I Can't Breathe In This Thing (MWSE)

Description

I Can’t Breathe in This Thing is a lightweight MWSE mod that finally fixes one of the dumbest NPC behaviors in Morrowind: keeping their fully closed helms on at all times, even when they’re perfectly safe and nowhere near combat.

Instead of walking around like armored statues 24/7, they now behave more naturally: helms on when danger is present, helms off when life is calm.

The mod doesn’t alter NPCs or helms in any way, ensuring full compatibility with overhaul mods, equipment replacers and leveled lists. It works entirely through MWSE events, making it lightweight, unobtrusive, and fully compatible with everything.

Installation

Place the included MWSE folder inside Data Files directory

Install with any mod manager or manually

Uninstallation

Remove `evrex/icantbreathe/` from your `MWSE/mods/` directory

Safe to add or remove at any time.

Compatibility

I have tested the mod alongside other mods that dynamically add or swap headgear on NPCs (like The Blight), and everything seems to behave exactly as expected - it just works!

Dynamic helm equip switching based on combat

Fight threshold for aggressive NPCs

Configurable rules for generic guards (Respawn flag + Alarm 100 or MWSE guard status)

Optional helm wear during harsh weather (during ash and blight storms)

Full MCM support

Known Issues

When an NPC attacks you after a failed pickpocket attempt, they do not equip their closed helm even though they enter combat - I am investigating... the bug, not the pickpocketing.  Case solved!

If a generic guard is not flagged as Respawn, they unequip their helm despite the guard‑protection option being enabled.

Recommended Mods

The Blight by Greatness7 and OperatorJack, and any mod that dynamically adds headgear to NPCs, to enhance variety and support helm‑switching behavior.

Smart Heads by abot and More Heads and Diversity MWSE by opiter09 so you’ll see many more faces before the helms close.

Smart Helmet by abot which does everything this mod does (and much more), but for the player character.

Future Plans

Resolve the known issues

Additional weather behaviors (only if closed-helm wear makes sense in further weather conditions)

If you try the mod and notice anything odd, or if you have ideas for new features, feel free to send feedback.

everything_rex - ideas & incompetence

Claude - scripting

abot, Spammer, Greatness7 and OperatorJack for the reference code that helped shape this mod

MMC for the advice