Posted by5 years ago
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Comprehensive List of the Best Skyrim Mods, with Links, Descriptions, and Videos###
Updated 06/25/2015
Parts of this post were taken from other posts by /u/insane0hflex and /u/Roggvir, and they have been changed and updated by request by me, /u/EbrithilUmaroth. Some mods have been removed, some have been replaced, and a lot have been added. The list is more than twice as long as it was before and I don't expect it to stop there so if you have any mods you think should be added to the list, please let me know.
Don't install conflicting mods. For example, I'm going to list 3 follower overhaul mods, but you can only install one of them. Make sure you research every mod before you install it to avoid conflicts. LOOT is also very good at helping you avoid conflicts, it can recognize a lot of conflicting mods and warn you about it when you use it.
This list will be far too long to fit into one post, so I'll probably need to use about 4 comments. Please upvote the comments so they stay next to the main post and do not comment on the comments that are for the main post below so everything can stay organized. If you need to comment, comment on the main post itself, not one of the comments below.
Note: I will not be covering any mods that are NSFW in this post.
Prerequisite to Modding###
First, you will need Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE). Download SKSE here. You will now need to start Skyrim with skse_launcher.exe in order for SKSE, and mods that require it, to work.
Next, to easily install most of these mods - get the Nexus Mod Manager (NMM). With NMM, you can download mods with a click of a button from the Skyrim Nexus website, then install/uninstall mods with NMM, as well as configure your load order. Not required, but highly recommended.
Then get LOOT - to keep your mods properly 'load-ordered', to improve performance and reduce CTDs due to improper mod load order. Install your mods with NMM, then after that run LOOT to sort the mods. Alternatively, you can use BOSS which is the old version of LOOT. LOOT is a beta version so there's some bugs, BOSS might be more stable but LOOT does a better job sorting.
Next is Wrye Bash. Wrye Bash creates a patch of some of your mods and merges changes from those mods into the patch. This reduces the amount of mods the game has to load and helps avoid conflicts in the game. It can be a little complicated to use though, watch this video to learn about Bashed Patches. This is only recommended for advanced users, as this can cause problems if done incorrectly
A commonly suggested alternative to Nexus Mod Manager is Mod Organizer. It's more stable than NMM, allows you to customize modding profiles for different saves and different characters and doesn't actually install anything to the data folder; Instead it dynamically loads the files every time you start Skyrim.
If you don't like the Skyrim Nexus, most of the mods in this post are also available on the Steam Workshop. (I highly recommend just using the Nexus though, many mods can't be installed correctly through Steam)
Also, if you're new to modding I highly suggest you read this post in it's entirety. It will teach you the things you need to know when working with mods.
Please remember to endorse any mod you download if you enjoy it - its a way of giving thanks to a modder's hard work. I bookmark the pages of the mods I download, that way I remember to endorse the mod after an hour.
These are pretty much essential mods, install them all.
Mod Name | Mod Description |
---|---|
Unofficial Skyrim Patch | A community made patch for fixing bugs/issues with Skyrim and other DLCs. May increase performance and reduce crashes. There are links to the other patches in the description of this patch. |
Unofficial Dawnguard Patch | Install if you have Dawnguard. |
Unofficial Hearthfire Patch | Install this if you have Hearthfire. |
Unofficial Dragonborn Patch | Install this if you have Dragonborn. |
Safety Load | Ever had one of those infinite loading screens? This fixes that. Heavy modders will need this more. Install after SKSE |
OneTweak | This is an extremely highly recommended mod that fixes multiple problems and condenses several mods that used to be on this list into one, extremely useful mod. It features a Double Cursor Fix, Borderless window mode, Dynamic Process Priority and a RaceMenu Precache killer. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Install after SKSE |
Better Dialogue Controls | Have you ever pressed the E (activate) key in a dialogue and it selected something else than you expected? Then you may find this mod useful. Think of it as a patch for the controls of the dialogue interface. Install after SKSE |
3rd Person Dual Wield Animation Fix | No longer jitters when dual wielding. |
User Interface Mods###
These are all highly recommended for every Skyrim user.
Mod Name | Mod Description | Media |
---|---|---|
SkyUI | A User Interface mod that completely overhauls the UI of Skyrim's inventory menus & more to be/look a TON better. MUST HAVE! | N/A |
iHUD | A mod created by Gopher. Hides the HUD when you don't need it, shows the HUD when you do need it! Simply amazing. | N/A |
Less Intrusive HUD II | Allows you to customize every aspect of your HUD, offers altername Compass, Health Bar, and Sneak Meter, and is fully customizable. Very highly recommended and fully compatible with iHUD. | Video |
A Quality World Map | Adds the roads, trails, and paths of Skyrim to the World Map. | Video |
RaceMenu | Changes the character customization menu to allow more in-depth character customization. Another highly recommended mod. | Video |
EZ2C Dialogue | A mod that fixes and adds a lot more features and functionality to the dialogue menu. | Video |
These are HUGE mods that alter Skyrim as a whole or a large part of the Skyrim game. They serve different purposes, but none of them can be used together and they have conflicts with many other mods because of how large they are so installing one really requires you to learn about the mod.
Mod Name | Mod Description | Media |
---|---|---|
Skyrim Redone | This is a MASSIVE overhaul for Skyrim that alters nearly every aspect of the game. Read the mods description for a better idea what the mod does. One thing to keep in mind is that this mod is completely modular, you only need to install the parts of the mod that you actually want. | Video |
Requiem | This is another huge gameplay overhaul designed to give the game a more realistic roleplaying feeling. Read the mods description for a better idea what it does. | Video |
Skyrim Unleashed | This mod is designed to alter the difficulty curve of Skyrim as you level up. | N/A |
ACE - Combat Skills | A very large overhaul of Skyrims combat system and related elements. Like SkyRe it is modular so you can choose which parts of the mod you want. | Semi-related Video |
SPERG - Skyrim Perk Enhancements and Rebalanced Gameplay | In vanilla Skyrim, some skills are much harder to level than others, and some perk trees are near completely worthless. SPERG fixes both of those things by adjusting skill leveling rates, adding a number of different sources of skill gain for some of the harder skills to level, and completely overhauling the perk trees. | N/A |
Memory Patches###
Skyrim's engine has a very serious problem with crashing when you have too many mods installed. These patches help with that. Read the mods individual pages for technical information on how and why.
Mod Name | Mod Description | Media |
---|---|---|
CTD and Memory Patch ENBoost | This is an ENB patch that does wonders for how Skyrim manages memory and it virtually eliminated my CTDs. | N/A |
Skyrim Startup Memory Editor | This implements Sheson's memory allocation patch to allocate more memory to Skyrim when it starts up to help eliminate crashes. | N/A |
188 comments
Quests and overhauls
Alternate Start – Live Another Life
Alternate Start is the best way to start a new game of Skyrim. Instead of starting out on the prisoner wagon heading to Helgen, you’ll be able to pick from a multitude of very different origins. Maybe you’re just a hunter camping in the woods, a patron of the Riverwood Inn or a vampire hiding with your undead kin in a dark cave. What you pick doesn’t just determine your starting location, it also changes your inventory. If you want, you can easily pick up the main quest again, or you can just revel in your new life as a recently escaped necromancer’s thrall.
Skyrim Better Inventory Mod 1
Falskaar
Falskaar is a total conversion mod created by Alexander Velicky to prove to Bethesda he could make something that rivalled their DLC, but with a fraction of their resources. He’s since landed a job at Bungie as a result. Adding approximately 20 hours to the base game, Falskaar is an impressive mod that adds a whole new land independent of Tamriel, accessible by portal and later by boat. It boasts new items and shouts, and adds 26 new quests – which includes nine main story ventures and 17 side quests. If you’re looking to push more mileage from Skyrim, they don’t come much better than Falskaar.
The Forgotten City
Another ambitious conversion, The Forgotten City won a national Writer’s Guild award, a first in the medium, for its clever murder mystery script. It’s an eight-hour investigative romp set in an ancient underground city that is, not surprisingly, thick with mysteries. It’s a proper detective story, full of interrogations and sniffing around for clues. Think Poirot, but with magic and ethical conundrums. It feels like a professional production that just happens to also be a mod for Skyrim. A standalone game based on the mod is also in the works.
Moonpath to Elsweyr
Sick of chilly Skyrim? Hop on a wagon and take a trip to distant Elsweyr, the home of the fluffy Khajiit. The rainforest and desert makes a nice change of scene, and the Khajiit are far more interesting than the moody Nords. As well as a change in setting, there are plenty of entertaining quests, NPCs and, above all else, an airship of your very own. Moonpath to Elsweyr is almost as old as Skyrim and was a bit creaky as a result, but it started getting updated again last year. It’s the best time to take it for a spin.
Enderal
With a main storyline alone that amounts to 30 hours of questing, Enderal is a titanic mod set in an entirely new land made up of tropical costs, frosty mountains and dense forests. There are countless new assets, running the gamut from photo-scanned rocks to new monsters. Perks, combat and animations have similarly been overhauled – it’s essentially a new game. And a great one, to boot. Unfortunately, it’s not compatible with the Special Edition; you’ll need to do a bit of faffing to get it to work, though it’s entirely worth the effort.
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HomeGaming25 Best Skyrim Mods To Enhance The Gameplay
Skyrim has been out for a long time, and by this time most people have finished the game. There’s no doubt that it’s an amazing game that brings hours of gameplay with unique quests and foes. However, after a while, there’s not much you can do in the game. To make more out of this immensely popular game, different mods have been created. These mods can range from the improvement in the quality of the surroundings to mods that make stuff blow up for no reason. Before we get on to the best Skyrim mods, let’s see how you can apply them.
How to Apply Skyrim Mods
For people who do not know how to apply these mods, you will only need to click on the link of the mod you want and subscribe to it. It will download and apply itself from the Steam workshop. Some mods are not available there, so instead, we are including links to the mods. You should also download the Skyrim Script Extender. This will help in applying more complicated mods.
So, now that you know how to apply Skyrim mods, here are the25 best Skyrim Mods you should definitely try:
The Top Skyrim Mods You Should Try
1. Relighting Skyrim
If you have played Skyrim, or you’ve just started, you must have noticed light coming from illogical sources. There are doors which emit light, or maybe there isn’t any realistic directional light. To fix this and make Skyrim more graphically appealing, you can apply this mod. What this mod does is that it reprograms the game entirely to make lighting effects much better in the game. Light only emits from fires, stars, and other sources of light rather than basic non-luminous objects like benches and rocks.
2. 2K Textures
If you have a top of the line PC with bleeding edge specs, you should try this mod out. Skyrim – being a relatively old title – lacks some fine details and textures, and although there is an HD patch, this mod goes beyond that as well. This mod offers textures at up to 4K (2160p) resolution. It completely changes the visuals in the game. Having these details makes the game more appealing and life-like, at the cost of some fps, as this mod does tax the GPU.
3. Apocalypse Spells Mod
Not all the various Skyrim mods enhance the visuals in the game, the modding community has some amazing mods to spice up your gameplay and adds features which are immensely fun to play with. The Apocalypse Spells mod adds a lot to your game; 140 spells, to be exact. These spells range from calling of basic objects to smashing enemies, to summoning ferocious tornadoes that suck everything in their path. These spells are designed very well and play well with the history and tone of Skyrim.
4. Alternate Start
If you have completed the game and want a new beginning, you can try out this mod. The Alternative Start mod offers a lot of different starting points as different characters. The characters are all different and fit in Skyrim’s storyline perfectly. The mod is integrated into your game and you can start an alternate new story in the game. You can start as a farmer, a necromancer or many other characters of your choosing. This provides an interesting spin in the original gameplay, and characters like the shipwrecked guy on an island with nothing but the rags make for an amazing survival styled gameplay.
5. Moonpath to Elsweyr
Exploring the same place for a long time can get boring, right? To bring new landscapes and gameplay to Skyrim, you can use this mod. This mod gets you to Elsweyr – a beautiful landscape with forests and wilderness. You can hunt and stalk your prey and even explore Elsweyr with the short six quests. All the characters of Elsweyr are carefully created with voice acting. This mod pairs up well with the 2K Textures mod shown above, as the landscape of Elsweyr is beautiful and using those textures makes them come to life.
6. Cutting Room Floor
The Skyrim world is vast. It is filled with many creatures, characters, and different landscapes. The game itself is well around 100 hours but, if you have completed and explored everything, you might want to check this mod out.Cutting Room Floor will enable you to dwell deeper into Skyrim, as this allows you to explore things which did not make the final cut of Skyrim. The mod shows you all new quests, NPCs, and many items, which were taken out.
7. Monster Mayhem
Battling monsters is fun, but beating the same monsters over and over again gets boring. The thrill of facing new and unknown creatures cannot be replicated. To remedy this problem, the Monster Mayhem Mod comes into play. This mod introduces many new creatures to the Skyrim world. It opens a slew of different levels, each with their own unique behemoth. Battling these monsters is thrilling and gives what most people want – more things to kill.
8. Duel Combat Realism
Duel offers an amazing fix to the unrealistic combat system in Skyrim. It completely changes how every battle is fought. It forces users to pay close attention to the stamina bar, as it becomes vital for survival. This mod ties in your armor and your weapons to bring realism. If you use a good shield, it can actually stop the attack completely. This means users need to be tactical and use both defense and offense if they desire victory.
9. Reverse Crafting
The Reverse Crafting mod brings a much-needed feature to Skyrim. In plain old Skyrim, if players on their quests find something useless like a lower tier sword, that item is thrown away. You can not reuse its materials to make something else. This mod brings that feature to Skyrim. If you find a junk item, you can recycle it and re-purpose its materials. This makes the overall gameplay better for the players because the materials can be easily used somewhere else for bigger and better things.
10. Bandolier Extra Inventory
The world of Skyrim is a vast one, with many items and weapons. On your quests, you will find many items, and many are of use, so choosing between them can become a daunting task. This mod allows your character to hold more items than in plain Skyrim. This way, you can have all the items you need without opting to leave anything behind.
11. Open Cities
Skyrim has a lot of loading screens, and everyone knows how frustrating loading screens can be. They tend to ruin the flow of the gameplay; especially when you cannot even stroll in a city without them being loaded. To solve this issue, this mod comes into play. This mod banishes all loading screens when you are in the city. This means you are free to roam around in the city, without the annoying loading taking place. A simple mod, yet a frustration reliever.
12. Castle Volkihar Redux
This mod is as grand as they come. It produces a fully built castle with extremely accurate textures and details. The castle is a complete construction with eerie corridors and dungeons. It is a thing of beauty to look at but is not only about the beauty. This grand castle comes with its very own quest line, which is set after the events of Dawnguard.
13. Tundra Defense
Skyrim’s quests are pretty fun to play and offer a lot of action and quests. However, you sometimes might want to slack off and just chill. This is where the Tundra Defense mod comes in. This mod introduces a tower defense style mini-game in which you build your tower and then defend it. The mod is well built and makes you more responsible, as you need to defend your ground, else it will be overrun. You can hire guards to help defend your creation, have citizens settle in, or even trigger attacks by yourself for instant action.
14. Sky UI
Now a lot of you might not like the stock UI that Skyrim offers and I don’t blame you. The UI does feel a little bit clunky and you can easily get something a whole lot more intuitive by using a mod. I would recommend that you try out Sky UI – a great UI replacement for Skyrim which will surely improve the way you interact with the game. The mod offers a much more convenient inventory management system, support for full text search, sorting and extended data columns. The mod also offers complete customization, among a ton of other features, which makes it one of my go-to mods every time I think of doing another quick play through of Skyrim.
15. Return Of Atlantis
The lost city – Atlantis – has made its way to Skyrim with this mod. Through this mod, Atlantis rises from the depths of the seas to give you more ways to interact with Skyrim. This mod fits well with the Skyrim lore and offers a lot of beautiful scenery, as well as different characters for you to explore. This dungeon is filled with merman, whirlpools, and agents of Hades. The dungeon is 4 hours long, and you need to fight a challenging boss after the four-hour exploration of the ten chambers present in this dungeon.
16. Falskaar
The Falskaar mod is one of the most impressive mods out there. This mod creates a whole new continent, with a whopping 25 hours of gameplay. The creation of Falskaar took nearly 2000 hours, and the creator now works at Bungie, creating Destiny. We encourage anyone who reads this to give this mod a try. The continent has numerous quests and wildlife, and the landscape is beautiful. Attention has been paid to the details, and the mod’s popularity further proves the great gameplay of this mod.
17. Rabbit Hole Dungeon
The Rabbit Hole Dungeon mod produces a vertical burrow of a dungeon, as implied by its name. The dungeon goes 50 levels deep into the ground and offers a lot of adventure for players. The dungeon has different enemies in each of those 50 levels. You must beat all the enemies on a particular floor to proceed to the next floor, like an arena action adventure game. This makes the dungeon more challenging, as 50 levels of enemies is a lot to take on. The dungeon also changes every time you revisit it, making sure you get a new experience every time.
18. ThirteenOrange’s Quests Mods
ThirteenOrange creates a series of quests in Skyrim which sure are amazing. These quests are lore-friendly and fit perfectly into the Skyrim world. A lot of thought was put into the mod, as the quests offer much more than just fast enemies. There are total five quests, and every one of them focuses more on story than random fights. There are well-written scriptures, and a wide variety of landscapes to explore. You will travel to different realms, beat a giant and slay creatures. All with one mod. A must try for all the Skyrim fans.
19. Enderal
If you liked the gameplay Falskaar brought, then you are surely going to love the Enderal mod. This mod brings close to 100 hours of fresh gameplay, and it feels like a new game rather than a mod. Enderal is beautifully created, like many other great mods out there. It features an amazing quest line with voice acting, and many new landscapes to explore. The landscape ranges from a densely forested mainland to snow covered mountains. This mod also overhauls the skill and talent system.
20. Way of the Monk
Now, this mod may seem a little clickbait-y, but it is still pretty cool. The mod strips off your armor & weapons and forces you to face your enemies with your bare hands. The mod introduces two new skill trees: Unarmed and Unarmored, and it also introduces perks related to your new way of fighting. This It does not do anything but answer the question: Can I really a take on a mammoth with my bare hands?
21. Immersive Weapons
For some of you out there, modding is a way to make any game a whole lot more immersive. If that’s the case with you, then you should definitely check out the Immersive Weapons mod, a mod that will drastically enhance the variety of weapons in the world of Skyrim. The mod adds 230 new weapons to the game, all of which somehow fit into the lore, and distributes the around the world. With the mod, you’ll also be able to break down weapons at smelters and get their base components and make new weapons with custom crafting requirements that further promote immersion. In case you like the mod, you should also check out the Immersive Armor mod which does pretty much the same for the armor you can find and equip in game.
22. Needs and Diseases
Survival mode mods are becoming more and popular, and this mod is for those who are looking to start out in the survival mode scene. This mod makes it necessary for your character to do mundane tasks such as sleep, eat, and drink water. Failure to do so would result in dire consequences. This mod is not as severe as other survival mods, but it still will make sure you are wary of such things before taking off on a quest.
23. Dark Brotherhood Resurrection
If you enjoyed the Dark Brotherhood quest and its storyline then you are going to love this mod. This mod adds another 4+ hours of campaign to the Dark Brotherhood storyline. You will be accompanied by the best contract killers in the brotherhood and listen to some of the best stories they have to share. Learn more about the intricate details of the dark brotherhood and enjoy new conversations via this mod. You are a part of the brotherhood now.
24. Phenderix Magic World
This mod is filled with magic. It is a new setting with different structures and landscapes like the school of witchcraft. It takes you to the town of Manantis, where you will be greeted with tons of magical stuff. You will be able to learn hundreds of spells from all the schools of magic and get dozens of new followers. It even comes with a quest to help you explore the magical realm. This mod is a truly magical (pun intended) experience.
25. Skyrim Redone
This mod is the mother of all mods. This completely changes how you play and view Skyrim. T3ndo’s Skyrim redone is a combination of different mods to give the game a complete makeover. It brings nifty new features and weapons like a grappling hook and disguises. It also is a complete overhaul of the game down to the perks, skills, and stats of every character. This is a broad and complicated mod and tends to have some issues with some systems. However, once you get it running, it truly gives you an amazing experience.
SEE ALSO: 43 Best Skyrim Console Commands to Make The Game More Exciting
Enhance Skyrim Gameplay With The Best Skyrim Mods
Skyrim Mods Pc
Skyrim might be a pretty old game, but the gameplay never gets old because there are countless mods out there for this beautiful game and each mod adds a completely new dimension to the game. If you are bored of the basic game then do try out these amazing Skyrim mods and let us know what you think in the comment section below.
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If you're looking to improve your experience in Bethesda's epic adventure, then adding some of the best Skyrim mods can certainly help with that. Skyrim is starting to look a bit tired these days, but that isn't really surprising as the remastered edition came out back in 2016 and the vanilla original has been around for almost eight years. The good news though is that by installing a selection of the best Skyrim mods we've picked out here, you can take on massive new quests and battle against improved enemies, while enjoying graphical improvements and gameplay tweaks to make your life easier.
In our list of the best Skyrim mods below, we've listed what platform each mod is available on, along with a respective link to either the NexusMods page for PC or the Bethesda mod site for consoles.
How to install sims into sims 4. Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods is the folder you need in order to install mods and cc. Sims/lots go inside the Tray folder. Installing Mods in The Sims 4 The process for downloading both CC and Mods is the same, so we will cover them both at once. So, follow up the guidelines we shared with you as related with how to install Sims 4 mods on PC! The whole process is so simple and straight forward and it would be taking around just few minutes to get end up with the process of installation. If you downloaded the sim from an external site, the files need to be put into the documents -electronic arts -sims 4 - tray folder. They can't be placed in a subfolder. The files need to be placed directly into the tray folder. If the sim also has cc clothing, you will need to have downloaded cc clothing package files also. First, you'll need to register for a free account and download the Sims 4 Studio program from here. The Sims 4 Studio is a free-fan made program for both Windows and Mac users. Once you've downloaded and installed The Sims 4 Studio program on your computer, open it up and click on Tools Merge Packages. Download and Install. While individual.package files can be downloaded and installed into the mods folder as is, you may encounter content downloads in.ZIP or.RAR form. These types of files must be opened using a data compression utility such as WinZIP or WinRAR, and then used to extract the.package files from within.
- Looking for help with the best Skyrim mods on consoles? Here's how to install Skyrim mods on PS4 and Xbox One
- Also check out our picks for the best MMORPGs to play right now, including Elder Scrolls Online
Quests
Read more
Elder Scrolls 6: release date, trailer, news, and everything else we know
Falskaar
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Those of you who have finished Skyrim should head immediately to Falskaar. Considering it's the size of a DLC and that it landed its creator a job at Bungie, the fact that it's on this list shouldn't be that surprising. As the harbinger of an ancient prophecy (minus any special powers), you have to bring peace back to Falskaar - but nothing is ever as simple as it seems..
Forgotten City
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
This is the best story mod out there, in my honest opinion. Stuck in an underground town overseen by old automated Dwemer moral police system, you just have to find a way out. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Oh, just you wait..
Clockwork
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
The Dwemer don't really get enough time dedicated to them in Skyrim, despite being the most enigmatic race to ever grace Nirn. Yet this strange mansion you stumble upon is run by two of their contraptions..and their master is missing. Guess you'd better find out what's gone on!
Moonpath to Elsweyr
Available on:Xbox One,PC
Available on:Xbox One,PC
Moonpath to Elsweyr connects Skyrim to the vast deserts of the feline Khajiit. Here, you can bask under azure skies and hunt ferocious raptors in wild tangles of bush and jungle. This was actually one of the first quest mods ever made for Skyrim, but has recently started receiving regular updates again, making it one of the best mods around at the moment.
Beyond Bruma
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Do you remember the days you spent wandering around Bruma back when Mehrunes Dagon threatened to destroy Tamriel in Oblivion? Well, now you can go back to Bruma from Skyrim. With over 70 residents, Bruma looks better and feels more alive than ever before.
Markers: No more wandering aimlessly
Stones of Barenziah Markers
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
The bloody Stones of Barenziah. This quest sat in my tray for the time it took me to complete all the major quests and a chunk of the sidequests, and I had only found about six. This mod is essential if you want to get all of the stones and find out what mysterious item they make in the end.
Impatience of a Saint Markers
Available on: PS4,Xbox One, PC (not on Nexus, so it's on Bethesda's mod website)
Available on: PS4,Xbox One, PC (not on Nexus, so it's on Bethesda's mod website)
I was running around the hellish Soul Cairn in circles for a good hour trying to find all of the pages to Jiub’s opus, and this mod cut that time down to about ten minutes. Completely worth it.
Travelling around Skyrim
A Quality World map and Solstheim map
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
My god, I cannot emphasise enough how much better this mod made Skyrim. If you’re like me and you don’t like to fast-travel the vanilla map, whilst pretty, is almost useless when you’re trying to find a road which will take you from Riften to Solitude. This mod overhauls the map so it’s easy to find routes between cities and picks out most of the paths you could easily miss otherwise.
Diverse Dragons Collection
Available on: Xbox One, PC, and try Splendor: Dragon Variants on PS4
Available on: Xbox One, PC, and try Splendor: Dragon Variants on PS4
As soon as you unlock your dragonborn blood, appearances of these winged reptiles will start becoming as regular as rain. So why not spice up the sight of them appearing on the horizon with this mod, which introduces 28 news dragons, each with a different model and texture. As well as the typical frost and fire breath, some even have a drain vitality attack, and thanks to their unmistakable appearances you'll be able to tell which one is swooping towards you on the horizon. Gnarly.
Rain and Snow FX
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
A small addition but one that makes a bucketload of difference: makes you look wet in rain, and frost tints you body when you’re walking through a blizzard.
Note: The PC link leads to the 'Wet and Cold' mod, which has a very similar effect.
Note: The PC link leads to the 'Wet and Cold' mod, which has a very similar effect.
Better Horses
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Among other things, this equine mod has a new horse AI so your mount will flee combat, more stamina (so more galloping), invulnerability (especially useful for me as I tend to Leeroy Jenkins in every fight), plus they’re faster.
Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website, as the NexusMods file is no longer supported.
Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website, as the NexusMods file is no longer supported.
Open Cities Skyrim
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
This means that you don’t have to endure loading screens when you enter cities, which makes for a beautifully seamless transition between shooting deer in the wilds and selling your haul from raiding dungeons to merchants.
Castle Volkihar Redux
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
For those bloodsuckers amongst you this mod is sure to be a favourite, as it turns Castle Volkihar into a small town, finally making it feel like you’re really part of the night-walking, bat-loving elite.
Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website.
Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website.
Skyrim Special Edition Inventory Mod
Really Useful Dragons
Available on: PC
Available on: PC
Have you ever gotten bored of dragons? Although the diverse dragons mod makes the colossal beasts far more interesting, they’re still the same serpentine monsters you’ve been slaying since 2011. Cue really useful dragons, which changes all the dragons in Skyrim into Thomas the Tank Engine trains. You’re welcome.
Improving gameplay
Skyrim Special Edition Unofficial Patch
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
I’ll keep this brief: download it. It fixes a ton of bugs and is compatible with the vast majority of mods. Win-win.
The Choice is Yours
Available on:Xbox One, PC
Available on:Xbox One, PC
Have you ever been seriously annoyed about the fact that unfinished quests just sit in your journal forever? Well, thanks to The Choice is Yours, you can just straight up reject quests. Sorry, I’m the Dragonborn. I haven’t got time to fetch you a mammoth’s tusk.
Static Mesh Improvement
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
This mod adds vast, very visible improvements to the 3D models for most objects in Skyrim. It replaces the low-polygon meshes for most banal objects in the game, and trust me - you'll notice the difference. If you're still unconvinced, head over to their page on Bethesda or Nexus and see the screenshots for yourself.
Skyrim Graphic Overhaul
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
It’s simple: this mod makes Skyrim look a ton better. It adds textures to objects in-game such as more plants and grasses, fur looks like fur and not sheets of grey, as well as smoke. Expect in-game immersion to shoot up after installing this mod.
Note: The PC link leads to Osmodius' SSE Texture pack, which livens up the textures to the same degree as the mod on Bethesda's site.
Note: The PC link leads to Osmodius' SSE Texture pack, which livens up the textures to the same degree as the mod on Bethesda's site.
Alternate Start - Live Another Life
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Fed up with being the Dragonborn? I don’t blame you, and this mod lets you start as almost anything from a necromancer’s assistant to a shipwrecked sailor. For those of you who love to replay Skyrim, it lets you roleplay to your heart’s content.
Become a Bard
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
As if the title wasn’t self-explanatory enough, I’ll spell it out for you: this mod lets you become a proper bard, not just a travelling Dragonborn who occasionally helps out the Bard College in Solitude. You can pick your preferred instrument, decide which songbooks you want to specialise in, choose bard followers, and play songs anywhere including in taverns where you’ll earn tips for your musical endeavours. Become a Bard gives the Bard’s College a purpose, letting it stand tall alongside the Thieves’ Guild, the Companions and the College of Winterhold.
Dragon Souls to Perks
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
By the time you’ve sunken about 50 hours into Skyrim, you’ve probably got a heap of dragon souls sitting beside your Thu’ums, useless. If you don’t use shouts particularly often, this mod makes sure the souls don’t go to waste. They let you ‘buy’ perks, with the ones higher up the skill trees costing more souls to purchase. Get out there and slay some dragons!
Ordinator - Perks Of Skyrim
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
An almighty overhaul of Skyrim's perk tree, this adds 400 new perks, bulking out each basic skill to give a ton more options to spend your precious perk points on. From 'Fog of War' in the stealth tree to 'Flee Fool' in the two-handed tree, there's plenty of new abilities to master!
Left Hand Rings
Available on:Xbox One, PC
Available on:Xbox One, PC
Pretty simple, but somehow overlooked by Bethesda - after all, rings aren’t restricted to your right hand in real life, so why should they be in Skyrim?
Cloaks & Capes
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
If you want to look good while exploring Tamriel then these craftable Fur Cloaks and Linen Capes are particularly stylish - you can also get them emblazoned with hold insignia by obtaining them from the appropriate locations.
Sounds of Skyrim: Civilisation; Dungeons; The Wilds
Available on:PC
Available on:PC
The immersion will jump once you install this mod, as it means that dungeons, towns, and the countryside will sound different each time you venture out. That means no more hearing the same birdsong no matter where you are, no more repetitive dripping from Ancient Norse obelisks, or certainly a rediction in that dratted clanging sound of the blacksmith’s hammer in every city you go to.
Unread Books Glow
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
The completionist in me loves this mod. Make sure to make this one of the first mods you download though, as if you download it mid-game all the books you’ve read to that point will be marked as unread. The feeling of reading the last glowing book before you add it to your collection is so satisfying.
Newmiller’s Spell Books Retextures 2
Available on: PC
Available on: PC
To build on that last mod, you can actually download a texture pack that turns Skyrim’s ordinary spell books into leather-bound tomes that look as if they’d smell musty. These are arcane texts, after all — they’ve probably been around for hundreds of years!
Useful Alteration
Available on:Xbox One, PC
Available on:Xbox One, PC
This mod will change your life. Although Alteration is often seen as the ugly duckling of the arcane arts, installing Useful Alteration will provide the College of Winterhold’s Tolfdir with a whole new range of Alteration tomes. Described by the modder as “annoyance removal” spells, these are generally used to make playing Skyrim less mundane. “Solve” solves a nearby pillar puzzle immediately, while “Unlock” automatically unlocks a locked chest or door. Who knew that Alteration was the best magic school?
Fixing NPCs
Realistic Conversation Overhaul
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Ever been walking through one of Skyrim's cities when five citizens are suddenly simultaneously clamouring for your attention? Of course you have. The people roaming through Windhelm, Riften, and Falkreath just love to chat and this mod lets them do it to their heart's content. Just, to other NPCs - not you. This means strolling through a village is suddenly much more immersive with its inhabitants having a chat outside the Inn or as a break from harvesting wheat. Small change, but a big difference.
Immersive Citizens AI Overhaul
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
NPCs in Skyrim are interesting beings to say the least, as they’ll try to pick a fight with any dragons swooping around their village. This mod means that they won’t try to fight you (or any other overpowered creature) if you’re a higher level than them; instead they’ll run and hide in a hideout, which will be assigned randomly and could be a home, temple, Jarl’s stronghold, or anything similar.
Immersive Patrols
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
If the sight of golden skin of the Thalmor looming over the horizon, or the sound of the self-righteous Stormcloaks as they tramp by deafens you, this mod is what you're looking for. No longer do just the two civil war factions patrol round Skyrim: Immersive Patrols adds scheduled Dawnguard, caravan, and guard patrols to Skyrim and Reaver, Skaal, Redoran, and Riekling patrols to Solstheim, as well as making existing patrols regular. It also adds moderately-sized civil war fort battles so you can sink your axe, arrow, or destruction magic of choice into even more heads.
Seriously Overstocked And Rich Merchants
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
If you're a serious hoarder of trinkets and treasure from your quests, then one issue you may run into is merchants and/or fences running out of gold to buy your many wares. This mod helps solve that by giving them five times the regular amount of gold to trade with, as well as three times as much merchandise to sell to you. Cashback!
Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website.
Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website.
Run For Your Lives
Available on:PC
Available on:PC
NPCs in Skyrim are surprisingly ballsy. They’ll take on bandits and even dragons. That’s fun to watch, but it will sometimes result in quest-givers getting roasted a bit too badly, and expiring before your very eyes. This mod changes that, and makes NPCs run for cover when enemies approach, which saves you the trouble of running around trying to save the brave, valiant idiots.
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul
Available on: PC
Available on: PC
No more hearing about arrows in knees. NPCs get more dialogue options with this mod, and they even address you with over 50 different voice times. There’s nothing like the thousandth hearing of not-Schwarzenegger’s ‘Let me guess. Somebody stole your sweetroll?’ for breaking immersion.
The Paarthurnax Dilemma
Available on:Xbox One, PC
Available on:Xbox One, PC
I got quite irritated at the quest Delphine gives you to kill Paarthurnax, as there’s no option to quite simply say no. If you decline, the quest has to litter your journal for eternity. That’s all changed in this mod, so you can spare your scaly friend and let him fly free.
Combat: make things more deader
Phenderix: Magic Evolved
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
For those who love the sight of lightning crackling from their fingertips, you’re spoilt for choice with this mod as it adds over 400 new spells. There are new spell archetypes, including bombs, growth, and plus you can summon any creature in Skyrim!
Better Combat AI
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
With this mod NPCs fighting styles drastically change. Now they’ll try to block, bash, and stagger, as well as disengage from melee combat when they get too far away from ranged characters. Genius!
Note: the PC link leads to 'Combat Evolved' mod, which does a very similar thing.
Note: the PC link leads to 'Combat Evolved' mod, which does a very similar thing.
Enhanced Blood Textures
Available on: Xbox One, PC, and try Increase Blood Amount on PS4
It’s simple and the title says it all. Gore never looked better.
Available on: Xbox One, PC, and try Increase Blood Amount on PS4
It’s simple and the title says it all. Gore never looked better.
VioLens: A Killmove mod
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
Available on:PS4, Xbox One, PC
I love seeing my character execute a badass kill-move to take down enemies, and this mod makes fighting a joy. Flourishes when you’re about to kill somewhen while dual-wielding, brutal finishers, executions for dragons - it really has it all.
Wounds
Available on: PC
Available on: PC
So you’ve been absolutely wrecked by a Draugr Deathlord, barely escaping with your life. However, all you have to do is down a health potion or two before you’re back to normal. With Wounds, you can actually pick up debilitating injuries that take days, weeks, or even months to heal properly. Smashed femur? That’s going to be an issue for two whole months.
Voice of Madness: A Wabbajack Shout
Available on: PS4
Available on: PS4
Unfortunately, this mod is only on PS4 at the moment. However, if you’re lucky enough to own a copy of Skyrim on PS4, and unlucky enough to have yet to experience the wonder of this mod, you should download it immediately. Everybody knows Sheogorath is the Daedric Prince of Madness, but what happens when you harness his chaotic energy and channel it into your Thu’um? Prepare to Wabbajack enemies into Oblivion and rain explosive cheese from darkened skies!
Cross and Jab
Available on: PC
Available on: PC
In some games, hand-to-hand combat is a joy. Just think of all the Fists of Fury quests in The Witcher 3! However, it’s pretty mundane in Skyrim. Cross and Jab changes that by adding in faster, more diverse punching animations, to the extent that you’ll likely start taking on dungeons as a bare-knuckle boxer just because of how satisfying it feels. It’s time to become Skyrim’s world heavyweight champion.
Bonus Companion
Dovahbit of Caerbannog
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Dovahbit is a rabbit who carries your stuff, comes with its own little saddlebags, and can wear helmets. You haven’t enjoyed Skyrim at its fullest until you’ve looked behind you and seen a small brown bunny wearing a horned helmet hopping after you.
Note: The PC link takes you to Bethesda's mod page where you can find the fluffy, loyal companion. Aww.
Note: The PC link takes you to Bethesda's mod page where you can find the fluffy, loyal companion. Aww.
Dwemer Dogs companions
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Available on: Xbox One, PC
Although the Dwemer ruins of Skyrim are mostly abandoned, this mod adds three Dwemer doggos to Salvius Farm. They won’t actually fight for you, but they’ll follow you around and bark, which is incredibly wholesome and makes Skyrim about fifty times more enjoyable. You can also conjure these dwarven doggos if you buy the spell tome from Farengar in Whiterun. It’s amazing.
Vilja
Available on:PC
Available on:PC
Vilja is a Nord alchemist that’s been helping players fulfil their destinies since way back in the days of Oblivion. Now she’s made her way to Skyrim to help the Dragonborn on their quest to prevent the apocalypse at the hands of Alduin, the World-Eater. However, perhaps the most interesting thing about Vilja is that Sir Terry Pratchett himself helped to develop her character. Now all we need is a full-blown Discworld mod!
Bear Musician
Available on: PC
Available on: PC
This mod can only be downloaded directly from Steam. It’s pretty self-explanatory - it allows you to travel with a lute-bearing bear minstrel. Bring it to the Bard’s College so that it can fulfil its wildest dreams.
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