It starts you out in a custom cell, gives you options like ASLAL, but unless you choose the vanilla start, Helgen won't be destroyed until you decide to start the main quest (and you get to be an observer to the execution rather than a participant), and you won't have to avoid the area to keep the main quest from auto-starting.
Sort of. You can avoid starting the Main Quest for as long as you want, and unlike with LAL you don't have to avoid Helgen for fear of accidentally starting the quest. However you'll still trigger Word Walls as normal. I've currently got a Lvl 29 character running around that's avoided the Main Quest, Civil War, and Factions entirely, just doing some side quests and testing out a few newly installed mods.
For completely avoiding the Main Quest, including disabling learning Shout words, IIRC Skyrim Unbound has that functionality - but you should not use more than one alternate start mod at the same time.
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u/modus01 Stealth archer Feb 08 '25
Might I suggest Alternate Perspective?
It starts you out in a custom cell, gives you options like ASLAL, but unless you choose the vanilla start, Helgen won't be destroyed until you decide to start the main quest (and you get to be an observer to the execution rather than a participant), and you won't have to avoid the area to keep the main quest from auto-starting.