Skyrim SE 2024 Essential Modding Guide

Skyrim is a great game. Maybe you've done 50 runs on a console and are now on PC or you've been modding but still want a solid LO that has already been tested significantly. Beth titles are always having new players enter the environment and want to mod. So due to the popularity and positive responses to my Fallout modding trilogy (and some people have already asked me to make one for skyrim) I've decided its about time to tackle this fire game considering in terms of experience this is easily in my top 5 most modded games i've ever modded. So this guide is going to tackle the usual. Essential mods, QOL mods, graphical and gameplay overhauls and my personal recommendations. As always only the essential section will be mandatory everything after that will be up to the user. I've used many of these mods for years with no issues. Some mods are newer and are freshly tested or in the progress of testing but as of right now this works for me and I have encountered no real issues. I have had good feedback with numerous people so these mods should not cause any issues unless installed incorrectly or clash with other mods that you install on your own.

This Guide is for version 1.6.1170.0.8 of the game with SKSE64 2.2.6 rel

Requirements

This guide is made for special edition (in theory it should work for anniversary as well since most mods group AE and the latest version of SE to one mod and the "SE" variant is often an older build of SE ie. SKSE64 just make sure to read instructions and always double check). This guide for obvious reasons is no good for oldrim aka Skyrim Legendary Edition (and its base variant). This guide/mod list was also tested on pretty much exclusively on windows 10 (previously 7) and is also for the steam version of this game. Should work with gog as well. This will not work with the windows version or EGS version as SKSE64 is extremely essential and that does not support either. This will be a EnB free guide. I hate those things 9/10 times they make the game look worse and kill performance. If you seriously want to open that bag of worms just know I will not help with EnBs or any problems related to EnBs I do not use them. You won't even think about getting one if you grab all the graphical mods I put on here. And just remember mod to your systems limitations don't be grabbing 4k texture packs left and right if your rig isn't great. With this full mod list and using 4k textures on everything (most 4k texture mods will have 2k and 1k options) I go well above 8gb of ram used. My log has noted 12-15 gigs used i'm sure it can even spike even higher but I just haven't seen it go above 15gb. I have also seen guides that ask the user to clean their masters. DO NOT DO THIS ! This is something you should only be doing if a mod requests it. Or if you have no choice due to CTDs. I've literally broken dead money and lonesome road to smithereens because I cleaned their masters. People say its safe to do it to the dlc for skyrim but i'm not taking risks and neither should you. Just a friendly warning.

You'll need an unzipping tool for manual mods as not every mod will be MM compliant. I use Winrar[www.win-rar.com] but many people prefer 7zip as usual use what you prefer. And of course you'll need a mod manager. Now most people today will use Vortex or MO2. I personally cannot recommend either even if the general population rides it. I understand why people may want to use those other two managers specifically as they don't touch your data folder unlike NMM that actually installs the mods into your folder but I personally think that's where problems arise and if you know what you are doing you'll never need to worry about that. I have used Nexus Mod Manager[github.com] for nearly a decade on many games not just bethesda titles and with very little to no issues. I cannot say the same for the other two managers with my personal experiences. It is also a common misconception that NMM is abandoned as it gets community updates regularly. Use what you prefer of course but I cannot help you troubleshoot very well if you use Vortex (which is probably the worst thing to use other than like FOMM) or MO2.

Alongside that stuff you may want to grab LOOT[loot.github.io] especially if your planning on heavy load orders. I generally will sort using loot and then manually move anything that needs to sit anywhere specifically. This tool works with all bethesda titles so its pretty damn useful. Use after finishing your load order and then move any specific esps as needed.

Finally you'll need a nexus account so you can download the mods on there. Nexus website for Skyrim SE[www.nexusmods.com]



I'll do my best to keep this guide updated if any mod becomes outdated and i haven't tweaked feel free to notify me. Whenever you download a mod whether its from this guide or on your own volition check the requirements and make sure you meet them ahead of time as some of these essential mods require files that aren't on nexus but they will give you a download link. Always read the instructions especially when it involves overriding and patches i'm not going to rewrite everything here because its very redundant. I will of course list key information whenever possible.

1. Splash Screen + BethINI

Install your game. Preferably on a ssd to reduce load times. Once installed launch your game and once you get to the splash screen pick all your settings out. You can always return here or even change settings in the ini files but I always like to do a base setting setup. If you have a decent or even good rig you should be able to pretty much max everything out especially on 1080p. 4K users can max out if they have a 4K rig or even a high end rig.

You do not need to actually play the game but I personally like to launch the game itself and just start it up briefly before exiting of course thats optional and does not matter at all it is something I do out of habit. Manual ini tweaking is optional as there are many mods that will handle that for you but if you want to get certain things out of the way you can go into your documents folder C:\Users\(Your username probably)\Documents\my games\Skyrim Special Edition and once there remove the read only options by going into the properties of skyrim.ini and skyrimprefs.ini

Now I could sit here and list all the things you should change yourself but ill do you one better considering the manual setup of the ini is completely optional as BethINI[www.nexusmods.com] basically lets you set things up without having to manually knowing values and what things do. This is for beginner modders and/or lazy modders (lol it be like that even I use it sometimes) Do not install this through a mod manager and I recommend the standalone not the other option. Pick whatever you fancy in the settings and you technically don't even need to actually do anything in the splash screen options wise when you use this tool as its going to overwrite all those settings. This tool is also pretty much available on almost every bethesda title and I recommend you use it for your other beth games modded or not.

Make sure Ambient Occlusion is disabled in bethINI (or do it manually if you are not using bethINI) because it makes shadows look terrible for some reason in this game (specifically on people and skin). Its really bad if you do not believe me go ahead turn it on see how bad it looks then turn it off to see the massive improvements

2. SKSE64

SKSE64 is mandatory and needs to be installed manually (they say you can install SKSE64 through vortex but I do not recommend nor support installing these types of mods through a MM especially when your dropping right into your directory).

You can download SKSE64 here[skse.silverlock.org]. Install it by unzipping the file and dragging the files into your fallout directory It may not be the same location for everyone but here is a common location C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition. You can always hit properties on steam and check the local files and it'll just take you straight there. If you want to trust the mod manager go ahead I personally won't not for this mod at least.

Once you have done that SKSE64 is installed and is good to go repeat the process whenever it gets updated. If you want to continue to launch your Skyrim SE through steam and not through a MM or a shortcut (like myself) take the exe called SkyrimSELauncher.exe rename it to SkyrimSELauncherold.exe (for whenever you need to pull up the splash screen if you ever need it again) and then take the exe called skse64_loader.exe and rename that to SkyrimSELauncher.exe you will now launch SKSE64 through steam. This will most likely make your LOOT think you do not have SKSE64 installed and its always going to bug you about it. Ignore that "error" its a false positive if you followed the steps above SKSE64 is installed and you are good to go.

3. Essential Mods/Frameworks

So back then on Legendary edition and base skyrim the game actually did have some serious problems in terms of stability and performance for many people. SE actually fixes a ton of problems on its own which is really good. But it didn't fix everything so yes there is an unofficial patch like every other beth title and there are engine fixes and other mods to properly fix things up. I will also be including frameworks in this section (at least the really helpful ones) as some frameworks do help the game out tenfold even if your planning on not grabbing the mods in this guide that are dependent on them. So yes everything in this section is mandatory just like the previous sections so far.

Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch[www.nexusmods.com]
Get used to grabbing an unofficial patch for bethesda titles. They usually fix hundreds of bugs and are often a base for many other mods.

Address Library for SKSE Plugins[www.nexusmods.com]
Base plugin for many other mods. Some people suggest installing manually but I had no issues using NMM. Use the all in one AE even if you are SE. SE for this mod is for 1.5.x users.

SSE Engine Fixes (skse64 plugin)[www.nexusmods.com]
skse64 plugin to fix various issues with the Skyrim Special Edition engine. This mod also allows you to earn achievements with mods enabled just make sure the setting is on in the config. Install part one with your MM. Install part 2 by unzipping and installing manually!

SSE Display Tweaks[www.nexusmods.com]
FPS unlocker, better borderless, many bug/physics fixes and more.

SkyUI[www.nexusmods.com]
KB/M friendly UI that is needed for MCM.

Hide SkyUI[www.nexusmods.com]
Brings back the vanilla controller friendly ui for those of us that use rollers but still want to use mods that need SkyUI/MCM.

QUI[www.nexusmods.com]
more fixes,tweaks, and UI tools.

Behavior Data Injector[www.nexusmods.com]
This reduces the need to fire up nemesis everytime you add or change animations. I still do it regardless tho tbh. And you'll need this Patch[www.nexusmods.com] for AE/SE.

FileAccess Interface for Skyrim SE Scripts - FISSES[www.nexusmods.com]
use the AE beta version unless you are on 1.5.x. Generally let FISSES override other mods if there are conflicts. Lets you save MCM settings. After the latest update you will need this patch[www.nexusmods.com] for it to work.

MCM Helper[www.nexusmods.com]
Amazing framework that allows settings to be persistent across saves and more.

PAPER[www.nexusmods.com]
Additional functionality to the game's scripting language.

PapyrusUtil SE - Modders Scripting Utility Functions[www.nexusmods.com]
Allows you to save any amount of int, float, form and string values on any form or globally from papyrus scripts.

powerofthree's Tweaks[www.nexusmods.com]
Collection of engine bug fixes and tweaks

powerofthree's Papyrus Extender[www.nexusmods.com]
Extends Papyrus script functionality.

JContainers SE[www.nexusmods.com]
More script extending baby. Use 4.2.3 for latest build users.

Project New Reign - Nemesis Unlimited Behavior Engine[www.nexusmods.com]
The successor to FNIS. After installing If using with NMM go to supported tools and patch any new animations you have added before playing the game (save the patching for towards the end if your adding a lot of animation mods unless your adding in batches which is good practice). Don't forget to activate the dummy FNIS.esp nemesis provides so you can use FNIS dependent mods despite using nemesis.

Animation Motion Revolution[www.nexusmods.com]
True unique movements for many things.

Precision - Accurate Melee Collisions[www.nexusmods.com]
Its in the name my G.

True Directional Movement - Modernized Third Person Gameplay[www.nexusmods.com]
Move and attack in any direction with more improvements.

TrueHUD - HUD Additions[www.nexusmods.com]
Very customizable hud options.

SMP-NPC crash fix[www.nexusmods.com]
Fixes a random crash when loading NPCs with SMP hair.

Spell Perk Item Distributor (SPID)[www.nexusmods.com]
SKSE plugin that can be used to add spells/perks/items/shouts/packages/outfits/keywords/factions to every NPC in the game, using config files.

HearthFires Display Case Fix SE[www.nexusmods.com]
Adds activators to all display cases in the HearthFires homes.

FSMP - Faster HDT-SMP[www.nexusmods.com]
Faster physics for capes, clothes, hair, etc! Use either the latest or recommended version.

Animation Queue Fix[www.nexusmods.com]
Fixes queue overload for animations.

Open Animation Replacer[www.nexusmods.com]
Successor to DAR.

And thats about it for the essential mods and frameworks. Most of the issues in the base game should basically be gone and anything that was broken/super dated is now fixed/improved. If you were simply looking to have a "vanilla" experience with just fixes, tweaks, proper hit detection, physics and other standard stuff this is the end of the road. As for everyone else we'll be moving onto the QOL and gameplay overhaul mods that will take Skyrim SE to the next level.

4. Quality Of Life Mods + Game Overhauls Part 1

These mods are all optional but will bring a lot of QOL changes and overhaul gameplay mechanics and improve textures significantly (to the point it can feel like a different game if thats what your aiming for). As always these mods are tested and work well together and you can always cherry pick the mods you want if you do not want them all of course. Remember nobody is forcing you to grab these mods so I don't need to read unsavory comments on why x is included in the load order it is there for the people that want it. I also am very fond of several different character appearance overhauls that overlap with each other.
If your looking to replicate my load order exactly the same way and not just pick a specific character pack you will need to play around with your LO to see which configuration will change the characters you want from each pack (I will include my personal LO in the final section of the guide for those who seriously want to replicate my game and trust my judgement on which character appearances I went with from each mod. You will need to use SSEEdit for any remaining clashes). This won't always be able to be done just from LO configs (which you can set up in LOOT as well there are options to make a esp load after a specific one to ensure the proper overwrites).
Sometimes like in the case of the character that is Lisette once you enter in game they will have a black face and purple hair. Do not worry you can use SSEEdit[www.nexusmods.com] to locate the clash and essentially pick which head you want to override in order to have the proper texture show up. If that seems like too much work for you (not difficult but can be tedious) then do not try to mix and match these character packs just go with one or use the ones that do not have the same character as not every pack touches the same character. See section 8 for a better in depth explanation on how to do this.

Appearances + Animations & Skeletons

RaceMenu[www.nexusmods.com]
CC menu overhaul.

XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended - XPMSSE[www.nexusmods.com]
Multi purpose skeleton for animation in skyrim.

BodySlide and Outfit Studio[www.nexusmods.com]
Tool for customizing bodies and outfits.

Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Enhancer -CBBE-[www.nexusmods.com]
The best body replacer in Skyrim (low key in bethesda). There is an underwear option.

Tempered Skins for Males - Vanilla and SOS versions[www.nexusmods.com]
There is a dressed version for those who do not want schmeat. Avoid the SOS one I have yet to see it working again after it broke a while back.

Total Character Makeover[www.nexusmods.com]
Touch up characters that will not be effected by the other mods.

Cosmetic Vampire Overhaul HD[vectorplexis.com]
(Not sure if I have the original or the HD variant probably the og) But I got this mod back when it was still on Nexus. I still use that version I got from there and I really like what it does to vampire faces (not a fan of the eye changes for pureblood vampires as I like the yellow eyes Serana has from the mod I use for her but that is fixed with the AFT fix for the Seranaholic mod as it effects all those vamps). Not adding this directly into the LO for the average user but if you like and want to use this mod you can give it a shot.

Dark Brotherhood Character Overhaul : 1st & 2nd Edition
So this is a really awesome model replacer for the db crew. I got the first edition off of nexus back in the day when it was still around. Both the og and the newer better looking version are now hosted on schaken-mods where you have to pay to get the mods. Very unfortunate.

Apachii Sky Hair SSE[www.nexusmods.com]
Hair mod.

Pandorable's NPCs[www.nexusmods.com]
One of the best character overhauls. Don't forget to grab the Dawnguard NPCs[www.nexusmods.com] & Dragonborn NPCs[www.nexusmods.com] variants for pandorable.

Bijin NPCs SE[www.nexusmods.com]
Probably my favorite bulk character overhaul series. Don't forget to grab the Warmaidens[www.nexusmods.com] & Wives[www.nexusmods.com] variants for Bijin. Make sure to pick the AIO option in the installers and to download the AIO esp from the main mod and disable the other 3 esp to save some esp slots.

Improved Bards - Special Edition[www.nexusmods.com]
Makes all the bards look nice af. Lisette in this mod is going to clash with the other one in Bijin so adjust your LO accordingly with the ones you want and you will most likely need to hop on SSEEdit to basically remove the one you don't want. Repeat this for any character that ends up with purple hair and a black face. At most it'll be like 4-5 people but I've had runs where it was only Lisette and maybe one more character.

The Eyes Of Beauty SSE[www.nexusmods.com] & The Eyes Of Beauty - Vampire Eyes SSE[www.nexusmods.com]
I use the NPC Variant. Have vampire override the regular TEOB. DG vamps eyes will be changed if you use the AFT fix.

Seranaholic by rxkx22 - SSE[www.nexusmods.com]
My favorite Serana mod. I also suggest grabbing the Valerica file as well so they can look similar. This mod has a conflict with AFT in where once you recuit Serana her eyes will change color. There is a fix and I will include with the link to AFT.

Serana Hood Removal[www.nexusmods.com]
Screw that hood.

RS Children Overhaul[www.nexusmods.com]
Overhaul for children.

EVG Conditional Idles[www.nexusmods.com]
Adds immersive Idles. For some reason hold guards do not throw up their shields in the rain i'm thinking it could be related to the unique guard armaments. If someone wants to test that and get back to me cool. If that is the source of the problem im leaving it for myself as I like that mod.

Dirt and Blood - Dynamic Visual Effects[www.nexusmods.com]
CTD on Wash & Rinse if using the DualSense Adaptive Trigger Mod. Either do not ever select the power (its what I do), don't get the mod, or don't get this mod.

Diverse Guards Skyrim 5.2b[www.afkmods.com]
Another mod I got back when it was on Nexus but is no longer there. Don't know if this is the same version that I have off of nexus. It adds female guards and tries to make guards a bit more diverse.

Wet and Cold SE[www.nexusmods.com]
Weather-dependent visual effects.

Cloaks of Skyrim[www.nexusmods.com]
Adds cloaks to the game.

Cloaks Of Skyrim Retextured SE[www.nexusmods.com] & Artesian Cloaks of Skyrim[www.nexusmods.com]
Retextures and patches for hdt-smp support. Grab the 2nd file marked 1.4.0 for Artesian.

5. Quality Of Life Mods + Game Overhauls Part 2

Migal’s Housecarl Beauties[migal3d.com]
Got this mod back when it was on Nexus. On my MM it is labeled 3.0 just like the HCs on this site but I did not grab the files from this new site because it may be the same mod just more modular and I prefer having the AIO. The good thing is this will lower clashes for anyone who wants this as you can pick and choose which housecarls you want from the mod as I don't use all of them.

Textures + Weapons & Armors

Remember what I said eariler mod to your rig's specifications. So do not just go running around grabbing every single texture mod on 4k (or higher for 202X) if you know your rig can't handle it. If you think it might go ahead and try but you gotta be ready to redownload and reinstall the smaller ones if the 4k textures tax your system too much.

Believable weapons[www.nexusmods.com]
Better sized weapons.

aMidianBorn Book of Silence SE -- WEAPONS[www.nexusmods.com]
Just grab the solo weapons file we are going to replacing most textures and armors with other mods.

Unique Uniques SE[www.nexusmods.com]
Unique textures for certain weapons.

Realistic Armor Overhaul[www.nexusmods.com]
Overhauls vanilla armors significantly. Grab the main file alongside the unique guard armaments and the weapons package.

The Amazing World of Bikini Armors REMASTERED 6.1[www.sunkeumjeong.com]
High fantasy semi lore accurate bikini armors that actually look super dope.

Better Vampires 8.9[www.nexusmods.com]
The better vampires series is a crazy overhaul and consists of several mods. I'm including it in this section due to the amount of weapons and armors that is added from these mods. It'll also make vampires more difficult to fight but it makes being a vampire well worth it. Also very customizable and modular so if there are things you don't like there's a high chance you can tweak it. Here are the other mods in the "Better" series. Untested Better Vampire Lords 1.2[www.nexusmods.com] (Going to be testing this mod mid run hopefully all goes well. In theory on a fresh save you should be fine). Better Vampire Weapons 1.4[www.nexusmods.com], Better Vampire NPCs 2.0[www.nexusmods.com], & Coldhaven - A Vampire City 2.1[www.nexusmods.com]get the lighting tweak for more fps.

Avoid Patch for Better Vampire NPCs and Pandorable's Mods it makes certain npcs bald and gives them the black face.

Frozen Electrocuted Combustion[www.nexusmods.com]
Visual effects when killed by magic status effects.

Maximum Skeletons D-Won Edition[www.nexusmods.com]
Needed for maximum carnage and maximum destruction.

Maximum Carnage[www.nexusmods.com]
Gore mod that makes combat look more brutal/realistic. Don't forget the CBBE patch if you are using CBBE.

Maximum Destruction[www.nexusmods.com]
Basically Maximum carnage but with magic effects. Make sure to disable all effects for giants in the MD MCM to lower the risk of giants on death turning into a massive titan sized leg.

Realistic Water Two SE[www.nexusmods.com]
Better looking water.

Enhanced Lights and FX[www.nexusmods.com]
Avoid ELFX enhancer unless you want interiors to be dark af. It looks immaculate but it makes dungeon crawling extremely tedious because you really can't see anything even when using torches and candlelight. This applies as well for ELFX Shadows. Also do not get the weather module it'll conflict with another weather mod we will be getting later in the guide.

ELFX Shadows[www.nexusmods.com]
Greatly improves shadows. Don't forget the Official Patches Hub[www.nexusmods.com]

HD Road Signs - 2K and 4K[www.nexusmods.com]
HD road signs.

Static Mesh Improvement Mod - SMIM[www.nexusmods.com]
Improves a lot of 3D models.

High Poly Project[www.nexusmods.com]
Increases the polygons on a lot of models for a more modern look. Also get the HPP- AIO vanilla for the High Poly Project - My fixes SE-AE[www.nexusmods.com]mod.

Skyrim 2018 by Pfuscher[www.nexusmods.com]
This is the mod that really changes the appearance of skyrim and makes it look like it came out recently. It may also fill up your ram depending on which versions you grab so if you start running out of memory I would look at these mods first and look into getting the downgrader for skyrim 202X. After grabbing and installing 2018 than you can get Skyrim 202X by Pfuscher - Formerly 2020[www.nexusmods.com] Order of install would be 10.0.1 - Architecture, 10.0.1 - Landscape, 10.0.1 Other, & finally the 10.0.2 update. If your having memory issues or the game is just running poorly due to this mod you can opt out for Skyrim 202X Downscale[www.nexusmods.com] and you can choose between 4k, 2k and 1k textures instead of the 8-16k textures (which are kinda overkill but hey if your rig can take it like mine can boy is it pretty.)

QOLs + Game Overhauls

Most of these mods will be overhauling the gameplay significantly and/or adding questlines and new characters.

A Quality World Map[www.nexusmods.com]
I use classic with all roads. Some of the other ones I hear have issues but doesn't hurt to try.

Loading Screens With Extra Sarcasm Special Edition[www.nexusmods.com]
Loading screens become kinda funny.

Adopt Aventus Aretino[www.nexusmods.com]
Adoptable Aventus. Make sure to grab the RS children with USSEP patch.

Untested Adopt Aventus Aretino - Fully Voiced Patch[www.nexusmods.com]
Don't forget to grab RS children patch. Currently in my LO in my latest test run.

Dawnguard as a vampire[www.nexusmods.com]
Allows you to continue the DG QL even as a vampire.

Hearthfire multiple adoptions - Now with custom home support for kids and spouse[www.nexusmods.com]
Allows you to adopt up to 6 kids instead of the base 2.

Immersive Dragons[www.nexusmods.com]
Increases wing size for dragons.

KS Dragon Overhaul 2[www.nexusmods.com]
dragon combat overhaul mod that is tweakable.

Immersive Wenches[www.nexusmods.com]
Adds wenches to inns, taverns & on the road.

Combat behavior improved (SSE version)[www.nexusmods.com]
You can now cancel attacks by blocking and speed up movement during 2h attacks.

6. Quality Of Life Mods + Game Overhauls Part 3

Combat Gameplay Overhaul SE[www.nexusmods.com] dodge rolls, procedural leaning, grip changing, mid-air combat, striking with staffs, dual-wielding & more.

Enhanced Blood Textures[www.nexusmods.com] Blood overhaul.

Amazing Follower Tweaks SE[www.nexusmods.com]
This mod is "technically" outdated but i've been using it for a long time and still using it on my latest run. Nether's Follower Framework[www.nexusmods.com] is currently the mod most people are using but I have not tested it at all with this LO and I have never used it so I won't be able to troubleshoot it if you do run into issues. AFT does run into a problem with Seranaholic so if you do not use that mod you can skip this. Now if you do have that mod when you first recuit Serana her eyes will often change either to like a dark black or whatever the eyes are currently for pure blood vampires (instead of whatever custom eyes you have her using from that mod). To fix this you have to go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data\textures\actors\character\Serana\eyes (this can vary depending on game location) then copy the eye she was using (35WhiteYellowCat.dds for me) then go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data\textures\actors\character\eyes and paste those same eyes into that folder and rename them to eyevampire_01.dds. This should fix her eyes but those same eyes will now apply to all of those "pure breed" vampires introduced in dawnguard. While the standard base vampires continue to use the other color picked in TEOB vampire eyes eyevampire_02.dds. Original instructions are located here [www.nexusmods.com]

Semi Tested Experience[www.nexusmods.com]
You now gain xp through questing and exploration (optionally kills as well) instead of skill grinding. Just like fallout. I've been putting this through the rounds but haven't completed the game with it yet. So far everything is looking good. Can further customize the experience (pun not intended) with the following mods Experience - MCM[www.nexusmods.com], Experience Quests Tweak[www.nexusmods.com], & Leveling Freedom - Configure your XP Curve - Gentler Smoother Steeper or Flat[www.nexusmods.com]. You can make leveling very difficult, very easy, or anything in between and dictate the amount of xp certain quests give.

Amorous Adventures[www.nexusmods.com]
Fully voiced dialogue and immersive romance type quests with vanilla Skyrim NPCs. Sometimes romantic other times it'll be funny af. I personally use the flower girls variant which is the full version with animations. If you guys want that version instead of this "clean" one the link is on the AA page. To install that one just grab the FG main file, the AA file on that page (do not use this one im linking), FG SE adventures and the immersive wenches patch.

Mirai - the Girl with the Dragon Heart (Skyrim Special Edition)[www.nexusmods.com]
Modded companion with pretty dope questline and ability to marry. Located in Markarth. Grab the Mirai Customizer SSE[www.nexusmods.com] to change her appearance.

Morskom Estate[www.nexusmods.com]
Probably my favorite custom home in the game. For some reason using the ladder upstairs may CTD when you first enter the house and its still unfurnished. Once the home is complete it works fine though.

My Home is Your Home[www.nexusmods.com]
Set specific homes for any followers.

No Thieves Guild Grind[www.nexusmods.com]
This mod significantly reduces the massive grind for the thieves guild storyline. I even recommend this for newcomers as someone who has done that questline vanilla multiple times. Apparently the mod is outdated and Untested No Thieves Guild Grind Fixed[www.nexusmods.com]is an updated version of the mod. I have that mod in my LO installed it mid run and will be testing it. Not sure how it'll react to the LO but theres a good chance this mod is safe.

OBIS SE - Organized Bandits In Skyrim Special Edition[www.nexusmods.com]
Bandit overhaul that add over 2500 bandits into the level list.

Paarthurnax - Quest Expansion[www.nexusmods.com]
Allows you to spare Paarthurnax through this new quest (or still klap him).

Relationship Dialogue Overhaul - RDO SE[www.nexusmods.com]
All default voices now have follower dialogue. Also fixes dialogue bugs and restores cut dialogue. Don't forget to grab the AFT patch and the USSEP patch (that one will give you another patch as well that you don't need just disable it).

Simple Mod Item Spawner -Alternative To AddItemMenu for AE VR or SE[www.nexusmods.com]
Good for spawning mod items that you typically can't just find.

Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition[www.nexusmods.com]
Adds dozens of new creatures.

Sprint Forever[www.nexusmods.com]
Sprinting shouldn't cost stamina with a map this big imo.

VioLens - A Killmove Mod SE[www.nexusmods.com]
Customizable kill moves.

Vivid Weathers Definitive Edition - a complete Weather and Visual overhaul for Skyrim[www.nexusmods.com]
Weather overhaul.

Vokrii - Minimalistic Perks of Skyrim[www.nexusmods.com]
Perk Overhaul.

Dark Brotherhood Reborn - Dawnstar Sanctuary SEE[www.nexusmods.com]
Overhauls the Dawnstar Sanctuary.

The Brotherhood of Old - Dark Brotherhood Continued[www.nexusmods.com]
Imo the best DB quest mod for skyrim. It adds a lengthy story post vanilla that allows the db to grow and honestly gave me oblivion DB vibes. Make sure to grab the RS children patch for babette.

Save The Dark Brotherhood - Skyrim Special Edition[www.nexusmods.com]
Allows you to save brotherhood members when "it happens". After installing this mod install the next mod on this guide and overwrite this mod then install the patch from the optional files of that mod and overwrite. Afterwards have the load order for those two mods be SaveTheBrotherhood.esp -> ww_AlternateDBEnding.esp -> ww_AlternateDBEnding_SaveTheDBPatch.esp This is key to those mods working properly together. And you must load the your choices matter (ww_AlternateDBEnding.esp) after the brotherhood of old esp.

Your Choices Matter - A Dark Brotherhood Expansion SSE[www.nexusmods.com]
Extends DB storyline and adds an alt ending. I did leave instructions above on how to get this working properly with save the db and the brotherhood of old but I also suggest you actually read the in depth instructions and compatibility sections for this mod to ensure you do not mess up because everything has to be set a certain way for it to all work out into one crazy big old dark brotherhood expansion.

7. Quality Of Life Mods + Game Overhauls Part 4 (w/ my LO)

Skyrim Dual Sense Adaptive Trigger Mod AE and SSE[www.nexusmods.com]
Adaptive triggers for anyone using a dualsense controller. You will need DSX a paid software on steam that will also give you haptic feedback. This mod will cause a CTD whenever you select the wash and rinse spell for the dirt and blood mod. So either never select the spell (its what I do), do not use this mod, or do not use dirt and blood.

Discord Rich Presence[www.nexusmods.com]
Plugin that adds Discord Rich Presence integration.

Left Hand Rings Modified SE[www.nexusmods.com]
You can wear rings on your left hand now.

Marry Me Serana[www.nexusmods.com]
Allows you to marry Serana. The install for this mod is manual. Just drop the .esp into your Data folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data

Wildcat - Combat of Skyrim[www.nexusmods.com]
This makes combat extremely difficult. This is for those guys trying to souls their game (or reduce health spongeness if using realistic). Granted you can control the multipliers through the MCM if you use the set ones so you can control it to an extent. If you use the additional realistic damage plugin be ready for some seriously nuts combat as both parties will be able to die fairly quickly. I disable injuries completely and will set a easier setting and throughout the game ill raise it or switch to realistic once my character is built nicely.

If you grabbed everything or cherry picked the mods you wanted in this 4 part QOL + game overhaul run you are basically done and good to go in terms of modding. Stick around for the wrap up for important notes and also as promised here is my load order for those who are trying to replicate my game to the tee. I ran it through LOOT of course and did personal adjustments to minimize clashing and follow essential instructions for the mods that need it.

GameMode=SkyrimSE

Skyrim.esm=1
Update.esm=1
Dawnguard.esm=1
HearthFires.esm=1
Dragonborn.esm=1
ccBGSSSE001-Fish.esm=1
ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.esl=1
ccBGSSSE037-Curios.esl=1
ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm=1
RSkyrimChildren.esm=1
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch.esp=1
TrueHUD.esl=1
RealisticWaterTwo - Resources.esm=1
FlowerGirls SE.esm=1
ApachiiHair.esm=1
FISS.esp=1
Coldhaven.esm=1
Experience.esl=1
SkyUI_SE.esp=1
SMIM-SE-Merged-All.esp=1
Immersive Wenches.esp=1
EnhancedLightsandFX.esp=1
ELFX Shadows.esp=1
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul.esp=1
HearthfireMultiKid.esp=1
Sanctuary Reborn.esp=1
ELFX - Exteriors.esp=1
Skyrim Immersive Creatures Special Edition.esp=1
KS Dragon Overhaul 2.esp=1
loadscreentextsextrasass.esp=1
The Brotherhood of Old.esp=1
AmazingFollowerTweaks.esp=1
RDO - AFT v1.66 Patch.esp=1
RDO - CRF + USSEP Patch.esp=0
MCMHelper.esp=1
FNIS.esp=1
VioLens SE.esp=1
DSerCombatGameplayOverhaul.esp=1
Sprint Forever.esp=1
Wildcat - Combat of Skyrim.esp=1
Wildcat - Realistic Damage Plugin.esp=1
TrueDirectionalMovement.esp=1
RaceMenu.esp=1
XPMSE.esp=1
MaximumDestruction.esp=1
Marry Me Serana.esp=1
HearthFires Display Case Fix SE.esp=1
loadscreensarcasmDLC.esp=1
LeftHandRings.esp=1
LeftHandRings-1stPersonView.esp=1
PAN_NPCs.esp=1
Better Vampire NPCs.esp=1
Morskom.esp=1
zMirai.esp=1
Realistic Armor Overhaul.esp=1
Cloaks.esp=1
OBIS SE.esp=1
SexLab-AmorousAdventures.esp=1
FlowerGirls SE - Adventures.esp=1
SaveTheBrotherhood.esp=1
ww_AlternateDBEnding.esp=1
PaarthurnaxQuestExpansion.esp=1
Better Vampire Weapons.esp=1
The Amazing World of Bikini Armors REMASTERED.esp=1
My Home Is Your Home.esp=1
SPTDiverseGuardsSkyrimSE.esp=1
PAN_NPCs_DB.esp=1
IB - All-in-One.esp=1
Bijin AIO.esp=1
Bijin Wives.esp=0
Bijin NPCs.esp=0
FlowerGirls SE - IW Patch.esp=1
RDO - USSEP Patch.esp=1
Serana Hood Removal.esp=1
Bijin Warmaidens.esp=0
CosmeticVampireOverhaul.esp=1
Serana.esp=1
Valerica.esp=1
ww_AlternateDBEnding_SaveTheDBPatch.esp=1
Dawnguard Vampire.esp=1
Dawnguard Vampire - SDE.esp=0
Vivid WeathersSE.esp=1
icepenguinworldmapclassic.esp=1
TAWOBA Remastered Leveled List.esp=1
UIExtensions.esp=1
adoptAventusAretino.esp=1
Aventus Aretino Voiced.esp=1
RSChildren.esp=1
HPP - Vaermina's Torpor.esp=1
Vivid Weathers - Extended Rain.esp=1
Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp=1
Cloaks - USSEP Patch.esp=1
Cloaks_SMP_Patch.esp=1
WetandCold.esp=1
EVGConditionalIdles.esp=1
SimpleItemSpawner.esp=1
RaceMenuPlugin.esp=1
HearthfireMultiKid_LastName.esp=1
The Brotherhood of Old - RS Children Patch.esp=1
Coldhaven FPS Lighting Tweak.esp=1
HPP - My fixes by Xtudo - Chopping Blocks.esp=1
FEC.esp=1
Precision.esp=1
adoptAventusAretino_RSChildrenUSSEP.esp=1
Aventus Aretino - Fully Voiced - RS Children Patch.esp=1
dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp=1
MaximumCarnage.esp=1
CBBE.esp=1
Experience Quests Tweak.esp=1
Leveling Freedom.esp=1
DBCO_ALL_IN_ONE.esp=1
aMidianborn_Skyforge_Weapons.esp=1
Realistic Armor Overhaul - Guard Extras.esp=1
Unique Uniques.esp=1
MigalsHousecarlBeauties.esp=1
ELFX Shadow - ELFX Exteriors Patch.esp=1
ELFX Shadows - USSEP patch.esp=1
Temporary fix.esp=1
PAN_NPCs_DG.esp=1
NoPlayerHomeRequirements.esp=1
Dirt and Blood - Dynamic Visuals.esp=1
MorskomPatchDB.esp=1
EBT - IC PATCH.esp=1
Vokrii - Minimalistic Perks of Skyrim.esp=1
Better Vampires.esp=1
RealisticWaterTwo.esp=1

8. FAQ & bugs/errors solutions

FAQ & bugs/errors solutions

Q: I need further 1 on 1 help and this comment section won't cut it.

A: The random FRs are killing me so here is my YT/Modding Discord[discord.gg] I will be able to help you out much further if the situation is beyond comments and if you gotta upload photos for better support.

Q: So how can I deal with the black face bug when using multiple character overhauls?

A: Best way to explain is via an example. We will use Lisette since she's guaranteed to get this bug. So lets say we want her improved bard variant but we want bijin AIO to load after due to us wanting the majority of NPC appearances from that mod. So by default the AIO esp loads after IB. Inside of SSSEdit we will want to find the IB esp open it look for non-player character (actor) Open that up and look for lissette. Anyone with an issue is going to glow yellow or red so she will be easy to find. Once we click on her we will see the AIO overrides her and for whatever reason she is one of the characters afflicted with this issue. So we will drag the IB settings right over the AIO settings and it'll overwrite for her. She should turn green and is good to go. You can also check the other esp to make sure everything is dandy. Then you just save and close SSSEdit and if you mess up backup plugins will be kept in the SSSEdit backups folder in your data files. You can repeat this on any character provided the esp you want to override with is above the last esp that you are overriding. This will also make the esp you are overriding with a master for the esp getting written on. This doesn't work the other way around due to that fact so craft your load order accordingly so you can go one way on all of your clashes. Also only do this if the character has the black face bug or if their appearance is not the one you want and its not reflecting the last esp loaded as not every character will need this manual override. I suggest you do this yourself but if you want to take the risk of using my edited esps you can go for it. They will be on the discord server. Just keep in the mind the migals one is most likely for an older migals but IB and Bijin should be safe provided you keep IB above Bijin AIO (and the other deactivated bijins) as this method makes IB into a master for the Bijin AIO.

Q: ADF is better I rather use that.

A: Okay so go use it ? This is alternative for people who are not a fan of the modlist or want a more friendly modding guide for NMM/Vortex as that is a MO2 based guide. Not really a fan of the mods it uses either imo. I like to make the game look nicer.

Q: NMM sucks use MO2

A: You couldn't pay me to use MO2

Q: LOOT does not work

A: LOOT does work just use it as intended.

Q: How can I launch via Steam and/or have steam track my hours when using SKSE ?

A:Take the exe called SkyrimSELauncher.exe rename it to SkyrimSELauncherold.exe (for whenever you need to pull up the splash screen if you ever need it again) and then take the exe called skse64_loader.exe and rename that to SkyrimSELauncher.exe you will now launch SKSE through steam.

Q: Why do I need to do so much work to play this game. This is ridiculous

A: Technically you only need to do sections 1-3 for the game to work just fine. That does not take a long time. Its not a lot of work. You know what is a lot of work. Figuring out what mods work together, testing mod combinations for hours to make sure they work together and troubleshooting to fix any issues. Or better yet the people that actually sat down to create these mods and the tools to use them. It is a privilege to mod our games and it is very nice of the creators of these mods to not only make these mods for free (as some of them eventually start to gate their mods through paywalls) but to maintain these mods, update them, and keep working on them to make them better and reduce bugs on their own time. So no I wouldn't call it so much work.

Q: Why are there "Sex mods" in this guide?

A: There are zero sex mods in this guide nudity does not equate "sex". You need full blown animations for that and this guide does not have this. This is a rated M title so if you are "afraid" of nudity or just don't like it you can just not get the mod wow I know right? CBBE even has an underwear option for the record. Don't need a whole paragraph on why some pixels on a screen enrage you.

Q: why use X over Y?

A: Usually when there are multiple mods that do the same thing I will often pick one over the other because maybe the mod i'm using works better with other mods in the LO. Or it has better performance.

Q: My performance tanked after getting X mod

A: Some of these texture mods use very high resolution textures. As i've mentioned before mod within your means. This full LO with the maxed out textures is very intensive you need a nice rig. Either get the lower res textures like 1k-2k or do not use the mod if its killing your performance that bad. Skyrim may have came out in 2011 but these mods didn't.

Q: X mod isn essential this guide sucks.

A: All mods after section 3 are not mandatory. The guides in my essential guide collection are named so due to the fact that the first 3 sections are Essential. Anything in those sections are required with the exception of one or two mods that are included as they improve performance but are not required for stability.

Q: This guide helped me how I can show my thanks?

A: Leaving feedback and a Thank you is more than enough for me. I made these guides to help people so by leaving feedback you make the guide more visible to more people that could use the help. And if that's not enough for you I do make content on YT checking out a video would mean a lot to me but do not feel obligated to do so. As I said before feedback and a thank you is already more than enough.

Q: Can I use X mod with this guide/LO?

A: I won't always have an answer for that some mods are new and I've never used them or I just don't have experience with x mod. But it does not hurt to ask. Generally you'll want to pick the comments apart and look to see if any major issues are going on or if it clashes with a mod you already use. Also there are just certain older outdated mods you shouldn't be using period. Comments will sometimes reflect that. Other times there will be notoriously older broken mods most users know about.

Q: Can I clean X ?

A: I strongly suggest against cleaning anything.

Q: Can I update mods mid save/playhrough ?

A: I've done it so many times with no issues (recently I did brick a skyrim save tho) but you always risk ruining a save file so only do it knowing the risk that it may work out, you might have bugs later or you may lose the file.

Q: Can I remove mods or add mods mid save/playthrough?

A: See previous question. Certain mods though are safe for removal mid run and the mod author will make note of that. YMMV at the end of the day.

Q: Can you make a modding guide for X game?

A: If there is demand for it and I have experience modding the game. Yes I will. Just bear in mind these guides are a massive time sink and helping people troubleshoot does take a lot of time so you guys gotta let me know. Put the demand into it. You want a modding guide for a game please comment, let me know on the discord etc. The more demand it has the higher it will go on

9. FAQ & bugs/errors solutions (cont)

Q: Wabbajack?

A: Don't know how to use or create anything with wabbajack. Not looking to learn how to use wabbajack either as a mod manager is already more than enough for me in terms of "assisting tools". If somebody wants to make a wabbajack with this modding guide feel free to do so. I will gladly add a link to it in the guide for those that don't want to actually learn how to mod but want to reap the rewards and credit you provided it has the full LO. Obviously I will not be able to give any support on this matter with any bugs or issues if someone actually were to do this.

Wrap up

And thats about it for now at least. May add or remove things as time goes on. But all the mods that are here have had many hours put through them with little to no issues. So in theory you guys should be good. But mods don't get installed properly sometimes or more often than not another mod that a person has from their own order can clash. Having a bad load order can cause issues. Or even just missing one little step can sometimes cause a bug.

So if you do run into issues feel free to drop a comment I'll do my best to help troubleshooting but if you are not using NMM there won't be much I can do unless its a simple fix as these MMs work differently and can cause different issues. Thanks for reading everyone and I hope this helped your Skyrim SE. Whether you came here for the whole enchilada or 1 small piece of information or mod thats enough for me knowing I helped you out just a little.

Notes
So the main quest has always been a little finnicky. I suggest (especially on any heavily modded run) that you push the main quest as soon as you can at least till elder knowledge to avoid any major bugs as for some reason a blade in the dark and a cornered rat can sometimes run into serious bugs that prevent the quest from moving on. Usually Delphine or Esbern not following their pathing. You can Console Command your way through in a worst case scenario but that usually leads to more problems later or right afterwards and can cause issues in triggering quests. To be extra safe you can push till after season unending (another glitchy ass quest) or straight up complete the civil war questline beforehand to bypass that quest. Sometimes things go smoothly, sometimes the MQ wants to play games. I just feel like the longer you wait the higher risk of issues (just like op anchorage in fallout 3) That is if you care as there are people who don't even play/care about the MQ. But just wanted to chime in that information.
Like any beth title save often and in different slots you never know when something bad happens and you need to roll back. And recently with this LO I was forced to start a new game after updating some mods (something I've never had to do in the many years of modding Skyrim) Not sure what cause those saves to go bad but hey that is a risk you take when you do that. So I do suggest to use this LO on a fresh run and a fresh install if possible and add mods in batches if possible to help with troubleshooting if you do run into any problems. If using SSEEdit is daunting (or you don't want to deal with the "hassle") please make sure to read which characters are touched in character overhauls so that you won't have to go in and remove a conflict as there can't be one if you prevent it right ? so at that point you can pick and choose which overhauls to use that don't have any overlap.
And remember don't forget to run LOOT after installing your mods and don't forget to run Nemesis at least once after adding all your animation mods.

As I write up more mod guides I will link them below:

Morrowind 2024 Essential Modding Guide

Oblivion 2024 Essential Modding Guide

Fallout 3 2024 Essential Modding Guide

Fallout New Vegas 2024 Essential Modding Guide

Fallout 4 2024 Essential Modding Guide

Starfield 2024 Essential Modding Guide (WIP)

Baldur's Gate 3 2024 Modding Guide (WIP)

The Witcher 3 2024 Modding Guide

Cyberpunk 2077 Modding Guide

[Drake Platinum THE WORLD]

@Sauler so a lot of those mods with people running into issues you do have to remember a few variables.

1. Did they install it properly. Just as easy as it is to mod its just as easy to botch. Takes one misclick.

2. The mod could be conflicting with something else they have.

3. They may not even be on the latest version or the latest version can sometimes create new problems with something else you use.

You do also have to keep in mind with why I don't include certain mods I already have heavy duty mods in this guide. There is only so much I can add before the game craps itself. Everything in the guide will work together. They may not continue to do so with additional heavy mods. Legacy of the dragonborn in specific I assumed changes too much to work with the guide but somebody told me it does work at least what they did play.

[Viporius]

Also, Flora Overhaul, Apocalypse and Ordinator are some of the coolest mods. Apocalypse especially if youre going full Magika build.

[Viporius]

@Sauler if you download step by step, you shouldnt have any issues. However, these are mods. Mods have a tendency to go left instead right. When that happens, dont freak out. Just have to do a little trial and error if anything goes wrong. 90% of the time, its fine.

[Sauler]

Hi I was looking for a guide to modding Skyrim and I found yours and I was looking at the mods. But are you 100% sure that they don't have errors? Because if I go to check, for example, the papyrus and fixes, I read about a lot of people reporting bugs. Quite recent bugs from this year, this month. I also saw that you haven't included mods such as Flora Overhaul, immersive weapons and immersive armor. Ordinator also, Apocalypse Magic of Skyrim, or Legacy of the Dragonborn why if I may ask? Mine is meant to be a positive criticism, not a defamation. Thanks for the work you do.

[Drake Platinum THE WORLD]

@Elvis lmao made my day bro that's jokes

[Drake Platinum THE WORLD]

Sorry I wasn't able to get back to you been working 6 days a week for a while. But yes that was a racemenu situation glad you figured it out.

[NinGlu]

After testing, it was indeed a problem with Racemenu. Troubleshooting didn't help, but after I reinstalled Racemenu, the issue was resolved. The game is now playable, and I can finally control my character. I'm really grateful for your hint that Racemenu might be the problem.

[NinGlu]

I always make sure that almost every mod I install is compatible with my AE 1.6.1170.

[elvis has left the building]

"for those who do not want schmeat" im dying reading this

[elvis has left the building]

"Remember nobody is forcing you to grab these mods so I don't need to read unsavory comments" hell yeah brother take my points