Love “Skyrim”? So do we! And with mods, the game gets even better. Mods can change the look, add new stories, or make gameplay more fun. The great news is that there are tons of these mods out there. But which ones are the best? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s our list of the top 25 Skyrim mods that’ll make your game even more awesome. Let’s jump in!
Top Skyrim Mods
In a hurry? Here’s our top picks with description and download link, you can read more about each mod in detail below. Read here for instructions on how to install Skyrim mods.
| Mod Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE) | Essential for many other mods to function. |
| SkyUI | A complete overhaul of Skyrim’s user interface, more functional and pleasant to use. |
| Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch | A comprehensive bug-fixing mod that works to fix numerous bugs/glitches. |
| Cutting Room Floor | Restores cut content that didn’t make it into the final release. |
| Immersive Citizens – AI Overhaul | Makes NPC behavior more realistic. |
| RealVision ENB | A full preset to significantly improve Skyrim’s lighting, effects, and overall visual appeal. |
| Sounds of Skyrim | An audio project that adds over 460+ sound effects to Skyrim based on location, time, weather, etc. |
| Frostfall | Hypothermia camping survival mod, making the cold weather a real challenge. |
| Campfire | Complete camping system, often paired with Frostfall. |
| Ordinator – Perks of Skyrim | Expands and enriches the perks available in the game. |
| Immersive Weapons | Adds many new, high-quality weapons to the game. |
| Alternate Start – Live Another Life | Provides alternatives to the standard intro sequence, allowing different starting scenarios. |
| Apocalypse – Magic of Skyrim | Adds 155 new spells to the game, with high-quality effects and animations. |
| Realistic Needs and Diseases | Makes you require food, sleep, and water, and introduces diseases. |
| Convenient Horses | Overhauls horse mechanics, making them more realistic and convenient. |
| Wet and Cold | Adds various effects related to the weather, like breath vapor and dripping water. |
| Better Vampires | Enhances the experience of playing as a vampire. |
| Moonlight Tales – Werewolf and Werebear Overhaul | Enhances the werewolf system. |
| Achievements Mods Enabler | Allows you to earn achievements even when using mods. |
| Immersive Patrols | Adds scheduled patrols of major factions across all DLCs. |
| Climates of Tamriel | Comprehensive weather, lighting, effects, and audio overhaul for the atmosphere of the game. |
| Falskaar | A new lands mod that adds substantial content to the game. |
| Relationship Dialogue Overhaul (RDO) | Enhances NPC to NPC and NPC to player dialogues. |
| Legacy of the Dragonborn (Dragonborn Gallery) | Creates a museum in Solitude where you can display your collected items. |
| Beyond Skyrim | In-development mods aiming to bring other provinces of Tamriel into the game. |
Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE)
At its core, the Skyrim Script Extender, commonly known as SKSE, acts like a bridge that enables more advanced modifications to the game. By expanding the game’s scripting capabilities, it paves the way for many mods to implement complex features and enhancements that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
Essentially, SKSE empowers modders to push beyond the game’s original boundaries, offering players a richer and more tailored experience. If you’re planning to dive deep into the world of Skyrim modding, SKSE is an indispensable tool that many of the best mods rely on.
SkyUI
SkyUI isn’t just a simple interface tweak; it’s a complete overhaul that transforms Skyrim’s user experience, especially for PC players. Designed with elegance and user-friendliness in mind, it replaces the game’s original interface with a more intuitive, modern, and visually pleasing design.
Beyond its aesthetics, SkyUI introduces a range of advanced features, including a more efficient inventory system, improved menu navigation, and detailed configuration options for many other mods.
SkyUI offers players a sleeker and more streamlined way to interact with the game’s many elements, making it a must-have for any serious modder.
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
This comprehensive mod works diligently to fix the numerous bugs/glitches that were not addressed by the official patches. This includes a wide range of issues, from minor graphical quirks to game-breaking bugs.
The dedicated team behind USSEP has meticulously researched and corrected these problems, ensuring a smoother and more polished gameplay experience. For players seeking the most stable and immersive journey through Skyrim, this patch is virtually essential.
Cutting Room Floor
During the development of massive games like Skyrim, certain content might not make the final cut, whether due to time constraints, gameplay balance, or a myriad of other reasons. Cutting Room Floor is a fascinating mod that resurrects and reintegrates these “lost” pieces of content back into the game.
This includes NPCs, quests, dialogue, and items that were originally designed by Bethesda but weren’t included in the released version of the game. With this mod, players get a chance to experience parts of Skyrim that were left behind, adding a fresh layer of content and depth to an already expansive world.
Immersive Citizens – AI Overhaul
Immersive Citizens – AI Overhaul takes the game’s NPCs to a whole new level of realism. This mod is not about simply adding new dialogue or a few tasks; instead, it profoundly rethinks and enriches the daily routines, reactions, and behaviors of Skyrim’s citizens.
They react more logically to weather, danger, and their surroundings. For instance, during a dragon attack, they will seek shelter rather than obliviously standing around.
RealVision ENB
By introducing realistic lighting, sharper textures, and improved depth of field, RealVision transforms Skyrim from a game that’s already beautiful to a visual masterpiece. The landscapes become more breathtaking, the sunsets more mesmerizing, and the dungeons more atmospheric.
If you’re aiming for a visually stunning Skyrim experience that feels like you’re wandering through a cinematic fantasy realm, RealVision ENB is a must-add to your mod list.
Sounds of Skyrim
Rather than simply adjusting or amplifying the game’s original sounds, this mod introduces a plethora of new sound effects, meticulously crafted and placed to enhance the ambiance of different environments.
Whether you’re exploring bustling city streets, traversing eerie dungeons, or simply standing amidst the wilderness, Sounds of Skyrim makes the world feel richer and more alive.
Frostfall
Skyrim, with its icy peaks and snowy tundras, is a land where the cold can be as much an enemy as any dragon or bandit. Frostfall taps into this aspect, introducing a comprehensive hypothermia camping survival system. No longer can players thoughtlessly traverse icy waters or blizzards without consequences.
With this mod, the environment becomes a challenging adversary. Exposure to the cold can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, and even death. To combat this, players must set up camp, light fires, and wear appropriate clothing to stay warm. Every decision, from choosing where to set up shelter to what gear to wear, becomes crucial.
Campfire
Campfire is the quintessential mod for those wanting to embrace the wilderness life in Skyrim. Originating from the immersive camping system of the popular mod Frostfall, Campfire stands alone as the most detailed and feature-rich camping mod available.
From setting up tents and kindling fires to crafting tools and cooking meals, every facet of outdoor survival is meticulously represented. But Campfire isn’t just about a player’s personal experience; it’s also a foundation for creativity. As a modder’s framework, it allows enthusiasts to design and introduce their own unique camping gear and equipment, paving the way for endless customization.
Ordinator – Perks of Skyrim
The progression and development of your character is a core part of the Elder Scrolls experience, and Ordinator – Perks of Skyrim revamps this aspect in a profound way. Rather than sticking with the standard skill trees, Ordinator introduces over 400 new perks, allowing for a vast range of builds and playstyles.
Whether you wish to become a master alchemist concocting rare potions, a shadowy figure who utilizes traps to ensnare foes, or a bard inspiring allies with songs of old, Ordinator opens up a world of possibilities. These expanded skill trees offer depth and diversity, making each character’s journey feel distinct and rewarding.
Immersive Weapons
Want more weapon choices in Skyrim that still feel like they belong in the game? Immersive Weapons does just that. This mod adds a bunch of new weapons, but they’re not just random.
Every weapon fits into Skyrim’s story and world. So, players get new combat options that also feel like real parts of the game. If you want more weapons without breaking the game’s feel, this mod is perfect.
Alternate Start – Live Another Life
Tired of starting as a prisoner in Skyrim every time? With Alternate Start, you can begin your adventure differently. This mod lets players choose from various backgrounds and scenarios, meaning you could start as a shopkeeper, a farmer, or even shipwrecked on a coast!
It gives a fresh feel to the game, making each playthrough feel unique. If you’re looking to mix up your Skyrim experience right from the get-go, this mod is a game-changer.
Apocalypse – Magic of Skyrim
Want to add some magic spark to your Skyrim journey? Apocalypse does just that. This mod brings a ton of new spells to the game, allowing mages to have more fun and be more versatile.
From casting illusions to summoning unique creatures, the added spells are not only powerful but also balanced. If you’re looking to spice up your magic gameplay and surprise foes with new tricks, Apocalypse is the mod for you.
Realistic Needs and Diseases
This mod makes eating, drinking, and staying healthy a real part of your journey. Forget about diving into dungeons without food or water; now you have to eat and drink regularly.
Plus, diseases in the game become more challenging and realistic. If you’re looking for a more immersive and lifelike experience in Skyrim, where basic needs matter, this mod has got you covered.
Convenient Horses
Traveling across Skyrim’s vast landscapes can be a long journey, and that’s where your trusty steed comes in. The Convenient Horses mod makes riding and managing your horses way better. With this mod, horses are not just faster, but they also come with added features.
You can store items in saddlebags, make your horse follow you, and even whistle to call them. If you want to enhance your horse-riding experience in Skyrim and make it more useful, this mod is a must-have.
Wet and Cold
Skyrim’s weather isn’t just about clear skies and snowy mountains. Wet and Cold makes the game’s weather more realistic and impactful. When it rains, you’ll see NPCs hurry for shelter, and in snowy areas, you’ll notice people bundle up in warmer clothes.
The mod also adds visual effects like dripping water when characters get wet and frost on their faces in colder regions. If you want Skyrim’s weather to feel real and affect the world around you, Wet and Cold is the way to go.
Better Vampires
Being a vampire in Skyrim can be a thrilling experience, but with the Better Vampires mod, it becomes even more immersive. This mod revamps the entire vampire gameplay, offering more powers, abilities, and customization.
Instead of a static experience, you can now progress as a vampire, gaining strength as you feed and unlocking new abilities. Plus, it allows for more interaction with NPCs, either turning them into thralls or feeding discreetly.
If you’re looking to elevate your vampire life in Skyrim and dive deeper into the dark side, Better Vampires is the mod to sink your teeth into.
Moonlight Tales – Werewolf and Werebear Overhaul
Ever felt the werewolf experience in Skyrim could be more… beastly? Moonlight Tales dives deep into this, turning the werewolf gameplay into a truly wild adventure. With this mod, players can experience a range of new transformations, skins, and abilities. It’s not just about werewolves; you can also become a powerful werebear.
The mod also brings new challenges, with lunar transformations and unique hunts. If you’re eager to unleash the beast within and want a richer werewolf (or werebear) journey in Skyrim, Moonlight Tales will let you roam wild and free.
Achievements Mods Enabler
Mods can truly enhance the Skyrim experience, but they often come with a drawback: disabling achievements. For players who love to chase those accomplishment badges, this can be a letdown. Enter Achievements Mods Enabler.
This handy mod ensures that even with other mods activated, you can still earn your well-deserved achievements. It’s a simple yet essential tool for those who want the best of both worlds: a modded Skyrim experience without missing out on any achievements. If you’re a completionist who loves mods, this one’s a no-brainer.
Immersive Patrols
Skyrim is a vast world, filled with different factions and groups, each with its own goals and territories. Immersive Patrols makes the game world feel even more alive by adding regular patrols of major factions like the Stormcloaks, Thalmor, and Imperials.
These groups travel, battle, and interact with their surroundings. It’s not just about adding more NPCs; it’s about creating dynamic encounters. You might stumble upon a skirmish between rival factions or encounter a friendly patrol assisting you against a wild beast.
Climates of Tamriel
Skyrim’s environment plays a big role in its charm, and Climates of Tamriel takes that to the next level. This mod revamps the game’s weather systems, introducing a vast range of atmospheric conditions. From serene sunrises to menacing storms, every weather condition is enhanced for realism and immersion.
Nighttime becomes more dynamic with varied levels of darkness, and interiors get moodier lighting. It’s not just about beauty; the mod also impacts gameplay, with some conditions making your adventures more challenging.
Falskaar
More than just a mod, Falskaar is an expansive new lands mod that rivals the content found in the official DLCs. Boasting a completely new area roughly the size of a third of the original game, it offers numerous hours of gameplay with a brand new main quest, side quests, new characters, and even original voice acting.
The dedication and detail are evident in every corner of this mod, making it feel like a genuine extension of the game. For those hungry for new adventures and eager to explore unseen territories in the world of Skyrim, Falskaar is a must-play masterpiece.
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul (RDO)
RDO enhances how characters speak to you based on your relationship with them, be it as a friend, enemy, or somewhere in between. With this mod, gone are the days of repetitive lines and odd, out-of-place comments. Instead, expect more varied, contextual, and meaningful conversations that adjust as your relationships evolve.
Whether it’s an old friend showing genuine concern or a wary townsfolk slowly warming up to you, RDO ensures every dialogue feels true to your journey in Skyrim. For players seeking deeper character interactions and a more immersive role-playing experience, this mod is a game-changer.
Legacy of the Dragonborn (Dragonborn Gallery)
Ever wanted a place to show off all the cool stuff you find in Skyrim? Legacy of the Dragonborn gives you a huge museum in Solitude for just that! But it’s not only a display hall; there’s also a whole new quest about the museum.
With room for thousands of items, it’s a collector’s dream. Dive into new adventures, find rare items, and then proudly display them. For those who love collecting and exploring, this mod is a must-have.
Beyond Skyrim
Fancy exploring more than just Skyrim in the Elder Scrolls universe? Beyond Skyrim has got you covered. This ambitious mod project aims to take players to new provinces and regions outside of Skyrim. You’ll discover new stories, meet different characters, and experience unique landscapes.
Each area feels fresh and stays true to the Elder Scrolls lore. If you’re itching for brand new adventures and places to explore, Beyond Skyrim is like a whole new expansion for the game.
