Embedded Files
Before we actually start modding, there are various things we need to do to set up your work environment and get everything running.
There are a few prerequisites, which are needed for various tools to work. Don't assume you have them installed, but if you do happen to have them, then then it will repair the installation and verify everything is working correctly. Just do it.
You will need an archive extraction tool. We recommend 7-Zip.
Game Version Breakdown
Game Version Breakdown
There are two main versions of Skyrim.
The first is Skyrim Legendary Edition (LE). This refers to the original game released in 2011. It is also called Oldrim, but there is a difference between LE and Oldrim usually; LE refers to the base game with all DLCs, while Oldrim refers to just the base 2011 version of the game. This version of the game is outdated and we do not recommend it.
The second version is Skyrim Special Edition (SSE) which was released in 2016. It’s a full upgrade to Legendary Edition and was released separately on Steam. SSE includes every DLC. It also includes many engine fixes and graphical upgrades. No LE mod is compatible with SE by default (save most texture mods), however, the majority can easily be ported (more on that later). This guide will be focused on SSE because it’s the most supported.
Anniversary Edition
Anniversary Edition
November 11th, 2021, was Skyrim's 10th anniversary. On that day, Bethesda released the Anniversary Edition (AE) update, which acts as an update to the base SSE game. Before the update, the version of the game was 1.5.97, which we now refer to as the SE version. The current AE version is 1.6.1170.
The AE update included four free Creation Club (CC) items: Saints & Seducers, Rare Curios, Survival Mode, and Fishing. (The Creation Club mods are mods that are officially endorsed and published by Bethesda. This acts as a "paid modding" system. Not to be confused with the Creations, which are Bethesda approved but made by other mod authors)
Please note that there are multiple versions of AE. There also is the 1.6.353 version, which was a previous long-term support version.
Similarly, there is the 1.6.640 version, which was the previous long term support version for modders and is where many mods were aiming to reach. The latest game version is 1.6.1170. These two versions require distinction because they both require different versions of SKSE, and by extension, certain mods will not work on certain versions.
It should be noted that some mods will work on any version, and the mod author will usually state as such. Some mods will work on .640 and .1170 but not .97, and some mods will work on all three. Make sure you're reading everything.
In conclusion, there are three main versions of the game: 1.5.97 (SE), 1.6.640 (AE) and 1.6.1170 (AE)
This is not to be confused with the Anniversary Edition upgrade which is an entirely separate thing. This AE upgrade is a new DLC released by Bethesda, which includes all of the CC content (not including the four free items included with the update) which previously had to be purchased individually.
AE Upgrade is the upgrade that you pay for which includes all of the creation club content. AE Update is the latest update regardless of anything you brought which includes four pieces free creation club content. Anytime we refer to AE in the modding scene, it is usually the AE Update. Unless you either downgraded or prevented updates, it's always the Update.
There is a very important distinction between the AE update and the upgrade. Many users will get confused by this, so make sure you understand it.
Checking Your Version
Checking Your Version
It is easy to check your game version by inspecting the properties of the game's .exe file. Select SkyrimSE.exe, right-click, go to properties, go to details, and look at the product version. Refer to the graphic.
Clean Installation
Clean Installation
The correct place to begin your modding journey is with a clean installation of Skyrim. Please note that you will need your game to be installed outside of Program Files for various tools to work.
See this video if you need to move your Steam library outside of Program Files.
Advanced users might be interested in the Stock Game method, which keeps your Steam game folder completely unmodified. This requires extra setup and is only recommended for Wabbajack list developers or people who want various different installations of their game.
Optional: Downgrading Your Game
Optional: Downgrading Your Game
If you want to use a different version of Skyrim as mentioned earlier, you will need to downgrade your game using the downgrade patcher. We recommend the "best of both worlds" file, which lets you keep your Creation Club content intact. Remember to pay attention to the version for SKSE-based mods.
Downgrading your game via Steam
Downgrading your game via Steam
Unfortunately, the automatic patcher provided above sometimes does fail with some versions of the game, and it is not available for the latest version, and you may have difficulties downgrading in the future.
If you have a Steam copy of Skyrim Special Edition, then you do have the option of directly downloading older depots of the game.
This is the equivalent of directly downloading Skyrim back when it was on a prior version. Some instructions have been provided for downgrading to common prior versions of the game.
To do this method, you may follow instructions provided in the video on the right. The same steps apply for 1.5.97; just change which depots you download.
Note on Creation Club Content
Note on Creation Club Content
On older versions of the game, you will no longer be able to download CC content. Make sure to run the game normally at least once before downgrading to retrieve these items.
If you want to use your creation club content in the downgraded version, move them from the Data folder to a different backup folder. All creation content begins with "ccbgsssexxx-<creation name>.esl" and they have an accompanying BSA archive with the same name. However remember that by using the steam depot method, your CC Content will remain intact. You can find a list of creation club contents here. Alternatively, use this guide alongside this mod to pick and choose your CC Content.
Downgrading to 1.5.97
Downgrading to 1.5.97
Download the following depots using the Steam console using the steps shown in the above video.
download_depot 489830 489831 7848722008564294070
download_depot 489830 489832 8702665189575304780
download_depot 489830 489833 2289561010626853674
Downgrading to 1.6.640
Downgrading to 1.6.640
Download the following depots using the Steam console using the steps shown in the above video.
download_depot 489830 489831 7848722008564294070
download_depot 489830 489832 8702665189575304780
download_depot 489830 489833 2289561010626853674
Choosing a Mod Manager
Choosing a Mod Manager
A big debate in the modding community is choosing which mod manager to use. Here is a rundown of the two options.
Vortex is for you if:
Vortex is for you if:
A “clean” user interface is desired. Vortex doesn’t crowd icons together and has lots of unused UI space. This is a con for some, but a pro for others.
You want the mod manager to automatically do most processes. Vortex tries to automate as much as it can to make everything simple for new modders. Again, this is a con for some since it’s a bit annoying if you know exactly what you want to do, but a pro for people who prefer automation.
You want to flag ESL candidates without running an external script. This is important to some people, but keep in mind that adding a script to xEdit that performs this function is extremely easy.
You prefer rule-based sorting of mods as opposed to dragging files into a specific order. This means that you select “load this before X” or “load this after X” rather than dragging the file yourself.
You have a limited amount of RAM. Vortex doesn’t run in the background while playing a game, while MO2 does. The performance impact isn’t crazy, but it’s something to consider.
You plan on modding a wide variety of games. MO2 is essentially limited to The Elder Scrolls titles as well as the Fallout franchise. Vortex supports a wider variety of games.
Mod Organizer 2 (MO2) is for you if:
Mod Organizer 2 (MO2) is for you if:
A “compact” user interface is desired. MO2 tries to include as much information as it can in a limited amount of space, which some people dislike as they think it looks cramped. That being said, if you’re a fan of user interfaces with lots of information and very little wasted space, MO2 is for you.
You want fine control over your mods. Because Vortex is so automated, it limits the amount of fine control available to the user. Many of those processes are still possible on Vortex, but they become tedious in comparison to MO2’s handling of them.
You want support from other users when needed. MO2 is the most widely used mod manager by experienced modders, and as such support for it is more widespread. Vortex’s target demographic is inexperienced modders who don’t want to put in a ton of effort, so the support for it is limited in comparison.
You prefer sorting your mods by dragging them around in a list (up/down).
You are not confident in your ability to not break your game. MO2 uses VFS (Virtual File System), meaning you never touch actual game files when using MO2. This is the biggest reason why we believe new modders should choose MO2. It is very difficult to break your game files when using VFS unless you’re doing something in the game folder itself (which you should rarely be interacting with).
You plan on having a very large mod list. While large mod lists are absolutely possible on Vortex, MO2’s dragging-based sorting method makes it significantly easier. Resolving conflicts via rules in Vortex is extremely tedious when there are a large amount of them.
You prefer a contained method of placing files generated by external programs. MO2 outputs new data from external tools to the “Overwrite” folder within MO2, which can allow for easier management of those files. By contrast, Vortex outputs these files directly into the Skyrim Data folder, which can be problematic depending on the tool in question.
You may see a lot of references to “Nexus Mod Manager”, or NMM. DO NOT USE NMM. Not only is it no longer officially maintained or even supported by modern tools, but it lacks many essential features and is known to directly modify game files.
This guide will be primarily focused on MO2, however, everything done here is still possible on Vortex. We strongly recommend you choose MO2 because it is what the majority of the community uses, and as such, it is what you will get the most support for. Although we won't provide Vortex-specific instructions, some of the videos or external resources linked may include them.
Setting Up Tools
Setting Up Tools
This section covers off some of the tools you'll need to pick up for modding Skyrim. You don't need to get all of them at the beginning.
Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE)
Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE)
The Skyrim Script Extender is a tool that, well, extends Skyrim’s scripting functionality. It is absolutely essential and needed for many mods.
Installation is as simple as downloading the correct version and extracting to your game directory. The video outlines the process.
From now on, you will launch Skyrim by launching SKSE through your mod manager.
The Load Order Optimization Tool, or LOOT, is a tool that can be used to help you automatically sort your plugins for Skyrim.
Load order is important to help avoid conflicts. While LOOT won't get everything right, it can provide you a good starting point for managing your mods.
There are other external tools you may need outside of your mod manager that accomplish different tasks. We strongly recommend you install everything to a modding tools folder at the root of your drive, such as C:/Modding Tools. This keeps everything clean and organized. You only need to install these for now, reading the documentation or usage is optional.
xEdit (or SSEEdit) is an essential tool that lets you view and edit plugins. It is useful for making patches and tweaks, among other things. It is regarded as the go-to alternative tool for the creation kit.
BethINI is a tool that lets you easily edit the game's INI configuration files through a simple interface. Here is a basic tutorial.
Make sure you set your .INI path correctly in the setup tab, pointing toward your MO2 profile, or else your changes won't take effect. This is due to MO2's Virtual File System (VFS) which uses its own version of Skyrim's .INIs, instead of the default ones in documents.
See the performance section later if you need more performance tweaks.
BethINI Pie is the latest version of BethINI, which supports multiple Bethesda games and has a much better user experience.
Synthesis is a patching tool used to create advanced custom patches that do a lot, from modifying a loot table to patches for gigantic overhauls to patching everything with just a few clicks.
SSE Creation Kit (CK) is a free tool published by Bethesda which is used to create and edit mods for Skyrim Special Edition.
We also recommend you watch this video for various fixes for the CK. However the video is quite dated. As of writing, you only need CK Platform Extended & CK Multiple Masters. Unofficial CK patch is also a recommendation, however it only works with certain versions.
Wrye Bash was originally used to manage and install mods. Wrye Bash can generate patches (called Bashed Patches), that can sort levelled lists, tweak actors/NPCs, tweak in-game things that are otherwise almost untweakable such as cell respawn time,bounties for crimes etc., and manage quite a few things. Here is a video guide, the mod page has been moved to the linked one. Here is a readme.
zEdit is a tool that lets you merge plugins and create patches.
With this section complete, you should:
With this section complete, you should:
Have a clean copy of Skyrim installed, and external dependencies taken care of
Chosen a mod manager and familiarized yourself with it
Have installed different tools you may need
Know how to install and run SKSE
Know how to use LOOT
Know how to use BethINI
Know a general overview of the other tools.
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