Changes From Vanilla
Delevelled World
- All encounters are no longer leveled, the appearance of a given NPC or creature only depends on your current location and luck.
- Some creature encounter lists have been altered, for example you will see more small than large mudcrabs and more wolves than bears.
- Loot is no longer dependent on your level, but high quality items are of course much rarer.
- Quests rewards are decoupled from your level.
- Locks no longer change, a master lock at level 1 will always be a master lock.
- Trap damage is now independent of your level and therefore much higher and often even lethal.
Combat Changes
- Your enemies are more skilled than before. If somebody wields a mace, you better expect some armor crushing blows from him.
- Weapon damage has increased significantly, especially archery, which is now deadly. A skilled archer can frequently take out an unarmored humanoid with a single shot. But drawing a bow now also takes considerably more time.
- Blocking and/or dodging is now essential if you want to survive melee combat.
- Dragons are the flying, magic casting tanks with teeth that you should be afraid of.
- Dragon priests are even worse.
- Weight of your armor affects your magicka pool, clothing is better for mages, Spell sword is not something to be at level one, either focus the sword or the spells.
- Don’t expect to be wearing heavy armor and running marathons from level 1. It takes perks, time, and training to master the art of being a walking tank.
- Heavy Armor makes sneaking impossible.
- Sneak mages can’t exist. Spells Make noise to cast until you are deep into the illusion tree.
- Stamina is a precious resource at lower levels. Wearing any armor without the first perk causes a drain standing still, even with the first perk you will lose it if you are running around. Anyone with armor should be investing in stamina restoration food.
- Low quality wooden / iron / steel bows break on Melee hit, if you plan on being a archer, get a better bow.
Quest Changes
- Some quests have had starting requirements changed to accommodate for the rewards, no more doing daedric weapon quests at level 5.
- Main Quest does not start until you kill a dragon. Dragons don’t spawn until level 15.
- Thieves guild requires you to be a thief before Brynjolf will approach you.
- mage guild requires magic skills to join, until you have apprentice level skills, Faralda wont let you in.
Immersion
- Survival has a much, much greater importance, you can and will die if you don’t eat, sleep or stay warm.
- Your initial Carry weight is more realistic, but you can craft or buy Backpacks to increase it.
- It’s dark when it’s supposed to be, night vision, a torch, or lantern is required for dungeon diving.
- Getting sick and/or drunk and/or consuming a lot of alchemy ingredients gives a visual effect/blurring on your screen.
- Food is essential - the perks they offer to regeneration alone mean you should always have a buff active
Other Changes
- Houses have had their prices or quest requirements altered.
- Blacksmithing and enchanting are no longer mandatory, blacksmiths and court wizards can do these services for you.
- Level cap is 82, therefore Perk points are limited. Plan where you are going to spend them accordingly.
- Vampires are Allergic to sunlight, and restoration spells don’t work. They have their own healing spell in the conjuration tree.
- You are not forced to perk into lock picking. Spells for unlocking, scrolls for unlocking and just plain smacking the lock can be used instead.
- Aedras (good gods) don’t like crime; you make crimes, they turn their back to you and prevent shrines from functioning. Once lost, you cannot regain the blessings, however there’s a legal way to get their “cure disease” back, but honestly is not worth the penalties it inflicts.