Foreword

For those who watch my let's plays and livestreams, you'll know that we're all about role-playing and not at all about min-maxing. This series is not about the ultimate [insert class] build, let's face it, sooner or later your character will be a god-killer whether you min-max or not. In addition we tend to always want to play the same way, with the same style, the same weapons, the same game play. So instead, I want to suggest ways to play a class and mods that can make the experience fresh and more unique. For more general role-playing mod recommendations, you can check this guide.

Skills, Race, and Birthsign

The Crusader is an interesting class because it assumes your character has a crusade, most likely of the religious nature.

The Crusader class’ primary attributes are Agility and Strength.
Looking at the skills, it's all over the place: Strength comes first from weapons, skills, and Armorer. Followed by Endurance, with Heavy and Medium Armor. Finally, some Willpower for spellcasting, Speed for Hand to Hand, Agility with Block, and Intelligence with Alchemy! That's not bad, most likely your character will be quite well-rounded.
The real question is, which of these skills will you ACTUALLY use?

For this guide's purpose, we'll assume the Crusader is something akin to a Paladin or a Templar. Basically, where the Battlemage has Arcane powers, the Crusaders will have Divine Powers.

Assuming you stick to one type of weapon, one type of armour, Block, and Restoration; your most important attributes are Strength, Endurance, and Willpower.

• The Orc's stats have the greatest synergy with the Crusader class. When it comes to faith, we know the Orcs worship the Daedric Prince, Malacath, and live by his code. However, this code feels more like a ruleset on upholding personal values than a force dictating the need for a crusade. I see little reason for the Orc to join the Imperial Cult. The Nine Divines and the Aedra are in direct opposition to the Daedra. Similarly, it makes no sense to join the Temple that basically replaced Daedra worship; unless your role-play an Orc that cuts ties with their tradition.
• The Imperial Cult is suitable for the Imperial (duh) and the Bretons. It is true that the other races also worship the Eight Divines, but they have different names. The Breton has awful stats for a Crusader, but this doesn't mean you cannot be one. It’s just that the first few levels will be harder. The female Imperial has 40 points for each important attribute and enjoys a +10 Long Blade buff. You would probably join the Imperial Legion as well.
• The Dunmer worship the Tribunal and/or the Daedric Princes (especially the 'good Daedra'). A Dunmer Crusader can choose to side with the Tribunal, with the Ashlanders/Dissident Priests, The Daedric Princes, or Dagoth Ur himself. Looking at the numbers, the male Dunmer fares even better, though his Willpower is low. A Dunmer Crusader will make more use of the Destruction skill than other races.
• Argonians worship the Hist and sometimes Sithis. Sadly, there is not much in Morrowind for the religious Argonian. A crusade to free slaves and to punish the slavers is however very possible. Looking at the skills and attributes, the Argonian is below average for a Crusader.
• Much like the Argonian, the Khajiit could have a crusade against slavery. They could also crusade for a skooma-free Vvardenfell. (Come on, fighting FOR skooma is not a crusade, it's a business!) Join the Thieves Guild to undermine the Camona Tong and work with Ahnassi (You could even move into Ahnassi House - Refurbished by Tizzo).

The Ritual is appropriate for a Crusader but with so many different Crusader profiles, you can also pick anything from the Lord (health), the Warrior (attack), or the Lady (endurance).

Gameplay and Mods

• Check the Barbarian Guide for mods and goals for the Orc and the Argonian.
• Check the Battlemage Guide for mods dealing with the Imperial Legion.
• Archimaestro Antares' BigMod to make factions better.

Looking the part

• The Ultimate Knight Shop by Orry: aka The Hand of God for all your shields and armour needs. Includes Knights of Tamriel by Jeremy McQuinn (or get the separate armour here : Jeremy had quests to get each armour set).
• Clothiers of Vvardenfell by Korana & BadKarma & Lady Rae has some armour, including for the male.
• Bob's Armory 2 has plenty of medieval looking armour and chainmail for both genders.

The Divines

• Chapels of Vvardenfell better shrines and better services.
• Falyn Indoril's Divine Providence Learn about the Divines and get a power for each of them.
• The Divines make your Divine tapestries stand out with better textures.
• Nerevar Say Nerevar by Blake. As a Champion of the Nine, you don't want to be the re-incarnation of a folk figure/ saint of the Temple. This mod lets Jiub be the one.
• Morrowind - Immanuel Kant Edition by Gavrilo93 so you can be truthful when completing quests.
• Illy's Oh my Goddess Adds a new shrine and clothing.

The Temple

• Shrine of Mount Assarnibibi by Istreddify. graphical update
• Seven Graces Shrines Enhanced by Queen Lunara. A graphical update, highly recommended.
• Passage of Prayers - High Fane Corridor Overhaul by Leyawynn. graphical update, gives you place worthy of worship.
• Descriptive Shrines Educate yourself on the Saints of the temple AND get a blessing.
• Temples with Shrines by Leyawynn. Adds shrines to temples that didn't have one.
• Actually Useful Temple Artifacts by Grasscid, a must if you want to use your prized holy relics. Alternatively Artifact Amendments by Pipe Smoking Rabbit changes the enchantment of more artifacts including two from the Temple.
• One True Faith - Saints and Frescoes Retexture by Tiddy. Eye-candy for when you pray.
• Voiced Vivec and Yakety Yagrum Adds voice files created by Bethesda but not implemented in the game.
• Wearable Vivec Ashmask by MrStordern, make the mask obtainable after the main quest.
• Temple Teleports by DarkElfGuy adds travel options between temples
• Muck Shovel of Vivec by Dongle, adds a small lore-friendly quest.
• The Ministry of Clarity by Corsair83, Darknut, Merlord and myself created a mod that lets you join a Temple faction secretly dealing with the Sixth House.
• The Mortal Life - lite so you can learn all about Vivec, the man.
• Blight Bounties by Ivza. The Temple issues bounties for blighted creatures.
• LGnpc, while not directly allied with the Temple, House Redoran is a house of warriors with great respect for the Temple. Grab at least Pax Redoran, other Redoran mods: Ald'ruhn, Indarys Manor, Maar Gan, Vivec Redoran and Ald Velothi.
• Olyn Hleran, a Redoran Companion a mod by LadyPhoenixFireRose, Pseunomix, and myself. Olyn is an honourable warrior who helps make the Redoran quests a little less tedious.
  Time to give your gods a face lift! Pick one of each.
• Vivec by Westly / SpaceDevo / Saint Jiub / Anroha MaCKom / Psymoniser
• Almalexia Plangkye / Westly / Quarl
• Better Sotha Sil simple retexture.

Keeping in mind the Crusader is supposed to fight for holy righteousness and do good, I won't list mods related to the Daedra or to joining the Sixth House here. You will find those in the Nightblade and Sorcerer guides later on.

Defeating the Sixth House

Destroying every Sixth House creature is a worthy crusade! First make them really ugly (in a beautiful way) and then make them more of a challenge:

• HD Creatures by EJ-12 and Qwerty: take the blighted creatures pack as well as the Sixth House. The models are very detailed and not for every one or for every play-through. But, if that's your crusade, totally worth having these models.
• Divine Dagoths by SpaceDevo gives Dagoth Ur and all his kin a facelift.
• Minions of House Dagoth by Neoptolemus, adds new Sixth House creatures for your fighting pleasure. This mod is already a part of MCA so don't install if you have Morrowind Comes Alive.
• Sabergirl's Tougher Sixth House adds levels and creatures to Venymal and Odrosal, and also makes all of the Dagoths tougher. Install before Deadly Dagoths if you want to use both.
• Darknut's Greater Dwemer Ruins is the ultimate overhaul of the Red Mountain's dungeons. Use this only if you found Sabergirl's version too easy. Heads up, Darknut LOVES his traps… save often!
• Mort's Beware the Sixth House (Sixth House Overhaul) is perfect if you only want the Sixth House creatures to be tougher. Install before Deadly Dagoths if you want to use both.
• Deadly Dagoths by Danjb, makes all Dagoths seriously stronger with new resistances and powers.
• Dagoth Ur Voice Addon and Dagoth Gares Voice addon by MrTS & Tyana Rie & Miltiades.
• Sixth House Melchoir by DonnerGott adds a place where Dreamer refugees can hide. They'll have quests for you as you progress in the main quest.
• The Reclamation of Hasimminus Mine by Enclavekiller, Lady Phoenix Fire Rose, mortimermcmire and PikachunoTM. Defeat Sixth House creatures in this dungeon/quest mod.
• From Ash to Frost by Caeris and Enclavekiller and Ashes and Ice by LadyPhoenixFireRose, kiramarshiku, Pseunomix, and myself. Both mods deal with the Sixth House attempt at gaining control over Solstheim, the former takes place after the main quest, the latter during.
• The Legend of Chemua by Greatness7, MementoMoritius, Melchior Dahrk and TheDrunkenMudcrab.
  

Handicaps and Goals

Handicaps

• I would forgo Destruction or just utilize underused spells like Damage Armour and Weapons.
• Naturally, be very selective of the quests you accept.
• You can make combat more challenging with mods like No Combat Menus by Merlord
• Make block a dynamic skill MWE Blocking that requires Morrowind Enhanced, LegomanIam94's Morrowind Better Blocking, or Merlord’s Defensive Stance. The latest option is Next Gen Combat.
• Never equip artifacts or gear from heretic factions.

Goals

• Complete all vanilla quests as well as those above for your chosen faith/crusade.
• Kill anyone who would actively undermine your creed.
• Collect all artifacts of your chosen faith (don't sell them!)
• Complete the main quest and the mods involving the Sixth House.
  

Final words

If you want more ideas for random handicaps and goals, check this blog entry with wheels to click, you can find my permadeath modlist (and all the others, actually) here and if you'd like to see many new characters created, join us on Twitch every Sunday for our permadeath runs ;)
Be sure to share how you like to role-play a crusader, what story you came up with, what mods you used, etc...
Happy Morrowinding!