Efficient Perk Overhaul (EPO) is a mod that aims to reduce the number of perk points players need to spend on unavoidable and boring perks. EPO is designed for players who enjoy the vanilla perk trees, but don't want to waste so many perk points. This mod is fully compatible with existing characters and can be safely uninstalled at any time. It has no long-running scripts and is safe for any load order.

[SIZE=7]Automatic Base Perks[/SIZE]

EPO changes the base perks and spell level perks of every skill tree to level up automatically as your skill progresses. Base perks are the perks found at the start of every skill tree; the ones that grant +20% effectiveness of a given skill. Spell level perks are the perks that cut casting cost in half for a given spell level/school of magic.

This means that as you progress your skill, you don't need to purchase those perks with perk points. They're unlocked automatically. For example, if you make it to 25 Destruction, Apprentice Destruction will unlock automatically. If you make it to 60 One-Handed, the fourth rank of Armsman will unlock automatically. This change is applied to every skill except for Smithing, which has no base perks.

This effectively reduces the number of perk points you need to waste on perks that are crucial to your skill's progress. Now you can save those perk points for the ones that are more interesting than simply increasing a skill's effectiveness by 20%, or cutting casting costs in half for new levels of spells.

NOTE: If you're using the version where you need to invest the first perk into a skill before automatic base perks kick in, you need to exit out of the skill menu after buying the first perk and wait a second or two before the other perks will appear.

[SIZE=7]Crafting Perks[/SIZE]

EPO changes the perk trees from the crafting skills to be even more efficient. I've always found the crafting trees to be total perk hogs, and I wanted to make it so I could focus my perks more into my combat skills than just crafting things.

Smithing has been reworked into a linear branch where you learn both heavy and light Smithing as you progress. This removes the need to go down both sides just for the ability to craft a certain kind of weapon, or armor for a companion.

For Enchanting, Fire, Frost, and Storm Enchanter have been combined into a single perk called Elemental Enchanter. Enchanting also has a new, optional perk called Unarmored Enchanter, which increases the effectiveness of enchantments on clothing and circlets. This makes playing an unarmored mage a little more effective. And of course, the base perk, Enchanter, levels up automatically.

Alchemy's change is centered around the Experimenter perk. Experimenter levels up automatically as your skill progresses, just like the base perk of Alchemy, Alchemist. This lets you save perk points for the more interesting Alchemy perks.

[SIZE=7]Customization (Choosing which skills grant auto-perks)[/SIZE]

To customize which base perks level up automatically, use the set command via the console. 1 = levels up without investment, 2 = requires the first perk of the tree, 0 (or any number besides 1 and 2) = no automatic level up ever. By default, everything is set at 1 and levels up automatically. The globals are just EPOSkillName (EPOAlteration, EPOBlock, EPOSneak, etc.)

So if you wanted Block to level up only after investing the first perk, you'd use the command:

set EPOBlock to 2

If you wanted to change it so it levels up without perk investment:

Set EPOBlock to 1

If you wanted it to stop leveling up on its own regardless of skill investment:

set EPOBlock to 0

I like to pick six or so skills that have auto perks from the beginning, six or so that require perk investment for automatic perks, and six or so that never grant perks automatically. It gives a nice major/minor skill feel that I enjoy, but customize it to your liking!



[SIZE=7]Draught of Focus[/SIZE]



The Draught of Focus is a respec potion that clears all perks and refunds all perk points. In addition to being a helpful tool if you ever want to respec your character, the Draught of Focus allows any character to take advantage of EPO. Just drink the Draught of Focus, and re-spend your perk points under the new system. One Draught of Focus is added to your inventory when you install EPO, and more can be crafted at any forge under the Misc. category for 100 gold. I chose the forge rather than a merchant or alchemical ingredients simply because it is a neater and more convenient way of obtaining the item.

When you drink the potion, you will receive a message box saying not to spend perk points until the respec process is complete. This typically takes between three and six seconds, but may take a few extra seconds if you have many perks. You will be notified when the respec is complete.

[SIZE=7]Compatibility[/SIZE]

EPO should be compatible with everything that doesn't alter the Smithing or Enchanting trees. It is NOT compatible with my other two mods, Linear Smithing Tree and Simple Enchanting Tree. The new Smithing tree is compatible with all items in the vanilla game, and items added by mods. The new Smithing perks unlock the vanilla ones in the background to ensure full compatibility with everything, full stop. The Unarmored Enchanter perk magnifies enchantment magnitude on all clothing and circlets, so it will work with any clothing mod so long as the author used the proper keyword. All other perk trees themselves are untouched. The Draught of Focus and the Uninstall EPO potion will not remove perks added by other mods.

And it goes without saying that this probably isn't compatible with other perk overhaul mods.

[SIZE=7]Permissions[/SIZE]

https://robbiemod.wordpress.com/License

- Contact me before using anything from this mod. I will probably say yes.

- If you contact me and I do not respond within 30 days, you have full permission to use this mod, in whole or in part, in any of your work. This includes compilations, conversions, and any derivative works.

- No parts of this mod can be monetized under any circumstances. If you are caught monetizing this work, your permission to use any content from any of my mods is permanently revoked.

- Credit me if you use something from this mod.

- If you use something from this mod, your permissions should be open so other people can use it the same way you did.


[SIZE=7]Installation[/SIZE]

I recommend installing with Nexus Mod Manager. Otherwise, add the EfficientPerkOverhaul.esp file to your Skyrim/data folder. Also be sure to add the contents of the scripts folder into your Skyrim/Data/scripts folder. All scripts are marked with the tag MODEPO for easy uninstallation. Otherwise, let NMM handle it.

[SIZE=7]Uninstallation[/SIZE]

EPO can be safely uninstalled at any time by drinking a potion called Uninstall EPO. An Uninstall EPO potion can be crafted at a forge under the Misc. category, just like the Draught of Focus, but will only appear in the crafting menu if you have a Draught of Focus in your inventory.

Much like the Draught of Focus, you will receive a message when you drink the potion and when the uninstallation process is complete.

[SIZE=7]My Other Mods:[/SIZE]