for all options)
Water In Wash Basins
Wash Basin Retexture- Wood Fine Dark 1k
Wash Basin Variants - Base Object Swapper (main file)
Higher Poly Wolfskull Altar
Alchemy Station Variants - Base Object Swapper (1, Continuous Swap Non ENB)
Higher Poly Vanilla Dragons
Eyes of the World-Eater
Blood (Green) Dragon Texture Fix
Higher Poly Vanilla Dragon Skeleton and Bone Clutter
Smaller Goblets Cups and Jugs - Base Object Swapper
Higher Poly Vanilla Eldergleam Roots
Higher Poly Vanilla Gildergreen
Upper Class Longhouse - BOS (main BOS file and FYX Patch)
Upper Class Farmhouse - Base Object Swapper
Whiterun Stables Details
Bigger Fishing Rods for CC Fishing
Higher Poly Vanilla Windcaller Tomb and Horn
Higher Poly Vanilla Mage Statue
FYX - Jarl Longhouse - Consistent Interior (both files)
Unique Farmhouse Architecture - Falkreath BOS (first main file, then the Upper Class Farmhouse and Upper Class Longhouse Patch files, and the FYX patch file)
Unique Farmhouse Architecture - Dawnstar BOS (first main file, then the Simplicity of Snow Patch, Upper Class Farmhouse and Upper Class Longhouse Patch files, and the FYX patch file)
Blacksmith Workbench Variants - Base Object Swapper
Horn Candle Variants BOS (main file and STAC patch file)
Basic Knife and Fork Retexture Iron
Kettle and Cauldron Retexture 1k
Higher Poly Vanilla Cauldrons
Vanilla Plus Orc Furniture
Higher Poly Vanilla Noble Furniture (Vanilla, Rally’s Thrones, and the SMIM Chairs Patch)
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Noble Furniture
Higher Poly Vanilla Oil Lamp Trap Embers XD
Higher Poly Vanilla Wall Baskets
Higher Poly Vanilla Cave Lamps
Better Bellows - Blacksmith Forge Mesh Improvements (Vanilla)
Blacksmith Forge and Anvil Variants - Base Object Swapper (Vanilla)
High Poly Whiterun City Wall Spikes
Higher Poly Whiterun Guard Tower Spikes
Nordic Ruins Rubble Pile - Mesh Improvement (second file)
Wood Wall Trap Mesh and UV Fix
Better Ladder UV Mapping (both files)
Pleasing Polygon Increase - High Hrothgar Braziers
Pleasing Polygon Increase - Whiterun Farm Fences
High Poly Creep Clusters (But Not Too High)
Kanjs - Bird Nests and Eggs 1k
Diverse Bird’s Nests - Base Object Swapper
Diverse Catches - Base Object Swapper Fish Racks
Pigeons
Windhelm Fence 3D
Unique Eastmarch Windhelm Bridges
Riften Temple Sconce Fix
Sconces of Solitude
Sconces of Skyrim - Markarth and Dwemer Brazier Improved
High Poly Dark Elf Furniture
Stones of Solitude - Better Blended Rock Piles
Shaders of Solthsteim - Ash and Moss (also get the Parallax file)
Spiders of Solthsteim - Transparency Fix
High Poly Soul Husks
High Poly Canticle Tree
A Canticle Tree
SPID NPC Trap Safety
High Gate Ruins Puzzle Reset Fix
Labyrinthian Shalidor’s Maze Fixes
Shadows Of Sunlight - In Small Exterior World Spaces
Riekling Barrels SMIM
No Sunlight Through Mountains
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Farm Mills
Whiterun Objects SMIMed - Dragonsreach Stairs - And Some Other Stairs Too
Windhelm Bridge Stairs (Vanilla)
Windhelm Fake Windows Fix (main file)
FYX - Imperial Doors Collisions SMIM
FYX - Hrothgar Steps Collisions (main file)
Ships On The Horizon - Animated
Subtleties of Skyrim - Red Mountain Lava - Distant Ships - Vvardenfell Mushroom (main file)
Random Barrel Roll - Base Object Swapper
Diverse Cairn Banners - Base Object Swapper
Wizkid Signs (choose the Moveable By The Wind, No Snow Under The Roof, and Interesting NPCs options)
Wizkid Specific Signs
Carriage and Ferry Travel Overhaul
CFTO - Fixes and Winterhold
CFTO Companions Radiant Quest Fix
Real Clouds SE
Stockades of Skyrim 3D
FYX - 3D Farmhouse Walkway (SMIM and Round Posts file)
Taller Posts for Farmhouse Walkways (the non Parallax file)
FYX - 3D Shack Kit Roofs (both files)
FYX - 3D Shack Kit Walls - Collision
Touch Of Detail - Shack Meshes
Static Swaps Variety - Practice Dummies (and get the DTA patch)
Training Dummies Retexture 2k (get the Rain Barrel Fix file too)
Archery Target Retexture 2k (also download the 2k mesh file)
Static Swaps Variety - Odds and Ends
Falkreath Gravestone Diversity - Base Object Swapper
FYX - Smooth Wells (get the Smooth Wells - Water In Wells file)
Vanilla VIP doors full 3D SE Less Shine
Antique 3D Sliding Doors SE
Wall Shelves SE
3D Medieval Ventilation Grille SE
Vanilla Immersion Mortar SE
My Roadsigns Are Beautiful - English (2-1k Weathered Dirty version)
Ryn’s Dragon Mounds Collection AIO
Ryn’s Standing Stones AIO (also get the Interesting NPCs file)
Ryn’s Anise’s Cabin
Ryn’s Alchemist’s Shack
Ryn’s Bleak Falls Tower
Ryn’s Bleak Falls Barrow
Ryn’s Bleakwood Basin (get the USSEP Patch as well)
Ryn’s Farms
Ryn's Faendal's House
Ryn’s Hod and Gerdur’s House
Ryn’s Sven and Hilde’s House
Ryn’s Alvor and Sigrid’s House
Ryn’s Karthspire
Ryn’s Secunda’s Kiss
Ryn’s Ustengrav
Ryn’s Halted Stream Camp
Ryn’s White River Watch
Ryn’s Standing Stones - Farms AIO Patch
Ryn’s Riverwood Patch Collection (in the Installer, tick At Your Own Pace - Thieves Guild options)
Ryn’s Whiterun City Limits
Ryn’s Broken Tower Redoubt
Ryn’s Lund’s Hut
Ryn’s Saarthal (get the Vanilla boss fight file)
Ryn’s Golden Glow Estate
Ryn’s Robber’s Gorge
Ryn’s Valtheim Towers
Ryn’s Lumber Mills
Ryn’s Skyrim Official Patch Hub (get the second and third Main files)
No Snow Under The Roof (autoclean with SSEEdit)
NSUTR Fixes (both files)
Fluffy Snow
Simplicity of Snow
Blended Roads - Simplicity of Snow Patch
Icy Mesh Remaster
Snowy Landscapes In Snowy Regions (Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods in the installer)
Snowy Roads For Snowy Regions
Snowy Ships For Snowy Regions (get the Simplicity of Snow main file, select Realistic Boat Bobbing SE, No Snow Under The Roof, and USSEP options in the installer)
Snowy Carts For Snowy Regions (choose the CFTO option in the installer)
Stretched Snow Begone Definitive Edition - Stretched Snow On Walls and Buildings Fix (main file, then the last two update files)
Riverwood Smelter
Rally’s Thrones 2k
Rally's City Roofs 2k AIO
Flora
Cathedral Landscapes (choose Grass Only in the installer)
Bent Pines II (also install the Bent Pines II Navmesh file)
Immersive Fallen Trees
Immersive Fallen Trees Patch
Gildergreen Regrown
Falling Gildergreen Petals SE
Evil Dead Trees - Dying Trees In Evil Places (Base Object Swapper version)
Wiseman303’s Flora Fixes - Revamped (main file and SMIM patch file)
No More Glowing Vibrant Thistle and Textures SSE
No More Dead Shrub (seriously, get the third file)
Insignificant Object Remover (the performance gain from this is significant! Even if we just removed the dead shrubs with the previous mod, select Full and No Thickets in the installer anyway as I've found this is the only way to ensure maximum coverage and the mod functioning as intended)
Remove Small Rocks (main file)
Less Vanilla Trees (main file and update file. In the installer, choose the 50% option)
Remove Floating Beehives
Mari's Flora (Low, because it’s 1k)
Mari's Flora Texture Tweaks
Fixed Lighting for Deathbell and Dragons Tongue for Maris Flora
High Quality Ivy BOS
Vine Maple Redone (1k main file and alternative Snowy file)
Forgotten Vale Dead Snow Bush to Snow Maple - Base Object Swapper (second file)
Less Ugly Tundra Grass
Renthals Reach Mountain Moss (Desaturated)
Rally’s Hanging Moss (Desaturated)
Cathedral 3D Tundra Shrubs
Cathedral 3D Stonecrop
Cathedral 3D Snowberries (get the Green and Variegated file)
Cathedral Snowberries - Inventory - Wreath - Hearthfires Planter
Subtypes of Snowberries - Base Object Swapper
Cathedral 3D Thistle
Cathedral 3D Tundra Cotton
Cathedral 3D Lavender (Vanilla size file)
Edmond's Nature Series - Mountain Flowers Ultra HD Retexture (main file)
Cathedral 3D Solstheim Grass
Cathedral 3D Sword Ferns
Cathedral Mushrooms
High Poly Solthsteim Mushroom Trees
High Poly Blackreach Mushrooms
Aetherium Falmer Cave Ceiling Glow
Blackreach Tentacle Mesh Fix
Animated Tentacles for the Glowing Mushrooms
Cathedral 3D Clover Plant (Hybrid 3D)
Cathedral 3D Vanilla Eastmarch Grass
Mora Tapinella 2k
Better Blended Mushrooms
KG’s Elves Ear
KG’s Frost Mirriam
No More Ugly Branches
Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods
Landscape Seam Fixes
Rudy HQ - Falling Leaves and Needles (get the For Vanilla file)
Bright Falling Leaves Fix
Generic Grass Limiter (main file and Vanilla Military Camps file)
No Grass In Objects (get the 1.5.97 file)
No Grass In Caves
Skyrim Is Windy (the default value is 5.0 in the ini. If you’d like to change this, right click on the mod in MO2 > Open in Explorer > open the SkyrimIsWindy.ini and set it to a lower value. I like 2.0)
Snowy Surfaces Sound Collision and Aesthetics (select Simplicity of Snow and Vanilla Standard Meshes)
Grass Sampler Fix
Realistic High Altitude Tree Line
Flora Additions - Waterplants
TMD The Rift Leaves 1k
Edmond’s Official Unique Flowers and Plants SSE
Spiky Grass Mesh Improvements (first optional file, 75%)
Smaller Cathedral 3D Plants (Base Object Swapper main file, then the Subtypes of Snowberries Patch file)
Shrubs Resized - Base Object Swapper
RUDL - Removing Unpleasant Details from Logs (both files)
Vanilla Forest Logs Pruned (second main file and optional file)
A Quality World Map (Classic with All Roads)
Luminosity - A Quality World Map Compatibility Patch
Water
Natural Waterfalls
FYX Water Optimization (first file)
Simplicity of Sea (in the installer, choose Include Water Tweaks)
Green Water Cubemap Fix
FYX - Water Splash (Vanilla)
Water Effects Brightness and Reflection Fix
TB’s Better Foam
Landscape and Water Fixes (in the installer, select Missing Lights Fixes and v.1.5.97 esm)
Improved River Sound (Softer Version)
Effects
Soaking Wet - Character Wetness Effect
Dust Effects by HHALEYY
TB’s Improved Dust Particles
Dusty Vampire Dust
Deadly Spell Impacts
El Sopa HD Dirt Blast (1k)
Really Seriously Improved Sparks
No Glow On Civil War Rubble
Dandelion Seeds (first main file)
Smoking Torches and Candles Classic (Classic and Optimized in the installer)
Less Visually Obtrusive Cloak Spell Effects
TB’s Improved Smoke (1k Lighter version and Water Wheel Patch in the installer)
Enchantment Art Extender (first main file for the moment)
Enchantment Art Extender for Skyrim 1.5
Vibrant Weapons EAE
Vibrant Weapons EAE - Updated Config
Player Spell (and Weapon) Lighting (main file and Mysticism patch)
Flesh FX
Lightning VFX
Frost VFX
Healing VFX
Summoning VFX
Rudy Fix for Smoke
Frozen Electrocuted Combustion
Northfire’s Skidmarks 2k (and optional file)
Rain Extinguishes Fires
Rain Extinguishes Fires NG
Vanilla Ice Adjusted
Hearthfire Has Snow (Both file)
Snow Statics Consistency
Sriders Blank Nif
Hot Lava Distortion
Fire Halo Remover
Pressure Plate Trap Blending
Dynamic Things Alternative - Base Object Swapper
Wet and Cold SE
True Storms - Wet and Cold Compatibility (choose Standalone and to install the Optional Add On)
Wet and Cold - HD Textures
Refined Water Droplets Replacer for Wet and Cold (second main file, and optional file)
Ultimate HD Fire Effects SSE (Medium resolution file)
Animated Forge Water
FYX - Campfire Reacts to the Wind (main file and SMIM file)
TB’s HD Cubemaps
Clothes, Weapons, & Armour
Armor Mesh Fixes (main file, Steel Armor Fix file, and Orcish Environment Map Fix file)
Armor Variants Expansion (main file, Hide Normal Fix, and CCOR Patch)
Practical Female Armors AIO
El Sopa Shields Redone 2k
ElSopa - Quivers Redone SE 2k
El Sopa Quivers Resized (10%)
Cloaks and Capes
Cloaks of Skyrim Retextured 2k (and the Mesh Update file)
Cloaks of Skyrim Retextured SE - Female Mesh Patch
Wet and Cold - Cloaks and Capes Replacer
Common Clothes and Armors (2k)
Dynamic Armor Variants
Dynamic Armor Variants for Skyrim 1.5
Digitigrade Beast Races for Skyrim
Digitigrade Beast Races DAV
FranklyHD Nightingale Armor (2k in the installer)
FranklyHD Imperial Armor 2k
FranklyHD Shrouded Armor
Frankly HD Dawnguard Armor
Sanctified Steel (main file)
Dawnguard Weapons Are Silver (both files)
Diverse Dragon Priests (main file and Full optional file)
Diverse Dragon Priests 2k
Unique Uniques SE Re-Ported (choose the Unique Uniques WACCF option)
JS Unique Utopia SE - Daggers (2k)
Kanjs - Blade of Woe (2k)
Armor Variants Patch Collection (auto-detect patcher)
La Femme Lycana
Rustic Clothing 2k
Child Dress Replacer - Vanilla Replacer
JS Knapsacks SE 2k (in the installer, choose the Wet and Cold option)
Unplayable Faction Armors SSE
Legacy of Ysgramor (main file, choose Replacement in the installer and also grab the second update file)
Legacy of Ysgramor Optimized Textures and Fixes (get the Fixes file and the Smaller Shields file)
Believable Weapons (in the installer, pick Full, Greatsword Scabbards, Believable Weapons for Stalhrim Replacer, Frankly HD Dawnguard and Imperial, and Sword of Jyggalag)
Combat, Magic, & Levelling
Custom Skills Framework (get the 1.5.97 file)
Mysticism - A Magic Overhaul
Mysticism - FleshFX Patch
Adamant - A Perk Overhaul
Scion - A Vampire Overhaul
Manbeast- A Werewolf Overhaul
Stormcrown - A Shout Overhaul
Same Sex Perks AIO
At Your Own Pace - Scion Patch
Piercing Expert Spells
Piercing Expert Spells (main file and Mysticism file)
Deadly Spell Impacts for Mysticism
Paraphernalia - End Of Life (both files)
Better Combat Escape SSE
Run For Your Lives
Dirt and Blood - Dynamic Visual Effects
Enhanced Blood Textures (main file, make sure to select the SPID compatible option in the installer)
No Camera Filters (second main file)
Fixed Body Collisions
Next-Gen Decapitations
Dismembering Framework (both files)
DF - Official Humanoid Asset Pack
DF - Official Creature Asset Pack (both files)
Wash That Blood Off 2
Player & NPCs
NPCs Wear Amulets of Mara
Married NPCs Wear Wedding Bands
Expressive Facial Animation - Female Edition
Expressive Facial Animation - Male Edition
Expressive Facegen Morphs
High Poly Head (this is the official Google Drive, get the v1.4 SE file and install manually in MO2. In the installer, pick Expressive Facegen Morphs, Expressive Facial Animation, and High Poly Vanilla Hair)
Vanilla Hair Remake (no physics main file and no physics NPC file)
High Poly Vanilla Hair
Vanilla Hair - Salt and Wind
Lovely Hair Colors for Salt and Wind
The Eyes of Beauty SSE (main file and Elves file)
The Eyes of Beauty - Vampire Eyes SSE
Eye Normal Map Fix SSE
Subtle Cube Eyemap
Universal Cured Serena Eye Fix
Smile In HD (main file)
Whiter Teeth For All SE
Argonian and Khajiit Teeth Fix SE
Closed Mouths for Orcs (High Poly Head)
Vanilla Makeup HD - HD Racial Colors and Makeup for all Races and Genders - SE
Lamenthia’s Marks of Beauty (2k)
Vanilla Warpaints Absolution (2k for all options in the installer)
Rutah’s Warpaint (2k main file)
Obi's Warpaints (both files)
Female Makeup Suite 2k
Beard Stubble
Beards Of Power - High Poly Head
Nordic Faces (First main file. As instructed by the author, choose to install FaceGeom and FaceTint. Then get the Textures and Body Meshes file and Nordic Face - Eye Cubemap files too)
Immersive World Encounters
Immersive World Encounters - A High Poly Overhaul
Complete NPC Overhaul - Argonians (main file and Save The Dark Brotherhood file)
Project ja-Kha'jay- Khajiit NPC Diversity Overhaul (main file, Select Expressive FaceGen Animations and USSEP in the installer)
Fluffy Iron Armors (second main file and 4k Textures)
Face Masks Of Skyrim
Dunmeri Ghosts - Dunmeri Gear
Sleeves for Guards - USSEP
Climate Aware Stormcloaks (main file)
Handicapped Citizens
Detailed NPCs - Bandages for NPCs
Detailed NPCs - Equipped Spell Tomes for NPCs
Detailed NPCs - Scarves for NPCs
Detailed NPCs - Fingerless Gloves
Detailed NPCs - Fishing Gear
Fishermen Fish
Mead Keg Backpack SE
Mead Keg Backpack to NPCs - SPID
Detailed NPCs - Skull Headdresses for NPCs SPID
Slof’s Fluffy Khajiit Tails SSE
Hold Guards Keep Armor SE
Faction Specific Loot - Eagles of Alinor (main file, then the WACCF and Encounter Zones files)
Faction Specific Loot - Children of the All-Maker
Faction Specific Loot - Blades of Mephala (get the WACCF patch as well)
The Jarl’s Household Guards
The Redoran Council Guard
Imperial Honor Guard - No Hadvar (main file and optional file)
Civil War Officer Corps (main file, followed by the USSEP Patch)
Blade of Solstheim - Teldryn Sero NPC Overhaul
Knowledge Is Power - Urag gro-Shub NPC Overhaul
Citizens of Morthal - Morthal NPC Overhaul
The Way Of The Voice - Greybeard NPC Overhaul
Immersive Details
Interesting NPCs (main file and update file)
Nordic Faces - Interesting NPCs
Interesting NPCs Infinite Loading Screen Freeze Fix - Snapleg Cave - Rift Watchtower
Populated Cities, Towns, and Villages SE
Less Dragons SSE (use your AFK Mods account to download this file. It doesn’t touch scripted or Word Wall dragon attacks, it just reduces the random ones. I recommend using the 20% uncommon occurrence chance option, so go to Plugins in MO2 to make sure only this one is selected)
After The Civil War - Siege Damage Repairs
Extended Encounters (ESL file)
Sleeping Expanded - Animations and NPC Reactions
Go To Bed (get the 1.5.97 file)
Use Those Blankets
Blowing In The Wind (in the installer select Skyrim Special Edition and the SMIM options, the rest will autodetect)
Blowing In The Wind Lite (moveable lanterns with Base Object Swapper) (both main files)
Benches of Skyrim
Nocturnal Moths (select Blowing In The Wind and Blowing In The Wind Lite)
Catches Cook On Campfires - Base Object Swapper
Cooking In Kettles On Campfires - Base Object Swapper
Scallions of Skyrim - High Polygon Leeks
Sensible Bribes - Based On Speechcraft Not Level
Delphine’s Map Reveals Dragon Mounds
Modern Brawl Bug Fix
Courier Delivers To NPCs
Scared Of Shootings -NPCs React To Aiming Bows
Universal Unwanted Effects Clearer
World Encounter Hostility Fix - Performance Version
No Force For Illusion Spells
Shouting Obliterates Skeletons
Press E To Heal Followers
Jorrvaskr - No More Silverware - Base Object Swapper
FYX - Windhelm Docks Entrance Consistency
Windhelm Entrance Offset Fix BOS
Animated Clutter SE
Vampires Have Claws
Septim Not Gold (Weightless file)
Orc Strongholds Use Orcish (also get the Cracked Tusk Keep file)
Immersive War and Violence (autoclean with SSEEdit)
Heal Injured Guards
Mourning Restored
Undead FX (first two main files)
Immersive Death Cycle (download Undead FX Addon too)
Flies Around Corpses
Forsworn Brutality (get the ESPFE file)
Flying Crows SSE
Uderfrykte Replacer
Uderfrykte Replacer - Optimized Textures
Mummified Animals
Mummified Animals Collision Fixes
More Hircinic Aspects of Hircine
More Hircinic Aspects of Hircine - Optimized Textures 2k
Crows and Ravens
Crows and Ravens - Optimized Textures 2k
Nocturnal’s Birds Replacer
Nocturnal’s Birds Replacer - Cleaned and Optimized Textures
Roasted Cow Replacer
Roasted Cow Replacer - Optimized Textures 2k
Mammoth Expansion
Mammoth Expansion - Cleaned and Upscaled Textures 2k
Mihail Mammoth Expansion Fluffy
Mihail Mammoth Expansion Ryn's Whiterun City Limits Patch
House Cats Diversified (get the No Head Tracking version main file, as well as the No Collars optional file)
Chickens and Chicks
Chickens and Chicks - Optimized Textures (2k, also get the Fluffy Patch)
Roosters (2k)
Talkative Dragon Priests (get the ESP file)
Talkative Falmers
Talkative Wispmothers
Talkative Hagravens
Talkative Spriggans
Talkative Storm Atronachs
Talkative Flame Atronachs
Whale Bones on Coasts
Whiterun Watchtower Doesn’t Start Broken
Simple Horse SE (Once you're in the game, wait a minute or two for MCM to register this new menu. Then, find Simple Horse in the MCM and tick the "Followers Ride" option)
Immersive Patrols (the Main version file)
Imperial Tents Animated (get the No Collision file too)
Small Nordic Tent - Animated (get the No Collision first optional file too)
Falmer Huts - Animated
Bards College Teachers New Clothing (SPID)
Stable Masters New Clothing SE (SPID)
Ferrymen New Clothing SE (get the CFTO and the CFTO Fixes files)
Carriage Drivers New Clothing SE (get the CFTO file)
The Raven of Raven Rock SE (use the ESL file)
Follower Trap Safety
I’m Walkin’ Here
I’m Talkin’ Here
Rich Skyrim Merchants
Shame of Skyrim (Distributes over 200 different notes randomly to bandits, necromancers, warlocks and more! Enhances immersion by humanizing NPCs)
The Clever Prisoner
Striding Silt Strider
Bandit Lines Expansion (also get the Dark Elf Voices and Werebeasts Don’t Talk files)
Civil War Lines Expansion
Forsworn and Thalmor Lines Expansion
Vampire Lines Expansion (get the Orc addon file too)
Extended Guard Dialogue (also get the Dawnguard VA Fix file)
Dialogue Expansion - Windhelm
Wizkid Hunter’s Camp Overhaul (2k)
Fur Tent 4k Retexture (both files)
Lively Farms (tick Ryn’s Farms patches in the installer)
Skyrim Is Cold (also get the Ferryman New Clothes file)
Solitude Interiors Mesh Fixes (main file)
Jorrvaskr Basement Floor Seams Fix (main file)
Edmond and Rudy’s Atrocious Riften Texture Fix SE
Vanilla Plus Riften Entrance
Riften Canals Rounded
Wizkid Pinewatch
Wizkid Pavo’s House (first main file)
Wizkid Sepolcri - A Complete Burial Sites Overhaul (main file)
Wizkid Icy Windhelm
Windhelm Fake Windows Fix - Icy Windhelm Patch
Khajiit Has Wares - A Caravan Camp Overhaul
Khajit Has Wares Tents Animated
YOT -Your Own Thoughts
Market Stalls Animated
Vendor Carts Animated
Shoppers Of Skyrim
Collision Dialogue Overhaul
Pinecones
Winterhold College Gate Glow Restored - Cut Content Restoration
College of Winterhold - Glowing Symbols
Unique Wooden Bridges - Base Object Swapper
Diverse Dogs
Unique Barbas Retexture
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Aela The Huntress
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Aranea Ienith
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Borgakh the Steel Heart
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Brelyna Maryon
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Camilla Valerius
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Erik the Slayer
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Faendal
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Illia
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Jenassa (main and Dark Brotherhood optional file)
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Jordis the Sword-Maiden
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Lydia
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Mjoll the Lioness
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Rayya
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Roggi Knot-Beard
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Uthgerd the Unbroken
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Ysolda
Serena Dialogue Addon
Serena Dialogue Addon Patch Hub (I’m Glad You’re Here, NPCs Wear Amulets of Mara, and Cure Serena Quest Plus options will be auto-detected in the installer)
Serena Hood Fix with Animation
More To Say (Merged file, and Sissels Book Quest patch)
Immersive Skyforge Addon
Don’t Send Me There Again
No Crime Teleport
JS Unique Utopia - Rings 2k
Dialogue Expansion - Shor’s Stone
Riften Dialogue Expansion
Dialogue Expansion - Imperial Soldiers
Brawl Lines Expansion and Fixes
Narrative Gameplay Consistent Dialogue Tweaks (also get the Brawl Lines Expansion and The Choice Is Yours patch files)
Extended Bandit Dialogue
Falmer Servant Lines Expansion (all three files)
Simple Fishing Overhaul - Animations and Improved Quest Dialogue
Carriages and Stables Dialogue Bundle (get the CFTO patch too)
Immersive Speech Dialogues
NPCs React to Frenzy
NPCs React to Invisibility
NPCs React to Necromancy (And More)
Immersive Rejections
Misc Dialogue Edits (check the At Your Own Pace - Misc option in the installer)
More Dialogue Options (check the At Your Own Pace - Thieves Guild option in the installer)
Unique Region Names
Regional Save Names
Dragon Voiced Word Walls
JK’s Raven Rock
For a wonderful sense of immersion, we’ll install Environs, which breathes more life into Skyrim as the months pass and makes it seem as if the world is responding dynamically to events!
Environs - Master Plugin
Environs - Abandoned Abodes
Environs - Hoggar’s House
Environs - Riften Warehouse
Environs - The Shrines of Talos
Environs - Kolskeggr
Environs - Whiterun Watchtower Doesn’t Stay Broken (also get the patch file for Whiterun Watchtower Doesn’t Start Broken)
Environs - The Greenwood Shack
Environs - The Ruined Tundra Farmhouse
Civil War Battlefields (also get the USSEP file)
Military Camps Begone
Animals Swim (Sort Of)
Frogs (1k)
Sea Turtles (1k)
Slaughterfish Eggs Are Eggs (also get the Alternate Egg file)
Immersive Winterhold Jail (additionally get the No CC Assets file)
Immersive Courier (Vanilla)
Windhelm Lighthouse SSE
Wizkid - Hall of the Dead Stained Glass Windows
Wizkid Fixed Highpoly Nordic Metal Grate (main file)
Fjori and Holgeir In Sovngarde
Ulfric…Tullius…Give Me A Break
DVA - Dynamic Vampire Appearance
Ultimate Mannequin Fix and Overhaul
Cooking Pots SMIMed BOS
Store Entrance Doorbells
More Tavern Idles SSE (Compatibility Version file)
Closing Time
College Students SE (ESL file)
HFs Whiterun Temple Bench Remodel
Northern Vanilla Farmhouses (SMIM Non Parallax, and the Patches FOMOD – choose Non Parallax FYX 3D Walkways x Round Posts with SOS patch, and Simplicity of Snow)
Unique Northern Vanilla Farmhouses BOS (Snowy, ensure you’ve chosen the No Parallax Options in the installer)
Slightly Better Nordic Henges BOS
Slightly Better Rock Cairns (main file and Update File 1.3 Alt)
Slightly Better Evil Rock Cairns (main file and Texture Patch file)
Unique Wooden Bridges - High Quality Ivy Addon BOS (Both Bridges file)
SD's Farmhouse Fences (Version 1, 2k and also the Version 1 Slightly Desaturated 2k Optional file)
Diverse Farm Fences BOS
Less Repetitive Farmhouse Stonewalls - No Parallax SOS
Less Repetitive Farmhouse Woodwalls (and also the No Para UV file)
More Silver and Dwemer Kitchenware BOS (main file, and the WACCF-CCOR Patch file)
Jankevdv's 2K Archery Targets (2k in the installer)
Diverse Archery Targets BOS (More Targets main file, and the DTA Patch file)
Wall Mounted Dead Animals Fixes (Bears of the North version)
Fluffy Wall Mounted Dead Animals (Bears of the North main file)
Snazzy Wall Mounted Trophies BOS (also get the DTA Patch file)
Fluffy Hanging Rabbits SMIM
Actually Useful Butter Churns BOS
TMD Jars of Skyrim (Non ENB file, comes with autodetect patcher so just install)
Slightly Better Honey In A Jar BOS
Fluffy Beds and Bedrolls (Non Rudy Misc version)
Fluffy Hanging and Floor Pelts
Northern Scenery - Ysgramor’s Tomb
Northern Scenery - Bleak Falls Barrow
Northern Scenery - Angarvunde
Northern Scenery - Ansilvund
Northern Scenery - IronBind Barrow
Watchman’s Whiterun Hold - Secondary Locations
Watchman’s Guldun Rock
Watchman’s Redoran’s Retreat
Watchman’s Drelas’ Cottage
Solitude Towers Flags SSE (ESP file)
Dovahnique’s Diverse Dark Elf Lanterns BOS (get the Nocturnal Moths file)
Dunmeri Furniture In Gray Quarter
Rest For The Weary - Better Beds In Whiterun Temple
Travelers of Skyrim SSE (get the Vanilla main file and the Dragonborn Addon)
Skyrim Trading Posts Remastered SSE
Solstheim Trading Posts
Regional Merchants - Stalls of Skyrim (main and update files)
Regional Merchants - Stalls of Skyrim Voiced
NPCs Visit Regional Merchants SPID
Shouts Of Stall Holders
Arch-Curate Vyrthur Revoiced
Interesting Roads
Unique Towns BOS (both files)
Unique Towns - Retextured
Unique Towns - Addon
Unique Towns - Nordic Jarl Longhouses
Black Briar Banners (I like the Woven Edition)
Casual Skyrim
Ideal NPC Bumping (main file)
Skip Vampire Lord Tutorial
Bury Sinderion
Call Follower (ESL)
Auto Sleep For Me Now (main file)
Sit For Me Now
Wedding Outfit Commission
Wedding Guests Wear Fine Clothes (SPID)
Better Skyrim Parties (choose the AIO - Interesting NPCs version in the installer, and select USSEP and Complete NPC Overhaul - Argonians)
Better Hearthfire Intro Letter
Better Thieves Guild Caches
Find Those Jewelry (first main file)
Skyrim Children Refine
Hearthfire Multiple Adoptions
Adoptable Beast Children
Cheeky Kids
Quit It With The Bullying Braith (full version)
Stop Being Mean To Me I Saved Your Daughter
Arcadia Stop (Confidently Correct file)
Bear Beats Dragon - Civil War Aware Banners In Solitude (second main file)
Missing In Action - Skyforge Steel Reward
Oh S___ Not You Again
Mage Robes For Challengers SPID
College Ghosts College Robes
Aranea of the Temple SPID
Aranea Intro Dialogue Tweak
The Red Wave Fix
Better Docks
Animated Ships
Animated Ships - Finer Sails
Riften Docks Overhaul
Animated Ships Patches AIO (choose Better Docks and Ryns Farms patches in the installer)
Realistic Boat Bobbing (all three files)
Realistic Boat Bobbing Patch Hub (get the Better Docks, CFTO, No Snow Under The Roof, Riften Dock Overhaul, and USSEP patch files)
Realistic Boat Bobbing - Row Boats (NSUTR and CFTO patches in the installer)
Blue Retching Netch
Tiber Septim Room Improvement
Nelacar Room Improvement (first main file)
Bust of Tiber Septim
Bust of Tiber Septim Expanded
The Jagged Crown Tweaks
Ulfric and Elisif Wear The Jagged Crown (get the Stand Version USSEP file)
Relaxed Vendors
Whistling In Skyrim
Cough In Your Hands Not My Face (get the main file, followed by the Hotix file, then get the 50% Idle Chance File)
Touch of Detail - Shack Doors (main file)
Touch of Detail - Chicken Coops
Static Swaps Variety - Fishing Poles
Static Swaps Variety - Festival Flags SMIM
Static Swaps Variety - Imperial Moss
Plant Size Variety
Simplicity of Settlements - Dragonbridge
Simplicity of Settlements - Morthal
Cozy Dragonsreach Balcony
Hammerfell-Themed Amren’s House
Mehrunes Dagon's Unique Shrine - Shrine Objects Swapped
Better Atronach Forge Offering Box
Dwemer Water Wheels
Better Forgotten Vale Portal Textures
Grain Mill Animation Fix
Stuff of Shadows
Logical Mzark Puzzle
A Shrine Of Azura at The Shrine of Azura
El Sopa Safe and Strongbox Redone
JS Purses and Septims
Stacks of Septims - 3D Gold Pile
Fish Plaque Fixes and Improvements
Scorching Of Skeevers
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Warmaidens Holes
Riften Plaza Well - 3D Trellis - Water In Wells
3D Whiterun Trellis
3D Whiterun Trellis Improved
3D Whiterun Trellis Expanded (wood and Solitude optional file)
Better Floors - Whiterun
SMIM Barrel Expansion
Floating Ash Pile Fix
Unique Markarth Doors
3 Vane Fletching for Ebony Arrows
Falkreath Pinewatch Bandit Bridge - Dead Bandits Don't Trigger Trap
Amon’s Graveyards Addon
Lavinia’s Memorial
For the following Graveyard files, make sure to check the Complete Navmesh options (when available), along with the Sepolcri and USSEP options:
Skaal Burial Site Graveyard
Karthwasten Burial Site Graveyard
Shor’s Stone Burial Site Graveyard
Dawnstar Burial Site Graveyard
Kynsegrove Burial Site Graveyard
Winterhold Burial Site Graveyard (both files)
Dragon Bridge Burial Site Graveyard
Riverwood Burial Site Graveyard - New Location
Markarth Cemetery Graveyard
Draugr Patrols and Cavalry
Draugr Patrols and Cavalry - Optimized Textures 2k
Quaint Chapels of Skyrim
Solitude Skyway
Drengin’s Blue Palace Terrace SE Renewed
Drengin’s Blue Palace - Mesh Only Replacer
Blue Palace Windows Fix (both files)
Better Blue Palace Courtyard SSE
Mrf's Solitude Unique Interior 2k
Blue Palace Terrace patch Collection (Mari’s Flora)
Questing
At Your Own Pace (download all the main files, except Skyrim Unbound, and get the Patch file for College of Winterhold Quest Expansion)
Cult Of The World Eater
Stones of Barenziah Quest Markers
True Thane SE (download the Hearthfire patch as well)
Missives
Missives Notes Retexture
Missives - The Witcher Board HD
Missives - Quests Edits for Unique Missive Boards
Diverse Witcher Missives Boards BOS (second main file)
Missives - Notes Retexture Darkened
The Choice Is Yours
Infiltration Quest Expansion
Innocence Lost Quest Expansion
Save The Dark Brotherhood
Your Choices Matter - A Dark Brotherhood Expansion SSE (get the Save The Dark Brotherhood Patch file)
The Heart of Dibella Quest Expansion
The Whispering Door Quest Expansion (select the More To Say Option)
College of Winterhold Quest Expansion (also get the Easy Mode file)
College of Winterhold Quest Start Fixes
Caught Red Handed Quest Expansion (get the USSEP Patch too)
Narrative Gameplay Consistent Dialogue Tweaks - Caught Red Handed Patch
NGCDT - Solstheim Dunmer Dialogue
The Only Cure Quest Expansion
House of Horrors Quest Expansion
Nilheim Misc Quest Expansion
Paarthurnax Quest Expansion
Respect for the Arch Mage
Thieves Guild Master Recognition
Boethiah’s Calling - Alternate Questline
The Taste of Death Quest Addon
Mehrunes Dagon’s Shrine Unlocked - Pieces of the Past Alternate Ending
Sidequests of Skyrim
Sidequests of Skyrim Dialogue Patch
Bounties Are Worthwhile - Leveled Bounty Rewards
Whiterun Battle Brothers
Serena Cure Quest Plus
Andrealphus Scene Tweaks
World Eater Beater
World Eater Beater - No On Fire Fix
Final Patches & Optimization
QUASIPC - Qwinn’s Unified Automated Self Installing Patch Compendium
Mesh Patch for Various Mods (SMIM Really Blended Roads, Assorted Mesh Fixes, Skyrim Landscape and Water Fixes, SMIM Assorted Mesh Fixes Patch, SMIM Quality Addon Unofficial Material Fix Patch, and Unofficial Material Fix - Assorted Mesh Fixes Patch)
Vanilla Civil War Dialogue Fix
Unofficial Skyrim Modder’s Patch SE (main file)
Unofficial Skyrim Modder’s Patch SE - Patch Emporium (first main file)
Ruddy88 ESLify (This tool automatically detects plugins that are suitable to be flagged as ESL, allowing you to surpass the 256 plugin limit. Extract the .zip folder to the same folder where you have SSEEdit. Then add it as an executable to MO2 and run it, following the on-screen prompts. Only close the window when the tool indicates you can do so!)
Now it’s important to optimize Dovahlean for even better performance.
Lightened Skyrim - Base Object Swapper Edition
eFPS Boost
eFPS Boost Patches
Skyrim Tree LOD (Vanilla Skyrim LOD Billboards)
Congratulations on making it to the end of my Dovahlean modding guide!
After everything is done, take a moment to make sure you’ve done the following:
Activated all necessary Plugins in MO2
Sorted your load order with LOOT
Cleaned any outstanding “dirty” plugins flagged by LOOT with SSEEditQuickAutoClean
Ran Nemesis with all the necessary selections
Deleted your test saves so you can start a brand new game
Thank you for taking the time to consider Dovahlean, I hope you found it useful and have lots of fun playing Skyrim SE!!!
website
After my massive Secunda modding guide, I wanted to take a distinctly "vanilla is good enough” approach to modding Skyrim SE. Creativity blossoms with limitations, in the end.
And simply put, like everyone I have hardware, space, and time constraints that don't leave a lot of room for a heavily modded Skyrkm SE. I just want to mod with as little hassle as possible to refresh this game and improve how it plays…then actually spend time playing.
So while the aim of Dovahlean is being even more vanilla plus and performance friendly with enhanced vanilla graphics, my focus is moreso on better sound, animations, immersive details, and improved quests.
Serene Benefits of Dovahlean
Vanilla enhanced, which means it improves what's already beautiful about Skyrim's vanilla textures, but is moreso focused on better sound, animations, immersion, and questing
Lean because it’s performance friendly, especially for laptop users
Lightweight because it reduces hundreds of redundant replacers and pathching headaches, resulting in high compatibility and visual consistency
Dovahlean includes essential performance tweaks and detailed setup and installation instructions!
Dovahlean is built around the idea that “vanilla is good enough.”
Meaning, this modding guide enhances what is already there instead of drastically altering things like graphics, gameplay, and systems.
For example:
Skyrim's distinct art style is entirely preserved but the visual fidelity of the textures has been vastly improved.
The vanilla weather system is retained but enhanced by new thunder and rain sounds, as well as new rain, lighting, and snow effects.
Existing lighting luminosity and volumetrics are enhanced, paired with a subtle, performance friendly Reshade.
No armor set retextures, additions, or overhauls are used. Rather, mods that add variance are applied to keep clothes and armors dynamic.
With this in mind, Dovahlean greatly reduces hundreds of clutter and replacer mods, compatibility conflicts, messy patches, and load order headaches for a smooth, performance friendly experience.
This modding guide has 1,357 mods and 865 plugins in total.
To be clear, these are not just graphics mods! Texture mods comprise only a small portion of this guide. Dovahlean instead revolves around Vanilla Remastered (Optimized) and SMIM, and is powered by Base Obiect Swapper to provide object variety.
You will need approximately 202gb of disc space for Skyrim SE and all these mods.
Create a free Nexus Mods account and AFK Mods account so that you’ll be able to download and install mods.
You will need a free tool such as WinRar to extract a few .zip files. Download it from the website and install. Ignore and close any popups about upgrading. To extract a .zip file, right click on it and hover over WinRar > Extract here (to your desktop)
The approximate time it takes for you to install everything varies according to your internet speed and given available time.
I’ve structured Dovahlean to be easy to follow, starting with fundamental mods such as numerous bug fixes and UI. That's followed by mods you can see an immediate impact for, like sound and animations, to encourage you. Although the Core Stability, Fixes, & UI, Animation, and Immersive Details sections are the longest in this guide, they aren't necessarily the most time consuming–for example, Fixes and Animation mods install instantly. Do keep in mind that there purposefully aren't many massive or numerous texture mods.
A new game is absolutely required!
Setting Up Skyrim SE
To start with, you’ll need to have Skyrim Special Edition. Once you’ve installed it, configure a few settings:
Right click on Skyrim SE in your game library > Properties
In the Updates tab, set “Only update this game when I launch it” and “Never allow background downloads”
In the Installed tab, click on “Verify integrity of game files,” which will prompt Steam to check again to make sure everything is installed correctly.
Next, navigate to Steam in the upper left corner of your screen > Settings
In the In Game tab, disable all the overlay settings, because you don’t want Steam to possibly be interfering with any mods.
At this point, you can launch Skyrim through Steam for the first time to tweak its settings!
Go to Settings > Advanced and untick Snow Shaders in order for the Footprints and snow shaders to display properly. Tick 64bit Render Targets.
In Options > Advanced, set Shadow Quality and Shadow Distance to Medium, Decal Quality to High, Godrays to Low.
Under View Distance, set Distant Object Detail and Fade to Medium.
Save your settings, then start Skyrim.
Once you’ve reached the main menu, exit the game again. You needed to start it this way through Steam just once so it generates the proper .ini files.
From this point on, you’ll always be launching Skyrim through SKSE via Mod Organizer 2.
Downgrading To Skyrim 1.5.97
Downgrading to Skyrim 1.5.97 is essential for this guide and necessary to prevent any future Bethesda updates from wrecking your load order.
On December 5, 2023, Bethesda released updates to Skyrim that broke everyone's load orders. Prior to this, the method to prevent any updates through Steam used to be:
Right click on your installed game > Properties > Updates > Automatic Updates > “Only update this game when I launch it” (you will always be launching Skyrim SE from the SKSE loader).
Set Background Downloads to “Never Allow Background Downloads”
I still recommend doing this, just in case!
However, as we all found out on December 5, 2023, this method no longer works. Even people who had these settings were forced to have an automatic Skyrim update.
The only way to prevent this from happening again is to downgrade Skyrim to 1.5.97, so Steam can no longer read the App Manifest files.
This straightforward video explains the quick, easy process. It will take you less than 10 minutes and permanently disable updates that wreck your load order.
While the video will help you visualize each step, here it is written down for your reference:
Open the Steam console: Win+R and paste "steam://nav/console”
Copy and paste these three lines one at a time into the Steam Console to download the depot files:
download_depot 489830 489831 7848722008564294070
download_depot 489830 489832 8702665189575304780
download_depot 489830 489833 2289561010626853674
Just wait for each depot to actually download, Steam’s console will tell you when it’s successfully done.
Copy your file path: C:\Program Files (x86) \Steam\steamapps\content\app_489830\
Paste it into your File Explorer bar and hit enter. You will now be in the folder containing all the downloaded depot files for Skyrim 1.5.97.
Copy and paste the contents of each folder into your Skyrim main directory, where Skyrim.exe is located, overwriting existing files when prompted.
Go to Steam\steamapps and find the file: appmanifest_489830.acf
Right click on it > Properties > Check the Read Only option for the Attributes > Apply > OK
Please do take the time to downgrade to version 1.5.97. Once you've done that, you're going to be looking for mod versions 1.5.97, so pay attention to that!
Skyrim INI Tweaks
One of the best things you can do to greatly boost Skyrim’s performance is to apply certain .ini file tweaks!
First, manually download BethINI
Extract this tool anywhere you’d like—I keep mine in the Skyrim main directory—run it, select the High preset, just make sure to also tick Recommended Tweaks.
Select Skyrim Special Edition
Ignore the pop up about updating BethINI
The following tweaks are suggested in the extremely helpful Sweet Sweet Frames guide:
BethINI settings
Under the Basic Tab, to reiterate, choose the High preset and ensure you've ticked Recommended Tweaks.
Make sure Lock FPS and Clamped (60 FPS) are set!
Under the Detail tab, reduce the God Rays to Low. FOV should be 70.
Set Shadow Resolution to 1024.
Save and Exit. Select No for the pop up about setting iFPS to its default value.
Return to the Skyrim SE launcher and see if God Rays are still set to Low. If not, set this setting to Low again. Turn on Interior Godrays.
Next, we'll apply the suggested tweaks to the Skyrim.ini and SkyrimPrefs.ini files:
Find these files in My Games > Skyrim Special Edition, then afterwards make sure they also match in MO2's INI Editor (the puzzle icon)
SkyrimPrefs.ini:
bBorderless=1
bFull Screen=1
iSize H=1080
iSize W=1920
fMeshLODLevel2FadeDist - Set to 2048
fMeshLODLevel1FadeDist - Set to 4096
fMeshLODLevel2FadeTreeDistance - Set to 2048
fMeshLODLevel1FadeTreeDistance - Set to 4096
fTreesMidLODSwitchDist - Set to 8192
fTreeLoadDistance - Set to 32768
fBlockLevel0Distance - Set to 16384
fBlockLevel1Distance - Set to 32768
fBlockMaximumDistance - Set to 131072
File > Save to save all your changes
Skyrim.ini
iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure - Set to 10
iMinGrassSize - Set to 70
fGrassMaxStartFadeDistance=9000.0000
fGrassMinStartFadeDistance=400.0000
File > Save to save all your changes
Back in the SkyrimPrefs.ini:
iMaxSkinnedTreesToRender - Set to 60
[Particles]
iMaxDesired=1500
Then, disable autosaves in the SkyrimPrefs.ini by setting bSaveOnPause, bSaveOnTravel, bSaveOnWait and bSaveOnRest to 0.
File > Save to save all your changes
Once you've applied all these tweaks in MO2, click Save and exit the INI Editor.
Downloading & Configuring Mod Tools
Mod Organizer 2 is the mod manager you’ll use to mod Skyrim. Download the main file from Nexus.
From your Downloads folder, drag the MO2 installer onto your desktop. Then run it.
When you get to the part where it asks for the install directory, do one of the following depending on your situation:
Keep the default C drive location if that’s where you have space and you’ve also initially installed Steam/Skyrim SE there.
If you have an additional drive, say a D drive, where you keep your games/media stored, and that’s also where you’ve initially installed Skyrim SE: create a new folder named “Modding” in that drive, make another folder named “Mo2 Modding,” then point MO2’s installer to that location so it will install there.
Keep all default settings suggested by the installer.
When it asks if you want to create a shortcut, I recommend doing so.
Once the install process is complete, you can click Finish and MO2 will start.
MO2 will prompt you to create an instance. Select Portable Instance.
Next, you will choose the game you’re modding. Click browse to find where you installed Skyrim SE and select it.
For the data install location: if you installed MO2 to the default location earlier, just keep the autofilled location MO2 uses. If you installed to another drive, check “Advanced Options,” click the three dots for the Base Directory bar > navigate to the Modding folder in your other drive > create a new folder named “MO2 - Dovahlean” > make sure it’s highlighted when you click on it, then choose Select Folder.
Connect to your Nexus Mods account.
A tutorial pop up box will show. Click “Never ask to show tutorials” then choose Yes.
MO2 will ask if you want to “associate with nxm links,” choose Yes so that when you download mods from Nexus Mods, you will almost always use the “Download with Mod Manager” button.
Here’s how to familiarize yourself with MO2 quickly and easily:
Close the dialogue at the bottom of the screen showing messages, you don’t need it.
Navigate to Tools > Settings > Style and choose a theme from the dropdown menu. I prefer Dark.
Find the Profile dropdown bar > Manage > Create > Name it Dovahlean Skyrim SE and do not select Default .ini game settings
To create a separator for mod sections, right click on an empty spot on the left side of the window and “Create Separator”
Sometimes you will download mod “update” files. MO2 will ask if you want to Merge, Replace, or Rename them. Unless stated otherwise, Rename them to “(mod name) - Update” or something similar.
The left side of the MO2 window is where all the mods will be installed.
The right side of the MO2 window is where all the Plugins are found (and also where you manage Downloads)
In the Plugins tab, check off all the available plugins at this point to activate them.
To download and install a mod in MO2:
Click on the links in this guide
Go to the indicated file and click “Download with Mod Manager”
Navigate to the Downloads tab to the right in MO2
Once the mod is finished downloading, double click on it (sometimes you’ll go through a FOMOD installer with options) and it will appear on the left side of the window.
Tick the box to install and enable the mod!
Be aware that for a few indicated mods, you will need to manually install through MO2.
Rather than using the “Install with Mod Manager” button, these mods will be downloaded manually and appear in your computer’s Downloads folder.
Grab the archived mod from your Downloads folder and drag it onto your desktop.
At the top of MO2’s toolbar, find the disk icon to “Install a new mod from an archive”
Select the downloaded mod to import it into MO2 (ignore any popups about BSA archives, just click “no” and “remember selection” if they do come up)
Install and enable the mod as usual by ticking the box!
Now you’re going to install your second modding tool, LOOT: Load Order Optimization Tool.
On the LOOT Github page, download the “win64.exe” file from the latest release.
Drag the file from your Downloads folder onto your desktop.
Run the installer.
For the install location, the default one is fine.
Make sure “Download the latest master lists” and “Create desktop shortcut” options are both checked.
Install LOOT!
LOOT will automatically sort your load order and manage any mod conflicts.
To do this, you need to add and run it through MO2.
Navigate to the app dropdown menu just beside the Run button:
Choose Edit
Choose the + icon beside the Executables button
Add from file > browse to where you’ve installed LOOT and select its executable
Apply, then OK
LOOT is now added to the apps dropdown menu! Whenever you use it from now on, select it and then Run.
Do that now, so LOOT will open in its own window.
On the top left side, find the drop down bar and choose Skyrim as the game LOOT will be sorting.
To sort mods:
Click Update Masterlist
Click Sort Plugins
Accept LOOT’s load order
Finally, you’ll install the SSEEdit script:
Download the file manually and put it anywhere you want. I prefer to keep mine in the Skyrim main directory for easy access.
Just like you did with LOOT, add SSEEditQuickAutoClean as an app in MO2.
Well done, you now have everything you need to mod Skyrim!
Cleaning Skyrim's Master Files with SSEEdit
For a solid modding foundation, it’s important to clean Skyrim’s master files.
You’ll be using SSEEdit’s Quick AutoClean script to do this.
The files you will be cleaning are:
Update.esm
Dawnguard.esm
HearthFires.esm
Dragonborn.esm
Survival Mode.esl
Adv.DSGS.esm
Fish.esm
Make sure to select one file at a time, then click Okay. Wait for the script to work its magic, then exit the app and repeat for each file.
Playtesting
Before you add any mods past the Core Stability, Fixes, & UI section, start a new game in Skyrim and choose Skip Introduction.
You'll get a pop up message summarizing the prologue and you can choose to go with Ralof or Hadvar.
Skyrim’s introduction perfectly sets the tone, so I do recommend at least watching it. But even on an entirely unmodded Skyrim, the opening cart sequence and Helgen Keep are prone to game breaking bugs and crashes. This is true even more so for a modded game, so that’s another good reason I recommend skipping it.
Once you leave the cave, save and exit your game. You will use this save to test your game stability as you mod along.
Try to install mods in batches of 4-8 using MO2 > Run LOOT > playtest and make a proper save in the surrounding area (e.g. near water, near Riverwood, beside some trees or the Standing Stones, ect). Repeat testing throughout this modding guide.
Here are some useful console commands (open the console using the tilde key ~, the wavy hyphen) to test the weather:
fw 0010e1f2 (sunny and nearly cloudless)
fw 0010e1ef (cloudy sky)
fw 0010e1f2 (cloudy sky with fog)
fw 0010a7a6 (cloudy sky with fog and light rain)
fw 0010c32f (dark cloudy sky and very stormy)
Press T to wait in game for a few hours and test different times of day
Remember to install mods using the “Install with Mod Manager” button unless stated otherwise!
For AMD Users
Open AMD Software Adrenalin Edition. Select Skyrim SE. Under Display to the right, turn off AntiLag and Radeon Image Sharpening.
Turn on Radeon Chill and set both minimum and maximum FPS to 60. Turn off Image Sharpening. For the setting Wait for Vertical Refresh, select “Always On.”
Under Advanced settings, set Anti-Aliasing to Use application settings. Anti Aliasing method is Multisampling. Toggle off Morphological Anti-Aliasing. Anisotropic Filtering is x4. Set Texture Filtering Quality to Performance.
As a general rule of thumb I also disable Surface Format Optimization to be on the safe side and avoid my whole screen getting blurred due to Depth of Field.
Set Tessellation Mode to “Use application settings” and turn off OpenGL Triple Buffering.
Core Stability, Fixes, & UI
SKSE
Download the old file from October 2021, because it’s for Skyrim 1.5.97 and install it with MO2:
A box will pop up, warning you about the directory. Click the arrow next to the main skse 2_00_20 folder, then right click the Data folder and select "set as data directory.”
Now download the file again manually. Place the Data and src folders, and the .dll and .exe files into your Skyrim SE main directory (where your SkyrimSE.exe is).
Go to game root folder > Right click SKSE_loader.exe > Properties > Compatibility > Change high DPI settings > select Override high DPI scaling behavior > Handled by Application
This is a good spot to playtest! Add skse.64_loader/SKSE as an executable in MO2. Launch Skyrim through SKSE in MO2. In the pause menu screen, you should see version 1.5.97 in the lower left corner so you know it’s installed correctly.
DLL Plugin Loader
Manually download the mod.
Go to your Skyrim Special Edition root directory. This is the same folder where the actual SkyrimSE.exe is, usually "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\"
Rename "binkw64.dll" to "binkw64_.dll" <- now there's a _ at the end.
Put the "binkw64.dll" from the downloaded mod archive into the folder mentioned in step 1.
If you did it correctly you should have two files in your folder now: "binkw64.dll" and "binkw64_.dll"
Net Script Framework Skyrim SE V18
No Bethesda Intro
Main Menu Design Replacer (I use Clean)
Main Menu ReShaped
SkyUI
SkyUI Flashing Savegames Fix
SkyUI Plugin With Master Added (get the ESPFE file)
SkyUI Ghost Item Bug Fix
Animated Celtic Icons For SkyUI SE
Wider MCM Menu for SkyUI (Novice)
Immersive HUD
True HUD - HUD Additions
Wait a few moments for the MCM menu to register in-game. Then you can find iHUD in the MCM and tweak settings as you like.I keep opacity at 75%, make the HUD toggleable, and set it to whatever key you want
JS LockpickingUI SE (2k)
Security Overhaul SKSE - Lock Variations (in the installer, choose 2k and 1.5.97)
Security Overhaul SKSE - Regional Locks (2k)
Security Overhaul SKSE - Lock Addons
Remember Lockpick Angle - Updated
Recipe Auto-Learn
Detection Meter
Oxygen Meter 2 (choose 1.5.97 in the installer)
Faster HDT-SMP
Dear Diary - Paper SkyUI Menus (make sure you don’t install the Loading Screen and Main Menu replacers and the font changes)
Dot Crosshair - With Sneak Eye (get the second main file)
Main Font Replacement SE (I use Magic Cards)
Starlit Lakes Loading Screens
Immersive Load Screen Message Overhaul (first main file)
Address Library for SKSE Plugins (download the All In One - Special Edition file)
Backported Extended ESL Support
MCM Helper (get the 1.5.97 Backport file)
SSE Engine Fixes (download Part 1 with MO2, then download Part 2 and extract the contents to your Skyrim main directory, where SkyrimSE.exe is)
Bug Fixes SSE (for Skyrim 1.5.97)
Optional Quick Start (enables you to skip the legendary Skyrim introduction if you want and more importantly for modding purposes to playtest quickly)
Survival Mode Prompt Removed (first main file. You can enable Survival Mode in the Gameplay settings at any time if you want)
Recursion Monitor
Skyrim Priority SE/AE
Take 1m30s to watch this GamerPoets tutorial about how to implement Skyrim Priority properly and enjoy your FPS boost!
Skyrim Project Optimization SE (get the ESL version)
SSE Display Tweaks (once you’ve installed this, right click on the mod in MO2 > Open in explorer > you’ll be in SSE Display Tweaks in SKSE > Plugins and then set DisableActorFade=true in its .ini configuration file > File and Save your change)
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (v.1.5.97, it will download manually, so just install it manually in MO2)
Vanilla Script (micro) Optimizations
Cleaned Skyrim SE Textures (use the PRE 1.6xx second main file and get the Snow Patch update file, users report 5-10 FPS gain and I can confirm it works effectively)
Stay At System Page
Better Dialogue Controls & Better MessageBox Controls
Dialogue Interface Reshaped
1st Person Candlelight Fix
Picta Series - Improved Sky Meshes (main file)
No Edge Glow - Magic and Transformations
Yes I’m Sure (get the version 1.5.97 file)
Guard Dialogue Overhaul (use the ESL file)
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul (also get the USSEP Patches Final optional file, install it and then untick the RDO - CRF - USSEP plugin in MO2)
Follower Commentary Overhaul (You can find FCO in the MCM. From there, you can set the “How Often” threshold to whatever you want. I have mine at 15%, as I find the commentary occurs too frequently for my liking at higher values)
Fuz Ro D-oh - Silent Voice
Scaleform Transition Plus Plus (get the 1.5.97 file)
Whose Quest Is It Anyway (get the version 1.5.97 file)
Atlas Map Markers SE (in the installer, choose the Delphine’s Map Reveals Dragon Mounds)
JContainers SE (install the 1.5.97 file)
MFG Fix (install the 1.5.97 file)
Unequip Quiver SE
Better Jumping SE
Sprint/Sneak Movement Speed Fix
Sprint Stuttering Fix
Exit Sneak On Sprint
Barter Limit Fix
Critter Spawn Congestion Fix
powerofthree’s Tweaks
Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes (in the installer, choose 2-1k texture and the Believable Weapons patch with Greatsword Scabbards option)
Major Cities Mesh Overhaul (both files)
Assorted Mesh Fixes (main file)
Equip Enchantment Fix (install the 1.5.97 file)
Navigator - Navmesh Fixes (use the ESL option)
More Informative Console
Copy and Paste in Console (get the second 1.5.97 file in the Old Files section)
Console Commands Extender
powerofthree’s Papyrus Extender
PapyrusUtilSE - Modders Scripting Utility Functions (get the third main file for Skyrim SE 1.5.97)
Payload Interpreter (get the SE 1.5.97 file)
Base Object Swapper
AnimObject Swapper
Spell Perk Item Distributor
Sound Record Distributor
Music Type Distributor
Merge Mapper
Keyword Item Distributor
Sonders Keyword Distribution Resources
Container Item Distributor (main file)
Footprints (non-ENB)
SPID For Footprints
Footprints - Alternative Design
Ultimate Fix - SPID For Footprints (And Kids Addon)
Footprints Bright Snow Fix (Disabled Particles)
Complete Crafting Overhaul Remastered
Quests Are In Skyrim (install the second file)
Save Unbaker
Vanilla Scripting Enhancements (first main file)
ConsoleUtilSSE NG
Scrambled Bugs (download the third main file for Skyrim 1.5.97)
Actor Limit Fix (download the third main file for Skyrim 1.5.97)
RaceMenu (in the Old Files section, it’s version 04-16, October 2020)
XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Edition Extended (choose the Extended, Latest, and RaceMenu + XPMSSE MCM install options. In MCM, under Styles, uncheck the box at the top related to shields)
XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended - Fixed Scripts
XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended - Legacy Settings Loader
XPMSSE - Nemesis - Papyrus Stack Fix (second file)
Animated Static Reload Fix
NPC AI Process Position Fix - NG
Behavior Data Injector
Face Discoloration Fix (1.5.97)
Motionless Rocks Killing People Fix-For Player Too
Dynamic String Distributor
No More Radial Blur - Performance Optimization
HD Local Map
Trainwreck - A Crash Logger
PrivateProfileRedirector SE - Faster Game Start (INI File Cacher)
(download the third main file for Skyrim 1.5.97)
SkyPatcher
Auto Focus
SSE Reshade Helper (this is not, in fact, obsolete)
Camera
RBEs Enhanced 1st Person Camera Bob Skyrim SE (Standard Version)
Customizable Camera
RG Medieval Camera Preset 1.1 For Customizable Camera
For this preset, in game go to your MCM, find "Customizable Camera" click Profiles & Help, then Under "Load Files" click "Profile 5"
If you’re using a 16:9 aspect ratio, under Features, set the FOV somewhere from 60-75 (I use 70) and Save.
Lighting & Reshade
Although I’ve used Community Shaders before and Secunda was specifically built around them, updates since then have unfortunately made them increasingly unstable and performance heavy by default, especially since frame generation is integrated now. As other users have reported, there are frequent CTDs before shaders can even compile.
So I simply stopped using them in favour of vanilla weather and shaders, combined with lighting mods and Reshade that substantially overhaul Skyrim’s look and feel.
Skyrim Is Luminous (In the installer, don’t choose any of addon options)
Unofficial Skyrim Is Luminous-USSEP Patch
Skyrim Is Luminous - Enhanced (both files)
Download the latest version of Reshade.
Download the performance friendly Depth Reshade preset manually and extract the skyshade.ini file into the main Skyrim directory (where SkyrimSE.exe is).
Install Reshade: browse and select SkyrimSE.exe > Reshade will automatically detect DirectX 10/11/12 (or just select it yourself) > click browse and find the skyshade.ini preset file you extracted to your main Skyrim directory > Reshade will automatically detect shader effects > click Next and then Finish.
Launch Skyrim SE. Reshade’s shaders will compile briefly.
Press Shift + F2 (possibly Shift + Fn + F2) or your Home key (#7 on the number pad, if you’ve got it) to access Reshade’s interface.
From the dropdown menu, select the skyshade.ini preset file. Then tick Performance Mode.
All done!
Weather
Mists of Tamriel
Storm Lightning for SSE - Minty Lightning 2019 (main file, pick the 1.5.97 option in the installer)
Thunder Sounds - Wizkid Mix
True Storms Special Edition (main file and the No Fog Camera Effects file)
Pouring Rain
Splashes of Storms
Splashes of Skyrim (for 1.5.97)
Ethereal Clouds - Special Edition (2k)
Rainsong (Vanilla)
TB's Improved Rain
TB’s Better Snowflakes - A Falling Snow Improvement Mod
Skyland Night Sky
Skygazer Moons SSE - Masser and Secunda HD Textures - With Glow
Twilight
Sound
Unofficial High Definition Audio Project (install Music, English Voices Part 1 and English Voices Part 2, more language options are available)
Reverb and Ambiance Overhaul Updated ESL
Mu Impact Framework
Immersive Sounds - Compendium
Dynamic Impacts (main file and ISC Patch)
Regional Sounds Expansion
Reverb Interior Sounds Expansion
Acoustic Space Improvement Fixes
Talkative Dragons
Talkative Dragons Audio Replacer
Phoenix Sounds - Compendium
Yggdrasil Music and SoundFX Overhaul SE - Yggdrasil SoundFX (only use the SoundFX optional file)
Louder Nature - Birds and Insects
Ambient Bird Sounds Expanded
Wildwood Echoes
Murder of Songbirds
Nordic Winds
Blackreach Eerie Ambience (choose No Birds and Blackreach Water Loop in the installer)
Distant Dragon Roars
Ambient Warfare
Whispering Tombs of Apocrypha
Revenant Spirits of the Soul Cairn
The Standing Stone Sounds (check Ryn’s patch in the installer)
Volkihar Soundscape Overhaul (pick Skyrim Is Luminous in the installer)
Dungeon Sounds Overhaul
Murmurs and Mead
Esbern Voice Consistency Fix
The Black Door Revoiced
Night Mother Revoiced
Improved Horse Step Sounds
Old People Sounds AIO
Hircine Restoration Project
Meridia Revoiced (first main file)
Potema Revoiced (first main file)
Peryite Voice Redux
Thundering Shouts (get the Normal Pitch main file)
Still - Skyrim Inspired Music (first main file)
Hun Lovaas - Skyrim Fan-Made Combat Music (main file)
Melodies of Civilization - Skyrim Fan-Made Music (main file)
BA Bard Songs
NPC Dialogue Audio Enhancer
More Painful Death Sounds SE (main file and update file)
Bleeding Edge - Bladed Weapons SFX Overhaul (main file)
Skullbreaker - Blunt Weapons SFX Overhaul
Seismic Tide - Skullbreaker Fists Addon
Bulwark - Shield Audio Overhaul
More Distinct Diving Sound
TB’s Improved Book Sounds - Full
Unique Shaders Sound FX
Troll Sound Overhaul
Skeletons Don’t Breathe SSE (second file, install manually in MO2)
Realistic Dog Sounds
Sound Hammering Sounds
Crackling Fire
Underwater Loop and Swimming Sounds
Better Low and Critical Health Heartbeat Sound Replacer
Binaural 3D Surround Sound for Headphones - HRTF (download manually and extract it to your Skyrim main directory)
Animations
Nemesis Unlimited Behavior Engine
In MO2, right click on the installed mod and rename it to simply “Nemesis.”
Then add it as an executable in MO2: the location should be in the same folder your current modding profile for MO2 is > Mods > Nemesis > Nemesis Engine > choose the Nemesis executable
We’ll use the engine with its selections at the end of this section!
Open Animation Replacer
Open Animation Replacer - Dialogue Plugin
Form List Manipulator
Dynamic Activation Key
Dynamic Activation Key - MCM
Animation Queue Fix
Paired Animation Improvements (get both main files)
Animation Motion Revolution
Self-targeting Staff Animation Fix
Weapon Switch Animation Fix
Super Fast Get Up Animation
Loki’s Wade In Water
Wade In Water Redone (NG file)
Dripping When Wet (SPID)
True Directional Movement - Modernized Third Person Gameplay
True Directional Movement - Diagonal Sprinting Fix
First Person Target Locking Fix
Crosshair-aligned Crossbow
Pristine Vanilla Movement
Better Third Person Selection (in the MCM, you can tweak settings to your preferences. I do recommend turning on the Enabled In First Person Option)
Precision
Precision Trail Replacer - Simple
Precision - Magic Trails
Recoil On Objects
Dynamic Impact - Slash Effects X (choose the EBT + ISC option in the installer)
NPC's Run and Walk at Your Pace
Don’t Sheathe Bound Weapons (first main file)
Unique Animations Reworked
Conditional Expressions - Subtle Face Animations
Vanargand Animations II - Unarmed Non Combat Locomotion
Vanargand Animations II - Unarmed Pugilism Stance
Vanargand Animations II - Unarmed Normal and Power Attacks
Leviathan Animations - Two-Handed High Stance
Leviathan Animations - Two Handed Normal Attacks for High Stance
Leviathan Animations - Two Handed Power Attacks
Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Normal Attacks
Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Power And Sprint Attacks (both files)
Leviathan Animations II - Greatsword Sneak Locomotion and Attacks
Goetia Animations - Enchanted Staves (get the main file and the first optional file)
Vanargand Animations - Archery
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Archery
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Idle Walk and Run
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Thrust Attacks
Vanargand Animations - Sneak Strike Attacks
Vanargand Animations - Dual Wield Normal and Power Attacks
Vanargand Animations - Dual Wield Sneak Strikes
Vanargand Animations - One Handed Mid Stance
Vanargand Animations - One Handed Normal Attacks
Vanargand Animations - One Handed Power Attacks
Poise Stagger Animations for Vanilla
Subtle Feminine Stagger Animation SE by Xtudo (OAR)
First Person Stagger Animation Remade
Disable Turn Animation (Version 2)
Player Character Gestures
Gesture Animations Remix (OAR main file and Shield Patch)
NPC Animation Remix (OAR main file and Shield Patch)
Lively Children Animations
Arm Movement Animations
Dynamic Torch Idle Animations (OAR)
Horsemen Torch Wield Fix and Mount Tweaks SE
Crawling Bleedout (get the Everyone file)
EVG Conditional Idles
EVG Conditional Idles Extended
Dynamic Fus Ro Dah
Dynamic Random Spell Idle (second file)
Randomized One Handed Block and Idle Animations (both main files, and get the Both Genders Block and Idle files)
Jump Behavior Overhaul
Dismember Those Chaurus
Dismember Those Mudcrabs
Divines Prayer Animations - My DAR Version by Xtudo (get the Default main file, as well as the Molag Bal and Sanguine files)
Smooth Random Equip Animation - Unarmed
Smooth Random Equip Animation - Dagger
Smooth Random Equip Animation - DAR Conditions by Xtudo
Sharpen Other Swords II - AnimObject Swapper
Sharpen Other Swords - Believable Weapons Patch
Stronger Swimming Animations SE
Random Swimming Animations (main file)
No More Swimming In Air - Fixed Floating SwimIdle
Dynamic Female Swimming Idles
Tools Not Weapons
More Powerful Mining Animations
Simplified Reanimation SE
Gunslicer Sexy Drum Animation
Lute Breast Cripping Fix
Flute Animation Fix
EVG Animation Variance (main file)
Better Player Combat Expressions
Death Expressions DX
Dynamic Female Weather Idles (main file and optional file)
Ghosts Float
First Person Combat Animations Overhaul 2.0 -SIZE MATTERS (All In One)
Finally First Person Magic Animation (Variant 1 7.0 in the installer)
Random First Person Magic Animation SSE
Little Idle Animations for Females
Casual Dog Animations (both files)
Unarmed Idle Animations (Everyone)
Steel For Humans - Killmoves Replacer
No Spinning Death Animation Merged
UNDERDOG Death Animations (Death Animations and No Spinning Death Animation Patch in the installer)
Guaranteed Death Animations
Reanimated NPC Animations - OAR
Reanimated NPC Animations - Unofficial Addon
Look Around - Searching Animations for NPCs
Modern Female Sitting Animations - OAR (main file and randomized file)
Dynamic Sitting Idles (first main file)
Improved Barstool Exit Animation
SD's Seamless Sneak Transition and Idles OAR
Horses Simply Turn Better
Ice Skating Fixed For Real
Draugr Magic Casting Animation
Simple Draugr Stagger Animation
Smooth Random Idle Animation (Shield On Hand file)
Seamless Varied Feminine Idles
Seamless Varied Masculine Idles
Smooth Magic Casting Animation
Immersive Equipping Animations
Eating Animations and Sounds SE
To Your Face (for Skyrim SE 1.5.97)
Animations from Skyrim Horse Renewal (Horse and Rider)
Powers Have Animations (main file and Alternate Animations file)
Warming Hands
Dynamic Female Hand Warming (get the Randomized file)
Jarl Sitting Animation Replacer
Better Tomboy Animations (first main file)
Followers Salute Casually (OAR)
Lively Cart Driver Animation Replacer (OAR)
Conditional Tavern Cheering
Blind People Animations
Blind People Animations Play In The Dark and When Blinded
NPCs Take Cover
Improved Table Sit Transition Animations (Vanilla Replacer)
First Person Animation Teleport Fix
Immersive Interactions - Animated Actions
Dynamic Horse Petting Animations
Immersive Interactions - Integration Patch (both files)
I’m Glad You’re Here
Nemesis Selections:
As before, launch Nemesis. Select:
Precision
Eating Animations and Sounds
Payload Interpreter
Giant New Animation
GP Offset Movement Animation
Horsemen Torch Wield Fix & Mount Tweaks
Ice Skating Fixed for Real
Jump Behavior Overhaul
True Directional Movement - Headtracking
Animated Shouts
Animation Teleport Bug Fix
Update the engine, then launch and let it run, exiting only when it’s finished generating behaviours.
Base Textures
Static Mesh Improvement Mod (in the installer, read through all the presented options carefully. I use the Full version with no issues, but there are Lite and Performance versions specifically as well)
Misc. SMIM Fixes
Static Mesh Improvement Mod - SMIM - Quality Addon
SMIM Improvement Mod (check the meshes for Hawk and the new Dwemer Post, Dynamic Things Alternative, Real Rabbits, Wiseman’s Flora Fixes, and the SMIM Quality Addon option)
SMIM Weight Saving (ESP file)
SMIM Upper Furniture and Other Fixes (use the 1k Smooth Dark file)
Silver Objects SMIMed
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Glazed and Nordic Pottery
3D Dwemer Sun - Subterranean Object SMIMed (Copy of Vanilla Textures)
Unofficial Material Fix (first main file. Also get the Stone Solitude Castle Floor file)
For many years, I was misled into thinking that high resolution textures and replacers were the key to making Skyrim look up to date and amazing. I didn't understand how much VRAM they consumed by their very nature, nor did I appreciate the look of a unified, cohesive Skyrim that looked familiar, but simply refreshed.
Then I came to understand that all Skyrim actually needs to look good are enhanced vanilla textures and new normal maps.
There is not any need for hundreds of overlapping texture, model, and clutter mods. It's time to stress less about compatibility and clashing visual styles, and instead focus more on Skyrim's pure beauty.
So the Vanilla Remastered Optimized and The New Normal mods are literally game changers:
Vanilla Remastered Optimized (all three files and the USSEP Patch)
Blended Roads
Misc. Blended Roads Fixes
Dragon Bridge Blended Roads Fix
Blended Bridge Dirt
Vanilla Remastered Upscaled Patches (Assorted Mesh Fixes Upscaled, Major Cities Mesh Overhaul Optimized, and Blended Roads Patch)
The New Normal AIO (grab the Clothing Jewelry optional file too)
ERM - Enhanced Rocks and Mountains (main file)
Enhanced Vanilla Landscapes (download the main file manually. Then download the Solthsteim Update file with MO2 and merge it)
Various Meshes & Textures
Rather than overloading on texture and model replacers, which is redundant and increases compatibility issues, the purpose of this section is to add mesh variety and a bit more of a higher polygon count to Skyrim's enhanced vanilla textures, including improving certain locales.
TB's Better Chains for SMIM 2k Performance
High Quality Shadowmarks
FYX - Dawnstar Fixed Fences (Vanilla)
Brandy-Mug- Fixed Consistency
3D Dwemer Barriers and Shelves (Alternate UVs file)
Oil - My HD Version by Xtudo (1k)
High Poly and Improved Hitch Posts
Solitude Objects SMIMed - Solitude Well
Solitude Objects SMIMed - Festival Ropes
Solitude Objects SMIMed - Castle Dour Spire
Kanjs - Bones 2k
Rustic Daedra 2k
Real Rabbits HD - Color Variants and High Poly Mesh with Fur (Diverse)
Dynamic Animal Variants
Fluffworks (Quality)
Fluffworks Auto Patches - Dynamic Animal Variants Patch
Fluffworks - Tweaks and Expansion (make sure to select one of the Horses options)
Bears of the North
Size Matters - Base Object Swapper Scale Transforms for Various Objects (second main file)
Kanjs Torch (2k)
Rustic Cooking 1k
Rustic Animated Potions and Poisons (1k)
Wizkid Forgotten Potions and Poisons
Rustic Windows 2k
El Sopa Paper HD
Spell Books Retexture
Retexture for the Scroll SE
Overlooked Dungeon Objects Retextures 2k
Diverse Windmill Sails - Base Object Swapper - All Variants
Halffaces Folded Rags Overhaul
Grindstone Variants - Base Object Swapper
Oddments and Miscellanea - Assorted Mesh Replacers AIO
Deep Slumber - A Dwemer Bed Replacer - BOS Timeworn and New Distributed
Pride of the Companions - Shields of Jorrvaskr (I use the Gilded Wood file)
CC's Enhanced Ore Veins SSE Edition 2k (check the Hearthfire option in the installer)
No Flat Rubble
Subdivide and Smooth - Vines (No for ENB Light and No Pulsating Vines)
Prolonged Longboat Prong Unlonged
Subdivide and Smooth Sovngarde Brazier
Cave Brazier
Subdivide and Smooth Falmer Drip
Ratway Well Consistefyer
Glorious Giant Clutter and Fixes Vanilla Paths
Noteworthy Trees Uniquefied (both files)
Prime FireWood
Shavings of Sawdust 1k
Fish Rack
Glorious Grainmills (first main file)
Disabling of Decals - Forgotten Vale (No Decals version)
The Business Ledger HD
Thalmor Embassy - Texture variance - Bug fixes - Proper LOD (Full Suite)
Subdivide and Smooth - Storm Atronachs
Drift Material Fixes
Remove Ash Pebbles (Drift Material Fixes version file)
Scrubbing Off Spunk (all three files)
Soul Cairn Fissures and Craters redone - With swirls (No to Parallax and ENB Light)
Solitude Rock Arch LOD Fix (By force)
Scattered Embers Mesh and Position Fix (No ENB Light file)
Scaffolding Over Sovngarde - Collision Overhaul - Corrective Kinetics (High Poly file)
Better Karstaag Skull Wall
Better Effigy of King Olaf (main file and optional retexture file)
Falmer Rag Animation and Texture Fix
Stretching Hoes Fix
Subdivide and Smooth with complementary mesh fixes - Hagraven
HFs Spit and Hanging Bones 4k
Subdivide and Smooth - Bandit Poles
The Smallest Windhelm Mesh Fix
OSHA-Compliant Sovengarde Mesh Fixes
Better Wine Labels (Vanilla Version)
Halffaces Noble End Tables AIO 1k
HF’s Upper Nightstand - BOS 1k
Halffaces Diverse (BOS) noble chair (Lite) 1k
Halffaces Trapdoor Ladders AIO 1k
Halffaces Mine Entrance Real 3D 2k
Halffaces - Diverse Wooden Bowl (BOS) Lite (2k)
Halffaces - Diverse (BOS) Wooden Plate (4k)
INI Tweaks for Halffaces’ BOS Mods
Higher Poly Vanilla Alchemy Stations - Clutter
Lore Friendly Wooden Swords Replacers (first main file)
Lore Friendly Wooden Swords Replacers - Corrected UVs
Smaller Firewood Piles (for Vanilla)
Water In Wells - Mesh Only Animated Wells (keep No Parallax for all options)
Water In Wash Basins
Wash Basin Retexture- Wood Fine Dark 1k
Wash Basin Variants - Base Object Swapper (main file)
Higher Poly Wolfskull Altar
Alchemy Station Variants - Base Object Swapper (1, Continuous Swap Non ENB)
Higher Poly Vanilla Dragons
Eyes of the World-Eater
Blood (Green) Dragon Texture Fix
Higher Poly Vanilla Dragon Skeleton and Bone Clutter
Smaller Goblets Cups and Jugs - Base Object Swapper
Higher Poly Vanilla Eldergleam Roots
Higher Poly Vanilla Gildergreen
Upper Class Longhouse - BOS (main BOS file and FYX Patch)
Upper Class Farmhouse - Base Object Swapper
Whiterun Stables Details
Bigger Fishing Rods for CC Fishing
Higher Poly Vanilla Windcaller Tomb and Horn
Higher Poly Vanilla Mage Statue
FYX - Jarl Longhouse - Consistent Interior (both files)
Unique Farmhouse Architecture - Falkreath BOS (first main file, then the Upper Class Farmhouse and Upper Class Longhouse Patch files, and the FYX patch file)
Unique Farmhouse Architecture - Dawnstar BOS (first main file, then the Simplicity of Snow Patch, Upper Class Farmhouse and Upper Class Longhouse Patch files, and the FYX patch file)
Blacksmith Workbench Variants - Base Object Swapper
Horn Candle Variants BOS (main file and STAC patch file)
Basic Knife and Fork Retexture Iron
Kettle and Cauldron Retexture 1k
Higher Poly Vanilla Cauldrons
Vanilla Plus Orc Furniture
Higher Poly Vanilla Noble Furniture (Vanilla, Rally’s Thrones, and the SMIM Chairs Patch)
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Noble Furniture
Higher Poly Vanilla Oil Lamp Trap Embers XD
Higher Poly Vanilla Wall Baskets
Higher Poly Vanilla Cave Lamps
Better Bellows - Blacksmith Forge Mesh Improvements (Vanilla)
Blacksmith Forge and Anvil Variants - Base Object Swapper (Vanilla)
High Poly Whiterun City Wall Spikes
Higher Poly Whiterun Guard Tower Spikes
Nordic Ruins Rubble Pile - Mesh Improvement (second file)
Wood Wall Trap Mesh and UV Fix
Better Ladder UV Mapping (both files)
Pleasing Polygon Increase - High Hrothgar Braziers
Pleasing Polygon Increase - Whiterun Farm Fences
High Poly Creep Clusters (But Not Too High)
Kanjs - Bird Nests and Eggs 1k
Diverse Bird’s Nests - Base Object Swapper
Diverse Catches - Base Object Swapper Fish Racks
Pigeons
Windhelm Fence 3D
Unique Eastmarch Windhelm Bridges
Riften Temple Sconce Fix
Sconces of Solitude
Sconces of Skyrim - Markarth and Dwemer Brazier Improved
High Poly Dark Elf Furniture
Stones of Solitude - Better Blended Rock Piles
Shaders of Solthsteim - Ash and Moss (also get the Parallax file)
Spiders of Solthsteim - Transparency Fix
High Poly Soul Husks
High Poly Canticle Tree
A Canticle Tree
SPID NPC Trap Safety
High Gate Ruins Puzzle Reset Fix
Labyrinthian Shalidor’s Maze Fixes
Shadows Of Sunlight - In Small Exterior World Spaces
Riekling Barrels SMIM
No Sunlight Through Mountains
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Farm Mills
Whiterun Objects SMIMed - Dragonsreach Stairs - And Some Other Stairs Too
Windhelm Bridge Stairs (Vanilla)
Windhelm Fake Windows Fix (main file)
FYX - Imperial Doors Collisions SMIM
FYX - Hrothgar Steps Collisions (main file)
Ships On The Horizon - Animated
Subtleties of Skyrim - Red Mountain Lava - Distant Ships - Vvardenfell Mushroom (main file)
Random Barrel Roll - Base Object Swapper
Diverse Cairn Banners - Base Object Swapper
Wizkid Signs (choose the Moveable By The Wind, No Snow Under The Roof, and Interesting NPCs options)
Wizkid Specific Signs
Carriage and Ferry Travel Overhaul
CFTO - Fixes and Winterhold
CFTO Companions Radiant Quest Fix
Real Clouds SE
Stockades of Skyrim 3D
FYX - 3D Farmhouse Walkway (SMIM and Round Posts file)
Taller Posts for Farmhouse Walkways (the non Parallax file)
FYX - 3D Shack Kit Roofs (both files)
FYX - 3D Shack Kit Walls - Collision
Touch Of Detail - Shack Meshes
Static Swaps Variety - Practice Dummies (and get the DTA patch)
Training Dummies Retexture 2k (get the Rain Barrel Fix file too)
Archery Target Retexture 2k (also download the 2k mesh file)
Static Swaps Variety - Odds and Ends
Falkreath Gravestone Diversity - Base Object Swapper
FYX - Smooth Wells (get the Smooth Wells - Water In Wells file)
Vanilla VIP doors full 3D SE Less Shine
Antique 3D Sliding Doors SE
Wall Shelves SE
3D Medieval Ventilation Grille SE
Vanilla Immersion Mortar SE
My Roadsigns Are Beautiful - English (2-1k Weathered Dirty version)
Ryn’s Dragon Mounds Collection AIO
Ryn’s Standing Stones AIO (also get the Interesting NPCs file)
Ryn’s Anise’s Cabin
Ryn’s Alchemist’s Shack
Ryn’s Bleak Falls Tower
Ryn’s Bleak Falls Barrow
Ryn’s Bleakwood Basin (get the USSEP Patch as well)
Ryn’s Farms
Ryn's Faendal's House
Ryn’s Hod and Gerdur’s House
Ryn’s Sven and Hilde’s House
Ryn’s Alvor and Sigrid’s House
Ryn’s Karthspire
Ryn’s Secunda’s Kiss
Ryn’s Ustengrav
Ryn’s Halted Stream Camp
Ryn’s White River Watch
Ryn’s Standing Stones - Farms AIO Patch
Ryn’s Riverwood Patch Collection (in the Installer, tick At Your Own Pace - Thieves Guild options)
Ryn’s Whiterun City Limits
Ryn’s Broken Tower Redoubt
Ryn’s Lund’s Hut
Ryn’s Saarthal (get the Vanilla boss fight file)
Ryn’s Golden Glow Estate
Ryn’s Robber’s Gorge
Ryn’s Valtheim Towers
Ryn’s Lumber Mills
Ryn’s Skyrim Official Patch Hub (get the second and third Main files)
No Snow Under The Roof (autoclean with SSEEdit)
NSUTR Fixes (both files)
Fluffy Snow
Simplicity of Snow
Blended Roads - Simplicity of Snow Patch
Icy Mesh Remaster
Snowy Landscapes In Snowy Regions (Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods in the installer)
Snowy Roads For Snowy Regions
Snowy Ships For Snowy Regions (get the Simplicity of Snow main file, select Realistic Boat Bobbing SE, No Snow Under The Roof, and USSEP options in the installer)
Snowy Carts For Snowy Regions (choose the CFTO option in the installer)
Stretched Snow Begone Definitive Edition - Stretched Snow On Walls and Buildings Fix (main file, then the last two update files)
Riverwood Smelter
Rally’s Thrones 2k
Rally's City Roofs 2k AIO
Flora
Cathedral Landscapes (choose Grass Only in the installer)
Bent Pines II (also install the Bent Pines II Navmesh file)
Immersive Fallen Trees
Immersive Fallen Trees Patch
Gildergreen Regrown
Falling Gildergreen Petals SE
Evil Dead Trees - Dying Trees In Evil Places (Base Object Swapper version)
Wiseman303’s Flora Fixes - Revamped (main file and SMIM patch file)
No More Glowing Vibrant Thistle and Textures SSE
No More Dead Shrub (seriously, get the third file)
Insignificant Object Remover (the performance gain from this is significant! Even if we just removed the dead shrubs with the previous mod, select Full and No Thickets in the installer anyway as I've found this is the only way to ensure maximum coverage and the mod functioning as intended)
Remove Small Rocks (main file)
Less Vanilla Trees (main file and update file. In the installer, choose the 50% option)
Remove Floating Beehives
Mari's Flora (Low, because it’s 1k)
Mari's Flora Texture Tweaks
Fixed Lighting for Deathbell and Dragons Tongue for Maris Flora
High Quality Ivy BOS
Vine Maple Redone (1k main file and alternative Snowy file)
Forgotten Vale Dead Snow Bush to Snow Maple - Base Object Swapper (second file)
Less Ugly Tundra Grass
Renthals Reach Mountain Moss (Desaturated)
Rally’s Hanging Moss (Desaturated)
Cathedral 3D Tundra Shrubs
Cathedral 3D Stonecrop
Cathedral 3D Snowberries (get the Green and Variegated file)
Cathedral Snowberries - Inventory - Wreath - Hearthfires Planter
Subtypes of Snowberries - Base Object Swapper
Cathedral 3D Thistle
Cathedral 3D Tundra Cotton
Cathedral 3D Lavender (Vanilla size file)
Edmond's Nature Series - Mountain Flowers Ultra HD Retexture (main file)
Cathedral 3D Solstheim Grass
Cathedral 3D Sword Ferns
Cathedral Mushrooms
High Poly Solthsteim Mushroom Trees
High Poly Blackreach Mushrooms
Aetherium Falmer Cave Ceiling Glow
Blackreach Tentacle Mesh Fix
Animated Tentacles for the Glowing Mushrooms
Cathedral 3D Clover Plant (Hybrid 3D)
Cathedral 3D Vanilla Eastmarch Grass
Mora Tapinella 2k
Better Blended Mushrooms
KG’s Elves Ear
KG’s Frost Mirriam
No More Ugly Branches
Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods
Landscape Seam Fixes
Rudy HQ - Falling Leaves and Needles (get the For Vanilla file)
Bright Falling Leaves Fix
Generic Grass Limiter (main file and Vanilla Military Camps file)
No Grass In Objects (get the 1.5.97 file)
No Grass In Caves
Skyrim Is Windy (the default value is 5.0 in the ini. If you’d like to change this, right click on the mod in MO2 > Open in Explorer > open the SkyrimIsWindy.ini and set it to a lower value. I like 2.0)
Snowy Surfaces Sound Collision and Aesthetics (select Simplicity of Snow and Vanilla Standard Meshes)
Grass Sampler Fix
Realistic High Altitude Tree Line
Flora Additions - Waterplants
TMD The Rift Leaves 1k
Edmond’s Official Unique Flowers and Plants SSE
Spiky Grass Mesh Improvements (first optional file, 75%)
Smaller Cathedral 3D Plants (Base Object Swapper main file, then the Subtypes of Snowberries Patch file)
Shrubs Resized - Base Object Swapper
RUDL - Removing Unpleasant Details from Logs (both files)
Vanilla Forest Logs Pruned (second main file and optional file)
A Quality World Map (Classic with All Roads)
Luminosity - A Quality World Map Compatibility Patch
Water
Natural Waterfalls
FYX Water Optimization (first file)
Simplicity of Sea (in the installer, choose Include Water Tweaks)
Green Water Cubemap Fix
FYX - Water Splash (Vanilla)
Water Effects Brightness and Reflection Fix
TB’s Better Foam
Landscape and Water Fixes (in the installer, select Missing Lights Fixes and v.1.5.97 esm)
Improved River Sound (Softer Version)
Effects
Soaking Wet - Character Wetness Effect
Dust Effects by HHALEYY
TB’s Improved Dust Particles
Dusty Vampire Dust
Deadly Spell Impacts
El Sopa HD Dirt Blast (1k)
Really Seriously Improved Sparks
No Glow On Civil War Rubble
Dandelion Seeds (first main file)
Smoking Torches and Candles Classic (Classic and Optimized in the installer)
Less Visually Obtrusive Cloak Spell Effects
TB’s Improved Smoke (1k Lighter version and Water Wheel Patch in the installer)
Enchantment Art Extender (first main file for the moment)
Enchantment Art Extender for Skyrim 1.5
Vibrant Weapons EAE
Vibrant Weapons EAE - Updated Config
Player Spell (and Weapon) Lighting (main file and Mysticism patch)
Flesh FX
Lightning VFX
Frost VFX
Healing VFX
Summoning VFX
Rudy Fix for Smoke
Frozen Electrocuted Combustion
Northfire’s Skidmarks 2k (and optional file)
Rain Extinguishes Fires
Rain Extinguishes Fires NG
Vanilla Ice Adjusted
Hearthfire Has Snow (Both file)
Snow Statics Consistency
Sriders Blank Nif
Hot Lava Distortion
Fire Halo Remover
Pressure Plate Trap Blending
Dynamic Things Alternative - Base Object Swapper
Wet and Cold SE
True Storms - Wet and Cold Compatibility (choose Standalone and to install the Optional Add On)
Wet and Cold - HD Textures
Refined Water Droplets Replacer for Wet and Cold (second main file, and optional file)
Ultimate HD Fire Effects SSE (Medium resolution file)
Animated Forge Water
FYX - Campfire Reacts to the Wind (main file and SMIM file)
TB’s HD Cubemaps
Clothes, Weapons, & Armour
Armor Mesh Fixes (main file, Steel Armor Fix file, and Orcish Environment Map Fix file)
Armor Variants Expansion (main file, Hide Normal Fix, and CCOR Patch)
Practical Female Armors AIO
El Sopa Shields Redone 2k
ElSopa - Quivers Redone SE 2k
El Sopa Quivers Resized (10%)
Cloaks and Capes
Cloaks of Skyrim Retextured 2k (and the Mesh Update file)
Cloaks of Skyrim Retextured SE - Female Mesh Patch
Wet and Cold - Cloaks and Capes Replacer
Common Clothes and Armors (2k)
Dynamic Armor Variants
Dynamic Armor Variants for Skyrim 1.5
Digitigrade Beast Races for Skyrim
Digitigrade Beast Races DAV
FranklyHD Nightingale Armor (2k in the installer)
FranklyHD Imperial Armor 2k
FranklyHD Shrouded Armor
Frankly HD Dawnguard Armor
Sanctified Steel (main file)
Dawnguard Weapons Are Silver (both files)
Diverse Dragon Priests (main file and Full optional file)
Diverse Dragon Priests 2k
Unique Uniques SE Re-Ported (choose the Unique Uniques WACCF option)
JS Unique Utopia SE - Daggers (2k)
Kanjs - Blade of Woe (2k)
Armor Variants Patch Collection (auto-detect patcher)
La Femme Lycana
Rustic Clothing 2k
Child Dress Replacer - Vanilla Replacer
JS Knapsacks SE 2k (in the installer, choose the Wet and Cold option)
Unplayable Faction Armors SSE
Legacy of Ysgramor (main file, choose Replacement in the installer and also grab the second update file)
Legacy of Ysgramor Optimized Textures and Fixes (get the Fixes file and the Smaller Shields file)
Believable Weapons (in the installer, pick Full, Greatsword Scabbards, Believable Weapons for Stalhrim Replacer, Frankly HD Dawnguard and Imperial, and Sword of Jyggalag)
Combat, Magic, & Levelling
Custom Skills Framework (get the 1.5.97 file)
Mysticism - A Magic Overhaul
Mysticism - FleshFX Patch
Adamant - A Perk Overhaul
Scion - A Vampire Overhaul
Manbeast- A Werewolf Overhaul
Stormcrown - A Shout Overhaul
Same Sex Perks AIO
At Your Own Pace - Scion Patch
Piercing Expert Spells
Piercing Expert Spells (main file and Mysticism file)
Deadly Spell Impacts for Mysticism
Paraphernalia - End Of Life (both files)
Better Combat Escape SSE
Run For Your Lives
Dirt and Blood - Dynamic Visual Effects
Enhanced Blood Textures (main file, make sure to select the SPID compatible option in the installer)
No Camera Filters (second main file)
Fixed Body Collisions
Next-Gen Decapitations
Dismembering Framework (both files)
DF - Official Humanoid Asset Pack
DF - Official Creature Asset Pack (both files)
Wash That Blood Off 2
Player & NPCs
NPCs Wear Amulets of Mara
Married NPCs Wear Wedding Bands
Expressive Facial Animation - Female Edition
Expressive Facial Animation - Male Edition
Expressive Facegen Morphs
High Poly Head (this is the official Google Drive, get the v1.4 SE file and install manually in MO2. In the installer, pick Expressive Facegen Morphs, Expressive Facial Animation, and High Poly Vanilla Hair)
Vanilla Hair Remake (no physics main file and no physics NPC file)
High Poly Vanilla Hair
Vanilla Hair - Salt and Wind
Lovely Hair Colors for Salt and Wind
The Eyes of Beauty SSE (main file and Elves file)
The Eyes of Beauty - Vampire Eyes SSE
Eye Normal Map Fix SSE
Subtle Cube Eyemap
Universal Cured Serena Eye Fix
Smile In HD (main file)
Whiter Teeth For All SE
Argonian and Khajiit Teeth Fix SE
Closed Mouths for Orcs (High Poly Head)
Vanilla Makeup HD - HD Racial Colors and Makeup for all Races and Genders - SE
Lamenthia’s Marks of Beauty (2k)
Vanilla Warpaints Absolution (2k for all options in the installer)
Rutah’s Warpaint (2k main file)
Obi's Warpaints (both files)
Female Makeup Suite 2k
Beard Stubble
Beards Of Power - High Poly Head
Nordic Faces (First main file. As instructed by the author, choose to install FaceGeom and FaceTint. Then get the Textures and Body Meshes file and Nordic Face - Eye Cubemap files too)
Immersive World Encounters
Immersive World Encounters - A High Poly Overhaul
Complete NPC Overhaul - Argonians (main file and Save The Dark Brotherhood file)
Project ja-Kha'jay- Khajiit NPC Diversity Overhaul (main file, Select Expressive FaceGen Animations and USSEP in the installer)
Fluffy Iron Armors (second main file and 4k Textures)
Face Masks Of Skyrim
Dunmeri Ghosts - Dunmeri Gear
Sleeves for Guards - USSEP
Climate Aware Stormcloaks (main file)
Handicapped Citizens
Detailed NPCs - Bandages for NPCs
Detailed NPCs - Equipped Spell Tomes for NPCs
Detailed NPCs - Scarves for NPCs
Detailed NPCs - Fingerless Gloves
Detailed NPCs - Fishing Gear
Fishermen Fish
Mead Keg Backpack SE
Mead Keg Backpack to NPCs - SPID
Detailed NPCs - Skull Headdresses for NPCs SPID
Slof’s Fluffy Khajiit Tails SSE
Hold Guards Keep Armor SE
Faction Specific Loot - Eagles of Alinor (main file, then the WACCF and Encounter Zones files)
Faction Specific Loot - Children of the All-Maker
Faction Specific Loot - Blades of Mephala (get the WACCF patch as well)
The Jarl’s Household Guards
The Redoran Council Guard
Imperial Honor Guard - No Hadvar (main file and optional file)
Civil War Officer Corps (main file, followed by the USSEP Patch)
Blade of Solstheim - Teldryn Sero NPC Overhaul
Knowledge Is Power - Urag gro-Shub NPC Overhaul
Citizens of Morthal - Morthal NPC Overhaul
The Way Of The Voice - Greybeard NPC Overhaul
Immersive Details
Interesting NPCs (main file and update file)
Nordic Faces - Interesting NPCs
Interesting NPCs Infinite Loading Screen Freeze Fix - Snapleg Cave - Rift Watchtower
Populated Cities, Towns, and Villages SE
Less Dragons SSE (use your AFK Mods account to download this file. It doesn’t touch scripted or Word Wall dragon attacks, it just reduces the random ones. I recommend using the 20% uncommon occurrence chance option, so go to Plugins in MO2 to make sure only this one is selected)
After The Civil War - Siege Damage Repairs
Extended Encounters (ESL file)
Sleeping Expanded - Animations and NPC Reactions
Go To Bed (get the 1.5.97 file)
Use Those Blankets
Blowing In The Wind (in the installer select Skyrim Special Edition and the SMIM options, the rest will autodetect)
Blowing In The Wind Lite (moveable lanterns with Base Object Swapper) (both main files)
Benches of Skyrim
Nocturnal Moths (select Blowing In The Wind and Blowing In The Wind Lite)
Catches Cook On Campfires - Base Object Swapper
Cooking In Kettles On Campfires - Base Object Swapper
Scallions of Skyrim - High Polygon Leeks
Sensible Bribes - Based On Speechcraft Not Level
Delphine’s Map Reveals Dragon Mounds
Modern Brawl Bug Fix
Courier Delivers To NPCs
Scared Of Shootings -NPCs React To Aiming Bows
Universal Unwanted Effects Clearer
World Encounter Hostility Fix - Performance Version
No Force For Illusion Spells
Shouting Obliterates Skeletons
Press E To Heal Followers
Jorrvaskr - No More Silverware - Base Object Swapper
FYX - Windhelm Docks Entrance Consistency
Windhelm Entrance Offset Fix BOS
Animated Clutter SE
Vampires Have Claws
Septim Not Gold (Weightless file)
Orc Strongholds Use Orcish (also get the Cracked Tusk Keep file)
Immersive War and Violence (autoclean with SSEEdit)
Heal Injured Guards
Mourning Restored
Undead FX (first two main files)
Immersive Death Cycle (download Undead FX Addon too)
Flies Around Corpses
Forsworn Brutality (get the ESPFE file)
Flying Crows SSE
Uderfrykte Replacer
Uderfrykte Replacer - Optimized Textures
Mummified Animals
Mummified Animals Collision Fixes
More Hircinic Aspects of Hircine
More Hircinic Aspects of Hircine - Optimized Textures 2k
Crows and Ravens
Crows and Ravens - Optimized Textures 2k
Nocturnal’s Birds Replacer
Nocturnal’s Birds Replacer - Cleaned and Optimized Textures
Roasted Cow Replacer
Roasted Cow Replacer - Optimized Textures 2k
Mammoth Expansion
Mammoth Expansion - Cleaned and Upscaled Textures 2k
Mihail Mammoth Expansion Fluffy
Mihail Mammoth Expansion Ryn's Whiterun City Limits Patch
House Cats Diversified (get the No Head Tracking version main file, as well as the No Collars optional file)
Chickens and Chicks
Chickens and Chicks - Optimized Textures (2k, also get the Fluffy Patch)
Roosters (2k)
Talkative Dragon Priests (get the ESP file)
Talkative Falmers
Talkative Wispmothers
Talkative Hagravens
Talkative Spriggans
Talkative Storm Atronachs
Talkative Flame Atronachs
Whale Bones on Coasts
Whiterun Watchtower Doesn’t Start Broken
Simple Horse SE (Once you're in the game, wait a minute or two for MCM to register this new menu. Then, find Simple Horse in the MCM and tick the "Followers Ride" option)
Immersive Patrols (the Main version file)
Imperial Tents Animated (get the No Collision file too)
Small Nordic Tent - Animated (get the No Collision first optional file too)
Falmer Huts - Animated
Bards College Teachers New Clothing (SPID)
Stable Masters New Clothing SE (SPID)
Ferrymen New Clothing SE (get the CFTO and the CFTO Fixes files)
Carriage Drivers New Clothing SE (get the CFTO file)
The Raven of Raven Rock SE (use the ESL file)
Follower Trap Safety
I’m Walkin’ Here
I’m Talkin’ Here
Rich Skyrim Merchants
Shame of Skyrim (Distributes over 200 different notes randomly to bandits, necromancers, warlocks and more! Enhances immersion by humanizing NPCs)
The Clever Prisoner
Striding Silt Strider
Bandit Lines Expansion (also get the Dark Elf Voices and Werebeasts Don’t Talk files)
Civil War Lines Expansion
Forsworn and Thalmor Lines Expansion
Vampire Lines Expansion (get the Orc addon file too)
Extended Guard Dialogue (also get the Dawnguard VA Fix file)
Dialogue Expansion - Windhelm
Wizkid Hunter’s Camp Overhaul (2k)
Fur Tent 4k Retexture (both files)
Lively Farms (tick Ryn’s Farms patches in the installer)
Skyrim Is Cold (also get the Ferryman New Clothes file)
Solitude Interiors Mesh Fixes (main file)
Jorrvaskr Basement Floor Seams Fix (main file)
Edmond and Rudy’s Atrocious Riften Texture Fix SE
Vanilla Plus Riften Entrance
Riften Canals Rounded
Wizkid Pinewatch
Wizkid Pavo’s House (first main file)
Wizkid Sepolcri - A Complete Burial Sites Overhaul (main file)
Wizkid Icy Windhelm
Windhelm Fake Windows Fix - Icy Windhelm Patch
Khajiit Has Wares - A Caravan Camp Overhaul
Khajit Has Wares Tents Animated
YOT -Your Own Thoughts
Market Stalls Animated
Vendor Carts Animated
Shoppers Of Skyrim
Collision Dialogue Overhaul
Pinecones
Winterhold College Gate Glow Restored - Cut Content Restoration
College of Winterhold - Glowing Symbols
Unique Wooden Bridges - Base Object Swapper
Diverse Dogs
Unique Barbas Retexture
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Aela The Huntress
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Aranea Ienith
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Borgakh the Steel Heart
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Brelyna Maryon
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Camilla Valerius
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Erik the Slayer
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Faendal
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Illia
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Jenassa (main and Dark Brotherhood optional file)
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Jordis the Sword-Maiden
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Lydia
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Mjoll the Lioness
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Rayya
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Roggi Knot-Beard
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Uthgerd the Unbroken
Follower Dialogue Expansion - Ysolda
Serena Dialogue Addon
Serena Dialogue Addon Patch Hub (I’m Glad You’re Here, NPCs Wear Amulets of Mara, and Cure Serena Quest Plus options will be auto-detected in the installer)
Serena Hood Fix with Animation
More To Say (Merged file, and Sissels Book Quest patch)
Immersive Skyforge Addon
Don’t Send Me There Again
No Crime Teleport
JS Unique Utopia - Rings 2k
Dialogue Expansion - Shor’s Stone
Riften Dialogue Expansion
Dialogue Expansion - Imperial Soldiers
Brawl Lines Expansion and Fixes
Narrative Gameplay Consistent Dialogue Tweaks (also get the Brawl Lines Expansion and The Choice Is Yours patch files)
Extended Bandit Dialogue
Falmer Servant Lines Expansion (all three files)
Simple Fishing Overhaul - Animations and Improved Quest Dialogue
Carriages and Stables Dialogue Bundle (get the CFTO patch too)
Immersive Speech Dialogues
NPCs React to Frenzy
NPCs React to Invisibility
NPCs React to Necromancy (And More)
Immersive Rejections
Misc Dialogue Edits (check the At Your Own Pace - Misc option in the installer)
More Dialogue Options (check the At Your Own Pace - Thieves Guild option in the installer)
Unique Region Names
Regional Save Names
Dragon Voiced Word Walls
JK’s Raven Rock
For a wonderful sense of immersion, we’ll install Environs, which breathes more life into Skyrim as the months pass and makes it seem as if the world is responding dynamically to events!
Environs - Master Plugin
Environs - Abandoned Abodes
Environs - Hoggar’s House
Environs - Riften Warehouse
Environs - The Shrines of Talos
Environs - Kolskeggr
Environs - Whiterun Watchtower Doesn’t Stay Broken (also get the patch file for Whiterun Watchtower Doesn’t Start Broken)
Environs - The Greenwood Shack
Environs - The Ruined Tundra Farmhouse
Civil War Battlefields (also get the USSEP file)
Military Camps Begone
Animals Swim (Sort Of)
Frogs (1k)
Sea Turtles (1k)
Slaughterfish Eggs Are Eggs (also get the Alternate Egg file)
Immersive Winterhold Jail (additionally get the No CC Assets file)
Immersive Courier (Vanilla)
Windhelm Lighthouse SSE
Wizkid - Hall of the Dead Stained Glass Windows
Wizkid Fixed Highpoly Nordic Metal Grate (main file)
Fjori and Holgeir In Sovngarde
Ulfric…Tullius…Give Me A Break
DVA - Dynamic Vampire Appearance
Ultimate Mannequin Fix and Overhaul
Cooking Pots SMIMed BOS
Store Entrance Doorbells
More Tavern Idles SSE (Compatibility Version file)
Closing Time
College Students SE (ESL file)
HFs Whiterun Temple Bench Remodel
Northern Vanilla Farmhouses (SMIM Non Parallax, and the Patches FOMOD – choose Non Parallax FYX 3D Walkways x Round Posts with SOS patch, and Simplicity of Snow)
Unique Northern Vanilla Farmhouses BOS (Snowy, ensure you’ve chosen the No Parallax Options in the installer)
Slightly Better Nordic Henges BOS
Slightly Better Rock Cairns (main file and Update File 1.3 Alt)
Slightly Better Evil Rock Cairns (main file and Texture Patch file)
Unique Wooden Bridges - High Quality Ivy Addon BOS (Both Bridges file)
SD's Farmhouse Fences (Version 1, 2k and also the Version 1 Slightly Desaturated 2k Optional file)
Diverse Farm Fences BOS
Less Repetitive Farmhouse Stonewalls - No Parallax SOS
Less Repetitive Farmhouse Woodwalls (and also the No Para UV file)
More Silver and Dwemer Kitchenware BOS (main file, and the WACCF-CCOR Patch file)
Jankevdv's 2K Archery Targets (2k in the installer)
Diverse Archery Targets BOS (More Targets main file, and the DTA Patch file)
Wall Mounted Dead Animals Fixes (Bears of the North version)
Fluffy Wall Mounted Dead Animals (Bears of the North main file)
Snazzy Wall Mounted Trophies BOS (also get the DTA Patch file)
Fluffy Hanging Rabbits SMIM
Actually Useful Butter Churns BOS
TMD Jars of Skyrim (Non ENB file, comes with autodetect patcher so just install)
Slightly Better Honey In A Jar BOS
Fluffy Beds and Bedrolls (Non Rudy Misc version)
Fluffy Hanging and Floor Pelts
Northern Scenery - Ysgramor’s Tomb
Northern Scenery - Bleak Falls Barrow
Northern Scenery - Angarvunde
Northern Scenery - Ansilvund
Northern Scenery - IronBind Barrow
Watchman’s Whiterun Hold - Secondary Locations
Watchman’s Guldun Rock
Watchman’s Redoran’s Retreat
Watchman’s Drelas’ Cottage
Solitude Towers Flags SSE (ESP file)
Dovahnique’s Diverse Dark Elf Lanterns BOS (get the Nocturnal Moths file)
Dunmeri Furniture In Gray Quarter
Rest For The Weary - Better Beds In Whiterun Temple
Travelers of Skyrim SSE (get the Vanilla main file and the Dragonborn Addon)
Skyrim Trading Posts Remastered SSE
Solstheim Trading Posts
Regional Merchants - Stalls of Skyrim (main and update files)
Regional Merchants - Stalls of Skyrim Voiced
NPCs Visit Regional Merchants SPID
Shouts Of Stall Holders
Arch-Curate Vyrthur Revoiced
Interesting Roads
Unique Towns BOS (both files)
Unique Towns - Retextured
Unique Towns - Addon
Unique Towns - Nordic Jarl Longhouses
Black Briar Banners (I like the Woven Edition)
Casual Skyrim
Ideal NPC Bumping (main file)
Skip Vampire Lord Tutorial
Bury Sinderion
Call Follower (ESL)
Auto Sleep For Me Now (main file)
Sit For Me Now
Wedding Outfit Commission
Wedding Guests Wear Fine Clothes (SPID)
Better Skyrim Parties (choose the AIO - Interesting NPCs version in the installer, and select USSEP and Complete NPC Overhaul - Argonians)
Better Hearthfire Intro Letter
Better Thieves Guild Caches
Find Those Jewelry (first main file)
Skyrim Children Refine
Hearthfire Multiple Adoptions
Adoptable Beast Children
Cheeky Kids
Quit It With The Bullying Braith (full version)
Stop Being Mean To Me I Saved Your Daughter
Arcadia Stop (Confidently Correct file)
Bear Beats Dragon - Civil War Aware Banners In Solitude (second main file)
Missing In Action - Skyforge Steel Reward
Oh S___ Not You Again
Mage Robes For Challengers SPID
College Ghosts College Robes
Aranea of the Temple SPID
Aranea Intro Dialogue Tweak
The Red Wave Fix
Better Docks
Animated Ships
Animated Ships - Finer Sails
Riften Docks Overhaul
Animated Ships Patches AIO (choose Better Docks and Ryns Farms patches in the installer)
Realistic Boat Bobbing (all three files)
Realistic Boat Bobbing Patch Hub (get the Better Docks, CFTO, No Snow Under The Roof, Riften Dock Overhaul, and USSEP patch files)
Realistic Boat Bobbing - Row Boats (NSUTR and CFTO patches in the installer)
Blue Retching Netch
Tiber Septim Room Improvement
Nelacar Room Improvement (first main file)
Bust of Tiber Septim
Bust of Tiber Septim Expanded
The Jagged Crown Tweaks
Ulfric and Elisif Wear The Jagged Crown (get the Stand Version USSEP file)
Relaxed Vendors
Whistling In Skyrim
Cough In Your Hands Not My Face (get the main file, followed by the Hotix file, then get the 50% Idle Chance File)
Touch of Detail - Shack Doors (main file)
Touch of Detail - Chicken Coops
Static Swaps Variety - Fishing Poles
Static Swaps Variety - Festival Flags SMIM
Static Swaps Variety - Imperial Moss
Plant Size Variety
Simplicity of Settlements - Dragonbridge
Simplicity of Settlements - Morthal
Cozy Dragonsreach Balcony
Hammerfell-Themed Amren’s House
Mehrunes Dagon's Unique Shrine - Shrine Objects Swapped
Better Atronach Forge Offering Box
Dwemer Water Wheels
Better Forgotten Vale Portal Textures
Grain Mill Animation Fix
Stuff of Shadows
Logical Mzark Puzzle
A Shrine Of Azura at The Shrine of Azura
El Sopa Safe and Strongbox Redone
JS Purses and Septims
Stacks of Septims - 3D Gold Pile
Fish Plaque Fixes and Improvements
Scorching Of Skeevers
Skyrim Objects SMIMed - Warmaidens Holes
Riften Plaza Well - 3D Trellis - Water In Wells
3D Whiterun Trellis
3D Whiterun Trellis Improved
3D Whiterun Trellis Expanded (wood and Solitude optional file)
Better Floors - Whiterun
SMIM Barrel Expansion
Floating Ash Pile Fix
Unique Markarth Doors
3 Vane Fletching for Ebony Arrows
Falkreath Pinewatch Bandit Bridge - Dead Bandits Don't Trigger Trap
Amon’s Graveyards Addon
Lavinia’s Memorial
For the following Graveyard files, make sure to check the Complete Navmesh options (when available), along with the Sepolcri and USSEP options:
Skaal Burial Site Graveyard
Karthwasten Burial Site Graveyard
Shor’s Stone Burial Site Graveyard
Dawnstar Burial Site Graveyard
Kynsegrove Burial Site Graveyard
Winterhold Burial Site Graveyard (both files)
Dragon Bridge Burial Site Graveyard
Riverwood Burial Site Graveyard - New Location
Markarth Cemetery Graveyard
Draugr Patrols and Cavalry
Draugr Patrols and Cavalry - Optimized Textures 2k
Quaint Chapels of Skyrim
Solitude Skyway
Drengin’s Blue Palace Terrace SE Renewed
Drengin’s Blue Palace - Mesh Only Replacer
Blue Palace Windows Fix (both files)
Better Blue Palace Courtyard SSE
Mrf's Solitude Unique Interior 2k
Blue Palace Terrace patch Collection (Mari’s Flora)
Questing
At Your Own Pace (download all the main files, except Skyrim Unbound, and get the Patch file for College of Winterhold Quest Expansion)
Cult Of The World Eater
Stones of Barenziah Quest Markers
True Thane SE (download the Hearthfire patch as well)
Missives
Missives Notes Retexture
Missives - The Witcher Board HD
Missives - Quests Edits for Unique Missive Boards
Diverse Witcher Missives Boards BOS (second main file)
Missives - Notes Retexture Darkened
The Choice Is Yours
Infiltration Quest Expansion
Innocence Lost Quest Expansion
Save The Dark Brotherhood
Your Choices Matter - A Dark Brotherhood Expansion SSE (get the Save The Dark Brotherhood Patch file)
The Heart of Dibella Quest Expansion
The Whispering Door Quest Expansion (select the More To Say Option)
College of Winterhold Quest Expansion (also get the Easy Mode file)
College of Winterhold Quest Start Fixes
Caught Red Handed Quest Expansion (get the USSEP Patch too)
Narrative Gameplay Consistent Dialogue Tweaks - Caught Red Handed Patch
NGCDT - Solstheim Dunmer Dialogue
The Only Cure Quest Expansion
House of Horrors Quest Expansion
Nilheim Misc Quest Expansion
Paarthurnax Quest Expansion
Respect for the Arch Mage
Thieves Guild Master Recognition
Boethiah’s Calling - Alternate Questline
The Taste of Death Quest Addon
Mehrunes Dagon’s Shrine Unlocked - Pieces of the Past Alternate Ending
Sidequests of Skyrim
Sidequests of Skyrim Dialogue Patch
Bounties Are Worthwhile - Leveled Bounty Rewards
Whiterun Battle Brothers
Serena Cure Quest Plus
Andrealphus Scene Tweaks
World Eater Beater
World Eater Beater - No On Fire Fix
Final Patches & Optimization
QUASIPC - Qwinn’s Unified Automated Self Installing Patch Compendium
Mesh Patch for Various Mods (SMIM Really Blended Roads, Assorted Mesh Fixes, Skyrim Landscape and Water Fixes, SMIM Assorted Mesh Fixes Patch, SMIM Quality Addon Unofficial Material Fix Patch, and Unofficial Material Fix - Assorted Mesh Fixes Patch)
Vanilla Civil War Dialogue Fix
Unofficial Skyrim Modder’s Patch SE (main file)
Unofficial Skyrim Modder’s Patch SE - Patch Emporium (first main file)
Ruddy88 ESLify (This tool automatically detects plugins that are suitable to be flagged as ESL, allowing you to surpass the 256 plugin limit. Extract the .zip folder to the same folder where you have SSEEdit. Then add it as an executable to MO2 and run it, following the on-screen prompts. Only close the window when the tool indicates you can do so!)
Now it’s important to optimize Dovahlean for even better performance.
Lightened Skyrim - Base Object Swapper Edition
eFPS Boost
eFPS Boost Patches
Skyrim Tree LOD (Vanilla Skyrim LOD Billboards)
Congratulations on making it to the end of my Dovahlean modding guide!
After everything is done, take a moment to make sure you’ve done the following:
Activated all necessary Plugins in MO2
Sorted your load order with LOOT
Cleaned any outstanding “dirty” plugins flagged by LOOT with SSEEditQuickAutoClean
Ran Nemesis with all the necessary selections
Deleted your test saves so you can start a brand new game
Thank you for taking the time to consider Dovahlean, I hope you found it useful and have lots of fun playing Skyrim SE!!!