What are the best mods for Skyrim?

The Steam Workshop is filled with thousands of great mods by dedicated gamers who want to raise Skyrim to an even higher level of awesome. There is a huge variety of choice for the novice to expert and each puts a unique spin on the fifth Elder Scrolls game.

So, let’s take a look at 25 of the best Skyrim mods the Steam Workshop has to offer.

25. Pure Waters

Pure Waters perfects streams

Why Puter Waters is great:

Natural water

Realistic and more in upkeep with the Skyrim aesthetic

Enhanced, natural water colours

Transparency which is realistic

Types of water, such as different sorts of streams, have their own characteristics

Reflections are realistic

Underwater is more natural and realistic

Get Pure Waters here

24. Sounds of Skyrim - The Wilds

A sound mod for Skyrim

Why Sounds of Skyrim - The Wilds is great:

115 new sound effects

Calls of animals, birds and insects in relation to the weather, time and region of Skyrim

Animals you’ll hear include foxes, deer, ravens, wolves, goats and hawks.

The sound of rain hitting tents and wood can also be heard.

The sounds of rustling bushes as animals move through them are also in this mod.

Waves hitting wood in the water are also heard.

Get Sounds of Skyrim - The Wilds here

23. Hermit’s Tree House

A tree house for Skyrim

Why Hermit’s Tree House is great:

Beautiful building and great attention to detail

You can look through the windows to admire the outside view

Tanning rack and chopping block

Weapons rack and chest

Can fast travel to the tree house from the get go

Get Hermit’s Tree House here

22. Spend Dragon Souls for Perks

This mods makes Dragon Souls more versatile

Why Spend Dragon Souls for Perks is great:

Adds Dragon Stones which can be fast travelled to instantly

Spend Dragon Souls on Perk Points

Spend Dragon Souls on upgrading stats

Spend Dragon Souls on Perks

Higher Perks cost more Souls

Get Spend Dragon Souls for Perks here

21. Whistle

Summon horses with a whistle

Why Whistle is great:

Adds a power that allows you to whistle for the last horse you rode

Horse will come running to you

If it is far away it will appear behind you and come to you

Power operates like a shout but without waiting period

Get Whistle here

20. Become a Bard

Have more variety when it comes to your vocation

Why Become a Bard is great:

Can play instruments. If you have an instrument on your person, you will acquire an Ability to play it

You can buy instruments and songs from the Bard College

You can add your own songs and play them

Your Bard skill will increase each time you play

If you have a follower, they will play along with you

NPCs will react to your playing

You can tell any innkeeper you would like to perform. You’ll receive tips and also get a free bed for the night

As you acquire Perks, you will get the opportunity to perform for a Jarl and in return receive an enchanted item

Once you complete the Bard quest fully and your Bard skill is high enough, Viarmo will ask you to do other jobs for him

You can adjust the volume of your songs

Get Become a Bard here

19. Falskaar

New land is added in this mod

Why Falskaar is great:

New land separated from Tamriel, the size of about 3 Skyrim holds

30 added hours of gameplay

26 added quests

New items

A new bard with new songs

Added spells and one added Shout

New soundtrack

Actors voices have been added for an immersive experience

Get Falskaar here

18. Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim

A mod that adds to the spells of Skyrim

Why Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim is great:

155 new spells

All spell related books and items are added to loot and vendors

Matched power of the vanilla spells

Get Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim here

17. Random Alternate Start

Change where you begin your journey in this mod

Why Random Alternate Start is great:

21 starting kits to choose from

463 locations to begin in depending on the start

Main Quest can be initiated regardless of start

Get Random Alternate Start here

16. Blaze of Eventide

A new mount mod

Why Blaze of Eventide is great:

A horse that you can summon that also happens to be on fire

Flame effects

Singed hoofprints

Lights up surroundings

Glows at night time

Follows the Dragonborn

Fire damage heals the horse

Can burn enemies

Can explode

Get Blaze of Eventide here

15. Build Your Own Home

Build your own home mod

Why Build Your Own Home is great:

Build any home you wish

Decorate your home in a unique style

Choose from themes that can be mixed together

A hidden lair is also available for werewolf and vampire characters

Get Build Your Own Home here

14. Guard Dialogue Overhaul

A mod that adds to the Guard dialogue

Why Guard Dialogue Overhaul is great:

Added dialogue

Fixes guard dialogue bugs

Guards are more respectful the more quests you complete

Makes vanilla guard dialogue that was restrictive and rare, more common

Adds dialogue options for the Dragonborn to respond to guards in certain circumstances

Prevents the dreaded ‘What is it?’ loop

Once you get to level 50, guards will comment on your skill

Get Guard Dialogue Overhaul here

13. Amazing Follower Tweaks

Tweaks Followers in Skyrim

Why Amazing Follower Tweaks is great:

Max followers: 5

Followers don’t set off traps

Interact with their environment

Recharge their weapons

Ignore friendly fire

Can teach followers spells

Can assign them a home

Can turn followers into werewolves, vampires and vampire lords

Can give your follower a combat style

Get Amazing Follower Tweaks here

12. Item Recycling

Recycle items

Why Item Recycling is great:

180 new recipes

Certain jugs and bows can be melted into malachite

Improved items can be melted down

Get Item Recycling here

11. Detailed Mine Map Markers

Useful map markers for mines

Why Detailed Mine Map Markers is great:

Adds Mine Map Markers

Labels each mine with the main material it stores

Includes mines in the city

Includes 21 mines

Get Detailed Mine Map Markers here

10. Doomhammer

Mace mod

Why Doomhammer is great:

One-handed mace

Power attack surges a lightning strike

Reduces fire, frost and spark damage by 50%

Frostwolf Outpost added where the weapon is

Get Doomhammer here

9. CMM: Cartographers Map Markers

Complex map markers

Why CMM is great:

180 map markers added

Includes inns, shops, the player’s homes, certain buildings and other areas of interest

Get CMM here

8. Faction: Pit Fighter

Adds a new faction

Why Faction: Pit Fighter is great:

New faction to join

Compete in different locations across Skyrim

Fight one-on-one or against teams or against animals

Watch and bet on fights

In keeping with the rest of the game, lore friendly

Get Faction: Pit Fighter here

7. Apex Werewolf

A werewolf mod

Why Apex Werewolf is great:

Replaces the vanilla werewolf

A higher resolution beast

Far bigger and scarier

Get Apex Werewolf here

6. Better Combat AI

Improves combat

Why Better Combat AI is great:

Increased chance of animals fleeing

Hagravens and Spriggans are a lot more aggressive

NPCS are more likely to:

Use more power attacks

Attack more aggressively in groups

Bash with their shield

Attack when their opponent is not blocking

Block

Stop combat when a certain distance is achieved

Draugr charge and rarely block

Wolves circle more often than attacking

Dragons more likely to hover and attack

Get Better Combat AI here

5. Character Creation Overhaul

Brings Character Creation back to Oblivion’s structure

Why Character Creation Overhaul is great:

Adds back birthsings, classes and specializations

Each race is more diverse now: an Orc will be able to carry more than an Altmer and so on

You can choose to be born without a birthsign and choose a stone later on in the game

The 21 classes from Oblivion make a comeback

You can also create a custom class

Get Character Creation Overhaul here

4. Quest: Sea of Ghosts

Quest mod

Why Quest: Sea of Ghosts is great:

Two new world spaces added

A new house to purchase

New quests added

Hire a ship to travel through the Sea of Ghosts to get to new locations

In keeping with the rest of the game, lore friendly

Professional voice actors featured

Added stories

Get Quest: Sea of Ghosts here

3. Shadowmourne

Two handed weapon mod

Why Shadowmourne is great:

Shadowmourne is a two handed weapon that does 30% damage

It has a 10% chance to cast Chaos Bane and if this occurs it quadruples your attack power for 10 seconds

Dragonsteel armor added, slightly higher defence than the dragonbone armor

Get Shadowmourne here

2. Dragonborn Castle

Castle mod

Why Dragonborn Castle is great:

Mead barrels within the castle give drinks to the player

The Dragon’s Feast Quest added

Bathhouse added, entering the water acquires the Clean Adventurer Perk, improves health regeneration by 20% for 1 day

Get Dragonborn Castle here

1. Quest: No Mercy

Vigilant of Stendarr mod

Why No Mercy is great:

Brand new quest related to the Vigilant of Stendarr

New dungeons and locations added

In keeping with the game, lore friendly

Get No Mercy here

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