This is a NO-SCRIPTS, NO-INI, patcher mod that makes all followers, mortal again and be able to be killed by enemies naturally. Remember, this only deals with FOLLOWERS, and other NPCs like Jarls and some townspeople are still immortal so you don't break quests.

What is does

• Change ALL followers into non-protected/non-essential so they can be killed
• This includes CUSTOM follower mods you installed
• Change the follower Quest Alias to be non-protected so the status won't come back when hired
  

What it does not do

• NONE of those in-game scripts that make you slow, CTD or ILS
• Does not "force" mortality of followers. If another mod "forces" it with a script, they're still immortal
• Does not affect non-follower NPCs. Jarls and Townspeople are safe. Quests won't break.
  

UPDATES: v1.1

• No more asking or filename, it will always use VolatileFollowers.esp
• No more dialog that asks about adding master. Too spammy if you have many follower mods
• No need to use USKP nor USLEEP to support vanilla followers
• Heavily refactored / optimized code
  

UPDATES: v1.2

• Fixed bug where, if the ESP file already exists, it does not update contents
  

UPDATES: v1.3

• Fixed bug where the records copied are corrupted, because we are not able to fully copy the last override of the form record
• This brings back the dialog that asks about adding master, but now only shows of VERY FEW times, unlike last time where all plugin files that contain NPCs have a dialog message
  

• TES5Edit
  

This is a PATCHER. But before you freak out thinking about SkyProc hell, NO. This is a TES5Edit-based Patcher, not Java-based. This will not take you hours to complete. After the usual TES5Edit loading of your mods, it won't even take a minute!

Mod Organizer

• Download and Install mod, enable it
• Click on the "Data" tab on the right pane, beside Archives and Saves
• Find tools/Volatile Followers, and expand it. List of files will show
• Right-click VFPatcher.bat and "Add as Executable"
• When you run it, wait for TES5Edit and the mod to do their things.
• Make sure the generated ESP File (with the filename you supplied) is enabled.
  

NMM / Manual Install

• Download and Install mod (Enable it if NMM)
• Go to your /Data/tools/Volatile Followers/ directory
• Run/Double-click on VFPatcher.bat
• Wait for TES5Edit and the mod to do their things.
• Make sure the generated ESP File (with the filename you supplied) is enabled.
  

How it works

• The patcher runs through your mods, gets all NPCs in the PotentialFollowerFaction
• We get the source files from where the NPCs are from and add them as the patch file's master
• Get the LAST OVERRIDE of each NPC and copy it into the patch file, then set protected=0 essential=0
• This means that even if you have other mods that override followers, we'll use the latest one being used by the game and modify upon it. So you see compatibility is not much of an issue.
  

Re-running after adding mods / Modifying Load Order

• Make sure VolatileFollowers.esp is selected when re-running the script
• If you specified a different filename before, delete the esp file
• If you want to be sure, you can always delete the old Volatile Followers esp file before re-running
  

Run this BEFORE Merged/Bashed/SkyProc Patch every time you add/remove follower mods. However, in case you're not doing Merged, Bashed or SkyProc patchers, then just execute this last, and comes at the end of your load order.

Load order will look like this:

• All other mods including follower mods
• VolatileFollowers.esp (you choose the filename yourself in the patcher)
• TES5EditMerged.esp (Merged Patch)
• Based Patch, 0.esp (Bashed Patch)
• ASIS (Dependency and ASIS esp)
• Reproccer/PatchusMaximus
• DSR/FNIS
  

The other mods are NOT required. I just added them so you have an idea for the placement in case you are also using them. Heavily based on suggested load order on PcaPP.




Advantages vs "No Essential NPCs ini Tweak"
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/33929/ (NENT)

• Player essentiality is not changed, thus compatible with player death mods
• Non-follower NPCs are still essential/immortal, quests don't break
• No INI tweaks that beginners might be afraid to edit
• Affects both essential and protected followers, while NENT only affects essentials
  

Advantages vs "Followers and Follower faction Unprotected"
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/14635/ (FFFU)

• VFPatch affects custom followers, while FFFU only affects bethesda followers
• VFPatch affects essentials, while FFFU only affects protected
  

Being a dynamic patcher, compatibility is not a large issue.
We don't just "conflict" with other mods. We complement them.


Follower Overhauls and Frameworks
Examples: AFT / EFF / UFO
Compatible: YES
Load Order: This mod AFTER the follower overhaul mods
Notes:

• Just make sure those mods don't force the NPC to be immortal (e.g. on AFT, uncheck "NPC cannot permanently die")
• Regardless of Load Order, the follower overhauls are followed instead of this mod. This is because we are NO-SCRIPTS and only control data in LAUNCHING the game. Those follower overhauls have scripts that control WHILE you're in-game.
  

Why need this when follower overhauls are followed:

• Unchecking "NPC cannot permanently die" only reverts the follower to its ORIGINAL STATE
• If the follower's ORIGINAL STATE is still immortal/essential, they still cannot die, even it's unchecked
• This mod alters the ORIGINAL STATE into non-essential/non-protected, so when the follower mods revert, NPC can die
  

No Essential NPCs ini Tweak
Compatible: YES
Notes:

• Doesn't cause bugs together, but I don't know why you'd use both
• You choose this if you want innocent non-follower NPCs live, ini tweak if you don't care who dies
  

Followers and Follower faction Unprotected 
Compatible: YES
Load Order: This mod AFTER FFFU
Notes:

• Doesn't cause bugs together but VolatileFollowers, you don't need FFFU
  

Follower mods
Compatible: YES
Load Order: This mod AFTER the followers
Notes:

• With the exception of follower mods listed below
  

Eryniel Elf Reborn
Compatible: NEEDS TESTING
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/30175/

• It seems she might have as special script that reverts her back to essential state when dismissed(?)
• This needs testing, if anyone using her can please confirm
  

Follower - Agatha
Compatible: NO
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59273/

• As of its version 1.4, there is an error in Agatha's hair color records
• (You may check this error yourself in TES5Edit, "Check for errors")
• This will break the patcher, so we skip her and do not make any updates to it
• She will remain essential after patching
• Ask the author to fix it, it's outside VFPatcher's scope
  

Common reasons why followers are still immortal

• You let AFT/UFO/EFF etc to "force" follower immortality. Check their settings
• The follower in question is scripted, and "forces" herself immortal
• The follower in question also has an error like Agatha, see Compatibility section.
• VF Patch Files is disabled. Check your load order
  

Errors during the patching process

• Get a screenshot of the error dialog AND the last 10 lines in the TES5Edit Messages and post it on bug reports
  

Post bug reports on the issue tracker, not the comments thread.

• The very useful mteFunctions by matortheeternal on the TES5EditScripts
• RealShelter Patcher that gave me an idea that TES5Edit can be used for patching and got me started