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About this mod
A list of mod that adds lorefriendly content to the game in a lorefriendly, clean, easy to understand and potentially natural fashion.
- Requirements
- Permissions and credits
OBLIVION EXPANDED MOD LIST
In past years, as a passionate modder and mod user I tried very much annually to find out the best and more fun mod list or compilation or overhaul as possible, I'll stop you right here, the more FUN not necessary the most complete, big or the longes compilation of overhauls and compatibility patches. The goal of this list is to provide the most possible enjoyable experience as far as content while also providing and using the support of the now very popular Bevilex mod list for graphics, and many consideration on possible additions according to your taste.
The downloadable file will provide the optional INI file, and required dummy esp to install all the listed contents, and the INI configurational files to install via Wrye bash. A little knowledge of Wrye bash and OBMM, which are the main tool for the fruition of this list is requied to go further, specific passages will be shown at the proper time, as long as a clean installation, consideration on bevilex's mod list will be done at the key moments, also because we will use part of the list as a support for our gameplay installation.
One other goal of this mod list is to play at 60FPS Compatible with Bevilex mod list for graphics and be as stable, and so short and slim as possible. I also want to reduce redundancy and overloading of contents as much as possible, having two objectives on the same location can be a nice coincidence, and be pleasing, but when they are 3 and this happens multiple times it really starts to feel like another kind of game and I didn't find it pleasing at all, so the quest list could appear slim compared to other mod lists around but the major goal it's this, so now you know why. This mod list can be a nice way to enjoy oblivion once again or for more experienced users a nice starting point for they're own mod list.
FIRST QUESTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
Let's suppose that you have a fresh and clean oblivion installation with all the DLC's, Now it's time to go on the trusted Bevilex's modlist for graphics and follow the instructions until your tools are ready. ( stop right before the stability plugins tab, and make sure you major tools are ready, Oblivion mod manager, Oblivion script extender, WinRAR, BOSS and Wrye bash ). I'm using this expedient to link the Bevilex mod list here because it's intertwined with this mod list in some way and it offers great video tutorials for the part of it concerning this guide, so there was no point in making new ones and write all of this again.
Now it's time for our fist question wich many players don't ask themselves: what minor DLC do you really enjoy and want to play? exception for Shivering Isles which is mandatory and knights, which is awesome. The choice is yours, however, it's important that you go to your plugin tab into Wrye bash and deactivate HorseArmor.esp, for which we will use a better replacement later on, and then right-click the esp on Wrye bash and hide the mod. This will move the esp into a secondary folder, if you don't do it, Boss will automatically take it into consideration when doing its own process. Do the same thing for all the plugin you do NOT want to use, I personally like a lot quest DLC's and I do not like the housing ones, so after deactivating and hiding the proper esp, my list will have just what's listed below:
- Oblivion.esm
- ShinveringIsles.esp
- Knight.esp
- MeherunesRazor.esp
- TheOrrey.esp
- SpellTomes.esp
Your list could be different. This is important because now it's time for going back to the Bevilex mod list and install all the stability mod, OBSE plugins and fixes patch. When it will be the time of installing the Unofficial patch for the minor DLC install them separately and only for the mod you have now listed, checking the right boxes in Wrye bash, on the right bottom corner of the screen before installing. Stop at the end of it before the texture packs and come back here!
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Very important notes:
This list is designed to suit a 60 FPS scenario, while Bevilex advise to maintain 45 FPS caps for stability and set it's own INI accordingly, If you will to have 60 FPS, like many do you can install OSR_BevilexINI_60FPS.rar downloadable here via Wrye bash, it will replace your OSR INI with an identical one where the FPS limit and minimal are a bit different. ( All the files listed in blue can be downloaded from the filed of this page, keep it in mind )
The tecnical order of the mods for best compatibility is to install stability, then contents and test it, and then moving into graphics and beauty, so even if you plan of install all bevilex mod list further I advise you to finish this list before it, to be sure of installing all the texture properly and avoiding potential mistakes.
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Now it's time to proceed and make our plugins not bother us right at the start of the game making us freeze with a zillion of popups. For this we will install those mods, the first right away, the second selecting the specific packages for the DLC we have chosen.
Time Enough at Last
This mod will add time-breaks between the main storyline quests of 7 days, changeable via INI file, so it doesn't feel super fast and rushed, and give you proper time to quest around and gather allies for Bruma.
SM Plugin Refurbish
This one will tide the DLC plugin to in-game events instead of giving you all the quests from the start, check the individual plugin tab in Wrye bash and install only the plugins for the DLC you have chosen before.
Fighters Guild Quests
Mages Guild Quests
Guild Advancement
Realistic Player Dialogue
To continue our quest to polish a bit before moving into the overhauls needy-greedy and making guilds and dialogues more interesting and challenging, adding quests and requirements of skill and ability to progress in the guilds, respectively 62 FG contracts, 43 MG contracts, The necessity to complete some of those new contracts and more the requirements of a certain amount of magical or physical skills in order to be promoted at the higher ranks, the last one instead make you formulate phrases that finally have a logic sense. no more " Blade " options into dialogues.
THE CORE
It's now time to pick our Overhauls, the backbone of our gameplay and playthrough, I've tested and played many combinations in the years FCOM, MOO alone, OOO, OOO+MMM, OOO+MMM+MOO+WAC and probably any combination of those and some other. I know this will be object of discussion, and it's ok because different players have different needs and tastes, but if I have learned a thing about overhauls is that less is more, and I have a very logical explanation of why, at least for what concerns oblivion: Different overhauls go into different directions when rebalancing, tweaking and testing. OOO and MOO do very different things, OOO and MMM does also very different things, but all of them have the same target and this often results in a mess of game-design breaking situations. overwhelming you with spawn points, different rules about factions and damage balancing, different players as target those are my reason for saying that the overhauls should stand on they're won and making a bridge or a combination of them as far as adding plainly more stuff like weapons armor or variety of enemies lead to unintended gameplay situations, frustrating boring, impossible or even worse completely contradictory to each other.
So what to do? I've found that the best overhaul and compromise for the gameplay experience is Maskar oblivion overhaul, which allows you to basically make any adjustments you want to your mods and, and this will be useful later, inject via script the object and lists of other mods into its own, using a dummy esp to load the resources from BSA files and arranging the contents in complete autonomy from the original mod. So for it's potential of customizability I've picked it as one of the CORE mods, is also make nice use of levelled and not levelled items, and it can be rewarding at the right time without driving you in OP gear, as I've seen often in OOO ( This is a personal consideration, not a fact of life ). Also, provide a lot of new pleasing mechanics. Exploring it I've also noticed that it uses up a lot of free resources that are also used into MMM, using both will lead to redundancy of contents. But it has 0 redundancy with WAC.
WAC, on the other hand, has a huge library of contents which have been abandoned times ago from the original author, and the reputation of being buggy and unstable, luckily the awesome Maskar has provided the mod with all the necessary script to inject items list and regional animals and creatures! This is not often shown because it's at the end of the MOO readme incompatibility with 3rd part mods. All of this is awesome, but personally I've found that many WAC creatures are not lore-friendly in the way that I would like to enjoy my game.
So since those regional lists are just six, I edited them in the original WaalxAnimals&creatures.esm, that very list that MOO inject regionally, and If you want something lore-friendly like me, probably you will enjoy that this file is downloadable here and ready to be installed with Wrye bash, if you want the original version instead of the lore-friendly one you can install and override just the dummy esp, and you will have original WAC lists. ( MOO has also scripts ready for MMM NPCs and other mods, however the major difference is that MMM and OOO esm files manually edit the world a lot, and the lists of original oblivion, so we cannot just inject it in the right places, besides, MOO uses many of the MMM assets fro new creatures that come from modder's resources, leading to more redundancy. WAC esm file instead works almost 99% as just a library, giving us absolute control of what contents we want ).
The other big mods or major changes will be COBL, necessary later and will add a lot of nice stuff to use and find and enjoy into the game, and also Ultimate Levelling, which is a leveling overhaul in all senses, now to work!
COBL - Common Oblivion
This mod adds a really nice amount of ingredients and nice little things and it's required to install a mod further down the list, check only the COBL Core folder and in this select the sub-packages CoblMain.esp , CoblGlue.esp, CoblSi.esp and CoblTweaks.esp via Wrye bash before hitting to install, the others are not necessary. if A plugin filed becomes installed as well in your esp list you can deactivate and hide it later we will not need it.
Maskar Oblivion Overhaul
I advise you to install it via OBMM and then choose your preference in the OMOD options, then you will be able to replace it config with my changes if you will, and will like my major changes, or to configure your personal INI, If you are able to do so.
Ultimate Levelling
The very same line of Maskar Oblivion Overhaul, do the same.
WaalxAnimals&Creatures
Download and install only WAC1beta from the list via wrye bash, you need to be logged in to see the download botton on the right upper corner of the screen. Install Only the resources, WaalxAnimals&Creatures.esm and WAC.esp in the plugin filter, the rest must not be installed.
WAC dummy & Lore Friendly List for MOO
Now it's time to choose, would you like to play with my lore-friendly version of the leveled list or with the original ones? basically my list adds a little more regional variety and removes greenlings, red goblins, pixies, djinns, graylings, gremlins, and chimps in order to add proper animals instead of those fairytail-ish creatures from other lore that have nothing to deal with elder scroll universe. the rest of the things are not mutated or slightly changed. check only WAC dummy package for original lists or check both folders for my version. This is a dependant upon, and also the main mod is required, so it's technically not a violation of the terms of nexus and WAC readme rules for related content, and it's better than letting it be forgotten into the dust because it's unfinished and not popular like other major overhauls.
Ultimate Levelling CFG
Maskar Oblivion Overhaul CFG
Now you can decide if you want to install my configurations for MOO and Ultimate Levelling respectively, both to be installed via Wryebash if you will, the major changes are listed below for both mods:
Ultimate Levelling CFG: Around 60 % slower than vanilla for major skill, and 80 % for minor skills, I Find with this CFG that leveling feels really rewarding and earned. Also, you can switch classes, my options will keep the traditional way of levelling using your skills to improve them.
Maskar Oblivion Overhaul CFG: Generally advanced settings, I will list only the major changes, but they are a lot: Safezone around the city is slightly reduced, and the outskirts, even more, expanding considerably the " remote " region but not going overboard, slightly tougher enemy but a little less enemies ( you can still encounter major groups or enemy party, but situation, when you stagger overwhelmed by pure number, are reduced ) Totally disable fast travel ( there are other means to fast travel in this mod list via other mods, but this is limited city by city and to me feels much nicer and enjoyable ). the combat is slower than original MOO, it's not 2x to allow a better and more significant use of block, but it's at 1.5x to not go vanilla, the weapon damage is increased by 30 % as MOO default , speed of the arrows depend a bit more on your skills, some not lore-friendly creature cannot spawn ( like the skeleton wearing frostmourne and lich king armor ) and some other, 3 in total, dungeons and night are a bit less dark, but you can still enjoy a torch, Sigil stones can scale a bit differently above or below your level to make it more rewarding and interesting to venture in oblivion gates, weapons and armor have not mastery level restriction but staffs have it so you cannot technically quip a 50 damage plain staff at lvl one and shotting enemies. Other minor changes...
Mage Guild Teleport 3.1
The Ayleid Steps
As I said there will be other means in this mod list that allows you to fast travel, e those are plain and simple to install, like the rest of the content related mods. The first will allow us to travel between the cities in the mages guild, paying a small fee, the second adds a network of stepstones that can use with a welkynd stone, however, those can be broken and put you into a random location sometimes, you need to do an intro quest to use them. I think the game is much more engaging without fast travel and with those expedients to go where you need.
MAJOR QUEST MODS
As I said before, I decided to avoid putting in all quest mods of the nexus in order to avoid redundancy and having too many objectives close together, So my list could appear restricted or not include your favorites, feel free to do what you want there, the installation with some exception it's usually very simple with Wryebash.
Reclaiming Sancre Tor
Time to do a bit of work, download and extract all the asset into a template folder, and the same for the esp files, and then pack them up creating an archive with Winrar calling it as you want, make it easy to understand, and then install it via WryeBash. This is a professional-level DLC size quest mod
The Heart of the Dead
A nice and very lore-friendly story mode with multiple endings, probably my favorite quest mod of all time, fully voiced also. CAREFUL: this mod uses a disk type of file to install, so I highly advise to create a Template folder, install the content there, (part 1, 2, 3 - SKIP the opening movie file, it's not part of the disk installation ) and then download and extract the esp file in this folder. Repack via WinRAR and install it via WryeBash.
Ruined Tail's Tale
Another awesome quest featuring an Argonian battlemage as a companion.
Myth & Legends Weapons 2
A really nice treasure haunting mod, not all the quest and targets are marked and you will need to find those relics using your own intelligence, the information to find objects can be found in books across the Cyrodiil book merchants.
OPTIONALS COMPANIONS MOD
Companion Vilja
Companion Neeshka
Many Oblivion quest mod features companion, especially HOTD which is CM-based, but those two mods stand out just for this, you will have a quest mod for them popping up at the start of the game. For Vilja extract esp and BSA files into the usual template folder repack it and install with WryeBash as you are now used to do, Neeshka comes ready to install.
TIME TO MAKE OBLIVION LOOK PRETTY
( Not with textures, for this use Bevlix list and the end of this guide. )
This is the aesthetic part of the list, it has some nice effect however it's more a mod that adds environmental stuff, not a collection of retexture. There are a zillion mods in nexus that aim for it, my test has the objective to keep oblivion stable at 60 FPS and very stable, so some cut has been done, mainly on the Unique landscapes. I test all of them separately and explore them one by one with a full ( except of LGFlorianaGloria ) Bevilex list and also with Cyrodiil ENB instead of OR + Cinematic ENB, And I can say what is good and whatnot, all of them are awesome but some adds really too much stuff and even if hardware is not a problem, the engine of oblivion have huge limitations, I also did the same for HESU. So let's start with the important thing: Do you plan to install Lush&Gaudy Floriana Gloria? If yes, skip the Unique landscape Sections below and Start with HESU.
Unique Landscape Compilation
This mod is awesome however it's not compatible with LGFlorianaGloria ( so if you want to use it, skip this mod ) and also it's very heavy for the oblivion engine limitations, so I test all the mod separately and I know what will allow a smooth or almost smooth gameplay. Prompt the wizard from Wryebash, install them separately, picking them one by one, the one you can pick with no fear are:
-AncientYews
-ArriusCreek
-AspenWood
-BlackwoodForest
-BrenaRiverRavine
-FallenleafEverglade ( Surprisingly )
-ImperialIsle
-PantherRiver
-RiverEthe
-Snowdale
-StendarrValley
-TheEasternPeaks
-TheLostCoast
-TheHeath
-TheGreatForest - AncientRedwood
-TheGreatForest - LushWoodlands
-AY-AC patch ( SHould install automatically if you select both ArriusCreek and AncientYews )
Thos works pretty well with OSR and Bevilex Full-list the others, especially Cheydinall falls, rollingHills, Skingrad and Chorrol outskirts are to be avoided. Also BravilBarrowfields. Compatibility patches will come later ;)
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Very important notes:
Building the bashed patch will Deactivate some of those mods which will result in imported, Reactivate it in your mod list, or you will have terrain Issues, especially AncientYes and ArriusCreek and Related patch.
If you plan to install ULCompilation there is a huge change that you then will install Grass-Overhaul from Bevilex mod list, in this case, be careful, you must install also the patch contained in the GrassOverhaul mod AND make sure that you reactivate GrassOverhaul after building the Bashed patch in order to have the master for this patch or your game will crash at launch.
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HESU Mod Collection
Time for Hesu Mods, unluckily for us very few are compatible with the 60FPS for Bevilex Plan due to engine limitations, Download them from the esp lists and install with WryeBash those are:
-HESU Skyrim Temple
-HESU Dive Rock
RoadsOfCyrodiil
A Really nice road revamp which makes moving around much better especially around the imperial isles and on other places, still no worry for the patches.
Unique Landscape Compatibility Patches
Now it's time to patch all our stuff, download the main file which is WryeBahs Ready, chek the sub packages separate and merged or separate and in the plugin, tab deselect all, Now if you have this very mod list the patches that you need are the following, from the plugin list:
- ULE FightersGuildQuest - Snowdale Patch.esp
- ULE Myths&Legends2 - EasternPeaks Patch.esp
- ULE SkyrimTemple - SnowdalePatch.esp
- ULS HeartOfTheDear - ArriusCreekPatch.esp
- ULS ROC - AncientRedwood.esp
Make also sure all those patches are set active after building the bashed patch at the end of this guide.
DUNGEONS
Now it's time to improve our dungeons and add some other new cool stuff! I advise combining both Snus Dungeons and Better Dungeons. More Infos below
Dungeons of Tamriel Compilation & Bravil
(Main & First Optional File only )
Better Dungeons
Snus Dungeons ( Resources )
Snus Dungeons ( esps )
To Make BD and Snus work together do as follows: Install BD via Wrye bash, create a template folder, and extract the SnusDungeoun Resources here, and the SnusDungeon.esp and the SnusDungeon - BD patch.esp in this folder, create a new archive and install via WryeBash. The first mod will add sewers to explore in many cities, the other will improve considerably any existing dungeons of the game.
FINAL TOUCHES
Clock of Cyrodiil
Enhanced Cyrodiil - Wayshrines
Imperial Unique Castles
Skyrim Ingredients for Oblivion
Summonable Private Quarters
Those last mods make oblivion pretty with almost no performance problems in nice little ways, and the installation is very straight forward, the first 3 are aesthetic, the other provides Skyrim ingredients and a scroll to summon a house for you like a spell if you manage to find it!
Zira Horse Compilation Modpack
( That's the reason for the deactivation of the HorseArmorDLC as a main step, I find this mod really better and more various )
Thus it's our horse mod, check and install in the plugin filter of Wrye bash only the MyHorse plugin and HeavyArmorLegion Plugin before installing it.
Detect Life X-Ray Vision
( Much better than the little purple glowing in my opinion )
Arrow Effects
( Enchanted Arrows now have a little glow of the color of the damage )
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Final important notes:
Other important notes on Bevilex and my tests: I tested the performance with full Bevilex list, however I do not play with full Bevilex mod list, I do not like Weather All Natural and so I also do not use immersive interiors, Neither I like the last version of OR because it forces you to not use shadows or use their shadows which I find it's really broken, while instead I really like the canopy shadows on your characters in the forest of the original game, so I use just the ENB and when I do I use monkey or Cyirodiil ENB ( A version that I personally tweaked a lot to make it more true to the original colors of the game and save a bit of atmospheric perspective which those mod have a tendency to kill ) - far mountains are blue for a reason and if you check and paint or piece of concept art you will notice it, also if you watch distant mountains on a not to dry day !
Also I advise you against retexture the creature from the Bevilex mod list, because those mod will get the creatures from they're own BSA archive, leading with major inconsistency if you find out the creature of the vanilla game in your playthrough, that's not a compatibility or performance problem, simply I do not find it coherent with the rest of the game, it's senseless that two different wolves have one a nice texture, and it's very rare to encounter and another a totally different one in terms of quality.
It's now time to run BOSS, sort your mods, rebuild you bashed patch - ( Remember that some mod must be Re-activated after this passage ) and test your game, if anything works fine we now part, and you are ready to follow this guide installing the Bevilex's mod list from where we left it, before the main base texture packs in the second tab.
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This is the end of this mod list, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do - Hail Adventurer,
May you go forth into Cyrodiil one again!
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