I haven't played in a few months, I was wondering what mods everyone would recommend.
Thanks folks

Warning: I don't use all of these mods and don't like all of these mods. Those that aren't are pretty regularly recommended by people I think well of.

Gameplay Overhauls:
ASIS: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/18436
Duel - Combat Realism: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/2700
ACE - Comprehensive Enhancements: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/10037
Skyrim Community Uncapper: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1175

Graphical:
(High End Systems) Vibrancy ENB: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/17232
(Low End Systems) Shadow Remover: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/16464
ApachiiSkyHair: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/10168

New Content:
Moonpath to Elsweyr: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9782

World Immersion:
Open Cities Skyrim: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/8058
Skyrim Monster Mod: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/16421
Warzones - Civil Unrest: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9494
Frostfall: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11163
Sounds of Skyrim: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/10886 and http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/8601


Armor:
Lore Friendly Armor Pack: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/6684

Spells:
Apocalypse Spell Package: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/16225
The Revenge of Colette - Powers and Spells for Discerning Adventurers: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/17353 - disclaimer, this one's mine.

Followers:
Ultimate Follower Overhaul: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/14037
Specialized Followers: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/7245
Lylvieve Sisters - can't link, advlt. Actually gives a moderately amusing questline, which is why I like it.

Misc:
SkyUI: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/3863
Unofficial Skyrim Patch: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=19
Alternate Start - Live Another Life: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9557
Cloaks of Skyrim: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/12092
Wearable Lanterns: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/17416
A Quality World Map With Roads: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/4929
Magic Duel: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/18763/
SkyRe: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9286
The Dance of Death - A Killmove Mod: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/10906

I've tried to list things that I don't like and not just have this be a shill for my favorites and my own work. Even so, this does lean hard to reflecting my own tastes.

you could go to the nexus and see the top mods of all time and just pick from there. that's what i usually do but i do recommend the cloaks of skyrim mod. It's really really good

nice list, add in Crafting 300 and Omegared99's armor pack and it looks good.

Ooh, crafting 300 looks pretty nice... Don't care for the perk changes, though, personally. Think I might grab that Omegared99 one for myself, even though it tends a little hard on the 'look I got briasts!' for my tastes.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11836
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/15972

Why, Astral! You conjured up weird images in my head. Dx

Here's the list of all the mods I'm using in my current game:

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=19 by Kivan. I use this because, well, there are bugs thatBethesda hasn't fixed yet.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1175 by Elys. I use this not just to uncap my skills but also to adjust the speed at which my skills advance.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9557 by Arthmoor. I use this because 1) I've been through the Helgen start so many times I find myself watching clouds pass or banners flap out of sheer boredom and 2) because not all of the character I want to play are criminsal or suspected criminals. My current character is a Dunmer who grew up in Windhelm, with a rsentment at how her family was treated, which affects all of her actions in the game. I was able to use Live Another Life to start this character in Windhelm. The character then spent her first several levels inside Windhelm, which really made it feel as though she was leaving home, when she did leave. Live Another Life is one of the most useful roleplaying mods that has been made for Skyrim.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9694 by dogtown1. I use this mod because I thought there were a few too many rabbits and goats underfoot in the vanilla game and not enough enemies. This mod has given my Dunmer thief a run for her money a few times. It makes the game a bit more difficult, but without making it insanely, tediously difficult. I think most of the new monsters are pretty well done. As an old Morrowind player it's almost owrth it just to see Guar here and there.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=2762 by Phitt. Playing the game naturally, without trying to get wealthy, my first character became wealthy way too fast for my taste. The mod comes in several degrees of difficulty. I'm using the Very Hard plugin with my Dunmer. At level 20 she still has only 1000 to 4000 gold at any given time.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4548 by Phitt. I use this because I dislike combat music. I consider combat music to be a kind of cheat. I, the player, do not want to be psychically alerted whenever an enemy has spotted my character. Because my character cannot hear combat music, I consider combat music to be a meta-game mechanic.


http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=912 by Doublevil. I use this to 1) turn off my compass but more importantly 2) to turn off map markers. I think Skyrim's 3D map is actually pretty attractive and I really dislike seeing it be obscured by over-sized, ugly black-and-white icons everywhere. Turning off map markers keeps my map looking clean and attractive.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=11414 by The Great and Powerful BaconCat. Not only disables fast travel but also rasies carriage fee (200 gold for existing routes, 500 gold for new destinations). The higher price, in conjuction with my other mods, makes carriage travel something I often have to plan for in advance, adding a strategic element to offset the greater convenience.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9544 by Ditre. Part of the "suite" of mods that affects gold and travel in my games. Now that I've taken fast trvel out of my game, this mod adds carraiges to towns like Dawnstar and Falkreath to compensate. This helps to cut down on the tedium that can sometimes happen when we run/ride over the same roads again and again. This mod also increases the fee for carriage travel.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1603 by Wolfmark. This mod adds an executable file that allows the user to easily configure four settings: player walking, player running, horse walking, horse running. I have used it to tweak player walking speed to be slightly faster.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=746 by Cipscis. This eliminates most of the "arrow to the knee" comments. Enough said.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3084 by Corepc. This comes in a few variants that change the length of time Skyrim respawns, reducing it from its default 30 days. I use the 3 Day DeadBody Timer and the 3 Day Respawn modules. Be aware: there is a reason Bethesda set Skyrim's respawn to a higher number than was found in Morrowind and Oblivion. If you do the main quest you will be fighting through a brand-new encampment of Forsworn every time you enter Sky Haven Temple. This can get a little old after awhile, depending on how you feel about it.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10905 by The Great and Powerful BaconCat. This cuts down on Merchant pvssyr when you initiate the barter window.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10579 by LtMattmoo. Makes some very handy changes to horses in the game: it gives horses different colors and stats, you can also configure horses to not fight, to be essential, to adjust their stats, you can command your horse to come, follow or stay put, and they can "trample" NPCs when sprinting into them, causing damge.
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=12396 by Nicoroshi. Adds some really lovely swords and daggers to the game. I put the shortswords into the Dark Brotherhood Santuary and renamed them Shrouded Shortswords, as a "benefit" of joining. I started them out with iron stats and am increasing the stats to stay equivalent to weapons I loot. That way my Dunmer can keep these wonderful creations for her whole game and not fall behind.


http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1943 by ClassicalNoodle. Allows you to skip perks you don't want. You still need the skill to take a perk, though.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=16796 by Princess Stomper. A Skyrim house mod by legendary modder and moderator Princess Stomper. This is a modest, cozy home with a nautical theme. The downstairs is a refurbished sunken ship that comes with a view window through which you can see into Riften's canol.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=16438 by Dragten. This mod does two things: 1) it gives you a way to add carry capacity through crafting and 2) it adds some cool-looking accessories, like pouches and bandoliers.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4708 by Psyke23 and oldholo. Triss Armor is one of the nicest-looking modded armors I've ever seen. There are several installation options, including colors and replacers. I chose to have it replace vanilla Dark Brotherhood armor with Triss Armor. What with Nico's shortswords and this Triss armor, my Dunmer thief/assassin is really stylin'.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13049 by MyGoodEye and Gopher. This is a handy mod that adds in-game color, hue and contrast customization. It is done through a spell. You can see the effect of your change immediately, which allows you to fine-tune the settings on-the-fly. I use it to remove desaturation and to give Skyrim a slightly redder, warmer tint.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4929 by IcePenguin. This mod adds roads to the 3D map, which is essential for someone like me who has disabled my compass and fast travel.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=95 by Valistar. This replaces the vanilla block capital letters font with many attractive options. I use the Magic Cards font.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=2812 by Bella. This removes the worry lines on the foreheads of some of the races (one of the first things that really bothered me about the game on day one) and generally makes females look a bit younger, which was what I need for my young, punkish, naive Dunmer.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10168 by Apachii. Adds some nice new hairstyles.

lol, if you think a 3 day respawn can get old, try it with 1 hour respawns.