Skyrim Character Building » Discussions


Builders Discuss Topic 9: Mods

Tags: #Builders Discuss 
  • February 11, 2017

     

    I am Alduin and I shall slay you with my... my... my little pony? Uh... well look at me, I'm huge!

    Sorry for the wee break, but I've been slaving away with my latest installment of Straag Rod and my latest build. Both are not done, yet, but I'm enjoyiing a nice Saturday afternoon glass of wine and I wanted to put up a builders discuss. This week, were gonna talk, My Little Pony, no wait, sorry, mods, we're going to talk mods. Lol, My Little Pony may be a seperate discussion entirely. :D

    How do you use mods to enhance the building process?

    How do you use mods to help you with the building process?

    Do you make modded builds?

    Do you prefer vanilla builds?

    Do you float both ways? 

    Would you consider doing a build based on an overhaul?

    Would you play a build based on an overhaul?

    Lots of questions come with this topic and I look forward to hearing everybody's take on this, especially now that we are seeing more and more modded builds. I will weigh in later, of course, but have fun with this topic. As always, check out our Archives for past discussions, and feel free to make suggestions in this thread as to what you'd like to see covered. 

     

    -Lissette

  • February 11, 2017

    The answer to the final 5 questions are pretty much Yes and I already have.

    I made a SkyRe build a couple years ago, generally prefer reading Vannilla builds but can make either just fine and...something else if there was another question.

    One and Two are a bit trickier for me, but I think my answer kind of folds in on itself and covers both of them. Basically I use them in just about anyway, I have graphics changes, roleplaying mods and quest mods and would use them differently depending on the character. Some characters work better with gameplay changing mods, others just need a couple of quest mods to work and they're fine. 

     

  • Member
    February 12, 2017

    Yeah, so mods and I are still at first base in many ways. I go for immersion mods primarily which sort of adds to a build, for example I was running an Enchantress and found that while she likes to sleep beneath the stars near a camp fire, the Summon Shelter and Bound Cloak spells suited her RP better in many ways - much like your's and Karver's Telvanni Artificer in CA, Lis. Only definitely not as up herself :D

    I also go for small weapon or armour mods. Chrysamere was fun for a while and I could see myself building around that reflect spell mechanic (watching a Deathlord disarm himself or be sent flying by his own thu'um doesn't get old). While playing the Swordthane I enjoyed the Talos Housecarl Armour mod, and a recent Pact Pixie enjoyed the Bosmer Armour Pack.

    But full-on overhauls? Hmmm, hard to say. Legion recommended Smilodon Combat of Skyrim which does a great job of changing the combat without feeling, like, too alien and is now firmly established in my load order, but to be honest big overhauls to a game I am familiar with sorta scare me. I have yet to touch Ordinator and that is a huge change.

    Yet I would certainly play a build based on a big overhaul if it was sold well and I trusted the seller.

    Do I float both ways? Nah, I am not that greedy. The fairer sex is just more appealing to me.

  • Member
    February 12, 2017
    Being new to mods and have had previous dislike for them, I now see what makes them great. It's a single player game - play how YOU want to play. This also does not limit oneself to just vanilla game mechanics. All of my Skyrim builds are vanilla builds since I was on the 360, but now being on my PS4 (even with the whole "limited mods" thing) I can see what makes mods a true essence of being an Elder Scrolls player. It FIXES so much shit. Lore, mechanics, bugs, aesthetics, content ... It is so cool to have dedicated people out there willing to share their own creations and to give your own game a boost to shelter our fragile gaming senses from Bethesda's harsh buggy-ness and possibly lacking game content. I currently am using some great aesthetic and detail mods but I think the coolest type of mods are the ones that change the difficulty settings and tweak the horrible "damage take vs damage given" which can give it a much more realistic feel. I know there are probably better ones now, but the simple "No Milk Drinkers" mod which turns Legendary into 4x/4x damage can be a great addition. You actually have to THINK about combat.
  • Member
    February 12, 2017

    Not really all that big on mods... don't know if it's a mistrust issue or laziness issue (or both), but I'm pretty okay with Skyrim as-is--even with its deficiencies. Heck, I don't even run the unofficial patch. I suppose I'm just a purist... yes... that's the ticket.

    So, whle I don't play modded builds (at least with the mods ;D) and prefer to read vanilla builds, I still can appreciate builds that revolve around particular mods. It's very similar to the DLC's for me: I didn't play them until just recently, but I still enjoyed reading builds that incorporated them (even if they left me confused at times--Bardic Knowledge... what the heck is Bardic Knowledge? xD)

    Hmmm, overhauls... I want to hate them, but honestly I suppose it depends what's getting overhauled. I'd probably shy away from a whole new perk system or a bazillion different spells, but that combat overhaul does sound tempting.

    I've only ever used three mods, and that was for Oblivion. The very first one I picked up got rid of that ridiculous leveling system and just gave you a straight +5 so I could play without worrying if I've been jumping too much. The second mod changed the games interface to make it easier to get through the menus. The third gave me a portal on the front door of every purchased home that took me to a shared basement so I could access all my gear no matter which house I went to. For Skyrim, I haven't felt the need to change any of those things... except combat... very curious about combat.

  • Member
    February 12, 2017
    I'm like Phil. I use a lot of mods but they are all gameplay enhancements but nothing that really changes the game too much from vanilla as far as building goes.
  • Member
    February 12, 2017

    After finding this topic (and pouring myself a glass of wine to get into the right mindset), here are my thoughts.

     

     

    When it comes to mods and making a build, I can't really say how I would do one for others in a concrete sense because I've yet to put out a completed, photoshopped, perked, glossy, finished build for others. I normally just play for myself, and often do so with one of your builds. What I would like to see in a published build for others is an honest attempt at conforming to lore and providing a roleplay/backstory to the build alongside the modified graphics and gameplay.

     

    With or without mods, Skyrim is pushing six years old now. Modding it into unrecognizability doesn't do much for me, and frankly I often diverge enough from builds posted here that perk spreads (vanilla or perk/combat mod-based) are more like guidelines to me. I love Henson's Cabalist for its gameplay, but the first thing I did when I looked at it was chop eleven levels of perks out of the build that I either didn't think I'd need or wouldn't want to use. 

     

    When it comes to how would play/make a modded build, I'd probably first throw on an unnofficial patch to fix a host of bugs and glitches, then examine available mods in order to see how they would help the concept. I thought hard just prior to the site change from ning on making a posting a couple of builds I'd been enjoying greatly which felt improved by the Complete Alchemy and Cooking Overhaul mod. One was a build using One Handed, Block, Alchemy, Alteration, and Speech to act as a very focused Spellblade lycanthrope with a super-durable wolf form. The other was a "True Nord" archetype who only healed himself by scarfing down massive amounts of calories and booze while Teldryn Sero looked on in mild horror.

     

    I've also taken some of the more interesting builds on the site and made modded versions of them for myself, like Alastor's High Summoner with Requiem and a small host of Conjury and Bound Weapon mods. Magic, it feels to me, really benefits from modding. The hard part is finding the balance between having something modded that is fun/cool without diving into godmode or insanity territory.

     

    I'll never grow bored of vanilla builds, partially because I love seeing what people do with them, and partially because, even with all its warts, Skyrim is an amazing game that is genuinely enjoyable to play in hundreds of different ways.

    Would I consider doing a build based on an overhaul? Probably not one that I'd ever bother publishing. Would I play one? Sure. Why not? I guess I need to finally sit down and look at Ordinator soon, don't I?

  • February 13, 2017

    So far all builds I've posted here are modded. And I'm guessing all future ones will be too - I really enjoy making modded builds.

    I see mods as a way to personalize your Skyrim game. We've all played vanilla thousands of times; they're a very refreshing way to continue the game we know so well. On top of that, it's really fun to create a build and sort of explore the possibility of which mods can be used for the build - there are so many endless combinations.

    As for Overhaul builds, it depends. I'd never create a build, for example, that relies on an unknown overhaul mod. I would make sure it's a fairly popular one that many people use - overhaul mods are definitely not something everybody uses. 

     

    First Build I made relies on an overhaul, but it's the well-known and popular Ordinator mod. The Build: http://tamrielvault.com/groups/topic/view/group_id/3/topic_id/8447 (only reason I'm linking it here is because it won't show up on my profile for some reason..)

  • February 15, 2017

    Hmm, let me do this by answering my own questions. 

    How do you use mods to enhance the building process?

    I use it to make the gameplay more personal, something that'll keep me around for the duration of a playtest. Immersion mods are fun too.

    How do you use mods to help you with the building process?

    Sometimes, for the Hearthfire homes, I will use a chest that makes building them a bit easier. I've already built the homes the old-fashioned way, but for a playtest that tests gameplay mechanics, I don't need to spend the entire playtest looking for building materials. So sometimes, I'll use mods that'll help the process of a componnet of the build I'm not specifically testing to help me out. 

    Do you make modded builds?

    All my builds feature mods that can enhance either the immersion or experience of the build, but no, I have not yet tackled a build where mods were absolutely necessary.

    Do you prefer vanilla builds?

    I am a fan of all builds that clearly communicate the goals of the builder. I think really good builds can be played both modded an unmodded with only slight adjustments. 

    Do you float both ways? 

    I guess I do. :D

    Would you consider doing a build based on an overhaul?

    Having played through Requiem, yes, I'd consider making a build based on an overhaul, though I think some overhauls are more condusive to building than others. Like to me, PerMa and Ordinator work better for the building process while Requiem, as wonderful an overhaul as it is, requires a very specific playstyle to reach endgame and the leveling is sooooo incredibly slow that playtest a build like that is extremely hard. Since I've already done an endgame run through of the game, I could see myself even doing a requiem build if I had a mod that sped up leveling a little. I don't need it to be blindingly fast, but my last Requiem playthrough took almost a year to reach endgame. That is just not practical for building purposes. 

    Would you play a build based on an overhaul?

    I totally would. I got a build in my mind to play by Goldie. His Last Executioner.  I'd like to try it with Ordinator based on his perkspread and using Thirteen oranges pit fighter, which he recommended. I may change the sex of the build though. I'd prefer to see a buff Altmer dude beating up things than a female. lol That's just me though. 

  • February 18, 2017

    I'm just discovering mods on console. I think I had a trust issue to start with,  but now I'm sold. The work some modders have done is amazing.

    We're currently playing with mostly the whole lot of EnaiSiaion overhauls loaded (Ordinator, Apocalypse, Summermyst, Aurora, Imperious, Thunderchild, Wildcat). It seemed sensible to use them as a set. It's given the game a whole new lease of life for me. 

    Building with them though - that's a challenge. There's a lot to get my head around. I have half a dozen 3/4 finished builds in the bin now!

    I think the key thing for me is that mods open up choices not close them. I like the Wildcat combat overhaul a lot, but I've taken off the realistic damage plug in. If a damage mod is so hardcore that it means only HA builds can tank and LA melee fighters get squished, well, that might be realistic but it rules out a lot of builds and fantasy tropes, so that's not for me. Summermyst has some fun stuff, but needs a light touch - it's all too easy to accidentally OP a character with enchantments that overshadow their perks and skills and make other choices pointless.

    I like to see modded builds - it's all new ideas and options and keeps the game fresh for me.