Combat mods with SRLE

[statmonster]

I've rebuilt SRLE + REGS (the cities, towns and NPCS, not so much extra quests or any Steam mods) plus a few NPC mods and other favorites.

 

But I am a loss as to what to do about combat. I feel vanilla combat is a bit bland and lacks much in the way of tactics and tricks. (I generally play a scout archer ranger sneaky type but not a lawbreaker.) I do use the ACE fighting module (only) as this gives nice maluses for being struck from a blind side if behind or while sneaking. However, I have not (yet) included any combat overhauls like Duel, Deadly Combat, Tk Combat etc.

 

Any suggestions about what I shoukd try, or more generally what woukd be good combat mods with SRLE?

[FCqt]

I'm personally using Duel - Combat Realism STABLE. Deadly Combat have not been updated in a while and I was not familliar with Tk Combat and Ultimate Combat so I choosed the good Ol' Duel.

 

That only cover combat behavior though. In addition to that I'm using Combat Evolved which makes the combat AI much smarter and buff creatures and hostile NPCs abilities and spell. Place it after Duel - Combat Realism in load order.

For animal/creatures, Animal Tweaks is what I'm using, but I would recommend using the "Base Game Balance optional" because some of the original buff is too much, in my opinion, when using with SiC & HLE. Also it have some incompatibility with Falskaar/OBIS, but it's easily fix in TES4EDIT.

For perks, easy, Perkus Maximus.

 

I'm also using my own difficulty slider based on a 1:1 ratio (1x damage by me, 1x damage by npc to me). I'm level 18 and still using VE, the other difficulty are really just in case I'm starting to get overpowered.

 

VE = 1:1

E = 0.9:1.1

N= 0.8:1.2

H=: 0.7:1.3

VH= 0.6:1.4

L= 0.5:1.5

 

With all that I'm pretty satisfied with my combat experience. :)

 

Link to mods:

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/2700/

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/56147/

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/60222/

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/17491

Edited February 12, 2015 by FCqt

[statmonster]

Thanks!

 

What are the six ratios above from? (I understand your description of what they do - just not sure where they're from - the community uncapper? PerMa?)

 

Perkimus Maximus seems interesting but maybe too much - also not sure how stable/reliable it is - does it play well with Duel? I've used Duel 5.x extensively and just narrowly went against including it for now (hoping to get more feedback on something better perhaps) but though 7.x was too much - too much of a one shot - one kill from what I've remembered. I am somewhat turned off by the idea of having to run SUM for it

 

I've also used Erkeil's Enhanced Enemy AI - can't remember if it made much if a difference - perhaps it did but I tend not to be on the lookout for things like that while I'm playing.

 

Not sure if a perk overhaul or perk tweaks are the way to go. I like Kryptopyr's Stealth and Smithing mods. Something to fix enchanting would be great. I don't play mages so don't really care about that as long as enemy warlocks are reasonable. Maybe I should be looking at a lightweight combat perk overhaul like part of ACE. (I already use its realistic fighting but having used us perk mods in quite a while.)

[FCqt]

The six ratio are from GMST (Game Settings). I just created an ESP in TES5EDIT and added them.

 

For VE: (which is Novice difficulty)

 

fDiffMultHPByPCVE (Damage done by player on Novice Difficulty)

fDiffMultHPToPCVE (Damage done to player by npc on Novice Difficulty)

 

Replace VE by the other difficulty (E, N, H, VH, L)

 

E = Apprentice

N = Adept

H = Expert

VH = Master

L = Lengendary

 

I am currently using Perkus Maximus with SR:LE + Partial REGS and I have not experienced any game breaking bug, a couple of sound loop but not sure if it's even caused my PerMa.

With that said there's no deny that PerMa can be a pain to start woking with but totally worth the hassle in the end if your willing to put in the time.

 

Also, Duel Combat is compatible with PerMa, yes. Duel only change a couple Game Settings and add some Stagger effect on hit. It does increase damage done by Weapon and reduce Armor Rating to a small extent but if playing on Adept/Expert it should not be a problem.

It simply improve upon Perkus Maximus and Combat Evolved.

 

I can't talk for Erkeil's AI but with Combat Evolved, the difference is really obvious. The NPC are right there in your face bashing, interrupting and moving. When your facing 2 or more enemies it's very much possible that they will interrupt and bash you to death if you don't react quickly. Having a follower make much more sense when facing multiple enemy. It also increase damage of spell and monster abilities (like spider poison or fireball) so if you use this on difficulty higher then expert it's very likely that you will die quickly. Hence why I'm playing on a 1:1 ratio, kill or be killed. :)

 

Animal Tweak is from the same author as Combat Evolved and does the same thing as the later but focused on animals.

 

If you don't want to dig in PerMa you might be interested by Enchanting Awakened: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/42796/?

Edited February 12, 2015 by FCqt

[statmonster]

Thanks.

 

Have you tried Animal Tweaks? I assume so and that you like it... Have you ever used Sky Test - if so how do you think this one compares to Sky Test?

 

I used Enchanting Awakaned and think it's a great mod - but for a very focused play through style. If you want an Enchanting focused play through it would be great. It adds a lot if depth to the play of this. It makes enchanting a very esoteric field of endeavor with considerable nuances and specialization required - just the thing for making play as an enchanter more immerse. However if enchanting us only going to be a casual aspect of your play through then it's not very suitable. The inability to use most magic items without dumping several perks into enchanting means that warriors or thieves (for example) will generally not be able to make use of items they find. The very restrictive nature of the three paths through enchanting careers makes for an interesting game if you are focused on this - buts it's annoying if enchanting is just tangential to your game and you only want a magic sword and some armor for your warrior. Egocaribe is rebuilding it for v 2.0 - hopefully this will make it a mod useful for a wider variety of play styles. (I really like his dynamic potions and consider that a great mod for virtually all play styles.)

 

I think I'm going to give Combat evolved (all except sneak where I really like Kryptopyrs Sneak Skills Revised) & Deadly Combat a try - the errors in Duel's ESPs have always left me a bit suspicious whether there are similar unseen glitches in the scripts that I can't see.

Edited February 15, 2015 by statmonster

[FCqt]

If you use Skyrim immersive Creatures you are better off with Animal Tweaks. SkyTest add new animal variant which is redundant and not needed when using Skyrim Immersive Creatures. Animal Tweak is much more recent then SkyTest and it's still being actively updated, It's also very specific on what it does which make it compatible with other mods; It improve animal behavior, increase their damage and change how animal interact with different species.

 

I recommend you to check out both Combat Evolved and Animal Tweak in TES5EDIT to better understand what it does and check the conflict with your current modlist.

 

I have no error in my Duel ESP... there is a lot of script spam going on though. Which is true for all combat mods (Duel, Deadly Combat, Ultimate Combat)

There's no king of all combat mods, I took Duel because is the simplest of them all and get the job done.

Edited February 13, 2015 by FCqt

[EthanII]

I use Deadly Combat, Combat Evolved, Stealth Skills Rebalanced (Complete Basic), Immersive Potions, and SPERG.  I also use ASIS with the improved INI files to distribute perks, spells, and NPC potions in addition to the NPC enchantment fix, and I play with SkyRe's Encounter Zones esp.  The combination is, frankly, freaking awesome.  I'm level 24 now (I modified the uncapper settings to level at 60% normal speed, so I've experienced more of the game than you would think at level 24) and I still regularly get my ass handed to me.  Boss fights are guaranteed reloads, and I really need to use potions, scrolls, and solid tactics to finish every dungeon.

 

I experimented a lot with Ultimate Combat, and liked it also.  It gives NPCs unblockable special attacks that use killmove animations, and while that was cool at first after a while it got tedious to be receiving a beatdown that you had no opportunity to block or avoid.  Deadly combat seemed to be just as challenging, but more "fair". 

 

Hope this helps... let me know if you want more info about my setup.

Edited February 14, 2015 by EthanII

[statmonster]

I've tried Animal Tweaks a bit and am uncertain.

 

1. I'm not sure I want animals leveling up with the player - do I really want to see level 45 Skeevers?

 

2. In playing the Helgen to Roverwood intro (with Combat Evokved, Dangerous Combat and -Animal Tweaks) - the new abilities, speed and high damage outputs makes animal fights pretty brutal -

 

2a. I've fought the 5 spiders in Helgen a few times now. The usual progression is Hadvar goes ahead into close combat while I snipe at them, he/we take down one or two before they drive him to his knees and then they charge me - I take down one more before they close with me and kill me. I will lose an archery vs spit duel and their bite is vastly more effective than my sword and shield. I can take them on one on one up close if not wounded/poisoned, but if I'm hit with spit first, I am doomed.

 

2b. Wolves on the road to Helgen - this is a very close fight, if I can kill one and wound another as they close, Hadvar can suck up enough damage and take down another letting me finish off any wounded. But if one or two fresh wolves get by him I'm pretty much toast as one or two bites takes me down.

 

Overall it feels like if more than one creature gets to close combat I simply need to have a tank/essential follower to suck up damage.

 

My play style of not using healing potions in combat (they are all set to heal over time rather than instantly and no stacking permitted) may be what makes many of these encounters dangerous - I simply have no way to regain health while in melee which, combined with the mods high damage out and disabling side effects, means a first hit will usually disable me and set me up for the second and fatal blow.

[statmonster]

Using the above setup combat against storm cloaks in Helgen was not too difficult. I was very conscious to let Hadvar suck up the first blows while I stabbed his enemies in the back while they were raining blows on him. One on one I could take down the storm cloaks with 2-4 hits (or so it seemed) though they very rarely got a chance to take a swing at me.

 

The high level bandit (level 40 on at least one occasion) that some mod puts on the road to Helgen was almost invariably fatal to me. Hadvar could not tank them for long enough and our damage output was minuscule - it would take 30+ hits to take one down while 2-3 blows would drive Hadvar to his knees and one (or sometimes two) blows from a bandit would kill me. I fought this about 6-8 times and won twice - once against the level 40 guy trapped in the river (we shot him down to 10% of health before running out of arrows then killed him in close combat when he was too wounded to fight back - an effect of NPC - KO?) and once against an archer we outshot (killing in 6-12 arrow hits so probably lower level).

 

All of this was on Adept.

 

Also (in addition to the dynamic potion changes I make) I have also cut down the rear and side movement speeds as I think kiting battles are pretty silly.

Edited February 15, 2015 by statmonster

[FCqt]

Even if you you face a level 45~ skeever, for your level they will still remain weak and should die in 1 or 2 hit so I would not be worried about creatures scaling with you. SiC, HLE & OBIS already does that...

 

The spider's are one of the most dangerous creatures (Trolls are nasty too) with Combat Evolved and/or Animal Tweaks (both mods affect make similar change), their poison  does high damage and can paralyze you in some case and they have greater movement speed. I also use potion over 8 seconds (PerMa default) and at early game it's really important to dodge the spit because it's really hard to heal through two of those. It's best to use fire spells against spider, and against many different creatures actually. Also, make sure you use the Base Game Balace optional for both Combat Evolved and Animal Tweak, this only increase damage done by around 1/3 instead of 1/2 with the normal version, this can help. And yes, having a follower is a necessity for more then just carrying stuff.

 

For the level 40 bandit, sounds like there's a conflict somewhere. Examine your Bashed Patch leveled list for bandit in tes5edit. The wounded effect is indeed from NPC - KO. I personally disabled the mod because more often then not the NPCs would get "stuck" in their wounded state without me or my follower being able to finish them off. It got annoying after a while.

Edited February 15, 2015 by FCqt