Exploring Skyrim is my personal modlist, started as a way to play Legacy of the Dragonborn while keeping immersion and role-play in mind, and developed into a more general overhaul of the game.
What this page has:
- instructions on specific tweaks you might need;
- flexibility: even if you don't like every single mod in the list, or have something else you want to add, I hope you can find some helpful idea by browsing this page; just keep an eye on what patches you should add or remove in each case;
- an optional NPC megapatch: since several mods edit NPCs for different purposes, I made an all-in-one patch for conflict resolution. Of course it only works if you're using all the mods involved (they'll be tagged in the list). If you use some, but not all of them, you're welcome to make your own patch (I found this guide really helpful), OR tell me what you need and I'll make a custom one to add to the downloadable files (I'm not making all possible combos from the start, but I am willing to upload different ones depending on requests).
What this page has NOT:
- an Ultimate Guide to Everything. There are better tutorials out there on how to install your game, fix the CK, make your LODs, etc. This is just for my chosen mods and how to make them work together;
- hardcore difficulty mods that turns Skyrim into a completely different game;
- all possible items supported by LotD; I picked those that fit more naturally in the game world, not everything in sight. Feel free to add more if you like.
On ported mods:
A few mods on this list come directly from Oldrim; when permissions were open, I ported them myself and you'll find them here in the file tab. In a few cases it wasn't possible, however, so if you want to use them you'll have to port them yourself for personal use. Here's the guide I used for porting; it explains terms I'll be using such as resaving plugins and optimizing meshes, too. I know a lot of people swear by Cathedral Asset Optimizer instead, so see what works for you.
A note on performance:
I play on a laptop, it has subpar performance with the vanilla game so I can't test much on that side. What I can tell is, I have this modlist installed (I picked the performance-friendly options whenever available) and I can play the game. So if your computer isn't literally flooded with an unusual amount of solanine, it should work. If you want more performance, the easiest thing is to skip the ENB (sigh), or at least tick off Ambient Occlusion. If you have a good machine you can look into shinier graphic enhancements, all good for you!
Now on the actual modlist...
SKSE64 ini pre-download for lazy users
Address Library for SKSE Plugins
SSE Engine Fixes - to instal, follow the direction on the mod page.
Optional - open EngineFixes.ini and set as follow:
* RegularQuicksaves = false -> RegularQuicksaves = true (to have quicksaves as regular saves)
* SleepWaitTime = false -> SleepWaitTime = true (to speed up the sleep/wait time)
.Net Script Framework
Bug Fixes SSE
Skyrim Particle Patch
Containers and Leveled Lists Fixes - Complete Loot Overhaul + patches for Cutting Room Floor and WACCF
Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes
Unofficial Material Fix + patch for Embers HD
Wood Elf - Male Hair Fix
Quest Conflict Fixes **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
(SKSE64) Havok fix - more relevant if you actually HAVE high FPS, I'm including mostly for completeness' sake
PrivateProfileRedirector SE
Scaleform Translation Plus Plus
Whose Quest is It Anyway
Yes I'm Sure
More Informative Console
Better Dialogue Controls
Alternate Conversation Camera
Optional: open the ini and set:
* bSwitchTarget=0 (so the camera does not switch back and forth every line)
* bLetterBox=0 (to disable the letterbox/black bars in conversation)
Fuz Ro D-oh - Silent Voice
Jaxonz Positioner Converted - download main file and the updated script to remove the annoying notification
Abandoned Prison Tweaks - for more customization
The Choice is Yours + Timing is Everything + Not So Fast - Main Quest + Not So Fast - Mage Guild- sick of being railroaded on doing everything at once, so that doing any side quest or casual RP becomes unrealistic? These mods together improve the timing of events and your ability to make choices
NARC Remade - No Animal Report Crime
In FOMOD pick the patch for Immersive Horses. Goats should not call the guards, neither should horses
Ash Pile Expiration - pick the duration you like better, your floor won't stay littered forever
Thugs not Assassins + patch for Timing is Everything
Thalmor do not Report Crime
Mum's the Word - remove the stolen tag from worthless objects you stole while unnoticed (it's not like an apple has its owner's name on it)
Guard Dialogue Overhaul
Hunters Not Bandits - pick the RDO version
Respect for the Arch-Mage - pick the RDO version
Respect for the Legate - ignore if you don't plan to join the Legion
Misc Dialogue Edits + More Dialogue Option - as for the latter, of course choose the version for Misc Dialogue Edits, plus download the Taking Care of Business Patch, it'll be useful later. These make a few small but precious tweaks so that several formerly ridiculous dialogues now make sense
More to Say - repurposes vanilla lines to expand NPC dialogue, adding depth without breaking character
Serana Dialogue Edit + Serana Dialogue Add-On - if you plan to play Dawnguard and hang out with Serana. NB these mods do not allow you to marry her, but they should be compatible with others that do. If you care you can look for those because I didn't.
WARP - World Asset Recycle Project - repurposes original content to give new depth to formerly neglected NPCs.Download patches for MRI Windhelm and The Choice is Yours, + WARP Patch Collection - USSEP Override and Armonizer patches, + the updated patch for LotD you can find here **Required by the NPC Megapatch** .
Rustic Mountains
Rally's Solstheim Landscapes
Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods - pick patches for Moon and Star and FOMOD installer for Arthmoor mods
Luminosity
Cathedral Weathers and Seasons + Cathedral Weathers MCM
ENB Helper
Lucid ENB - I picked Lucid because, of all the ENB presets for Cathedral Weathers, it has reasonably light interiors and nights, while some others were hard to navigate even tweaking the settings. It's also relatively light-weight and rather beautiful IMHO.
IMPORTANT:
- If, after adding the ENBinaries, you get the bug where some elven hairdos are floating in the air, you have to DISABLE the FixBlackHair feature
- if the snowy roads look wrong and plasticky, go to your skyrimprefs.ini and set: bEnableProjecteUVDiffuseNormals=1
These are common glitches but finding out the solution took me some time and sanity, I'm sharing the knowledge so you don't need to do the same.
Flora:
Cathedral Plants - almost a must-have since Cathedral Landscapes ignores the flowers, which end up looking rather sad by comparison
Cathedral Mushrooms
Rally's Solstheim Plants
Weapons, Armor and Clothing:
Rustic Clothing
Rustic Amulets
Comprehensive Sleeve Pack- Skyrim is cold, I'd rather not see too many people in armored tank tops.
AMidianBorn Book of Silence - Oldrim, see instructions
- ARMORS: in FOMOD, pick Custom and then anything you like EXCEPT Glass Variant and Different Ebony. Optimize meshes. NB Fur is covered by Rustic Clothing too, you can skip it or overwrite it.
- WEAPONS: in FOMOD, pick Custom and then anything you like EXCEPT Skyforge Weaposn. Then DELETE meshes folder
- DRAGONBORN DLC: find textures/actors/dlc02/ash folder and rename it as ashman. In the same place find stormatronachash folder and delete it.
- UNIQUE ITEMS: In FOMOD, you can skip the Dragon Priest Masks since there's another mod for that later. Delete the staffofmagnus subfolder in meshes.
+ AMidianBorn Blades Armor SSE Patch
Rustic Armors and Weapons
Architecture:
Rustic Windows
Rally's Tel Mithryn
Rally's Raven Rock
Furniture:
Rustic Furniture
Skyrim 3D Furniture - open in Explorer; delete everything EXCEPT: textures -> s3dfurniture -> common and farm subfolders; meshes -> furniture -> common and farm subfolders, commontableonebench, commontabletwobenches (it's a personal choise so you can experiment otherwise or skip it altogether; personally I like how it changes the commoners' furniture, not necessarily everything else)
Rustic Cooking
Rustic Alchemy and Enchanting Tables - Oldrim, texture works on SSE
Rugnarock
Peltapalooza
HD Embers - in FOMOD, pick: Embers HD (texture quality depending on your rig), Forges, Lava and Campfire addon, and by all means skip the fireplace addon (it'll mess with other interior overhauls, believe me you don't want that).
Clutter and Misc Packs:
Rustic Clutter Collection
Rustic Soul Gems - I use the unsorted version, I don't have other mods editing gems so the other *should* be okay too
Rustic Animated Potions and Poisons
ElSopa HD - Small Compilation Pack - (my pick: everything but the two amulets - Rustic already takes care of that - and Whiterun Streets)
ElSopa Campfire HD
Rally's All the Things - (my pick: clean broom, new vanilla draw knife, farming tools, default hook and saw, default honey pot, default 1k instruments, manhole of Solitude, blue embroidered pillow, SMIM compatible quill and inkwell, copper 1k Skeleton key, werewolf totems 2k-1k, default Kynareth mosaic, blackreach and glowing mushrooms 2k-2k, highland cow 2k, Dark Elf furniture)
Unique Items
Rustic Elderscroll
Rustic Azura's Star
ElSopa HD - ClavicusVile Mask
ElSopa HD - Meridias Beacon
JS Dragon Claws + patches - the patch you need is the Amethyst one
JS Barenziah SE
Landmarks:
Rustic Reliefs
ElSopa Carved Gildergreen
Apophysis Dragon Priest Masks
JS Shrines of the Divines
Signs, Banners etc
ElSopa Unique Hand Made Signs Overhaul
ElSopa Unique Hand Painted Road Signs
Sigils of Skyrim - both banners and shields
Creatures:
Bellyaches Animals and Creatures Pack
Bellyaches HD Dragon Replacer Pack
Rustic Daedra
Rustic Spriggans
Rustic Deadhound and Gargoyle
Kireina Skyrim SE - Human and Elf Facegen Overhaul
Vitruvia - Skin Texture Overhaul for Males
Women of Skyrim SSE - UNP file + Vanilla Body with UNP Textures
The Eyes of Beauty - all files
Hallgarth's Additional (Vanilla) Hair
More Realistic Hair - Oldrim, textures work on SSE
Superior Lore Friendly Hair - Oldrim, textures work on SSE - Rough version advised
Beards
Brows
Northborn Scars
FAR - Forgotten Argonian Roots - download manually; when you install it by MO, it'll tell you there is no data on top leve. Expland Female -> default body -> main texture; drag and drop onto <data> above; do the same with Male -> Better Male Bodies -> Textures; No Glow Skin -> Female -> Textures; and No Glow Skin -> Male -> Textures. Untick FAR - Forgotten Argonian Roots and click OK.
Coverkhajiits- both male and female files. Oldrim retexture, works on SSE
Vanilla Makeup HD
Vanilla Warpaints Absolution
No Heavy Muscular Walk and Idles - so the guys don't walk around with their arms weirdly apart
Rustic Children - a simple retexture for the kids. It's from Oldrim, but like mosy retextures it works on SSE (if you pick an option that includes meshes, however, you'll have to optimize them). NB - I'm aware there are children overhauls that make much more dramatic changes, however they require patches for each and every mod that adds children, and I can't promise those can cover the entire list.
Perseids Inns and Taverns - pick the complete version, it doubles as an overhaul of the interiors. In FOMOD, you need the patches for: 3dnpc, Keep it Clean, Alternate Start. Skip the custom idles (or try them at your own risk), at least in my game I ended up with people sitting in the air.
Minor fixes
- the Keep it Clean patch leaves a hole in the Frozen Hearth's floor, you can disable it in the console the first time you visit it;
- the mod was conceived for compatibility with Realistic Needs and Diseases, which is not in this list; if you find the useles barrels annoying, in ssedit you can delete the Ale Keg and Mead Keg under Activators (otherwise they do no harm, they are just useless).
Estate Agents download the ported version in the file section of this page. Then endorse the original work here. This mod adds "deeds of property" to the main general merchants, so you can "buy" all modded homes that are otherwise free. It's for RP purposes only, as you could still just enter said homes and call them your own, but it's a simple and brilliant solution for all those who can't stand free houses.**Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Experience - NB: - using Alternate Start means that, once you've picked your option, you'll be completeing a few quests very soon. You can keep Experience disabled if you don't want to level up too quickly - or you can enable it, and start roughly at level 3; - keep in mind that if you want to gain XP by killing NPCs, you need to add patches for NPCs added by mods (I don't use that option so I don't have instructions or custom patches though).
Train and Study
The Eloquent Reader - pick the Less XP addon, you're getting lots and lots of books with this list
Lock Overhaul - including the option to smash locks if you are a huge warrior type :)
Pickpocket 5ever - you don't need it if you don't plan to spend much time thieving, if you do however it's a must-have; it means you can keep on stealing from named characters instead of picking on guards for no in-game reason
Trua - Minimalistc Faiths of Skyrim
Wildcat - Combat of Skyrim - NB this is the only mod I'm using for difficulty and combat; the MCM options allow for a lot of customization, so you can make the game harder, easier, or just add more detailed effects to your attacks.
Convenient Carriages - in FOMOD, pick patches for Lanscape FIxes for Grass Mods and ETaC Complete Dawnsta (do NOT pick the one for Rorikstead, there's a different patch late), Storefront, Cutting Room Floor and Landscape Fixes, Unofficial Moonpath to Elsewyr Patch. Optionally: Delivery and River Cross Ferry addons. + Passengers addon misc file **Required by the NPC Megapatch** .
Campfire
Campfire and Frostfall - Unofficial SE Update
iNeed Continued
Keep it Clean - a Bathing Mod + Hunterborn Soap Patch in FOMOD.
+ shorter animation patch from the optional files
Hunterborn, in FOMOD, patches for Campfire and iNeed; Soup and Tanning patchses too if you like
Complete Crafting Overhaul Remastered
Harvest Overhaul Remastered
Linen Wrap Recipe
My Home is Your Home - NFF has its own setting to assign home bases but this is less clunky for individual followers
Summeryst - Enchantments of Skyrim + WACCF Patch
Epic Restoration - skip for evil playthrough
Gray Zone for Epic Restoration - Oldrim - author gave no permission to upload a ported version, however all it takes is resaving the plugin in CK. NB - this mod lets you use Epic Resto on a "chaotic good" character, but is also useful for a lawful one who wants to destroy the Dark Brotherhood in a way that makes sense. In Epic Restoration, killing Grelod is an unforgivable sin even if you have her killed by a guard (see Innocence Lost Alternative later on), and while it has its own way to do the quest it is really unimmersive. So... worth adding this mod too if you use the former,
Immersive Spell Learning
Spell Research + Spell Research Patch Compendium
Equippable Tomes - with or without Campfire addon
Truly Hot Flame Atronach for Camfire and Frostfall
WACCF Armor and Clothing Extension
Armonizer **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Armor Variants Expansion + CCOR Patch optional file
+ Armor Variants Patch Collections - in FOMOD pick Summermyst, Lore Weapon Expansion, Cutting Room Floor, Common Clothes and Armor
Bosmer Armor Pack + Bosmer Armonizer Pack Fixed **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Northborn Fur Hoods
Nordic Fur Armor
Morrowind Armor - Netch Leather pick the full version ESL. **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Cloaks of Skyrim **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Wayfarer's Coat
Common Clothes and Armor + Patches (in FOMOD pick Cutting Room Floor and Armor and Clothing Extension)
Common Clothes - pick the All Craftable Only module. The previous mod did not allow you to craft armors, this one fills the gap. NB - the plugin appears to be in 43 format for some reason, resave in CK.
Colovian Noble Clothes + Colovian Noble Clothes Replacer for Quest Outfits
Colovian Fur Outfit
Imperial Fine Clothes
JaySuS Swords - craft only (lore friendly) **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Lore Weapon Expansion - remove all plugins other than Lore Weapon Expansion.esp, for compatibility with LotD
Royal Armory
Dawnguard Arsenal
Zim's Immersive Artifacts of Skyrim - Thane pack only
Kthonia's Unique Weapon Pack
Left Hand Rings Modified
Wearable Lanterns
Treasure Hunter for SSE + Treasure Hunter for SSE - Fixed ESP - pick the second option, the first one still had a broken navmesh showing up + Treasure Hunter for SSE Tweaks and Fixes
New Treasure Hunt
Khajiit will Follow
Inconsequential NPCs + CRF patch. Oldrim, needs porting.
Citizens of Tamriel - download both parts. Then look for Anika in ssedit and flag her as Essential, so she isn't randomly killed by an enemy added by CRF in the same location, or by you as you fireball it.
More Racism in Windhelm - adds some immersive a**holes in the Stormcloak capital. In FOMOD pick CRF and LotD patches **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Travellers of Skyrim - Dragonborn Addon
Immersive World Encounters
Immersive College NPCs
Inigo
Song of the Green + Inigo Banter Patch
JK's The Drunken Huntsman - if you like the other JK's mods for the interiors of Whiterun, you can skip the Shops file of Distinct Interiors and use those instead, or delete the relevant cells in ssedit (so you keep the edits to other cities' shops)
Grey Quarter Shop Displays Re-Done - some piece of furniture in the corner clips with the card collector added by LotD; remove them by console or Creation Kit
Solitude and Temple Frescoes 2019
Blue Palace Frescoes - Oldrim, needs porting
Solitude Dome Painting - the port is mine, you can endorse the Oldrim mod here
+ Solitude Blue Palace Dome and Fresco - Oldrim, textures work on SSE. Pick the one you like better.
Expanded Towns and Cities - choose the Complete edition. Then install my patch for Complete ETaC + WARP + Convenient Carriages (which is why you didn't need the CC patch for Rorikstead)
Settlements Expanded + patches for Legendary Cities Patch Modular (the newest one, NOT the old one for Amol) and Solijund Sinkhole
Quaint Raven Rock
Better Tel Mithryn
Old Hroldan Ruins
Karthwasten
Kynesgrove
Solijund Sinkhole
Shor's Stone
Man those Borders Reborn
Telengard
Keld-Nar
Oakwood
Aurora Village + Moon and Star Patch
Oakwood - Aurora Village Sign Fix
Ashlander Camp New Zainab
Granite Hill
Gavrostead + Granite Hill Patch
Badersee - fix the deleted navmeshes following this tutorial (it conveniently uses Badersee as an example), OR download my own fixed version from the file section.
Overstead
Solitude Docks
Beyond Skyrim - Wares of Tamriel + the ETaC patch you can find in the file tab of this page (the author, Talonmaster812, linked it to the discussion page and said anyone could upload it. Thanks!)
Provincial Courier Service
Run of the Mill Inn
Drinking Fountains of Skyrim + iNeed Patch
DLC Integration
After the Civil War - Siege Damage Repairs
Point the Way
Honey Spirit
Bee Hives
Cake O'Clock - the cook's FaceGen must be regenerated in CK
Farmhouse Chimneys
Project Immersion
Azura's Shrine - Expanded
Lanterns of Skyrim II - in FOMOD pick the following patches: SMIM, Old Hroldan Ruins, Overstead, ETaC, LotD, Run of the Mill Inn, Settlements Expanded, Solitude Docks, Karthwasten, Kynesgrove, Oakwood, Provincial Courier Service, Shor's Stone, Soljund's Sinkhole, Telengard
Vellamo Oldrim, needs porting & some tweak. Instructions: port it like normal (keep in mind assets need optimizing), regenerate the merchant's FaceGen, then remove the forge in CK/ssedit/what you like better, for compatibility with WARP. NB I list it under Addons instead of Homes because it adds a small alchemy shop that fits very well in Winterhold
Become a Bard
Orlando's Bardic Bits
Diverse Imperial Soldiers
Dawnguard - Tweaks and Enhancements
Obscure's College of Winterhold - NB if you use DynDOLOD, deactivate this plugin before running it. The College has its own LOD, creating a new one may result in bugs in my experience
Misc College of Winterhold Tweaks
Bibliophile's Arcaneum
Choose Your Own Arch-Mage - only if you don't want to be the Arch-Mage. I don't use it, but someone could be looking for it
Penitus Oculatus - only worth if you want to destroy the Dark Brotherhood/"Good Guys" mod - optional: No Legion Requirement if you want to use it without joining the Legion
Thieves Guild Alternate Routes - Taking Care of Business - "Good Guys" mod - less evil way to join the TG. Smaller in scope, but more stable than Thieves Guild for Good Guys
No to Nocturnal - If you don't want to complete the TG quest without selling your soul
A Change in Management - if you don't want to lead the TG yourself
Hearthfire Extended - follow the direction on the mod page for compatibility tweaks with basement mods + patches for Bee Hives, Cutting Room Floor, iNeed
Simple Hearthfire Attics - pick the file on this page, then endorse the Oldrim mod here
Manor Roads
Storefront
Bedroom Doors and Privacy
Hearthfire Cellar Fully Upgraded
Additions to Lakeview Heljarchen and Windstad
Baths for Hearthfire Homes Redone
Lakeview Library - Oldrim, needs porting
Lakeview Entrance - Oldrim, needs porting
Cynn's Breezehome
Greenboat Moon and Star SSE
Winter Cove + Winter Cove Moved to Winterhold NO general stores option
Solitude - The Tower of the Wolf
Saadia Time of Need Just a Note version **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
Innocence Lost Alternative - "Good Guys" mod - try to have Grelod arrested, she'll end up dead anyway - **Required by the NPC Megapatch**
A Lovely Letter Alternate Routes
Bring Meeko to Lod
Blood on Ice Redux
College of Winterhold the Missing Apprentices Quest Fix
Finding Susanna Alive
Finding Helgi... and Lalette
Finding Derkeethus
Finding Velehk Sain
Jiub's Opus
Stackable Stones of Barenziah with Optional Quest Markers
Gildergreen Regrown
Lootable Ring of Namira "Good Guys" mod, standard edition
Lootable Mace of Molag Bal "Good Guys" mod, standard edition
Lootable Ebony Mail "Good Guys" mod
Check the following patch hubs and install whatever applies:
Kryptopyr's Patch Hub
QUASIPC
UVCPC
Legacy of the Dragonborn Patches
Now if you have used all the required mods, add the NPC Megapatch from this page; if you haven't, tell me what you need and I'll help ASAP (ASAP might mean different things in different moments, but still...). Or, if you prefer, you can make your own.
Sorting your plugins with MO2 / Loot will tell you if any other patch is missing, just in case something slipped out of this list
PapyrusUtil SE
A Quality World Map - pick one of the Vivid options and resave the plugin because it's in 43 format for some reason
** Talking about which, no need to merge anything; it's a lot of plugins but a large number are esl-flagged
** A few mods are load order-sensitive lest something may show up wrong. Make sure that:
- Convenient Carriages loads AFTER Winter Cove Moved to Winterhold (to avoid holes in the terrain)
- Convenient Carriages patch for Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods loads BEFORE ETaC Complete (to avoid holes in the terrain)
- Taking Care of Business - No to Nocturnal - A Change in Mangement load in this order