- Falskaar, Moonpath to Elsweyr (and seq file to fix dialogue), and Wyrmstooth - These three mods are the most heavily recommended unofficial expansions to the game. I have thus far seen little more than an introductory conversation (which interrupted a main game conversation), but I've read great things about these three. (I also downloaded, but have not initiated the Civil War Overhaul. I had already restarted the game and didn't want to again.)
- Amazing Follower Tweaks - I haven't played around with this much as I tend not to use followers (I like playing a sneaky character, and they usually just get in the way). That said, this mod is supposed to give amazing control over followers: their number, their gear, their actions, and their appearance.
- Diverse Guards Skyrim - I already love this mod as it makes it so the guards in and around Skyrim's cities and towns have a unique look. I hadn't realized, until after adding this mod, just how bland (and sexist) the original groups of guards looked. This mod adds a nice personality to the game.
- Unofficial Patches (Skyrim, Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire) - Skyrim is known for its occasional glitches and these are supposed to fix most of them. I haven't noticed a difference so far, but I also haven't noticed any main game glitches either.
- SkyUI - This mod (which requires SKSE) is essential! It completely overhauls Skyrim's cumbersome inventory, allowing the player to quickly sort and find items. It takes a little bit to get used to (especially if you are still using a controller like I am), but it makes a world of difference.
- A Quality World Map - This is exactly what it sounds like. It adds an extra level of visual detail to the original map as well as hand-painted roads. It even gives the option of removing the cloud layer that used to obscure portions of the original map.
There are already some other mods which I am thinking about adding, but as is other people who have played Skyrim and have looked at my game have been impressed with the extra detail and improvements that have been made. I already loved playing the game; these tweaks have made me appreciate it even more.