Falling Back Into Skyrim...No, Wait, I Can Do Better...GrateFALL For All These New Skyrim Mods...Ugh...Sorry I'm So A-Corny...

As indicated in my various Discord/Reddit posts throughout the spring/summer, I didn’t completely disappear despite not making many changes to the website. I have been making notes and now these updates have officially been implemented:

• Updated Wabbajack page with the current gallery of lists, including LE, SE, and VR. Removed table until I can find a better way to show that info.
• Updated Mod Category pages with new links for applicable mods that have relocated after the Nexus changes.
• Updated Mod Category pages with new mods (so many great mods have come out recently, so I already have more to add, but I’ll try and keep up!)
• Added a new section to the Tools page, with some helpful info on Record Types and xEdit (provided by Reddit user
  
  u/Averagejoe9123)
• Added some shortcuts to the homepage for things that might be of particular interest to those coming to the website.
• Removed the note about not linking to LoversLab mods. Replaced it with a general warning (and will always try and add a note to any links that they are NSFW).
• Some more grammar/spelling fixes (one would think those years as a TA and Editor in the English department at my Alma Mater would have prevented more of these…)

I don’t have any commentary on the recent Nexus changes, but obviously it affects the community as a whole so there are two things I will cover here: 

1. What are the changes?

Here is the official article found on Nexus

(taken verbatim from that article:)

TL;DR: It is our core belief that making modding easier is a noble goal, so more people can enjoy our joint hobby. We are convinced that our collections system, a project we have spent almost 2 years and many work-hours on, is the way to achieve this goal. For the benefit of this system we have to implement a change to how mod file deletions work. The change was announced to mod authors recently, and basically means that mod files are no longer deleted, but rather archived – which will make them inaccessible unless directly requested e.g. via the API. We understand that not everyone in the mod author community shares our convictions and our vision, and that is why we are granting a 1 month grace period in which mod authors can request to have all their files deleted for good by contacting support@nexusmods.com.

2. Where can you find mods that were removed from the Nexus?

Here is a Reddit post with many links

Many mod authors that did choose to remove their mods from Nexus have notes on their Nexus account as to where they can now be found. Some of these are sites like AFKMods and LoversLab (*All LoversLab links are NSFW due to ads at the very least and sometimes content/photos depending on the mod*) or their Discord or personal Patreon (often without a paywall). And here are a few notable authors that are no longer hosting their mods on Nexus, but elsewhere (obviously the “notable” part is fairly subjective, but they were ones that I found out about with little effort; some because I wanted to download them, others because of comments I found on Reddit/Discord):

• Arthmoor – Some of his mods are still on Nexus, such as USSEP/USLEP (as they were a group effort) and a few others, but the remainder were moved to AFKMods (such as his series of towns like Oakwood and Keld-Nar).
• Missjennabee – Expanded Towns and Cities has moved from Nexus to AFKMods or can be downloaded a Google Drive link on her Discord (and exciting news that an update is pending after years of some of us really really really wanting more!)
  
• Nachtdaemmerung77 – Mods like Maelstrom (amazing mod!!!) and Hel Rising (yet to try, but hear great things!) can now be found on LoversLab.
• I’m sure there are others. If you can no longer find a mod on Nexus, check the author’s page for a note on where they moved their mods (if they did; some just deleted them and will no longer be hosting them anywhere). If that fails, you could try browsing/asking on Reddit, or using your search engine of choice. Typing in their mod or username will often work, but you can also try searching AFKMods or LoversLab directly.

And finally, while this change and the “fallout”, as it’s been called, have been at least a minor inconvenience to many and upsetting to many others, I would urge everyone to use this as an opportunity to check out alternatives if you are interested, as there are some amazing mods on the Nexus with not as many downloads/endorsements as the big names. Just as I urge you to also check out other mods on these other non-Nexus sites, as you may find some really cool things you wouldn’t have otherwise. Change can be a good thing! (As always, be very careful when downloading anything on the internet.)

Skyrim was released nearly a decade ago, and to celebrate, Skyrim Anniversary Edition will be released in November 2021. I remember that I had just started dating my now husband in September of 2011 and we joked that I would see him so little when it came out. Funny thing is that he barely ended up playing and here we are 10 years later and I’m the one that spends all my time modding Skyrim and writing a website about modding Skyrim and playing Skyrim (JK who has time to play when there are mods to download and conflicts to resolve!)

Not much has been released about the upcoming Anniversary Edition, but here is some pertinent links and information:

• Official Announcement
  • Finally, we have some exciting announcements for the game itself. Current and future owners of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition on any platform including Xbox Game Pass Subscribers will receive access to three free pieces of Creation Club content: Fishing, Survival Mode and even new quests with Saints and Seducers. Additionally, Skyrim Special Edition owners on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S, as well as Xbox Game Pass subscribers on Xbox Series X|S will receive a free upgrade to an enhanced version on November 11 for their respective PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S systems! 
  • We’re also excited to announce the most definitive version of Skyrim to date: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition. The Anniversary Edition includes Skyrim Special Edition and 74 creations, all 48 currently available and 26 to be released. These showcase over 500+ individual elements such as quests, items, armor, houses, etc.
  • Existing owners of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will also receive the option to purchase an Anniversary Edition upgrade for their Special Edition version of the game to gain access to all the additional content found in the Anniversary Edition.
    
• Cartogriffi, a Community Content Managera at Bethesda: “From a modding perspective, just think of Anniversary Edition as a patch for SE. Mods won’t need to support both, and while Script Extender will need an update, that’s true after all game patches.”

Some mods I’m excited about (not necessarily new, but ones that I am definitely excited to try out in my newest modlist!):

• A Little Tree Mod WIP – this is quickly becoming a favorite tree overhaul mod among many users, including myself. While there are definitely some amazing tree mods out there, many of them can be too much for some machines. This “little tree” mod gives some beautiful updates to the trees of Skyrim without too high a performance cost. I’m already using this mod in some of my lists and will continue to watch its progress.
• Pilgrim – A Religion Overhaul and Apothecary – An Alchemy Overhaul by SimonMagus – I don’t have much to say about these as I’m sure you already know about them or at the very least who SimonMagus is. I love all of the Simonrim suite of mods and while occasionally will replace some with Enairim or DrPharmDawgrim, it is more often the case that I keep it simple with their cohesive suite as a package deal.
• Skills of the Wild – New Campfire Survival Skill Trees – I haven’t used this mod yet, but want to see if I can add it to a very explorer heavy modlist I am thinking about. This mod adds some cool new skills that are perfect for a very immersive experience: Art of The Hunt, Knower of the Land, Beast Handler and Culinary Arts. Take a look at the mod page for a lot more information, but if I ever create that explorer modlist, I’ll certainly be adding it (and will try and do a post all about it!).
• Weapon Animation Mods by saltmaxwellpshk:
  • Weapon Animation (Auriel’s Bow)
  • Weapon Animation (Chillrend)
  • Weapon Animation (Miraak’s Sword)
  • Weapon Animation (Skull of Corruption)
  • Weapon Animation (Dawnbreaker)
  • Weapon Animation (Volendrung)
  • Weapon Animation (Nightingale Bow)
  • Weapon Animation (Mace of Molag Bal)
  • Weapon Animation (The Staff of Magnus)
• The Elder Scrolls Online Imports – As you may already know from other posts on here, in the past year, I have been really getting into Elder Scrolls Online (it mostly started as a way to still be playing a game in Tamriel while simultaneously working on a modlist). This mod adds a LOT of stuff from ESO into Skyrim. The spells and items are really my favorite part and are easily worked into leveled list with a bashed patch, but I will warn that the various ruins and such that are placed all over Skyrim can potentially run into compatibility issues (There are a number of patches though). If you like ESO, or just like some added random things to find on your travels, this is a really fun mod to check out!
• Sidequests of Skyrim – Not enough fetch quests in Skyrim for you? Well, fear not! The great wSkeever has you covered! But seriously, this is a cool mod for adding in some more radiant quests for nearly any NPC (vanilla or mod-added). This is a perfect way to add more to your non-Dragonborn playthrough, or maybe you are the Dragonborn and you just want to help out some of the people in your Thanedom. (Also, check out wSkeever’s impressive list of mods, as there are some really great finds there! I usually have at least a dozen of them in most load orders.)
• Jkrojmal – JK’s needs no introduction, but in case you weren’t aware (and haven’t looked at the Hot Files on the Nexus in awhile), there has been a regular release of the interiors in Skyrim, one by one over the past year or so.
• Quaint Series of Player Homes – Rosehla has been creating some of the most underrated player home mods to come out in recent years. Each one has a small backstory, have distinct styles (that fit in with vanilla seamlessly) and are just decorated perfectly, and they are located in mostly conflict-free areas with scenic views (avoiding over-used areas like the south side of Lake Ilinalta). I cannot explain how much I adore these homes:
  • Quaint Sanctuary
  • Quaint Retreat
  • Quaint Lair
  • Quaint Sanctum
  • Quaint Shelter
  • Quaint Dwelling
  • Quaint Hearth
  • Quaint Home
  • Quaint Abode
  • Quaint Domicile
  • Quaint Shack
  • Quaint Den
  • Quaint Cabin
  • Quaint Nest
  • Quaint Lodge
  • Quaint Cottage
• Bards Reborn Bardic Lore Book Crafting System – As a real-life bibliophile, I love collecting books in Skyrim and I love mods like Books of Skyrim SE – Redux. This new mod not only adds a way to craft books in the game, but YOU CAN CRAFT BOOKS ABOUT YOUR QUESTS! How cool is that? I have not actually used this mod yet as I haven’t been able to actually PLAY Skyrim since the mod was released, but you better believe that this is in my (currently in testing phase) modlist. There are patches for mods like Clockwork and Legacy of the Dragonborn.
• Song of the Green (Auri Follower) – Auri has been updated! And not only is Waribiki back on the modding scene, but so is our favorite Skyrim Realtor:
• Elianora – When I first started modding, I started out with Skyrim LE on a potato laptop and you best believe I still downloaded and tried most of Elianora’s amazing player home mods. Many of these have been ported to SE, but a few of my favorites have not. But Elianora is back on the scene and already has some great releases this year:
  • Sicarius’ Refuge SSE – A Hitman’s Hideout – Assassin Home
    
  • THE TINIEST SHACK
    
  • Tel Aschan – Mage Tower Home
    
  • Skaal Village Overhaul
    
  • CHEESE HOUSE (not gonna lie, this is sorta amazing and very ridiculous; Uncle Sheo would be proud, Elianora!)
    
  • Elianora – Proteus Character Preset (due to the amazing mod Project Proteus, you can now have Elianora’s character as your preset or as a follower!
    
• Party of Four – Harder Bosses – I love traveling with a posse of travelers, but it can sometimes seem a little too “easy” when in combat. I usually use a few mods to help with combat and with making enemies more difficult (increased numbers, higher levels, new ways to fight, resistances and weaknesses, etc), but this a mod I found recently that is a perfect addition for my modlist. And speaking of Resistances and Weaknesses…
• Resistances and Weaknesses – I have used Know Your Enemy for a very long time and while it is a great mod (and patching has become significantly easier due to Synthesis), I’ve been on a bit of kick lately of trying to branch out from my usual mods and trying alternatives. This mod uses SPID (Spell Perk Item Distributor) to create a “simple and compatible resistance and weakness system”

Some posts that will be released in the coming weeks (many of these are already or nearly finished, so this time I’m not getting ahead of myself!):

• Mod Alternatives (Let’s mix things up!)
• Spell Perk Item Distributor (SPID)
• Sneak Archer Playthrough (because we have all been there)
• Follower Spreadsheet (I love followers; if you couldn’t tell…)
• Player Home Mod Reviews (not an exhaustive list by any means, but some of my favorites and why I like them)
• Elder Scrolls Online Add-on list and mini-reviews (maybe even a small section on using Minion)
  
• Review of Legends of the Frost (new Wabbajack list by the amazing ForeverPhoenix)