I've tried to get into Oblivion a bunch of times, but I never get very far because the default leveling system is horrid.

I've decided I'd love to play through the original game content with a better leveling system. I've seen mods as simple as giving you the max +5 every level no matter how much your skills actually improved to complete game overhauls (OOO, Nehrim).

Since I'd rather play through the original content, I'd like to avoid mods that change the game too much (Nehrim) ... so what would be the best mod(s) to install to accomplish this? I'm not looking for the game to be a cakewalk, but I'd prefer that after a few levels a common wolf doesn't one-shot me if I just happen to not see it while walking around (something that happened around lvl 8 in a previous attempt. I walked through the area and fought off some wolves. Came back later 4 levels higher and a wolf that looked exactly the same one hit killed me. Reloaded, and the only way I could kill it was by kiting as it was one bite and dead).

My most favorite one is this one:

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=35333

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Curently i use this combination:

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14065

combined with http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=14304

I really like http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=13879 and it feels almost as if it was a part of the vanilla Oblivion, well atleast if gamesas went about fixing their leveling system without veering too far from the original concept this is how they should of done it.

But I also use Progress for it's useful tweaks to weapons and whatnot.

I would also recommend any of the above. My current play through is with Realistic Levelling but my next play through will be with nGCD.

EDIT: Both playthroughs are with Progress.

nGCD + Progress.

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like I'll have to try out realistic leveling and nGCD to see which I prefer.

I use Oblivion XP as well, pretty simple to use and makes sense. I've also used Wrye leveling the past, feels a little more artificial, but still good. There's even another version where you can only level up skills through trainers, expensive, but what else you gonna spend all your money on anyway?

I never liked any of the mods that increase skills by using them, it just seems too forced and grindy. If you increase conjuration by casting a spell, your best bet is to stand around casting summon skeleton for hours, who wants to do that, and it feels like you're grinding the system instead of playing the game. Or armor, best way to get that higher is to let a rat attack you for hours, that doesn't sound very fun.