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+ Amazing Race Tweaks! Nord

For Nords, it's all about the combat. Now it's more epic! This mod enhances melee for Nord and Nord Vampire player races (see the video) and adds new powers and abilities. It's safe, as no changes are permanent. If you unsubscribe, your powers and abilities return to what they were.

New and improved abilities and powers: Power attacks have a chance to stun, knock down or knock back. (In the video, I was surprised how far it sent the second to last bandit flying!) Kill moves are more frequent--because they should be! Battle cry is usable more than once a day and no longer makes followers run away. Reduced time between shouts. And many more! (See Features of the Mod, below.)

If you like the mod, or would like to see mods for other races, please consider rating it, even if you don't want to subscribe right now. It's the fourth in the A.R.T. (Amazing Race Tweaks!) series. Others are HERE. No DLC is required. It's compatible with all Sp0ckrates workshop mods and many others. You do NOT have to unsubscribe from other mods in this series to use this mod.

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1. Description
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The goal of this series of mods is to make each race unique. If a mod doesn't give a race powers and abilities you can't get from any other race, then it shouldn't be called Amazing Race Tweaks! Right? I've enjoyed playing Nords but thought combat should be more, well--legendary! I think this mod takes steps to accomplish that goal. I hope you think the same.

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2. Features of the Mod
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New Power Attacks. Nords now have a chance to stun, knock down or knock back with every power attack. Percent chance depends on combat perks acquired. (See Stuns and Knock Backs! below.) With one-handed weapons and the highest Armsman perk, knock down is half the distance of a werewolf attack. With two-handed and the highest Barbarian perk, knock back is the same as a werewolf attack.

More Kill Moves. Kill moves and decapitations are now more frequent. Chance remains 40% for decapitations and 60% for other kill moves. But they happen more, as the "Last Hostile Standing" requirement is removed. For example, if you fight 8 bandits, you might see a few kill moves or decapitations before the battle is through, instead of having a chance to see just one. (Note: Devastating Blow or Savage Strike perks are still needed to decapitate.)

Improved Battle Cry Power and New Lesser Power. Battle Cry is now a lesser power, usable as often as you like. It has a 20% chance to make foes turn tail and run for one minute, and it won't make your followers flee. Battle Rally Cry is a new power, usable once a day. For one minute, it has these effects:
* 100% chance foes who don't resist flee
* 100% chance followers stand their ground
* Followers and you get 25 extra stamina and health
* Your stamina regenerates 100% faster

New Talos' Favor. Nords are the apple of Talos' eye. He now grants them 20% faster cool downs for shouts. This is in addition to blessings or enchantments that reduce time between shouts.

New Burst of Strength. Power gives you +100 carry weight for 5 minutes, once a day. Helps carry extra loot out of dungeons, but it also reduces stamina by 50 and stamina regenerates 50% slower for 5 minutes.

Improved Stamina Regeneration. Ability makes stamina regenerate 10% faster.

Fighting Prowess. Combat skills--archery, blocking, heavy armor, light armor, one-handed, smithing and two-handed--increase 10% faster.

Magic Ineptness. Nords are not just distrustful of magic. They are now slower to learn it. Magic skills--conjuring, destruction, enchanting, illusion and restoration--increase 10% slower.

Skills for New Characters. Nords now start with: Two-handed and smithing: +15. One-handed and blocking: +10. Heavy and light armor: +5. Total skill bonus is raised form +35 to +60. Also Nord strength gives a starting stamina of +50. The race now has no starting spells.

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3. Stuns and Knock Backs!
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Special effects added for power attacks:

Special Effect | Weapon Type | Perk Required | % Chance
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* Stun | 2H | Barbarian 00 | 10%
* Stun | 2H | Barbarian 20 | 25%
* Stun or Knock Down | 2H | Barbarian 40 | 33%
* Stun or Knock Down | 2H | Barbarian 60 | 50%
* Stun or Knock Back | 2H | Barbarian 80 | 66%
* Stun or Knock Back | 2H | Warmaster | 75%

* Stun | 1H | Armsman 00 | 10%
* Stun | 1H | Armsman 20 | 25%
* Stun | 1H | Armsman 40 | 33%
* Stun or Knock Down | 1H | Armsman 60 | 50%
* Stun or Knock Down | 1H | Armsman 80 | 66%
* Stun or Knock Down | 1H | Paralyzing Strike | 75%

The effect applied for each depends on the type of power attack.

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4. About the Video
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The video is of a Nord with the level 80 Barbarian and Warmaster perks, so his power attacks have the full knockback effect. The extra blood effects are from the mod More Blood and Gore. Music of the video is by Cliff Lin, who created sound tracks for popular games and motion pictures.

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5. Safe for Existing Characters
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The mod was tested with an existing Nord character. In all tests, removing the mod was safe. None of the new abilities and powers were permanent. You may subscribe to try it out. If you decide not to keep it, simply unsubscribe. Abilities and powers will return to what they were. New characters will keep the start stat and stamina bonuses.


This mod is completely free. But it takes a lot of time, effort and expense to make it and mods like it. If you appreciate the fun they provide and want to give a little back, log into PayPal[www.paypal.com] and make a donation to sp0ckrates@outlook.com. No amount is too small to help! If you give a donation, let me know. If you want, ask me to add a feature to a mod or upload a mod to Nexus for you.


The Sp0ckrates Steam Skyrim Workshop currently has more than a million subscribers and more than 4,000 followers. Many thanks to all who've tried out our mods over the last two years. Dudes! You're the best!


To make sure this mod loads, after subscribing, launch Skyrim, wait for the launch screen to display a message that all mods finished synchronizing, then exit Skyrim to the desktop. Relaunch Skyrim. The mod should now be loaded.


The bug where actors become hostile during a brawl is fixed in the 2016 edition of this mod. Please report any you think you find. Mods changing races might be incompatible.


There's no need to unsubscribe. After subscribing, you may easily disable the mod at anytime:

1. Start the Skyrim launcher
   
2. Wait for it to display a message that mods finished synchronizing
   
3. Select Data Files
   
4. Remove the checkmark next to this mod
   
5. Select OK and Play

See the Change Notes.