Skyrim Special Edition

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Dalquist

Uploaded by

Dalquist

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About this mod

Adds 874 new enemies with optional level scaling to Skyrim. Includes Bandits, Forsworn, Draugr, Falmer, Vampires, Warlocks, Cultists, Rieklings, Dragon Priests, Gargoyles, Animals and more! The new enemies start appearing at level 10. Also includes optional Hardcore and Spell Scaling modules.

Requirements
Permissions and credits
Translations
  • Spanish
  • Polish
  • German
  • French
Changelogs
Donations
After installing make sure the load order is:

High Level Enemies.esp
High Level Enemies - Dawnguard.esp
High Level Enemies - Dragonborn.esp

Main Features

  • Adds 874 new enemies starting at level 10 to Skyrim, Dawnguard, Dragonborn and Falskaar!
  • Now includes an optional version with full level scaling so all enemies (even Vanilla enemies) will scale to your level!
  • Each of Skyrim's main enemy types are covered including Bandits, Draugr, Dragon Priests, Falmer, Forsworn, Thalmor, Dwarven Constructs, Vampires, Warlocks, Trolls, Chaurus, Spriggans, Hagravens, Spiders, Skeletons, Witches, Ice Wraiths, Mammoths, Dremora and Wild Animals!
  • Each of Dawnguard's main enemy types are covered including Vampires, Vampire Hunters, Falmer, Gargoyles, Armored Trolls, Death Hounds and Chaurus Hunters!
  • Dragonborn Cultists, Rieklings, Ash Spawn, and Dragonborn Bandits Included!
  • For each enemy type the highest level variant scales with player level so the game doesn't get too easy!
  • Countless hours were spent customizing the Stats, Skills, Perks, Spells, Damage Done and Armor Rating of each added creature to ensure that the difficulty stays consistent as the player levels!
  • The scaling is non-linear and takes into account that high level players invest in at least 1 crafting skill (Smithing, Enchanting or Alchemy).

Optional Files
  • Includes an optional file that increases armor cap to 90% and max magic resist to 90% encouraging high-level play.
  • Includes an optional file that scales Illusion, Raise Dead, Summons, Turn Undead Spells and Werewolf Howl so they are still viable in high-level play.


There are a number of great mods available that effect creature level and scaling. Some make the game harder at low levels and some harder at high levels but in each case there are difficulty spikes. Mods that delevel creatures usually render the game very difficult at low levels but easy at high levels.  Mods that introduce level scaling don't properly account for the fact that the player's growth is non-linear so the game gets easy at high levels. Finally, mods that add high level creatures do a good job keeping the difficulty up at higher levels but still get easy when the player outlevels the added creatures. 

High Level Enemies is designed to bring the best features of these different leveling systems together. It adds high level enemies as well as level scaling and at each step the enemy stats, perks, spells, damage done and armor rating were tweaked through rigorous testing to make sure the difficulty remains steady at high levels. 

Don't hesitate to give feedback. Please endorse if you enjoy! It will help others find this more easily!

Thanks for you donations and endorsements they're appreciated! 






Main Files

High Level Enemies

This mod adds new enemies starting at level 10 for almost all of Skyrim's enemy types. New variants are added for Bandits, Forsworn, Draugr, Falmer, Warlocks, Dragon Priests, Falmer, Vampires, Gargoyles, Ash Spawn and more (see the details section for a full list). The stats, skills, perks, spells, damage dealt and damage mitigated of each variant were adjusted to keep enemies in line with the player's natural progression so that the game continues to provide a challenge at higher levels. 

To give an example of what's been added, in Vanilla the highest level bandit was level 25 (28 for a boss). This mod adds bandits at levels 30, 40, 50 and 60 (66 for a boss). However, once you pass lvl 60 the game won't suddenly get easy. The top level enemies of each type will scale with your level. This means you'll still get the same variety of enemies you expect from Skyrim but you'll never outlevel everything ensuring the game remains challenging. 

So for example at level 70 you'll encounter the usual bandits from Skyrim as well as the added level 30, 40 and 50 bandits, but the highest level bandit (originally level 60) will scale to match you at level 70.


Scaled Version

Includes all the enemies added in High Level Enemies and scales every enemy to your level. This includes the original Skyrim enemies as well as the ones added by High Level Enemies!


Optional Files

Increased Max Resists

Most high level players hit the armor and magic resist caps. This removes the incentive to keep leveling since you feel you can't get any stronger. Since High Level Enemies is for high level play and adds more challenging enemies the player should also have the chance to keep getting stronger. With this in mind this optional file: 

  • Increases the armor cap from 80% to 90% but you have to work for it! Hitting the armor cap now requires an armor rating of 1000. Since Skyrim gives you a hidden 25 armor rating bonus for each equipped piece of armor (helm, chest, gauntlets and greaves) this means you need 900 armor rating when wearing full armor.
  • Increases the maximum magic resistance from 85% to 90%.

Raised Ability Caps

One of the biggest problems with high-level play is that some spells become unuseable. Illusion spells, raise dead, summons, turn undead and werewolf howl (fear effect) only work on enemies up to a certain level (even with dual casting). This optional mod scales these spells to work on higher level enemies. 

  • The scaling only starts at high levels so this will not effect low-level play at all.
  • Compatible with all Perk and Spell mods.
  • Turn Undead spells will start scaling at level 35.
  • Illusion spells will start scaling at level 40.
  • Raise Dead and Atronach Thrall spells will start scaling at level 40.
  • New Dremora Lords will replace the Vanilla Lord at level 56 and 66. The level 66 version scales with player level.
  • Werewolf Howl starts scaling at level 25.

For the Restoration, Raise Dead and Illusion spells listed the scaling is calculated as (skill level) x 0.2 so with a skill level of 100 your spells will work on creatures 20 levels higher than the default. If you use a mod like Elys Uncapper you can raise the caps even higher. The maximum level of the Werewolf Howl ability scales with player level starting at level 25 (1:1 scaling). This mod doesn't make any changes to existing perks so it should be compatible with perk and spell overhauls. This scaling only turns on at high levels so this will not affect low-level play at all.

New Enemies Added

  • 199 Bandits
  • 104 Draugr
  • 60 Witches
  • 24 Forsworn
  • 20 Warlocks (Necromancers, Conjurers, Pyromancers, Cryomancers and Electromancers)
  • 20 Thalmor
  • 18 Skeletons
  • 13 Falmer
  • 10 Dragon priests
  • 10 Vampires
  • 9 Dwarven Constructs
  • 6 Dremora
  • 6 Spiders
  • 6 Mudcrabs
  • 4 Ice Wraiths
  • 4 Hagravens
  • 4 Skeevers
  • 3 Atronachs
  • 3 Giants
  • 3 Mammoths
  • 2 Chaurus
  • 2 Trolls
  • 2 Spriggans
  • 2 Bears
  • 2 Saber Cats
  • 2 Wolves
Dawnguard
  • 28 Vampire Hunters
  • 13 Vampires
  • 12 Death Hounds
  • 6 Falmer
  • 2 Gargoyles
  • 2 Armored Trolls
  • 2 Chaurus Hunters
Dragonborn

  • 88 Dragonborn Bandits
  • 28 Rieklings
  • 21 Draugr Hulks
  • 12 Cultists
  • 6 Ash Spawn
  • 2 Seekers
  • 1 Lurker


None of the enemies in Vanilla Skyrim have been changed in the unscaled version! Only new enemies were added. The new enemy names are consistent with the naming convention in Skyrim.Bandits may now carry glass weapons but their armor has not changed.
Compatible with most mods including anything that effects companions, perks, weapons and armor, the UI or the environment.

Q. At what level will I start seeing the new creatures?
A. New enemies will start showing up at level 10. After that more and more will show up as you reach higher levels.

Q. What is the highest level enemy added by this mod?
A. The Dawnguard Vampire Boss at lvl 75. However, level scaling was added so that the player can never out level the highest tier enemies. These will have the best perks and spells (just like the player at this point) and will continue to provide a chalenge. 

Q. Why add bandits at lvl 30 40, 50, 60 and then autolevel the level 60 bandit instead of simply making 1 bandit and autoleveling it?
A. This allows enemies at each level to be tweaked individually allowing for a more consistent difficulty throughout the game. Also it adds variety to the game. If you only make 1 then all the enemies in the game will have generic names like "Bandit", "Draugr" and Vampire". I think it adds to the gameplay experience when you run into a cave and fight a group with a "Bandit Highwayman" "Bandit Plunderer" and "Bandit Conqueror" in it. 


Installation


For NMM Versions 

1. Download High Level Enemies Installer and follow the instructions.


Manual Installation

  • Unzip and copy the contents of "High Level Enemies" to your Skyrim\data folder.
  • If installing the scaled version copy the contents of High Level Eemies - Scaled to your data folder overwriting any files it asks you to.
  • Check the added files in your Skyrim Launcher.


To do


I'm open to suggestions.



Comments

Absolutely outstanding mod you created here. I finally loaded up the scaled version and this is easily the finest High Level mod out there. The normal version would be nice for normal play, but for a level 80 toon with some nice weapon and armor mods, the scaling version is the best. Every enemy will give some degree of a fight.

Thanks for the hard work on this mod and thanks for posting it for all to enjoy.- Kodiak412

Hi Dalquist. I use this mod +(Hardcore) with Skyre, without Skyre's enemy scaling module. The game becomes perfectly interesting, more intense, and character builds do matter! Now I have to kite enemies, as they tend to flank and archers shoot me from behind.

Thanks. Kudos for you :) - JimmyDalton

Oh THANK YOU. This is exactly the mod I was looking for. I only needed to clear one hole of bandits to tell that this is just perfect for me, and to rush here to endorse (which I can't do yet, I just realized!). I'm running deadly combat as well, which was doing a great job of keeping fights fun for the first 30 or so levels. But then the difficulty started to drop, and I found myself gimping myself too much on purpose just to have fun fights, because most enemies were just too weak, and the strong enemies were so very rare. And that was just slowly ruining my interest in the character. Now I'm back to the way early levels were: fighting for my life every single fight and getting 1-2 shot by even the more basic enemies (running this AND deadly combat with hardcore too). A trillion thank yous, this just saved my Skyrim.-Zikako

@Dalquist

I love you so much. You are a god among modders.-Tyrmundi

@ Dalquist..First off Kudos given...Second this mod really makes Skyrim a hell of a lot more challenging for sure..I ran away from a fight earlier and had to regroup..I haven't had to do that in forever..lol..I absolutely love this mod and would endorse 100 times if I could!!!-Joshx336

Updating from my previous post. You've truly done an amazing job thus far Dalquist. The additions and modifications done to the leveled lists feels damn near perfect. Your mod has easily found a permanent place on my... rather extensive mod list (I'm an addict for increased difficulty and immersion). I think from here the mod can only improve, and just like the aMidianborn armor texture overhauls, I'll await each update with eager anticipation. Endorsed! - Retsumaru

This mod is awesome! Keep up the good work.

P.S. Try not to stray too far off the path of skyrim and keep doing what you are. -Dingy08

Truly an awesome mod, being level 90 just got a whole lot better, thanks for all your hard work. Endorsed -Softail4life

I have been using your mod for awhile. It really spices up the game for me a lot. Appreciate your efforts. - Reapy0069

Dalquist - 

DL'd the orginal version a few days ago and finally got to play and have to say.. GREAT JOB!

the few area's i have run round in (pinewatch / Treva's) have been just amazing with the new tweaks to bandits, pilferers etc are rocking my world, and for whatever reason (maybe other mods, im not sure) the Archer types are now just plain evil - freaking loving the fact that combined with ASIS, you really have to think out your stratagy.

please continue onward good sir. -Valakov

Thats the mod I was looking for. I dont like asis idea messing with spawns. I need the same amount of foes but tougher. Thanks. -Andro11

Wish i could double endorse this mod. it has made hte game so much more fun. a few encounters from it so far..

1. at the tower's over the white river, bandit chief comes charging at my lvl 75+ nord.. and 1 shots her. like Owwwww!

2. finally join the Imperial Legion and get sent after the crown, I carry the lot of them thru to the final room, where we encounter a Draugr Reaver and 2 Immortals. those poor soildiers, thye got owned so bad. took me a good 5-8 minutes to kill all 3.. and a lot of arrows.

Cant wait to have ASIS back and running along with this, should make it even more epic. (not using asis atm due to spawn stacking) -Jeffreylane

love this mod! -Connorandlachlan


Damn it! Now you did it. This mod is just big!!! The Spiders! I love it. You must have work all day on this. Thank you! A new must have for me. -JamesTG

For the first time in my playtime, even my heavy armor character must learn to hide from those archers with bullseye perk ... and this making them the worst nightmare for my other pure mage character >_<

Job well done! -Btyop

I think this is the best enemy mod made. I am using this mod with leveled enemies and am having no issues.. The vanilla enemies are still using the leveled enemies mod and the new enemies this mod adds are also working 

thank you...kudos for you :) -Mymgrimm