Oblivion should not be in your Program Files for many reasons, if it is, move/reinstall it now. Try running the game once to generate .ini files and registry keys. Don't skip any of the tools here.

Wrye Bash
The first tool we are interested in is Wrye Bash. Wrye Bash is probably the most reliable mod manager for Oblivion. It is capable of many things, such as:

• Mod installation and file conflict management
• Plugin load order management
• Screenshot management
• .ini tweak management
• Clean uninstallation of mods, even conflicting ones
• The "Bashed Patch", which allows you to increase the compatibility of mods, configure the game to your liking via tweaks and to surpass the 255 plugins limit by merging patches into it

No other mod manager (except Mod Organizer 2) can install a mod via a 'wizard.txt' file (like FOMODs in Skyrim). There are several of these mods that come with a wizard, that would otherwise be rather annoying or highly complex to install by hand. DarNifiedUI, All Natural, Animated Window Lighting System and Chimneys - AWLS, Robert Male Body Replacer, Cobl and Colored Quests are just some examples. Therefore, I cannot help you if you wish to use another mod manager, and I will be assuming you are using it throughout the guide. If you wish to use Mod Organizer 2, you will still need Wrye Bash for its bashed patch feature. MO2 will also require more work to get Landscape LOD generator tes4ll-v5 up and running.

Download it from the Nexus (recommended), downloading the Installer version main file only. Alternatively, you may wish to join the Wrye Bash Discord server to download more experimental Work-In-Progress builds or to seek help. You can find that discord server here (note that you may need to read the rules and type in the bot command to talk in the server).

Wrye Bash can be quite intimidating for users just first starting out. I recommend that you read up on laulajatar's guide here.

To set it up, run the exe, and allow it to run if Windows thinks it is unsafe. Install for any Bethesda games you wish. Also install start menu shortcuts as these can be used for debugging easily. When that's completed, go to your Oblivion directory, then Mopy, then see bash_default.ini. This .ini file won't actually do anything unless you rename it to just bash.ini. This is fine unless you wish to have your bash installers (the archives of mods which will be installed in Wrye Bash) on your HDD instead of your SSD, to save space (assuming Oblivion is on an SSD).

To do this, duplicate bash_default.ini and rename the duplicate .ini to bash.ini, then set:

sOblivionMods=[A Folder Path That Will Be Created Somewhere On Your HDD]

For example, mine is sOblivionMods=D:\Oblivion Mods. Make sure to uncomment the line you edited (that is, remove the semicolon (;) at the start of the line).

For sBashModData=, do the same path except add on to the end \Bash Mod Data. Mine looks like sBashModData=D:\Oblivion Mods\Bash Mod Data.

Finally, for sInstallersData=, add \Bash Installers\Bash to the first entry's path. Mine looks like sInstallersData=D:\Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers\Bash.

Save and exit. Now Wrye Bash can install mods from your HDD while keeping Oblivion on your SSD.

I also recommend just making a vanilla loose files project in Wrye Bash Installers by right-clicking on the white header that says 'Package' in the top left, going to 'Files..' and selecting 'New Project...'. Untick 'Blank.esp', and name it something like 'Original Game Data'. Then, you can copy all of your vanilla loose files and folders to there, in case they get overwritten by other mods later. Mine has Music, Shaders, Textures and Video folders, and all of the vanilla DLC ESPs and Oblivion.esm. After that, right-click on the white header in the top left again and uncheck 'Skip Bethsoft Content'. Then, you can install the project.

To install a mod with Wrye Bash, place the downloaded archive of a mod in the Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers folder. You may want to make a shortcut of this folder or pin it to quick access. You can also just drag and drop an archive into Wrye Bash's Installers tab, but this will only work if Wrye Bash is not running as administrator. If you don't know which mod test it out with, use the Unofficial Oblivion Patch. Once that's done, open up Wrye Bash. Click on the 'Installers' tab in the top left. Let it scan all data, this may take a while and is only needed the first time around. You should find the mod's archive (in our case the Unofficial Oblivion Patch) in here. Clicking on it, you should see if the mod has any esp file(s), make sure the esp file(s) you want are checked (they will be by default). For use in this guide, uncheck 'UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp' under Plugin Filter to the right. Then, right-click on the archive, and click 'Install'. For this mod in particular, you will get warnings that it contains OBSE plugins, click yes both times. The mod is now installed, and you can activate it in the 'Mods' tab.

Almost all mods can be installed via Wrye Bash and it is recommend to install with it for easy uninstallation and file conflict detection. A few exceptions are OBSE which we will install later, the Construction Set and its Extender, ENB, and perhaps a few others.

Uninstallation of mods that only have textures or meshes is fine. Uninstalling mods with an esp in Oblivion is mostly safe (much safer than uninstalling a mod in Skyrim), but avoid uninstalling huge mods like Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul and Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul. These mods will make permanent changes to your save file, and they may not load after they're removed. Some smaller mods have the potential to make permanent changes to your save file too (mostly cell and worldspace related ones).

If you uninstall a mod that affects NPC levels, you should open the 'Saves' tab in Wrye Bash, right-click on your save file and select 'Update NPC Levels...' This will update the levels of NPCs to match your current load order and undo any NPC level changes made by a previously used mod.

You should also enable 'Check mods against LOOT's dirty mod list' by right clicking on the top white bar under the Mods tab.

If all of the mods are highlighted red after installing Wrye Bash (including the official DLCs) due to having the same timestamp, press control+A (or just control+click on the affected mods to highlight them), right-click on the highlighted mods, go to 'File..' and then 'Redate...'. Just click 'OK' without typing anything, and all of the highlighted mods will have a modified date different to each other, and the error messages will be gone.

Do not use Oblivion Mod Manager or Nexus Mod Manager, they are heavily outdated, not required for anything in this guide and are incapable of doing many things. There are only a very small amount of old mods on Nexus that require Oblivion Mod Manager. Vortex should also be avoided for Oblivion.

You should also install Wrye Bash BCFs Collection for Mods. These BCFs will make the installation of many mods in this guide easier. Unpack the contents of the main file into your Oblivion Mods\Bash Installers\Bain Converters folder. Then you can apply the BCFs to any poorly-packaged mods in this guide, by right-clicking on a package and going to Archive -> Bain Conversions -> Apply. Mods in this guide which have a BCF available to use will be marked with (BCF) next to their names, and it will be assumed that you are using the BCFs for those mods.

Mod Organizer 2 users can also make use of these BCFs by placing a mod archive in BAIN and then applying the BCF. The BCF'd package can then be installed in Mod Organizer 2 as an archive.

TES4Edit
This tool will let you clean mods, make patches, sort masters of plugins with incorrect masters order and much more. You can download it from Nexusmods (recommended) or alternatively join the xEdit Discord server here, and download the latest builds from #xedit-builds (avoid the extremely experimental builds).

To clean a dirty mod, open TES4EditQuickAutoClean.exe. Choose only one mod to clean at a time. The application should automatically do everything for you from then on, reporting how many ITMs and UDRs were cleaned, if any. Some mods in this guide will benefit from being cleaned by TES4Edit.

Note a mod with cleaned ITMs or undeleted UDRs changes its CRC, meaning the Wrye Bash installer will declare there to be a mismatched ESP or ESM installed. This isn't particularly a big deal. To solve this, right click on the installer package, go to package, and select Sync from Data. Make sure only the ESP is selected to sync from data.

All of the official DLC ESPs need to be cleaned in TES4Edit, except for DLCShiveringIsles.esp (non-English games may also need to clean DLCShiveringIsles.esp). When cleaning DLCBattlehornCastle.esp and Knights.esp, a warning will appear in the messages that some references can not be undeleted. This is fine and isn't an issue that needs addressing, as they are just simply some harmless test cell records that can be left alone without any further cleaning being necessary. You can make a new BAIN project with all of the cleaned DLC ESPs in it, as a backup. Then, you can install this project after the previous one with the loose vanilla files. You can then uncheck the old, dirty vanilla DLC in the previous project in Plugin Filter.

I recommend you also give the Tome of xEdit a read to learn more about this great program.

Load Order Optimisation Tool (LOOT)
LOOT is what we use to sort our load orders. You'll want to use this when adding new ESPs and ESMs to your game, before building your bashed patch. Not doing this will cause problems in your game in any decently sized load order.

LOOT has made great strides of progress over the years and will work fine with Oblivion.

In the past, Better Oblivion Sorting Software (BOSS) was the load order sorting software of choice for Oblivion, but I think that at this point LOOT has superseded BOSS and even made it obsolete.

Everyone should download LOOT and run it regularly to update the masterlist, as Wrye Bash gets its bash tag data from there (even if you only use BOSS to sort your load order).

BethINI
BethINI is used to manage the Oblivion.ini file. You can change the graphics quality as well as some other tweaks like being able to travel outside of Cyrodiil borders (required for mods such as Mannimarco Revisited). In the 'Basics' tab, you may want to select 'BethINI Presets' followed by 'Ultra', then 'Recommended Tweaks'. This is assuming that you have at least an entry level gaming PC from the past five years or so (even earlier might do). If you want better performance, a lower preset may be preferable. Also in this tab select your resolution, and check the Windowed Mode box if you want to play in windowed mode (recommended).

Check Remove Borders in Gameplay. In Interface, if you want, check General Subtitles. In View Distance, you may want to increase Object, Actor and Item Fade (I set them to 15), and if you wish, raise Grass Fade a little. Try playing the game and then seeing what tweaks you would like to apply from that.

If you are going to use Oblivion Reloaded and/or Monkey ENB in the future, you'll need to uncheck 'Water Ripples' in the 'Detail' tab (make sure that the 'Water Ripples' box is unchecked, that is, it should be set to 0 in the BethINI log). When you're done, click 'Save and Exit'.

7-Zip
7-Zip is a file archiver with a high compression ratio. If for some reason you don't already have this, install it. It's invaluable for dealing with .zip, .rar and .7z archives that most mods come in.

I recommend not skipping any mods here.

Create a new marker in Wrye Bash by right clicking on the top bar, and rename it to 'Core'.

xOBSE
Mod notes: "This is a community maintained up-to-date fork of Oblivion Script Extender (OBSE)."

OBSE is an essential mod to have in Oblivion - many great mods depend on it to function, including stability mods. It cannot be installed via BAIN ('Bash Installers' in Wrye Bash).

xOBSE is an unofficially updated OBSE version. Click on the releases on the right and download the latest version. Drag the Data folder, obse_1_2_416.dll, obse_editor_1_2.dll, and obse_loader.exe into your root Oblivion folder, where Oblivion.exe is. If using Steam, also drag in the obse_steam_loader.dll.

From now on you will be running the game through obse_loader.exe. For Steam, you can launch OBSE from the Steam client if you rename your obse_loader to OblivionLauncher (make sure to back up your original OblivionLauncher.exe first though). If that fails to launch OBSE or if you just prefer to run OBSE from the obse_loader.exe directly, then just go back to using the OBSE loader to launch the game.

Mod Organizer 2 users can install OBSE by following these simple instructions here.

If you want to change the loader icon and name, create a shortcut of the loader, rename the shortcut to 'Oblivion (OBSE)', right-click to properties, shortcut tab, Change Icon, Browse, then look for your Oblivion folder and select Oblivion.exe. Hit OK, apply, and OK.

You will want to test if OBSE is working properly. Save once in the game. You should see in Documents\My Games\Oblivion\Saves your save and an obse cosave (one .ess and one .obse file for each save). You can also use the command 'getobseversion' in the console, and if OBSE is running it will ouput the current version (if not, an error will show). Another way of testing if OBSE is installed and working correctly is by using the PEBKAC mod (it will also show if certain OBSE plugins are installed correctly).

Oblivion Stutter Remover (OSR)
Mod notes: "OBSE required. For Oblivion version 1.2.416 only. Makes Oblivion not stutter so much, improves stability."

Oblivion Stutter Remover is another essential mod for Oblivion. There's no reason not to grab this, it does what it says in the name. Download 'OSR_4-1-37' only. Install it via Wrye Bash, i.e. place it in your Bash Installers folder inside the Oblivion Mods folder. If it doesn't show up in BAIN, right-click the top bar and select 'Refresh Data'.

After that's done, download and install the Oblivion Stutter Remover - Optimized INI File main file 'Oblivion Stutter Remover - Optimized INI File' only. Note that for some reason this specific OSR .ini causes the game to crash on startup if you are modding the game with Mod Organizer 2. I do not know why this is, but see the mod page's posts for more details.

Engine Bug Fixes
Mod notes: "An OBSE plugin containing bug fixes for the Oblivion game engine."

This mod employs some fixes into the game engine as well as some patches.

4gb Ram Patcher
Mod notes: "Small .exe with sole purpose of applying >2gb patch to .exe and .dll files. Automatically makes backups of original files. Applying this to all .exe and .dll related to Oblivion MAY give some of those with 4gb plus ram a performance boost. Even then extra tweaks and additional utilities are usually necessary to optimize things."

Do not use this if you have the GOG version of Oblivion, as the GOG version comes pre-patched already with this patch. Otherwise, run the 4gb Ram Patcher only on Oblivion.exe. It simply allows the game to use more RAM where needed.

Weapon Drop Fix (BCF)
Mod notes: "Enemies no longer drop weapons on death, they remain in inventory. This prevents dropped weapons from clipping through the ground."

It will prevent NPCs from creating dynamic items which can cause save bloat, as well as making it easier to loot their weapon.

In Plugin Filter, select 00 Core. If you intend to use Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul later on, also install the 01 OOO ESP.

CTD and Memory patch ENBoost (Optional)
Mod notes: "x64 optimized patch for heavily modified game, it much more efficiently utilize memory. Specially for users with HD textures".

This mod offers some stability enhancements. It is optional because it is incompatible with a graphics enhancing ENB.

The memory management feature of either ENBoost or Oblivion Reloaded is essential to have Oblivion run without crashing often when using many high-resolution graphics mods.

To install it, first grab ENBoost v0.259 here (click the little black arrow to download it). Open the WrapperVersion folder, and drag d3d9.dll and enbhost.exe into your root Oblivion (not Data) folder. Then grab the archive from the CTD and Memory patch ENBoost page. In that archive, go into the folder relevant to your hardware, either a Nvidia or AMD graphics card. Then select the OS relevant to you - virtually all modern computers are 64bit now. Drag that enblocal.ini there into your Oblivion root folder.

When you launch the game, you should see an ENBoost notification in the top left corner of the game. Also, you can check in Task Manager in Windows which shows Background processes, to see if enbhost.exe is running. If it is, then it will give Oblivion even better performance. Do not run enbhost.exe as an administrator, otherwise it may cause problems with launching it.

SkyBSA
Mod notes: "An OBSE DLL that forces Oblivion to handle BSAs and loose files the same way that Skyrim does. No more mucking around with file timestamps!"

This OBSE plugin is designed to fix Oblivion flawed handling of loose files inside the Data folder. Read about the problem in the game without this mod on the mod page. Previously people used a tool called 'Archive Invalidation' to get around this, which is no longer needed. Wrye Bash does this automatically however when installing mods but SkyBSA likely does this better.

Note: You can now turn off BSA Redirection in the Installers tab of Wrye Bash, by right-clicking on the top bar. According to the author, it is redundant with this mod installed.

Menu Alt-Tab Crash Fix
Mod notes: "Fixes a crash caused by alt-tabbing while in a menu, doesn't seem to be fixed by any other mods yet, so here you go!"

Blockhead
Mod notes: "An OBSE plugin that adds support for gender variant head models and textures for NPCs. And allows free camera movement in the race/sex menu. And enables pain-free inventory idle overriding. And per-NPC/Race/scripted body/head texture/model overriding. And animation overriding. And equipment model overriding."

Required for Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2.

MenuQue (BCF)
Mod notes: "An OBSE Plugin that adds various additional UI functions , some quest functions and some misc functions."

Required by mods such as Ultimate Leveling and Extended UI, among others. Download MenuQue v16b only. OBSE_Kyoma_MenuQue.dll is a dummy .dll that is outdated and can safely be deleted to prevent any obse log errors, and the BCF will delete it.

OBSE -Elys- Universal Silent Voice (BCF)
Mod notes: "This OBSE plugin makes Oblivion play a 8 seconds duration silent voice for any missing voice file."

This is very useful if you are playing a mod with no voice acting. The unvoiced lines won't go by incredibly fast with this. Download OBSE -Elys- Universal Silent Voice v93 only.

Oblivion - Enhanced Camera
Mod notes: "This is an obse plugin that enables a visible body when in first person. Also, any points where the game force switches to 3rd person (sitting, death, etc) are now in 1st person."

This plugin lets you look at your body in first person. Do not use it with Oblivion Reloaded version 7 or higher, otherwise your game will crash. Also do not get this if using Oblivion Reloaded as there is a version made specifically for that further down.

MessageLogger (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "A plugin for OBSE which logs error and warning messages from the game engine to a text file."

ConScribe (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Console Logging for the masses! Logs all console output to text files for later reviewing. Also adds log functions to log textual output and input."

WalkBlessed OBSE Plugin (diagonal move)
Mod notes: "diagonal movements, when in bow aiming rotate 3rd person spine2 to look up and down, skyrim-like vanity camera mode."

NorthernUI is not fully compatible with WalkBlessed; however, as of version 1.3.0, NorthernUI offers the same or similar features, making WalkBlessed redundant.

Allows your character to move diagonally.

OBL Mod Limit Fix
Mod notes: "This plugin fixes the Oblivion mod limit bug. It allows a maximum of 255 plugins to be loaded."

The game starts to become unstable when a combination of 300+ ESPs, ESMs, and BSAs are inside of your Oblivion Data folder, even if they aren't loaded in game. This OBSE plugins corrects that engine issue and allows a virtually unlimited amount of plugins and BSAs to be in your Data folder at once without breaking the game. It also makes the ghosting function of Wrye Bash unnecessary.

Another plugin does this and more called Trifle, but I have read reports of crashes and other issues on that mod's page. Its extra features are at least to me, not very useful at all.

Console Paste Support
Mod notes: "OBSE plugin to add clipboard paste support, as well as ctrl left/right and backspace/delete to aid typing in console."

Oblivion Display Tweaks
Mod notes: "Micro stutter tick fix, high framerate fix, true FOV fix, alt-tab freeze fix in fullscreen and G-Sync/FreeSync working in borderless/windowed mode."

Unpack it to a project and set bFPSFix = 0. There appears to be a bug with this specific fix enabled, where you actually move and attack faster the higher your frame rate is. Therefore, I turn the frame rate manager of this mod off, in favour of Oblivion Stutter Remover's one. The other settings should be fine as their defaults. Then, you can install it.

lStewieAl's Tweaks (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "A small configurable collection of engine level tweaks and features for the game. Includes Faster Sleep Wait, WASD Menus and Console Numpad Support."

An OBSE tweaks compilation. You'll want to unpack this archive to a project. It does not have the .ini options until you first launch the game once after installing. Once you lauch the game a first time, sync the new .ini generated in your Data folder into the mod project. All the .ini options are all disabled by default, so you can edit it to your liking. Some of the options I like are:

bBetterAutoWalk = 1
bConsoleNumpadSupport = 1
bDropItemsInMidAir = 1
bFasterSleepWait = 1
bInstantContinueButton = 1
bJumpingDoesntDropGrabbedItem = 1
bListMissingModsOnLoad = 1
bNoInventoryOnAltTab = 1
bNonSelectablePlayerInConsole = 1
bSkipVampireFeedPopup = 1

I don't use bFastTransferHotkeys and bUseWASDAsArrowKeys as Extended UI does those. Once you set your .ini tweaks for this mod, right-click and 'Anneal' the package to install it properly. bRepeatJumping = 1 is bugged, and will drain your fatigue immensely when jumping, so don't use it.

Unofficial Oblivion Patch (drag this mod down to here in your installers if you installed it first as a test installation instructed earlier, then right-click 'Anneal'.)
Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch
Unofficial Oblivion DLC Patches
Mod notes: "An Oblivion mod that fixes over 2,500 bugs (and 70,000 object placement errors.)"

Resolves bugs in the game not fixed by Bethesda. Uncheck 'UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp' in Plugin Filter before installing. This is not needed, as the Vampire Race Disabler mod at the end of the Core Mods section will do a better job at doing this, plus having more features.

Migck's Miscellaneous fixes tweaks and additions and MigMaster Script Resources
Mod notes: "A collection of all my changes which don't depend on Oblivion.esm to play. Includes:- Creature Damage Fix- Telekinesis Fix- Elemental and Armored Fist- Silver Damage Bonus- Random Loot Durability- And more!"

Useful for its Quick Save & Load Replacement feature: "Pressing the quicksave control when not in combat will perform a hard save, with a number appended that increases every time you do. Pressing the quickload control will reset this number and quit the game, and the function is even renamed to that in the control menu. Don't say you weren't warned! Experience says the vanilla quicksave and loading a game while already playing are prone to corruption, which is why I offered these as another avenue to get rid of them. If you rely heavily on quicksave/load and never had any issues, more power to you."

Quicksaves and quickloads can be dangerous in Oblivion. Quickloading altogether should be scrapped if you play a modded game. The best thing to do when you die or want to reload the game is to completely close Oblivion (you can use the quit hotkey the mod adds), and reopen it. This is because scripts still run in the background from previous saves. Also, always save in a new slot and don't overwrite old ones. Combat saving is also ill-advised and this mod prevents you from doing it.

It also includes idle dialogues for NPCs, so don't use a mod that does the same thing.

Use MigMaster Script Resources to open up some extra features in this mod. Concerning the save enhancing features, you can alternatively use the mod Better Saves to achieve similar results.

Shambles Crash Fix
Mod notes: "Shivering Isles Shambles will crash the game if it got knocked down and trying to get up due to animation error. This will correct the animation and allows it to load without crashing."

The Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch does not fix this bug, so this file is needed.

Vampire Race Disabler
Mod notes: "This is an OBSE plugin that stops the game from applying the effects of the VampireRace race when you become a vampire."

Neither the Unofficial Oblivion Patch nor the bashed patch tweak fixes certain vampire face issues that this mod fixes. Only download and install the main file 'DisableVampRace0_4b'. When you first run the game with this plugin installed, it will create a new section in your Oblivion.ini file. You can alter these new settings to alter what visual effects you want to disable. I recommend using the following settings:

[VampireTweaks]
bDisableSkinShading=0
bDisableAging=1 (This tweak when set to 1 replaces the UOP Vampire Aging and Face Fix.esp bashed patch tweak.)
bDisableEyeChange=0
bDisableMorphing=1
bVampLoadFix=1

These settings make it so that only facial hair and the unique vampire eyes are kept, while the buggy vampire facial features are disabled.

These texture packs are all highly recommended and will be large in file size. You can install them all together in the following order.

Create a new marker with the name 'Texture Packs'.

Oblivion Upscaled Textures (OUT)
Mod notes: "Upscaled textures for Oblivion. Comes in default 4x or 2x version, with availability to mix and match modules. Should look like vanilla, but less 2006."

Upscales the vanilla Oblivion textures. Download the main file 'kart_OUT_default'. If you have a weaker computer, download 'kart_OUT_default_2x' instead. The optional glass armor and weapons recolouring files will be installed in the Graphics section.

Shivering Isles Upscaled Textures (SIUT)
Mod notes: "Upscaled textures for Shivering Isles. Comes in default 4x or 2x version, with availability to mix and match modules. Should look like vanilla Shivering Isles, but less 2007."

Upscales the Shivering Isles textures. Download the main file 'kart_SIUT_default'. If you have a weaker computer, download 'kart_SIUT_default_2x' instead.

DLC Upscaled Textures (DLCUT)
Mod notes: "Upscaled textures for all Oblivion DLC. 4x and 2x version."

Upscales all of the other DLC textures. Download the main file 'kart_KNUT_4x' for Knights of the Nine, and also 'kart_DLCUT_4x' if you have the other DLCs. If you have a weaker computer, then download the 2x variants instead.

Really Textured Normal Maps - Updated
Original mod's notes: "Very detailed normal maps that add a ton of texture to Oblivion's vanilla textures. Now with Shivering Isles."

Optional mod, as it can make objects like chairs look very rugged and rough (but detailed).

Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project
Mod notes: "Landscapes (with terrain shader support) + rocks + trees".

Download and install all main files except for '2020 Retexture Project - Snowy Roofs in Bruma (AWLS)' (this specific file will be installed later in the Graphics section, and cannot be installed right now without having the Animated Window Lighting System and Chimneys mod). Install the '2020 Retexture Project - Update' main file after the other files, so that it overwrites them. The '2020 Retexture Project - Tree Shadows' optional file is not needed if you intend to use Improved Trees and Flora 2 later on in the Graphics section.

Bomret's Texture Pack for Shivering Isles v1 with meshes from USIP (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "This is Bomrets Texture Pack: Shivering Isles v1 with the fixed meshes from the USIP".

Another great texture pack, this one for the Shivering Isles. This mod improves some areas that SIUT does not do well enough in.

These are all highly recommended, unless listed as optional.

Create a new marker titled 'Interface'.

DarNified UI (for MO2 users: Darnified UI FOMOD Conversion)
This is probably considered the best UI mod for Oblivion. It maintains the game's original UI style and colour scheme while improving on features that were sorely lacking. Download the main file 'DarN BAIN wizard' only. You can alternatively use the DarkUId DarN BAIN wizard version for a darker theme, but I don't use it.

Drop it in your Bash Installers. Right click and install using a manual wizard. Go through the options and choose 'All'. Select 'Colored Local Map' (optionally you can also hide quest popups if you want the game to be more immersive, but I do not do this). Then select default font. Check the 'Apply these selections' box and hit 'Finish'. Say yes/ok to any following bash popups.

Now go to the 'INI Edits' tab at the top of Wrye Bash. Select Oblivion.ini from the drop down menu in the top-right of the client if it's not already selected. Go to the leftmost pane and find the entries starting with 'DarN'. Right click on any that are not green and checkmarked, and select 'Apply'. It should look similar to this:



That's all you need to do for installing DarNified UI. There is alternate and newer UI mod worth mentioning called NorthernUI which adds native gamepad support, but the full version removes the Oblivion aesthetic and replaces it with a Skyrim theme. You can choose it instead of DarNUI if you wish, but I cannot help you with anything relating to it. It also will be incompatible with many other mods in this guide, therefore I do not recommend NorthernUI at this point in time. See the 'Essentials' subsection of the General section for more mods that NorthernUI will be incompatible with.

Also check out DarNifiedUI Config Addon if you want any changes you make to the DarN interface to be permanent.

Dynamic Map
"Dynamic Map makes the world map reflect your installed mods. It reads your active mod list, and modifies the world map accordingly, by placing sub-map components for the supported mods, onto the main world map so it looks exactly like the world map was made that way."

Download and place in Bash Installers folder. Check 00 Core and for 01, the map style of your choice. I personally use Color Map. Many people like Elven Map, however.

VKVII Oblivion Cyrodiil Map
Mod notes: "A series of personal mods, this is: Cyrodiil Map. A pen tool handmade map I did for myself (unrelated to modding the game), but it's suitable in game as UI map. Added a weathered version if someone prefers a grim/darker look."

Optional, as this mod's style may not appeal to everyone, but it is a high quality work. Just go to the 'Files' tab and only download and install one of the two files, depending on your preference (I prefer 'VKVII Oblivion Cyrodiil Map', that is, the non-weathered version).

nONatees colored Shivering Isles map (BCF) or Elven Map For Shivering Isles
Mod notes: "Replaces the ingame 'worldmap' of the Shivering Isles with a colored version inspired by the color map mod for the Cyrodiil worldmap by p1p3."

I personally prefer nONatees SI map (visually divided), and it goes well with the Color Map from Dynamic Map. If however you are using the Elven Map from Dynamic Map, then you'll most likely want to use Elven Map For Shivering Isles.

Pick Me - lockpicking interface retexture
Mod notes: "Lockpicking interface upgrade for all you gentlemen thieves out there. Because we might be bandits, but we're no strangers to style and sophistication."

A very nice change from the vanilla interface.

Only download the optional file 'Pick Me - BAIN', instead of the main file. I select the following Sub-Packages in BAIN:

00 Core
01 Tumblers - Wooden
02 No Base
03 DarN UI

I use '03 DarN UI' because I am using DarNified UI. Once done, install the package.

Loot Menu
Mod notes: "A container loot menu for Oblivion, inspired by Fallout 4. Two UI styles to choose from."

NorthernUI compatible, but it can't react to the gamepad. This is highly optional, it brings the Fallout 4 loot menu to Oblivion. May not suit Oblivion in my opinion but you may like it. Loot Menu - NorthernUI Edition available here.

Not compatible with the following mod, Vacuity, so you will have to choose between this mod and the next.

or

Vacuity
Mod notes: "The mod adds a HUD component that basically tells if the container under the crosshair is empty. It also optionally shows the total gold value of the items inside a container".

I prefer to use Vacuity over Loot Menu.

LINK
Mod notes: "LINK adds the ability to configure mods in-game, through a configuration menu, making configuring mods faster and more user friendly."

This is basically the Mod Configuration Menu of Oblivion. It's optional, as it is not hugely useful at this time (unless you have mods that utilise it), as more people need to add support for it in their own mods for it to thrive.

UHD Fonts for Darnified UI
This is optional. Replaces the DarNUI fonts with sharper, higher-resolution letters. Works well on 1440p monitors and above. It may not suit everyone's taste.

Improved Videos
Mod notes: "Quality and framerate improvements for videos. Upscaled cinematics' framerate. Upscaled menu videos' framerate. Remade splash screens. All videos are now 1080p 60FPS."

Download and install the main file. You may want to back up your Oblivion Videos folder before installing this.

Darnified Animated Menus
Mod notes: "New HD animated menu video for Darnified UIs (1920x1080). Replaces the original start menu video with an animated background loop."

Optional. You may want to back up your Data\video\Map Loop.bik file before installing this. I download the main file only. Regarding installation, I only install the 10 - Core Module - Main, but your preferences may be different. NorthernUI FullHD Animated Menus available here.

Extended UI
Mod notes: "A collection of features extending the functionality of user interface."

Extended UI has some nice features like item descriptions, extra HUD info, keyboard shortcuts and more.

I set ExUI.bEnableSpellFavourites to 0 (preferring Enhanced Hotkeys mod later on), set ExUI.bEnableCyclingQuicksave to 0 (preferring Migck's Miscellaneous fixes tweaks and additions) and setting MessageBox Skips all to 1.

Not compatible with NorthernUI.

Coloured Enemy Health
Mod notes: "Makes the enemy health bar above the crosshair change from green - yellow - orange - red depending on how much health the enemy has left."

Better Scroll Background
Mod notes: "This is a replacement for the scroll textures you see while reading."

Optional, but listed here for those who like this style over vanilla.

Evandars Better Book Paper
Mod notes: "Replaces the book paper with a new version which actually looks good :) No more ugly paper with weird colors!"

Again this is optional, but listed here for those who like this style over vanilla.

The following mods are highly recommended.

Create a new marker called 'Character'.

Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2
Mod notes: "A comprehensive, all-in-one revamp of Oblivion character heads. New head shapes, skin textures, normal maps, eye textures and some new hairstyles covering all races in the game, including Dremoras and Shivering Isles races, all built to a single unified art direction that adheres to the styles of Skyrim and TESO. Affects both player and NPCs."

A masterpiece of a mod. Changes the potato faces to look much more realistic.

Download the main file 'Oblivion Character Overhaul v203' only. Uncheck 'Oblivion_Character_Overhaul.esp' in the package in Plugin Filter, as we will be using a cleaned replacer ESP next instead of it.

Oblivion Character Overhaul - Advanced Edition
Mod notes: "A replacer ESP for Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2, cleaned of all dirty and wild edits as well as stats changes, and NPC edits are kept in a separate filter ESP to be deactivated and imported into the bashed patch for maximum compatibility with all other mods."

Download and install only one of the main files depending on whether you want OCOv2 hairstyles or vanilla hairstyles.

Ragdolls for Oblivion
Mod notes: "A mod that overhauls all skeletons in game."

Download and install the main file and the optional file. To install the main file in BAIN, right-click on the package and select 'Has Extra Directories'. This will install the config file that would otherwise get skipped. Then, right-click on the package and install the mod.

Light compatible Skeleton (BCF)
Mod notes: "This is modified version of Vanilla skeleton. Its light, compatible to almost everything."

Only download and install the 'SkeletonV5' main file. It needs to go in the Meshes -> Characters folder. It should be overwriting Ragdolls for Oblivion's skeletons if you installed it correctly.

Seamless - OCOv2
Mod notes: "Nuska's Oblivion Character Overhaul is great. No more potato heads, but OCO still has those immersion breaking neckseams. This mod removes the neckseams that have plagued Oblivion and OCO for so long."

Download the main file SR- OCOv2 44676 from above. Uncheck 'EVE_ShiveringIslesEasterEggs.esp' in Plugin Filter before installing. This easter eggs plugin only adds a hidden Haskiil Suit and Syl Dress somewhere in the Shivering Isles. It's not worth the plugin slot in my opinion, unless you really want it. This pack features:

• Robert Male v5.2 Muscular
• HGEC EVE C-Cup Upperbody + Normal Lowerbody (non-BBB)

If you optionally want nude bodies, also install the optional file 'SR- OCOv2 Nudes' afterwards (males are uncircumcised here). These nude meshes also require a skeleton mod, such as the Light compatible Skeleton mod that should have been installed previously.

If you optionally want wider chins for Dunmer, also install the optional file 'SR- OCOv2 Wider Chin Dunmer'.

Hand and arms fixes for clothes from junkacc11 Seamless mods and wtftesnexus' BBB for EVE Stock
Mod notes: "Fix 4 female shirts arm sleeves that were invisible in first person view & the Sheogorath Regalia dress that had no hands! And 2 BBB fixes."

Only download and install the main file '01 Seamless OCOv2 n HGEC Female clothes fixes'.

New Brows for OCO v2
Mod notes: "This mod replaces the Brows of all humanoid races. It was made specifically for OCO v2, and it is compatible with Seamless - OCOv2 Edition by junkacc, so you can overwrite with no problem".

Detailed Mouth for OCOv2 (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "HD mouth and teeth textures Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2".

Oblivion Texture Overhaul - Realistic Mouth ( Teeth plus )
Mod notes: "A high-resolution & hand-crafted texture for teeth, tongue and gum."

Can be installed on top of the previous mouth mod.

For OCOv2 - Reposition Teeth For All Races
Mod notes: "Repositioned teeth meshes for the Argonians, Khajiits, Orcs, Humans & Elves head meshes from OCOv2 & Seamless - OCOv2! To reduce teeth clipping".

Can be installed on top of the two previous mouth mods. Only download and install the main file 'Reposition Teeth For All Races - OCOv2'. In BAIN, only install the '001 core' Sub-Package.

New Eyes for OCO v2
Mod notes: "New eye textures for OCO v2, includes all races except Orcs. This mod is made to be something more related to ESO and TESV design, also, following the line of OCOv2 itself."

I download and install only the main file.

Beards in Tamriel (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Adds beards for more than 100 NPC in game."

Gives beards to some male characters in the game.

NPC Hair Matches Beard - Updated
Original mod's notes: "Just a small patch to make NPC hair color match their beard's, which is added from another mod."

Makes the beards added by the previous mod match an NPC's hair colour. Only download and install the main file.

OCOv2 Uses Merged Teeth
Mod notes: "This mod is simply a mergeable plugin that makes Oblivion Character Overhaul use merged teeth. I made this fix specifically for better compatibility with Beards in Tamriel. I was always bothered by that NPC's who were sporting a beard were missing their upper set of teeth because they were overwritten by Blockhead. So this mod basically makes the playable human/elf races use merged teeth in their Lower Teeth slot."

OCOv2 - Bashed Patch Eyes Fix
Mod notes: "Fixes the Dark Seducer, Dremora and Golden Saint eyes when using OCOv2 with a Bashed Patch."

This small, mergeable patch will stop the bashed patch from reverting OCOv2's Golden Saint, Dark Seducer and Dremora eye meshes back to vanilla.

Distinct Nord Stubbles for OCOv2
Mod notes: "Retextures the agemaps of OCOv2's male nords to give a variety of thicker stubble, instead of reusing the Imperial goatees. That's it!"

Lifelike Eye Normalmaps (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Adds eye normalmaps to make the iris reflect light more properly."

Download and install the main file 'Lifelike Eyes OCOv2', and I also download and install the optional file 'Extra detailed OCOv2 human eyes' (MO2 link) afterwards, but that file is optional.

Warpaints scars and face markings for OCO2
Mod notes: "Adds new warpaints, scars and other face features for OCO2 as age sliders."

Optional mod. Download and install the two main files and the one optional file.

Install order:
1. 'Main File'
2. 'Argonian and Khajiit patch'
3. 'Argonians patch for Seamless mod'

VKVII Oblivion Skin Argonian
Mod notes: "Redone Argonian textures, complete race pack with custom hands mesh."

Optional, as this mod's style may not appeal to everyone, but the textures are very high in resolution and quality. Compatible with OCOv2. Just go to the 'Files' tab and only download and install the 'VKVII Oblivion Skin Argonian' file.

VKVII Oblivion Skin Khajiit
Mod notes: "VKVII Oblivion Skin Khajiit is a complete Khajiit race textures pack with alternative hands mesh and nails."

Optional, as this mod's style may not appeal to everyone, but the textures are very high in resolution and quality. Compatible with OCOv2. Just go to the 'Files' tab and only download and install the 'VKVII Oblivion Skin Khajiit' file.

OCO 2 glowing nostrils fix
Mod notes: "Fix for Oblivion Character Overhaul 2 dunmer and dremora normal maps which cause nostrils glow when enchanted outfit equiped."

Hidden Hair Styles
Mod notes: "With this mod, you will bring out the hidden hair styles of Oblivion, such as the Khajiit Earrings. This mod consists of: Khajiit earrings! (Male and Female) Khajiit wisps! (Male and Female I think) The Tight Knot! (One of the elf races, Female only! Blindfold! (Imperial and Breton, Male and Female)".

This ESP can be merged into the bashed patch. Oblivion Content Restoration Project in the General section also restores all of these hair styles, except for the Blindfold one.

OCOv2 Nord and Redguard Eyes Fix
Mod notes: "Oblivion Character Overhaul v2 removes the Ordered eyes from Nords for some reason, meaning that certain SI NPCs' Ordered counterparts do not use the Ordered eyes. It also adds some new eyes for all the human races to use except for Redguards. This plugin restores the Ordered eyes for Nords (they're still unplayable) and gives Redguards the option for grey, amber, and pine eyes."

This mod is also a requirement for the next mod, Improved NPC Faces for OCOv2.

Improved NPC Faces for OCOv2
Mod notes: "Makes a number of NPCs look better for OCOv2."

I download and install the main file 'Improved NPC Faces for OCOv2' only. This mod now includes the same changes as the mod Give Me Back My Gray Prince Dammit, so you don't need that mod when using this one.

Unused OCOv2 Eyes and DLC Characters Incorporated
Mod notes: "Incorporates new eyes added by OCOv2 that are only able to be used by the player into NPCs. Also incorporates the new OCO eyes into the official DLCs."

These overhauls are optional, but I highly recommend at least using Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul to improve the game considerably. Not all of them will be compatible with each other, so you can only choose two or three at most. It's probably best for new players to just stick with MOO (I am using MOO, WAC - Integration and Francescos Creatures and Items - V5 together, at the moment).

Create a marker called 'Overhauls'.

Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul (MO2 link)
MOO is the best, most stable, and most compatible Oblivion overhaul that exists currently, and is probably one of the greatest Oblivion mods to come out of the last decade. I don't think I will ever play without this mod again. It affects the game world by an incredible amount, all without modifying a single existing game record (it uses OBSE scripts religiously). From the mod description:

"This is an overhaul mod, improving many aspects of the game, while maintaining the overall feel of the game and ensuring compatibility with most other mods. All features are configurable through OMOD installation and/or editing the ini file.

Features added by this mod are:

• Unpredictable encounters;
• Loot and equipment improvements;
• New and better looking creatures;
• Fully configurable level scaling;
• New warring factions;
• Improved combat AI;
• Notice Boards and dynamic quests;
• Treasure hunting;
• Skill based equipment system;
• Resource gathering and crafting;
• Animal taming;
• Traps and the ability to disarm them;
• Bashing locks abililty;
• Feign death ability;
• Spellbooks;
• Darker dungeons and nights;
• Npcs in dungeons and outdoors having torches;
• ..and much more."

And it does these things incredibly well. Needless to say, you'll want to use this if you want Oblivion to be a much better game. It's updated regularly unlike most other overhauls, and the mod author is fantastically talented, responding regularly to feedback and suggestions.

Try running the Wrye Bash Wizard for Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul (MO2 link) if you want a wizard for the MOO installation (follow the instructions on that page to run it). I recommend lowering spawn size by 50% to lower the chance of crashes and issues from NPC overload. Also, I turn off climbing because it seems to result in NPCs running into me without stopping at times. The female body mod should be set to HGEC-C, if you installed Seamless - OCOv2 before. I also turn off Morag Tong assassins because they just get annoying and repetitive after a while. See my .ini in this mod page's files if you want to see more of my choices.

Otherwise, I recommend unpacking it to a project in BAIN, so you can edit the .ini files to your liking. It needs to load after the bashed patch, always (BOSS/LOOT will handle that). And remember to consult the readme PDF if you want to find out more about the mod. You may also like MOO Themed Loading Screens, Smaller MOO Backpacks and Extended UI users can use Item Description Framework for Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul (MO2 link).

Note: Some may find MOO to be too challenging. You could try setting the difficulty to normal in the .ini, or if you like vanilla a lot then maybe skip this mod.

Note: Seamless - OCOv2 users should also take note of the 'Seamless MOO Equipment' file on this guide's mod page. It will de-seam some of the MOO equipment. They should also set their female body type in Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul.ini, under 'Body/Armor settings' (Seamless - OCOv2 is HGEC C-Cup).

OOO - Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul - Updated
Compatible with MOO, along with all OOO addons.

The second best overhaul mod for Oblivion. This overhaul is more similar to the Requiem overhaul for Skyrim. OOO poses a great amount of challenge in the game. In fact, you may find the game to be too hard after installing it. Monsters with high spell reflection will start to appear in high level dungeons, so mages are a lot less powerful. Notably it also amplifies the 'damage sponge' issue in vanilla Oblivion, where enemies feel like they have a lot more health or you do a lot less damage. Unfortunately with this Overhaul, you will likely need many patches if using it with other mods, to 'tune' them to OOO standards. It also has more bugs than MOO, and may not carry forward all Unofficial Patch changes (not necessarily a bad thing if that is intended by design).

That said, it can provide an amazingly immersive and hardcore experience. New NPCs, creatures, weapons, armor, artifacts, quests and more are added to the world. From the mod page:

"You must be prepared to cast aside your previous notions about Cyrodiil. The world no longer revolves around you, the player. Do not expect to be able to beat every monster or NPC you meet. Previously familiar areas may now be much more dangerous and you will frequently be forced to retreat from enemies who are too powerful to beat until you are stronger. You will probably die a lot more often now. However, if you have the ingenuity, skill, and luck to survive the odds stacked against you then you will be justly rewarded for your bravery!"

If you want to find patches for it, check the requirements tab of the OOO mod page. And read on for two additional OOO mods.

If you have Seamless - OCOv2 installed from the Character section, then download and install EVE for Oscuro Oblivion Overhaul 1_3 BAIN (MO2 link), and in BAIN install the Sub-Packages:

00 Core
10 Equipment Replacer Upperbody - Normal C-Cup
15 Equipment Replacer Lowerbody - Normal

This mod contains one plugin file: EVE_StockEquipmentReplacer for OOO.esp. EVE_StockEquipmentReplacer for OOO.esp is to be used instead of the main ESP from the Seamless - OCOv2 package, EVE_StockEquipmentReplacer.esp. It does everything that the original plugin does, and it makes the necessary changes for OOO compatibility.

Also download the Seamless - Robert Male optional file 'SE- Robert Male v5.2 all-in-1 Addons' (MO2 link), and install the OOO Sub-Package.

Also download the Seamless - HGEC Female optional file 'SE- HGEC OOO 24078' (MO2 link), and in BAIN install the Sub-Packages:

00 Core
10 Equipment Replacer Upperbody - Normal C-Cup
15 Equipment Replacer Lowerbody - Normal
(You can also uncheck 'EVE_StockEquipmentReplacer for OOO.esp' from the previous 'EVE for Oscuro Oblivion Overhaul 1_3 BAIN' package's Plugin Filter, as this package's ESP with the same name replaces that one.)

Also install the Weapon Drop Fix '01 OOO ESP' Sub-Package when using OOO.

Oscuros Oblivion Overhaul Extended
If you're using OOO, I also recommend this extension. It adds tons of new creatures and equipment for OOO. Download and install the Meshes and Textures, but don't download the OOOExtended esps. You'll want to use the .esp hosted on the OOO Updated mod page. That .esp is more recent and has more bugs fixed. On the OOO Updated page, download OOO Misc Files. You may need to unpack it to a project. There are two OOOExtended versions, Real Swords and No Swords. Real Swords just adds more swords to the game. I advise using it. In the project you unpacked, delete everything except the OOO Extended (Real Swords version), then in that folder delete OOOEquipmentAddon.esp (it is already in OOOExtended.esp). Install OOOExtended.esp and you should be good.

Also download and install HGEC Conversions from the OOO Extended page in optional files, if you are using Seamless - OCOv2.

Also check out OOOExtended Mages Guild Fixes.

Also download and install OOOEXTENDED FOR ROBERT'S MALE BODY AND HGEC, if you are using Seamless - OCOv2.

Note: Users of Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul (MOO) should copy and paste this code entry to their 'Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul for dynamic lists.ini' file, at the bottom. This will prevent Master Conjurers from wearing the strongly enchanted Arch-Mage's Robes and Hood that OOO Extended adds.

OOO Shivering Isles (Needs TES4Edit cleaning - OOOShiveringIsles.esp)
This mod does not actually require OOO to use. But it will OOO-ify the Shivering Isles, something that the original mod does not do. No reason not to use it if using OOO.

You'll want to download and install the 'OOO Shivering Isles - OCO Compatibility Patch V2' optional file if using OCOv2, and the 'OOO Shivering Isles - Exnem and HGEC models' optional file too if using Seamless - OCOv2.

WAC - Integration
Compatible with MOO and OOO, along with all its addons.

Mod notes: "Seamlessly adds WAC content to the game, with compatibility and balance as main goals. Still requires WAC resources, which need to be downloaded separately.

WAC is a mod that adds tons of new content to Oblivion, and quite a quality one. Unfortunately, WAC is also... broken. It has never left a beta state, and has numerous issues. It also changes more that you probably want - including landscape alterations that need patches, bearded NPCs that look weird with OCOv2, lore unfriendly creatures, and so on. Which is a shame because author clearly put a lot of love into these new creatures and items, these are very beautiful and detailed. But to get them in your game, you need to install numerous fixes, and even then it's a mess. For example, Skingrad Guards will have broken helmet models. It feels like it was never properly playtested.

Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul proposes a different approach - you don't need to mess with all those things, and MOO will simply use WAC's resources. But I found this solution still far from ideal, partly because balance-wise WAC is a complete mess. And partly because I want to see packs of beavers in the rivers.

When I've started digging into WAC to simply tweak some stuff, I've quickly realized that it needs some radical balance changes. Many of the values were completely random - boots that protect better than Daedric Cuirass, sometimes completely random weight values (gauntlets that have weight of 30), and so on. I've decided to be a madman and clean all this mess up. Why? Because it feels really bad to see such a mod die in obscurity.

And yes, it is somewhat done and should be playable! Keep in mind that WAC is still being WAC and some of the models might be glitchy. For instance, I had to remove two Steel Cuirass variants because I've encountered a weird lighting bug."

Requires you to have a TES Alliance account to download the resources from WAC: Waalx Animals & Creatures v1.0 Additional Files. Once you've signed up to this website, only download the file 'WACv_1beta.7z' from this mod page, as the other files are not needed. Once that package is in your BAIN folder, in Plugin Filter, right-click and select 'Deselect All' to deselect all of the package's plugins. Then, only tick the plugin 'Waalx Animals & Creatures.esm', and then install the package. You should only have 'Waalx Animals & Creatures.esm' and 'WAC.bsa' installed after doing that, which is all that you need. After that is done, download and install the main file at WAC - Integration. There is no need to configure this package in BAIN before installing it, just install it right away.

Note that this mod may cause slight visual issues with Seamless - OCOv2, as the equipment added by this mod is based on the vanilla body models. Download and install the HGEC Equipment Replacer for WAC (MO2 link), if you are using Seamless - OCOv2 (only install the Sub-Package '00 Data' from it, along with the .esp and assets). I recommend tagging WAC - HGEC Equipment Replacer.esp with the Deactivate, Graphics and NoMerge bash tags in Wrye Bash. This ESP will give imperial palace guards a new satchel around their cuirass, which looks nice. There is no equipment replacer for Robert Male, but I don't believe that these visual issues are gamebreaking. Some neck seams will also be introduced by the new equipment that is added.

Francescos Creatures and Items - V5 (Needs TES4Edit cleaning - various modules now marked dirty by LOOT)
Compatible with MOO and WAC - Integration. Not compatible with OOO.

Mod notes: "Tired that nearly all creatures level up with you? Bored that at level 25 every bandit in the world are god-like enemies with daedric equipment? Then this mod is for you. We think that the game has to be challenging, but that not every fight has to be an epic one. This mod aims to create a more realistic and enjoyable Oblivion experience. It won't make the game easier (although maybe a bit harder depending on what options you choose), just more credible and fun to play.

This mod changes nearly all the creature lists to make them more static. Even though you will still find very strong stuff at higher levels, you will often (for example) find normal skeletons and zombies in dungeons, wolves and imps in the wilderness and so on. Not every bandit will level up with you, some of them will be static.

Most leveled item lists have also been changed, in vanilla Oblivion at level 20 you used to find only high level armors and weapons and low-mid stuff nearly disappeared from the game. Now it will be much harder to find higher level equipment, and low-mid level ones will still be common later in the game. One of the strengths of this mod is its modular nature, every part of the mod is optional and you are able to customize it completely to your taste during the installation.

The optional parts cover many things like guards (all guards used to keep leveling up with you, so no matter how strong you were they were always a bit stronger than you. Using this part of the mod, while some guards still level up with you, many of them will stop at about levels 15-25.

Stronger guards will usually defend more important places/people, for example), vendors (you used to find chainmail/dwarven/mithril/orcish armors and weapons on creatures and NPC loot before seeing their appearance in shops, this made armor/weapons vendors nearly useless after reaching level 6, now you will find those stuff in shops many levels before but at increased prices), new unique enemies/bosses (a small chance to find stronger unique bosses with names and personalized combat styles/loot), more enemies (more creatures/NPCs in dungeons, available in three variants) house/dungeons chests (improved, more interesting, diverse and often more rewarding but still balanced loot), quests (tweaked main and guilds quests to make late quests harder for unexperienced characters, forcing you to level up so you can't become the master of the fighters guild at level 8), arena (later ranks will be much harder for weak characters, so you can't be the grand champion with a low level character) and much, much more.

There's also an items add-on which adds a ton of new top quality user made weapons and armors to the loot lists and a creatures add-on adding many quality user made creatures.

The BAIN installer makes it easy for you to see exactly what each optional extra does, along with having FCOM and MMM installation options to make installation easy. You can also customise the mod to your liking through the included INI file, which lets you change almost anything in a few clicks."

First, download and install the main file, then install the mod through the BAIN wizard, selecting your choices as you go. After you've installed the main file package, download and install the update file package after it so that it overwrites it. But when installing the update package, don't install it through the wizard, instead, right-click on the update package and go to 'Advanced Installation..", and select "Install Configured". The wizard in the update file will just give you an error, and it isn't even needed due to there being only one folder.

If you have Seamless - OCOv2 installed from the Character section, then download and install EVE for Francesco BAIN Installer update (MO2 link), and in BAIN install the Sub-Packages:

00 Core
10 Equipment Replacer Upperbody - Normal C-Cup
15 Equipment Replacer Lowerbody - Normal

Also download the Seamless - Robert Male optional file 'SE- Robert Male v5.2 all-in-1 Addons' (MO2 link), and install the Frans Sub-Package.

Also download the Seamless - HGEC Female optional file 'SE- HGEC FRANS 24078' (MO2 link), and in BAIN install the Sub-Packages:

10 Equipment Replacer Upperbody - Normal C-Cup
15 Equipment Replacer Lowerbody - Normal

There is also the Francesco Ore Refiner (Needs TES4Edit cleaning) addon. Only use Fran's Ore Refiner.esp from this package. Francesco's Optional Leveled Quests-SI only.esp no longer exists as a plugin in Francescos Creatures and Items - V5.

This will cover environment and flora, weather and atmosphere, architecture, creatures and monsters, weapons, armour and clothing, and various meshes and textures. The texture packs installed before should already give a good foundation, but the mods here are recommended to install afterwards.

Admittedly, this list will be decently similar to Bevilex's list, as I learned most things from them. I have decided against linking to foreign language website mods that require sign-ups for various reasons.

Remember, the memory management feature of either ENBoost or Oblivion Reloaded is essential to have Oblivion run without crashing often when using many high-resolution graphics mods.

Create a marker called 'Graphics', and one for each subheader.


All of these mods are recommended.

Far Cry inspired Grass - Expanded
A great grass overhaul. I install the Sub-Package 00 Core only from the file.

Let there be Flowers
Mod notes: "This mod adds some flowers to a few ground textures."

Install the main file. Only install the optional file later if you have trouble with flowers not appearing.

Then, open up BethINI and go to the Visuals tab, and change Grass Diversity's value from 2 to 5, as per the mod author's instructions. Save and exit.

Improved Doors and Flora
Makes some doors and flora look a lot better. Install Improved Doors and Flora, then IDFUpdate.

Improved Trees and Flora
Same author as the previous mod. Looks fantastic as usual.

Improved Trees and Flora 2
Install it on top of the previous mod. First install Improved Trees and Flora 2, then ITF2Update, then ITFBark2012.

Tree Bark HD Reduced
Mod notes: "Reduced version of the tree bark HD textures by Darooz and amnes. The visual difference is hardly noticeable and the performance impact is not as drastic."

Improved Fruits Vegetables and Meats
Improves the appearances of fruits, vegetables and meats. Install the main file, then the update file.

Harvest Flora (BCF) (Needs cleaning in TES4Edit: 'Harvest [Flora] - Shivering Isles.esp' and 'Harvest [Flora] - DLCFrostcrag.esp')
Mod notes: "This mod will make all flora behave more realistically by changing their appearance when you harvest them (whether you are successful or not). When you harvest a plant if its ingredient is a flower then the plant's flowers will disappear and so on, through some plants ingredients are roots which they don't have and you can't see them anyway so the flowers disappear instead (think of it as you snapping them off to let yourself know you've already collected the roots from it)."

Uncheck any plugins in Plugin Filter for the DLCs which you do not have, and then install.

Here is how to clean the wild edits in Harvest [Flora] - DLCFrostcrag.esp that LOOT reports, in TES4Edit:


Improved Flora Harvest Fix
Mod notes: "Just a small fix for better compatibility between Improved Flora and Harvest Flora."

Grab this if you have Improved Doors and Flora, Improved Trees and Flora, Improved Trees and Flora 2 and Harvest Flora.

TreeOPT
Mod notes: "This will optimize mushroom trees, unpack to Data, enjoy faster mushroomtrees render."

TD_Mushrooms retextures (BCF)
Mod notes: "TES-Diesel modding dream team presents a new mushroom textures (2K) and icons."

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian (you can use Chrome to translate the page). Improves the quality of some mushroom plants and make some mushrooms glow in the dark as well. It is compatible with Harvest Flora. Only download one file from this page. If you didn't install Harvest Flora earlier, then just click the black 'СКАЧАТЬ' button (this means download). If you did install Harvest Flora earlier, then just click the black 'СКАЧАТЬ HARVEST FLORA' button. You will be taken to a MediaFire page for either link to download the mod.

TD_Beautiful garden - flora replacer for TES IV: Oblivion (BCF)
Mod notes: "Plugin from the TES-Diesel team changes textures and flora models (4K). We did a great job of retexturing plants in the highest quality, and also replaced almost all plant meshes with clusters (we used only original meshes so as not to disturb the atmosphere of the game). In the end it turned out really cool! In this version, the retexture of some plants is still missing. Perhaps we will add them later.

The plugin is not compatible with Harvest Flora as it replaces models. To use these two plugins together, you don't need to install the Meshes folder from this plugin. Perhaps a patch will be made in the future."

To download it, only click on 'СКАЧАТЬ 2K' (which is 'DOWNLOAD 2K' if you are using Google translate) which will download the mod in 2K resolution.

If you are using the mod Harvest Flora, you don't need to install the 01 Meshes Sub-Package from TD_Beautiful garden 2K, as they won't actually appear in-game when using Harvest Flora (but they are still harmless to have installed while using Harvest Flora, only redundant).

Enhanced Vegetation
Makes trees, shrubs and their billboards larger, changes billboards to match the trees and shrubs better, and scales the canopy shadows bigger to match other changes.

Download 'Enhanced Vegetation - Plugins v1dot1' only and place it in BAIN. Select the Sub-Package 'timescale 30', then uncheck every plugin in Plugin Filter except for 'Enhanced Vegetation [125%].esp'. Some users may instead want the 150% version, but this version can cause visual issues. Once you've chosen the ESP you want, install the package.

Enhanced Vegetation - Darker trunks version by Xtudo
Mod notes: "In the original mod, the tree's trunk LOD textures are brighter, like if they haven't the canopy shadow effect applied to them, and it is very noticeable, especially at the Orange Road."

Download and install the main file 'Normal Res textures' only (the high-resolution textures are not recommended).

Enhanced Vegetation - Shivering Isles (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Increases the size of tree/shrub billboards and canopy shadows in the Shivering Isles to 125%/150% for those using Enhanced Vegetation by LprMan."

Download the main file. In BAIN select the Sub-Package that matches your Enhanced Vegetation choice (125% or 150%). If you followed my choice then select '125%', and install.

Enhanced Water v20 (BCF), Enhanced Water v20 HD - SI Addon and Real Lava
(These are only for if you don't intend to use Oblivion Reloaded later on.)
These mods will make your water and lava look better if you aren't using Oblivion Reloaded.

Enhanced Water v20: Install the 'Enhanced Water v2.0 HD.esp' plugin only.

Enhanced Water v20 HD - SI Addon: Download and install the main file.

Real Lava: Download and install the Real Lava 1_3 file only.


The first mod and its addons are highly recommended. The rest are rather optional.

Weather - All Natural (Needs TES4Edit cleaning: All Natural - Real Lights.esp) (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "All Natural combines a robust custom weather system that allows the use of weather types from all existing weather mods with custom versions of Natural Interiors and Real Lights in order to provide the greatest weather/environment experience possible."

Another masterpiece mod. Download the main file. Go through the wizard.

I choose 'All Natural - Full', but some users use 'All Natural - No Real Lights'. Reportedly users of Simple ENB experience interiors that are too dark with the Real Lights addon. If you're not sure, just choose the first option.
Select Yes for Shivering Isles support.
Select Yes for additional weathers.
Select Yes for Bash Filter patch support.
Next, leave all three boxes checked.
Use Default - No Tinting unless you have a preference.
Select default fog distance.
Select default nights unless you have a preference for darker nights.
Select Default Timescale.
Check the Apply these packages box, then click Finish.

After that, make sure the All Natural .ini tweak in the INI Edits tab is applied.

It is recommended that you also get the Edited All Natural Interior Patch if using All Natural, as well as the Weather - All Natural Real Lights - Candelabra pathgrid fix (which is mergeable into the bashed patch).

Note: You may experience an FPS hit with this mod while inside of a building when it is raining outside. The Immersive Interior addons below may contribute to this hit too. I recommend installing the All Natural Rain FPS Patch by laulajatar to fix this. The patch will remove the ability to see rainfall outside of windows however, but you will still hear the sound of the rain falling, and your FPS will be much better.

All Natural addons:
Immersive Interiors
Immersive Interiors - Imperial City
Immersive Interiors Landscape AddOn
Immersive Interiors - Bravil and Leyawiin
Immersive Interiors Cleaned - Patch (MO2 link)
Immersive Interiors Fixes
All of these are spectacular addons to the All Natural weather mod. They will allow you to see outside of the windows in most buildings, increasing immersion drastically.

Falling Stars
Mod notes: "A tiny mod that adds falling stars to the game. They appear randomly at night when the sky is clear, the amount can be adjusted via console."

Not fully compatible with the following mod, Aurora in Motion Everywhere, so you will have to choose between this mod and the next.

or

Aurora in Motion Everywhere
Mod notes: "This mod takes Betty's/Elbethien's northern lights and adds them via script to wherever the player is going. Northern lights will show up with a 33% chance at night, if the sky is clear and you are high enough in the mountains."

I recommend choosing this over Falling Stars. The aurora is much more noticeable and beautiful. I download and install only the 'Aurora in Motion Everywhere - Purple Version' optional file. You may prefer a different colour file though.

Falling Leaves
Mod notes: "Adds falling leaves to the trees in the autumn forest located north-east of Chorrol."

High Quality Snowflakes
Mod notes: "A simple mod that re-textures the vanilla snowflakes with a higher quality version."

moonreplacer
Mod notes: "moon texture 1x1k replacer for masser and secunda i'm currently using. i used the photorealistic skins of existing moons for natural appearance and applied the the colors you expect for elder scrolls moons. all moonphases and the fitting moonshadowtexture for correct transition with stars are included."

DOWNPOUR - rain retexture
Mod notes: "Now rain in Cyrodiil is pronounced and heavy at hardly any performance cost."

In BAIN, select the Sub-Package '00 Large', then install.

QQuix - Rock rock rock your ship (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Ships and boats will rock with the wind improving the ambience in dock areas."

Lights of Oblivion - Road Lanterns
Mod notes: "Adds exterior light posts to all the main roads of Cyrodiil, and lanterns to settlements and inns. You can choose between 6 different light posts."

I use the 'Lights of Oblivion - Flag Post' file.

Improved Sky Textures
Mod notes: "This mod replaces the original sky textures with improved textures".

Oblivion NightSkies Overhaul
Mod notes: "I never really found what i was looking for... there are a few mods out there, like weather mods and others replacers that give some attention to Night Skies of Obliviion, but wasn't really seduced by final result while playing at night. I, therefore decided to make my own stuff to cover up this need."

Download the main file only.

In BAIN, I select these Sub-Packages, though you can choose differently if you want:

01 - MESHES - Nebula 1 & 2 + Overlay
02 - TEXTURES - Stars - 2k
03 - TEXTURES - Nebula 1 - Version 1 - 2k
04 - TEXTURES - Nebula 2 - Version 1 (Vanilla 1k)
05 - OVERLAY - Aurora - 2k

Then install.

Atmos4096
Mod notes: "A 4K fog and mist dungeons retextures".

Small but can make a noticeable difference. Download and install the Atmos4096, DustCloud01-4096 and GasClouds4096 main files.

Simple Sunglare with Lens Flare
Mod notes: "This is just a simple retexture of the Oblivion sunglare."

Great for those who do not want to use a graphics enhancing ENB.

Better Rainbows (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "The mod simply adds working rainbows to the world of Tamriel."


These mods are optional but using all of them will make your game look better.

Arena Redone HD
Mod notes: "Arena Redone HD".

Go through the package's wizard in BAIN. I select the options 'HD2K', 'Default', 'Rusty', 'Yes', then tick the box saying 'Apply these selections' and click 'Finish'.

Imperial Roads - Detailed road textures
Mod notes: "Hi-Res (2048x2048) DX3 road textures - diffuse maps and normal maps with transparencies that make use of Oblivion Reloaded terrain and Detailed Terrain shaders."

Download and install only the main file 'Imperial Roads' (MO2 link) and the update file 'Bruma cobblestone' (MO2 link).

TD_Tombstones retextures (BCF)
Mod notes: "TES-Diesel modding dream team presents a new tombstone textures."

VKVII Oblivion Imperial City
Mod notes: "Remade textures of the Imperial City (interiors and exterior)."

The latest and best Imperial City retexture. It will also cover wayshrines, among other things. Go to the Files tab and either download the full version or the medium size version for weaker computers. I use the full version. Note that this mod doesn't retexture the arena.

Gecko's Fort Interior Textures
Mod notes: "2K high res overhaul of Imperial fort interiors."

Gecko's Imperial Dungeon Textures - 2K Parallax
Mod notes: "True HD, parallax-enabled remake of Imperial dungeon/prison"

Gecko's Ayleid Ruins Textures V2 - Parallax
Mod notes: "Major revision of my previous Ayleid 2K retexture. Several textures have been redone from scratch, and now support parallax! Tries to strike a balance between "flashiness" and staying true to the original feel and tone."

Only download and install 'Geckos Ayleid Ruins Textures V2 - NO Parallax' in optional files. There are reports that the parallax version has some missing meshes in the mod page posts, and I have experienced this too.

Farm fence retexture and UV maps
Mod notes: "A new nice farm fence texture which makes that wood more realistic. The size is 1024x1024 (both color and normal maps) and 512x512 for the log ends. The same as Quarl's QTP3, but better performance thanks to adjustments in all UV maps. The point of remapping was to make the meshes use the texture more effectively."

Small but fantastic retexture.

Cheydinhal retexture
Mod notes: "This mod retexture Cheydinhal with 2k textures".

Bruma retexture
Mod notes: "This mod retexture Bruma with 2k & 1K textures."

Download either 1k or 2k depending on your computer.

Leyawiin Woodland
Mod notes: "This MOD is retextures MOD in the town of Leyawiin. Change the whole city."

Download either 1k or 2k depending on your computer.

Improved Chorrol
Mod notes: "This is a retexture of Chorrol with 1024x1024 ,1024x512 and 512x512 new textures."

Download and install all files in this order:

Improved Chorrol
ChorrolUpdate
Chorrol2011

Leyawiin Woodland floor fix
Mod notes: "Fix for some issues with interior floor textures from rabilinth's Leyawiin Woodland retexture mod".

If you have All Natural (which I highly recommend), only download and install 'Leyawiin Woodland floor fix -All Natural compatible' (MO2 link). If not, only download and install the 'Leyawiin Woodland floor fix' file instead (MO2 link).

Improved Bravil
Mod notes: "This is a retexture of Bravil with 1024x1024,1024x512 & 1024x256 textures."

Install Improved Bravil, then BravilUpdate. If you choose not to use this mod, then you need to use better ropes to improve the ropes in your game (Improved Bravil already does this).

TD_aesthetics of garbage (BCF)
Mod notes: "For you, from the TES-Diesel team, the final version of item retextures in the world of Elder Scrolls IV - according to the authors, the most suitable for the atmosphere of the game. That is, not entirely new fabrics, dark wood and slightly worn carpets. After all, you see, brand new curtains and lacquered furniture do not fit well into the old stone interiors and empty abodes of Tamriel?"

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian. You can use Chrome to translate the page, or just click on the 'DOWNLOAD' button to be taken to the file page, then download and install in BAIN.

After applying the BCF, I only install the 00 Core Sub-Package. I do this because I feel that the 01 White wood added by this mod looks too vibrant and out of place, such as on chair legs, tables and bed frames. Mod Organizer 2 users can just delete the entire 'Textures -> Architecture' folder in this mod to achieve the same result.

TD_Unique_Skingrad (BCF)
Mod notes: "The TES-Diesel team brings to your attention a quality and atmospheric retexture of the city of Skingrad - the capital of the county of West Veld."

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian. You can use Chrome to translate the page, or just click on 'СКАЧАТЬ' to be taken to the file page, then download and place in BAIN.

Don't use the included ESP, as it isn't needed and can cause frame rate drops.

Anvil retextures:

TD_Unique_Anvil (BCF)
Mod notes: "The TES-Diesel team presents an atmospheric and quality retexture of the city of Anvil - the sea capital of the Gold Coast. All textures used in plugins are photorealistic, the size of most textures is 2K."

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian. You can use Chrome to translate the page, or just click on 'СКАЧАТЬ' to be taken to the file page, then download and place in BAIN.

Don't use the included ESP, as it isn't needed and can cause frame rate drops.

or

VKVII Oblivion ANVIL
Mod notes: "Remade textures of the city of Anvil (interiors and exterior)."

An alternative to TD Anvil. This one is amazingly HD and vanilla friendly (I still use TD instead, because I prefer something different to vanilla). Go to the Files tab and either download the full version or one of the medium size versions for weaker computers. I use the full version.

You can install both Anvil retextures together, as they both cover things that the other mod does not. If you want to install both mods, install your preferred and favoured Anvil retexture last in order, so that its assets get priorty to appear in-game.

TD_Hutor - Oblivion farms retexture (BCF)
Mod notes: "TES-Diesel modding dream team presents a new farm texture in the style of Ukrainian mud huts."

The style is quite different from vanilla, and therefore this mod may not be for everyone. I download and install the main file only. Afterwards, install the mesh fix by Xamie here, which will fix an inverted normal mesh.

Rocks retexture
Mod notes: "This mod retexture all rocks with new textures in HD, there is also a 1k version available for performance, choose the one that fit with your computer, not both !"

Download either 1k or 2k depending on your computer.

Caves retexture
Mod notes: "This mod retexture the caves with new textures in HD, there is also a 1k version available for performance, choose the one that fit with your computer, not both !"

Download either 1k or 2k depending on your computer.

Nice Ice a.k.a. The Hills Have Ice
Mod notes: "This is a simple yet dramatic visual overhaul of the glacier landscape in GrandDukeAdense's Jerall Glacier mod (one of Unique Landscapes series)."

This mod works for vanilla Cyrodiil, even if you don't have any Unique Landscapes mods. It will make the frozen lakes and ice in Pale Pass and Frostfire Glade look a lot better. It will even improve many parts of Frostcrag Spire in the Wizard's Tower official DLC.

better snow 2k (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "this mod replaces the two main standard snow textures. it uses 2k detailed snow while avoiding the ugly tiling pattern effect. it is optimised for standard terrain settings and tested with oblivion reloaded 7.1 terrain shaders enabled."

Oblivion Realm HD (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Enhances Oblivion Realm with HD textures."

HiRez Architecture- God Statues (HiRez Architecture- God Statues is not needed if you have VKVII Oblivion Imperial City.)
HiRez Architecture- Daedric Shrines
These mods make the deity statues look better.

Ruined Ruins
Mod notes: "Oh no. Another ruins retexture. Economy class. Mystery. Passion. Pre-war quality."

Download both main files. First install "Completely Ruined Ruins v03", then "Completely Ruined Ruins v03 skirting".

Bettys Sewer Textures
Mod notes: "The sewers had their last maintenance a long time ago. This is how they look like after that time."

Download and install the main file 'Wet Version Update1' only.

better cloudrulertemple
Mod notes: "this is a reorganization and optimization of meshes and textures of the cloud ruler temple in hd quality. all textures are optimized, some exchanged with higher res and new patterns (see pics)."

Only download and install the main file 'better cloudrulertemple (version 1.6 with updated textures)'.

VKVII Oblivion Cathedrals
Mod notes: "Remade textures of the cathedrals (interiors and exterior)."

An amazing retexture of the city chapels.

Even if you intend to use the Unique Chapels Revisited mod two mods down, this mod will still improve the Kvatch chapel and the altars, doors, pews and lower sections of all chapels. It will also improve some sections in the Knights of the Nine and the Vile Lair official DLCs. Go to the Files tab and either download the full version or the medium size version for weaker computers. I use the full version.

Animated Window Lighting System and Chimneys - AWLS
Mod notes: "AWLS is an illuminated window system that has three goals:

1) Add illuminated windows to all vanilla building meshes in such a way that also allows all mods using vanilla buildings to also have illuminated windows without the need of patches.

2) Allow the player to choose to have the lights on 24/7, at night only, or also during rainy weather. The player can pick what option is best for him or her by using one or none of the three included plugins (medium and advanced plugins require OBSE v14 or higher).

3) Add smoke effects to all chimneys if desired."

This mod makes for a very nice effect on the windows of houses in cities and such.

Go through the wizard in BAIN and select the options:
Advanced Smoking Chimneys
No (to having Qarls Texture Pack III)
No (to having RAEVWD)
Yes (to having Bomrets Texture Pack, if you installed it earlier)
No, pick for me (for window selection)

You're free to choose the colours you want instead of course.

Tick 'Apply these selections', and then click finish.

Then you can install the '2020 Retexture Project - Snowy Roofs in Bruma (AWLS)' main file from the Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project mod page, only if you would like to have snowy roofs in Bruma. Note that this Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project file requires the Animated Window Lighting System and Chimneys mod to be installed previously. Otherwise, you will get missing meshes.

You should also install the TD and AWLS patch files afterwards for any of the TD mods that you have installed previously.

Unique Chapels and Unique Chapels Revisited
Mod notes: "New Chapels of the Nine!"

This makes the chapels look more unique, with a different chapel theme depending on the city. Installation:

1. In the first mod page (Unique Chapels), under Optional Files, download the 'Unique Chapels - Esp Only' file only (MO2 link), then install it.
2. Download Unique Chapels Revisited. In BAIN, select the Sub-Packages:

00 Core
01 Patches
10 All Natural Compatibility - Select this Sub-Package only if you use the Weather - All Natural mod.
20 AWLS Compatibility - This stands for Animated Window Lighting System, which is the previous mod listed here. Select this Sub-Package only if you installed AWLS.

'30 Distant View meshes' should not be used if you want LOD, as there is a more optimized version in the LOD section of this guide. Note: Some VWD textures won't match the close up chapel textures, due to different city retextures you might have installed.

Before installing, uncheck the two 'OCC' and 'OCR' plugins in Plugin Filter, leaving only the UOP patch. Then you can install.

Kvatch HD
Mod notes: "Enhances Kvatch with HD textures."

This will enhance some textures in Kvatch that upscaled textures mods didn't manage to improve enough. Download and install the main file first (MO2 link), and then the update file after it (MO2 link).

Khettienna's Mini-Mods
Mod notes: "Most of my tiny retextures, tweaks, and revisions in one place. You will probably find something you like in here."

Download the main file only (MO2 link). I install the Sub-Packages:

KMM Chorrol Mages Guild UV Tweaks v1.0
KMM Crucible Sewage Retex v2.0 (the high res version introduces some noticeable tiling)
KMM Garridan's Tears Retex v1.0 (this will make the quest to gather these easier due to the tears having better visibility)
KMM Hourglass Sand Retex v1.0
KMM Leyawiin Woodland Stonewall Normalmap Fix v1.0
KMM Mist Ground Effect Reduced v1.0
KMM Paint Palette Retex v1.0
KMM SE Beds Improved UV v1.0 Stone
KMM Skingrad Modular Door UV Fix for Mikal33's Improved Doors & Flora v1.0
KMM Yarn Retex v1.0

Improved Skulls and Bones and Ironwork
Mod notes: "This mod retextures the skulls, bones, and ironwork of Oblivion. If you wonder what I mean with ironwork, the images here on TESNexus will explain better. Since version 1.1, a new texture is also added, focusing on the prison cell doors in Cyrodiil."

VKVII Oblivion Sidewalk Stonewall
Mod notes: "Remade textures for shared Sidewalk and Stonewall".

Probably the best sidewalk and stonewall retextures. Go to the Files tab and either download the full version or the medium size version for weaker computers. I use the full version.

VKVII Oblivion Castles
Mod notes: "Remade textures of the castles (interiors and exterior)."

A very masterful rework of the castle textures in Oblivion. It also will improve the Battlehorn Castle official DLC textures. Go to the Files tab and either download the full version or the medium size version for weaker computers. I use the full version.

Creatures and Monsters

These mods are optional. Concerning the Mythic series, I personally prefer its textures over the upscaled textures mods, while others may prefer the upscaled textures mods instead.

Mythic Creatures
Mod notes: "High res retextures of Vanilla Creatures!!!"

A very well done creature texture pack, one of my favourites.

Mythic Animals
Mod notes: "High res animal retextures!!"

More animals retextured. Download and install Mythic Animals High res part 1, then Mythic Animals High res part 2.

Mythic Ghosts and Goblins
Mods notes: "High-res Retex for Ghosts, Goblins, Wraiths and Gloom Wraiths!"

Install the main file, ignore the skipped files in Wrye Bash.

Mythic Madness
Mod notes: "High res retexture of shivering isles creatures!!"

Beautiful Creatures - Spriggan
Mod notes: "Some tweakings i made for the spriggan''s models to look better".

Beautiful Creatures - Spider Daedra
Mod notes: "Another replacer for vanilla Spider Daedra".

Download and install the main file, and optionally the Nude mesh and other optional files too afterwards if that interests you.

Improved Flame Atronachs (BCF)
Mod notes: "Improved Flame Atronachs is a simple replacer mod that aims to improve on the vanilla Atronachs with new hi-res textures and a few mesh tweaks."

Download the main file and place it in BAIN. After applying the BCF, only install the 00 Core Sub-Package.

Improved Frost Atronachs
Mod notes: "Updated hi-res textures and altered mesh for a colder icy look."

Improved Storm Atronachs (BCF)
Mod notes: "A high resolution total re-work of the vanilla storm atronachs with added variable glow."

After applying the BCF, only install the Sub-Packages 00 Core and 02 Optional SharperShock Texture. Only install the Sub-Package 01 Optional Meshes if you do not use the Ragdolls for Oblivion mod, as they are incompatible. Mod Organizer 2 users can just delete or hide the Meshes folder to achieve the same result.

Better minotaurs
Mod notes: "Improved minotaurs (thanks Mr_Siika)".

Better Lorgren Benirus
Mod notes: "Normally, Lorgren Benirus is nothing more than a generic lich. This mod gives Lorgren Benirus a unique appearance based on the skeleton lying on his altar. Also changes his staff to have a unique appearance as well."

Only download one main file. I choose the "Better Lorgren Benirus - No Staff Edit" main file, as the other one may cause compatibility issues with other mods that alter his staff, is not mergeable into the bashed patch, and I don't like the staff model change.

Diablo-like Goblins
Mod notes: "Remodel of the Goblin heads. I got rid of their ugly ape-like muzzle, gave them a big nose and changed their ears as well. Comes with an optional sound replacer."

Download and install the main file 'Goblin Aesthetics Tweak - Sound Replacer' (MO2 link) if you want new sounds for the goblins. Then you can also download and install either 'Goblin Aesthetics Tweak - Vanilla' (MO2 link) if you don't use Mythic Ghosts and Goblins, or just the 'Goblin Aesthetics Tweak - Mythic Ghosts and Goblins' (MO2 link) optional file if you do use it (both files cover the same three meshes, so you don't need to use both).

Natural Vanilla Horses
Mod notes: "Nice new textures for the poor purple horses."

I download and install the Natural Vanilla Horses 2k main file.

Akatosh Retexture by themythofstrider
Very optional. Makes Akatosh less yellow and more scaly.

Mehrunes Dagon Retex by themythofstrider
Mod notes: "When I finally finished the main quest in oblivion I was more than disappointed in the appearance of the mehrunes dagon (he resembled a pink popsicle). Tried to make him look like the imposing prince of destruction."

Download and install only the 'Mehrunes Dagon Alt Textures - matching arms and legs' optional file.


The first mod is recommended while the rest are optional.

Weapon Improvement Project
Mod notes: "This is a project that aims (over time) to replace the vanilla weapon meshes and textures with completely new and more detailed replacements. The new replacements are based on the original designs."

Download both the main file and the optional file.

Unpack the main file into a project in BAIN and delete the meshes and textures folders from that project, then install the project so that you only install Weapon Improvement Project.esp and optionally the Docs folder. Afterwards, install the Weapon Improvement Project - fixes (NO ESP) v2 .7z meshes and textures, which is from the mod page's posts in the sticky, so that the mod assets avoid conflicts with other mods. You can install the optional file after that.

HiRes Iron Armor
Mod notes: "This mod replaces the iron armor textures with more detailed, high resolution textures".

I prefer this to any upscaled textures mod's iron armor retexture. It appears darker and grittier, similar to the aMidianBorn Book of Silence iron armor retexture in Skyrim.

HiRes Iron Weapons
Mod notes: "This mod replaces the iron weapon textures with more detailed, high resolution textures".

While the Weapon Improvement Project mod already updates the meshes and textures of most iron weapons, this mod will additionally improve upon the Iron Claymore, Iron War Axe and the Iron Warhammer textures, even if you use Weapon Improvement Project.

Visually Improved Staffs
Mod notes: "Replaces default staff textures with high resolution ones. It contains textures for all non-unique staffs + Hrormirs Ice Staff."

Download the main file. In BAIN, select the Sub-Packages 00 Core, 02 Hromirs Ice Staff and 03 Staff of Indarys. I personally don't use the 01 Optional glowing Sub-Package. Then install. Also, an OOO addon is available here.

Vanilla Gear Redux
Mod notes: "Replacer mod for vanilla gear in Oblivion. For Male and Female".

Replaces the models of clothing and armor with some really great and immersive appearances. It requires you to have previously installed the mods Seamless - OCOv2 and Light compatible Skeleton to use it. Download and install only the main file 'Vanilla Gear Redux - Reasonable Flavor (Final)'.

After you've done that, download and install only the main file 'VGR SR OCOv2-Reasonable' from Vanilla Gear Redux-Seamless OCOv2 fix, so that it overwrites the previous package.

Finally, after installing the above, only install the main file 'VGR Reasonable patch' from Patch for Vanilla Gear Redux Reasonable Flavor - Clipping and fpv fixes, so that it overwrites the previous packages (you can uncheck the previous package's Vanilla Gear Redux.esp in Plugin Filter).

Oblivion Upscaled Textures (OUT)
You can choose to install either 'Optional - Darker Glass' or 'Optional - Pale Glass', in the optional files section. I installed the Darker Glass file personally.

Amber Enhancements
Mod notes: "Simple replacements for Amber Helms & Amber Bows in the Shivering Isles".

Download and install only the 'Amber Bow Replacer' and 'Amber Sword replacer' main files. Vanilla Gear Redux already changes the armor.

Mythic Amber Armor
Mod notes: "High Res Retexture of Amber Armor!!"

Madness Armor and Weapons Retex by TheMythofStrider
Mod notes: "High Res retex of the SI Madness armor and weapons with enhanced normal maps by InsanitySorrow".

Half-off Clavicusvile Mask remodel replacer (BCF) (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Clavicusvile Mask remodel replacer and Clavicusvile Helmet.dds 2048 × 2048 version."

Now you have a choice between two different mods:

Better Gray Fox (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "This changes the outfit of the Gray Fox to something I find more suitable. It's NOT armor anymore, because I think that a thief doesn't need armor (and the Gray Fox is marked as "essential" anyway). Also changes the Wanted posters and the Cowl of Nocturnal."

Only download and install the optional file 'Better Gray Fox v2_1 ENGLISH'.

or

Gray Cowl of Nocturnal Reshaped
Mod notes: "Changes the look of Gray Cowl of Nocturnal closer to Skyrim version."

I personally use the Better Gray Fox mod, instead of the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal Reshaped mod. You can technically use both mods if you want to mix and match, with Gray Cowl of Nocturnal Reshaped overwriting Better Gray Fox (if you really wanted the best of both worlds).

Goblin Totem Staff Icon
Mod notes: "This mod adds a better icon for the Goblin Totem Staffs."

Banes Steel Helm Replacer
Mod notes: "Replaces the Vanilla Steel Helm."

Closed Ebony Helmet
Mod notes: "This mod simply acts as a replacer for the ugly Ebony Helmet, the new model suites the knightly look ad feel of Ebony Armour."

Closed Iron Helmet
Mod notes: "This mod simply acts as a replacer for the ugly Iron Helmet, the new fully inclosed model looks far more menacing."

Cutlass Retexture
Mod notes: "Cutlass retexture using Kartoffels' upscaled textures".

Insanitys Ebony Sword Replacer (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "*** This is a requested port of my Skyrim Release - Ebony Sword Replacer. *** This is a simple mesh and texture replacer for the Ebony Longsword, Ebony Claymore and Ebony Shortsword. Wasn\'t fond of them myself and decided to give them more of a Classic sword style instead. Models and Textures are new, and the Textures are high resolution."

Insanitys Umbra Sword Replacer
Mod notes: "This is a simple mesh and texture replacer for the Umbra Sword. I was not fond of the look the Umbra Sword has in Oblivion, so I decided to replace it with a design of my own. Model and Textures are new, and the Textures are high resolution."

Magical Arrows
Mod notes: "Makes all arrows display their carried enchantment's graphical effects while they fly to your enemies, or to you! No actual effect on gameplay, it just gives them something to look at."

This mod also has an optional feature to make arrows with a light enchantment on them give off real light when fired.

TIBs Compact Quivers - Thinner Arrow Holders (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "This mod replaces every vanilla quiver in Oblivion with more narrow variants."

I choose to do the non-OMOD installation in optional files.

Revamp Raiment of the Crimson Scar
Mod notes: "Now it doesn't use the Dark Brotherhood textures! A revamp for the Raiment of the Crimson Scar from the DLC Vile Lair!"

Requires the Vile Lair official DLC. I select the Sub-Packages:

00 core +vanilla DB meshes
03 Female Vanilla Gear Redux mesh
04 Male Vanilla Gear Redux mesh

Then install.

Initial Glow Redux
Mod notes: "This mod aims to remove persistent glow from your game, while retaining compatibility with mods that change magic. The glowy saran wrap of enchanted armors always pissed me off."

I use both ESPs in the archive.

Narrowed Blade Elven Longsword and No Shine Narrow Elven Longsword by Kyuzo
Mod notes: "This mod changes the mesh and the textures of the Elven Longsword in Oblivion. Based upon: "Elven Longsword Resource" mod by Lord Banewrath & Sunblade, this version is fixed to show both the mesh and the textures properly in-game."

Makes the Elven Longsword look better and less fat. You'll want both of these mods.

For Narrowed Blade Elven Longsword, only download and install the main file 'NBElvenLongsword-RAR'.
Then you can download and install the main file from No Shine Narrow Elven Longsword by Kyuzo, so that it overwrites Narrowed Blade Elven Longsword.

Townguards armor retexture
Mod notes: "Just a high quality retexture of Townsguards' armor. The sigils, buckles, stitching and padding are hand-painted. Since the textures are painted by hand, they replicate the vanilla colors, leathers and even dust particles perfectly."

A really amazing HD retexture of the guard armors. Despite being hosted on an obscure modder's website, I still recommend this to everyone. It even works with the mods Vanilla Gear Redux and Local Guards Features, though you won't see it as much with the latter mod installed.

Scroll down to the bottom and click on the Download box on the left to be taken to the download page. Once on the Yandex page, just click on the Download button. Install one Townguard Armor Retexture Sub-Package, as well as one Imperial Guard Armor Retexture Sub-Package. You may need to unpack the archive into a project to install it properly, so use common sense.


The first two mods and the book replacers after it are recommended, while the rest are optional.

Mesh Improvement Project
Mod notes: "This project is a large undertaking with the aim of (slowly) fixing or replacing broken/ugly meshes found throughout the game's world."

Install the '00 Core' Sub-Package, and if you did not install VKVII Oblivion Imperial City, you may also want the '10 Optional - IC Sign Textures' Sub-Package (VKVII Oblivion Imperial City already covers that).

Improved Fires and Flames
Mod notes: "This mod retextures the fires and flames. From the arcane fires at Arcane University and the big open fires in Kvatch, to the burning effect when using flame spells and the fire of the torch - all has been retextured. Together, a total of 177 textures! Let there be fire!".

Download and install only the first main file 'Improved Fires and Flames' and the optional file 'Optional torch'.

Book Jackets Oblivion High Res BAIN
Mod notes: "Book Jackets Oblivion High Res repackaged to be in a BAIN-friendly archive."

Download 'Book Jackets Oblivion High Res BAIN - Cleaned and Bash Tags' only. Select the Sub-Packages '00 Core Assets' and '01c Core Book Jackets ESP - Filter Version (Maximum Compatibility with Knights and UOP)'. Optionally select any 02-09 Sub-Packages you want and then install.

Grimbots DLC Book Jackets (Download Shivering Book Jackets and also Grimbots Spell Tomes if you have the Spell Tomes DLC. Grimbots Spell Tomes is not needed if you intend to install or have already installed the magic mod Av Latta Magicka.)
Book Jackets KOTN
Book Jackets KOTN HD update (MO2 link)
Book Jackets for Misc DLC
These will make your books looks much, much better.

TD_Alternative Books Cover (BCF)
Mod notes: "The plugin is a high-quality retexture of game book covers, parchment and newspapers."

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian. You can use Chrome to translate the page, or just click on the black 'СКАЧАТЬ' button to be taken to the file page, then download and install in BAIN.

I install this mod on top of the previous book mods, as it also covers newspapers, scrolls, letters, parchments, crumpled pieces of paper and also book pages. It will also retexture the books that any mods add that are still using the vanilla base models (such the books added by the mod The Elder Scrolls Online Imports).

If you have installed Evandars Better Book Paper earlier in Interface, this mod will overwrite that mod, and I greatly prefer Evandar's book paper texture to this mod's one. Therefore, after applying the BCF, I only install the '00 Core' Sub-Package, and not the '01 Book background texture' Sub-Package. Mod Organizer 2 users can just delete the entire 'Textures -> Menus' folder in this mod to achieve the same result.

Glowing Fractured Soulgems
Mod notes: "Glowing Fractured Soulgems is a retexture and minor mesh edit to Oblivions soulgems to make them glow when filled, as well as to make each grade of soulgem visually different from each other."

Download 'Glowing Fractured Soulgems - All Colours with 1024 Textures' only. In BAIN, select the Sub-Packages:

00 - Core Files
(Here choose one '01' package of your choice. I use '01 - Textures - Skyrim Inspired Colours'.)
02 - Glow map - Fractured Glow
03 - Meshes - Pulsing

Then install.

HiRes Silver and Gold Clutter
Mod notes: "Replaces default textures for silver items with high resolution ones (mainly 512x512)."

Download and install the main file. Also get the optional file if you have a mod which adds gold clutter, like in OOO.

HiRes Pewter
Mod notes: "Replaces default textures for pewter with high resolution ones."

High Quality Rugs
Download the main and optional files.

Note: Unfortunately, this whole mod is deleted as of 11/11/2020. This is due to the mod author's personal choice to delete their mods from the Nexus, so you would have to search elsewhere for it if you want it.

VKVII Oblivion Mages Guild Clutter
Mod notes: "Remade textures of the Mages Guild clutter folder. Rugs meshes collision corrected."

Very HD and pretty. Go to the Files tab and download the mod and install it. It is in 2K resolution.

Retextured Amulets
Retextured Rings
Retextures for amulets and rings.

Retextured Inn Signs
Retextured Road Signs
Very well done inn and road signs.

Alluring Wine Bottles with Real Glass
Mod notes: "A little visual treat for your booze cruise."

Makes wine bottles look more realistic.

CM Better Wine - Shivering Isles
Mod notes: "A Shivering Isles update to my original Better Wine."

Covers the wine bottles from Shivering Isles and Shadowbanish Wine, which Alluring Wine Bottles does not.

Download and install 'Better Wine - OriginalSI Update' only.

Nirnroot retexture
Mod notes: "This mod retexture the Nirnroot plant with new textures in 2048x2048."

My preferred Nirnroot retexture.

Retextured Potions
Mod notes: "Retexture of the potions and poisons of the game, it includes matching icons It comes in 3 new sizes that will depend on the quality of the potion, and the colors are in line with what the potions does The rope texture of the bottle will depend on the texture you have installed".

An incredible potions replacer. I personally also install the Sub-Package '10 Optional Slimy' in the package, but you the choice is yours.

Paintings Variation
Mod notes: "Brings variety to Cyrodiils en SI paintings."

Install both main and optional files.

Faster Dungeon Doors
Mod notes: "Replaces the heavy doors in Fort-dungeons with a faster moving version. Opening speed is 2x faster and still realistic enough I think."

No more slow dungeon doors.

High-Res Varla and Welkynd Texture Replacer (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "This mod replaces the stock varla and welkynd stone textures with high resolution versions from the Ayleid Clutter resource by Meo."

I don't actually install the ayleid and varla stone textures from this mod as I prefer Gecko's Ayleid Ruins Textures (you may feel differently however, so feel free to install these ones instead if you wish). The mod will mainly improve some meshes like ayleid gates and the collectable ayleid statues. In BAIN, select the Sub-Packages:

• 01 Fixed UV Meshes
• 02 More Meshes w. New Iron Tex

Then you can install the package.

Particled Ayleid Stones
Mod notes: "Tweak for varla and welkynd stones. It add some particle system to them".

You may find these to be too bright however, so it's optional.

Smoother Horse Animations
Mod notes: "Smoother Horse Animations".

Horses don't stop as much like in vanilla when landing from a jump. Also makes them swim two times as fast.

Improved LightBeam (BCF)
Mod notes: "Simple mod that retextures the light beams in all the oblivion world, it decreases the greenish look of the original to a more yellowish warmer color."

Apply the BCF and only install the 00 Core Sub-Package. The 01 Meshes are not quite working right and from my experience can cause NPC's hair to disappear when standing under it.

HD Cobwebs
Mod notes: "A HD, alternative replacement for the vanilla cobwebs."

TD_Lower_Clutter (BCF)
Mod notes: "We have replaced the textures of dishes, bags of grain and other utensils."

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian. You can use Chrome to translate the page, or just click on 'СКАЧАТЬ' to be taken to the file page, then download and install in BAIN.

TD_Middleclass_Replacer v 3.0 (BCF) and TD_Middleclass v 3.1 (BCF)
Mod notes: "This replayer replaces the textures of the middle class environment with better and more beautiful ones, but in compliance with the atmosphere of the game. Now tapestries and beds fit the neat middle class."

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian. You can use Chrome to translate the page, or just click on 'СКАЧАТЬ/DOWNLOAD' to be taken to the file page, then download and install in BAIN.

You need to install both the first file (3.0) and the update file (3.1) after it.

TD_Upperclass v 3.0 (BCF) and TD_Upperclass v 3.1 (BCF)
Mod notes: "This retexture replaces the top-class furnishings textures with better quality and more beautiful ones, but in compliance with the atmosphere of the game."

Not hosted on the Nexus, instead hosted on a website in Russian. You can use Chrome to translate the page, or just click on 'СКАЧАТЬ/DOWNLOAD' to be taken to the file page, then download and install in BAIN.

You need to install both the first file (3.0) and the update file (3.1) after it.

Darooz Upperclass clutter
Mod notes: "Upperclass clutter retextured".

HiRes Hay Bail Textures
Mod notes: "New high resolution hay bail textures to improve quality."

Luxury Ayleid Chests (or alternatively with different colour options: Ayleid Chests Customizable Pack (BCF))
Mod notes: "This mod will change Ayleid containers from vanilla metal chunks to elegant encrusted chests - as they should be."

OOO users don't need this, as that mod already changes the models. Some may prefer vanilla style, in that case do not install this.

Better Window Reflections
Mod notes: "A window reflection mod that replaces the old texture with a higher-res texture based on gameplay screenshots".

Kat's Actually Decent Enviroment Map
Mod notes: "Changes the reflections to be less harsh and more detailed. Performance friendly."

Retextured Caves and Mines Doors
Mod notes: "Retextures the caves and mines doors with, IMO, better textures".

Luna's Ironwood Nut Retex (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "You may have noticed that the ironwood nut that can be found in Cyrodiil is a blurry and unappetizing. This will fix that. :)"

Download the main file and install the mod with the Sub-Packages 'Data' and 'OPTIONAL' in BAIN.

Azuras Star retexture
Mod notes: "A simple retexture of Azura's Star to make it look more like the one in Skyrim. The blue texture is one of the textures from Saerileth's dragon claw mod in skyrim, credit goes to her for the texture, I simply used it with her permission and recolored it to use for this simple project."

Download and install the main file only (MO2 link).

Regarding the optional file: you need to fix the NiSourceTexture path in NifSkope of the daazurasstar.nif mesh, for the Azura Star Glow optional file to work. Unfortunately, the fixed mesh can't be shared due to the mod page's permissions.

Darooz artsupplies
Mod notes: "Artsupplies retextured".

No more crosshair on Rythe's painting
Mod notes: "Removes the crosshair from Rythe Lythandas' painting. Bethesda, plz."

Download only one main file. I myself use and prefer the 'No more crosshair - Replacer' file.

Modryn Oreyn Renaissance Master
Mod notes: "Makes Modryn Oreyn's painting of him and Ajum-Kajin look a bit more Renaissance-y".

Kaizits Animated Ingredients
Mod notes: "Replaces the vanilla ingredients with new animated meshes and new textures".

Install the main file and the two update files (installation order does not matter).

Icons for Alchemy Apparatus
Mod notes: "Gives distinctive icons to apprentice, journeyman, expert and master alchemical equipment, so that they don\'t all look like novice equipment in the inventory and alchemy menus."

The .esp can be deactivated and imported into the bashed patch. Download and install both the main and optional files.

Clickable Magic Gate
Mod notes: "Fixes the model of the magic gate to let you activate it by clicking on the empty space, instead of only the arches."

Glittering Prizes
Mod notes: "A replacement mod for gold coins and gems which adds sparkling particle effects. The textures were left untouched to ensure compatibility with retex mods and such."

Alternate ghost effect
Mod notes: "This mod changes the effect applied to ghost NPC's (such as Pelinal Whitestrake or the Night Mother.) I suddenly felt that the vanilla ghost visuals made the presence of ghost characters feel excessively cold.

What I did was to change the effect to a more white shade, decreased the visibility of the emitted particles and edited the script so you now can see the NPC's textures a little bit."

This mod is mergeable into the bashed patch.

Smoking Firesources BETA - Project Ambience (BCF)
Mod notes: "adds smoke to the firesources lacking it in Oblivion vanilla".

Download and install the mod's files in this order:

- 'Smoking Firesources beta - Project Ambience - Torch' (Main file) OR 'Smoking Firesources beta - Project Ambience - Torch MIP version' (Optional file)
Install only one of the above, either the main file, or the optional file if you use Mesh Improvement Project. They both cover the exact same files as each other.
- Smoking Firesources beta - Project Ambience - LANTERN PACK for VANILLA
- Smoking Firesources beta - Project Ambience - CANDLES PACK
- Hotfix for Candles pack

After applying the BCF to either of the torch main files, I select the following Sub-Packages in BAIN:

- 00 Core
- 01 Low Torch Smoke (optional)
- 02 Torch Smoke - Slim-Regular - Black (optional)

Then install.

No post-game floor burn at Cloud Ruler (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "This is a simple mod I made which replaces the burned texture in the Cloud Ruler temple with a blank texture, so the circle in the great hall will no longer have that boring burn to it. For those who prefer the temple to be clean after you've beat the main quest."

HD Septim
Mod notes: "Detailed hd septim textures free from amazon".

Use the FOMOD installer if you have trouble with the wizard working properly. For the coin mesh, I choose the Normal Size Mesh in the installer.

Improved Chests
Mod notes: "Finally someone made a mod, what replaces vanilla chests with more detailed ones! Mod also adds several models and sounds of chests for variety. Enjoy!"

Download and install either the main file 'Improved Chests', or the optional file 'Improved Chests (OOO Compatible)', if you use OOO (only download and use one file, and only use one ESP.)

In BAIN, only select the 'Improved Chests' (or 'Improved Chests (OOO Compatible))' Sub-Package, and then install the mod.

You can also download and install the 'HiRes textures for Chests (2k)' file (MO2 link) afterwards in miscellaneous files, if you have a decent computer.

Little Baron Flower Pot Makeover - patched and adjusted
Mod notes: "LittleBaron has already fixed the dull vanilla flowerpots to something much better. This mod fixes the bottom of the vases, and (optionally) gives alternative textures to some of them".

I only download and install the 'Little Baron Flower Pot Makeover - patched and adjusted' main file.

Combat mods are optional.

Dynamic Oblivion Combat
A much more recent combat overhaul (a flashy one with dodges, etc. but they can be disabled). Features:

• "Timed Block
• Overhaul of the stagger-recoil system
• Bob and weave style dodge
• Acrobatic roll style dodge
• Opponents can bob and weave
• Shield bashing
• Opponents can shield bash to counter a player's failed attack
• Location based  leg-shots
• Opponent AI can predict and counter repetitive player offensive moves
• Opponent AI can predict and counter repetitive player defensive moves
• If player is disarmed the opponent can pick up and use player's weapon
• Lunge style attack
• Hit from behind knockdown on  player
• Two hand weapons, in addition to damage,  also drain fatigue on target
• New defensive abilities for unarmored mage type opponents
• Combat damage multiplier
• Block - parry fatigue
• Changes to Oblivion's Game Settings such as:
⦁    decreased combat hit cone angle from 35 to 26
⦁    decreased Max armor rating from 85 to 80
⦁    increased magicka regeneration multiplier from 0.02 to 0.04
⦁    and several others, all easily changed or disabled in the ini file
• Extensive user adjustable ini file to customize features
• Compatible with most other mods
• Cleaned with TES4Edit.  FPS friendly"

It only uses scripts to modify the game.

Note: There are reports that there may be an incompatibility with this mod and WalkBlessed's diagonal move plugin, in vanity mode. I'm not familiar with WB's vanity mode so I am unable to say.

and/or (only one is recommended for new players)

Vanilla Combat Enhanced
Adds a whole bunch of combat tweaks to improve on the vanilla combat, customizable through the accompanying .ini file. Adds some new animations, blocking is more effective, NPC healing AI improved, and more. Take a look at the mod page for all the new features. I would suggest however reverting the slower character speed change to vanilla, unless that's your thing.

Melee Combat Additions
Mod notes: "A modern combat overhaul largely inspired by Skyrim combat mods and other action games. Includes Gamepad support for Northern UI."

This is also another mod in a similar vein to Dynamic Oblivion Combat, but I haven't really experimented with it yet. It is compatible with Vanilla Combat Enhanced, but disable VCE's scripted changes in its ini if you wish to use this mod's Poise feature. I wouldn't use it with DOC however.

Sinkpoints Martial Arts Animation Replacer or tbsk Improve HandtoHand Animation
These two mods are animation replacements for hand-to-hand animations. My favourite is Sinkpoints Martial Arts Animation Replacer, but tbsk Improve HandtoHand Animation is good too, although more Japanese in style.

Bashing Reworked
Mod notes: "Tweaks game settings related to Block perks, to get rid of the somewhat bugged and limited vanilla bashing mechanics, and replace it with a scripted implementation allowing the player to bash manually. Also affects NPCs."

Only use this if you do not use Dynamic Oblivion Combat or Melee Combat Additions, as they already have bashing.

Bashing Reworked allows you to 'bash' enemies with your shield or torch. NPCs have a chance to do this too.

Note: You must rename the archive to something else, such as 'Shield Bashing Reworked'. Wrye Bash won't recognize any installers starting with the word 'bash'.

If you use Sinkpoints Martial Arts Animation Replacer, then download and install the optional file 'Sinkpoint's Animations' as well, and install this optional file after the main file so that it overwrites it. There is no compatibility file for tbsk Improve HandtoHand Animation.

Idle Stagger and Recoil (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Allows actors and the player to stagger when not being readied for combat, if they didn't have the required animation for it."

Highly optional. Just makes you and other NPCs able to be staggered without needing to be holding a weapon.

Better recoil and stagger
Mod notes: "This mod changes the stagger and recoil in oblivion by simply adding a few more animations."

Makes stagger and recoil more realistic and less frustrating. Not needed if using Dynamic Oblivion Combat or Melee Combat Additions.

Symphony of Violence - Combat Sound Enhancement
Mod notes: "This mod is a tweaked compilation of the best combat sounds "Combat Sounds 300", "Walther's Oblivion Combat Sounds", and "Improved Bow Sounds" have to offer. Using the strengths of each mod, I have replaced many of the game's default sounds with more realistic counterparts. However the vanilla sounds that were of too much quality to be improved upon were left untouched, so this mod should have no negative "trade-offs"".

Better Blood
Mod notes: "This mod adds more blood, and makes it look better."

Download only the main file 'Better Blood v11'. The update file is not needed from this page as it is completely overwritten by Better Blood skin decal fix below. In BAIN, uncheck 'SkycaptainsBloodTime.esp' in Plugin Filter, as it is not needed. Then, install the archive.

You should afterwards install Better Blood skin decal fix and Normal Map for Better Blood as well.

To make blood splatters stay on the ground and on characters for a longer period of time, open up BethINI, go to the Custom tab, choose the Display section, and choose the fDecalLifetime setting. From here you can set a time in seconds for blood splatters to persist. I personally have set mine to 100 seconds. Then, save your changes and the .ini. Other .ini options are shown on the Better Blood mod page.

StarXs Vampire Deaths and StarX Vampire death Improved Extended Edition
Mod notes: "The amazing vampire death animation from StarX Vanilla Vampires Revised. Slightly tweaked and stand-alone!"

Adds a temporary flame effect, smoke, and sound, and turns vampires into a charred skeleton when they are slain by you or another NPC.

To install it, first download StarXs Vampire Deaths, which is the first mod listed. In BAIN, uncheck both the .esp and the .esm in Plugin Filter, as we only want the resources from this file, as we will only be using the .esp that comes from the Improved Extended Edition (and no .esm at all). After you have installed the first file, then install the Improved Extended Edition after it along with the .esp that it has.

Jump While Blocking (OBSE)
Mod notes: "Small OBSE plugin allowing jumping while blocking."

Most people recommend you use a magic overhaul. There are four big magic mods to choose from: Av Latta Magicka, Balanced Magic, LAME and Supreme Magicka Update.

From the following four magic overhauls, choose only one.

Av Latta Magicka - Oblivion Magic Overhaul
Mod notes: "An overhaul and expansion of Oblivion magic system. Adds many new spell effects and changes the mechanics on existing ones, adds meaningful perks for all magic skills."

This is the most refined magic overhaul, which came out in 2019. It makes magic more like Skyrim, changing the magic mastery perks to be similar to perks from that game. It requires the Oblivion Magic Extender, which is reported by some to be potentially buggy, but I never found issue with it.

It does look pretty fun compared to the other choices here. Features, such as magic sneak attacks, spells like slowfall (I believe LAME also adds this), "being affected by paralysis will prevent the player from opening inventory or other game menus (except main menu)", Detect Life using a different color depending on an actor’s soul level, and bound torch look like something I'd welcome.

Another feature is Unlimited Charge Artifacts - this will make daedric artifacts have unlimited charge, including Mehrunes' Razor. Is that overpowered? You decide. It can be turned off in the .ini easily. This is my first choice for a magic overhaul. I like its customizablility. If you have installed GrimbotsSpellTomes.esp from earlier, then you can uninstall that mod. Av Latta Magicka already retextures all spell tomes by script.

Requires AddActorValues (BCF) and Oblivion Magic Extender (BCF).

Note: If you are using Av Latta Magicka along with Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul, set MOO.ini_spell_light to -1 in 'Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul.ini'. This will give control of the light spell colour to Av Latta Magicka. Alternatively, copy and paste this code entry to the end of 'Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul for compatibility.ini', which will accomplish the same thing.

Supreme Magicka Update
Mod notes: "This mod overhauls the magic system of Oblivion to create a more balanced, diverse, and fun system, making spell casting stronger but not overpowered. At the time Mighty Magick was the popular spell mod but that made magic much too powerful. This mod tries to find that perfect balance."

It can be a lot of fun, while also being potentially imbalanced. Adds many teleportation spells as well as... levitation. Levitation allows you to skip the annoying parts of Oblivion, like levitating all the way up to the Sigil Keep inside an oblivion gate.

It recently got an update in 2021 to revive it and utilise xOBSE. It is now highly scripted, allowing for a cleaner and smoother implementation, similar to Av Latta Magicka. Second magic overhaul choice for me.

Less Annoying Magic Experience (Needs TES4Edit cleaning - bgMagicEV.esp and various other modules)
Mod notes: "Magic in Vanilla Oblivion is... debatable. LAME's goals are to fix it's flaws and enhance the playing experience, for both mages and non-mages. Requires Oblivion 1.2.0416, but does not require OBSE or Shivering Isles."

This is a lot of people's preferred magic overhaul. It is quite old but still can be worth using. It adds more spells than Balanced Magic (more than I would prefer if I'm to be honest). Also worth noting is that is has potentially 'imbalanced' spells not suited for Oblivion, such as Mark and Recall, teleports and divine intervention (think cheesing your way out of escaping the building in the last Thieves Guild quest). I have therefore found it to be less balanced than Balanced Magic. Some of the modules can be quite fun, like the Paper Chase module which has you finding spells throughout the world. Overall, probably my third choice for a magic overhaul in Oblivion

An Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2 patch for this mod is available at OCOv2 - Filter Patch for Mods.

Balanced Magic
Mod notes: "This is a magic overhaul. The existing ones did not satisfy me completely, so I created a new one, with the intention to improve the vanilla magic system as thoroughly as possible while abstaining from making lots of fancy additons and with a focus on keeping it balanced."

This is probably the most 'vanilla plus' and most balanced magic overhaul available. It is my fourth choice for magic overhaul and a non-OBME alternative. Whereas other magic mods add unbalanced, un-lorefriendly or game-breaking spells, this mod tries to avoid adding any fancy and outlandish spells. Created by the author of OOOExtended.

Non-overhaul magic mods:

Magic Effects OBSE Tweaks
Compatible with the previous mods. "Remember how in Morrowind there were on target Absorb and on touch Open spells? This mod makes that available, and some more, thanks to OBSE".

Adds some nifty tweaks to the magic system through OBSE. Strictly optional. Some will recommend you don't use the OBME tweaks.

Note: It is somewhat redundant for Av Latta Magicka users, as many features from this are already included in that mod. It can however allow for more customisation through its .ini files on top of Av Latta Magicka, as well as its tweaks to Cure effects.

FractionalMagicDamage (BCF)
Mod notes: "Small obse plugin that prevents resistances & spell effectiveness from rounding magnitudes down to the nearest integer."

Kobal called it "the useful yet neglected obse plugin". In Oblivion, magic effect magnitudes are rounded down to the nearest integer after resistances, weaknesses, and spell effectiveness factors are applied. If the effect had a small magnitude to begin with, this can greatly exaggerate the effects of resistance and effectiveness penalties.

This simple OBSE plugin prevents the rounding, and also lowers the absolute minimum magnitude from 1.0 to 0.0, making resistance and spell effectiveness more precise.

It is already contained in the Balanced Magic package, so only non-Balanced Magic users will want to install it here.

Magic and Enchantment Effects Overhaul (Needs TES4Edit cleaning) and Magic Visuals Overhaul
These mods make magic spells look more impressive visually. If you want them, I recommend installing both, in this order:

Magic and Enchantment Effects Overhaul: Download and install one main file depending on which magic overhaul you use, either LAME or anything else.

Magic Visuals Overhaul: Download the Magic Visuals Overhaul main file. Untick the esp then install.
Then download and install the Lightning Crash Fix main file.
After that, download and install the Detect Life Texture Fix update file.
Finally, if you are an Av Latta Magicka and/or OBME user, download and install the 'Magic Visuals Overhaul - OBME Patch' in the miscellaneous files on the Av Latta Magicka mod page.

Also drag the Improved Storm Atronachs mod package below these two mods if you installed it earlier in Graphics, and then use the 'Anneal All' function under the 'Edit' button in the top left of Wrye Bash. This will allow the Improved Storm Atronachs sharper shock texture to still appear in-game and not get overwritten by these two magic mods (which have the same texture but of lower resolution).

You can use the mod Magical Arrows with both of these mods, which is what I do, to ensure that the arrows have a magical effect on them, and so that light enchanted arrows give off real light.

Enchantment and Hit Shaders
Mod notes: "Adds new shader to enchantments and magic hit effects. Stand alone of LAME's shader module. More than 25 enchantment shaders alone - most magic effects now have their own enchantment shader!"

Compatible with the above mods.

Weapon Enchantment Tweaks - Recharge Over Time and Balanced Azura's Star
Mod notes: "Weapons enchantments will gain a slow and balanced recharge over time, and Azura's Star must be regenerated at Dawn or Dusk to be reused."

May overlap with one of the perks from FEA - Fundament Enchanting Addons. It won’t do any harm, but you probably shouldn’t use the recharge features together for balance reasons. You can disable Weapon Enchantment Tweaks' recharge feature by setting the RechargePerDay global to zero, like it mentions in the description.

Varied Spell Sounds
Mod notes: "Why should an invisibility spell, a charm spell, a paralyze spell, a light spell and a silence spell look and sound the same when cast just because they all belong to the same school? In Vanilla Oblivion, all spells from the a given school share the same sound effects (the only exception to this rule being fire, shock, poison and frost spells from the school of destruction). With this ESP, almost every spell effect has its own set of sounds. And yes, it works with custom spells you create at the spellmaking altar."

It is compatible with Av Latta Magicka - Oblivion Magic Overhaul and GOSH - Gecko's Oblivion Sound overHaul. Only download and install the main file 'AgarVariedSpellSounds'.

McMuffins Fireball Textures
Mod notes: "This is a texture replacer for Oblivion's fire spell impact animation. I thought the stock effect lacked flash, so mine is somewhat more zippy. Rendered in Blender 2.41."

Makes the fire spell impact animation more impressive. Compatible with all of the previous magic mods.

Enchantment Cost Multiplier
Mod notes: "Applies a multiplier to all enchantment costs, increasing (or decreasing) the amount of uses. Affects ALL weapons and staves without touching any of them. Doesn't change the gold value of the items, doesn't affect the strength of enchantments you can create - simply multiplies the amount of uses available."

Optional mod, and I only recommend using it if you know how to configure it properly to your liking (or if you're satisfied with the default settings).

I highly recommend you use a leveling overhaul mod as the vanilla one is broken. Choose one of the next four leveling overhauls only.


Ultimate Leveling
Mod notes: "Ultimate Leveling changes how the player character levels, removing the need for efficient leveling and making character development more diverse."

Automatically supports MOO and OOO (see note).

One of the newer leveling mods to come out, created by the author of MOO. This leveling mod has definitely come a long way, and is now probably the best choice. Some unique features that it has are it introduces power scrolls (optional) throughout the world, which let you raise attribute caps beyond 100. Another optional feature is horseshoes throughout the world which will raise your Luck when found.

The mod comes in two modes - a skill usage leveling system, or an experience based leveling system. I have only played with the experienced based leveling system which lets you raise skills on level up. Version 1.9 of the mod allows you to increase which attributes you want to increase upon leveling up in experience or manual mode (optionally). Another feature is it adds new rules for health calculation, to get around Endurance being highly important to raise early on in vanilla:

"In the vanilla game it's important to increase endurance as quickly as possible to benefit from additional health. Although leveling up still increases health, it's no longer important when exactly endurance is increased" (see readme for the calculation used).

Quest experience rewards for vanilla and mods may be modified in the relevant .ini file for advanced users. There are a few basic vanilla ones there already to prevent some very minor quests from giving too much experience.

The version 2.0 update which is a while away will also add "a completely new and unique leveling system, where the level of the player character is removed and the game made completely unleveled. This means that the character can only gain skills and that any encounter (and loot) is based on the distance to a major city."

The mod has the most support for new skill mods compared to other leveling mods, I believe.

Overall, a solid mod with a choice of two leveling systems, as well as many great features. I don't think there are any other leveling mods on par with its allowed customization.

Note: You do not receive experience in Ultimate Leveling when bashing locks with OOO installed, due to OOO not being updated and not supporting it. You therefore have to use MOO's lockbashing component which gives experience in Ultimate Leveling instead of OOO's (toggled in Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul for compatibility.ini).

Note: If you are using experience mode in Ultimate Leveling while also using Migck's Miscellaneous fixes tweaks and additions, set zzzMigckQ.bBetterSkillup to 0 in MigMiscellanea.ini. Otherwise, you will get dummy messages that your skill has increased when training and reading skill books, when in reality you have just gained some experience.

Mod notes: "This is a full update to SirFrederik's Oblivion XP mod. It fixes numerous bugs and takes advantage of some of the functions available in the newer versions of Oblivion Script Extender. This version offers significant performance improvements over the previous versions."

Automatically supports MOO and OOO.
Said to have problems with NorthernUI despite having support.

Another good mod especially for those who like the experience based leveling systems.

"Oblivion XP... brings the experience point reward system to Oblivion. You gain experience points for performing a variety of actions, including completing quests, killing monsters, picking locks or discovering new locations. When you accumulate enough experience points, you will gain a new level. Upon gaining the new level, you spend points to increase your attributes and skills. You no longer improve your skills by using them. You earn experience points by action and spend an allotted number of points on skills and attributes to improve them, anyway you wish, when you level-up."

Want to play a mage or thief with high Endurance? A warrior with high Willpower? This mod will let you choose which attributes and skills to advance upon level up. Granted, some skills will be harder to raise if they don't fall under your class skills or specialization.

Also in this mod, your Edurance affects your Health retroactively.

Note: If using Balanced Magic or Av Latta Magicka (mods that affect magicka pool), Set ObXPSettings.magickaControlEnabled to 0 in the Oblivion XP Settings.ini. Also Set ObXPSettings.magickaReturnEnabled to 0 if using a mod that affects magicka regen in the .ini, such as Av Latta Magicka and Supreme Magicka Update. This will allow the magic overhaul's changes to take precedence.

Note: You may wish to lower the experience received from picking locks if you find it to be too high. Set ObXPSettings.multXPLockpick to 2.5 might do. Same thing for persuasion, I change it to Set ObXPSettings.multXPNPCDisposition to 1.

Unfortunately this mod does not support new skills added by other mods. If you want new skill support, use Ultimate Leveling.

Automatic Attributes - Simplified Leveling
Another new leveling mod. It is similar to the mod 'Realistic Leveling', but probably better. Like Ultimate Leveling, it gets rid of the need to level Endurance as early on as possible if you wanted to be the most efficient, due to it having greater benefit in vanilla when leveled early on (it includes the mod 'Real Retroactive Health to address this).

Attribute Progression Redesign
A final option for a leveling mod. This one carries over unused attribute points on level up to your next level. If that interests you then I recommend watching the video on the mod page.

Other leveling related mods:

Fundament (MO2 link)
Can modify the rate at which you advance in skill levels to be more like Skyrim's system, which can be a good thing to have for non-experienced based leveling systems. For instance, in vanilla Oblivion, casting a novice level Illusion spell will advance your Illusion skill at the same rate as if you were casting an expert level Illusion spell. This mod will rebalance it so the novice spell will reward less experience than the expert spell. It's the same for Mercantile as well (no more selling 1 item at a time for maximum experience gain). No need to use this with experience based systems.

From the mod page:

• "Global Rate Control
Base skill slowdown and training cost control, with change-over-time options.
• Magic Prices
Adjusts gold prices for enchanting, spellmaking and spell purchase.
• Racial Talents
Skills with a racial bonus also get improved advancement rates.
• Variable Advancement: Armorer
Rate of Armorer advancement depends on amount repaired per swing.
• Variable Advancement: Marksman
Gains are dependent on target's range; bonus for sneak attacks.
• Variable Advancement: Melee
Slower weapons give more skill; bonus for power attacks and sneak attacks.
• Variable Advancement: Mercantile
Rates vary with trade value and vendor's skill; get skill for buying spells.
• Variable Advancement: Spells
Per-effect gains; gains on-cast; magicka-based, range-based, and more!"

All features in the ini are disabled by default, so you have to uncomment the lines you wish to have an effect in the game. To do this easily, see the Fundament posts section, and copy CarlosS4444's settings into your .inis.

If you just want to use this mod as a requirement for a new skill or other mod, and you use an experience based leveling system, there's no need to change anything in the .inis. If you just need Fundament.esm as a master for other mods, like some skill mods (described below), then you do not need to install Bundlement.esp.

Dynamic Training Cost
Mod notes: "Adds options to alter the cost of training sessions based on a few things, and adds a few features to improve training overall."

Partially incompatible with NorthernUI as of writing (see its posts section).

The training costs in vanilla were cheap, too cheap really, given how easy gold is to acquire. This makes the costs more reasonable. Adds other improvements to the training window too that can be toggled in the .ini file. It requires Fundament though, so it's highly optional.


Optional skill-related enhancements:

Real Time Lockpicking
An effort to replace the mundane lockpicking minigame in vanilla. Most people found the minigame to be either very easy or obnoxiously challenging. For us who found it very easy, it made the Security skill pointless, as very hard locks could be unlocked with 5 Security skill and only one lockpick. And also for those who hated the original minigame, that's where this mod comes in.

"Gets lockpicking out of a menu and into real time: Your lockpicks are now the currency used to open locks, your skill in Security is your ability at spending them, and getting caught is now a real threat."

I will definitely be using this one. It is compatible with Ultimate Leveling experience mode if you use the replacer ESP here. Maskar has given instructions on how to make Real Time Lockpicking and Ultimate Leveling compatible at the end of the Ultimate Leveling readme PDF. If you don't want to dive into the Construction Set scripts and do it yourself, I've conveniently done it for you already and uploaded the compatible ESP there. You will need to install it after the original Real Time Lockpicking archive, however.

Note: This mod is incompatible with OOO at this current time - not compatible with the OOO traps.

Alchemy Advanced and Alchemy Advanced Adjustments
You may want this mod if you use Alchemy a lot (I personally don't however). Some features:

• "a quantity slider for brewing batches of potions
• ingredient filters that can be edited in-game
• a new type of autofilter that looks for replacements for the current ingredient
• a new type of alchemal apparatus (the Refiner) for temporarily removing selected effects from ingredients.
• integrated saving and loading of recipes, and a new type of alchemical apparatus (the alchemist's Notebook) for storing saved recipes.
• a duration slider to specify the target duration of potion effects
• the ability to use potions and other recipes as ingredients in the current recipe
• customizable calculation of potion weight and gold value
• customizable calculation potion effect strengths"

Recommended for those players who have a high focus on Alchemy, otherwise it's completely optional.

Note: If using Ultimate Leveling, you might also want to increase the amount of experience received from crafting potions in the .ini file, as Maskar suggests in the readme. You also need to be using Alchemy Advanced Adjustments for the mod to be compatible.

Uncapped Skeleton Key
A handy mod that will fix the broken +40 Skeleton Key Security buff, which is a hard increase until you drop the key. This buff otherwise can interfere with leveling and will conceal your true Security level. Highly recommended for characters specializing in Security, otherwise the +40 to your Security will make it seem like your real level (thus making raising the skill more difficult). From my testing, it appears to be needed with Ultimate Leveling when doing Security training with NPC trainers. It is also fully compatible with Real Time Lockpicking. Of course, the OBSE version in the main files is the best and only file you should need from this mod.

The following new skill mods are highly optional. They won't work well with Oblivion XP Updated. Best bet is to use Ultimate Leveing.

Note concerning FEA and PSO: Sometimes, when reloading a savegame, the name of these new skills would show as “NOT INITIALIZED”. In that case you'll need to restart the game, before the savegame can be loaded correctly.

FEA - Fundament Enchanting Addons
Adds the Enchanting skill to Oblivion, which is very similar to the Skyrim Enchanting skill.

Mod notes: "Adds arrow and staff enchanting, scroll scribing, magic item renaming, and uses Fundament to keep it all under control like you've never seen before! Also adds an Enchanting skill, right in your character stats menu. Such is the power of MenuQue."

Requries Fundament among other mods.

PSO - Pickpocket Skill Overhaul
Gives you a Pickpocket skill much like Skyrim's one. Includes several new perks when reaching new mastery levels.

Mod notes: "The Pickpocket skill, finally rifted apart from the Sneak skill. Includes perks and features affecting the success chance, options to set custom trainers and skill books... the usual."

Requries Fundament among other mods. You can find some preset .ini settings I made in the mod page's posts.

Maskar's Unarmored Skill
Mod notes: "This mod adds the Unarmored Skill. It's used to avoid or reduce injury during combat while not wearing any armor by evading, deflecting, or absorbing blows."

This is probably not that interesting compared to the previous two skills. Perhaps if you wish to play a monk-like character it may be of use.

Requires AddActorValues (BCF).

Oblivion's races and birthsigns are terribly imbalaned. If you're looking to make the races and birthsigns more reasonable, then some of the following mods may interest you. Note: Unfortunately, I don't think that there are any truly great race and birthsign mods for Oblivion. Therefore, this section is really quite optional. But if you want a reason to play something other than a Breton or Orc or Redguard, and not use an overpowered birthsign like the Atronach or Warrior, then it's worth taking a look.

You shouldn't install race and birthsign mods midgame, maybe with the exception of Birthsigns Expanded, as it provides a means to reset your birthsign safely. Racial adjustment mods added midgame won't bring the new race changes over to your current character.

Race overhauls will likely conflict with Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2. I have however made a few patches for the following mods that needed it (that the bashed patch cannot solve on its own).

Note: If using OOO, you're better off not using any of these. OOO already changes some races and birthsigns. These mods may also be incompatible with or not balanced for OOO.

Dahyka's Vanilla Racials and Birthsigns Improved
The only race and birthsign adjustment mod I would use. A welcoming change is Breton Magic Resistance bonus reduced from 50% to 15% (Orc also reduced from 25% to 15%). The Voice of the Emperor greater power is now a lesser power with no cooldown on touch (from on target), still +30 charm for 30 secs. More racial tweaks are on the mod page for you to see.

Concerning its birthsign changes, some look pretty good. "The Steed now grants a +20 bonus to both Speed AND Athletics, as well as boosting fatigue regen rate by +5. Players who choose this sign also gain the Freedom lesser power, a spell that fortifies their speed and feathers them for +100 whilst also adding waterwalking for 10 seconds, burning 15 fatigue a second to compensate." That to me sounds quite fun and would make me want to choose that birthsign more - use it too much and your character will become fatigued, and likely collapse for a few seconds.

"The Shadow: The Moonshadow greater power is now a lesser power; it turns the user invisible and fortifies their speed by 50 for 8 seconds, damaging their fatigue for 8 every second as a cost for a total of 64 fatigue lost." A lot more useful and interesting than in vanilla.

"The Lover fortifies your Personality by an additional 100 and gives you the Lover's Caress lesser power, a free touch spell that boosts all of your target's attributes by +30 and restores their health by +3 over 60 seconds." I don't know if I like or dislike the huge Personality buff. But it does fit the theme of the sign, and is quite unique.

Plenty more birthsign changes are there for you to glance at on the mod page. Overall, this seems to be the best choice, if you're looking for a race and birthsign balancing mod.

There are some minor problems with the mod, like a few grammatical mistakes and the fact that it has the version number of the mod in its ESP filename (a very bad practice, when the mod receives an update and changes its name again this could cause problems in your save).

Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2 patch available here.

or

tejon's Racial Adjustment Package (TRAP)
This race rebalancing mod is probably the most similar to the mod 'Imperious - Races of Skyrim' by Enai Siaion in Skyrim. It adds many new and uniqe racial abilities to the races. One feature for Khajiits, the Auto Night-Eye, may become very annoying eventually. Notably, the Dunmer Ancestral Guardian is less useless than in vanilla. See the official readme document here for the new abilities, attributes, skills and relations to other races.

Most of the magnitudes of the new spell abilities vary in strength depending on the coefficient 'H', where 'H' is your highest attribute. For NPCs, H = 65.

Khajiit have an ability called 'Sugar' which lets them jump very high (Acrobatics fortification depending on your highest attribute). Not sure if that could affect game balance unfairly for certain things like Levitation from Supreme Magicka Update does.

The mod also removes the Heal Minor Wounds spell from character start, which is not optional and I do not personally like. The game will also crash on character creation if TRAP's changes to Heal Minor Wounds do not get priority.

Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2 patch available here.

Birthsigns Expanded
Made by the author of TRAP, this and TRAP are intended to go together. Changes made are listed here in a pastebin. I find some of these overpowered personally. Specifically the Mage ability which increases your Magicka thirteenfold for 60 seconds (once per day), and the Warrior ability which makes you invulnerable, indefatigable and immune to paralysis for 60 seconds (once per day). Another ability that users have reported annoynace with is the Steed's constant waterwalking abillity. From my own experience this can get very annoying and it becomes overly difficult to dive into water.

The Shadow sign also provides 100% chameleon once a day. You also lose carried gold at a rate equal to your Luck^1.5 per day. Not sure I like this one, but I'll leave it up to you.

OCO v2 Balanced (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Tiny mod intended to balance out stats to Cobl Races - Balanced standards. Includes custom playable Dark Seducer, Golden Saint and Dremora races compatible with Oblivion Character Overhaul v2. Also, additional hair and eyes options."

This will list mods touching gameplay, immersion, world enhancements and also extra UI mods. I will list some mods I consider 'essentials' (not actually essential but they improve or enhance the game in a substantial way).


Cobl (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "Common Oblivion (Cobl) is: 1) a world enrichment mod that adds lots of little things that enriches your gameplay experience; 2) a shared library that acts as a resource for other mods; and 3) an integration tool that allows different mods to "talk" to each other."

This mod enriches the world in various ways, by adding new books from previous games, lore ingredients, foods and beverages, and optionally races (I don't use the new races). It also provides utility features such as a fame/infamy tracker, which will "track changes to your fame, infamy, bounty, murders and oblvion gates closed and report with a short message as they change", optional bypassing of the poison confirmation, denocking for bows and the options to remove spells from your spellbook.

It also introduces the Luggage, "a simple wooden chest that once acquired, will show up in many places: Mages Guild and Fighters Guild guild halls, inns and taverns where you've rented a bed, wilderness camps (after a night of rest), bought houses, etc."

There are also grinders, available in all Mages guild halls. The grinders will grind gems, bones and some minerals and metals into alchemical ingredients.

And there's more, the optional "Item Interchange feature cross-polinates items between different mods. E.g. Happy Hannah's wines may be found being sold by Tamrielic Travellers, or fish from Alive Waters! may be found in remote taverns, etc. No longer will cool items added by one mod be found only in one or two spots, but instead, it will be found in locations old and new across Cyrodiil and beyond!"

It can be somewhat subtle compared to other big mods, but not everything has to be a major change. You may not find it so 'essential' to you, but I always use it and recommend it.

See which official homes and mod homes have Cobl mods available for them here (I use Frostcrag Alchemy Sorter Updated).

Installation:
Download the package and drop it in BAIN.
Run the manual wizard.
Choose Stable.
Just check only 'Tweaks' unless you also want Salmo the Baker.
Select Cobl Tweaks - SI (OOO users should use the updated OOO Tweaks instead on the OOO mod page)
(Optional) Choose Item Interchange and then select in bulk
Apply these packages then click finish.

Afterwards, you can also install the KMM Higher-Res Welkynd Textures for Cobl Ayleid Meteoric Weapons (MO2 link) from the Khettienna's Mini-Mods page for some higher-resolution Cobl textures. Salmo the Baker users can install the fix from Salmo The Baker Havok afterwards as well (it does work with the Cobl version of Salmo the Baker).

Also check out Cobl Glue - Bravil Barrel Fix and Pek COBL Book Jackets - Stand Alone.

Also check out Real tea, which includes support for this mod (install both the '00_Main' and '01_CustomIcons' Sub-Packages in BAIN).

GOSH - Gecko's Oblivion Sound overHaul
Mod notes: "Bethesda hates him! Overhaul your Oblivion sound with this one weird trick."

A magnificent sound overhaul. Download only the main file and place it into BAIN, then uncheck GOSH Region Ambiance.esp before installing if using the Weather - All Natural mod, as it conflicts with All Natural. Also install the GOSH - All Natural Patch if using All Natural.

Choose one alternate start mod between the next two:

Alternative Beginnings
Mod notes: "Alternative Beginnings puts you in the position of the poor forgotten prisoner lamenting life's choices. You will be able to choose from several different options on how to begin the game, all from the discomfort of your dank prison cell. Your choices influence the circumstances by which the game begins, and hopefully the Gods won't forsake you this time around!"

This is my preferred alternate start mod. It offers an impressive amount of choices regarding your starting location. Some include being a new member of a guild, owning a house in a city, being an inn patron, outlaw, shipwrecked, squire for the Blades (new quest and building added) or a vampire (this last one may cause issues with some vampire mods, but I am not completely certain if that's true). There are more for you to see on the mod page.

Once you want to start the main questline, go to Fort Ash which is located in between Chorrol and Weye. There will be a dead adventurer with the Amulet of Kings and some gear and supplies on his body. Loot the amulet and you will receive a quest notification telling you to bring it to Jauffre. The dialogue with Jauffre isn't changed however (as also with Valen Dreth).

If you are starting with a lot of mods that have message spam, it's best to wait for all of those to settle before doing anything in the starting Imperial Prison cell.

In Plugin Filter, uncheck Alternative Beginnings - Kvatch Intact.esp, as it is only usable with the Kvatch Rebuilt mod (a mod which I don't recommend using). Then, you can install the package. Also check out Better Character Lighting for Arthmoor's Alternative Beginnings.

or

Alternative Start Arrive by Ship
Mod notes: "This mod makes it so that instead of starting in the Imperial Prison like a common criminal, and having to do the tutorial, you start in your cabin aboard a ship. Having completed your immigration forms (Character Generation), you arrive at the the port of your choice. A variety of options are presented to the player, affecting how much gold you start with, and what items. Whether you want to be a Down-on-his-luck Noble, or a wealthy merchant is up to you. Do you want an easy life with plenty of money, or more of a challenge?"

Only use this alternate start mod instead of the above mod if you don't want to sign up to AFK Mods.

It is fairly old, but it is simple and effective. The starting location choices are a bit limited however, either Anvil or the Imperial City (because you arrive via ship). You do get to choose your starting gear, faction relations and even a few starting spells depending on your occupation.

It lets you start the main quest immediately after getting off the ship. After arriving, a dream leads you to know the location of The Amulet of Kings; it can be found on a dead rat not far into the Imperial sewers. It fits in to the game world somewhat well, your dialogue with Jauffre will change slightly to reflect how you obtained the Amulet and your dream of Uriel. It also changes your dialogue with Valen Dreth during the contract. Overall, not a bad choice for a alternate start mod.

Grab the unofficial patch here too.

Map Marker Overhaul
May not be NorthernUI compatible.

Adds more map markers, such as ones for the wayshrines (making the Knights of the Nine entry quest a lot less painful), ayleid well, magical stones, player-owned houses and obselisks of order. It also changes some existing map marker icons to be more immersive and appropriate. It will let you mark dungeons as incomplete if you wish to come back to them later, or complete if you cleared them. And it optionally overhauls the map markers to match elven maps and the like.

The wizard has problems working. Replace the original wizard with this one, or instead just select the Sub-Packages '00 Core', an '01' package which suits your preference (I use '01 Vanilla Icons'), and '02 SI additions'. Then install.

Note: If you don't want the range at which you can see locations on your compass lowered greatly, set tnoMMO.visibleDistance to 0 in the Map Marker Overhaul.ini.

Enhanced Hotkeys
Most likely not NothernUI compatible.

• "Assign items up to 40 hotkeys, with up to 4 'wheels' for a total of up to 160 hotkeys!
• You can freely decide the number of hotkeys (max 40), and the layout of the hotkey menu.
• Freely assign any keyboard button or mouse button to any hotkey.
• Allows auto-casting of spells. Cast one or more spells by tapping a hotkey, without changing your current spell.
• Assign more than one item to the same hotkey, for cycling through the items or casting them all at the same time (if spells).
• Use hotkey buttons or mouse wheel to cycle through items.
• All 40 hotkeys and their bound items can be viewed and easily changed.
• Will equip all arrows of a type if bound to a hotkey.
• Has special hotkey items for unequipping any weapon, or equipping bow+arrows.
• Has gear hotkey items for equipping many items by one hotkey tap.
• Improved User Interface."

If you want to expand on the 1-8 hotkeys available in vanilla, then grab this.

To change the binding of a hotkey, hover over the character of a keybinded hotkey in the hotkey menu (e.g. 1) with your cursor. Then control + click on it. Finally, type the key you want binded to it.

Then go into the 'Enhanced Hotkeys - key bindings.ini' file and set the relevant hotkey key binding to the keycode of the key you set it to before. You can find a list of keycodes here.

QZ Easy Menus Update
Most likely not NorthernUI compatible.

Mod notes: "Enables hotkeys/shortcuts for getting out of menus quickly, as well as accessing specific tabs of the journal. Finally you can press M to see the map!"

Also allows right-clicking to get past menus instead of having to press things such as 'OK'.

There is also Better Menu Controls, but I found it to be less useful despite being newer.

Crime has witnesses and Crime Has Witnesses - Responsibility Tweak
It may be a little overpowered, but it's the probably the best solution to the awful crime system in vanilla. You can kill those who have witnessed your crimes (or persuade them) and they won't report your crime. Uncheck the ESP from the first mod in Wrye Bash's Plugin Filter, and then install the Responsibility Tweak update ESP afterwards.

set kCWWQuest.showWitnesses to 1 in the .ini to avoid message box spam when comitting a crime.

World Maps For All Worldspaces
Mod notes: "Adds a world map to every worldspace in the game, particularly the Oblivion planes."

A mod I recently picked up. You can actually have maps of Oblivion realms, Paradise and other worldspaces now!

NorthernUI Hi-Res Local Map
We will only be using the NorthernUI.dll for a high-resolution local map.

Download NorthernUIAway (Vanilla Style) main file. Unpack it to a project and delete everything except for the OBSE folder and install. That's all we need for it.

Note: Make sure to download and install the Assorted .ini Files for Oblivion Comprehensive Modding Guide by Dispensation in this guide's files section. It contains an .ini to disable any problematic features in NorthernUI.ini, other than the high-resolution local map (otherwise your cursor will be highly pixelated).

Note: Do not use it with Oblivion XP Updated. I've tried it myself and crashes became quite common. Bevilex also has said before not to use them together.

SM DLC Plugin Refurbish
Mod notes: "Annoyed by the constant official plugin pop ups at the start of a new game? Wished that the official plugins would start in more appropriate fashions? These esps will stop the official plugins from starting automatically and start more naturally."

You only need to install the '00 Full Lite Plugin' Sub-Package for the basic experience. If you want to be level gated, also choose one of the folders starting with 01. The OBSE level plugin allows you to configure the level requirements to your own values in the .ini file.

I recommend at least the first mod.

Weapons Of Morrowind
Mod notes: "Weapons Of Morrowind (W.O.M) is a project that aims to expand the available weapons found in-game via loot. All of the included weapons are faithful recreations of the weapons from TES3: Morrowind."

One of the best weapons mods out there. Almost a must have for me.

I personally do not install the 'Weapons Of Morrowind - Daedric Crescent' main file as I don't use two-handed weapons. If that interests you, then feel free to download it as well.

Weapon Expansion Pack for Oblivion Nthusiasts
Mod notes: "Adds 625+ new Amber, Madness, Mithril, Orcish, Fine Iron, and Rusty Iron weapons to the game. Also fixes over 100 mistakes made by Bethesda not covered by the Unofficial Patches. Non-SI and MOBS/FCOM versions included."

This adds a lot of weapons to the game. If you're enthusiastic about weapons, it will most likely be of interest to you.

Download and install only the main file, 'WEPON Base Install Oblivion and SI'.

Note: Probably not needed with OOO Extended, as that mod already includes mithril and orcish weapons from this mod.

Unique Artifacts for Unique People
Mod notes: "Adds unique weapons to the notable NPCs in Oblivion and optionally the DLC."

Ever heard of the Royal Armory - New Artifacts mod for Skyrim? This mod is quite similar, but with less weapons added to royal characters and more to the interesting ones.

27 new weapon artifacts are added to the inhabitants of Cyrodiil and the Shivering Isles, using resources from the Nexus. Unlike Royal Armoy where it was virtually impossible to obtain all the new weapons, all weapons in this mod are readily available to acquire throughout your adventures.

Spears Revised With Leveled Lists
Original mod's notes: "Adds spears that follow the normal progression in Oblivion of Iron, Steel, Silver, Dwarven, Elven, Glass, Ebony, Daedric."

Download the main file only (MO2 link).

Cloud Ruler Armory
Mod notes: "This mod adds more to the armory of Cloud Ruler Temple. It adds in new weapons based to the Akavirir long sword mesh so the new items will not look out of place."

I recommend this mod if you are using the previous one as well. If you are, then download the 'Cloud Ruler Armory - Spear Compatible' file only (MO2 link). Otherwise, just download 'Cloud Ruler Armory' (MO2 link).

Scepters for Mages
Mod notes: "This mod aims to make the experience of playing a mage character more immersive by adding scepters to the game. These scepters adds magical boons and spells to their wielders with the drawback that you cannot attack while using a scepter. Playing as a "pure mage" feels more satisfying now, at least from my own perspective."

I only download and install the optional file 'Scepters for Mages - Loot version'.


These quest mods are all optional. You may be interested in them after you've beaten the game and have nothing else to do.

A Brotherhood Renewed
Mod notes: "You've completed your contracts. You rose through the ranks. Lucien entrusted you with his life. After a long and difficult struggle, you saved the Dark Brotherhood from total annihilation. All that remains of the once proud and powerful organization are you, Arquen, and some lowly random murderer the two of you found. After all this you're satisfied with visiting Bravil once a week to collect a pittance of cash? Is there nothing more to be done? The story just ends here, like a bad movie? Not anymore. The time has come to reclaim lost power, to retake lost sanctuaries. To renew the Dark Brotherhood."

This quest mod is probably worth a playthrough with at least once, if you like the Dark Brotherhood and were disappointed by its lackluster vanilla coda as I was. It is fairly well done. After the Dark Brotherhood questline, it involves you rebuilding the sanctuaries hidden around each city, as well as recruiting suitable people to look after them. Take a look at it if that sounds appealing to you. If so, grab the Oblivion XP Update patch as well if you use that mod, although the patch is not required, it does increase the experience rewards from the mod's quests.

It is better than the other Dark Brotherhood quest mod 'Dark Brotherhood Chronicles' in my opinion, which is incompatible with this mod. Dark Brotherhood Chronicles is also incomplete and is now deleted from the Nexus by its author.

Note: Right click on the archive in BAIN and select 'Skip Voices' before installing, as the voice files are not needed with Elys Universal Silent Voice.

There is also a patch for A Brotherhood Renewed and Ragdolls for Oblivion here. It will stop the Dark Guardians added by A Brotherhood Renewed from stretching upon their death.

The Lost Spires (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
A decent quest mod revolving around exploration and excavations, and it includes alright voice acting except in a few places. It's not hosted on the Nexus. Just click on the 'The Lost Spires v14' hyperlink to download it.

The mod has some really interesting and unique-looking assets. Quest markers may not be given that much in this mod compared to vanilla, which may get annoying for some people. It's probably worth playing once at least.

If you are using this mod, you may also be interested in The Lost Spires - Cleaned Up Scribe Store Ruins (needs TES4Edit cleaning), which cleans up the city damage from the questline.

I also recommend installing The Lost Spires - Tweaks and Enhancements (all main files) and Lost Spires Archaeology Guild Robe fix.

If the mod's website is down, then you can always download the mod through the Internet Archive.

There is also the Bash-able Quest Delayers mod to delay the start of this mod. Download and install only the main file 'Aellis Bashed Delayers v3129C' and merge this filter patch into your bashed patch. This patch delays starting the quest until the player is near the Archeology Guild.

The Ayleid Steps (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Discover the ancient Ayleid teleporting network of Step stones, find out how to activate it, and then use the Steps to discover a new way of traveling around Cyrodiil, and search for new unknown Ayleid sites."

Another decent quest mod. Adds new 'ayleid steps' all around Cyrodiil, which can teleport you to another step when used. It involves a lot of exploration, and is still updated over a decade after its original release.

Requires Cobl v174.

Also check out The Ayleid Steps - The Guardian's Atlas and The Ayleid Steps - Compatibility Patches (MO2 link).

Bounty Quests Fixed and Polished (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Has a huge amount of bounty style quests, 20 in total for each city. In the lower-class inns in each city, you'll find a bounty board with a notice on it. Activate it, and you'll receive a random bounty:

• Kill a bad NPC (Bandit, Marauder, Vampire, criminal)
• Exterminate specific beast(s) or Clear an entire ruin
• Retrieve item(s)

When you activate the message board in one of the inns, it will select the quests that have not been completed yet and that have a tier level that matches the players current level. You will see a message if you already did the quota for the week, no quests are available for your current level, or you have already done all the quests for that city. Otherwise you will get a quest pop-up for that quest. If you set the ini setting to allow declines, before you actually do the quest, you have the option to decline it by talking to the inn keeper and choosing the dialog to decline it. That quest will be marked as completed and never offered again.

Very nice mod for anyone looking for some extra vanilla-friendly quests. If you don't use OOO, uncheck the 'Bounty Quests OOO Patch.esp' from Plugin Filter before installing.

Golden Perch Inn Modified
Mod notes: "Adds an inn that can be obtained through a quest."

A nice little mod that adds a new inn in the wilderness and a quest as well to obtain ownership of it. After acquiring ownership of the inn, you can earn gold by visiting it every Fridas and talking to the innkeeper. You can brew your own unique ale and mead that this mod adds, which will earn you extra gold. There are a few patrons in the inn that offer services like bartering and training. The quest is not very long but it is quite enjoyable and interesting.

This mod requires Cobl. To install this mod, download the main file only and place it in BAIN. I select the Sub-Packages:

00 Core
03 Weather - All Natural patch (because I use this mod)
04 Harvest Flora patch (because I use this mod)

Then install.

Viking Village (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Travel to the lands of the Vikings, and live the life of a Viking; drink mead in the longhouse, hunt in the wild, and fight off the Vanir!"

This mod adds a new island worldspace that features new NPCs, quests, a village and some points of interest to explore. It comes with optional voice acting, while though rather mediocre, it is nonetheless appreciated. The mod includes a bunch of new viking themed weapons and armor as well. The quests were fairly decent, some ranging from simple kill and collect quests while others were more involved in dungeon spelunking. There are some unique enemies to tackle with this mod. You can take a boat from Anvil to access the new island.

Download the main file and update file, and place them both in BAIN. Before installing the main original file, uncheck 'Viking Village.esp' in Plugin Filter, as we will be using the update file .esp instead. Once the .esp is unchecked, install the main file, and then install the update file and its .esp after it.

If you want voice acting instead of silent dialogue, install the Voice Addon in optional files. Do note that you need to open the archive first and rename the Vikings folder inside "data/sound/voice/Viking Village.esp" to Nord for it to work. Then you can install the package.

Imperial Bounty Hunter Quest EV
Mod notes: "This mod adds a "Wanted Board" in the Imperial City Prison District, with posters for several criminals. Quintus Cassus, the Imperial Bounty Officer, sits nearby. Take a poster, go kill the target, take his or her head, and return it to Quintus for your reward."

Let the People Drink
Mod notes: ""Let the People Drink" breathes life into the very dry Imperial City, it adds multitude of fountains as well as a Great Aqueduct running from Charcoal Cave to the city. Discover what Bethesda's Imperial City should have been like; take a drink from the fountains and enjoy the view from the aqueducts, this mod is for you!"

In BAIN, I select '00 Core' and one of the Quest ESPs in Sub-Packages. Since I use Cobl, I choose '01 Quest Cobl'.

An Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2 patch for this mod is available at OCOv2 - Filter Patch for Mods.

Servant of the Dawn (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Disappointed that the main questline of Oblivion once again forces you to be the "good guy," I decided to make this plugin for myself and all the players out there who wanted to more fully explore the Mythic Dawn faction. This plugin allows characters who have already completed the main questline to "redeem" themselves by joining the second wave efforts of the Mythic Dawn."

Download only "Servant of the Dawn 2.25 for SI". Also download and install the Servant of the Dawn DLC Compatibility Patch (needs TES4Edit cleaning).

Note: There is a bug when building your bashed patch with this mod present in your load order in Wrye Bash 309.1. You need to untick 'NPC Checker' in the bashed patch configuration when building, or else you will get a freeze on the game start up.

Woodland Rangers Revised (BCF) (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Join the Woodland Rangers in Tamriel. They are a faction dedicated to policing and preserving the wilderness and exploring the deep depths of Tamriel."

The mod has wild edits and needs manual cleaning, as LOOT will tell you. Remove Sub-Block 3, 3 in Block 0, 0 of 0000003C from Woodland Rangers.esp. You can do this before or after running the mod through TES4EditQuickAutoClean.exe. If you don't clean these wild edits, the mod will raise the water height levels unnecessarily in some wilderness cells, resulting in visual bugs.

SI Whispersins
Mod notes: "Adds the new town of Whispersins to the Shivering Isles. Includes 3 quests, unique varied interiors, useful merchants, new NPCs, and unique dialogue for all of them."

Umbra the Unfortunate
Mod notes: "Umbra the Unfortunate makes it possible to save Lenwin after the Daedric quest of Clavicus Vile has been completed. Also, Irroke the Wide will act as a blacksmith, so it should make more sense for Lenwin to have been his apprentice. There is also a book that basically just contains the pre-3rd Era part of the lore page of Umbra on the UESP Wiki, and then there is also a small basement added to Irroke the Wide's house that acts as a tiny quest reward player home. Fort Homestead has also received a new room, in which there should be a small boss fight."

This mod makes it possible to save the person Umbra and return her to Pell's Gate. The new quest takes place after you finish Clavicus Vile's daedric quest in the base game. You will have to pickpocket the Umbra sword from Umbra while she is sleeping, so that the curse will be lifted from her. Then, this mod's quest will start after a few in-game days of waiting.

Only download and install the main file 'Umbra the Unfortunate'.

Shivering Isles - New Dukes
Mod notes: "Adds 2 new followers to New Sheoth that you can also make Duke/Duchess. Expands the palace and better connects it from the inside. Adds 1 questline for earning the loyalty of one of the new Dukes."

Adds some new content to the Shivering Isles. It is still being developed more with future quests to be added. You can finally refill the empty Duke and Duchess thrones after completing the Shivering Isles questline.

Thievery in the Imperial City (Needs TES4Edit cleaning - thievery.esp)
Mod notes: "Thievery in the Imperial City Not all merchants in the Imperial City are through and through honest. Derrien Venoit runs the Discount Merchandise in the market district; not only has he no qualms about buying stolen goods, the thieves in the Imperial City know that Derrien even gives tips about where to find worthwhile loot".

Even though this quest mod is from 2006, it still holds up today as a classic. Great mod for any thief-type characters.

An Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2 patch for this mod is available at OCOv2 - Filter Patch for Mods.

Miscellaneous

These mods are all optional.

Auto Update Leveled Items And Spells
It will update your leveled quest item rewards as you level up, as well as leveled spells from quests. This means you don't have to wait until you are a higher level to receive the best version of a quest reward item.

You should Set AULIAS.FotMCostMultTo 0 in Auto Update Leveled Items And Spells.ini, as the Unofficial Oblivion Patch and most magic mods fix this.

Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul users should set MOO.ini_ability_imbuing to 0 in Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul.ini as this mod does the same thing and more (albiet in a slightly less immersive manner). Imbuement in MOO does not upgrade leveled quest reward spells.

Bruma Guild Reconstructed
This mod will rebuild the Bruma Mages Guild Hall from an otherwise state of eternal destruction after the Mages Guild questline. A well needed change. You can also grab the Immersive Interiors - Bruma Guild Reconstructed addon here, if you use Immersive Interiors.

No Anachronistic Main Quest Comments
Mod notes: "Disables most references to specific events in the Main Quest after a certain time."

Is Anybody Home (AoG)
This mod will allow you to knock on locked doors. NPCs will come outside to talk to you. Note that at night, waking up NPCs to talk to them through this will cause a disposition drop.

Greed Arena (AoG) (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
It's a nice quality of life addon for the Arena. Allows you to (optionally) skip the arena announcement before each fight, fight at any hour, fight without an arena rainment (nice for mages), bet an infinite amount of gold, choose any creatures to fight during the grand champion recurring fight, increased spectator size, and even the option to loot your defeated foes in the Arena. It also makes the Adoring Fan a much more useful companion to have.

One feature that is not optional and that I don't like is the Gray Prince and the Yellow Team Champion for some reason return to the blue team base after you complete the questline as if they didn't die. I am not sure why the author decided to add this in. If that doesn't bother you, then I recommend the mod.

Note: Right click on the archive in BAIN and select 'Skip Voices' before installing, as the voice files are not needed with Elys Universal Silent Voice.

Enhanced Economy and Lubrons patch - Enhanced Economy
A well done economic overhaul mod. Mod notes:

"Main features are:
* Dynamic Barter Gold: Merchants don't have infinite gold, but receive/lose gold when you buy/sell items.
* Merchant Quests: Merchants will ask you for help to find items in caves/ruins that otherwise see little action.
* Haggle Overhaul: Disable Haggle menu and get automatically correct prices - or keep it, but with restriction on the number of haggle attempts.
* Real Values: Bartering are done at real values, and not rounded up. So an arrow worth 1 gold, sold at 30% will net you 0.3 gold, not 1.
* Local Economy: Item prices varies depending on the city and the merchant. A Smith will pay well for swords, but not for clothes. Also let you easily change the base price of variuous item types.
* Item repricing: Lets you easily reprice individual items by editing/importing text files with price data. A number of such files included.
* Global Economy: The merchants' prices and willingness to trade is affected by the Oblivion crisis.
* Gold Adjustment: Adjust how much gold you get from quest or any other source.
* Item Removal: Reduce the number of enchanted items found in the game.
* Repricing: Reprices the buyable houses, Reduces the high values of enchanted loot. Reprices all services.
* House Taxes: Makes you have to pay tax for your houses.
* Mercantile Leveling: Gain more experience when selling expensive items or group of items.
* Illegal looting: It is illegal to loot dead guards or other friendly NPCs, containers in cities, or plants belonging to farms."

I personally no longer use it because I like merchants having infinite gold, but you should consider using it if you want a more realistic experience. I also turned off house taxes and merchant quests when I used it (the merchant quests reward very little gold by default). If you use MOO then turn off illegal looting as companions will often loot crates and barrels marked as stolen.

To install it, right click on the package and select 'Has Extra Directories'. Then select the '00 Core' Sub-Package. Un-check the plugin in Plugin Filter. You can install it now. After that, install the Lubrons patch plugin.

Note: It's said to have a bug relating to enchanted items being removed from chests and enemies even with the .ini setting disabled. There is supposedly a fix on the Lubrons mod page, but you need the Construction Set to do this. If you do not want to do this fix, it may not be worth getting this mod.

Note: You should disable Value-Based Mercantile Levelling when running Oblivion XP or Ultimate Leveling experience mode, since it won't have any effect. Also you will need to decide whether to have Oblivion XP control the price for training services or have EE control the price. If you want EE to control the price, set trainingCostMult to 0 in the initialization file of Oblivion XP.

Gather Ye Rosebuds
Mod notes: "Adds three levels of a new spell 'Gather Ye Rosebuds', which when cast will harvest nearby flora and pick up nearby ingredients, whether part of Vanilla Oblivion or added by a mod.

The range of the spell depends on which level you use; on your skill in Alchemy and Mysticism; and your Luck. You also get a distance bonus if you have a Hand Scythe or two in your inventory."

Download and install only the 'Gather Ye Rosebuds 1_1' main file.

There is a similar feature in Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul called the hand scythe, which lets you harvest some extra plants when swinging it. Gather Ye Rosebuds is a beefier version of that MOO feature. Gather Ye Rosebuds will benefit from the Alchemy perks added by Av Latta Magicka.

Note: If you are using Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul, you should set MOO.ini_compatibility_tools_convert to 1 in Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul.ini. This will allow Gather Ye Rosebuds to use the vanilla hand scythes which will give the harvest spells a bonus extra reach. Otherwise, MOO will automatically convert all hand scythes you pick up into MOO-specific weapons and will give them all a new Editor ID, which Gather Ye Rosebuds cannot detect.

Mannimarco Revisited
This mod is extremely optional. It overhauls the Mannimarco encounter to resemble more of Daggerfall's appearance. It is a lot more immersive than the vanilla fight, which was pitiful.

WARNING: This mod makes the Mannimarco fight incredibly difficult. You will likely not be able to defeat him without 'cheesing it' or using the console. I do not recommend this mod for absolute new players. Mannimarco will self heal, have spell reflect, be immune to frost and shock, and have many minions to assist him during the fight. I am only listing it here because the fight in the vanilla game is incredibly underwhelming.

Do not get this mod if using OOO, as Mannimarco is already overhauled there.

Download only the main files 'MannimarcoRevisited' and 'MannimarcoRevisitedv11' from the mod page, and the Mannimarco Revisited UOP Patch.

For the first file 'MannimarcoRevisited', uncheck MannimarcoWardrobeChest.esp in the Plugin Filter, then install. Although it will be replaced next, MannimarcoRevisited.esp in this package needs to be checked and installed in order for Wrye Bash to also install the sound\voice\MannimarcoRevisited.esp files. Otherwise, Mannimarco's final voice line will be silent.

Then install the 'MannimarcoRevisitedv11' .esp file afterwards.

Finally, install the UOP Patch for it.

If you haven't already and you don't use MOO (MOO does this automatically), turn off border restrictions in BethINI. It is needed for this mod.

Supreme Magicka Update users will also find that Mannimarco conjures an insane amount of skeletons during the fight.

You can also try out Mannimarco Revisited Rebalance. 

Colorful Clothing - Gloves
Mod notes: "Adds 11 different color versions of gloves to the game, using the color schemes of the game's robes. (Playable modders resource.) They can be bought from Palonirya at the "Divine Elegance" in the imperial market district. Works on male and female characters/npcs. You will notice that what makes these gloves different from others you may have seen so far, is that these have almost no sleeve, which means none or at least considerably less clipping with anything else you may wear will occur."

Colorful Clothing - Upperclass and Colorful Clothing - Middleclass
Two more Colorful Clothing mods from the same series as the above mod. They can add some more variety into the game as they as are distributed into the world and are available for purchase from some merchants.

If you don't use Seamless (Robert's Male and HGEC from the Character section of this guide), then one main file from each mod will be your choice. Otherwise, get one of the optional Seamless files instead. I use the BSA Archive file either way instead of the loose file.

Both Upperclass and Middleclass mods are already included in Zensalin's Oblivion Overhaul.

Sigil Stone Selector
This mod will let you choose which sigil stone you receive when closing an oblivion gate.

Place the archive in BAIN and uncheck all ESPs in Plugin Filter except for 'SigilStoneSelector.esp', then install.

It is not compatible with OOO.

Put it in its Place - Enhanced Grabbing
You can actually move around owned objects for a little while without gaining a bounty if you use this. It also lets you dispose of corpses. Another thing is "Throwing things around will no longer go unnoticed – If you grab and throw something around, you'll probably lower your standing with any NPCs nearby, who had witnessed your antics. On the other hand, lending a hand will most definitely get you places."

There are more features too, check out the mod page for them. Download and install the main file only.

Rebalanced and Unleveled Quest Gold Rewards and Rebalanced Arena Gold Rewards
It rebalanced and unlevels various quest gold rewards, to make them more worthwhile and suitable for the circumstances in which the gold rewards are received. No more Dark Brotherhood contracts rewarding 50 gold from levels 1-4.

The second mod is an extension to the previous mod, and makes the Arena gold rewards less pitiful. I use the 1.5x gold version.

I don't believe either are needed with OOO.

Oblivion Character Overhaul v2 Female Dremora Voices
Mod notes: "Oblivion Character Overhaul v2 adds female Dremora by changing approximately half the vanilla game Dremora to female, but doesn't add any voices for those female Dremora. This mod rectifies that."

Note: Unfortunately, this whole mod is deleted as of July 2021. This is due to the mod author's personal choice to delete their mods from the Nexus, so you would have to search elsewhere for it if you want it.

FormID Finder or RefScope
If you want to find out which mod is adding something in-game, know which mesh path something in the world has, or know if a container is safe, then get either of these mods. Great for debugging purposes or if you're just curious about the origins of things.

I personally prefer FormID Finder, though RefScope may be capable of doing a few more miscellaneous things.

FormID Finder users will want to grab EditorID Location Found for FormID Finder (MO2 link) too, if you want even more features. It is a mod that is mergeable into the bashed patch.

Artifacts Redone
This mod will retexture and remodel most unique items in the game where a unique model was lacking, using Nexus resources. Really nice robe meshes and textures from this mod in my opinion.

Local Guards Features
Mod notes: "Townguards equipments replacer by local regions".

This mod makes the town guard outfits and weapons more diverse. It may not suit your tastes however. And it will introduce neck seams to the Leyawiin guards, so this one is your choice. If you get it, install the Local Guards Features Unofficial Patch afterwards. There are also some addons such as for Kvatch and Knights of the Thorn that can be found in the requirements tab:

Local Guards Features - Gaius Prentus Addon (I use the merged vanilla addons optional file here.)
Local Guards Features - Kvatch Addon
Local Guards Features - Thorn Addon
Local Guards Features - White Stallion Addon

Variant Vagabonds
Mod notes: "Diversifies the racial makeup of generic enemy NPCs".

This diversifies the types of enemy NPCs you can encounter in the game. "Bandits, marauders, sorcerers, necromancers, and vampires have all been expanded to better reflect Cyrodiil's ethnic distribution and according to each race's most prominent abilities."

Only download and install the main file 'Variant Vagabonds (Updated with some bug fixes) Version 1.1'.

SM Combat Hide
Mod notes: "This mod allows to more effectivly hide from npcs you are in combat with. If you stay out of visible sight from them long enough the npc will not be sure where you have gone and lose track of you. No more do npc's have homing beacons on your position.

Once the npc has lost you if brave enough or dislike you enough they will search the area for a while and if they come accross you they will instantly attack. After some time they will stop actively searching the area for you.There is also a fix to the never ending combat situations so that when its obvious the area has no enemies combat mode will end."

Even though this mod is now integrated into SupreMe Overhaul, I still use the standalone mod because SupreMe Overhaul has features that cannot be turned off.

Quest NPCs Run
Mod notes: "This mod makes NPCs run instead of walk when you are accompanying them for certain quests, such as the Odiil brothers during The Killing Field quest."

This will speed up slow walking NPCs during quests, like the Odiil Brothers heading to their farm, and Pinarus Inventius looking for the mountain lions during one of the first Fighter's Guild quest.

Dialogue Tweaks Fixes and Restorations
Mod notes: "Restores a few lines of dialogue and overhauls how some of it works."

I would turn off the new trespassing dialogue however, as it may interrupt some quests, such as ones in the Mages Guild. Or, you can use the mod Miguick's Dialogue Tweaks Trespassing Tweaked (MO2 link) to address that.

Better dungeons
Mod notes: "Are you tired of all those bland, dreary, cookie-cutter caves? This is the mod for you! Better Dungeons makes almost all the caves unique and interesting."

This mod makes some dungeons "better" and more immersive (adds blood machines with spinning gears in Bloodcrust Cavern, and tombstones, graves and coffins in Memorial Cave, just two examples).

Sometimes you'll have to activate things like rocks in the way to get past, or find a rope to get down somewhere. It also adds some plants in caves, which may get a little excessive in my opinion. I experienced an FPS drop to the low 30s in Bramblepoint Cave, in an underwater area with many glowing stones.

Only download the 'Better Dungeons BSA' main file from the mod page. Use the Better Dungeons replacer ESP by laulajatar here. She cleaned up the file and fixed the dialogue topics (see the mod page's posts for more information).

Display Skill Perk Effects
Mod notes: "This mod adds detailed perk descriptions in skill tooltips. Supports some mods adding custom perks and customized texts."

In case you didn't know what some of the mastery perks do for the various skills (including when some mods change them), this mod can help.

Display Stats
Mod notes: "Displays hidden stats of all items in the item popup menu when your mouse points at an item in the inventory/container/barter menus."

Provides more detail of item stats, such as reach, reach, damage rate and if it ignores resistance. Other items can show value to weight ratio and base value (when bartering).

Can be a good choice for those desiring more information on items and weapons.

Vile Lair Vampirification
Mod notes: "Become a vampire instantaneously through the Dark Minion in the official DLC The Vile Lair."

Requires the Vile Lair official DLC. You can become a vampire (and cure yourself) as many times as you want with this mod.

Consistent Beggar Voices
I tried playing without this one but I feel like this mod is a big improvement. The ESP that comes with it is not really necessary, unless you want some beggar dialogue during the quest Misdirection fixed.

Show Weapons While Mounted
Mod notes: "This is an OBSE plugin that enables the visibility of back weapons and quivers while mounted."

No More Wild Goose Chases - Re-Patched and UOP Fixes Applied
Mod notes: "This mod provides "helpers" for 3 of the so-called "wild goose chase" optional quests in Oblivion: The Collector, A Venerable Vintage, and the Daedric Quests. It is an updated and bugfixed version of the file by lubronbrons, which was originally created by ACHILLES."

Colored Quests - Updated
An update to the mod Colored Quests, this recolours the different questlines' quest icons and provides a lot of choice in doing so.

Quest Log Manager
Probably not compatible with NorthernUI.

Mod notes: "Quest Log Manager helps you, by adding a new "Hidden Quests" log where you can move away all current quests you're not interested in for the time being, and later move them back if you want. Quest Log Manager also lets you swap between alpabetical and chronological sort order."

Install the Sub-Packages '00 Core' and one of the '01' packages that matches your UI.

Vanilla Style Loading Screens Addon
Mod notes: "This mod adds unique pictures for all loading screens in the base game & shivering isles."

These new loading screens fit in impressively well with the vanilla game, and therefore it earns my endorsement. You should only need to install the 00 Core Sub-Package, from the main file. From what I have heard, the 'upscaled' loading screen addon mod that you can also get for this mod will increase the load times.

Tavern Goers 2 - Redux
Adds some more patrons to many of the taverns around Cyrodiil and the Shivering Isles. They can eat, walk around and sit down. They also can give you rumors.

Download both main files.

Faster Horse Dismount
Mod notes: "Allows dismounting your horse almost twice as fast."

Imperial Horse Armor
This mod gives imperial horses steel armour from the Official Horse Armor Plug-in (it requires that plug in to also be installed, of course). It does not give MOO imperial horses any armour however.

Light Your Way
Mod notes: "This mod adds buyable lanterns to trader shops around Cyrodiil."

Adds some alternatives to the standard torch. You can buy the new lanterns, candles, lamps etc. from various general stores. There is also a rare Ayleid Torch that can be more difficult to acquire.

I only download and install the 'LightYourWay InsanitySorrow Edition' main file (MO2 link), and the optional file 'Torches Have Value - Bash Patched'. When rebuilding the bashed patch, in Import Stats, check the Torches Have Value_Stats.csv option.

Torch More Brighter
Mod notes: "With the installation of darker dungeons and dark textures, an ordinary torch stopped lighting enough to me. Therefore, I made this simple mod, with which the torch began to shine much brighter, without turning into a owerpowered lamp that illuminates vast territories at once."

This will make your torch slightly more bright. Download the main file.

Uncheck all of the ESPs in Plugin Filter. Then I only select and install TorchMoreBrighter_Bright_Wide.esp.

Arena Champion's Villa
Mod notes: "So I made a house fit for the Champion! It's not a huge castle, just a nice, spacious Imperial City home for the Grand Champion to rest during breaks. Just a quick walk from the Arena, it's a lore-friendly space where any Grand Champion can unwind after killing yellow team scum, minotaurs, and who-knows-what-else."

A comfy, vanilla-friendly villa player home for the Arena Grand Champion. It inclues two unique enchanted items of jewellery as a reward also.

IC Arboretum Wayshrines (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "This mod simply adds wayshrines to the the Imperial City Arboretum worldspace, making the "Pilgrimage" quest quicker and easier."

It will slightly conflict with the mod Let the People Drink, but not in a way that breaks either mod. The Talos fountain slightly overlaps with the Talos wayshrine.

Knights of the Nine - Improved Infamy System
Mod notes: "Removes the infamy reset from completing the pilgrimage added by Knights of the Nine, whilst exactly preserving all other infamy-related features of the DLC and base game."

Download and install the main file only. If you installed the SM DLC Plugin Refurbish mod earlier, then also install 'SM Plugin Refurbish Lite Knights Infamy.esp' (needs TES4Edit cleaning), contained in the '02 Compatability Plugins' Sub-Package' in the SM DLC Plugin Refurbish package.

A Rainbow of Treasures - New Gems and Gem Dust (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Adds 7 new gems to the game and the ability to grind all 12 gems as well as pearls if you have any mortar & pestle in inventory. Right click on any gem to start grinding."

Discord Rich Presence (OBSE) (BCF)
Mod notes: "Integrates Discord Rich Presence in TES IV: Oblivion, displaying stats and your in-game actions on your Discord profile, such as:

• Which menu you’re currently in (paused, lockpicking, trading, sleeping, spellmaking, inventory, alchemy, enchanting, reading a book, or in main menu).
• Character name, race, location, level, health and amount of gold.
• Which character you are talking to or trading with.
• Time played."

To download it, click on 'Download' at the bottom, place it in BAIN. After applying the BCF, install the 01 Data folder, and also install the 00 Root Folder Files into your base game directory (not the Data folder).

SI Unmarked Locations
Mod notes: "Adds in some small Fallout-style unmarked locations throughout the Shivering Isles. Despite the name, there is an option to have map markers!"

Install only one .esp in Plugin Filter, depending on whether you want added map markers or not for the new locations. I personally install 'SI Unmarked Locations with markers.esp'.

SI Cities Expanded
Mod notes: "Adds new NPCs, vendors, buildings, and decorations to many of the cities in the Shivering Isles."

You can choose between the full or lite versions. The lite version will be more FPS friendly, but it will also have less content than the full version.

SI New Sheoth Outskirts
Mod notes: "Adds an "outskirts" area outside both gates of New Sheoth. Includes new NPCs, shops, flora and decor, and stretches as far as the graveyard outside Crucible and the walkway outside Bliss."

SI New Sheoth Palace Improvements
Mod notes: "Improves the New Sheoth palace courtyard with flora, decorations, and new NPCs to liven up the place and make it less empty."

SI New Homeowners
Mod notes: "Adds in the ability to move new homeowners into houses that become empty during SI quests. Alternatively, you can take the houses for yourself."

Get rid of small Souls - Empty Soulgems
Mod notes: "Right click on a Soul Gem to remove the soul inside."

I download and install both the main file and the optional file.

Niben Bay Camp (BCF)
Mod notes: "Gives Gaius Prentus the basic necessities of life to make his guard posting a little more bearable. Also moves S'fara to Bawnwatch Camp or a prison cell in Bravil when the player enters the Gates of Madness. NB - this mod must be activated BEFORE you enter the Strange Door for the first time. Doing so later can cause glitches."

This mod must be activated before you speak to Haskill for the first time, otherwise Gaius won't sheathe his sword, his new AI packages won't kick in, and S'fara will be stuck on the island. Do not use it with OOO Shivering Isles, as that mod already adds a tent and bed for this guard.

Travelling Equipment - Cloaks and Backpacks
Mod notes: "Adds balanced cloaks and backpacks that can be worn together."

I download and install the main file only.

Better Letters (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "This plugin changes every generic letters, notes, recipes, instructions and the such with unique ones. Basically, you'll never see a duplicated letter again."

Minotaur Encampments (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Adds settlements of Minotaur across Cyrodiil's wilderness".

Adds challenging minotaur encampments throughout the wilderness for you to conquer and claim the treasure that lies therein. Download and install the main file only.

Market District Landscape Fix (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Fixes many minor landscape issues in the whole of the Imperial City."

A small fix mod that is mergeable into the bashed patch. Only download and install the 'Imperial City Landscape Fix' main file.

Very Horny Knights
Mod notes: "This makes companions from the Fighter's Stronghold DLC more durable and gives them all a unique appearance that blends seamlessly with vanilla Oblivion. The overhaul is based on several mods by AkitoKuno that have been thoroughly reworked and fixed, and some of my work. Before they would go around punching enemies so I removed their bows and gave them a selection of leveled blade, blunt, and 2handed weapons. They will still be useless against creatures like ghosts but now have some resistance to magic and will be able to hold their own against most enemies."

Hosted on the Vanilla Remastered 1K mod page, as one of the main files. If you want this mod, only download and install the 'Very Horny Knights' main file.

Hidden Treasures of Tamriel (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "100 secret Ayleid chests scattered across Tamriel and Shivering Isles, containing expensive and rare levelled loot."

I actually recommend loading this mod BEFORE the Unofficial Patches. LOOT will do this correctly automatically when sorting. I say this because it will undo some of the fixes in the Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch that cannot be imported by any bash tags. Namely, the music type in Bliss, Crucible and Palace Grounds will be different. You can open the mods in TES4Edit to see that conflict. Alternatively, you can just carry forward the changes in TES4Edit into the mod from the Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch and load it wherever you want.

Oblivion Content Restoration Project
Mod notes: "Restores cut quests, items, dialogue, and NPCs to the game."

Restores various cut pieces of content in the game files. It even restores a quest. This mod already includes the changes made by the next mod, so you don't need that one if you are using this mod.

Download and install both the main file and the optional file.

There is also a patch for Oblivion Content Restoration Project and Vanilla Gear Redux here. It will preserve Vanilla Gear Redux's armor and clothing model changes for Black Hand Robe, Bound Helmet and Mythic Dawn Robe, while using Oblivion Content Restoration Project.

Give Me My Shader Effects
A bashed patch mergeable mod that restores unused shaders for the different skeleton type enemies and the ancient ghosts in the game. This makes them a bit easier to identify and therefore makes it easier to know their strength. Always appreciated to make enemies look unique from each other.

This mod is not needed if you are using Oblivion Content Restoration Project, as that mod already contains the changes that this mod makes.

Traveler's Tent - portable customizable player home
Mod notes: "A small, portable tent that can be purchased at a general merchant in each city. The furniture and decoration can be customized."

'lTravelers Tent - Magic Fire.esp' that comes with this mod is an optional ESP that turns the orange fire inside the tent into a purple one. If you also use Cobl, download and install the optional file 'Travelers Tent - COBL Patch' from this mod page, too.

Even Oddities by RobinHood70
Mod notes: "Tired of searching containers, hoping that a random oddity for the Museum of Oddities will show up? Exhausted all amber sources (which are non-respawning without the Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch) and still didn't find the Sheogorath-shaped amber? This mod is for you!

This mod adds at least one of every random oddity to fixed locations in Shivering Isles.

In most cases, the oddity replaces a similar or identical item already found in SI. So for example, for the Mixing Bowl, what used to be a bowl on a table with ingredients in it is now a Mixing Bowl on a table with ingredients in it. Most others are similar, with the exception of the Ring of Disrobing and Sheogorath-Shaped Amber, which were simply added and do not replace anything. All oddities are in publicly accessible spaces - mostly dungeons.

Random items may still appear. The purpose of this mod is only to ensure that there will ALWAYS be one of everything, and that you won't have to spend weeks or months repeatedly searching the same containers to randomly find one."

RobinHood70 allowed me to post his mod here. All I did was run the .esp through TES4EditQuickAutoClean with TES4Edit v4.0.3h (Hotfix 1) to clean the 8 UDRs, and I also repackaged the documents in the archive. Note that the mod is no longer maintained by RobinHood70, so please do not complain to him about anything should there be an issue with the mod. If you have found a bug or something problematic in the mod, notify me, and I may be able to help fix it.

NPCs Travel
Mod notes: "This mod adds 114 new NPCs & 13 new Creatures to Cyrodiil and Shivering Isles."

"Adventurer (Travel NPCs)

• Travel extensively in Cyrodiil & Shivering Isles or encounter in various places.
• Their travel destinations are determined randomly by script.
• Travel destination is 103 places in the Cyrodiil, and 15 destinations in the Shivering Isles.
• Travel destinations are daedric shrines, doom stones, waterside, wilderness (ruin, fort, cave).
• They will take a break from time to time.
• They will sometimes harvest during the break.
• They are tradable. (not all)
• They are not a merchant and do not have a lot of money. (There are exceptions)
• They will be wearing leather, iron, steel, clothing mainly, and will use a silver weapon.
• They will come to player aid in combat.
• They are setting stronger in order to survive.

Random Appearance NPCs (Including the wolf and dog)

• Their aim is to make the world more lively.
• They will guard the city or village. And then you'll also encountered on the frontier and wilderness.
• Not all of them are good man. (Not hostile).
• Some NPCs will trade the illegal items.
• You may encounter a hunter chasing a deer in the wilderness.
• If the oblivion gate is open, they will fight the invaders.
• A merchant who buy stolen goods are living in near Bliss. (Shivering Isles)"

I recommend using the Through the Valleys and Vanilla Patch Collections 'NPCsTravel - TtV patch (TtV and Vanilla)' patch to make this mod more balanced: "Removes all high level equipment from NPCs Travel, reduces the merchants gold, and removes the ability to sell them any type of items."

An Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2 patch for this mod is available at OCOv2 - Filter Patch for Mods.

Travelers of Cyrodiil - A Crowded Roads Mod
Mod notes: "So, first things first. There are plenty of mods that do what this mod does. Plenty of them are awesome, but they make unneeded changes to the game (such as deleting all the Upper Class Clothes), or adds in lore-unfriendly characters that are way OP (Crowded Roads Advanced), or otherwise makes the roads too crowded (Again, Crowded Roads Advanced) to the point you see a traveler caravan every two seconds. This mod seeks to change all of that. No unneeded changes. No OP characters. No large ass caravans every two seconds."

This mod adds a lot of new NPCs to the roads of Cyrodiil. Although the NPCs aren't particularly unique, they can fill the void that exists in the empty vanilla roads.

You should also install Travelers of Cyrodiil Patch (MO2 link) and Imperial Classes for Travelers of Cyrodiil.

Shivering Isles Travelers - A Kvatchcount Classic
Mod notes: "A small amount of people to meet on the roads of insanity."

You might as well get this mod if you are using the previous mod.

Daedric Shrines Prodded With A Stick (Needs TES4Edit cleaning - DaedraShrinesProddedWithAStick.esp)
Mod notes: "I don't know if anyone else is like me (I strongly doubt it) but I got sick of seeing the daedra worshipers never sleeping or eating, and going without supplies or tents even in hostile areas like the Jeral Mountains. So I did something about it.

So far, Azura and Boethia's shrine have been overhauled [EDIT ALL DONE!]. Worshipers now sleep in shifts, and have two short meals a day. None of their other AI packages have been changed, so they'll still sit on their benches and think about life, and make their offerings to the daedra lords. Now though, they have campfires, tents and other good things, and they'll sleep for six hours a day.  Can't imagine that dead followers are much good to a deadra lord, right?"

Download and install both the main file and the optional file.

Treasure Chest
Mod notes: "This mod adds new chest and a new formidable enemy to the deepest part of the cyrodiil dungeon (forts, ruins, caves). In addition, the new chest is also added to the wilderness and the planes of oblivion. Additional points are more than 100 locations. Dungeon exploration will become more fun and worthwhile."

Download the main file and go through the wizard in BAIN. After you install this mod, also install the rune assets here as instructed by the mod author: Immersive Portable Runes for Wyverexs (do not install the requirement for that file, 'Wyverexs Runes', as only the meshes and textures from 'Immersive Portable Runes for Wyverexs' are needed). The mod adds some challenging NPCs guarding new treasure chests deep inside dungeons. Note that the mod adds some new unique looking creatures, so see the images on the mod page to see what they look like. You may think that they are not lore friendly. You can always disable the new added creatures in the wizard installer if you want, so that you only have the new chests in your game.

There is also a patch for Treasure Chest and Ragdolls for Oblivion here. It will stop the Dark Skeletons added by Treasure Chest from stretching upon their death.

Thieves Den Barter for Upgrades
Mod notes: "Makes you have to buy the upgrades for Dunbarrow Cove with your Mercantile skill, like every other DLC, instead of buying them from dialog topics with a fixed price."

Requires the Thieves Den official DLC. This mod is mergeable into the bashed patch.

Better Forts (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Remakes many of the Forts in Oblivion to be unique and more interesting, sometimes adding new small quests to them as well."

No Annoying Conjurer Attack (Spell Tomes DLC fix)
Mod notes: "Stops the annoying Conjurer, from the Official Spell Tomes DLC, from attacking the player at the beginning of a new game."

Requires the Spell Tomes official DLC. This mod is mergeable into the bashed patch.

The conjurer's new location:

 
Randomised Conjurer Wardrobe
Mod notes: "A simple mod giving NPC conjurers a random selection of robes rather than the uniform blue."

Fleshed-Out Necromancers
Mod notes: "Makes a number of minor changes to enemy necromancers."

I am only using the file 'Fleshed-Out Necromancers - Archmage and KoW Robes Enchantments' in Optional files, because the main file makes Mythic Dawn robes vendor for a lot of gold. If you are using a mod like OOO Extended, which already has enchantments on the Arch-Mage's Robe and King of Worms' Robes, then you may want to use the 'Fleshed-Out Necromancers - No Robe Enchantments' Optional file instead.

This mod is compatible with Mannimarco Revisited.

Note: Users of Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul (MOO) should copy and paste this code entry to their 'Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul for dynamic lists.ini' file, at the bottom. This will prevent Master Conjurers from wearing the enchanted Arch-Mage's Robes and Hood (this is only for if you are using the enchanted robes version of the mod).

Legion Forester Outposts Revisited
Mod notes: "Legion Forester Outposts by Guinefort01 is one of my favorite mods for Oblivion that expands on an extremely lacking area of the game: the Imperial Legion Foresters. It's a great mod, however it had implementation issues I didn't like as well as some bugs. So, I decided to edit it."

Download the main file 'Legion Forester Outposts Revisited', and if you intend to use the 'All Races' diveristy addon that comes with this mod, also download the optional file 'New OCO Eyes for All Races Addon' (assuming you also use OCOv2).

I personally choose to install the following Sub-Packages:

• 00 Core
• 01 Diversity Addons
• 02 Local Guards Features Patch

And I install the following plugins in Plugin Filter:

• Legion Forester Outposts.esp
• LFO - All Races Addon.esp
• LFO - Local Guards Features Patch.esp

I then install the 'New OCO Eyes for All Races Addon' package.

This is just my personal preference and also because I use the Local Guards Features mod and OCOv2. You only really need the 00 Core Sub-Package for the mod to work. You should only use one diversity addon plugin.

Unused Magic Items Integrated
Mod notes: "Some vanilla magic items (armor and rings) that were not able to be found previously have been added to the appropiate leveled lists so that they can now be found just like other magic items as random loot.

Hidden Unique Merchant Items (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "This mod's purpose is to make exploring much more rewarding. I have taken all of the unique items of every merchant in Cyrodiil and have hand-placed them throughout the land. If you keep a sharp eye out you will begin to find the items in various places. Some are in buildings, some are in caves, and some are even in lakes. I tried to stay near places that you would normally take your character to, but some of the items are in places a bit more out there. I haven't changed any of the original items stats or names. They will be exactly as you have seen them before only in different locations. Now, finally there is something more than just yarn to discover."

Note: Tower of the Nine is unavailable in this mod due to a bug (it is placed in a test cell that cannot be accessed normally).

Safe Traveling NPC
Mod notes: "All traveling NPCs of Oblivion are now essential so they can't be killed by bandits and wilderness while on the roads."

The Imperial Waters (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "This mod add waterfalls along the inner walls of the Imperial City districts. Compatible with 98% of the existing mods for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion"

Untick 'The Imperial Water - BETTER CITIES.esp' in the BAIN Plugin Filter, and then install the mod.

Imperial City Canal Overhaul (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Connects small ponds in Imperial City into a full circular canal."

It is compatible with The Imperial Waters, the previously listed mod here.

Temple District Repaired
Mod notes: "I always thought it was silly that months or years could pass after completion of the main quest, yet nobody ever repaired the Temple District. This mod fixes that. When you pick up your quest reward, the district will be repaired, though the broken temple & statue will remain."

The Temple District will be able to be repaired after you pick up your Imperial Armor. Before then, it may still have its pre-Akatosh appearance for some reason, but this is only temporary with this mod. After you pick up your Imperial Armor, walk in to the Temple of the One and it should automatically update. You can activate the Akatosh statue while sneaking to un-repair and re-repair the district (and also uninstall the mod safely if you want by doing that).

Instruments of Cyrodiil and Instruments of Cyrodiil Patch
Mod notes: "A small, lore-friendly mod that adds several (non-playable) musical instruments to the world of Cyrodiil, select NPCs and merchants, and loot lists."

Install the main mod and then install the patch for it afterwards so that the patch overwrites it.

RuntimeEditorIDs (MO2 link)
Mod notes: "You may now use 'player.addItem lockPick 100' in the console."

Potentially comes with a possible slight performance hit, so might not be worth using.

Countess
Mod notes: "Changes the appearances of the 4 countess of the base game and their outfits, to a more "unique" style, each one has her own face texture and hair".

Expanded Greetings
Mod notes: "Increases the randomization of skill-based NPC greetings, such as "you are a sneaky looking sort", "look at the muscles on you", and "you have the hands of a healer."

This mod is mergeable into the bashed patch.

Skyrim Ingredients for Oblivion
Mod notes: "Alchemists, Nords and epicures of Tamriel rejoice! Ingredients from Skyrim\'s frozen tundras are now available in Cyrodiil. Now enjoy your favorite foods and drinks too! Cook up a batch of tasty apple cabbage stew, uncork a bottle of Black-Briar Reserve and brew some new potions. Cooking! Drinking! More Cheese for everyone!!"

Install the main file, and if you have Cobl, install the optional file replacer ESP for it afterwards.

Strotis new food
Mod notes: "Here we have a mod thats add a small set of new food to the game. To view all the new meshes, simply go to the feed bag."

Settlements of Cyrodiil - Cornucopia
Mod notes: "Adds many new food-based alchemy ingredients based on Settlements of Cyrodiil".

You need an AFK Mods account to use this mod. Download and install all three files on the Settlements Of Cyrodiil Resource Pack AFK Mods page, as well as the Cornucopia mod on Nexus.

More Vegetables (Needs TES4Edit cleaning) and More Vegetables Holly Crop Fix
Mod notes: "This mod adds 14 new types of vegetables to the game. They are: blueberry, cherry tomato cucumber, eggplant, painted corn, pepper,squash, green tomato, sunflower, holly, tangerine, grapefruit, mango & pineapple. Some of the vegetables have thier own unique plant that I have placed in various farms in the game. I also added the vegetables to some of the leveled item lists, so you can buy them in shops too."

Make sure to also install the More Vegetables Holly Crop Fix afterwards.

Qarls Harvest (Needs TES4Edit cleaning - Qarls_Harvest.esp)
Mod notes: "Adds apple and orange trees around Cyrodiil. Makes all the logs in-game, harvestable. Makes all the flower bouquet planters in the game, harvestable. Allows you to pick up a Nirnroot planter, take it home, and harvest it every three days. Creates a new ingedient: Hay Bundle. Makes all hay bails and even hay targets harvestable with this new ingredient."

Allows you to harvest various objects in the world. I don't bother installing any of the included compatibility patches for the Horse Armor official DLC, as they are replacer ESPs for DLCHorseArmor.esp, which I don't like. I can go without feeding my horse hay bundles, which is what those patches accomplish.

The following two mods are addons for Qarls Harvest:

Qarls Harvest Addon (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Changes the scripting for the logs in Qarl's Harvest so that searching a log doesn’t yield a smorgasbord of mushrooms; rather you are given a varied number of one particular type of mushroom specific to the type of log you are searching. The add-on adds five new mushrooms to the game that are found on the logs and are offered by the game’s alchemists".

Just untick 'Qarls_Harvest addon_MMM.esp' in Plugin Filter, and then install the archive.

More Harvestable Fruits
Mod notes: "An add-on to Qarl's Harvest that adds 60+ harvestable and seasonal fruit trees and bushes to locations throughout Cyrodiil."

Open MoreHarvestableFruits.esp in TES4Edit, right-click on the ESP, and select 'Clean Masters (= Remove all unused Masters)'. You can then close TES4Edit and save MoreHarvestableFruits.esp. Then, in Wrye Bash, mark Qarls_Harvest.esp as mergeable. This will make it so that Qarls_Harvest.esp is able to be merged into the bashed patch again, and also so that the 'HITMEs' that the Wrye Bash Plugin Checker reported previously for MoreHarvestableFruits.esp will now be corrected. Then sync the plugin into the mod's archive in BAIN, if you want.

Phitts Artifacts
Mod notes: "This mods adds 26 unique artifacts with unique effects to the game world."

Ayleid Loot EXtended
Mod notes: "This mod adds a bunch of new ayleid clutter to the game, but rather than just add it for sale at one or more vendors I have made it as loot that can be obtained through exploration and thievery. The items can still be purchased from some vendors, but stock is erratic as the items are hard to come by."

It requires Cobl to use. In Plugin Filter, uncheck 'Ayleid Loot EXtension - OOO Dungeons.esp' if not using OOO. Then install the mod. The mod also adds ayleid clutter decorations to Umbacano Manor and Herminia Cinna's House. There is even a small and hidden (non-journal) quest that comes with it to find rare ayleid loot.

Real Black Bow Bandits Revised
Mod notes: "Just like the original Real Black Bow Bandits by Aetric mod this adds a new mesh and texture to the game, it is simply retexture the steel bow and steel arrow to the gamw like the name implies. I did update it with by adding black arrows to the Black Bow Bandits innovatory. I was also able to fix some collision issues with the bows that caused them to hang in the air once dropped. Also l gave Black Brugo a special enchanted Black Bow. In addition i added few black bow bandit spawn points to both roads leading to Leyawiin."

Download and install the main file only.

Knightly Orders for Cities
Mod notes: "Adds knights lodges to the other cities of Cyrodiil".

Download and install the main file 'Knightly Orders for Cities' only.

The Elder Scrolls Online Imports (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "The Elder Scrolls Online Imports adds Locations, Items, Spells, Creatures, and other things appearing in The Elder Scrolls Online into the world of Oblivion. Everything is integrated seamlessly into the existing world and mechanics; sometimes, changes have been made to the original content to fit within the game, while still trying to preserve as much of ESO as possible."

Shiny Creatures - Oblivion (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Adds very rare, alternately colored creatures to the game which have the chance to spawn in place of their normal counterpart, based on the Pokemon mechanic. Each "shine beast" drops a rare and exclusive item to be kept or sold."

Uncheck 'ShinyCreaturesOblivion - Creature Diversity Patch.esp' in Plugin Filter and install the package.

Quests make friends (MO2 link)
"After you do a quest for someone, he will like you more."

Helpful when you do quests for a count, this will then raise his or her disposition high enough so that you can buy a house, instead of them not changing disposition at all from you helping them (as in vanilla).

Better Camps (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Adds fires to all the camps in the game world."

Black Horse Courier Expanded (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Adds 35 new quest-related and non-quest-related Black Horse Courier articles that can be acquired by the player, in addition to the game's 25 articles."

Less Static NPCs (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Have you played through Oblivion and noticed that some NPC's don't do anything at all? They stand in place 24/7 and do nothing for the rest of their lives. This mod fixes that, and gives these overlooked NPCs some new script packages so they may live their lives once again!"

Only download and install the main file.

Hot Coffee and Tea
Mod notes: "Adds coffee and various teas for purchase at inns and taverns. You can also brew your own with the added kettle."

Download the main file. In BAIN's Plugin-Filter, only install one ESP. If you have Cobl, then only install the 'Hot Coffee and Tea-Cobl.esp' plugin. If you don't have Cobl, then only install the 'Hot Coffee and Tea-Base.esp' plugin.

Also check out Real tea, which includes support for this mod (install both the '00_Main' and '01_CustomIcons' Sub-Packages in BAIN).

Simple Primary Needs
Mod notes: "Adds simple and balanced bonuses for eating, drinking, and sleeping regularly. Encourages roleplaying, without the burdening you with negative effects if you don't."

Basic harvest
Mod notes: "This mod will make all flora from various mods behave more realistically by making them disappear after being harvested (whether you are successful or not) and reappear after regrow."

For users of the Harvest Flora mod. I install the Sub-Packages:

• 00_CoreFilterPatch
• 01_MOO_DefaultProbabilities

Grab the MediaFire file in the mod page posts for a fixed file.

Wrye Shivering Death (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "Improves the death avoidance spell that you're awarded at the end of main Shivering Isles quest. Essentially the spell is replaced by an ability (permanently active in all locations), and the implementation is improved so that death will be avoided in almost all cases. Not overbalanced -- death will still be quite annoying. It just won't be fatal."

Requires Cobl. Particularly problematic would be any situation in which a quest locks you into some worldspace temporarily (e.g., Paradise, Boethiahs quest, Painters quest, etc.) Since you can die your way out, quest logic may break. In this case it may be necessary/desirable to reload a saved game. Aside from that, there may be scripted encounters with enemies that break because of your sudden removal from the current location. Again, you may have to revert to a save.

Rooftop Rewards - A Treasure Hunting Mod for Acrobats (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "This mod adds 84 treasure chests distributed onto the roofs, walls, and mountain tops of Cyrodil and the Shivering Isles."

Only download and install the main file 'Rooftop Rewards V 6 zip'.

More Generic Dialogue Restored
Mod notes: "This mod restores a fair bit of dialogue not covered by other mods and just not implemented due to Bethesda bein' Bethesda."

See You Sleep DLL
Mod notes: "This is an update to mmmpld's See You Sleep mod that uses an OBSE plugin dll to increase compatibility with custom bed mods without requiring a patch.

Press Activate when looking at a bed and you will get in. Once in bed, press Activate to show the sleep menu. You can also press the Wait key to show the sleep menu. When you are done sleeping, press Activate to get out of bed."

Only download and install the main file 'See You Sleep DLL'. In BAIN, I install the following Sub-Packages:

• 00 See You Sleep DLL Core
• 01 See You Sleep ESP
• 03 DLCVileLair Patch

Respawning Hollowed Amber Stumps and Madness Ore Deposits
Mod notes: "This mod sets the Hollowed Amber Limbs and Stumps and Madness Ore Deposits to respawn, making fitting yourself out in Amber and Madness gear a bit less painful. There is an optional file that sets Gold and Silver veins to respawn as well."

Both of these ESPs are mergeable into the bashed patch. You can download either or both of the files depending on your preferences.

Frostcrag Spire - More Atronachs
Mod notes: "Summon limit increased from 1 to 100 at the atronach altar, unofficial oblivion dlc patch's changes were carried over".

Requires the Wizard's Tower official DLC. This ESP can be merged into the bashed patch.

Vicious Trolls Sound Replacer
Mod notes: "Replaces default troll monkey noises with violent, fearsome monster roaring sound set."

Only download and install the main file.

OCRAFT - Oblivion Crafting Framework
Mod notes: "Fully configurable crafting framework with custom UI elements."

A conflict resolution patch for OCRAFT - Oblivion Crafting Framework and Better Camps exists in the optional files of Oblivion Comprehensive Modding Guide by Dispensation.

Jauffre's Skill-Based Chest
Mod notes: "Modifies the contents of Jauffre's chest based on the player's attributes and skills."

Pinarus Inventius - Actual Hunter
Mod notes: "A hunter in heavy armour? A marksman trainer without a bow? This fixes that s**t."

Immersive Porters
Mod notes: "You see, Bethesda did a great job with the different Fighter's Guild Branches. They all feel representative of their respective counties, even down to Skingrad being full of Goblin Hunters. But there was a problem. It didn't matter which branch you sidled into, there amongst the atmosphere stood a beaming tower of steel, smiles and Breton greetings."

Only download the main file 'Immersive Porters' Version V2. There is also a patch at NPC Hair Matches Beard - Updated in the optional files, if you are using Beards in Tamriel. This patch will remove the beards from the Argonian, Dunmer and Khajiit porters, when using the Beards in Tamriel mod.

A wild edit exists in ImmersivePorters.esp: Re-add the Repair service in the AI Data of 000947AA in ImmersivePorters.esp. You can do this in TES4Edit by following these instructions.

GodStatues
Mod notes: "Replaces the Wayshrine bowl with statues of the Nine".

Sanguinare Vampiris Skyrim-Like Vampirism
Mod notes: "Annoying sun damage is replaced with sunlight debuffs, among other changes to make vampirism work more akin to how it does in Skyrim. Includes an alternate version featuring reversed progression."

If for whatever reason you want to become a vampire in Oblivion, this mod makes it a lot more tolerable and bearable, drawing inspiration from the vampirism features in Skyrim. I download and install the main file only.

TIBs Tidy Arrows - Archery Organized and Updated
Mod notes: "Tidy Arrow organizes all your arrows onto the top of your inventory for easier access. There are three variations, each with optional Shivering Isles support. Also compatible with Apachii designs."

I download and install only the 'TIBs Tidy Arrows (Manual Install)' main file (MO2 link). Only use one base game ESP and one SI ESP. I use 'Tidy Arrows (Vanilla Stats).esp' and 'Tidy Arrows (Vanilla Stats) (SI).esp'.

Glowing Stones (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
Mod notes: "With this mod. All Runestones and Doomstones glow. There are also unique sound associated with each of the stones. This mod also has a magical glow around all Ayleid Wells; and finally enables the sound that was buggy and has never been fixed, not even in the UOP."

Ducks and Swans for Cyrodiil (Needs TES4Edit cleaning) and Diverse Ducks and Swans
Mod notes: "This mod adds ducks and swans at lakes and ponds in Cyrodiil. These ducks and swans are not creatures, they are animated statics that move on a given path, like the butterflies. So of course they show no behaviour like attack, fly, eat or the like. The only purpose is to add to the atmosphere."

For Ducks and Swans for Cyrodiil, only download and install the main file. Then, download the main file at Diverse Ducks and Swans as an addon to the previous mod. You'll want to unpack this into a project and install both the ducks and swans folders.

ef's Fishing Mod
Mod notes: "Adds Minecraft-style fishing mechanics, and several different fishing rods to the game. Fully voiced and configurable. Besides various fish, there's a very small chance you might fish up treasure or junk that could be nearly any item in the game!"

ImpeREAL Empire - Unique Forts
Mod notes: "Adds several new Forts that house the Imperial Legion Army, on various strategic locations of the Imperial Province of Cyrodiil."

I download and install only the main file. OOO users may be interested in the optional files.

Also check out WAC Consistency Patches and only install WAC Horses - ImpeREAL Forts Patch.esp from that page, if using WAC - Integration. This will give the ImpeREAL Empire - Unique Forts horses the new WAC models. I recommend tagging WAC Horses - ImpeREAL Forts Patch.esp with the Deactivate, Graphics and NoMerge bash tags in Wrye Bash.

Chapels of Cyrodiil
Mod notes: "Adds six new chapels and two new cathedrals to the wilderness of Cyrodiil."

Isolated Village
Mod notes: "Expands on the Isolated House, adding a small village around it."

Landmarks of Cyrodiil
Mod notes: "Adds 31 new landmarks to Cyrodiil."

I made a small patch for this mod and The Lost Spires here. The Lone Redwood from Landmarks of Cyrodiil overlaps with the Bandit Lair from The Lost Spires, south-west of Bravil.

Road Shrines
Mod notes: "Adds nine small shrines to the main roads where the player can receive healing."

Only download and install the main file 'Road Shrines' version 1.1.

Show all unvisited map markers
Mod notes: "Similar to the "Explorer" perk in Fallout games, this mod will mark all locations on your map. You will not be able to fast travel there until you visited them yourself once."

Sinderion's Serendipity - Nirnroot Quest Reward
Mod notes: "If you've managed to find & hand in 100 Nirnroots, you will acquire the perk "Sinderion's Serendipity" which gives a chance to create two potions instead of one when performing alchemy."

Move while Encumbered
Mod notes: "With this mod being encumbered will no longer stop you from moving. As in Fallout3 & Skyrim, you will be able to walk, although very slowly. Fast travel will be disabled and you will be unable to jump."

I download and install only the main file.

Mentioned and Unused NPCS - A Kvatchcount Classic
Mod notes: "Adds unused NPCs not covered by Oblivion Restoration Project, Oblivion Uncut, and Statlilia Stables."

Artifacts Remastered
Mod notes: "Adds 400+ items to leveled lists from trollf's 2009 mod "Artifacts." Superior FPS, performance-friendly Collector's Society, and a massive spread of 19 amulets, 50 sets of armor, 9 sets of clothes, 3 potions, 33 robes, 6 staffs, 6 lights, and over 300+ weapons. Original mod NOT required!Go find them on NPCs, in containers, and vendors."

Only download and install the main file 'Artifacts Remastered'.

If you have Seamless - OCOv2 installed, then also grab the 'EVE for Artifacts Beta 055' (MO2 link) optional file from the EVE HGEC Eyecandy Variants Expansion mod page. Then use the change masters feature in Wrye Bash to change the master of ArtifactsFemaleArmor.esp from Artifacts.esm to Artifacts_Remastered.esm (you have to tick allow editing first).

After that, also get the optional file 'SE- Robert Male v5.2 all-in-1 Addons' (MO2 link) from the Seamless - Robert Male mod page. Make sure to install the '10 Robert v5 Muscular Arifacts' Sub-Package, along with any other Sub-Packages that you need for any other mods.

Finally, also get the 'SE- HGEC Artifacts 24078' (MO2 link) optional file from the Seamless - HGEC Female mod page. Here, I just install the Sub-Packages:

- 10 Equipment Replacer Upperbody - Normal C-Cup
- 15 Equipment Replacer Lowerbody - Normal

I made a rudimentary patch for Artifacts Remastered and The Lost Spires here. It just fixes the landscape conflicts with The Collectors Guild and the Archeology Guild, as well as disabling some trees in the pathway.

After you are finished installing the mods you've chosen, sort all the mods in your load order with BOSS (or LOOT). You may need to close and re-open Wrye Bash to see the updated load order. For any mods that show up at the bottom that weren't able to be sorted by BOSS (BOSS will tell you they are unrecognised), you will need to place by hand somewhere, or better yet, create some sorting rules in boss. MOO and the maps for worldspaces mod are always at the bottom.

Optional: After they're sorted, load all of your mods in TES4Edit by right-clicking on the module selection screen and clicking Select All, then press OK (shift clicking on OK is faster but won't build references). Highlight every mod on the left using control+A, then right-click anywhere on your mods and select 'Sort masters'. This will sort the masters of any plugins that are out of order. Exit out and save any plugins that were sorted. If you happen to have Arthmoor's Oblivion DLC Delayer mod, don't sort the masters on it, or else it will break that mod (same rule applies to any mod with injected records).

Close and reopen Wrye bash, and in the Wrye Bash mods tab, click on Edit in the top left and click 'Recalculate CRCs' if things aren't updated. Then, activate all of your mods by right-clicking on the white bar titled 'File' at the top, going to 'Active Mods' and selecting 'Activate All'. Then, deactivate all mods that are highlighted red (due to having the 'Deactivate' tag), and deactivate all mods that are gold coloured in their name. These are not intended to be activated but rather imported into the bashed patch, because they have the NoMerge bash tag. There was a recent change that made all mods tagged with NoMerge not deactivate upon building the bashed patch. Unfortunately, most authors assigned this bash tag in a time where NoMerge tagged mods were deactivated by the bashed patch upon being built. Thus they weren't intended to be active. So simply deactivate all gold coloured plugins loading before the bashed patch.

Once that's done, right click on Bashed Patch, 0.esp in your load order in the Mods tab. Select 'Rebuild Patch...'.

You should see a list of some of your mods on the right panel and things that will be merged/imported/tweaked on the left panel. Don't unselect anything.

Go to 'Tweak Actors' and tick the 'Irresponsible Creatures [All Creatures]' box. This will prevent animals from reporting crimes.

Then go to 'Tweak Assorted' and tick the 'DarNified Books' box if using DarNified UI. Also tick the 'No Light Flicker' box here to give performance increases, due to Oblivion's poor engine causing lag when around many light sources.

Then in 'Tweak Names' tick the 'Rename Gold [Septim]' box, if you want Gold to be renamed to Septim.

Uncheck the 'UOP Vampire Aging and Face Fix.esp' tweak in Tweak Settings, as Vampire Race Disabler already contains it, and does a better job at it (along with having more features).

There are more optional tweaks, and here are some that I use in Tweak Settings:

Msg: Auto Saving [[None]] - Hides the Auto saving message that pops up when auto saving.
Msg: Not Enough Charge [[None]] - Hides the Not Enough Charge for weapon enchantments message
Msg: Quick Save [[None]] - Hides the Quick Save message
Warning: Exterior Distance to Hostiles [1000] - Lets you sleep, travel etc when outside while enemies can be nearer to you than previously (the default is 3000). More like Skyrim where it's quite lenient. No more random far away mudcrabs preventing you from fast travelling.
Warning: Interior Distance to Hostiles [1000] - The same thing as before but indoors (the default is 2000).

In 'Import Names':

Guard_Names.cvs - Based on Flak's Complete Names Project, this CSV file gives unique names to guards, legion soldiers, couriers and a few other NPCs and creatures with generic names. It covers both vanilla Oblivion and Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul.

Other tweaks in 'Tweak Settings': (I personally don't use them):

Arrow: Speed [x 2.0] - This will boost arrow speed to the same magnitude as in the mods Archery Rebalance and Archery Balance (MOO has a similar feature to address arrow speed by quality, default 1.0).

This tweak will incorporate the camera settings from ChaseCameraMod into the bashed patch (you no longer need that mod with the bashed patch):

Camera: Chase Tightness [ChaseCameraMod.esp (x 24.75)] - Tightness of chase camera to player turning (reportedly helps some who experience motion sickness with the default camera, default 1.5)

Once you're finished with tweaks, click on 'Build Patch'. Your patch may take a few minutes, be patient. Once you get the completion message, you're all done!

Note: You should rebuild your bashed patch every time you add or remove a mod that affects gameplay (leveled lists, stats, and many others). The only things that wouldn't need to be bashed are any UI mods.

The memory management feature of either ENBoost or Oblivion Reloaded is essential to have Oblivion run without crashing as often when using many high-resolution graphics mods. Unfortunately, there may be some issues using Oblivion Reloaded with AMD graphics cards.

Oblivion Reloaded Combined(ORC) can be downloaded here.

I am currently using Monkey ENB with Oblivion Reloaded 6.5.0, as I find it to be the most stable version for me (I have an AMD GPU which can cause issues in later versions). Note that this version is no longer available from official sources, so you would have to search elsewhere for it if you want it. I also use the 'Oblivion Reloaded settings' in the Monkey ENB old files, along with bevilex's old OR 6.5.0 preset.

If using Cinematic ENB (unfortunately is deleted), set SpeedHack=false in enbseries.ini or your game may appear glitched on the main menu.

Simple ENB (unfortunately is deleted as of July 2021) is also an option for those seeking "a more subtle ENB preset designed to enhance the vanilla look rather than smother it with effects."

Make sure HDR is enabled in Oblivion or else graphical ENB won't work.

Oblivion Reloaded users should take a look at Whiteflame fix (BCF). They should also move the moonreplacer, DOWNPOUR, Light compatible Skeleton and all Better Blood packages below Oblivion Reloaded's installer, then use the Anneal All function by right-clicking the top white bar in BAIN.

If your water looks like it has low FPS, restart your computer to fix it. You may also want to join the TES Reloaded Discord server here, as you can get support there.

See Bevilex' Oblivion Reloaded Preset for ENBs for presets.

You may also want to check out Custom Enhanced Camera (to install the latter, unpack it to a project and create the folder structure 'OBSE\Plugins\OBSE_EnhancedCamera.dll').

The Custom Enhaned Camera can apparently also be used with OR V7.0+, provided you turn off [CameraMode].

You'll also want to turn off the borderless window setting in OR, as Oblivion Display Tweaks already has it.

If you want objects like buildings and landscapes to appear at a distance, and for any installed mods with new landscapes or objects to appear at a distance, you'll need to generate distant and landscape LOD using these two tools (keep in mind that TES4LODGen can have an impact on your FPS). Note that neither of these tools require each other to use - they can be used by themselves indepentendly.

First though, create a new marker called 'LOD'.

Install (in this order):

- For those using Unique Chapels Revisited, install Optimized VWD for Unique Chapels Revisited. You need to select at least 00 Core and one of the 10 Windows options for this to work.

- VWD for Leyawiin: This mod adds VWD models for houses into the tamriel worldspace for Leyawiin.

- VWD for Town Houses: This mod adds VWD models for all town house models.

- J3 Atlassed VWD 2: Download the main file 'J3 Atlassed VWD 2 - Cyrodiil - BAIN installer' and run the package's wizard in BAIN. I just select the 'Performance (no rocks)' option in BAIN. I don't like installing rocks because they affect FPS a lot. Afterwards, you can install any additional Sub-Packages in BAIN if you wish, like '06 cyrodiil - fars - ships', and then use the 'Install Missing Files' function.

Bomret's Texture Pack users should also download and install the optional file 'J3 Atlassed VWD 2 - Shivering Isles - Bomret's Texture Pack for Shivering Isles' instead of the 'J3 Atlassed VWD 2 - Shivering Isles - BAIN installer' main file.

- Deadlands (Needs TES4Edit cleaning - OBLOD.esp)

The full version main file is not fully compatible with World Maps For All Worldspaces. Major conflicts between the two mods arise in the Cheydinhal oblivion realm with Farwil Indarys in the full version. The LOD only version in optional files is compatible, which is what I use.

- Bruma Frostcrag Spire LOD: Optional, will let you see Frostcrag Spire in the distance while in the Bruma worldspace. Requires the Wizard's Tower official DLC. This ESP can be merged into the bashed patch.

- darker landscape lod textures 2k: I only download and install the main file 'darker landscape lod tex 2k'.

- Koldorns LOD Noise Replacer: If you don't have Oblivion Reloaded, then you may want this to make distant landscape look better. Light version should do.

Landscape LOD generator tes4ll-v5
This tool will generate landscape LOD.

Download the main file, and extract the contents to your Oblivion Data folder (it needs to be there to work).

It advises you to make a back up of your Data\meshes\landscape\lod (you will have some files here from the Unofficial Oblivion Patch).

One 'clean' way to install generated distant and landscape LOD files (optional, but more organized) is to use the Monitor External Installation feature in Wrye Bash. Before using TES4LL, go to your Wrye Bash Installers. Right-click on the top bar where it says 'Package'. Select Monitor External Installation. A popup should come up, read it and then click OK.

A new popup should appear. Leave this one up (do not press OK) until we generate landscape LOD using TES4LL.

Go back in to your Oblivion Data folder and run the tes4ll_ultimate.bat file. The .bat files with a resolution lower than ultimate might cause some landscape issues, with things like wayshrines sinking into the ground when looked at from a distance. This will take a while as it generate the files. When you get the 'Please close this window' message, you can close it.

Go back to Wrye Bash and click OK to the External Installation popup. It will show you the new and changed files, select OK. Then Wrye Bash will ask you to make a new project, so give it the name 'TES4LL'. Create it and you are done.

If you are struggling to run this program (as is the case typically for Mod Organizer 2 users), then you can just download and install the two optional files 'Vanilla ultimate resolution meshes 2_31' and 'Shivering Isles ultimate resolution 2_31' for vanilla setups.

TES4LODGen
This tool will generate distant object LOD. Things like buildings, rocks, etc.

Download and extract to a convenient location. Alternatively, you can just duplicate your TES4Edit.exe and rename the copy to TES4LODGen, which will also run the same program.

Before opening TES4LODGen, do the same thing in Wrye Bash as we did with TES4LL, if want to do the more organized way. That is, make Wrye Bash monitor an external installation.

All you need to do once that's done is run the program, and it will do everything for you.

When it gives you the message "LOD Generator: finished (you can close this application now)", you can close the window.

Go back to Wrye Bash and give the project the name 'TES4LODGen'.

That should be all there is to it, but anytime you add or remove mods which change landscapes or add new objects like buildings you'll need to uninstall the two LOD projects from BAIN and then run these programs again. This also applies if you install '_far.nif' meshes from mods. Also when you change load order for anything you need to update your TES4LODGen. This is why the non-monitor external installation method can be more convenient.

These are mods that I no longer use or mods regarded as 'use at your own risk', due to them possibly having problems, me not enjoying them, or being superceded by other mods (I do not mean disrespect to any mod authors here, these are just my thoughts).

Main file patcher ENG ITA
I think that modifying Oblivion.esm is a bad idea. It will affect how mods are cleaned and they may report different ITMs removed compared to an untouched Oblivion.esm. Also removes the Hawkhaven testing area which some mods may touch, resulting in errors when using mods with this patcher. I'd stay on the safe side and not use it.

Midas Magic Spells of Aurum
This mod is quite imbalanced, has quite a few bugs and crash issues and is un-lorefriendly, adding tons of 'fancy' spells. The graphical quality of the spells can sometimes be distinctively off. Use this mod at your own risk.

Greed Vision (AoG)
This mod will increase your Restoration skill randomly when around NPCs and creatures. This is because the spell used for detection is under the Restoration school. It may not be an issue for those using Oblivion XP Update or Ultimate Leveling, as the experience based leveling systems probably wouldn't be affected by it (cannot raise skills through normal usage). Another issue that is potentially related to this mod is NPCs rotating while sitting to face you, which can look odd.

Lore Friendly Generic Name Overhaul
The names aren't that good I feel, but that's understandable. I no longer use it because it seems a bit pointless making sure evereyone has a name, even if the names are quite bad.

Better Cities/City enhancing mods/Unique Landscapes Compilation/The Hesu Mod Collection
Big city mods or mods like Unique Landscapes and HESU are going to lower the stability and FPS of your game. Oblivion's engine is simply incapable of handling these types of mods well. Better Cities in particular can also be imbalanced concerning gameplay. These mods tend to have compatibility problems as well.

Some modules of Unique Landscapes are generally fine to use individually, such as the Unique Landscapes - Brena River Ravine module required by the quest mod Rathunas. Avoid using every Unique Landscapes module, just stick to a few if you really want to have it (I am unsure which ones are the most stable and least FPS-harming however).

Kvatch Rebuilt
It's still a work-in-progress even today. Voice acting is regarded to be quite lacking in quality, and a lot of the mod content is unrelated to rebuilding a city. Though I never completed it, I recently watched a YouTuber play this mod and they encountered a very painful looking underwater maze that resulted in them getting quite aggravated, and they had to use the console to get through it. That's personally not my kind of thing.

Instant Kill Advanced/Instant Kill Expanded
It does not reward the player experience (in experience based leveling mods) if a critical hit kills a NPC or creature. This is supposedly because the critical hits in this mod aren't flagged as damage done by the player. Theoretically this means you could murder an NPC with a critical hit and not receive a bounty, because it's not damage done by the player.

I really wish it worked because it's a great idea but for now I'm giving this a skip. It is a fun mod.

Better Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
This mod kills FPS in the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary even on good, modern machines, and it makes the sanctuary too dark, even with the brightest ESP version. If it weren't for those caveats, I would have kept it. There are also some changes by UOP that are not carried forward by this mod.

Water FPS Boost
This simply doesn't seem necessary or needed.

Immersive Weapons
Has a few unaddressed bugs, like missing meshes and textures on weapons. Some added weapons don't fit into the game well, design wise. Weapon icons missing, etc. One report of a crash when using the staff Apotheosis.

More Effective Enchantments
This mod is simply overpowered and will let you get away without having to recharge your weapons most of the time.

Vampire Hunting - Order of the Virtuous Blood
This mod is not that bad content wise, but it has an incredibly annoying feature once you start the mod's questline where you repeatedly get re-infected with Porphyric Hemophilia randomly, with no apparent warning and for no reason.

There are reports of other fairly significant bugs with this mod as well.

Trade and Commerce and Trade and Commerce Update
There are a few bugs with these ones, and you may find NPCs walking incessantly into the new building.

Duke Patricks - Combat Archery
It's overly scripted in my opinion, feels a bit bloated. I'd rather something simpler.

Snus Dungeons
It's not good for your FPS. Incompatible in some ways with MOO. It does look pretty however.

Any DLC delayer other than the latest version of SM DLC Plugin Refurbish
They either don't carry forward important Unofficial Patches fixes or have bad requirements to start the DLCs in my opinion. I also prefer to be able to do the DLCs whenever I want to. All of them seem to have some bugs or other problems.

A Champions Death
Not a bad idea but has a few problems where you can die in an area and get teleported to a wayshrine, when you're not supposed to leave that area in any way other than the intended escape route. It also just feels unneeded - use the quit hotkey and start up the game in a few seconds again, or simply reload if you don't care about any potential (rare) save corruption problems.

Also sometimes my body ragdolled so hard and flew out of the temple you go to when you die.

Kaizits Animated Daedric Ingredients
The new meshes for these ingredients are so big that where the ingredients are originally placed in the game world, with this they will sink into desks or glitch out of display cases.

Enhanced Music and Control 2
May be just me, but it seems to just stop the music randomly for extended periods of time, and it doesn't appear to work when I use an alternate start mod (doesn't play any music).

Rathunas (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
It just didn't capture my interest. Experienced significant FPS drops in new locations such as Aelwyd Priory and Rathunas Upper Bridge.

Really AEVWD
It may not be worth it due to the high FPS impact from the full mod.

Realistic Leveling
Arguably superseded by Ultimate Leveling or Automatic Attributes - Simplified Leveling. Reportedly has a few issues.

Knights of the Nine Revelation
It's not that bad, but I wouldn't give it another go. Mostly OK voice acting (to be expected, being from 2012), with some quests involving vanilla dungeons that have been extended by the mod. You will be revisiting at least one dungeon you've already been through.

You need to make sure you bring a certain item when being sent to a dungeon (apparently a character hints at it but I didn't see it) or else when you get to the end of the dungeon, you won't be able to progress, and will need to leave and return with the item in question.

At least one quest had no choice regarding dialogue options, i.e. I wasn't allowed to decline helping someone who asked for assistance. This may be expecting too much from a quest mod however, especially one revolving around holy knights.

There were few FPS intensive areas where I got down to the 20s and even 10s. I would have appreciated more quest markers personally, instead of vague journal entries.

One NPC was straight up naked for seemingly no reason, until I attacked her. I got no reaction from the NPCs around me when I murdered her (this was in a new location added by the mod).

A fairly annoying deep underwater object collection quest also exists in this mod, which most people will not like. I had to use the console to complete this section due to not being able to find enough items for the quest (there also was a giant crystal here with no collision).

Another part I did not like was a very silly event, where you must constantly punch and kill an enemy that morphs into your foes three different times, while you are naked. This get tedious fast, depending on how low your Hand to Hand skill is (likely 5 for most people).

I encountered a problem where I freed some slaves and half weren't leaving their cages, despite being set free.

You better hope you chose the right path options in this mod or found the correct item, which can hidden fairly well and not forced on you, otherwise you won't be able to finish the questline.

You'll need to use KotN - Revelations Ayleid Armor HGEC-DMRA Conversion if you want to use this with Seamless OCO, although a few characters will still have discoloured hands when wearing some armor types.

Mages Guild Quests
The quests you get sent to do seem to be unleveled, making them very difficult at low levels. You do get some companions coming with you however. A lot the NPC faces in this mod look incredibly ugly or glitched with Oblivion Character Overhaul version 2. The ingredient collection quests aren't that interesting. I haven't tried Fighters Guild Quests but I don't believe it would be very different.

ITS A LODHEAD
Probably not needed, and visibly makes the NPC faces worse when looking at them from a distance.

Insanity's Improved Armoury Compilation
Upscaled textures mods look superior in my opinion. The Armoury Compilation also requires you to make an account on TESAlliance, and install a download manager to download the file (because the download won't finish otherwise).

Mikes Clothes Replacer v11
Upscaled textures mods look superior in my opinion.

The Living And The Dead (Needs TES4Edit Cleaning)
A very dirty mod (1238 ITMs, 2400 UDRs), so make sure you clean it.

Note: The mod has a reported issue where you are unable to load a save while in game: "Reloading a save when in a different cell causes CTD". However, this is reported to be solved by cleaning the mod.

Install:

Mod (may contain spoilers):


Random Road Encounters
This mod attempts to makes make roads more interesting, by adding new enemies to the roads of Cyrodiil (and the Shivering Isles, probably the first mod to do that).

I decided to remove it because the encounters felt contrived, repetitive and some silly (such as the naked cannibal). The SI addon might make it too easy to get leveled Madness gear and weapons due to an enemy that drops it (25% encounter rate I believe). MOO already adds a lot of NPCs to the roads.

Oblivion Nouveau Uncut
I've simply heard too many reports of problems like bugs or crashes with this mod. It is also a big problem compatibility wise with other mods. There's probably too much bloat and feature creep at this point as well.

Clean Up Cleaned Up/Clean up
Can break MOO dynamically placed items, by cleaning them up undesirably, and outposts. Can break companions by cleaning up AI tokens from them. Also may clean up horseshoes from Ultimate Leveling.

Oblivion Character Overhaul v2 - Unofficial Patch (Needs TES4Edit cleaning)
This OCOv2 replacer ESP carries over all Unofficial Patch changes. Unfortunately, it's only usable if you have all DLCs (the GOTY Deluxe edition) installed. If you don't have all DLCs, then simply skip this and the bashed patch should carry forward most changes.

It is no longer needed because of the new bash tags in Wrye Bash which solve all of the conflicts, that come with LOOT. All other OCOv2 compatibility patches are unnecessary, too.

Qarls Texture Pack III Redimized - QTP3 R
Qarls Texture Pack has in my opinion been superseded by upscaled textures mods and the Oblivion 2020 Retexture Project.

Vanilla Remastered 1K
It has a problem with certain textures being inferior to vanilla.

NVAC - New Vegas Anti Crash
It doesn't do anything for Oblivion, according to llde.

Harvest Nearby Flora
Replaced this with Gather Ye Robsebuds, due to it being more immersive and more balanced and less of a cheat mod.

Pluggy (BCF)
Mod notes: "Pluggy is an OBSE plugin that adds functions for HUD, string, array, ini and text file creation and manipulation."

Can be used by some mods (but not required by) such as Cobl and Enhanced Economy. Download Pluggy Dev v132 only.

Note: It needs to be unpacked to a project to be installed. Create the folder structure OBSE\Plugins\ and place the dll and dlx there.

Also, it may not even be needed if you don't intend to use the mods that require it. Many people claim to have issues with it in-game, but I have never experienced this with v132.

No longer used because of it being potentially problematic while also not really being needed. In llde's words on Discord:

if you don't use a mod that depend on pluggy avoid it. The fact that it is write in Pascal, means it bring an heavy and not so optimized runtime with it.

Bash Tags for Mods
This is installable like any other mod. It will apply more bash tags to your mods, if they are covered by this utility. This will enhance the capabilities of the bashed patch and allow it to import more changes from some mods (many of which are in this guide), resulting in more compatibility overall.

No longer needed due to most of the important tags in it being added to the LOOT masterlist at this point.

Better Oblivion Sorting Software (BOSS)
Made obsolete by LOOT.

Oblivion BSA Decompressor
Mod notes: "Decompresses Oblivion BSA files to reduce loading times and stuttering."

Uncompresses the game BSAs for supposedly faster game load times and less stuttering. You may want to back up your Oblivion BSAs before using it. It also requires the Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch to be installed first to run it. MO2 users should read the mod page's posts for instructions on how to run it.

In Arthmoor's words:

And yes, using a BSA decompressor is placebo. It will have no appreciable impact on performance. In theory it should actually make it worse, not better, because the file system access is no longer optimized.

J17's OCO and Hair Conversions
Mod notes: "J17's OCO and Hair Conversions is a project to replace many of vanilla NPC hairstyles into some of the best hairstyles here on the nexus!"

This mod is optional, because the new hairs in this mod may not suit some people's tastes. Download only the main file and uncheck the .esp in Plugin Filter before installing. Then afterwards install the .esp replacer at J17's OCO and Hair Conversions Unofficial Patch.

Note: Some people may feel the mod's hair to be slightly cartoonish, and may prefer Lore-Friendly Replacer for Default Hair for OCO v2. I personally don't prefer it, and it seems to give Emperor Uriel VII unfitting hair in my opinion.

If those two don't satisfy you, then you may just want to use vanilla hair, which is what I use now, which is also made more high quality by Oblivion Upscaled Textures (OUT).

I stopped using hair mods because none of them are great and they are too anime-ish/cartoonish and not lore-friendly.