Table of Contents
- Engine
- Bug Fixes
- New Landmasses
- Graphics
- Mods aligning vanilla with the wider Tamriel
- Quest mods tied to Tamriel Rebuilt or Tamriel Data
- Gameplay
- Miscellaneous
Engine
You can use either one of two, mutually exclusive engines to play Morrowind and Tamriel Rebuilt: the vanilla engine (a.k.a. Morrowind.exe, NetImmerse, or Gamebryo) or OpenMW. As for choosing – up to you. Tamriel Rebuilt has some neat features which currently only work with the vanilla engine, whereas OpenMW may have somewhat better performance and is easier to set up.
Vanilla
Morrowind Code Patch (MCP) and MCP Beta - Hrnchamd
Incompatible with OpenMW
Modifies Morrowind’s exe to fix bugs and optimize things – as such, MCP is a requirement when not using OpenMW. MCP also allows you to scale up the map to show TR’s landmass, although the option provided by UI Expansion is by now superior.
To fix even more issues, install also the MCP Beta from the link above. This requires a base installation of MCP to already be present.
Morrowind Graphics Extender XE (MGE XE) and Morrowind Script Extender Nightly (MWSE) - Hrnchamd, NullCascade & MWSE Team
Incompatible with OpenMW
MGE XE allows Morrowind to render distant views, scenery shadows, high quality shaders, UI scaling and other features. MWSE, which comes bundled with it, makes vast additional modding functions available via the Lua scripting language.
If you use the vanilla engine, this is also semi-required (use it along with Morrowind Code Patch above), as otherwise our custom editor markers will be visible in-game. MGE XE’s graphics enhancements can be turned off if you prefer the vanilla graphics. Tamriel Rebuilt and Tamriel_Data also have several smaller-scale but impressive features that only work when using MWSE.
Mind you, this is not compatible with OpenMW. (OpenMW users will instead have seamless fallbacks to MWSE-only features from Tamriel Data. OpenMW also bundles many similar engine improvements of MGE XE and MWSE, though not nearly all and not in the same way.)
Since MWSE updates every other day or so, you should run its bundled updater script (mwse-updater.exe) every once in a while.
UI Expansion - NullCascade
Incompatible with OpenMW, requires MWSE
Provides innumerable additional UI elements, designed to provide a more functional user experience, completely customizable through the added Mod Configuration Menu. The killer feature in terms of Tamriel Rebuilt is the expanded map, which can show all of TR lands without the compromises of the older MCP option. This is disabled by default; you can turn it on in the configuration menu, after which you will need to reboot the game.
OpenMW includes many, but not nearly all of these features by default.
OpenMW
OpenMW - OpenMW team
Incompatible with MCP and MGE XE / MWSE
An open source engine replacer for Morrowind, fixing many bugs with Morrowind’s engine. OpenMW allows for better performance of Tamriel Rebuilt on modern hardware. It also allows the map to be as big as your mods need it to be, at a higher resolution than MCP. Advanced Lua scripting functionality is slowly being added, although it is not yet as featureful as MWSE.
Tes3MP - Stanislav Zhukov & David Cernat & OpenMW team
Incompatible with MCP and MGE XE / MWSE
A branch of OpenMW, it allows for cooperative multiplayer functionality by setting up player-hosted servers. These can range from vanilla-only to highly modded setups. Additionally, Lua-based server-side scripting allows for a very different and new experience,
Bug fixes
We highly recommend you install all mods in this category.
Patch for Purists - Half11 & TES3 Community
Patch for Purists supersedes the Morrowind Patch Project/Unofficial Morrowind Patch at this time by still being maintained and limiting itself strictly to bug fixes, with gameplay changes confined to optional plugins. Notably has implemented some bug fixes in coordination with TR and the PT mods.
Expansion Delay - Half11
Fixes overly enthusiastic expansion hooks by delaying the Dark Brotherhood attacks (for Tribunal) and limiting intrustive dialogue topics to a few NPCs (Bloodmoon). Due to its clean and thoughtful implementation, it supersedes most other expansion delayers and anti-nag mods.
Morrowind Optimization Patch - Remiros & Greatness7
This mod greatly improves outdoor (and to a degree indoor) performance in Morrowind, as well as fixing a lot of errors related to flora.
Project Atlas - Melchior Dahrk and the Project Atlas Team
An extension of Morrowind Optimization Patch which makes models use only one texture instead of many, improving performance. Install after Morrowind Optimization Patch.
New Landmasses
Project Tamriel
Our sister project – each mod under this umbrella is fully integrated with Tamriel Rebuilt, sharing our worldbuilding, as well as many of our developers.
Skyrim: Home of the Nords - SHotN Team
Adds a portion of Skyrim into the game: the Reach near Markarth including the two cities of Karthwasten and Dragonstar. Adds 100+ quests including five faction questlines.
Project Cyrodiil - PC Team
Adds the Kingdom of Anvil, the Strident Coast region and the island of Stirk in the southwest of Cyrodiil, with many factions, intrigue and adventures. Includes 160+ quests.
Solstheim
Although not needed at present, Tamriel Rebuilt will eventually require that Solstheim be moved from its vanilla position. There are two mutually exclusive options for that, one that also overhauls the island, to boot:
Anthology Solstheim - Atrayonis
Incompatible with most Solstheim mods.
This mod simply moves Solstheim to a lore friendly position, further away from the mainland and Blacklight in particular.
Tomb of the Snow Prince - Wolli and the TOTSP Team
Replaces Anthology Solstheim and is incompatible with most Solstheim mods.
Massively overhauls the hastily-developed Solstheim exteriors in TES3: Bloodmoon, aiming for a much more detailed and interesting world space. The latest version includes Morrowind Optimization Patch’s Lake Fjalding fix, Anthology placement, and utilizes Tamriel_Data creatures and items to better integrate the island with the province mods.
Graphics
Tamriel Rebuilt is built to complement vanilla aesthetics, so we don’t recommend much in the way of graphics mods. The default shaders provided by MGE XE or OpenMW already do most of the heavy lifting to improve the game’s visuals, without producing any incompatibilities or inconsistencies. That said, there are a few straight improvements over vanilla assets that blend seamlessly into the game, which we recommend:
Graphic Herbalism - MWSE and OpenMW Edition - Stuporstar & Greatness7
Requires MWSE or OpenMW
Changes the way you pick plants - instead of opening a container, you simply activate them to harvest their contents, with a visual change upon harvest.
Tamriel Rebuilt flora supports this functionality natively. As such, the use of this mod is highly recommended.
Weapon Sheathing - TES3 Community
Requires MWSE or OpenMW
Shows equipped but sheathed weapons on a character’s hip or back. Includes sheath and quiver models for the vanilla game. Native support for many TR weapons is present in Tamriel_Data.
Glow in the Dahrk - MelchiorDahrk & NullCascade
Requires MWSE or OpenMW
Neat immersion mod to make windows glow at night in settlements with no performance overhead. The TR patch is not needed, as the assets are already merged into Tamriel_Data.
Note: OpenMW does not yet support the light rays present in version 3.0+; OpenMW users should continue using GitD version 2.11.2.
Familiar Faces - Caleb
Although they have a lot of character, Morrowind’s original face meshes were infamous even at launch for their rather sloppy technical quality. This vanilla-purist-friendly mod simply tweaks the face meshes so that they make better use of the original face textures. Instead of the old, oddly pinched and squeezed visages, we get to see what the texture artists likely intended the faces to look like. It also makes light tweaks to the body mesh to stop odd stretching. This mod should be compatible with whichever texture replacer you may be using.
Animation Blending - Greatness7
Requires MWSE / already bundled with OpenMW (v0.49+)
Adds animation blending to Morrowind, enabling smooth transitions between animations. Where before a character would abruptly teleport from one animation pose to the next, now they will seamlessly move between them.
Animation blending for the vanilla engine requires MWSE and the above mod.
On OpenMW versions 0.49 or higher, you don’t need to download the above mod – just turn on the “Animation Blending” option in the OpenMW launcher’s settings.
High-resolution Textures
Although the mod is developed primarily with vanilla-resolution (standard definition) textures in mind, we do provide a high-resolution Tamriel_Data version for those who prefer more crisp textures. If you want to use it, we recommend either of the following texture upscales, which bring vanilla textures up to the same size, while holding very true to the original aesthetics.
Morrowind Enchanced Textures - Project Enhance
The currently recommended algorithmic (AI-based) texture upscale that covers every texture in the vanilla game.
Contains pre-generated textures for Project Atlas.
Intelligent Textures - Remiros
An alternative AI upscale, though one that is currently less up to date than the above option.
Contains pre-generated textures for Project Atlas.
Grass
Tamriel Rebuilt is developed to look good without relying on grass mods (i.e. groundcover meshes), but for those who still like to have dense grass covering the landscape, there are currently a couple of options:
Grass for Tamriel Rebuilt (Aesthesia or Remiros’) - Shaord, Rytelier & Remiros
Requires MWSE or OpenMW
A groundcover plugin to place grass onto the landscape in Tamriel Rebuilt. Includes options for either Aesthesia Groundcover or Remiros’ Groundcover (install only one). Comes with the optional extra of groundcover in the seas, lakes and rivers.
Fantasia Grass - acidzebra
Requires MWSE or OpenMW
A more fantastical take on groundcover, this one has unique grass meshes for Tamriel Rebuilt regions.
Miscellaneous Graphics Changes
These are up to the individual’s taste.
Near Vanilla Road Sign Replacer - Updated - Atrayonis & Maarsz
A mod for people who want to keep graphics as close to vanilla as possible, yet still don’t like the illegible road signs that shipped with Morrowind GotY. Covers Tamriel Rebuilt lands, Vvardenfell, and Project Tamriel.
Unique Tavern Signs for Tamriel Rebuilt - Rats
A mod that replaces many of the Imperial tavern signs in Tamriel Rebuilt with unique ones for each tavern – although the taverns added in the last several years are not covered. Two versions exist, one colored and one with vanilla-style signs. The colored one goes well with Unique Banners and Signs.
Better Dialogue Font - Hrnchamd
Not needed on OpenMW
This mod makes Morrowind’s font clearer without changing the font size.
Better Daedric Font - hardek
Not needed on OpenMW
“A high resolution replacement for the Daedric font used in scrolls.”
Mods aligning vanilla with the wider Tamriel
Diverse Khajiit - New and Improved - Taniquetil
All Khajiit on Vvardenfell in vanilla TES III are of the Suthay-Raht subtype. Diverse Khajiit is a simple mod that changes some Khajiit on Vvardenfell to be other subtypes of Khajiit from canon, using the variant Khajiit races from Tamriel_Data. Also, two Bretons become Reachmen.
Cutting Room Floor - Cicero
This mod aims to be the one stop mod for all cut content in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and continues to evolve over time, including more content along the way. What this mod is restoring includes items, creatures, quests, NPC’s, keys, locations, scripts, spells, sounds, dialogue and voice acting. Cutting Room Floor influences some of the levellists for Tamriel Rebuilt. Cut content Items added by Tamriel Data and Cutting Room Floor share the same stats. The mod will evolve overtime alongside new releases of Tamriel Data and when Almalexia is created in Tamriel Rebuilt.
Repopulated Creatures - Grumbling Vomit
Distributes select Tamriel Data creatures, undead, and Daedra to lore-appropriate locations around Vvardenfell via both leveled-lists and hand-placement.
Quest mods tied to Tamriel Rebuilt or Tamriel Data
There are a ton of mods that tie into Tamriel Rebuilt; you can find most of them on Morrowind Nexus. Below are only some of the lighter quest mods that don’t affect gameplay, and which are made to more or less the same standards as TR itself.
Tamriel Rebuilt Introduction Quest - Help a Khajiit reach the City of Good People - Denis418
A short adventure starting near Seyda Neen, designed to give your character a story-based reason to leave Vvardenfell and travel to Old Ebonheart.
Thirteen Telvanni - a Dunmeri Card Game - Dillonn241
Adds a 2-to-4-player, fully playable card game to locations on Vvardenfell, with betting, available at several taverns and other gathering places. Uses the Telvanni suit and Morag Tong card from Tamriel_Data’s Dunmer card set. A Tamriel Rebuilt addon brings the game to various locations on the mainland.
Nine-holes - Dillonn241
Adds playable Nine-holes boards from Tamriel_Data to Vvardenfell, with an AI to challenge you and the option to bet gold. Do not use the optional Tamriel Rebuilt addon, as that has been merged into Tamriel Rebuilt already, starting in version 24.12.
Barristers Guild - Old Ebonheart Questline - levanesque
Makes the Barristers Guild into a joinable faction, with an epic, story-driven quest chain centered in Old Ebonheart!
Gameplay
The expanded scope of the gameworld means that some of the mechanics of the vanilla game don’t work as well as they used to. Hence, we recommend:
Beware the Sixth House, Tribunal Rebalance and Bloodmoon Rebalance - Mort
The creatures and NPCs in Morrowind’s expansions are extremely tough, as they were initially expected to be played with high-level characters that had already beaten the main game. However, this difficulty often doesn’t make sense from a worldbuilding perspective in the context of Vvardenfell and TR. These mods correct the issue by rebalancing the lower-level critters in the expansions, while keeping their endgames suitably high-level. Beware the Sixth House ups the difficulty of Sixth House enemies, which is perfect for a larger world with more leveling opportunities.
More Deadly Morrowind Denizens - AutumnBramble
Continuing on from the above, this mod takes it a step further by making 230+ NPCs on Vvardenfell much more challenging with careful application of unique spells, enchantments, and items. Compared to the more tame mainland, this will make Vvardenfell feel more like the challenging frontier it ought to be. The same author has also helped us balance some of our end-game dungeons and fights on the mainland.
Customizable MWSE Multi Mark and Harder Recall - Virnetch
Requires MWSE
A fully customizable overhaul of the Mark and Recall feature.
While we don’t recommend the multi mark feature by default, as it makes the balance easier than intended, the harder recall feature starts making a lot of sense when taking the size of Tamriel Rebuilt (and, especially, Project Tamriel) into account. Otherwise, the Nerevarine will be zipping from one side of Tamriel to the other with what seems like unreasonable ease.
Leveling Speed
Even with the above, players will soon find themselves overpowered given the amount of quest content. Generally, we recommend experiencing TR on several different character archetypes that each play through one or two factions. But for those who wish to experience more on a single save without becoming overpowered too soon, there are a couple of options (use only one):
Slower Leveling Speed - Varil92
This is a very simple mod that slows down leveling by half globally and increases skill training cost by a similar factor.
MULE - Mort’s Ultimate Leveling Experience - Mort
Requires MWSE
A highly transformative leveling mod that removes manual management of attributes and level-up min/maxing.
This is highly configurable; for our purposes what is important is that you can set leveling speed to be much lower than in the vanilla game.
NCGDMW Lua Edition - johnnyhostile
Requires OpenMW v0.49+
Like the above, a highly transformative leveling mod, where your attributes and level grow automatically as your skills increase. Optionally, your skills will also decay over time.
This, too, is highly configurable and you can set leveling speed to be much lower than in the vanilla game.
Miscellaneous
All Races and Classes Unlocked - Vanilla and Tamriel_Data - Taniquetil
This mod unlocks all of the new races and classes added by Tamriel_Data to be playable.
Note: Playing these races and classes, you will miss out on some reactions and voice lines in the base game that are only provided for vanilla races and classes. Furthermore, some of the unlocked races, like the Tsaesci or Giants are straight up unplayable (read the mod description).
Tamriel Rebuilt Original Soundtrack - Rytelier and ASKII
Requires MWSE or OpenMW (v0.49+)
Adds beautiful, original music crafted for TR. Integrates perfectly with vanilla soundtracks and covers the TR areas released up to 2019. Players of the vanilla engine require MUSE2, which allows the tracks to be region, location, and activity-specific.
Players of OpenMW will need the latest in-development OpenMW build (v0.49+) and Dynamic Music.
Those who do not care for the dynamic element can just extract the music files into their Data Files/Music/Explore and Data Files/Music/Battle folders.
NB: Since the mod has not been updated since 2019, most areas of the mainland are no longer covered.
Preview Warning for Tamriel Rebuilt and How to Create Your Own TR_Preview - Dillonn241
Includes instructions on how to compile our in-development files to act as a backdrop in place of some parts of the Morrowind map that are still missing in our latest release. Critically, it also includes a plugin to warn you when you enter and leave the unreleased lands, meaning you won’t get confused about which part of the map is supposed to have playable content and which is not.