The Best Skyrim Special Edition Armor Mods on Xbox One, PS4, and PC
Skyrim is packed with all sorts of different armors and items you can use on your character. However, with these mods on, you can expand your armory with all sorts of cool (and even weird) equipment. Here are the best Skyrim Special Edition armor mods on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
BDO Shudad Armor v2 (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a new set of equipment imported from MMO Black Desert Online. You’ll be able to craft the armor, boots, gauntlets, and helmet – and all will work for either male or female models.
Darth Vader Armor (PC, Xbox One)
With this mod, you’ll be able to craft Darth Vader equipment as well as a saber hilt, which you can enchant with a saber blade once you pick up a lightsaber mod.
Ashara Princes of the Woods (Xbox One)
This mod adds Ashara Princes of the Woods armor to Skyrim through 17 different armor pieces, 6 fur complements, and 8 wigs. Between those pieces and various color options, there’s 122 new items to try out.
Nazgul Armor (Xbox One)
With Nazgul Armor, you can dress as the villainous Lord of the Rings riders. This set is light armor with Dragonscale-level stats and works for male and female characters. One of the best armor mods you can get.
Skyforge Dragonbone Weapons and Dragonplate Armor (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Now you can wield the mythical Skyforge to create stronger versions of Dragonplate armor (and Dragonbone weapons, if you’re into that too).
Incarnate Creatures (PC)
Incarnate Creatures adds craftable armor that, when equipped, turns you into a fantastic creature. Here’s the list of possibilities: Minotaur, Dwarvcenturions, Dwarvcommander, Dwarvdolls, Dwarvgynoids, Dwarvtrooper, Ebony Knight, Flame Lord, Knight of Order, Malaburo, Mara, Molag Bal, Molag Bal Rusty, Skeletons, Chicken Man, Ashlotte, Draugir, Drowner, Drowned Dead, Rotfiend, and Greater Rotfiend. Hands down one of the better mods out there.
Auroran Armory (PC, Xbox One)
The Aurorans are special Daedric creations that have appeared in past Elder Scrolls games. This mod places Auroran equipment pieces in dungeons throughout Skyrim, meaning you not only get to don their iconic gear, but also will have to work appropriately to acquire it.
Ebony Archmage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
It’s hard to feel like a badass mage in Skyrim, given you’ll be walking around in nothing but cloth. It may be time to take up the Ebony Archmage armor set and let Tamriel know who’s boss. Cons: the helmet does not always seem to work on Argonians and Khajiit. Pros: comes with a scythe.
Armored Robes (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Armored Robes is another great mod for mages, adding robes with armor ratings to your crafting options. It’s one of the best mods you can download.
Witcher 3 Viper Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Witcher 3 Viper Armor lets you run around in the Viper school garb of Geralt, the protagonist of last year’s hit RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Note: the set is made for only male character models.
Morag Tong Master Assassin Armor (PS4, Xbox One)
The Morag Tong is a powerful secret society, and as such, Morag Tong armor should pack a little more of a punch. This mod adds a set specially enchanted for assassins and with stats equivalent to Glass tier.
Heavy Armor Hood (PC)
For those who enjoy the strength of Heavy Armor, but don’t enjoy covering their faces with giant metal blocks, there’s Heavy Armor Hood. This mod drops a Deadric-level hood near Windhelm with the stats of heavy armor, but the appearance of a cloth hood. Definitely one of the best mods worth getting.
Daedric Blue Light Armor (Xbox One)
With the Daedric Blue Light Armor mod, you can craft awesome Daedric gear that weighs half as much as the standard armor. Also, it glows blue!
Hello Dovahkiins Ehh X-Men (Xbox One)
This mod adds three Wolverine equipment sets, a Wolverine follower, Wolverine claws, a Wolverine chest — basically all the Wolverine you could need. One of the best X-Men mods out there for sure.
Soul Eater Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another custom equipment set, Soul Eater armor is attained by slaying Crusix, soul eater and angel of death.
Crom (PC, Xbox One)
The Crom mod adds a number of craftable armors that turn your hero into a skeleton, either clothed or bare bones (hah). Basically, putting on this armor takes off your skin. One of the best freaky mods you can get your hands on.
Craftable Nocturnal Robes (PS4)
The PS4 doesn’t get a lot of armor mod love because of Sony’s restrictions on the use of external assets. This mod looks to help by providing craftable Nocturnal Robes.
Death Knight of Tamriel (PC, Xbox One)
Conquer Skyrim as an icy Death Knight with this mod. Defeat the ominous Ashenrune at Arcwind Point to claim his armor and learn to summon a fittingly spectral horse.
Skyrim Mods Ps4 Wife
Witcher 3 Feline Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Need even more Witcher 3? This mod adds the Feline armor set to Skyrim: Special Edition.
Ciri Armor Mod (Xbox One)
For the female Witchers out there, this Ciri armor mod will put you right on The Path.
Triss & Yennefer Armor Mod (PC, Xbox One)
Skyrim has room for sorceresses as well. This mod will grant you armor that decks you out as either Triss or Yennefer from The Witcher 3. Witcher fans definitely shouldn’t miss out on one of the best mods in the game.
Knight of Molag Bal Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of domination, harvests souls and created Vampires. If you hope to be even half as hardcore as him, you’ll need this Knight of Molag Bal armor.
Corvo Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Corvo is the assassin protagonist of another Bethesda game, Dishonored. You can bring him right over to Skyrim with this mod.
Animated Dragon Wings (Xbox One)
You’re the Dovakiin, so you better look the part. This amazing mod grants you dragon wings that not only make you look cool, but also increase the following stats: health, magicka, stamina, and shout recovery rate. One of the best mods you should have on your list.
Battlemage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another great option for spellcasters, this mage armor set is well hidden within the College questline, and offers great stats and starting enchantments at either light or heavy weight classes.
Northborn Fur Hoods (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a series of craftable fur hoods, so that your character has something more realistic to wear during the cold seasons of Skyrim. It’s also compatible with the famed Frostfall mod, offering maximum cold protection.
Ezio’s Brotherhood Armor (Xbox One)
If you spend most of your time in Skyrim stabbing things, you might as well do it dressed as Ezio from Assassin’s Creed.
Mortal Kombat Scorpion Trilogy (PC, Xbox One)
Be Scorpion from Mortal Kombat. If you want to tear your enemies apart and pull of fatalities, now you can do it with style with one of the best mods.
Armor All Playable (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Turn any armor into either light or heavy equipment with this mod, ideal for anyone looking for more equipment freedom. Hands down one of the best mods you can get.
Legend of the Beast Slayer (Xbox One)
Become a Beast Slayer with this custom heavy armor set, craftable after completing a special quest picked up from books in Whiterun.
BDO Shudad Armor v2 (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a new set of armor imported from MMO Black Desert Online. You'll be able to craft the armor, boots, gauntlets, and helmet - and all will work for either male or female models.
Darth Vader armor (PC, Xbox One)
With this mod, you'll be able to craft Darth Vader armor as well as a saber hilt, which you can enchant with a saber blade once you pick up a lightsaber mod.
Ashara Princes of the Woods (Xbox One)
This mod adds Ashara Princes of the Woods armor to Skyrim through 17 different armor pieces, 6 fur complements, and 8 wigs. Between those pieces and various color options, there's 122 new items to try out.
Nazgul Armor (Xbox One)
With Nazgul Armor, you can dress as the villainous Lord of the Rings riders. This set is light armor with Dragonscale-level stats and works for male and female characters.
Skyforge Dragonbone Weapons and Dragonplate Armor (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Now you can wield the mythical Skyforge to create stronger versions of Dragonplate armor (and Dragonbone weapons, if you're into that too).
Incarnate Creatures (PC)
Incarnate Creatures adds craftable armor that, when equipped, turns you into a fantastic creature. Here's the list of possibilities: Minotaur, Dwarvcenturions, Dwarvcommander, Dwarvdolls, Dwarvgynoids, Dwarvtrooper, Ebony Knight, Flame Lord, Knight of Order, Malaburo, Mara, Molag Bal, Molag Bal Rusty, Skeletons, Chicken Man, Ashlotte, Draugir, Drowner, Drowned Dead, Rotfiend, and Greater Rotfiend.
Auroran Armory (PC, Xbox One)
The Aurorans are special Daedric creations that have appeared in past Elder Scrolls games. This mod places Auroran armor pieces in dungeons throughout Skyrim, meaning you not only get to don their iconic gear, but also will have to work appropriately to acquire it.
Ebony Archmage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
It's hard to feel like a badass mage in Skyrim, given you'll be walking around in nothing but cloth. It may be time to take up the Ebony Archmage armor set and let Tamriel know who's boss. Cons: the helmet does not always seem to work on Argonians and Khajiit. Pros: comes with a scythe.
Armored Robes (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Armored Robes is another great mod for mages, adding robes with armor ratings to your crafting options.
Witcher 3 Viper Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Witcher 3 Viper Armor lets you run around in the Viper school garb of Geralt, the protagonist of last year's hit RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Note: the set is made for only male character models.
Morag Tong Master Assassin Armor (PS4, Xbox One)
The Morag Tong is a powerful secret society, and as such, Morag Tong armor should pack a little more of a punch. This mod adds a set specially enchanted for assassins and with stats equivalent to Glass tier.
Heavy Armor Hood (PC)
For those who enjoy the strength of Heavy Armor, but don't enjoy covering their faces with giant metal blocks, there's Heavy Armor Hood. This mod drops a Deadric-level hood near Windhelm with the stats of heavy armor, but appearance of a cloth hood.
Daedric Blue Light Armor (Xbox One)
With the Daedric Blue Light Armor mod, you can craft awesome Daedric gear that weighs half as much as the standard armor. Also, it glows blue!
Hello Dovahkiins ehh X-Men (Xbox One)
This mod adds three Wolverine armor sets, a Wolverine follower, Wolverine claws, a Wolverine chest -- basically all the Wolverine you could need.
Soul Eater Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another custom armor set, Soul Eater armor is attained by slaying Crusix, soul eater and angel of death.
Crom (PC, Xbox One)
The Crom mod adds a number of craftable armors that turn your hero into a skeleton, either clothed or bare bones (hah). Basically, putting on this armor takes off your skin.
Craftable Nocturnal Robes (PS4)
The PS4 doesn't get a lot of armor mod love because of Sony's restrictions on the use of external assets. This mod looks to help by providing craftable Nocturnal Robes.
Death Knight of Tamriel (PC, Xbox One)
Conquer Skyrim as an icy Death Knight with this mod. Defeat the ominous Ashenrune at Arcwind Point to claim his armor and learn to summon a fittingly spectral horse.
Witcher 3 Feline Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Need even more Witcher 3? This mod adds the Feline armor set to Skyrim: Special Edition.
Ciri Armor Mod (Xbox One)
For the female Witchers out there, this Ciri armor mod will put you right on The Path.
Triss & Yennefer Armor Mod (PC, Xbox One)
Skyrim has room for sorceresses as well. This mod will grant you armor that decks you out as either Triss or Yennefer from The Witcher 3.
Knight of Molag Bal Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of domination, harvests souls and created Vampires. If you hope to be even half as hardcore as him, you'll need this Knight of Molag Bal armor.
Corvo Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Corvo is the assassin protagonist of another Bethesda game, Dishonored. You can bring him right over to Skyrim with this armor mod.
Animated Dragon Wings (Xbox One)
You're the Dovakiin, so you better look the part. This amazing mod grants you dragon wings that not only make you look cool, but also increase the following stats: health, magicka, stamina, and shout recovery rate. One of the best mods you should have on your list.
Battlemage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another great option for spellcasters, this mage armor set is well hidden within the College questline, and offers great stats and starting enchantments at either light or heavy weight classes.
Northborn Fur Hoods (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a series of craftable fur hoods, so that your character has something more realistic to wear during the cold seasons of Skyrim. It's also compatible with the famed Frostfall mod, offering maximum cold protection.
Ezio's Brotherhood Armor (Xbox One)
If you spend most of your time in Skyrim stabbing things, you might as well do it dressed as Ezio from Assassin's Creed.
Mortal Kombat Scorpion Trilogy (PC, Xbox One)
Be Scorpion from Mortal Kombat. If you want to tear your enemies apart and pull of fatalities, now you can do it with style with one of the best mods.
Armor All Playable (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Turn any armor into either light or heavy armor with this mod, ideal for anyone looking for more equipment freedom.
Legend of the Beast Slayer (Xbox One)
Become a Beast Slayer with this custom heavy armor set, craftable after completing a special quest picked up from books in Whiterun.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.PS4Published on November 6th, 2016 | by Shael Millheim
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Summary: The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition is what happens when old is made new again! It almost became epic for this game!
One of the most epic RPG’s returns to the world of gaming with The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition as Bethesda take this classic game and increases the graphical capabilities thanks to the power of the PlayStation 4 and XBox One consoles. So at its core, the game is basically a mirror image of the original but with much nicer graphics. Given that, the new Skyrim boasts some graphical advancements that include improved draw distance, weather effects, lighting (e.g. volumetric) and special effects that does make the title look more modern but certain elements in the game like the characters, inside of buildings do look a little on the average. But when compared to the original, this new incarnation still boasts the wow factor, especially with all the diversity in the environments.
Further, this version also allows for mods and even contains all the DLC such as Dawnguard and Dragonborn to give you some great value for money. That’s right, there’s quite a few mods available to install in this game that range from minor adjustments to some truly world-changing differences. Sure PC gamers may be saying we had this years ago and the graphics but hey, console players didn’t and that’s why it works so well on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. You can even turn dragons into ‘Thomas the Tank’. Hopefully this will be a sign of things to come that will allow more console games having access to mods but compared to the XBox One, the PS4 has only half the mods (around 100) available. On the PlayStation 4, I also found the game quite responsive and the mapping of controls onto the controller works very well. The quick save is very fast and the save system has been revamped to find what file you’re looking for.
In terms of story, The High King of Skyrim has been murdered, the world is at breaking point and even worse, an ancient evil has been awakened. To make matters worse for the player, you start the game as an ‘innocent’ prisoner that’s been sentenced to death and before being executed, an exciting and terrifying scene takes place, really showcasing early on the true magnitude of pure awesomeness that is this game. Before I know it, I’m jumping down into a burning building, swinging swords, and looting bodies during all of this chaos and that’s just the start. Needless to say, you have your work cut out for you!
So having played the original before, I still had to stop and just look around for quite some time at random points in my first few hours of playing The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition. Simple things like water and trees amused me to no end and are complete works of finely detailed art in this game, as is everything else. Shadows are cast everywhere, the sky is a beautiful thing to behold, and you could even see the stars peeking through the clouds at some times. While I decided to do some hardcore mountain climbing, I looked over at the sky and saw one of the most stunning things in my early experience with Skyrim, the Aurora Borealis. So many things catch my attention as I wander around the map – different climates in the various sections, wind picking up particles on the ground and blowing them away, random animal skulls in the middle of nowhere, and countless other things that make this game just feel as massive as it really is.
On the fighting side of things, I find the more creatures I come across the more I want to play with different weapon combinations that are now at my disposal. In The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition, you can dual-wield weapons, dual-wield magic to make more powerful versions of it, use sword and shield, single and double-handed weapons, and so on. It’s also filled with a variety of different enemies and some look amazing in this new graphical update, whereas other are a little ho hum but nonetheless, there’s plenty to find and fight. The combat does feel a little dated but it still quite playable.
Also, you’re able to change up your magic and weapons is a breeze to deal with, and I love the incorporation of showing finishing moves on enemies at some points, giving beautiful takedowns their moment of glory. No matter what type of fighter you are, you will be able to play exactly the way you want in this game. So whatever style you play, that is what your character will become. Want to be more of a thief type? Then play like one. Fighter? Mage? Those skills increase as you go along and use them accordingly, and as you level up you choose different perks in each skill section, shown as colorful constellations that you gaze up to for guidance. This means you’re not just limited to class but the combinations are quite diverse.
Moving on to some other fun aspects of the game itself, one thing that I do love is the way that lock picking works.
Instead of the frustration of dealing with the tumblers, you now literally feel around the lock using two your picks, moving each individually carefully until the lock rotates and opens. If you rotate them more and more to where they won’t open, the controller also vibrates more and more until the tension results in the picks breaking. If you want to find those treasures and weapons, make sure you ‘study’ lock picking because there’s a boom to be found in The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition.
Instead of the frustration of dealing with the tumblers, you now literally feel around the lock using two your picks, moving each individually carefully until the lock rotates and opens. If you rotate them more and more to where they won’t open, the controller also vibrates more and more until the tension results in the picks breaking. If you want to find those treasures and weapons, make sure you ‘study’ lock picking because there’s a boom to be found in The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition.
The soundtrack of the game is brilliant and really captures that RPG atmosphere and whether you’re a hero or a ‘villain’, it’s integral to the game and helps with the immersion factor. The sounds that you hear while fighting dragons, other creatures, and just all of the audio in this game is quite impressive and clearly has been shown as close attention to as every other aspect of this epic work of art. Another word about sound is that the voice acting is quite good and there’s plenty of dialogue in the game.
Final Thoughts?
The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Special Edition is a really good game on the PlayStation 4 and Bethesda have done a remarkable job at giving it a fresh facelift but also keeping the amazing story and gameplay. Sure, some things feel a little stiff and lacking finesse of something like The Witcher 3 but it’s quite a detailed world from its culture, denizens that populate this universe and very rich story. Lastly, the amount of time you could spend in this game is practically endless and the only potentially bad thing is that you could lose sleep because you won’t want to stop playing.
Key Features
• Epic Fantasy Reborn. Skyrim reimagines the open-world fantasy epic, pushing the gameplay and technology of a virtual world to new heights.
• Live another life, in another world. Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.
• All new graphics and gameplay engine. Skyrim’s new game engine brings to life a complete virtual world with rolling clouds, rugged mountains, bustling cities, lush fields, and ancient dungeons.
• You are what you play. Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities. The new character system allows you to play any way you want and define yourself through your actions.
• Dragons return. Battle ancient dragons like you’ve never seen. As Dragonborn, learn their secrets and harness their power for yourself.
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If, like 90% of the known world you're still playing, you'll probably want to know to install Skyrim mods. The Elder Scrolls Skyrim is renowned its fantastic, inventive and occasionally crazy mods. However, what’s the point in finding out about the best mods in Skyrim if you don’t know how to install them properly? Luckily, we’ve got you covered on that front. Here’s how to install Skyrim mods on your PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
If you're in the market for a console to play it on, be sure to check out our best PS4 bundle deals and best Xbox One bundle roundup, as well as the best Xbox One accessories you can find to accompany them.
How to install Skyrim mods on PS4 & Xbox One
Installing Skyrim mods on console is actually quite easy, but there are a few prerequisites you’ll need to take care of beforehand. First, you need to make a Bethesda.net account. To do this, all you have to do is visit the Bethesda website and click Log In/Sign Up. You’ll be prompted for a Username and Password, but just click Sign Up at the bottom of the pop-up and you’ll be transferred to a prompt for your email.
Add your email and decide whether you want to opt in or out of Bethesda’s newsletter. Click Continue, add a Username and Password, set a Security Question, sign the User Agreement, and you’re all set — you’re now an official member of Bethesda.net, meaning that you’re ready to install some mods.
The rest is easy. Next time you boot up Skyrim, load a game and go to the main menu. Here, you’ll see an option called “Mods,” which is obviously the one you need to click if you’re planning to mod Skyrim. The next thing that pops up will be a prompt to connect your Bethesda account to the platform and Skyrim account you want to mod. Sign in using your Bethesda account details and you’ll be all set up in no time.
The next thing you need to do is head back over to the Bethesda site. In the top-left corner, you’ll see a dashboard icon which will trigger a drop-down menu. At the bottom-left, you’ll see a “Mods” title, which has “Skyrim: Special Edition” as a subheader. Click this and, if you’re signed in, you’ll be able to start choosing mods you want to download and enable in your game. For convenience, you can access the Skyrim mods page here.
You can scroll through the mods for ages, as there are plenty of them to pick from. Clicking them will offer a description of what exactly they do — some make it easier to level up, others add in new companions or quests, and some even turn dragons into characters from Thomas the Tank Engine. Once you’ve found a few you like, download them and they should be available to access from the aforementioned in-game Mods section on the main menu.
After enabling/disabling mods, you’ll need to reload a save or create a new one to install them. Next time you play, you’ll notice the game is slightly, or perhaps even very different. For example, I installed a mod here that allowed me to craft a Spell Tome at a Forge, which taught me how to use magic to throw sweet rolls at people.
To disable mods, you’ll need to access the mods section at the main menu. You can’t disable active mods from the “Mods” section on the pause screen — that’s just there to remind you which mods you have active at the moment.
How to install Skyrim mods on PC and use Nexus mods
Aside from having Skyrim itself installed, the very first thing you’ll need to do in order to install Skyrim mods on PC is install the Nexus Mod Manager. Here, you’ll have access to all kinds of Skyrim mods, which can all be downloaded and installed really easily.
Once you’ve installed Nexus, you’ll need to run it. From here, you’ll be asked which game you’d like to manage — if you’ve got Skyrim installed, it should show up as an option here. Click Skyrim and you’ll be asked to choose a destination folder for mods you download from the Nexus website. You may be prompted with an alert pop-up, but just click okay and move forward.
From here, you’ll be able to start downloading mods from Nexus. Each mod has its own description, so read through those and download whichever ones pique your curiosity. Once you’re satisfied you have all the mods you want to run, click “Files” in the top-left corner and you’ll see an installation option beside each mod in your library. Install these and then boot up the game, which should be a bit different now that you’ve got mods installed.
Something to bear in mind is that once you start to run several mods at a time, you’ll see an option to change the Load Order in Nexus. This is important because some mods interfere with the performance of others, so one might need to be loaded earlier than the rest. Most of this information is included in mod descriptions, so remember to keep an eye on those whenever you’re experimenting with new types.
That’s all there is to it! Mods are very easy to install — the most time-consuming aspect of the whole process is actually choosing which ones you want to use. There are so many fantastic mods to choose from, which is why we’ve taken the liberty to outline some of the best Skyrim mods today. That way, you don’t need to spend hours scrolling through loads of mods — you can just try these ones out and see for yourself how fresh Skyrim remains in 2019.
One last thing to note is that enabling mods disables trophies and achievements, so if you’re trying to get maximum completion, you’ll need to make sure you aren’t running any other mods. Otherwise, even if you fulfil the requirements of an achievement, it won’t be unlocked and you’ll just have to do it again anyway. If you’re not worried about this though, feel free to start downloading Skyrim mods to your heart’s content!
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So, you’re about to start an exciting new adventure in Tamriel. Maybe you’ve played Skyrim before. Maybe this is your first go-around. If you’re playing on console, a wealth of options are now available to you, all thanks to the power of mods.
Accessing mods is easy: there should be an option right on the main menu:
Once selected, you will be prompted to sign in to your Bethesda account. If you don’t have one, you can make on here. From there, you should be able to see the most popular mods, highly rated mods, and more:
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It’s literally just a matter of selecting your preferred mod, and downloading it. Easy. Do note that if you have mods active, your save file will disable achievements and trophies.
It’s also worth noting that, depending on what platform you are playing on, your options will greatly differ. Unfortunately, on PS4, mods are more limited—Bethesda says that PS4 mods will not be able to use “external assets,” which is a bummer. Some of the most famous, classic Skyrim mods, like the one that replaces Dragons with Thomas the Tank Engine, use all sorts of outside assets. Alas.
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You can see this limitation on display when you compare the mod offerings. PS4, as of this writing, only has 47 mods on day one. Xbox One, by contrast, has 122. Both will gain many more mods as the days go on, but if you have a choice between the two versions, I’d suggest going with Xbox One—no shade, but that platform has more options. Bethesda says that in terms of storage available, you get 5 GB of mods on Xbox One and 1 GB of mods on PS4 as well.
With all of that said, what should you download? While you can view mods through the in-game interface, you can also sort through them on the official Bethesda website. Online, if you are logged in, you can queue up mods to download on your console, which is handy.
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Here’s what you should get, ranging from serious mods to totally ridiculous tweaks. It’s not Skyrim unless it’s both hardcore yet absurd, after all.
Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch, by Arthmoor
“A comprehensive bugfixing mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition. The goal of the Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (aka USSEP) is to eventually fix every bug with Skyrim Special Edition not officially resolved by the developers to the limits of the Creation Kit and community-developed tools, in one easy-to-install package. Features: - Hundreds of gameplay, quest, NPC, object, item, text and placement bugs fixed. - Created by the authors of the Unofficial Oblivion Patch series. - No unsafe changes (such as deletions of stock objects). - Designed to be compatible with as many other mods as possible.”
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Download for Xbox One here.
Call of Trainwiz, by TrainWiz
“People have often asked me “Trainwiz, if you are a wizard, and a train wizard, what train spells do you know?” So, to show those people, I created this mod. It adds a shout that, when used, will create an effect similar to Alduin’s meteor shower spell. Except instead of meteors, they’re trains. It will rain trains. You have read this correctly, and you have been warned. I take no responsibility for any damages sustained while it’s raining [censored] trains.”
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Download for Xbox One here.
Just Walk: No Fast Travel by DylanJames
“Just Walk” is a mod that disables Fast Travel and Fast Travel Messages in all of the vanilla worldspaces.
Download for Xbox One here, and for PS4 here.
Cutting Room Floor, by Arthmoor
“A content restoration mod for Skyrim and the official DLCs. From the depths of the ether, or just the cutting room floor, comes forth several NPCs, some quests, and other miscellaneous content which was created but never implemented in the game. If ever you had the feeling that Skyrim was missing something, you were probably right! This mod should relieve a bit of that. Villages that were supposed to exist have been brought back. Quests that were partially implemented have been completed. Various items have been restored that were still in the data files. NPCs have been brought back to the game and given homes where appropriate. Plus plenty of other random bits of stuff that was mentioned in the game but didn’t exist yet.”
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Immersive Poisoned Apples, by Bombchu
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“Purification of Skyrim is my love letter to Oblivion’s Dark Brotherhood questline. After finding the recipe, you’ll be able to craft Poisoned Apples at any cooking station if you have the ingredients. You can then offer the them to denizens of Skyrim in conversation, depending on your relationship with the individual and your speechcraft skill. Also, depending whom you ask, you might see surprising responses ;) You’ll also be able to sneak them into the pockets of unsuspecting victims to be discovered and consumed soon after. Note that this method does not work when used on members of the Thieve’s Guild.”
Elemental Destruction Magic, by reaperix
Skyrim High King Mod Ps4 Download
“Elemental Destruction Magic Adds earth, water, and wind as new types of destruction magic. Besides dealing the same amount of health damage as their vanilla counterparts, each new type of destruction magic has a unique secondary effect as well. Water spells stop enemy Magicka and Stamina regeneration for several seconds, earth spells stop Health regeneration and have a chance to stagger targets, and wind spells have a chance to blow targets away. This mod contains 30 new spells, including 24 destruction spells, 6 conjuration spells, 3 weapon enchantments, and 3 armor enchantments, and 6 new perks. New spell casting enemies that use these new spells have also been added. This mod also includes the spell Ash Cloak, to replace the vanilla Whirlwind Cloak spell and adds a new Dragon Priest masks for each element.”
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Download for Xbox One here. A similar mod, Phenderix Magic Evolved, adds 350 new magic spells on PS4, and can be downloaded here.
Campfire: Complete Camping System, by Chesko
“Campfire is the most feature-rich camping gameplay mod for Skyrim, and the foundation of Frostfall. You are immediately granted two new Survival Skills, found in your Magic menu: Resourcefulness, and Instincts. Build a campfire from a small, fragile spark to a roaring blaze, and use it to cook with a cooking pot (or just grill right over the flames). Sit with your followers, keep warm, and let the larger campfires uplift and inspire you (granting a small XP bonus). Create tents at any tanning rack. Stalk your prey using Instincts to see the sounds of nearby moving creatures, and be able to smell the dead (and undead!) from a long distance. Create and buy camping equipment using items in the world around you. Build 4 different kinds of tents, create tanning racks, a portable enchanting kit, and more. Use found deadwood to build hatchets, arrows, and other useful creations. You can create over a dozen useful items on-the-spot no matter where you are in Skyrim.”
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Frostfall: Hypothermia Camping Survival, by Chesko
“REQUIRES CAMPFIRE: COMPLETE CAMPING SYSTEM. 3.3 RELEASED. EXPECT UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT! ENJOY! You are now prepared to face a colder, harsher Skyrim. The three main components of Frostfall are hypothermia, cold water survival, and camping. Frostfall adds a deep, immersive level of gameplay to Skyrim, while keeping tedium to a minimum. An immersion mod should never get in the way of having fun. Frostfall tracks your location, weather, time of day, worn clothing, and more, to determine your current condition in a seamless way that feels easy to jump into and start playing. It is highly customizable, whether you’re looking for a lightweight immersion enhancement or a deeper challenge.”
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Beast Skeletons, by Prometheus
“The Elder scrolls world feature several races, but , don’t you find strange that in all dungeons and caves you only find human skeletons and skulls? This mod solves this little immersion problem by adding new skeletons for all races in a lore and non intrusive way . After all Skyrim is still a human dominated land so those beast skeletons will be rare, but yet , now will exhist in world.”
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Funny Followers, by Trainwiz
By now you’ve probably realized that there just aren’t any followers out there that really tickle your fancy! You’re disappointed, and expected followers that were a bit more.. well, funny.
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The Forgotten City, by The Modern Storyteller
The Forgotten City is an award-winning, critically acclaimed expansion mod offering a unique 6 - 8 hour experience: a murder mystery investigation set in an ancient underground city. You’ll need to solve it using your wits, and the ability to travel through time. It has a dark, non-linear story in which you’ll interrogate suspects, explore the city and its many secrets, and navigate challenging moral dilemmas. It features multiple endings, an original orchestral score, and professionally voiced dialogue.
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Rain and Snow FX, by Chesko
Rain and Snow FX allows your character to show frost and wetness (complete with dripping particle effects) when in the rain and in snowstorms. Your skin will also be wet during and just after swimming. When the weather clears or you walk into an interior, the effect will quickly go away. When in the snow, your skin and armor will ice over in a noticeable way. When in the rain, the effect is more subtle, but your skin will be shiny and dripping.
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Ars Metallica by Arthmoor
A simple mod to expand on the crafting system in Skyrim. The crafting system is one of Skyrim’s better features, but for thieves and archers, there’s not much use for the system. Light armor is dead easy to come by in already finished forms, but arrows can sometimes be scarce in the types you may want. Lockpicks have been known to be somewhat scarce too, yet are relatively basic to construct.
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Alternate Start - Live Another Life, by Arthmoor
Misery and despair have haunted you all your life. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, you’ve been arrested and thrown in the dungeons. Your trial was supposed to be weeks ago, only nobody has come for you. It’s been so long since seeing daylight you no longer know what month it is anymore. The dungeon is cold, damp, and worse still, you’re running out of food. At least you have that leak in the wall for water. It seems as though you’ve been forgotten, soon to rot away and die.
The eight have forsaken you! Or.. have they? Live Another Life provides an alternative means to start the game for those who do not wish to go through the lengthy intro sequence at Helgen. You will be given the opportunity to choose your race and then choose a new life for your character to lead. A wide variety of choices will be available. What you choose will have a lasting impact, so choose carefully or the gods may forsake you again!
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Relationship Dialogue Overhaul by Cloudedtruth
Adds over 5,000 lines of completely voiced dialogue for NPCs for more than 50 voice types, focusing mainly on friends, followers, spouses, and rivals. All dialogue is voiced using the original voices from the game, achieved through re-adding existing dialogue in new and suitable places, as well as editing together multiple lines to form brand new dialogue.
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Rich Merchants of Skryim, by Micah Ghost
This is a simple mod that increases the extremely low vinilla merchant gold level to 10,000 gold for every merchant in game.
Immersive Indigestion, by AlpineYJ
This mod adds some indigestion to most of the NPCs in Skyrim. In other words, they now burp and expel flatulence. This is especially so when they are eating, exerting large amounts of effort (swinging a weapon), or when they discuss parts of the civil war with you. Yes, some of the sounds I created myself using my own indigestion. I won’t tell you which ones. :)
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VioLens - A Killmove Mod by The-Reko
VioLens - A Killmove Mod SE gives you in-game control over both Ranged and Melee Killmoves.
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Ring Of Increased Carry Weight by Micah Ghost
A simple mod that adds a one ring that gives the wearer 1000 points of extra carry weight per ring, and another that adds 1000000 carry weight. It’s your choice.
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Katnip for Khajiits
This mod adds dried catnip to Skyrim, purchasable from the Khajiit caravans. If you are a Khajiit, the effects will be like that of a drug - similar to how catnip affects cats in the real world. First, you’ll get a hit from the initial intake - the world will seem as though it’s in overdrive for a few seconds (using the Slow effect). Once this has worn off, you’ll see through a drugged haze (using the Sleeping Tree Sap effect), but your power in illusion will increase, as your perception of other realities is boosted. You will also find that your hunting instincts are sharpened (one-handed skill fortified by 10%).
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P.S. Make sure to read the full description for these mods - in order for them to work, you will sometimes need additional files / other standalone mods.
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If you’ve got a recommendation to share, make sure to leave a comment!
So, now that Bethesda has announced that Skyrim is being remastered and rebranded as the 'Special Edition' for the PS4, XBone, and PC, how will this guide adapt to the new upgrade? PC gets a free upgrade if you have the Legendary Edition on Steam, and they are releasing the game in 64-bit, which is absolutely incredible! I expect the community to be at it's highest, to peak like it hasn't before. And now, with no restrictions regarding memory or plugin limits, + the added graphical upgrade, their is so much potential to get the community back into modding as it was a couple years ago! I assume that this guide will go through a massive overhaul as well. Or maybe not. Who knows? As of right now, I am a dev for Skyblivion, so the added features will finally allow our team to not be stuck dealing with memory limitations in the CK.
HYPE!!!