Hello,

I played Skyrim at release just like everyone else. I stopped playing about 3 months after, and figured I'd come back eventually. Well that day has come, and I want to know what mods people suggest. Has there been anything massive like OOO done yet? I actually really enjoy the original game as it is. I guess I always enjoy more variety though. My favorite mods for Oblivion and Morrowind were ones that just added more different types of enemies and weapons and things to explore. I also of course enjoy graphical mods, but this game is already so gosh darn beautiful!

What top mods do you definitely suggest?

Thanks!

Oh, and what is generally better, steam workshop or the nexus?

It is confusing now that there are two places to download from...

I like the Workshop because of automatic updates to subscribed mods. It's also way easier to install mods that way.
However! The Nexus is great too. Much more stuff on there.
No reason not to use both.

I like

Rest for the Wicked
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=14029
Makes you need sleep.

The Belly Rules the Mind
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=11599
Makes you need food.

No Fast Travel
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=8044

More Rain
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=8989
Deeper Snow
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=8288
These two make the weather a lot more harsh looking. Very immersive.

Reduced Dual Casting Costs
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=7389
Magic Scaling
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=8096
To make my mage not feel like a damn gimp, and especially to make Dual Casting not a complete waste of time.

and
Less Condescending Guards
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=7626
For a reduction in the obnoxious BS they spam at you whenever you walk by.

Nexus is far, far better. Been using it for years for Morrowind and now that they've gotten rid of those damn ad videos it's pretty much unbeatable. Haven't used that Steam Workshop garbage once tbh. Check out the top 25 to see which mods are worth your time. Files of the Month are worth a peek too.

I only download from Nexus. I haven't even looked at the Steam Workshop site and I never plan to.

Here is a list of the mods I'm currently using:

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1175 by Elys

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=12479 by bigmagy1981

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9694 by dogtown1

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=7654 by Plutoman - 747823 - Leviathan1753 - Sydney666 (tweaked for slightly brighter dungeons and to remove desaturation)

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=2762 by Phitt

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4548 by Phitt

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9544 by Ditre

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1603 by Wolfmark (used Wolfmark's configuration .exe to make walking speed slightly faster)

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=746 by Cipscis

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3084 by Corepc (3 Day DeadBody Timer; 3 Day Respawn)

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10905 by The Great and Powerful BaconCat

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=11414 by The Great and Powerful BaconCat

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10579 by LtMattmoo

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=12396 by Nicoroshi

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1002 by JaySus

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1943 by ClassicalNoodle

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10886 by Cliffworms

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=8601 by Cliffworms

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9533 by Skyhawk618

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4929 by IcePenguin

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=95 by Valistar (Magic Cards font)

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=2812 by Bella

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10168 by Apachii

Why don't people like the workshop? Way more convenient IMO, better mods too and it's reliable.

Not really. Nexus is where most of the awesome mods are at. The new mod manager they made is great for updating and downloading mods. For me Nexus is the way to go.

The automatic installing and updating makes it an automatic "no" for me

I think the nexus functions better for larger mods but both are worth looking at. I like deadly dragons. It adds more dragons as well as make them more difficult overall.

NMM FTW!!

Couple issue withs steam mods. Nothing uploaded that could be considered advlt. Or more importantly there is a file size limit. Your not going to see any of the bigger mods released on steam. Unless its broken up into several different links. (which would be annoying as hell for the modder)

^This basically, because sometimes updates from Mods can break your game.

I sometimes check the workshop, but I use the Nexus-Link most people provide. The NMM makes it pretty easy to keep track of and manage your mods as well as install texture-mods without the freaking esp and bsa. (I've got 64 esps activated atm and with Texturemods that would go through the roof)

//edit

Also as a long-time Nexus-user (Oblivion, Fallout 3 and NV) I feel like it is my duty to support them and they had mods on their site quite quickly after release, while the Workshop was only added in February.

//edit2

Forgot to give you some mods (you might already have some of them):

Skyrim HD
Serious HD Retexture (Landscape and Riften)
Chris2012 Whiterun Textures
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5603
Warzones
PISE
Deadly Dragons (if you are into exploiting the crafting system and think Master is to easy, otherwise they might be to hard ^^)
Balanced Magic
Riverwood Redux
Female Muscle Mod (if you want women to look like the lore says they do, instead of supermodels, otherwise you might want CBBE or Demonized UNP. If so, I suggest taking Skimpy armors as well)
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13567 (enables you to use different body mods for different body slider setting)
XCE
Beauty Faces for Females

and before I forget one the most awesome mods I have

Hvergelmirs Armor Retexture
Hvergelmirs Shield Retexture

Workshop gives you absolutely no control of your mods. The only thing you can control is whether or not your subscribed to them. If you alter anything with the mod instalation it will attempt to re download it (unless the fixed that). NMM and Wrye Bash give you far better control of your set up.

I recommend Better Horses, Horses for Followers, WATER, Skyrim HD 2K, Dual Wield Parry, and Imaginator.

Mhm, this. When I saw and tried out the Mod Manager I knew I found my ultimate mod site.

Heres all the plug in based mods im using

My current plugins:

http://gyazo.com/6c94b5e2ec584b546ba57c49776422b3

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=11487

The best vampire overhaul i've found.

I use both and I think it would be dumb not to use the available resources.

Nexus has some good stuff, but I don't download much from it because I don't want to have to go in and check every mod once a week to see if it's the "latest" version. Steam stuff is automatically updated.

And, to be honest, I almost gave up the TES Nexus because it seemed to have turned into a Oblivion Anime Playboy gallery. All their top picks ever showed for the year or so before Skyrim came out was more sixy armor worn by bug-eyed anime girls/lemurs. I could live with the armor but I really hate anime'. I can already see the Skyrim Nexus going the same way.

@Lerf the Nexus Mod Manager tells you the version and if there is an update for it.

I use Nexus mostly but check the workshope every now and then to see if there is anything interesting there

I would recommend
PISE
Wars in Skyrim
Deadly Dragons
Dual wield parry (Needs script dragon)

It's annoying having to sift through all the pedo and fetish mods. What's worse is that this crap always floats to the top.

TES Alliance also has some stuff that you can't find anywhere else. Don't be a simpleton. There's no limit to what you can seek!

http://tesalliance.org/forums/index.php?/files/category/119-skyrim-mods/

Vampire overhaul mods are crap to some. Crap is in the eye of the beholder.

Um ... you know you can install a Workshop mod and then turn the subscription off, right?

Bored of doing the same start over and over and over and over? Want more RP options? Live Another Life One of my favorite mods

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9557