A group of Skyrim modders have created a “complete overhaul” of the game’s religion system.
The mod, titled Pilgrim – A Religion Overhaul (opens in new tab) (via PCGamesN (opens in new tab)), adds a whole suite of changes, the most significant of which are the arrival of two new perks: ‘Pilgrim’ sits in the Restoration tree, focusing on figures like the Divines, while ‘Cultist’ is a Conjuration perk that affects players’ relationship with the Daedra.
As well as the perks themselves, the mod adds a related prayer mechanic which activates the first time you interact with a shrine. Praying will let you meditate, earning a blessing from the deity of the last shrine you prayed at. Speaking of deities, there are plenty to choose from, from the eight Divines, to the dread father Sithis, to minor and folk deities scattered around Skyrim.
In the base game, prayer is a useful mechanic for getting rid of disease, but Pilgrim does away with that mechanic. Instead, you’ll need to visit a special vendor introduced with the mod – Pilgrim “turns one priest in each of the five major cities into a special class of vendor.” Priestly Vendors offer a few spell tomes, but they also sell defensive and healing potions, namely Cure Disease, which should help keep you safe if you catch something nasty – as long as you stock up in advance.
Creators Simon Magus and Tate Taylor state that Pilgrim isn’t compatible with other religion overhauls, but will work with Standing Stone overhauls. Despite the prevalence of religion in the world of Skyrim, the game’s mechanical approach is pretty simple, so it’ll be interesting to see whether this overhaul lets you effectively turn the Dovahkiin into a travelling priest.
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