Custom BIOGs and Build Compendium

Why Use This Mod?

When you create your character, you get to answer different background questions that determine, for example, if you get to start with an ebony dagger, a better longblade skill or a slightly better reputation with a certain faction in the game. These questions and their consequences are coded in BIOG text files, specific for each of the 18 standard classes, and they also determine your in-game biography or history.

However, most players don’t use the standard classes and create their own custom class instead. There is no BIOG file for the custom class - instead the game tries to figure out which class you’re closest to and picks those background questions for you to answer. This leads to an element of chance in character creation, as you’re never quite sure about what background questions will be asked.

This mod pages provides three parts that are designed to be used together, but can be used separately as well:

• []Tweaked and streamlined class BIOGs that are functionally identical (you get the same items, the same number of skill bonuses etc) regardless of what class background DFU selects for your custom build. The BIOGs are based on Harbinger’s corrected versions, and preserve all character history data, so that your custom class will also have a nice in-game backstory as if it was a vanilla class. The readme has detailed info on how Harbinger’s BIOGs were updated.

  []A modlist of gameplay mods that are recommended for use with these updated BIOGs, providing for builds that are more balanced while implementing mechanics that later became standard in later TES games. The list is presented and annotated below.

• A build compendium provided as an included pdf to use as is or as inspiration for your own custom build. The compendium is also based on the recommended gameplay mods and the updated BIOGs.

  Required Mods

  Background Question and History Fixes: Install as detailed on its mod page. Even though you overwrite the BIOGs, the backstory codes are the same and this mod is needed to get a nice and corrected backstory for your character.

  Language Skills Overhaul: The BIOGs assume you are using the updated and rebalanced language skills from this mod. Some builds in the compendium also assume you’re using it for certain flavorful followers.

  Installation

  First make sure the required mods are installed. Then, you place this mod’s files in the BIOGs folder into your Daggerfall Unity StreamingAssets/BIOGs folder and overwrite Harbinger’s BIOGs (it’s the same procedure as if you were using the alternate LSO BIOGs provided with Harbinger’s mod).

  Recommended Mod List

  This list of gameplay mods can be used with the graphical overhaul of your choice (I use DREAM 90s and most of its recommended mods along with it). The purpose of the list is: