More Mods I Am Using in Skyrim

Animations

Fighting Styles of Tamriel
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12157

This mod gives different stances to the fighting style of Skyrim. The animinations are mostly the same. Only the speed is changed. However, the styles of fighting has certain requirements that need to be fulfilled. For example, Power-Attacking now costs more stamina than before for Orcish Stance while less in Akaviri Stance. I personally use only the Akaviri Stance because I just want to get rid of the mobs as quickly as possible, and the Akaviri Stance is the fastest one in here. Using the Akaviri Stance, my one hand improved so much more quicker too.

Armor and Clothes

Bandolier- Bags and Pouches
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/16438/?

Because they look cool on the character and gives you more space in the inventory. There are about 67 different bags you can choose from and 7 different places you can put them around your body.

Extended Carry Weight
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/31173/?

Use only if you do not care about playing the game right. You know, like you don’t really go for the whole “It’s not a game unless you play it the way it was MADE!” attitude. I do that all the time. I mean I do not care much about playing the game the way it was ‘meant’ to be played but the way I would like to play it. (Hey, I am a woman. I am allowed.) Having no worries about stopping by towns to sell or that occasional, “Shucks, did I just pick up that pot in the middle of a fight?” is a great feeling since my inventory started sitting at a carry weight of 700,000. That said, I guess I have to confess now that the bandolier bags are really vanity items for me.

Northgirl Armor
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38053/?

Forget immersion, I am Asian. And what do Asians mostly do? We totally
anime-ed and manga-ed the whole game already. And this armor is really, really good looking. When I say it is really, really good looking, I mean it is REALLY, REALLY good looking. (Did I say I am a woman already? Yeah, because of that too. I am allowed.)

Contractor and Mavari Armors and Mavari Armor – Black Retexture

Contractor and Mavari Armors
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38386//?
Mavari Armor – Black Retexture
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38785/?

I love armors that make a female character in game look badass without taking away the sexiness in her or making her look like a slut and this is yet another armor and totally does all that. (No, I am not that Asian that I’d go Tera on my own character.)

Rangers Cape and Zzjay and Grace Darklings Hoods with hair

Rangers Cape
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12864/?
Zzjay and Grace Darklings Hoods with hair
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/28147/?

It rains in Skyrim all the time…. And it looks cool when you are riding a horse when wearing hoods…with hair, of course.

The white fur hood looks great with Northgirl armor too.

Environment 

Expanded Towns and Cities
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13608/?

I added this mod just for Darkwater Crossing even through I do not visit that place often. But it looks great with the mod when I visit and I like to see it looking better than it does in the vanila version. There are a number of new farm houses, with a store and a dock as well. The hot spring area has been upgraded and it now looks more like a tourist attraction. If only I have the time to figure out the creation kit, I might want a house there. But then I would like the house with actual windows, and that means more studying….

Falskaar and mods relating to it

Falskaar
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/37994/?

Falskaar – Climates of Tamriel patch
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38361/?

Falskaar – Purewaters Patch    
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38522/?

Khajiit camp FALSKAAR required
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38919/?

Really good mod that is like a DLC. Will be devoting time in writing about it. Till then, just know that this is one of the best mods out there at this time that does not just give you a whole new land, it gives you a whole new DLC.

More Inns and Taverns
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/36250/?

Added some inns and taverns all over skyrim with this. I could have used some mods that populate Skyrim but those seem to have been over done. Inconsequential NPCs mod ( http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/36334/? )is the only mod so far I have found that has balance in adding population. I basically added some inns and taverns along the way around Skyrim to make the place more populated.

Enhanced Whiterun project (exterior only)
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/25390/?

Using only the exterior of this mod because the interior threw my FPS down a lot. I have some misgivings about this enhanced Whiterun. Looks more like the mod has cluttered instead of enhanced Whitrun. I actually got lost going through the front the first time I used this to get to the city because it was so cluttered and the roads so messy that I thought the way into the city might have changed and ran right into the Whiterun guard who was always guarding the outskit of the city. Then, I got lost coming out the city to the main gate because I could not see the stairs, and promptly ran into that same guard again. I do like more houses outside though, and they are placed at a very good location. There is also a little patch of land with low fence around it for growing crops which I used instead to house Frost and Wobums.

Houses

Castle Strunmah
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13236/?

Bugged or not, this is one good looking castle with open windows. And because of the open windows, it has the most stunning view in all of the vanillia houses. Now, I know there are other open window house mods out there with great views too but this baby is on a mountain! And it’s a castle!

I just hope someone else pick up this abandoned mod and give it a look over.  There is a modder who has expressed interest in taking over the mod but has not done anything to it yet because he does not know how the policy is like on taking over abandoned mods. I do wish he or anyone else can pick it up and then add a few more rooms to it. I really want a bathroom in this house. A bathroom and maybe an indoor basement pool?

Fort Winstad
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/40372/?

I usually use Lakeview. My kids are there. And I make sure Lakeview is nicer than the vanilla version. There is no altar and we have a nice pool and walls around the place. Sad thing is, every time I find a mod that can expand Lakeview into a town or city so that the kids can run around in, it takes a toll on my FPS.

This mod for Winstad, however, does not bring down my FPS at all. It is also very nicely built and not all Tundra Defense builds are nice. Okay, maybe they are. They are just not my taste. Many builds are mostly too masculine or too dark. This mod is more unisex and fit how a normal town would look like.

After putting this in, I am now tempted to move there with the kids. But Lakeview still house some of the best mod decors…. How great it would be if the maker put this fort up in Lakeview or if all makers of Lakeview mods do the same for Windstad.

Hearthfire -Attic
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32557/?

You can download three mods from the same author to get the attic for all three houses. If you just want one for the house you live in, there is that too. It gives two extra rooms and a small living area for the housecarls and/or stewards and one for the brab. It is well made, giving the illusion that the rooms are lived in and the living area is well used for daily activities. The clutters look natural. Only thing is, there is loading screen and the npcs do not actually go live there.

Hearthfire display case fix
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/40400/?

We all know how incredibly annoying those display cases are. Now, placing things in for display is finally fixed with this mod.

Lakeview Manor Master Bedroom Renovation
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/39341/?

This is a beautifully redone of the master bedroom in the West Wing of the house. It is so nice that when I first had a bit of hiccup with it, I refused to let it go and went back to it a few weeks later. The problem I had was that the floor disappeared. And when I took the mod out, the furnishing in the room that I built before, also disappeared. The room was bare. I thought it was because I have forgotten to built the room in the first place (I forget to build rooms all the time in Hearthfire…). So, out I went to put in the workbench and in I went back into the West Wing to build the furnishing only to find that I could not do it because they were built already. After the update to game 1.932, I reloaded this mod and the room finally showed up nicely with floors. So, it has nothing to do with the mod but that I was being way too lazy to do updates.

This mod make the bedroom look like a master bedroom. I really like that it even has a small bath/changing area. It is lore friendly, just so you know. Yet, it is still make the room complete.

Lakeview Manor Horse Relocation
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/40872/?

A tiny mod that placed your horse into the stable when you travel to Lakeview instead of outside it.

NPCS
Extensible Follower Framework
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12933/?

I do not know why I never downloaded this before. Maybe because since I run Skyrim alone, it never crossed my mind to do that? But this mod is still very useful when you want to run with more then one follower. And it is not buggy and the creator is updating the mod and answering questions even till today. This is definitely a good mod to have around.

INIGO
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/40960/?

He is a dear. After I downloaded him, I find having a follower around such a pleasure. He has lots of things to say and he is funny. Wait till you hear him try his hands on singing and learning to say “Fus Ro Dah” while he is idle and you too will love this dude.

He sneaks when you do and even whispers when you speak to him in sneak. He does not get in your way but does his part dutifully. And he has a thing or two to say about how you dress too. Basically, he is the evidence that Bethesda could do better with followers but did not.

He is not marriageable, by the way, if you are thinking it. The creator has said he made it that way so that he can add quests that will need Inigo to be single. I am fine with that because I am not very into the whole marriage in Skyrim thing. I love him though. He is like the best sidekick ever.

Khal Drogo Companion and save game
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/20312/?

I never watched Game of Thrones. I tried the first episode but stopped after Sean Bean’s head got cropped off. I know, I know. It is a great show, blar, blar, blar. But I am really more of a scifi fan (unless it’s space opera, then no, thanks). So, I only know Khal Drogo because there is absolutely no way I can be ignorant about the show since everyone else watches it and is talking about it.

I downloaded this mod because the maker is fantastic in making faces. She is so good, this Khal Drogo resembles at least 85% of the Khal Drogo in the show. Jason Momoa ought to be proud that he made it to Skyrim.

And he is great to have around (Khal Drogo, not Jason Momoa). He is one of the best fighter mod out there – not that over powered but good enough that he can clear an entire dungeon on his own if you let him. Having him watch my back is always a good idea, and while he is in a fight, I can run ahead and start on those in front of me without the fear of him not being able to handle things behind. He is great to have around in high level dungeons and boss fights.

NPCs Redone WIP
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/34670/?

This mod changes every npc’s looks in game. Everyone. It is incredible that the maker of this mod is taking the time to do that. There is only one problem I have with it. An occasional npc would go naked on me, maybe because of the body types I am using. Usually, it would be one of the npc of lower status like the begger, Brenuin, in Whiterun. The first time it happend, I was running into the inn in Whiterun and wooooooh, got mooned by Brenuin. Lydia, too, goes naked on me all the time.

Skyrim Sizes
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/15339/?

This makes the Breton shorter than an Imperial, who is shorter than a Norn, who is shorter than an Orc… You get the drift.

NPCs Animals

Kittyehs Dog Retexture Project
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38108/?

This mod changes the dogs in Skyrim to Australian Shepherds dogs. They are so much more beautiful now. I even saw puppies!

Skins and Body

Women of Skyrim-Enhanced female normal maps
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/20483/?

Together with some of the other body maps, this makes the whole character looks even better.

ShowRaceMenu Alternative  
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/20394/?

My games freezes whenever i go into console for showracemenu. This mod helps a lot. It gives a spell the way a shout is used and takes you into the menu without needing to go into console.

Weapons and Spells

Diu Vux – Day Long Candlelight Spell
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12222/?

I hate torches. I go into caves without them. This adds a spell that will give you a light spell for an extended period of time. I have yet to try this out though. I still basically run around caves without any help from light souce. The only time I decided that I might need lights was when I uploaded the Conan mod, CONAN Hyborian Age ( http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/40914/? ). That place is way too dark for even someone like me.

Anyway, I use two swords. If this takes away the other hand, I am not using it. I am hoping it does not.

Magicka Sabers
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3174/?

And the reason why I am hoping the Diu Vux spell does not take away the other hand so I can hold two swords is because of this! Lightsabers, my friend. Lightsabers. You see and hear them just like you do in Starwars. I love being a Jedi. Jedi Consular, anyone?