Ever wondered what it would be like if Skyrim integrated features from future Bethesda RPG games like Fallout 4? Well, wonder no longer, as this new Skyrim mod brings over a small but impactful feature from Fallout 4’s post-apocalypse to the fantasy world of Skyrim, and it makes speech all the more important.
Called “Combat Speechcraft,” the Skyrim mod from Macinbomzh666 brings across an expanded version of the Fallout 4 intimidation system, which uses a perk to give you a flat 40% chance of intimidating an enemy into dropping their weapon. The aim of this mod is to expand on that system, but to also give the speech skill more functionality than a handful of conversation options and influence on in-game prices.
So unlike all those Skyrim mods that introduce DLC-sized content, the Combat Speechcraft mod is more akin to the recent Skyrim photo mode or a mod that turns dogs into a fully fleshed-out mechanic.
Macinbomzh666 breaks down the core of the Skyrim mod as follows, which does a lot to vastly improve speech and intimidation in the game.
- Following the “silent protagonist” line of thought, the sentences are not voiced.
- Success chance is not fixed, but depends on 1) your speechcraft level, and 2) level difference between your character and the enemy.
- Includes options to either pacify (calm), intimidate (fear), or taunt (rapidly drain magicka & stamina) the enemy, affecting either a single target or an area.
- There is a large & customizable selection of sentences the player character can say, based on custom conditions.
This Skyrim mod also really expands on the roleplaying of Fallout 4’s intimidation system, which would see the player character throw out different voice lines depending on what faction they were intimidating.
While Combat Speechcraft doesn’t have voice lines, as the protagonist is silent, there are specific responses based on who you are and who you’re intimidating. For example, Stormcloaks can have unique lines for Imperials, you can get unique lines if you have a Daedric artifact, if you’ve got a shout equipped, or even if you’ve completed certain quests.
You can even go as far to make sure that, if you’re playing as a Khajiit, all your responses are made in the third person with your actual character name dynamically placed into the sentence, which is really cool. There are even potential plans for more character profiles if you’re a necromancer or a Vigilant of Stendarr, and more and more dialogue responses too.
Head on over to the Skyrim mod page for the Speechcraft enhancements, which also outlines what other projects are compatible with the Fallout 4-inspired work.
If you want to expand your fantasy game horizons past Tamriel, we’ve also put together a comprehensive list of games like Skyrim, which should give you everything you want from an RPG world.
