Skyrim Modding Priority Pyramid Guide

Purpose of This Document

This document provides a step-by-step guide for organizing and building a large Skyrim modlist using the Priority Pyramid method. The guide breaks mods into clear categories, explains the purpose of each, and suggests example mods for each step. It is designed to ensure stability, avoid conflicts, and help modders create an immersive, functional load order.

Detailed Priority Pyramid Outline

1. Foundations

Purpose: Establish game stability with essential fixes and tools to prevent crashes, bugs, and performance issues.
Example Mods:

Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (USSEP)
Engine Fixes
Bug Fixes SSE, Scrambled Bugs
Address Library for SKSE Plugins

2. Frameworks

Purpose: Core systems and dependencies that other mods rely on. Install these early to avoid dependency issues.
Example Mods:

SKSE (Skyrim Script Extender)
SkyUI
Dynamic Animation Replacer (DAR) or Open Animation Replacer (OAR)
Fuz Ro D-oh

3. Core Overhauls

Purpose: Large gameplay-changing mods, such as perk overhauls, combat, or survival mechanics.
Example Mods:

Ordinator (or Vokrii) for perks
Wildcat or Valravn for combat
Apocalypse – Magic of Skyrim

4. Graphics

Purpose: Visual upgrades for textures, models, lighting, and overall graphical fidelity.
Example Mods:

SMIM (Static Mesh Improvement Mod)
Noble Skyrim or Skyland for textures
ELFX or Lux for lighting

5. World Building

Purpose: Overhauls to the world itself, including cities, villages, and landscapes.
Example Mods:

JK’s Skyrim or The Great Cities
Blended Roads, Skyrim 3D Trees, Origins of Forest

6. Weapons/Armor

Purpose: Additions and retextures for gear.
Example Mods:

Immersive Armors, Immersive Weapons
LeanWolf’s Better-Shaped Weapons
Cloaks of Skyrim

7. NPCs/Followers

Purpose: Overhaul or add new NPCs and followers.
Example Mods:

Bijin NPCs, Pandorable’s NPCs
Immersive Citizens
Inigo, Lucien, or Interesting NPCs

8. Quests/New Lands

Purpose: Expands Skyrim with new quests, guilds, and lands.
Example Mods:

Legacy of the Dragonborn (LOTD)
Beyond Skyrim: Bruma
Wyrmstooth, Moonpath to Elsweyr

9. Immersion Tweaks

Purpose: Enhance realism with small immersive changes.
Example Mods:

Wet and Cold, Footprints
Enhanced Blood Textures

10. Audio

Purpose: Overhaul sound effects, music, and ambient audio.
Example Mods:

Immersive Sounds – Compendium
Audio Overhaul for Skyrim (AOS)
Sounds of Skyrim Complete

11. Animations

Purpose: Update or replace character and creature animations.
Example Mods:

XPMSSE (XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended)
EVG Conditional Idles, Vanargand Animations
Nemesis or FNIS for behavior generation

12. Combat Overhauls

Purpose: Enhance combat mechanics.
Example Mods:

Wildcat, Ultimate Combat
TK Dodge RE, Precision

13. Magic Overhauls

Purpose: Expand or rebalance Skyrim’s magic system.
Example Mods:

Apocalypse – Magic of Skyrim
Mysticism
Triumvirate

14. Economy/Trade

Purpose: Adjust the in-game economy and merchant systems.
Example Mods:

Trade and Barter
Scarcity – Less Loot Mod

15. Survival/Needs

Purpose: Add survival mechanics like hunger, cold, and fatigue.
Example Mods:

Frostfall, Campfire
iNeed or Sunhelm

16. HUD/UI

Purpose: Improve the interface and HUD.
Example Mods:

SkyUI
Immersive HUD (iHUD)
moreHUD, A Matter of Time

17. Final Tools (DynDOLOD, Patches, Conflict Resolution)

Purpose: Finalize your load order, resolve conflicts, and generate LODs.
Example Tools:

DynDOLOD
xEdit (SSEEdit) for conflict resolution
Wrye Bash for a Bashed Patch
LOOT for sorting

How to Use This Guide

Work through the categories in order, stabilizing each step before moving on.
Use Mod Organizer 2 profiles to test categories individually before combining them into a final load order.
Use tools like ModMapper or spreadsheets to plan ahead and track changes.

Priority Pyramid: Install Order