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, and 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 Nightblade's main attributes are Willpower and Speed. Looking at the skills, Agility stands out with 3 skills improving it (Light Armor, Marksman and Sneak) as well as Willpower for spells. Speed will increase fast if you use Short Blade and Unarmored.

Dunmers, are low on Willpower but make up for it with a +10 buff in Destruction and +5 in Mysticism. As for combat, they also have +10 Short Blade.
If you intend to go unarmoured, the Argonian is also a good Nightblade, especially the female.
If you want something a little more mystical (and a little less lore-friendly) try Westly's Elves of the Unseen or even The Sidhe and The Darklings.

Want to rely on magic a lot? Go with the Mage: the maximum magickca multiplier somewhat makes up for the fact that your intelligence won't increase much. Want to not take as much damage, go with the Thief (and cast sanctuary for greater effect). Want to fight better, go with the Warrior.

Gameplay and Mods

The Nightblade is a stealthy character made more formidable still by magic. If you put your talent at the service of a faction, check the Agent Guide. If you pursue a career as a professional (though possibly lawful) killer, check the Assassin Guide. Finally, if you intent to use your skills for personal gain, check the Thief Guide.(not published yet)

Evil mods

The Nightblade is a somewhat sinister character and a good candidate to join the Sixth House and evil factions in general. If you fancy worshipping the Daedric Princes, check out the Monk guide

The Sixth House

• Great House Dagoth by the Mad God. Probably the go-to mod for anyone who wants to join the Sixth House. As you progress, gain the ability to transform into various corprus beasts. Some of the transformation spells can be a little glitchy.
• The Sixth House by Endrek is the popular alternative. The main differences are that Great House Dagoth keeps the moral ambiguous while in this mod, Dagoth Ur (and the player) is clearly evil.
• Vladxn's Sixth House Headcanon is a more recent and still WIP that overhauls the main quest where you are NOT the Nerevarine but a Dunmer who serves the Sixth House.
• Dreaming for Lord Dagoth by MasterJinroku aka AresGAWDofWar. I have not tested this one yet either, it looks very promising though. Note that this is only on a Morrowind Rebirth install.
• Sixth House Monastery by -273. A Hlaalu style house/dungeon sitting on top of a hill between Caldera and Balmora, furnished with Sixth House elements. A good base for a Sixth House agent.
• For mods that visually enhance Sixth House creatures and make them tougher, check my Crusader Guide
  

Vampires

• For the impatient player, Chargen Vampire Birthsigns by Marbred lets you be a vampire from the beginning of the game.
• Vampire Embrace and Vampire Hunger and Vampire Realism. The unholy trinity of vampire mods.
• Slof's Vampire Mods adds all kinds of neat powers for your vampire Nightblade (works well in addition to the previous mods).
• If it's all too much (those are some very heavy scripted mods), try this one: Vile Vampire Hider by Squid. You will be able to hide your vampire nature while wearing the Masque of Clavicus Vile: this way you can be a vampire and continue with your quests.
• Quarra Clan. Some 20 quests for the Quarra Vampire.
• The Underground by Qarl. A classic! Warning, not very lore-friendly, occasionally buggy, but still well worth playing for any dark and gritty character. Be sure to install this patch by Huskobar as well.
• Solf's Vampire Faces: you may be dead, probably evil, but you can look good too!
• Truly Disturbing Vampire Dreams by Trainwiz. Read the horror when you sleep.
• Vampire Clan Amulets Upgrade by Bullwark. The amulets offer transport to more locations.
• Both Morrowind Comes Alive and Starfire's NPC additions add vampire hunters. So you have something to fear in the dead of the night.
• Cattle Herder by Grimspire. Adds a cattle herder to each vampire hideout who will bring you fresh cattle for a snack.
• PCVoice: Vampire
• Galur Rithari: The Rest of the Story (TRotS)A quest, dungeon and house mod for the vampire character.
  

Magic

Fun ways to use magic for a stealthy character:

• The obvious: Chameleon to increase your chance to sneak, Sanctuary to avoid being hit.
• Telekinesis / Chameleon to safely steal, also obvious.
• Levitation! Cast levitation on self for 20 sec AND cast levitation on you enemy for 15 seconds, take the fight to the skies, watch them fall to their death. (mouhahah)
• It would be a shame to use Destruction to inflict damage when you are very proficient with your dagger. However, anything that will cripple your enemy such as damage attribute spells is great!
  • Damage strength to reduce their damage and maybe even pin them to the ground by reducing their carry capacity.
  • Damage Intelligence to reduce an enemy's magicka.
  • Damage Agility to make them miss.
  • Damage Speed to slow them down.
• The Nightblade could very well sneak and stab, but there is something about blinding your target, letting them panic and slash their sword aimlessly while you play with them like a mouse with a cat.

Other

• Westly's Nightsong Armor
• Playable Dawn Companion, and Equipment by Korana. A female race/character inspired by the comics of Joseph Michael Linsner. Includes its own skimpy yet devilish armour sets.
• Deepscorn by Istreddify is an evil lair inspired by the Oblivion DLC of the same name.

Handicaps and Goals

• Take your job to the letter: draw you blade... at night only!
• Kill creatively?
• For the Vampire character, becoming a vampire and building your loyal retinue of thrall, cattle and children.
• For the Sixth House agent, see Dagoth Ur restored to power.

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 ;)

Happy Morrowinding!