/mw-enhanced

Morrowind Enhanced aka "there is a mod for that". Modular solutions to every problem, rather than a modlist.

Morrowind issues and how to fix them

Morrowind stands as a masterpiece of gaming, its enduring legacy enriched by over two decades of remarkable modding innovation. While some of these enhancements may be compatible with OpenMW, the guidance provided here focuses exclusively on Morrowind.exe within the context of modern Windows systems. Much of what follows may be regarded as conventional wisdom among the community, yet the passage of time often renders even the obvious worth revisiting.

What these docs are not:

  • not a guide you have to read from cover to cover, you can solve each issue separately, in any order
  • not a modlist, it expands from the context of specific issues and sometimes a possible solution is installing a mod, but not always
  • doesn't mention any shaders and mesh/texture replacers for purely aesthethic experience, there will be a separate repository for that
  • doesn't mention any content and overhaul mods

Most importantly, it provides options in an effort to avoid being overly opinionated. Think of it rather as "Morrowind power user FAQ".

Open this .md file in a side-by-side editor.

How to get the best bug-free experience?

Install Morrowind Code Patch and Patch for Purists
For official plugins: Unofficial Morrowind Official Plugins Patched and Bethesda Official Plugins Naturalized
More: Doors Anti Stuck, Improved Temple Experience, The Publicans, Under Construction, Creature VFX Restoration, Correct UV Mudcrabs, Better Scamps, Jammings Off, Dubdilla Location Fix

How do I actually run a modded game?

Forget about Morrowind Launcher. Use a mod organizer, such as Wrye Mash. It includes the most important shortcuts, allows to reorder .esp plugins load order, solve conflicts and includes other tools that can fix various issues:

(click to expand)
  • tes3merge - produces the Morrowind equivalent of a bashed patch
  • merged lands - can fix a lot of landscape issues from mods with minor landscape conflicts
  • mlox - can give advice on mod load order, or sort it for you
  • tes3cmd - a cleaning tool, very very useful but a bit more advanced and less immediately necessary for you

Are there any other mod managers, more modern and robust than Wrye Mash?

MO2, Morrowind Mod Organizer
Not recommended: Vortex, Wabbajack

How to make a copy of the game from MO2 and run that copy from MO2?

To copy only the changed files (including files from MO's virtual file system) and run the copy of the game from MO2 (but detached from MO2):

(click to expand)

Add exectuable to Binary "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" with Arguments:

/c "cd /d "(game dir)" && xcopy .\* "(game dir copy)" /D /E /H /Y && cd /d "(game dir copy)" && start explorer.exe ""(link to Morrowind.exe in copied game dir)"" && exit"

This way clicking on "Run" copies (with xcopy) only the changed files from the virtual file system managed by MO2 (compared against copy of the game dir) and runs the copied game detached from MO2 (by running it with explorer), all in one command. Alternatively, one can run Morrowind.exe manually after copying of all the files is finished.

Why make a copy? Backup (in case something goes wrong with the game), performance (MO's VFS adds an additional layer), and control: you can see exactly which files have been added since the last mod installation, and having access to physical files allows to open the mods' assets and set physical paths to them in Nifskope/Blender. Some mods might also not work correctly when running the game via MO2.

Any modern tools for solving mod conflicts?

Conflict Viewer, a successor of TES3View/xEdit

How to remove records from esp plugin (to i.e. make it compatible with other plugin)?

With Tesame

Are there any tools for automated .esp plugin load ordering?

mlox, included in Wrye Mash.
Alternative: plox - a rust re-write of MLOX
Alternative: LOOT - Load Order Optimisation Tool

Where can I find game logs?

Warnings.txt, MWSE.log and mgeXE.log

Alt+Tab doesn't work or is clunky

  1. Install MGE XE
  2. Open MGE XE settings (MGEXEgui.exe in main game folder)
  3. Check "Windowed mode" and "Borderless window" in MGE XE settings: image

But I want to play in lower resolution and fullscreen

(click to expand) If your game's resolution doesn't match system screen resolution running the game in borderless window mode won't look like fullscreen. Unfortunately in this case system's screen resolution has to be adjusted to be the same as game's resolution, so it imitates fullscreen. But to not change the resolution manually every time you run the game you can create a simple .bat file that automates the following: 1. Decreases the resolution, i.e. to 720p 2. Runs the game. 3. Increases the resolution (back to 1080p) after the game is closed. 
start /b FullscreenLock
start /b /WAIT SetResolution 720 -noprompt
start /d "<path to game folder>" /WAIT Morrowind.exe
start /b /WAIT SetResolution 1080 -noprompt
taskkill /IM FullscreenLock.exe /F

Save it as .bat file, i.e. res_720_MW.bat. Create a shortcut, open its properties and in the Target field enter: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C "<path to the script>\res_720_MW.bat"

On multiple screens setup, moving mouse in game moves cursor on the second screen

Install FullscreenLock and run it every time you run the game (the script above runs it automatically). The .exe file can be downloaded from the Releases page. Mirror. Alternative: Borderless Gaming.

If you use Lossless Scaling, it also has this feature, it's called "Cursor Lock".

Game hangs when closing it

Install Expeditious Exit

Everything in game is too small. Fonts, UI, etc.

Open MGE XE settings and adjust the Menu UI scaling to your liking. Depending on game's resolution I find 1.20 - 1.50 values most optimal.

Any way I can change the game's font?

TODO
For now use Beauty Font

I get low FPS (i.e. in cities, Vivec exteriors)

(click to expand)

Morrowind, as many old games, is a CPU hog. Doesn't make use of multithreading and GPU. Not much can be done about it.

Install Morrowind Code Patch, Morrowind Optimization Patch and Project Atlas

Grab Vulkan's dll, you can gain up to 10-15fps. If you use ReShade you might have to re-run the installation.

In MGE XE settings, disable Dynamic ripples and some water reflections. Decrease Draw Distance. Regenerate Distant Land with lower settings. Disable Grass.

In MGE XE settings, go to In-Game tab and click on Macro Editor. You can add a hotkey here for toggling distant land and shaders (i.e. - and * on numberical keyboard). Then when you're in a taxing location just press these keys to disable distant land and shaders, it should restore few fps.
image
Decreasing view distance does make a big difference but comes at a price of causing mirages (objects disappear or change when coming closer). There's a mod to automate it: Simple FPS Optimizer
You can set hotkeys in MGE XE Macro Editors for increasing and decreasing "View Range" as well.

Lossless Scaling - provides frame generation, which enhances low frame rates by interpolating additional frames between existing ones, creating smoother motion. It leverages techniques like frame duplication or AI-driven interpolation to maintain responsiveness while improving the visual fluidity of gameplay.

You can also try to run the shortcut to Morrowind with /High priority but from my experience it doesn't change much.

Morrowind.exe is also notorious for memory leaks. Memory Monitor can be used to keep track of performance improvements (it will show a bar once the memory starts running out).

Optional:

I see jagged flickering lines at night

Turn OFF anti-aliasing in MGE XE settings.

How to fix frequent "Initializing data" screens when changing exterior cells? (OpenMW only)

Recreate navigation mesh cache. It's under Data Files tab.

How to fix incorrect map?

Wrye Mash has the utility to reset save state map.

The map is not very useful

Install Map Icons - MWSE.
Nice to have: Detect Map Icons

How to fix errors "One of the files that "(mod name).ESP" is dependent on has changed since the last save."

Install Wrye Mash. Follow this guide.
TL;DR: for me selecting the problematic esp in the Mods tab and right-clicking on its masters on right side to update them fixes it. Moving the esp in the modlist helps too.

What does updating the master list actually do?

(click to expand)

"In practice it only updates the master sizes in the mod header so the message does not appear any more, so yes, you could just ignore it and keep playing with the same result in practice. The big BUT is: often times having different master sizes means also that master references changed, and in that case you could have broken references you should fix to the best of your ability (e.g. applying Mash updaters procedure). If you keep playing ignoring masters size change warnings you will never check for this kind of problems hence you could have usual references problems (doors/other objects disappearing/not changing when they should etc.)" - abot

I would like to know what is my current modlist

Install Mod List, find the mod in the Mod Config list and click on it. Copy+paste to any text editor.
Unfortunately, it doesn't list pluginless mods.

Mod Organizer 2 should have this feature:

  1. Right-click anywhere in the mod list (left pane).
  2. Choose "Export to CSV" or "Export Mod List" (depending on your version of MO2).
  3. Save the exported file in your preferred location.

The game is too dark

Install Gamma. Don't forget to add 📄 Gamma.fx to MGE XE shaders and activate it.
Then in Mod Config menu find Gamma and decrease Gamma or increase Luminance. You can increase color saturation as well.

It's still too dark at night

If we adjust the luminance to be sufficiently bright in dark caves then it might turn out that we overdid it and now it's too bright outside.
Can't make it perfect, can we? Actually we can if we take the current cell and daytime into account. This fork of Gamma will decrease luminance in exteriors during the day and increase luminance in interiors, or when it is night time.

How to fix seams on land textures?

Install Texture Fix 2.0 and Texture Fix - Extended

How to fix seams on models?

Correct Meshes

How to hide HUD?

It's tm command in console, but it's a bit clunky to deactivate. Better solution might be to use HUD Hider which adds a toggable hotkey.

How can I customize my HUD?

Install Seph's HUD Customizer

What it allows:

(click to expand)

You can have numbers inside your health/magicka/fatigue bars.
You can change the visibility, position, size and color of the health, magicka and fatigue bars.
You can change the visibility, position and size of the enemy health bar.
You can change the visibility and position of your equipped weapon and magic indicators.
You can change the visibility and position of the message that occurs when you swap weapons or magic.
You can change the visibility, position and layout of the currently active magic effect icons.
You can change the visibility and position of the sneak indicator.
You can change the visibility, position and size of the minimap.
You can change the visibility and position of the message that occurs when you enter a new area/cell.
You can change the visibility and position of the breath meter.
You can change the visibility, position and layout of generic messages.

I move like in slow motion, I want to run faster

(click to expand)

For this purpose I find being able to edit GMST variables during game runtime the best solution, because you can adjust it to your liking every time instantly.

  1. Install GMST Menu
  2. Run the game
  3. Open Mod Configuration
  4. Search for "GMST Menu", click it
  5. You should see this screen:
    image
  6. Go to Floats tab
  7. Search for "walk" or "run"
  8. I like to have everyone walk slowly, but run quickly, so I find these values most optimal:
My custom GMST variables corresponding to walk/run speed 
fMaxWalkSpeed = 80
fMinWalkSpeed = 20
fMinWalkSpeedCreature = 5
fStromWalkMult = 0.25
fSwimWalkAthleticsMult = 0.02
fSwimWalkBase = 0.5

fAthleticsRunBonus = 1
fBaseRunMultiplier = 5
fJumpRunMultiplier = 1
fSwimRunAthleticsMult = 0.1
fSwimRunBase = 0.5
fWereWolfRunMult = 1.5

GMST Menu also removes the necessity of juggling around with .esp plugins whose only purpose is to modify these variables.

I use up all my fatigue for moving around, so I have none left for fighting

(click to expand) Use the forementioned GMST Menu to halve the fatigue corresponding variables: 
fFatigueRunBase = 5 to 2.5
fFatigueRunMult = 2 to 1
fFatigueSneakBase = 1.5 to 0.75
fFatigueSneakMult = 1.5 to 0.75
fFatigueSwimRunBase = 7 to 3.5
fFatigueSwimWalkBase = 2.5 to 1.25

To offset movement fatigue being halved one can double fatigue costs of jumping, attacking and blocking:

fFatigueAttackBase = 2 to 4
fFatigueBlockBase = 4 to 8
fFatigueJumpBase = 2 to 4

These especially make sense to cost more fatigue when using hit-chance simplifying mods (such as Better Balanced Combat), which make the combat last shorter.

Movement is weird: you move backwards as fast as forwards and diagonal movement increases your speed

Install Realistic Movement Speeds (for backwards movement)
For diagonal movement: IMMERSIVE RUN FIX

[Balance] All my hits are missing

Dice-roll combat working as intended. But on a serious note, you can make the combat more dynamic by installing mods that make all swings have 100% chance to hit. I find Better Balanced Combat to address this issue most tactfully, without breaking the balance too much, by taking side effects into consideration: i.e. fatigue is still important as the lower it is the higher is the chance to be knocked down, weapon skills also do not become meaningless but add a bonus to strength instead (which, rightfully, excludes the encumbrance bonus). Unfortunately, the mod also affects the regen rate, running speed and makes "You have failed casting the spell" popups disappear, which I'd personally prefer to leave as it is.

Alternative: Next Generation Combat

Fights are too quick and chaotic

(click to expand)

Install Time Shift, in its main.lua comment out the line:

-- mp.fatigue.current = mp.fatigue.current - dt * cf.sc

Set the time scaling value to 45, it seems to be most optimal for combat, as lower values might make animations too slow.

It's too easy to start new game by misclicking

Install New Game Confirmation

How to cast spells on key press, to not switch between weapon and magic all the time?

(click to expand)

Install Morrowind Code Patch, run it, check "Swift Casting" and apply
image

Closing menus is tedious

Install Right Click Menu Exit
To close books and scrolls without closing the inventory, Morrowind Code Patch has a fix called "Shortcut key improvements", which allows using space bar to close them.

Any chargen mods to speed up or diversify character creation process?

Quick Character Creation - same as in vanilla but with tedious parts skipped
Skip Tutorial (2009)
Chargen Revamped - Expanded Lands Complete - 2024
An Unexpected Start
Quick Char (Necro Edit)
Morrowind - The Roleplaying Mod (New Starts. Play as a Non Nerevarine. and others)

During chargen when selecting the race it's unclear what will be my starting attributes

Install What Are My Attributes

How do I use Quick Keys in Morrowind?

Press F1. You can install QuickKeys Hotbar to see all your hotkeys in the HUD.
For quicker hotkey assignment: QuickKey Outlander - MWSE
If you need more hotkeys: Hotkeys Extended
Many items on one hotkey: Quick Loadouts

Are there hotkeys to save and load?

F5 to save, F9 to load

Will quick-saving save on multiple slots?

No. You'd have to install Sophisticated Save System for that. It adds autosave as well (including automatic save every x minutes). Other auto save mod: Simple Auto Save Modified

The game doesn't show sheated weapons

Install Weapon Sheating

[Balance] Being able to chug multiple potions at the same time is too OP. Alchemy is too OP, in general.

Install Controlled Consumption or Alchemical Hustle. Also Better Balanced Booze

Good alchemy mod? To enable filtering by effect, rather than by ingredient

mwse Alchemy Filter. The hotkey is right ctrl. After applying filter click on ingredients as you would normally and it will show only those that can cause the desired effect.

More modern alternative: Alchemical Knowledge
Cooking multiple potions at once: Alchemy Cauldron - Multiple Potions at Once - MWSE
Visible Alchemy Success Chance

Traders don't want to trade with me, because I have illegal goods (i.e. skooma)

Install Lore-friendly Trade Restrictions aka ketsTrade

How to tell how much in the end a given potion or spell will restore points?

TODO

After using a grass mod, I end up with mispositioned, clipping grass

Install The LawnMower for Morrowind

How to install grass mods (and distant land)?

TODO

Is there a mod to unlock more faces and hair styles?

Freedom of Aesthetics

Is there a mod to share hair styles between mer races?

Hair Expander

Why I cannot rest in cities?

Install Actual Illegal Resting

Why I cannot travel from Balmora to Maar Gan with silt strider directly? It's the same travel network

Install All Silt Strider Ports
Similar mod for boats: All Boat Ports Plugin

Killed enemies respawn like in some kind of MMO

Install No Respawns

How can I adjust the respawn rate of plants

In GMST Menu set iMonthsToRespawn

[Balance] Difficulty (some enemies) scale with level, I want more challenges early game

No Respawns provides this option as well.
OperatorJack's Deleveler will also delevel item lists.

[Balance] Enemies react too late and they stand still when fighting

Install PvP

How to tell blighted creatures from non-blighted?

Install Blighted Animals Retextured
If you want something opposite, that is remove "blighted" adjectives and "diseased" adjectives from their names, install No Disease Labels

How to tell filled soul gems from empty soul gems?

Install Visually Filled Soul Gems

Is there a way to control the weather?

Install Weather Chances Adjuster

I've installed a lot of face and hair mods, what would be the easiest way to test them?

Install Barbershop aka FaceRecustom (hotkey to rotate between faces: alt + p)

Wearing pauldrons under robe looks ridiculous

Install Hidden Robe Armor

Tombs entrances don't look like tombs

Install Know Thy Ancestors

Looting is clunky, too much clicking

Install QuickLoot. Recommended to use with Morrowind Containers Animated - Edited for Quickloot.
QuickLoot successor: More QuickLoot (allows skipping junk, includes weight and value in the popup)

I'm annoyed by all the game popups

Install Auto Yes to All

Is there an auto-load mod?

Yes, install Instant Load

Is there any way to mark visited locations?

Install Been There Done That and/or Chalk

[Balance] Bounty on your head should be gone when you kill all witnesses

Install The Last Witness
Alternative: No Witness - No Bounty aka NWNC

When sneaking in first-person view it doesn't feel like crouching

Install Pluginless and Adjustable Lower First Person Sneak

How do I know what are my chances of picking up lock or disarming a trap?

Install Security Adjuster (MWSE) Some QoL tweak for lockpicking: Quick Security - allows you to select lockpicks or probes from a selection menu instead of having to search in your inventory to select it and equip it manually
For greater immersion: Visually Trapped

Isn't it a bit cheaty that I know about all traps?

Install Locks and Traps Detection - detection will depend on your Security skill and some RNG

Pickpocketing is useless

Install Pickpocket
Alternative: Pickpocket Minigame

Sneaking is useless

Install Stealth Improved aka stealth
Install Sneaky Snatcher
Also: Skillful Sneaking - the more skilled you are, the faster you move when sneaking, can jump too

Sneaky strike doesn't take weapon type into account

Install Sneaky Strike

The right column of the charsheet is too long compared to the left one

Install Tidy Charsheet

[Balance] When leveling, HP gain is not retroactive, which incentivizes focusing on Endurance early game. Excess progress and multiplier bonus are also sometimes wasted.

Install Improved Vanilla Leveling (fixes retroactive health, multipliers and how XP carry-over contributes to attributes)
XP carry-over fix (unrelated to attribute gain): Experience Carryover
Also: Quest Skill Reward Fix - applies skill rewards from quests more optimally.

Alternative for Improved Vanilla Leveling: Madd Leveler
Another alternative: MULE - Mort's Ultimate Leveling Experience

Sometimes when I go through a door and want to go back it's locked again

Install Loading Doors Lock Tune

Persuasion is kind of obscure, how do I know what are my chances? how to make it more fun?

Install Visible Persuasion Chance
Install Silver Tongue (you can see NPC Fight and Alarm levels and lower Alarm, makes conversation with hostile NPC possible if they are not currently attacking, this makes Intimidation more useful)

[Balance] Training armor skill is tedious

Install Armor Training

[Balance] Training magic is unbalanced, it should depend on amount of Magicka spent, rather than number of spells cast

Install Magicka Based Skill Progression -- MWSE-Lua Edition

[Balance] In general, shouldn't failed tries train the skills as well?

With OEA's Practice Makes Perfect it will

How can I pick up books without reading them?

Install Book Pickup
Alternative: activate key takes open books
The book pickup mod lets you skip the reading part when taking books; the second mod makes it easier to take the book once you've started reading it.

Is there a way to compare my current gear with new gear?

Install MWSE Compare Tooltips, default hotkey: alt

Keys make a mess in my inventory

Install Consistent Keys, it renames keys so they have a consistent naming scheme

Potions make a mess in my inventory

Install Potion Renamer, it sorts them first by effect and then by quality

Soulgems make a mess in my inventory

Install Soulgem Renamer

Other items still make a mess in my inventory

Install Rational Names Lite.
Nice to have: Inventory Sorter (not possible to save the sorting, though)

Every key looks the same

Install Key Replacer

I've got rid of an important item

Install Keepers to prevent it in the future (suffixes quest items with "!")

[Balance] The game is too easy, how to make it harder?

Enemies

  • Make enemy react quicker and fight better: click
  • More Deadly Morrowind Denizens: click
  • Vanilla friendly creatures and undeads expansion: click
  • OAAB - Tombs and Towers: click
  • Mines and Caverns: click

[Balance] Progression is too quick/easy

[Balance] It is too easy to get rich

  • Commonly Used Containers Nerfed - nerfs barrel, boxes, etc. (included in Morrowind Anti-Cheese)
  • Realistic Repair - you need a forge to repair gear, gear of killed NPC is damaged
  • There Can Be Only One - makes daedric items unique
  • Morrowind Anti-Cheese includes nerfed Containers mod, Container Ownership and Rarer Scrap Metal mods, makes stealing known expensive items harder or replaced with cheaper equivalents, buffs some NPCs and enemies, creeper and mudcrab have less gold, increased blind effect on Boots of Blinding Speed, nerfed items (Ebony Mail, Wraithguard, Kagrenac's Tools, Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw, Silver Staff, Water Spear, Ancient Silver Daggers, Black Hands Dagger, Ebony Arrows of Slaying, and many more), Gedna Relvel was nerfed, some items devalued (ingredients)
  • Smarter Harder Barter - among many other things, removes randomness from haggling
  • The Morrowind Randomizer - randomizes the locations of 49 legendary items
  • Economy Adjuster Adjustments - increase the mercantile and speechcraft skills of service providers

[Balance] There are too many (low tier) items in game

[Balance] Trainers are broken

(idea) One way to fix it, could be to make all trainers still able to teach skills but not more than 1-5 levels (per each trainer), so visiting them would still be worthwile.

NPC are too repeatable

Install NPC Clothes Randomizer - MWSE
Install More Heads and Diversity and More Heads and Diversity MWSE

How can I soul trap NPCs?

Install Seph's NPC Soul Trapping

Animations are janky

Install Animation Blending

I forget where everyone is, especially trainers

Install Trainer Log (has to be cleaned with tes3cmd)
For all NPCS: Who's Where

Outside of cities, everything that moves wants to kill me

Install Non-Homicidal Ecosystem
Could be even better if these attacks were based on player's level or health (weak monsters should be afraid to attack strong player), something like Improved Cliff Racer AI
Alternative: Less Aggressive Creatures
Or: Passive Healthy Wildlife (2016)
Fun way to exterminate a selected type of creatures: Animal Extinction - MWSE

I'm lost in Vivec, every canton looks the same

Install Colorful Vivec and Vivec Cantons Reconnected

Alternative: Vivec City of Swords. Incompatibilities:

  • grass mods
  • lanterns
  • Silt Strider

How can I toggle the map mode?

(click to expand)

Install UI Expansion, the hotkey is configurable in the mod settings. There is also a possibility to automatically change map mode on cell change.
There is one small bug with the map mode toggle hotkey, though. It stops working after opening and closing the inventory, but can be fixed. Find local function onKeyInput() in MenuMap.lua and change:

 if (not common.isTextInputActive() and common.complexKeybindTest(common.config.keybindMapSwitch)) then

to

 if (common.complexKeybindTest(common.config.keybindMapSwitch)) then

It comes with a catch: the hotkey should not type anything (i.e. F3), otherwise you might change your map mode when typing in the inventory filters.

I'm pestered by dark assassins from Tribunal content early game

Install Tribunal Delayed or Expansion Delay

I'm encumbered all the time

Install Encumberance increaser and/or Bag of Holding.
Nice to have to monitor encumbrance: HUD Encumbrance Bar
Other: Units and Vagueness
Alternative: Weight of the World

NPCs are shouting when I'm stealing but do nothing

Install No NPC Shouting at 0 Alarm

NPCs are commenting my outfit ALL THE TIME

Install Outfit Greetings Tweaked

NPCs are too boring/static

Install

Once NPC attacks it's impossible to calm them (permanently)

Install Permanent Calm - Pacifist Option Apologize Befriend Bandit and Beasts Calm Down

I'm blocked by NPC standing in the way

Install Just Move

I want to have a stash for items but can't put much in containers

Install ContainerWeightMaxed (DELETED! TODO: add mirror)
Even if using QuickLoot, inom - Inventory mouse wheel might still be helpful here for moving items from/to container quicker.
Actually, UI Expansion has an option to move items from/to container on left click.
Portable alternatives: Bag of Holding, MWSE Containers Extended

Is there a quicker way for looting items?

Install More QuickLoot

How do I know which item is owned or important?

Install Essential Indicators

How can I focus on creature from a distance?

Install Hostility Indicator (default Left Shift)

I want to adjust the camera with a mouse scroll, just like in OpenMW

(click to expand)

Install Zoom
Compatibility patch for Zoom and QuickLoot: patch
It's even better than in OpenMW, because it allows zooming in also in first-person view. For even better camera experience install Steadicam. But personally I don't find the default settings too playable and recommend only a slight first-person steadicam, to disable it in third-person set third-person values to lowest possible.
Despite the visual improvements it brings, Steadicam does cause some issues. One is that it smooth camera makes aiming enemies harder, it can be mitigated by adding to the beginning of steadicam function:

if tes3.player.mobile.inCombat then
  return
end

Other issue is that it makes targeting small items harder. An easy fix is too turn off the smooth camera on zoom:

if mge.camera.zoom > 3 then
  return
end

How can I disenchant enchanted items?

Install Disenchant

Very few dialogues are voiced

(click to expand)

Install AI-generated Kezyma's Voices of Vvardenfell
Other, AI-generated voices:
Ashlander Voices
Vivec
Yagrum Bagarn Voiced Vivec and Yakety Yagrum - Merged and Improved (not AI)
Voices of Vvardenfell Unofficial Addon - Talkative Telvanni
The Wisest Women
Nordic Banter
Friends Reunited
Quest Voice Greetings
Great Service (unused, not AI)
Idle Talk
Its a Deal
Real Disposition
So. You're the Nerevarine. (unused, not AI)
FMBP - Greet Service (unused, not AI) Nordic Banter
Sermons and Preachers Vanilla edit

more:
Voice Overhaul

Dialogues with NPCs are too repeatable

Install UI Expansion and Dialogues Decluttered

How to break from endless dialogue choices loop?

Install Force Close Dialogue Menu aka shiftGoodbye

Passing by NPCs makes them too reactive

Install Shut Up, NPCs will notice you only when you look at them.

NPC don't look at me when I talk to them

Install Small Quality of Life Improvements - MWSE (Face Me component)

It's unrealistic that I can join two factions that don't like each other

Install More Exclusive Factions

Companions, city guards and faction members are not helping me when I'm attacked

Install More Attentive Guards. Caution, has a bug: "Every time I attack in self defense, I get reported and attacked"

For companions: install Diligent Defenders
Deleted Supreme Follower System (direct file link)
Other companion mods: article by Danae

How to tell my followers (companions and summons) who to attack?

You can do on hotkey when you install Kill Command

How to see my followers' stats?

Install More Detailed Companion HealthBars MWSE Lua Script
Or Companion Health Bars MWSE Lua Script

How to share equipment with followers?

NPC Functionality (2008)
Open Inventories (2009)
Smart Companions

Companions get lost occasionally

Install Easy Escort

There is no hotkey for Map

After installing Small Quality of Life Improvements - MWSE the hotkey is "M"

There is no hotkey for torches

After installing Torch Hotkey the hotkey is "C"

There is no hotkey for Quests

After installing Hot Quests the hotkey is "U"

Is there a mod that allows mouse control?

Yes, Morrowind Mouse Control

Can I make Quests screen more usable (i.e. bigger)?

(click to expand)

Yes. With Smart Journal:
image

Highlighting and hiding quests is doable with Better Questlist
Bigger Quest Log: Quest Log Menu

Can I write in my journal or search through it?

Yes, with Journal Search and Edit aka journal or Writing and Journal Enhanced

Information in Journal is too vague or not very helpful

Install Improved Journal Entries

How to tell different potions in inventory apart?

Install Colored Potions

How to tell different scrolls in inventory apart?

Install MWSE Scroll Icons

All merchants are broke

Install More Barter Gold and Merchant Gold Resets Instantly

Race and birthsign spells are cringe useless and unbalanced

Install Balanced Passive Races and Birthsigns, it will replace spells (that no one uses anyway) with permanent bonuses. BTB's Game Improvements (Necro Edit) Tweaked also rebalances races and birthsigns.

Using shrines is clunky

Shrine Tooltips adds tooltips that tells you what each option actually does. No Thank You adds a cancel option.

Movement when swimming and levitating is clunky

Install Better Buoyancy, adds jump key to float upwards, and the sneak key to sink downwards.

How to tell which texture a mesh is using?

Install Selection Details

How can I see HP values of enemies?

(click to expand)

With Seph's Enemy Bars. There is one problem with this mod, though. It hides the default yellow bar and the new one is not displayed when attacking enemies from distance. In order to at least restore the vanilla yellow bar in bottom left corner edit this mod's main.lua file and remove or comment out following lines:

-- if npcHealthBar then
		-- 	-- Just yeet that yellow bar somewhere so it never shows its ugly face again.
		-- 	npcHealthBar.absolutePosAlignX = 10.0
		-- 	npcHealthBar.absolutePosAlignY = 10.0
		-- 	npcHealthBar.visible = false
		-- 	npcHealthBar.disabled = true
		-- end

Is there a way to stop friendly-fire?

Yes, install No More Friendly Fire

How to tell if I've already read a given book? Also: books are increasing full skill points, which incentives postponing the bonus. And not sure which book actually gives the bonus.

If reading a book bumps a skill to next round integer value then it would pay off better to read them when our skills are high enough and expensive to train. And also ideally when have just advanced recently. A more fair solution would be to make books increase xp of skill, rather than bump the skill to the next round value. Then it wouldn't matter when we receive the bonus.
Luckily Reading is Good and Book Worm should fix that.
Additionally, Skill Name Skill Books will show which skill does a given book increase.

Is there an easier way to drop items?

Caps Click to Drop and Just Drop It for better dropping experience (corpses fall according to the terrain!)

Game sounds are limited and weird

Install Impact Sounds

How to fix silent NPC groans?

Some mods break it (Character Sound Overhaul and Impact Sounds - I'm looking at you). Install Deathrattle Sounds, it doesn't restore groans on hit, but it does restore groans on death. And adds some extra. It fixes NPCs blabbering after death as well.
Recommended together with Small Quality of Life Improvements - MWSE, which includes a component preventing repeating same combat voice-overs repeatedly (I Heard You The First Time!)

How to silence your character's groans?

No mod that mutes that at the moment, but Hit Sound Overhaul can help with misplaced groans. Also: Voice Overhaul
Related: Mute High-Pitched Hit Sounds

How to disable vanity camera? (the one that turns on after 30 seconds)

Install No Auto Vanity Camera aka NoAutoVanityCam

Game doesn't notify me explicitly enough that I started or finished a quest

Install Skyrim Style Quest Notifications aka SSQN, Skyrim Style Quest Notifications - Legendary Edition and Skyrim Style Quest Notifications Great Patch Hub

Game doesn't notify me that someone died

Install Notifications

Where is the medium armor trainer?

There is none, Bethesda forgot to add it. Install Cinia

I can sleep in owned beds, doesn't make much sense

Arguably it does make sense (especially if the house is abandoned), but if you like to limit yourself: install Bed Buddies.

Magicka (mana) doesn't regenerate

Most advanced and configurable mod for this appears to be Magicka Regeneration Suite
Alternative: Puristy Friendly Magicka Regen

How to rename a spell or enchanted item?

Install Player Made Magic Rename

How to see how much longer a spell will last?

Install Effect Timers or Buff Bars. Arguably Buff Bars are better, as they cover more spells (and take less screen space), but they don't show time values.

How to remove learned spells?

Install Spellscribe aka rev_SPEL. Use paper on yourself to scribe the spell for backup. Remove the spell with Shift+Click.

Why do I have to read a blank piece of paper before I pick it up?

Install Plain Paper Fix

How to tell if I picked up an ingredient?

Install Graphic Herbalism - MWSE and OpenMW Edition + Graphic Herbalism Lighting

How to prevent starting new game accidentally?

Install New Game Confirmation

How do I know what music track is currently playing?

Install Now Playing
HeartStrings also has this feature (but only when a track starts).

How do I know where the Intervention spell would teleport me?

Install Smart Intervention

Is there a way to make the console (`) more usable?

Install Blue - Smart Console
Also: More Console Commands

I don't know what time it is

Install Clocks

The game doesn't notify me when it's the time to rank up

Install Rank Up - Advancement Notifications 2

The game doesn't notify me when can I level up

Install Level Up Indicator - MWSE. Depending on used leveling mod, level up screen might not be needed at all!

How to disable the cheesy shiny glow?

Install Assetless No Glow aka NoGlow
To change glass weapons and armor: Dim Glass - Less Irritating Glass Armor and Weapon

How to change the cheesy shiny background behind magical items in inventory?

Install Seph's Inventory Decorators

How to install animations (i.e. xbase_anim.1st.kf)?

Copy to Meshes. Some require LizTail Animation Kit

How to show 1-st person swimming animation?

Install MCAR

How to add custom music to the game?

Contrary to common belief, .mp3 files don't need to be in constant 128kbps bitrate. The most important thing is to remove padding from tags. One can do that with Foobar: right click on the selected track(s), go to Properties, Tools and click on Optimize Size. The music files should be placed in Data Files/Music. Cover art has to be removed as well, can be done with Mp3tag.

Recommended music system: MUSE aka MWSE/mods/music
Or: HeartStrings. Or: my fork.

Is there a music mod that resumes the previous track when transitioning the theme? For example: switching from a wilderness theme to a battle theme and then back to the wilderness theme would play the same track, as it played before the transition (instead of moving on to next track)

Now there is. I forked Heartstrings and added this feature. It also prevents repeating the same track.

How to track mod updates on Nexus?

(click to expand)

Go to Tracking Centre. The problem with this view is that it's not very useful. In the tracking centre we are only interested in mods that we already downloaded but in the meantime they got an update. Unfortunately, Nexus doesn't provide a filter for mods you haven't downloaded yet. And, most importantly, you cannot filter out mods that didn't have new updates since last time you've downloaded them.

Here comes the power of CSS and JS magic.

The first time you open the page, open the console with F12 and run the following code:

function filterMods() {
  document.querySelectorAll('.mod-tracking-table tbody tr').forEach(function(tr) {
    const tdDownloaded = tr.querySelector('td.table-download');
    const tdUpdated = tr.querySelector('td.table-update');
    const updatedDateGreaterThanDownloadedDate = new Date(tdUpdated.innerHTML).getTime() > new Date(tdDownloaded.innerHTML).getTime();

    if (tdDownloaded.innerHTML.includes('--') || !updatedDateGreaterThanDownloadedDate) {
      tdDownloaded.innerHTML = '';
      // tr.remove(); // uncomment this, if you don't want to use Stylus/CSS
    }
  })
}


(function() {
  filterMods()
  var origOpen = XMLHttpRequest.prototype.open;
  XMLHttpRequest.prototype.open = function() {
    console.log('request started!');
    this.addEventListener('load', function() {
      console.log('request completed!');
      setTimeout(filterMods, 50)
    });
    origOpen.apply(this, arguments);
  };
})();

You can use an addon to not have to copy-paste this code every single time.

Thanks to this JS code every time we change the page the "Last download" cell of mods that are of no interest to us here will be cleared. Now we can use the CSS to hide whole rows. Install Stylus and add a style for Nexus tracking centre page with following CSS code: tr:has(.table-download:empty) { display:none }. Once you save it filtering should start working. Of course, the same can be achieved with JS only, without using any CSS (albeit, JS-free, CSS-only solution is probably not possible in this case). Sometimes you do need both and processing CSS has a minimal performance impact, so it doesn't hurt to install Stylus, you might need it for a different issue, in the future.

How to change screenshot path when using ReShade?

When in game, press Home and look for the path in Settings

How to view meshes with textures?

Install NifSkope 2.0 Dev 7. Set path to Morrowind Data Files in Options: Options > Settings > Resources > Add Folder.
From my experience version Dev 9 doesn't load textures.

Nice to have mods

Not necessarily essential and fixing any glaring issues, but can improve the gameplay.