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Improving Skyrim / Recommended Mods thread (Mostly about Requiem)

Zanzoken

Arcane
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
3,559
Okay dudes I know I was just bragging on the difficulty but this is absolutely insane.

I am spec'd for One-handed and Evasion. Equipped with ancient Nord sword and full set of fur armor. I have damage dealt turned up to 400% and damage received down to 10% so basically as easy as Requiem could possibly be. And I have still died probably half a dozen times now after going through the golden claw door in Bleak Falls Barrow and having to face no less than 15 draugr all at once.

I am using potions, choke points, kiting. I have no scrolls and magic or I would use those too. So I don't know what else I am supposed to be doing here.

I didn't expect to exactly breeze through like you can on vanilla but it's still a crit path starter dungeon. How in the fuck does anyone play this mod on the normal difficulty?
 

roll-a-die

Magister
Joined
Sep 27, 2009
Messages
3,131
Okay dudes I know I was just bragging on the difficulty but this is absolutely insane.

I am spec'd for One-handed and Evasion. Equipped with ancient Nord sword and full set of fur armor. I have damage dealt turned up to 400% and damage received down to 10% so basically as easy as Requiem could possibly be. And I have still died probably half a dozen times now after going through the golden claw door in Bleak Falls Barrow and having to face no less than 15 draugr all at once.

I am using potions, choke points, kiting. I have no scrolls and magic or I would use those too. So I don't know what else I am supposed to be doing here.

I didn't expect to exactly breeze through like you can on vanilla but it's still a crit path starter dungeon. How in the fuck does anyone play this mod on the normal difficulty?
Undead are mid level enemies in requiem.

You level up and come back.
 

Loostreaks

Learned
Joined
Mar 28, 2018
Messages
103
Here's where I ended up with my mod stack:

Gameplay
- Requiem
- Frostfall
- Campfire
- iNeed

Content
- Immersive Patrols
- Better Fast Travel (Carriages and Ships)
- Wearable Lanterns

Presentation
- SkyUI
- A Quality World Map
- Immersive HUD
- Less Intrusive HUD II
- Best Fastened Quivers
- Enhanced Night Skyrim
Not many bells and whistles but the core gameplay is there and everything seems to be running fine.

And Requiem really is a totally different experience. I have already been mauled to death by a wolf and one-shotted by a bandit archer, which never would've happened in vanilla.

:incline:

You're better off without Frostfall/camping: it's more work than "immershun", plus it's heavy on scripts. Instead grab a Tavern mod. Use also Pumping Iron, Morrowind Style leveling ( gain a perk after rest). You can even go with Burdens of Skyrim, to slowly learn how to wield heavier equipment. Also Warsburg's paper map is a must.

Okay dudes I know I was just bragging on the difficulty but this is absolutely insane.

I am spec'd for One-handed and Evasion. Equipped with ancient Nord sword and full set of fur armor. I have damage dealt turned up to 400% and damage received down to 10% so basically as easy as Requiem could possibly be. And I have still died probably half a dozen times now after going through the golden claw door in Bleak Falls Barrow and having to face no less than 15 draugr all at once.

I am using potions, choke points, kiting. I have no scrolls and magic or I would use those too. So I don't know what else I am supposed to be doing here.

I didn't expect to exactly breeze through like you can on vanilla but it's still a crit path starter dungeon. How in the fuck does anyone play this mod on the normal difficulty?

Draughr are at least 15 lvl or so recommended. Your best bet is clear area from Riften to Ivarstead, it has mostly low lvl animals. Then move to Riverwood and clear mine nearby, then a few smaller bandit camps around Whiterun ( Silent Moon and one nearby), that have smaller groups.

In general:

Lvl 1-10 Animals

Lvl 10-20 Smaller groups of Low lvl Bandits

Lvl 20-30 Draughr, Regular Humanoids

Past this, it gets a lot easier ( depending on your build).
 

Zanzoken

Arcane
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
3,559
Thanks for the info. I ended up deciding to reroll and go with a heavy armor + block build. I have never played Skyrim as a heavy melee type and it seems like a better fit given the changes in Requiem.

I will stick with the current mod stack for now (minus Wearable Lanterns since it appears to be causing problems). I did turn the exposure down to 70% in Frostfall though and may adjust that further over time if I'm not enjoying it.
 

mastroego

Arcane
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
Messages
10,250
Location
Italy
Frostfall might require some adjusting but I wouldn't remove it, it makes the cold feel cold and it forces you to plan your routes and stops (and clothing). You won't necessarily have to make fires all the time if you give some thought to it.

You also build some resistance with time, equipment helps and so on.
This is all means that it'll be more brutal at the beginning, and this fits with the theme of desperate survival at the start of Requiem.
 

InD_ImaginE

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
5,366
Pathfinder: Wrath
So Requiem basically it turn Skyrim into The Witcher 3 :lol:

Its open world but we soft-gated the content so you need to follow this optimal leveling path instead making the game linear :lol:
 

DraQ

Arcane
Joined
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Messages
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Okay dudes I know I was just bragging on the difficulty but this is absolutely insane.

I am spec'd for One-handed and Evasion. Equipped with ancient Nord sword and full set of fur armor. I have damage dealt turned up to 400% and damage received down to 10% so basically as easy as Requiem could possibly be. And I have still died probably half a dozen times now after going through the golden claw door in Bleak Falls Barrow and having to face no less than 15 draugr all at once.

I am using potions, choke points, kiting. I have no scrolls and magic or I would use those too. So I don't know what else I am supposed to be doing here.

I didn't expect to exactly breeze through like you can on vanilla but it's still a crit path starter dungeon. How in the fuck does anyone play this mod on the normal difficulty?
Ah, yes. The final room (or cavern, actually) of BFB. The Requiem's (friendly) way of asking you if you are absolutely sure you want to start facing dragons.
:love:
Do mind that dragons are also in critical path.

BFB is also crucial in teaching the vital importance of NOPE AND GTFO strategy.

Technically, it's possible to do it right off the boat in Requiem, but you need to be seriously good and experienced Requiem player.
First things first:
  • Set the damage scaling to Requiem's default. You are just hobbling yourself on your way to git gud - and you won't git gud without actually gitting gud.
  • Light armour (Evasion) is basically "don't get hit" build. The armour is there not to let you absorb blows, but to let you live if you accidentally do get hit. Actually even heavy armour is quite a bit like this in Requiem, but at least it lets you tank arrows. Thus, in light armour, if you get swarmed, or pelted with arrows, you're about to die - for that reason I'm not sure if I'd brave BFB right away in light armour.
  • Draugr (at least non-shouting, non casting variety) are relatively easy by Requiem's standards (OTOH Dragon Priests are just 'DIE.' - don't do Labyrinthian unless you have verified beyond the shadow of doubt that you can wipe your ass with one - because there won't be just one). They are tanky and just ignore arrows, but while they are not exactly slow moving, they are slow and predictable. In some ways they are easier than garden variety bandits, who just suck it and die, but are far more aware and less predictable in combat.
  • There is a semi-hidden item early on in BFB that makes Draugr much easier.
  • Draugr are easy to lead into traps and you can trigger traps remotely, for example using arrows.
  • Stamina is love, stamina is life and stamina is the king. Early on it's running out of stamina that will take you out of combat because stamina is responsible for everything - blocking, movement, casting costs, effective attacks, bashing, power attack, even holding onto your weapon. You run out, you die and worst of all you die tired, on your knees, desperately trying to find the sword you just dropped. With highly resilient enemies (like trolls) and groups of enemies stamina ultimately determines what you can and cannot take on.
  • In melee adjusting distance is important. If an enemy has 2h weapon and you sword and board, you need to overcome your gut response of staying away of massive swinging piece of sharp death (because it is a massive swinging piece of sharp death in Requiem) and will need to close in and stay, close while interrupting attacks and exploiting every opening - note that since everything burns stamina you won't be able to do it indefinitely. Of course if you have the stamina advantage you can simply hammer on guy's shield till his arm gives in and then just spill his guts.
  • Knowing your enemy is important - spiders poison and paralyse you and even if you can take this a spider the size of a horse can literally skewer you with it's chelicerae, large animals will knock you over, trolls regenerate rapidly, draugr ignore arrows, and so on. Basically stuff does what it looks like - if a sabercat pounces you or a bear bats you, you schedule a meeting with the ground - it won't just tickle because muh RPG and muh levels. If the ground happens to be half a mile down, because you were fighting on a high ledge, you die. If you are alone, you likely die as well because the animal will be able to keep you pinned down and eventually eat your face. Even a low level enemy can easily kill you at high level if you're careless.
  • A lot of challenges in Requiem involve preparation and obtaining a right tool for the job. Note that there can be more than one right tool and improvisation can be vital. When done right it can compensate for 10-20 lvls of difference. Think "what is it useful for" rather than "whatever has most pluses".

You're better off without Frostfall/camping: it's more work than "immershun", plus it's heavy on scripts.
That was my choice as well. Skyrim's script engine isn't terribly efficient and with stuff like Requiem it already has pretty much the entirety of combat fed through it.

Draughr are at least 15 lvl or so recommended. Your best bet is clear area from Riften to Ivarstead, it has mostly low lvl animals. Then move to Riverwood and clear mine nearby, then a few smaller bandit camps around Whiterun ( Silent Moon and one nearby), that have smaller groups.

In general:

Lvl 1-10 Animals

Lvl 10-20 Smaller groups of Low lvl Bandits

Lvl 20-30 Draughr, Regular Humanoids

Past this, it gets a lot easier ( depending on your build).
Eh. If you keep your wits about you, you should be able to clear small bandit camps, basic wildlife, your basic draugr or even lone regular trolls* right away.

There are relatively few enemies that will inevitably fuck you up at low level - vampires, dragons, dragon priests, werewolves, high level casters, invisible entities (AKA Requiem's big FU to the player) and a few others. Most can be fought even when very underlevelled, but you really need to know what you're doing.

Of course at lvl 1 any bandit camp is basically a several guys *at least* as good as you, probably better equipped, who rob and murder for a living (and even if you can beat one the rest won't wait for you to recuperate - they won't even wait for you to finish, so they will try gang upon you and/or pelt you with arrows) so if you don't have a good plan and some consumables to burn, they'll just rip off your head and use it as chamberpot.

*) I have encountered and killed a troll with my Argonian battlemage/sorcerer character (heavy armour + 1h + magic, but mostly other schools than destruction) when leaving Riverwood for Whiterun for the first time - mage's robe + some iron armour elements + steel maul (think somewhat heavier, somewhat slower mace). And a torch. The fight was gnarly due to stamina considerations and not beging able to afford to absorb blows VS troll's heavy swinging arms and regeneration (that was the point of the torch, but it still wasn't easy to keep enough stamina to keep going), but I managed to succeed.

I did have Gorr with me (from 3DNPCs) but he didn't actually participate, being stranded on the opposite side of the river - when he finally made it across the troll was already firmly planted in the dick-up position.
 
Last edited:

GarfunkeL

Racism Expert
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
15,463
Location
Insert clever insult here
Frostfall isn't more work than immersion and while it is script-heavy, those scripts do not run all the time and they are properly done. Please use the latest version of Campfire and Frostfall. Because it is retarded that you can swim between icebergs or walk half-naked at night in the middle of a blizzard. I would argue that Frostfall is the most important element if you care about immersion in Skyrim. I only wish it could be extended to horses, because as it is, once you get a horse, you get to skip lot of the danger elements of weather and climate. There are only few things that you gotta keep in mind while playing with it - Bethesda hardcoded a blizzard to take place for the first time you climb up to BRB because it looks cool. So regardless of your level, you must prepare for the first BRB sojourn as if you were heading to Winterhold. Fur cloaks are not that heavy to carry and if you put it on a hotkey, you can easily toggle it on and off if you play using TPP and want to admire your Barbie's bouncing butt - you don't need a whole fur set until you start exploring the northern reaches of Skyrim. And finally, keeping paper + firewood + small tent with a companion or a horse is not a big hassle and makes you prepared for a surprise storm - juts remember that you need to camp BEFORE nightfall, just like in reality, experienced trekkers don't wait until dark, they start preparing their camp when the Sun starts going down.
 

Zanzoken

Arcane
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
3,559
Good advice all the way round.

I am enjoying heavy armor a lot more. Skyrim's controls are too clunky to consistently avoid getting hit -- at least for me -- so being able to absorb some damage is literally a life saver.

Of course I move at a snail's pace and stamina is always an issue, but I am getting better at timing my blocks and the perk that restores a bit of stamina per block is a help. I am also going to grab the heavy armor perks that increase mobility as soon as they are available.

The immersion mechanics feel about right. I have to make sure I have food, water, firewood, and tents, but other than not it's not too intrusive.
 

Zanzoken

Arcane
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
3,559
Haha yeah I am aware that casters will be an issue. I ran across a Thalmor patrol earlier and decided to take them on just for laughs.

Needless to say it didn't go well.
 

Yosharian

Arcane
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
9,428
Location
Grand Chien
Okay dudes I know I was just bragging on the difficulty but this is absolutely insane.

I am spec'd for One-handed and Evasion. Equipped with ancient Nord sword and full set of fur armor. I have damage dealt turned up to 400% and damage received down to 10% so basically as easy as Requiem could possibly be. And I have still died probably half a dozen times now after going through the golden claw door in Bleak Falls Barrow and having to face no less than 15 draugr all at once.

I am using potions, choke points, kiting. I have no scrolls and magic or I would use those too. So I don't know what else I am supposed to be doing here.

I didn't expect to exactly breeze through like you can on vanilla but it's still a crit path starter dungeon. How in the fuck does anyone play this mod on the normal difficulty?

The first thing you need to do (after going back to the options and resetting the damage values back to their default) is tune your expectations.

Requiem, for all its faults, is designed as a role-playing experience. You're supposed to role-play your character in a manner appropriate to his or her abilities.

If you take another look at your comments, you are:
  • spec'd for one-handed and evasion. This means your character knows how to swing a one-handed sword wildly without dropping it or injuring himself, and he knows how to put on a suit of light armor without putting the pieces on backwards or accidentally breaking anything.
  • euipped with an ancient Nord sword. This means your character picked up a sword that's hundreds of years old, and has been lying in a moldy dirt pile rusting for at least 50 of them.
  • equipped with a full set of fur armor. This means your character is wearing a thin piece of leather with some animal fur stuck to it.
Now ask yourself: are you truly ready to go delving deep into an ancient Nordic dungeon filled with undead skeletons? Or are you more suited to taking out the occasional wolf while running away from bandits who want to gut you and steal what little you have?

Bethesda's approach to role-playing is that the minute you get out of the starter cave, you're a hero, and you can immediately go and take on undead enemies with ease. Requiem isn't like that. Adjust your expectations, and you'll enjoy the mod a lot more.

Instead of taking on Bleak Falls Barrow, do what you would actually do if you were this character. Head to Whiterun. Try to take on some bandits. Kill wolves. Try to get into the local barmaid's knickers. Leave the undead killing for later, when you have more skill and better equipment.

That said, I can recommend one mod in particular that will help you play using light armor.

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/73921/?tab=2&navtag=http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/ajax/modfiles/?id=73921&pUp=1

It's called Mortal Enemies and what it does is it changes the way attacks work with respect to turning movement. Once you begin an attack you'll not be able to turn left or right as easily, making it easier for you to dodge enemy attacks - although you'll be subject to the same effects, obviously.

With this mod combat becomes a lot more exciting and skill-based.
 

Hirato

Purse-Owner
Patron
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Messages
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Codex 2012 Codex USB, 2014 Shadorwun: Hong Kong
If you haven't done so already, you probably want to install this mod.

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/76747

If you don't install it, to quote the requiem people:
https://requiem.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/RD/blog/2016/06/19/61472833/Is+Requiem+too+hardcore+No+but+there+s+an+engine+bug+that+makes+it+look+so+unless+you+deal+with+it said:
To put it plainly, when you first reload a saved game:
  • high-level bandits one-shot you... more than normal...
  • mages are sometimes divinely empowered avatars of Elminster which must be killed before they can do anything
  • Irileth drops the wounded dragon within seconds (because of her hidden dragonkiller perk)
  • occasionally shades in Kilkreath Temple are nearly invincible
 

Mech

Cipher
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
634
Trying Requiem and while it is not too bad some of the mechanisms are very tedious and annoying. There is a fine line between making a game immersive and irritating, and they definitely crossed over to the irritating line on some mechanics.
Thankfully since it is a mod, I can just adjust those things.
 

DraQ

Arcane
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Messages
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Chrząszczyżewoszyce, powiat Łękołody
Trying Requiem and while it is not too bad some of the mechanisms are very tedious and annoying. There is a fine line between making a game immersive and irritating, and they definitely crossed over to the irritating line on some mechanics.
Such as?

Not saying that Requiem is perfect, because it has a lot of unnecessary cruft, but tedious and annoying?
 

Zanzoken

Arcane
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
3,559
I had a good duel with a bandit chief today. Another heavy armor and shield guy, and he had a mace that didn't appear to be enchanted but was named? Must be a Requiem thing.

It wasn't flashy but the intensity was top notch. A very cerebral fight where victory depends on little things like controlling distance, timing blocks, finding the right openings to counter. I had to use a couple potions but was able to get him down in the end.

This is the type of thing I was hoping for with this mod, and I gotta say for the most part it is delivering.
 

Mech

Cipher
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
634
Trying Requiem and while it is not too bad some of the mechanisms are very tedious and annoying. There is a fine line between making a game immersive and irritating, and they definitely crossed over to the irritating line on some mechanics.
Such as?

Not saying that Requiem is perfect, because it has a lot of unnecessary cruft, but tedious and annoying?

For starters:
Insanely low selling prices mixed with weight limits mixed with fast travel disabled makes making money a hilariously grindy process if you need to buy literally anything because of the extreme purchasing costs.

It is the exact opposite of immersive.
 

ERYFKRAD

Barbarian
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Messages
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Strap Yourselves In Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Insanely low selling prices mixed with weight limits mixed with fast travel disabled makes making money a hilariously grindy process if you need to buy literally anything because of the extreme purchasing costs.
Chopping wood is an easier way of making money at the start.
 

DraQ

Arcane
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Messages
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I had a good duel with a bandit chief today. Another heavy armor and shield guy, and he had a mace that didn't appear to be enchanted but was named? Must be a Requiem thing.

It wasn't flashy but the intensity was top notch. A very cerebral fight where victory depends on little things like controlling distance, timing blocks, finding the right openings to counter. I had to use a couple potions but was able to get him down in the end.

This is the type of thing I was hoping for with this mod, and I gotta say for the most part it is delivering.
Keep the mace, it is good stuff.

Insanely low selling prices mixed with weight limits mixed with fast travel disabled makes making money a hilariously grindy process if you need to buy literally anything because of the extreme purchasing costs.
Chopping wood is an easier way of making money at the start.
You definitely don't want to be ferrying low v/w shit (fur armours, iron weapons, etc.) in bulk to the trader - you simply don't pick anything unless you actually need it, it is very valuable, or you are on trader's doorstep and already heading that way.
You also don't want to sell high v/w stuff until the moment you actually need the money, because money is heavier.
It is actually great because it forces you to think, prevents accumulating cartloads of gold you can blow on whatever you please and limits your how much you can spend.

The only bad thing about the economy is that it uses inflated prices instead of reduced supply of gold and valuables.
 

RK47

collides like two planets pulled by gravity
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Dead State Divinity: Original Sin
Just pickpocket like crazy.
It's insanely profitable and easy to skill up.
Take the skill loss if caught, be sure to dump those stolen crap into a barrel if the guards are coming to arrest you.
With good pickpocketing skills, I can get crossbows, infinite arrows, bolts, and Good healing potions.
 

Zanzoken

Arcane
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
3,559
The economy is definitely harsher but what types of things are you having to buy? Granted I am still low level but for the most part I've been able to plunder and/or scavenge anything I needed. Fast travel is the only thing I splurge on because fuck walking all the way from Whiterun to Riften.

Of the items I routinely use I want to say the only things I purchased were a backpack and tents, which I want to say is about 500 gold for all three? Other than that I am saving up for Breezehome.
 

RK47

collides like two planets pulled by gravity
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Dead State Divinity: Original Sin
Training cost lah
 

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