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About this mod
You Are Not A Novice lets you start the game as an experienced character. Pick one of twelve classes inspired by the classic Elder Scrolls classes, choose one of four levels of proficiency, and start your journey as a veteran adventurer!
- Requirements
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
Do you think it's odd that the Dragonborn has barely learned any skill before coming to Skyrim?
Do you find the early game tedious and would like to skip to the fun part?
Are you itching to try out that new quest mod, but it requires a high level and a fresh start?
Then this mod is for you!
Description
After entering Helgen Keep and getting your bindings removed, the mod will activate and you will be presented with a series of menus. You will be asked to pick a class and a level of proficiency, and after confirming your choices some of your skills will be increased. Alternatively, choosing "I am a novice" at the start will close the menu and allow you to remain at level 1 and continue the game normally.
There are twelve classes to choose from, broken down into three specialties. Each class has three major skills and three minor skills. All class skills receive an increase, with major skills being increased more than minor skills. Additionally, class with magic skills also receive appropriate spells. See details below for each class.
There are four proficiency levels to choose from, from apprentice to master. This determines how much major and minor skills are increased, and, for spellcasters, how many spells are learned. See details below.
The skill increases will make your character level up, exactly as if the skills had been increased through normal gameplay. So the final step is to open the skills menu and pick your attributes and perks. Note that because of the way character experience works, how many levels you gain will depend on how much your class skills match your racial skill bonuses. An altmer mage, for example, will gain a few more levels than a nord thief for the same proficiency level.
Combat classes
Magic classes
Stealth classes
Proficiency levels
Installation & Update
Installation is straightforward. Use your mod manager of choice, or simply extract the archive in your Data folder. All plugins are ESL-flagged, so they won't take a full slot. SKSE is required.
An optional file is available for an alternate way of starting the mod. A book called "You Are Not a Novice" will be added to your inventory at the start of the game. Read it to activate the mod and pick your class and proficiency. The book will be removed from your inventory after reading it, or when gaining a level the normal way for the first time. This option is recommended if other mods need to initialize before YANAN, see below.
Updating the mod on an existing character should be safe. It will NOT change the skills and spells of the character, however. Only new characters will be affected.
Performance & Compatibility
This mod contains only one script that runs once, at the start of the game, and never again, so performance impact should be minimal. It does not modify any records and it increases skills and level through the regular leveling system, so it should be compatible with pretty much anything unless otherwise noted.
Alternate start mods are compatible as long as character creation happens before control is given to the player (which is when this mod triggers). Changing the race of an already leveled character is likely to screw up the skills.Tested and confirmed to be compatible with:
Mods that modify starting skills such as Character Creation Overhaul or Classic Classes and Birthsigns are compatible (if perhaps redundant), but should probably go first. In case of doubt, use the "Book Start" optional file.
Mods that drastically alter how leveling works may cause YANAN to not work correctly, or may not work correctly. Combine at your own risk.
Recommendations
WHO HA BEGONE: gaining many levels at the same time will make the level up chant play on a loop for several minutes. Use this to suppress it if you don't want to wait it out or save & reload.
Optional Starting Spells: so that you only start with the spells granted by your class, if any.
Timing is Everything: delay the start of level-locked quests so they don't all trigger at the same time.
Thanks to
Bethesda, for making this amazing game and making the Creation Kit available to modders.
ElminsterAU and the xEdit team for their work on this incredible tool.
Do you find the early game tedious and would like to skip to the fun part?
Are you itching to try out that new quest mod, but it requires a high level and a fresh start?
Then this mod is for you!
Description
After entering Helgen Keep and getting your bindings removed, the mod will activate and you will be presented with a series of menus. You will be asked to pick a class and a level of proficiency, and after confirming your choices some of your skills will be increased. Alternatively, choosing "I am a novice" at the start will close the menu and allow you to remain at level 1 and continue the game normally.
There are twelve classes to choose from, broken down into three specialties. Each class has three major skills and three minor skills. All class skills receive an increase, with major skills being increased more than minor skills. Additionally, class with magic skills also receive appropriate spells. See details below for each class.
There are four proficiency levels to choose from, from apprentice to master. This determines how much major and minor skills are increased, and, for spellcasters, how many spells are learned. See details below.
The skill increases will make your character level up, exactly as if the skills had been increased through normal gameplay. So the final step is to open the skills menu and pick your attributes and perks. Note that because of the way character experience works, how many levels you gain will depend on how much your class skills match your racial skill bonuses. An altmer mage, for example, will gain a few more levels than a nord thief for the same proficiency level.
Combat classes
Spoiler:
Show
Warrior
A well-rounded specialist of combat.
Major skills: Block, Heavy Armor, One-handed
Minor skills: Archery, Smithing, Two-handed
Barbarian
A fierce warrior who favors speed and disdains heavy armor.
Major skills: One-handed, Two-handed, Light Armor
Minor skills: Archery, Block, Smithing
Crusader
A holy warrior who uses magic to sustain themselves and smite their enemies.
Major skills: Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Restoration
Minor skills: Block, One-handed, Destruction
Spells: Healing, Flames (always), Healing Hands (adept and above), Repel Lesser Undead, Firebolt (expert and above), Circle of Protection (master)
Scout
A self-sufficient combatant who prefers subtlety and caution to brute force.
Major skills: Archery, Block, Light Armor
Minor skills: One-handed, Alchemy, Sneak
A well-rounded specialist of combat.
Major skills: Block, Heavy Armor, One-handed
Minor skills: Archery, Smithing, Two-handed
Barbarian
A fierce warrior who favors speed and disdains heavy armor.
Major skills: One-handed, Two-handed, Light Armor
Minor skills: Archery, Block, Smithing
Crusader
A holy warrior who uses magic to sustain themselves and smite their enemies.
Major skills: Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Restoration
Minor skills: Block, One-handed, Destruction
Spells: Healing, Flames (always), Healing Hands (adept and above), Repel Lesser Undead, Firebolt (expert and above), Circle of Protection (master)
Scout
A self-sufficient combatant who prefers subtlety and caution to brute force.
Major skills: Archery, Block, Light Armor
Minor skills: One-handed, Alchemy, Sneak
Magic classes
Spoiler:
Show
Mage
A well-rounded specialist of magic.
Major skills: Alteration, Destruction, Restoration
Minor skills: Conjuration, Enchanting, Illusion
Spells: Oakflesh, Sparks, Lesser Ward, Conjure Familiar, Courage (always), Magelight, Firebolt, Lightning Bolt, Healing Hands (adept and above), Telekinesis, Chain Lightning, Greater Ward, Conjure Flame Atronach, Fear (expert and above), Ebonyflesh, Paralyze, Thunderbolt, Grand Healing (master)
Nightblade
A spellcaster who uses magic to blend in the shadows and turn situations to their advantage.
Major skills: Alteration, Illusion, One-handed
Minor skills: Destruction, Light Armor, Sneak
Spells: Oakflesh, Clairvoyance, Flames (always), Magelight, Fear (adept and above), Detect Life, Muffle, Firebolt (expert and above), Detect Dead, Invisibility (master)
Sorcerer
A spellcaster who embraces the darker aspects of the magical arts.
Major skills: Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion
Minor skills: Alteration, Enchanting, Alchemy
Spells: Raise Zombie, Frostbite, Fury, Oakflesh (always), Conjure Flame Atronach, Firebolt, Fear (adept and above), Revenant, Ice Storm, Frenzy, Magelight (expert and above), Conjure Dremora Lord, Icy Spear, Rout (master)
Spellsword
A spellcaster trained in the combined use of arms and spells in battle.
Major skills: Destruction, Alteration, One-handed
Minor skills: Enchanting, Restoration, Heavy Armor
Spells: Oakflesh, Flames, Healing (always), Magelight, Firebolt (adept and above), Ironflesh, Fireball, Healing Hands (expert and above), Paralyze, Incinerate (master)
A well-rounded specialist of magic.
Major skills: Alteration, Destruction, Restoration
Minor skills: Conjuration, Enchanting, Illusion
Spells: Oakflesh, Sparks, Lesser Ward, Conjure Familiar, Courage (always), Magelight, Firebolt, Lightning Bolt, Healing Hands (adept and above), Telekinesis, Chain Lightning, Greater Ward, Conjure Flame Atronach, Fear (expert and above), Ebonyflesh, Paralyze, Thunderbolt, Grand Healing (master)
Nightblade
A spellcaster who uses magic to blend in the shadows and turn situations to their advantage.
Major skills: Alteration, Illusion, One-handed
Minor skills: Destruction, Light Armor, Sneak
Spells: Oakflesh, Clairvoyance, Flames (always), Magelight, Fear (adept and above), Detect Life, Muffle, Firebolt (expert and above), Detect Dead, Invisibility (master)
Sorcerer
A spellcaster who embraces the darker aspects of the magical arts.
Major skills: Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion
Minor skills: Alteration, Enchanting, Alchemy
Spells: Raise Zombie, Frostbite, Fury, Oakflesh (always), Conjure Flame Atronach, Firebolt, Fear (adept and above), Revenant, Ice Storm, Frenzy, Magelight (expert and above), Conjure Dremora Lord, Icy Spear, Rout (master)
Spellsword
A spellcaster trained in the combined use of arms and spells in battle.
Major skills: Destruction, Alteration, One-handed
Minor skills: Enchanting, Restoration, Heavy Armor
Spells: Oakflesh, Flames, Healing (always), Magelight, Firebolt (adept and above), Ironflesh, Fireball, Healing Hands (expert and above), Paralyze, Incinerate (master)
Stealth classes
Spoiler:
Show
Thief
A well-rounded specialist of stealth.
Major skills: Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Sneak
Minor skills: Light Armor, Speech, Archery
Assassin
A professional killer who relies on stealth to approach their victims unseen.
Major skills: Sneak, Archery, One-handed
Minor skills: Alchemy, Light Armor, Pickpocket
Bard
A loremaster and storyteller who relies on sword, shield and spell to preserve themselves from perils.
Major skills: Light Armor, Speech, One-handed
Minor skills: Lockpicking, Block, Illusion
Spells: Courage (always), Fear (expert and above)
Pilgrim
A seeker of truth and enlightenment, shrewd in commerce and persuasion.
Major skills: Light Armor, Speech, Restoration
Minor skills: Archery, Block, One-handed
Spells: Lesser Ward (always), Healing Hands (adept and above), Close Wounds (expert and above), Repel Undead (master)
A well-rounded specialist of stealth.
Major skills: Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Sneak
Minor skills: Light Armor, Speech, Archery
Assassin
A professional killer who relies on stealth to approach their victims unseen.
Major skills: Sneak, Archery, One-handed
Minor skills: Alchemy, Light Armor, Pickpocket
Bard
A loremaster and storyteller who relies on sword, shield and spell to preserve themselves from perils.
Major skills: Light Armor, Speech, One-handed
Minor skills: Lockpicking, Block, Illusion
Spells: Courage (always), Fear (expert and above)
Pilgrim
A seeker of truth and enlightenment, shrewd in commerce and persuasion.
Major skills: Light Armor, Speech, Restoration
Minor skills: Archery, Block, One-handed
Spells: Lesser Ward (always), Healing Hands (adept and above), Close Wounds (expert and above), Repel Undead (master)
Proficiency levels
Spoiler:
Show
Apprentice
Major skill bonus: +15
Minor skill bonus: +5
Character level: 8-9
Adept
Major skill bonus: +35
Minor skill bonus: +15
Character level: 16-18
Expert
Major skill bonus: +55
Minor skill bonus: +25
Character level: 24-26
Master
Major skill bonus: +75
Minor skill bonus: +35
Character level: 32-34
Major skill bonus: +15
Minor skill bonus: +5
Character level: 8-9
Adept
Major skill bonus: +35
Minor skill bonus: +15
Character level: 16-18
Expert
Major skill bonus: +55
Minor skill bonus: +25
Character level: 24-26
Master
Major skill bonus: +75
Minor skill bonus: +35
Character level: 32-34
Installation & Update
Installation is straightforward. Use your mod manager of choice, or simply extract the archive in your Data folder. All plugins are ESL-flagged, so they won't take a full slot. SKSE is required.
An optional file is available for an alternate way of starting the mod. A book called "You Are Not a Novice" will be added to your inventory at the start of the game. Read it to activate the mod and pick your class and proficiency. The book will be removed from your inventory after reading it, or when gaining a level the normal way for the first time. This option is recommended if other mods need to initialize before YANAN, see below.
Updating the mod on an existing character should be safe. It will NOT change the skills and spells of the character, however. Only new characters will be affected.
Performance & Compatibility
This mod contains only one script that runs once, at the start of the game, and never again, so performance impact should be minimal. It does not modify any records and it increases skills and level through the regular leveling system, so it should be compatible with pretty much anything unless otherwise noted.
Alternate start mods are compatible as long as character creation happens before control is given to the player (which is when this mod triggers). Changing the race of an already leveled character is likely to screw up the skills.Tested and confirmed to be compatible with:
- Alternate Start - Live Another Life
- Skyrim Unbound Reborn
- Alternate Perspective (thanks to Rhypon)
Mods that modify starting skills such as Character Creation Overhaul or Classic Classes and Birthsigns are compatible (if perhaps redundant), but should probably go first. In case of doubt, use the "Book Start" optional file.
Mods that drastically alter how leveling works may cause YANAN to not work correctly, or may not work correctly. Combine at your own risk.
Recommendations
WHO HA BEGONE: gaining many levels at the same time will make the level up chant play on a loop for several minutes. Use this to suppress it if you don't want to wait it out or save & reload.
Optional Starting Spells: so that you only start with the spells granted by your class, if any.
Timing is Everything: delay the start of level-locked quests so they don't all trigger at the same time.
Thanks to
Bethesda, for making this amazing game and making the Creation Kit available to modders.
ElminsterAU and the xEdit team for their work on this incredible tool.