The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special - Edition V1.5.97.0 |work|

The Steam version of the game still includes the "Free AE Upgrade" (Fishing, Survival). You must delete the associated Creation Club BSAs or use a mod to disable them.

Launched in the wake of the Special Edition's refined 64-bit engine, this version represents a perfect, frozen moment. It offers the stability of the Special Edition (no more 4GB RAM limits, no more frequent CTDs in Riften) while retaining full compatibility with the vast, sprawling ecosystem of SKSE64 (Script Extender) plugins. Here, mods like SkyUI , RaceMenu , Immersive Armors , and Legacy of the Dragonborn work in seamless harmony. The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition V1.5.97.0

The "RO" (Revamped) versions of many combat mods depend on the 1.5.x Address Library. The AE ports often lack proper iframe handling. The Steam version of the game still includes

The consensus in expert modding guides (Lexy’s LOTD, Phoenix Flavor, STEP) remains: If you want a massively modded, hyper-stable, 1000+ plugin playthrough, you still want V1.5.97.0. It offers the stability of the Special Edition

Back up your SkyrimSE.exe from version 1.5.97.0 on an external drive or cloud storage. Bethesda won’t let you download it again, but the modding community will never let it die.