MD's Morrowind Modding Guide

This is a modding guide focused on gameplay, immersion, faction, quest, and story enhancements to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
Knots got me started in Morrowind many years ago, and while his instructions are top-notch, they're a bit too taxing on my old computer.
Still, if you DO want the best looking game possible, read this:
http://vgtes.wikia.com/wiki/Morrowind
And come back when you're satisfied with what he offers.

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One important first step is obtaining Wrye Mash, a modding, savegame, screenshot, and installation utility for Morrowind:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes3Mod:Wrye_Mash
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT UTILITY YOU'LL EVER DOWNLOAD.
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The second-most-important utility out there is Morrowind Expanded; this is NOT Morrowind Script Extender and the two in their native forms are incredibly unstable when run together.
IF YOU PLAN TO USE MORROWIND GRAPHICS EXTENDER (MGE),
http://sourceforge.net/projects/morrgraphext/
ACTIVATE THE MWSE OPTION WITHIN THAT PROGRAM; IT IS MUCH MORE STABLE THAN THE INDEPENDENT MWSE WHEN USED WITH MWE.
Why use MWE? Well, it fixes the combat, de-incentivizing "Always Use Best Attack" and adding bullet time, a 'Rage' mechanic, and special attacks for certain combos.

http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=2576

MWE Combat Enhanced - described above
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=2164
MWE Blocking Enhanced - drains 'Block' to 0; but, when the 'C' key is held, fortifies it to 1000. Allows as highly accurate 'Blocking' as is possible in Morrowind's engine.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=1958
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Morrowind Code Patch. If it sounds vitally important and useful, that's because it is. Catch it.
http://morrowind.nexusmods.com/mods/19510/
Morrowind Patch Project. Same.
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes3Mod:Morrowind_Patch_Project
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Since I don't use MGE, it would be remiss of me to give instruction on it; consult Knots if you wish to use it, as it's almost worth using merely for its stable Morrowind Script Extender.
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When you're comfortable with Wrye Mash and how it works (dragging and dropping .RARs to your 'Installation' folder mainly), you're ready to start Modding.
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WORLD ENHANCEMENTS

Animal Realism - no more suicidal Cliff Racers! All ambient wildlife that isn't diseased is neutral towars you.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=24

Signposts Retextured - puts actual words on the signs, where before you had to read them to see directions.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=9445

abot's Silt Striders, Boats, and Gondolas give you a 'scenic travel' option with these methods of transportation. Excellent for immersion.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=9122
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=9371
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=9153

ALL OF THE "LGNPC" MODS - "Less Generic NPCs" give the game an incredible amount of ambiance and depth; encounter an infertile Bosmeri pauper and cure her out of the kindness of your heart, or a repentant Dunmer thief with a tragic tale to tell.
http://lgnpc.org/downloads

Bitter Coast Sounds - makes it sound like a real swamp. Official plug-in, no-brainer.
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Bitter_Coast_Sounds

Mountainous Red Mountain - Makes Red Mountain, the end-game hellish nightmare world, stupefyingly tall, practically doubling it from its original size. Without draw distance enhancers, you literally cannot see the bottom from any distance up.
http://morrowind.nexusmods.com/mods/42125/

Darknut's Greater Dwemer Ruins - It makes the end-game dungeons crazy as shit. It just does. Catch it.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?id=6068&view=Mods.Detail

MRM/GDR Patch - Courtesy of Knots. Makes the previous two mods compatible, for an extra-special Hell.
http://www.somethingfornobody.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=323

Book Rotate and Book Jackets - beautify the game's books and enable them to be easily placed on shelves in one's home.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=1230
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=4054

All of Vurt's retexture mods - They don't hinder performance on bad machines like MGE's graphical options, and they make Vvardenfell fucking beautiful:
Vurt's Ashlands Overhaul,
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=8200
Vurt's Bitter Coast Tree Replacer II,
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=164497
Vurt's Grazelands Unique Trees,
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=8805
Vurt's Solstheim Trees and Bushes
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=162708

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CHARACTER ENHANCEMENTS

Necessities of Morrowind - eating, sleeping, and drinking (including 'drinking'). Very immersive, especially in its fully-realized cooking animations, complete with dozens of recipes for native and exotic delicacies. Fully customizable so nocturnal or hardy players need not be hassled by sleep requirements.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=3027

1st Person Enhanced gives the game - what else? Far better first person animations, using the third-person animations to simulate head bob and the like.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=7773

Better Bodies (Better Heads optional - some justifiably criticize it for a certain blandness or generic quality, though the higher-poly meshes make it worth it for other users)
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=213

Better Clothes for Better Bodies - self-explanatory and absolutely necessary.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=8737
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=8931

Oblivion Style Quivers and Bows - you can make the pauldrons have "quivers" where your bow and arrows show up on your back when sheathed. As long as you're using vanilla armors, of course.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=8734

Balanced Medium Armor - People go either way on this one. Light armor is nerfed and many Medium sets are buffed; I personally think Medium sets are among the best-looking in the game and it makes sense from a balance perspective for them to be viable.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=6955

Playable Dremora - Play as a Dremora! It's a no-brainer!
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=2967

Scripted Spells - Turn into a bat, or a bear, or a cliff racer, or a Kwama forager; make that Alteration training count!
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=1981

Better Daedric - Puts Morrowind's near-mythical ultimate heavy armor set in line with Better Bodies.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=3060

Dark Brotherhood Armor Replacer - Makes the Sons of Sithis look like Oblivion's concept art, meaning the best-designed Brothers... well, ever. Better than original Morrowind, Oblivion, AND Skyrim for cool.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=3901

Hilgya the Seamstress - pre-eminent waifu/husbando dressup resource.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=6207
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=7098
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FACTION/QUEST ENHANCEMENTS

DB Attack Mod - to prevent getting assassinated before the end of the main quest. Since you're playing the GOTY version because of course you are, this solves the uncanny issue of 1337 Assassins hunting a foreign ex-con fresh off the boat.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=2487

Antares' Big Mod, which gives factions different 'services' (eg hire the Morag Tong to actually assassinate someone for you, the Thieves Guild to steal someone's stuff).
Also allows high-ranking faction members to 'promote' or expel their subordinates, purely for immersion and flavor.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?id=5892&view=Mods.Detail

Rise of House Telvanni - the greatest Wizard power fantasy of all time. You will travel to several planes of Oblivion, assassinate people and impersonate their ghosts, infiltrate the minds of rogue subordinates, and all manner of unreasonable shenanagans in this quest mod.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=4449

Uvirith's Legacy and Building Up Uvirith's Legacy - Your Telvanni Tower just got 30 hours of quests, three companions, and a buildable surrounding town! This plus RoHT can easily constitute an entire satisfying playthrough all on their own.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?id=5997&view=Mods.Detail
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=7736
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WONKY/LORE-BREAKING ENHANCEMENTS

Vampiric Hunger and Vampire Embrace. These turn Vampirism from the lore-friendly curse to an Anne Rice power fantasy - rule the night, bless followers with the Gift, gain magickal vampire powers. Not lore friendly, but who cares.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=1914
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=771

I do NOT recommend Vampire Realism, however,
as it adds a bunch of OC bullshit like vampires walking around cities in stupid outfits. Also staking, which isn't fun to manage, especially with the unnecessary proliferation of pointless vampires.

Werewolf Realism - brings the children of Hircine in line with the modded Vampire experience.
https://www.msu.edu/~kindersa/were-realism.html

Scourge of the Lich Father for a fun city and separate questline in West Gash. Unnecessary for a first playthrough.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=3242

Tamriel Rebuilt - I'd hold off on this one. Its most recent update, TR 3, broke most compatibility mods, including for NOM and abot's scenic travels;
you have plenty of content to work through while modders sort out compatibilities and bring their works in line with this. While it aims to rebuild all of Morrowind's mainland, that's an impossibly tall order for a fresh Outlander to take on.
If you want it, though, here it is:
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=mods.detail&id=9524