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Dec 2, 2016 - 'Skyrim: Special Edition' features updates that improve gameplay and graphics, but no game is perfect. Check out our list of the best mods you.

  • The 25 Best Skyrim Mods in 2019 That Make Skyrim Amazing Again, and More! If you are playing Skyrim in 2019 you probably know what Mods are and how Modding works. However if for any reason you don’t, you sure are in for a treat because the ability to Mod games like Skyrim and its predecessors has been one of the major secrets to the successes.
  • Here are the 10 Best Skyrim mods. While SkyUI changes a lot of things in favor of easier navigation (most notably Skyrim’s ridiculously cumbersome inventory) it adds a few new.

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Repeat violators of this rule will be banned and reported to the site admins.Examples of posts that will get removed:. Screenshots with anything superimposed on the image (text, real life items). Locations or Items in real life that remind you of Skyrim (dark brotherhood hand prints, sweetrolls), though crafts are permitted. Screenshots of texts, facebook or other social networking sites (jokes on facebook, 4chan images) or comments with Skyrim quotes from other subreddits (i.e. ' is leaking'). Any posts related to Piracy (Support the game creators!). Handprints, in any way, shape or form, even if posted by reddit admins.

Pictures of your cat with the title 'khajiit has wares if you have coin'.FAQ:. Tag your submissions! Place any of the following tags in the title of your post to highlight it. Question, Spoiler, Lore and Mod -.Official Links:.Stickies:.Alternative Themes:.Related Communities:. Comprehensive List of the Best Skyrim Mods, with Links, Descriptions, and VideosUpdated Currently writing updated listParts of this post were taken from other posts by and, and they have been changed and updated by request by me,. 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 ModdingFirst, you will need Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE).

You will now need to start Skyrim with skselauncher.exe in order for SKSE, and mods that require it, to work.Next, to easily install most of these mods - get the. 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 - 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 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 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 to learn about Bashed Patches. This is only recommended for advanced users, as this can cause problems if done incorrectlyA commonly suggested alternative to Nexus Mod Manager is. 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 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.

Bug Fixes and General Game ImprovementsThese are pretty much essential mods, install them all. Mod NameMod DescriptionA 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.Install if you have Dawnguard.Install this if you have Hearthfire.Install this if you have Dragonborn.Ever had one of those infinite loading screens? This fixes that. Heavy modders will need this more. Install after SKSEThis 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 SKSEHave 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 SKSENo longer jitters when dual wielding.User Interface ModsThese are all highly recommended for every Skyrim user. Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaA User Interface mod that completely overhauls the UI of Skyrim's inventory menus & more to be/look a TON better.

MUST HAVE!N/AA mod created by Gopher. Hides the HUD when you don't need it, shows the HUD when you do need it! Simply amazing.N/AAllows 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.Adds the roads, trails, and paths of Skyrim to the World Map.Changes the character customization menu to allow more in-depth character customization. Another highly recommended mod.A mod that fixes and adds a lot more features and functionality to the dialogue menu.Game OverhaulsThese 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 NameMod DescriptionMediaThis 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.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.This mod is designed to alter the difficulty curve of Skyrim as you level up.N/AA 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.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/AMemory PatchesSkyrim'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 NameMod DescriptionMediaThis is an ENB patch that does wonders for how Skyrim manages memory and it virtually eliminated my CTDs.N/AThis implements Sheson's memory allocation patch to allocate more memory to Skyrim when it starts up to help eliminate crashes.N/A. ENBs and Lighting EnhancementsFor novice modders and people who aren't very good with computers, you may need help to install and configure these.You can only install one ENB. Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaCustomizing ENBs through the.ini or the in-game menu can be confusing or time-consuming. This is a simple executable with a great, well-organized UI that you can run at any time to make changes to your ENB. You can even make changes while the game is still running.N/AFantastic ENB, I currently use Option A with Realistic Lighting Overhaul.

This mods description page also has a nice list of visual mods that are beyond the scope of this post that you might want to check out.I've never used this one personally but it has a lot of users. There are actually two ENBs in here, one is Bleak and one. Isn't.See Mod Page.Another brilliant, stunning ENB preset.This ENB is designed to be combined with Climated of Tamriel for an extremely realistic looking Skyrim.This is an ENB for high performance systems.It is a complete overhaul of the games lighting system and is the most comprehensive lighting mod available for Skyrim.

The changes number in the thousands and cover many bases. The aim of this mod is to make the lighting as realistic as possible within the confines of the game engine.N/AEnhanced Lights and FX's goal is to create a more dramatic and realistic mood to the lights in Skyrim by adding lights to all light sources and removing any light without a source, as well as the addition of many more effects like smoke, volumic lights, driples, etc. NOT COMPATIBLE WITH REALISTIC LIGHTING OVERHAUL.N/AThis is a pretty old mod this is still actively updated and supported with a lot of followers. For a lighting mod, this mod is really huge, it has a ton of features.N/APerformance ImprovementsThese are for low end PCs to get the most out of Skyrim.

I have personally never had a low-end PC so I haven't personally tested any of these mods. If you have any suggestions for this section, please be sure to let me know. Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaZoner has been making high performance ENBs that's enough to run on laptops. If you can't afford much resource, this is the way to go.See nexus pageThis is a great mod for anyone who experiences heavy FPS lag. Skyrim has to load everything as your character turns to face it, so turning quickly can mean serious FPS drops on low end PCs. HiAlgoBoost fixes that by dyamically lowering the screen resolution as you turn. You shouldn't even notice it and it makes turning a lot smoother.See nexus pageThis lowers textures on things you won't actually notice the difference for.

But your FPS will! (Your screenshots might)This improves performance for free (mainly interiors)! Nothing is lost!This mod removes shadows entirely and just colors the existing lights differently. That way there's only half the stuff to deal with. Naturally, this conflicts with mods that change lighting.Follower ModsThere are two types of mods here: Follower Overhauls and actual Followers.

You can use any combination of followers you want, but you can only use one follower overhaul.Here is a really good comparison video of the Follower Overhauls to help you decide: Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaUFO is a set of tools and enhancements to the followers system that will allow for better control and usability of followers.Multiple followers. Manage outfits, spells, combat style, home assignment and level up.

Make werewolves or vampires lords. Followers will ride horses, make camp, avoid traps, ignore friendly fire, auto relax, auto change into standard/city/home outfit. Auto toggle helmets. Followers pose, dance, and more.Another follower mod that allows you to have up to 100 followers.

(WOW!) Please watch the video I posted above this section to decide which Follower Overhaul you want to use.N/AHoth is a grizzly, old bounty hunter bad ass, and my favorite follower mod. He has custom voice acting, and can give you quests too (Bounty Quests), so there's always something to do with him.Vilja is a highly detailed custom follower mod - she has her own quest, backstory, and voiced dialogue.A more humor-themed follower. Spits bile at his foes, and has amazing custom voice acting too.Valfar is a passionate Stomcloak warrior - uses Galmar Stonefist's voice.A female follower that will heal you and has smart AIN/AInigo is a wonderful, fun, humerous, fully voiced companion whose story is tied to that of the Dragonborn. Highly recommended.Player Homes Mod nameMod descriptionVideoA massive Nordic Hall in Sovngarde. It is designed to be the reward for defeating Alduin and saving the world. This home is very well-made, perfectly integrated into the lore and certainly not lacking in features.

This is my personal favorite house mod and the more I use it the more features I find.An unique and secluded player home hidden within its own beautiful valley. Home features all crafting stations, 2 new spells, and a cool teleportation system, and more.Great medium-sized player home located in the worldspace so no loading doors or interior cells to load. Simply walk right into your house! Also includes a blacksmith merchant and all the player home essentials.A great player home with one of the best views in Skyrim - packed with details and functionality.A beautiful medium-sized player home built into/onto a tree in the Rift, and that features outdoor windows, working clocks, and more.Another small compact home with everything you need. No clutter and placed in a great location in the Rift. (I guess I have a thing for Windmill houses)Cool player mansion that has several unique features like a quest, NPCs, changable scenery, on/off lights, a mark-and-recall spell, an archery range, and more.A really cool steampunk themed player home. This was removed from the Nexus, so you have to manually install it.Modest player home that you have to clean up.

Great view, unique mountain-top location.A beautiful and unique player home. Visual and Graphic Enhancing ModsThese are all highly recommended Visual Mods, none of them conflict with one another.Some of them you may not want to install on low-end machines, mainly Skyrim 2k HD and SMIM. Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaMod that makes the skin textures of NPCs and your character look much better.N/AEthereal Elven Overhaul is a comprehensive revamp of the elf races of Skyrim.

It alters every aspect of their facial features to a more appealing look, while remaining faithful to the original work and striving for realism. EEO also affects every elven NPC in the game and comes with new presets.The most commonly used hair mod. Adds dozens of new, high-quality hairstyles to males and females.Where Apachii Sky Hair adds new hairstyles to the game, this one redoes the original hair styles. It's great for if you want to use the original hairstyles, but all the NPCs use the original hair, so it improves the hair of everyone in the game in a lore-friendly way.

It's also by a good friend of mine, skyrimaguas.N/AWeather system overhaul mod for Skyrim, with hundreds of new weather patterns/systems and environmental sound effects.Retextures the default night sky into a beautiful canvas of starts. Download both High Stars and Color Galaxy for the best effect.N/AStellar mod that adds better blood effects and new ones too. Very highly recommended.N/ABook Covers is a mod that gives books a colorful, designed, unique cover. Simple, but incredible mod.Adds custom labels to all potions and poisons in Skyrim. This mod and the next one are by the same author, the author has a download in this mod that combines the two of them.

If you download it, don't download the next mod in this list.Replaces the textures of alcoholic beverages with a unique and great looking labelMy favorite 'HD Texture Overhaul' of Skyrim.N/AThis mod retextures the plants, trees, flowers, grass of Skyrim to be more photo-realistic and more varied.N/AThis is another mod that overhauls the waster in Skyrim and after comparing the various water mods I think it's the best one. If you would prefer a different one is probably the best alternative. The video link to the right is a comparison between Water Mods.This mod fixes a lot of UV mapping mesh errors, and even adds some new 3d models in!N/ASkyrim dynamically applies snow to a lot of objects in Skyrim and this mod makes it look much, much better.N/AWorks really well with BDS to make a wonderful snowy Skyrim.Great Hi-res retexture for all the Dragons in Skyrim.Cities and Villages EnhancementsThese are enhancements to cities and villages.Some of them conflict, but not like CTD conflict, they just might both put two different things in the same spot. You can fix it yourself by opening console, selecting what you want to delete and typing 'MarkForDelete' Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaThis adds a large section and a nice player home to Riverwood.N/AT.A.V.E is a series of Town/Village Enhancement mods based on the Steam Workshop, they add a lot of foliage and small improvements to the towns that make them feel a lot more lively. This is the whole collection, just subscribe to the ones you want and they will be automatically installed. Very highly recommended.N/AAdds a lot of random, non-important NPCs to the game, it makes the cities feel more populated.

My description doesn't do it justice, watch the video for a better idea what the mod does. Quests and New Lands Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaAn entirely new world with new Areas, Fully Voiced NPCs, Quests, etc. This is a spectacularly made mod that is on-par with official Bethesda DLC.

Insane0hflex spotlighted this mod, not sure why he didn't put it on this list originally.A fantastic mod that allows you to rebuild Helgen. I haven't had a chance to try this one personally yet, but it has tons of great feedback.Wyrmstooth is a fantastic DLC-sized quest mod that allows you to travel to the island of Wyrmstooth.A large and ambitious modding project to recreate the Morrowind game using the Skyrim game engine.This is very similar to SkyWind in that it takes place in Morrowind, except Shadow of Morrowind takes place in Morrowind at the same time as the events are happening in Skyrim, instead of going back in time to how things were during the Morrowind game. It's also similar to SkyWind in that it's not finished yet, but it is being worked on.N/AA fantastic, large mod that allows you to travel to the jungle home of the Khajiit, Elsweyr.A fantastic quest mod for very late-game characters that is full of powerful magic and very difficult and rewarding boss fights.This is not actually a new quest, it's actually a fix to the main quest. Without giving anything away, this basically gives you a very important choice where before you had none. You want this mod.N/AAn extension to the Dark Brotherhood quest line for those who don't want it to end. Ha mode requires atleast two rms.

It features two well-made fully-voiced followers/Dark Brotherhood members, 22 new quests, 2 new dungeons and other goodies.Undeath is an unbelievably well-made and comprehensive quest mod for Skyrim; it's probably one of the best ever made. In it, a powerful necromancer and his followers are trying to unlock the secrets of immortality and you can either stop them, or unlock it yourself and have the ability to become a Lich. The mod also comes with new spells, two new player home and new item vendors along with other great additions.This is a series of 5 quests made by ThirteenOranges. They're all on Steam Workshop and they're all very highly rated.N/AThis isn't actually released yet, but I'm already putting it on the list because I already know it's going to be amazing. It's a DLC sized quest mod that's being worked on by some of the best names in modding.

Update: This is still in steady development as of 6/25/2015. It's taking longer than expected but I expect that we will see it's release and I'm waiting eagerly.Armor and Weapon Mods Mod NameMod DescriptionMediaTons of great lore friendly armor items are added by this excellent mod, by hothtrooper44 who is very well known for his great armor mods.Similar to Immersive Armors, this adds tons of great lore-friendly weapons to Skyrim.Mod that adds several different types of rugged fur cloaks and helms, fit for the harsh northern climate of Skyrim.N/AAlternative cloak mod (more 'fantasy' like); adds dozens of different cloaks to NPCs and the crafting menu. I'd suggest using either Cloaks or WiC, but not both at the same time.N/AIncrease your carry weight capacity by crafting various bags and pouches that you can wear.

Great for hoarders, or people that want to personalize their character model.A great mod by a good friend of mine, skyrimaguas. This gives the Dragon Priests the really terrifying and unique feeling they so desperately needed.

Here's how it works. You travel to Riverwood's Sleeping Giant Inn, preferably with a brand new character who has skipped past the tutorial thanks to or your preferred alternative.

You track down the ghost lady in the corner of the bar and talk to her, and then you get whisked away to Transylvania, as interpreted by Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest and now recreated as a Skyrim mod.Yes, you get a chain whip. The vampire killer weapon will be your best friend as you whip through the various skeletons, werewolves, and mermen that you meet on this questline (and who all drop hearts when they die, which you collect with a glorious beeping noise).It's pretty straightforward. In towns you talk to people and visit the church, hoping to find someone who will let you trade hearts for an upgrade. Then you march out into the spooky wilderness again, preferably in daylight, to whip your way through monsters on your way to the next town and the next objective in your quest to return Dracula to the grave.Though of course it's not a 2D platformer, the CV2 mod does remain faithful to its inspiration in a lot of ways. Skyrim's regular levelling system is gone, and instead you trade hearts to priests for level-ups.

They'll also heal you as well, which is nice because the regeneration over time that's normally part of Skyrim is also gone here.Another part of the original game preserved in this mod is your inability to swim. Touch the water in Transylvania and you'll die instantly. That makes the section where you have to cross a broken bridge while being shot at by mermen particularly annoying. First-person platforming is the worst, and in Skyrim's third-person mode it's only slightly better. I've drowned a lot more than I've been killed by werewolves.The CV2 mod's an impressive thing overall, featuring a whole bunch of new music too including remixes of Castlevania tunes.

You can download it for Skyrim Special Edition. Since the last time we updated our list of the best Skyrim Special Edition mods the Skyrim Script Extender has been made compatible with it. You can download it (it'll be labelled 'Current SE build').

Turn off automatic updates for Skyrim Special Edition once it's installed, as the creation club still receives patches which routinely break the Script Extender until modders update it.With the Script Extender modders can now alter this version of Bethesda's RPG as drastically as Oldrim. Near-essentials like SkyUI are now available in this slightly prettier (it does have nicer shadows), and more stable (you can alt-tab as much as you like) version of Skyrim. To be fair, there were other changes as well, like.If you're playing the and looking for the best mods available, look no further. Some of these mods can be found on Bethesda's site and downloaded while in-game, but the links we'll post all point.

Mods added in the latest update of this list have been marked with a ⭐. SkyUI ⭐The heavens parted, golden saints sang, and SkyUI was finally supported by Skyrim Special Edition. This interface replacer makes Skyrim feel like it was designed for mouse controls, and lets you filter and sort inventory based on weight, value, damage and the like. Also adds an in-game mod configuration menu several other mods rely on. A Quality World Map ⭐Skyrim's map is functional but boring. A Quality World Map offers multiple ways to fix it. It can replace the map with a much more detailed world texture, with colors that help delineate the separate areas much more obviously, but there's also an option to have a paper map, with a more Oblivion look, if that's your thing.

Legacy of the Dragonborn ⭐Adds a gallery you can fill with unique items, a museum to your achievements that is also a library, a storage facility, a questline of its own, and a place to learn archeology complete with its own perks. While the original version of this Skyrim mod has been adapted across from Oldrim, there's also an update in the works specifically for Special Edition which will remap the building to make it larger and more like a real museum. It won't be compatible with the current version, so it might be worth holding off until Legacy V5 comes out. The Asteria Dwemer Airship ⭐There are player home mods to suit all tastes, but the Asteria is a particularly nice one—a flying ship with all mod cons, by which I mean storage space and crafting tables. It's permanently docked, however, and can't be moved around, though it does have a teleporter for a more immersive alternative to fast-travel.

Flyable skyship mods still haven't made the jump over from vanilla Skyrim, unfortunately. Inigo ⭐Maybe you don't think a blue Khajiit who follows you around commenting on everything and being sarcastic about Lydia is what Skyrim needs, but trust us on this. Inigo is a follower with tons of dialogue, some tied to his own questline and more that crops up at appropriate times depending on the location you're at. He can be told where to go and what to do by whistling, and will follow you even if you've got an existing companion, chatting away with them thanks to skilfully repurposed voice lines. Unofficial Skyrim PatchThis mod is a compendium of hundreds of fixes for bugs, text, objects, items, quests, and gameplay elements assembled by prolific modder Arthmoor. The patch is designed to be as compatible as possible with other mods. If you've got a few hours,.

Opening Scene OverhaulThis mod, by elderscrolliangamer, changes and enhances Skyrim's opening sequence by restoring dialogue that Bethesda chose to cut, but which is still present in the game files. With that content restored, you'll learn more about the world you're preparing to inhabit by listening in on additional conversations and seeing full sequences that were snipped before release. Best of all, if you choose to side with the Stormcloaks, you'll actually be able to escape Helgen with Ulfric himself at your side. Open CitiesIt's more than a little immersion-breaking in Skyrim to enter a city through a gate and encounter a loading screen. Open Cities, by Arthmoor, aims for more of a Morrowind feel: the cities aren't instances, they're part of the larger world. Stroll right in—or ride in on horseback—without a break in your experience, and these cities will feel more like real places than loaded-in maps. Phenderix Magic WorldThis impressively robust magic mod adds new locations like The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the magical town of Manantis, and even a new magical dimension to explore.

It also adds hundreds of new spells from all schools of magic, plus lots of magic weapons, over a dozen new followers, and a quest to get you started. Alternate Start—Live Another LifeIf you're playing Special Edition, you're starting from scratch whether you're a newcomer to Skyrim or a veteran.

Why not start your new game as someone other than the Dragonborn? Alternate Start—again, by Arthmoor—is a roleplaying mod that gives you choices on how you'd like to begin your next playthrough. Are you a patron at in inn, a visitor arriving by boat, a prisoner in a jail cell, or the member of a guild? You can start as a soldier, an outlaw, a hunter, or even a vampire.

It's a great way to re-experience Skyrim from a different perspective. Relationship Dialogue OverhaulThis mod by cloudedtruth adds thousands of lines of voiced dialogue for NPCs, directed at making you feel as if you have a closer and more personal relationship with followers and friends.

Your spouse, if you have one, will no longer sound like a random follower, but address you in a more personal manner, and those you've angered will have a host of new insults to hurl your way. Diverse Dragons CollectionDespite the Special Edition's visual overhaul, its dragons are still a bit ho-hum. This mod, contributed to by a large collection of modders, adds 28 new and unique dragons with different models and textures, and capable of over a dozen new breath attacks and abilities. The dragons come in different ranks as well, to ensure you have a challenge no matter what your level. Achievements Mod EnablerJust because you're modding doesn't mean you're cheating (necessarily). So why does the SSE disable achievements if you've got mods running?

Stick it to 'em by using this plugin from xSHADOWMANx that allows you to earn achievements even while using mods. Static Mesh ImprovementsWhile the SSE adds plenty of enhanced visuals, it doesn't do a thing to improve the original game's low-poly meshes. This mod edits hundreds of 3D models placed in thousands of different locations for items like furniture, clutter, architectural elements, and landscape objects to make them look nicer and more realistic. Total Character MakeoverSkyrim's NPCs already looked dated when the game was first released, and they certainly haven't aged well. The SSE might improve the looks of the world, but it doesn't touch its citizens, so this mod from Scaria should be on your list. It gives everyone in the game (including your avatar) a facelift with more detailed textures that won't kneecap your framerate, and without making characters look out of place. True 3D Sound for Headphones'This mod enables true 3D sound for Skyrim SE by using a so called HRTF to simulate binaural hearing using normal stereo headphones.

You will hear exactly from which direction a sound is coming from.' I don't know exactly what that first sentence means, but I understand the second one. Make the SSE more realistic for your ears with this mod from CptYouaredead.You also might want to check out. Frostfall and CampfireLooking to turn SSE into a survival experience? Then bundle up and look no further.

These mods from Chesko make the frosty world of Skyrim more dangerous yet more immersive and enjoyable with a system that makes you manage your temperature in the cold climate. Hypothermia is an issue, especially if you swim through icy water, so you'll have to dress warmly, and camping elements include craftable tents, torches, and other gear. There's even a crafting skill system.Also, check out, which adds weather-dependent visual effects and sounds. Cutting Room FloorAnother big mod from Arthmoor restores loads of content that exists in SSE's data files but wasn't implemented in the game. Numerous locations, NPCs, dialogue, quests, and items have been brought into the light, and the game is richer for it. The Forgotten CitySkyrim's got lots of adventure, but here's about 10 hours more courtesy of writer and developer Nick Pearce. Play detective and solve a murder mystery while exploring a massive, ancient city.

It's got excellent, award-winning writing, a non-linear story, fantastic voice acting by a large cast, an enjoyable original soundtrack, and even a touch of time travel. Ars Metallica—Smithing EnhancementUnless you're playing as a metal-plated tank who swings an enormous two-handed sword around, there's not a lot of use for smithing. Archers, thieves, and other stealthy characters have no issues finding light armor on their adventures, so there's never been much reason to make it themselves. This mod by Arthmoor gives slippery sorts reasons to learn smithing, by letting them forge arrows, lockpicks, and guild-specific armor, as well as melt down bulkier armor they'd never actually wear into ingots. Vortex ⭐For downloading, installing, and managing these mods and others, we recommend Vortex. It's an extremely useful utility, and it works with a number of other games like Fallout 3 and 4, The Witcher series, the Darks Souls games, XCOM 2, and lots more.

I've crossed a desert, forded a river, fought blue lizards and green spiders, and finally made it to Elsweyr. I'm greeted by a muscular tiger, prowling around on all fours, who introduces himself with polite gravel and welcomes me to the home of the Khajiit.

This is Moonpath to Elsweyr, one of the first quest mods ever made for Skyrim.Back in 2012 when Bethesda's Creation Kit was released, the mod scene exploded. It's cute to look back on how we reported it: 'Not enough goats?

Download the goat summoning mod. More dog eyebrows? Giants not big enough? Download the bigger giants mod. Skyrim is going nuts. In a very good way.' Of course people made mods even without the Creation Kit, but it brought ambitious, sweeping changes within reach of anyone willing to dig through its wiki.

It was a particular boon to quest mods like Moonpath to Elsweyr, which appeared so suddenly people were convinced it had been in the works before the Creation Kit was released. But no, modder Tomas Sala, who released Moonpath under the name 'muppetpuppet', was able to quickly make multiple new locations, creatures, and fully voiced questlines solely using the Creation Kit.

He did have one advantage, though—over 10 years of experience as a 3D artist and developer.' It was sort of an escape from the work-for-hire game jobs I was involved in at the time,' he says, 'a creative release. I actually found out that quite a few notable modders were industry veterans as well.'

.none of it was planned, and it was all uploaded piecemeal as soon as it was playable. Tomas SalaStill, it was his first mod and although it would be eclipsed by later ones with pro-level writing like and, it's still fun to go back to. It's been updated for Skyrim Special Edition too, which is nice. I like being able to play it in a version of Skyrim that doesn't freak out when I alt-tab away from it.Moonpath begins with a caravan trip from Falkreath, following the hidden byways of the Khajiit. The central location is a player home in the waterways of a jungle canyon, but later on you get access to a skyship captained by a Khajiit pirate complete with terrible accent who ferries you to a tropical island ruin.Sala is very aware his mod has flaws, because he made it up as he went along. 'I started off with a player home as a test, and that become a hub for a string of exotic adventures.

But none of it was planned, and it was all uploaded piecemeal as soon as it was playable. Which gives the entire mod a very haphazard and linear feel.'

It became popular fast, which was good and bad. As he explains, 'there was so much feedback and commenting, which can be intoxicating as well, just the general high of being in communication with your users. But it also led to me forgetting what I had done a lot, 'hmmm where did I put that overpowered katana I used for testing? Oh well, nobody will probably find it', which caused quite a few raised eyebrows amongst players.' Sala stepped away from modding during the paid mods controversy.

Now he focuses on his own games, with an indie project called in the works. 'There where people creating popular mods in their spare time whose lives would have been altered for the better if they could make this their profession,' he says, 'literally lift them from a struggling menial job situation. And they were being harassed, with some even claiming mods where the property of the community not their creators.' Mooonpath has an important place in the history of Skyrim's mods.

Its monsters, trees, even the airship have all been reused in other mods. It's even been incorporated into, a mod that adds a museum dedicated to the player's victories which you slowly fill with Skyrim's unique quest items.

There are entire rooms dedicated to daedric artifacts and books, and a display that unlocks when you finish Moonpath—a little shrine that makes it feel as significant as any of the game's official questlines.Sala's modest about his achievement. 'I had the most fun with the environments,' he says.

'I think the best description for the Moonpath is 'a holiday away from icy Skyrim'. It's more of a tour of cool locations than anything else.'

Moonpath to Elsweyr is available for both. Skyblivion is a massive project that intends to port Oblivion into Skyrim's advanced engine.

The modders are planning to port all environments and quests over, though in its final form you'll be able to pick and choose the parts you want.' This includes all enhancements developed by the team such as our Landscaping Overhaul, Interior Overhaul, City Overhaul, Weapon/Armor Overhaul and much more,' reads a post on the.The project has been in development for years. Back in February we got a look at the at the heart of Oblivion's map.

For an earlier work-in-progress view, check out one of from back in 2016.The final mod will be free, and is designed to be compatible with the Skyrim Special Edition. You'll need to own Skyrim, Oblivion and their DLC packs to install the final mod.

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There's no release window at the moment. It's a volunteer-driven project, so progress can be irregular, but it's come a long way since Skyblivion started way back in in 2012. For me, transform the realm's aesthetics. Be that by way of weather overhauls, lighting ENBs, or, my newest favourite, BuzzDee84 and PhenomFazMFQ's Ultimate HD Fire Effects SSE.I've a particular fondness of the dark arts in high-fantasy RPGs, and the College of Winterhold is always my first stop during new playthroughs of Skyrim. As always, the best way to show off mods of this calibre is with pictures.Courtesy of, here's a collection of before and after shots, magic spells in motion, and conjured Atronachs for your pleasure:Ultimate HD Fire Effects SSE is more than an update of its Oldrim counterpart, with a host of nips and tucks—including improved smoke patterns, over 20 new textures, several meshes and 4K-8K resolution support.Fancy that? More information on Ultimate HD Fire Effects SSE, including installation instructions, lives on.

As reported by Sam Horti over the weekend,. PlayerTw0's wonderful, on the other hand, turns the climate controls in the opposite direction—giving us realistic rainfall like never before.With the simple goal of making rain 'as real as possible', Real Rain overhauls the game's rain textures to become more random and natural looking, 'while making the rain denser without any FPS lag or bloated save files.' Likewise, PlayerTw0 says they have tested the mod extensively to work with and without ENB settings—which in turn prevents the mod's downpour from being too bright at night, or too transparent during the day.First introduced to the original Skyrim a few years back, Real Rain SE brings the project to Skyrim Special Edition. Its latest update looks better than ever, which its creator says is best complimented with, and.At present, PlayerTw0 is working to introduce custom rain styles, such as 'tetrisrain' and bloodrain.More information on Real Real SE can be found on its. There, creator PlayerTw0 says it'll 'make you run for cover and get a dovahbrella.'

Earlier this year, I wrote about PsykotikKrymes' —a mod which lets you add yourself as a companion in Skyrim Special Edition. The creator's latest venture, takes the idea one step further by letting you conjure an army of self-styled clones.Whereas as The Doppelganger Follower offers a permanent follower, Clone Conjuration summons twins of the Dragonborn to lead into battle. Court Wizards sell it, bandit mages drop it, or 'if you're impatient', says PsykotikKrymes, the spell can be obtained from the food table in Dragonreach—'in the room with the cooking spit'.Clones replicate your spells and shouts, but not your armour.Furthermore, version 2.0 of Clone Conjuration comes with a twist.' 2.0 adds a spell called Conjure????,' explains creator PsykotikKrymes. 'This spell is fun but a gamble, when you cast you might conjure a giant, or a rabbit, goat, horse; but you also might get Ulfric, a Greybeard or a mud crab. It chooses from over 30 different NPCs/creatures when cast and still uses NO scripts.'

Have fun with that. More information on PsykotikKrymes' Clone Conjuration can be found on its.Beware of giant donuts. The timeline of the Elder Scrolls universe is divided into four ages—except there are also two ages before those, and one of them is entirely non-linear and yet somehow manages to contain a sequence of events in which supernatural beings come to existence from nothing.

And then, at later points in the timeline, this timeless primordial chaos leaks through into the physical world and recurs, like reality itself is having an acid flashback.The Elder Scrolls games have a complicated history, is what I'm saying.That's part of what makes them appealing to a certain kind of player. They give you the surface stuff of big, freeform open-world fantasy roleplaying, but if you want to dig for it there's more to find. There's even a recurring theme of the game's internal histories being contradictory because they're told from biased viewpoints, as if they're predesigned to be fodder for competing fan theories.This timeline presents a broad overview of things that happen on the world of Nirn, and also puts the games in order. Each of the mainline Elder Scrolls RPGs is separated by years, sometimes a lot of them, and The Elder Scrolls Online confusingly leaps back in time to fill in a gap. You don't have to know this to enjoy them, but then you don't have to read the books and yet some of us do it anyway. Getting a handle on the history and metaphysics is entirely optional, but it adds to my enjoyment and maybe if you take a dip into it, it'll add to yours too.The Dawn EraThere are multiple creation myths in The Elder Scrolls, but the easiest one to grasp is the Anuad, because it comes in a handy. According to the Anuad the first two beings to exist when everything else was void are the brothers Anu and Padomay, who represent order and chaos, light and dark.

Where the light and darkness mingle Nir is brought into existence, and both brothers fall in love with her. She loves only Anu, however, and their coupling brings into existence 12 words.

In his jealousy Padomay kills Nir and destroys the 12 worlds, but Anu saves enough of their fragments to create one: Nirn.Anu and Padomay fight a final time, and where Padomay's blood falls it creates the demons or Daedra, while Anu's blood creates the stars, and where their blood mixes the gods or Aedra are made. That's the kid's book version.Among the first of those gods is Lorkhan, a trickster, who convinces the Aedra to create the mortal plane, while the Daedra go off to make their own planes within Oblivion.

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Some of the Aedra realize Lorkhan isn't being upfront about the cost of this creation, that they'll have to sacrifice much of their own power in the act. They leave for Aetherius, a plane of pure magic, allowing magicka to leak into the world through the holes their departure leaves. Other Aedra step back to resume their godhood, becoming the Divines. According to human myths the gods then create mortals, while the elves believe some Aedra stay permanently to sacrifice their immortality and become their ancestors.But before that, the Aedra convene to determine how Lorkhan should be punished for tricking them. Akatosh, dragon god of time, builds the Adamantine Tower on the continent of Tamriel to be their courthouse. Lorkhan's punishment is to have his heart torn out, and it forms the Red Mountain on the island of Vvardenfell.That's just one version of the story of course. The in-game book called is a handy collection of competing creation stories.

The Merethic EraKnown as the Merethic Era because it's dominated by the Mer, a.k.a. The elves, this period of 2,500 years begins with the construction of the Adamantine Tower and ends with the founding of the Camoran Dynasty.

In between, the elves travel to the continent of Tamriel when their homeland of Aldmeri is lost, settling in different areas. The Dwemer take up residence underground, the Altmer on Summerset Isle, the Bosmer in the forests, the Chimer (who later become the Dunmer) in Morrowind, and the Ayleids take slaves from the local human population and found the Ayleid Empire. The Orsimer are corrupted by Daedra and become the orcs, while humans from the northern continent of Atmora also emigrate to Tamriel under the leadership of Ysgramor.Ysgramor's creation of the runic language allows human recorded history to begin, ushering in the First Era and some actual dates. The First Era 0King Eplear unites the Bosmer wood elves, founds the nation of Valenwood, and begins the Camoran Dynasty.143Harald, a descendent of Ysgramor, is crowned first High King of the Nords and declares Windhelm the capital of his nation, Skyrim.

240High King Vrage the Gifted of Skyrim begins a campaign of conquest in various elven lands, taking High Rock, all of Morrowind except Vvardenfell, and parts of Cyrodiil, most of which is at this time held by the elven Ayleid Empire. 243Human slaves in the Ayleid Empire rebel and take control of the White-Gold Tower at its centre. Their leader Alessia declares herself first Empress of the Cyrodillic Empire, goes on to formalize worship of the Divines, and is later declared a saint.369A dispute over who will be crowned High King of the Nords leads to the War of Succession, and the Nordic territories outside Skyrim take this opportunity to begin struggling for independence. 416The Chimer and Dwemer unite to drive the Nords out of Morrowind.

700When the Chimer learn the Dwemer are constructing a golem called the Numidium powered by the Heart of Lorkhan and that this 'brass god' is intended to become a blasphemous new deity, the peace between them is broken. They go to war at the Battle of Red Mountain, during which the Dwemer vanish—an event that's never explained.The Chimer lord Indoril Nerevar, favored of the Daedric Prince Azura, dies under mysterious circumstances, for which Azura curses their people to be transformed into the Dunmer or dark elves. (There's a lot going on here and you should honestly just play Morrowind for a much fuller explanation.)792The land of Yokuda is destroyed and the survivors flee to Hammerfell, where they eventually become known as the Redguards. 950The city of Orsinium, capital of the orcs, is attacked by a union of neighboring kingdoms. The siege lasts 30 years, after which the city finally falls and is razed.

1029High Rock joins the Alessian Empire. 1200A monotheistic sect of anti-elf extremists called the Alessian Order, who have dominated the Alessian Empire since the fourth century, attempt a ritual to separate the elven god Auriel from Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time (the two are closely connected, and possibly just aspects of the same being viewed by different cultures). This goes so wrong that time shatters and the non-linearity of the Dawn Era recurs in an event called the Dragon Break. For 1,008 years time ceases to function properly.This is all just a theory, and an alternate theory states that a clerical error left official records blank during this period.2321Western Cyrodiil attempts to gain independence from the Alessian Empire in a decade-long conflict called the War of Righteousness. 2703Invaders from the land of Akavir land in Tamriel, forcing Cyrodiil to unite against them, forging the Second Empire and beginning the Reman Dynasty.

2714The Second Empire conquers Valenwood. 2811Reman II goes to war against the Argonian lizardfolk, and their home of Black Marsh becomes an Imperial province. 2920A truce between Morrowind and the Empire is broken when a Dunmer fortress is sacked.

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In response the dark elf assassins guild, the Morag Tong, murder Reman III and his son. An Akaviri Potentate takes over and declares the end of the Reman Dynasty and the beginning of the Second Era. The Second Era230The Mages Guild is formed by Vanus Galerion after he leaves an older magical fraternity called the Psijic Order. Galerion opposes the practice of necromancy, and proposes to make magical items and potions available to the public for a price. 283Potentate Versidue-Shaie declares martial law across the Empire, beginning 37 years of warfare that leaves the Imperial Legion the only military force of any strength in Tamriel. 309The Khajiit cat-people found the province of Elsweyr by uniting two minor kingdoms.320In response to a rise in banditry due to the absence of military forces beyond the Legion, the forerunner of the Fighters Guild is founded.

324The Morag Tong assassinate Potentate Versidue-Shaie. 430Potentate Savirien-Chorak and all his heirs are assassinated, bringing the Second Empire to an end. Historians dispute who was responsible but what do you want, three guesses? 431No longer protected by the Empire, the rebuilt orc capital of Orsinium is sacked again, this time by the Bretons and Redguards. 567The Daggerfall Covenant unites High Rock, Hammerfell, and Orsinium, and the orcs are given the right to rebuild their capital one more time.

572A second Akaviri invasion captures Windhelm in Skyrim but is defeated after being trapped between the Dunmer and a united force of Nords and Argonians. Morrowind, Skyrim, and Black Marsh sign the Ebonheart Pact to make this temporary alliance permanent. 580Elsweyr, Valenwood, and the Summerset Isles unite as the Aldmeri Dominion.583Start date of The Elder Scrolls Online.

852Tiber Septim begins the Tiber Wars in an attempt to unite the nations of Tamriel and form the Third Empire. 864Start date of The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard. 896Tiber Septim uses a rebuilt Numidium to complete his conquest of Tamriel, destroying the golem afterwards.

Then he declares the Second Era over. The Third Era 38Tiber Septim dies. Followers of Talos believe he ascends to godhood.119Pelagius III, later known as Pelagius the Mad, becomes emperor. (He's worth a mention just because his hip bone forms the basis of a fun sidequest in Skyrim.) 172Start date of An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire. 249The Camoran Usurper invades Valenwood. 399Start date of The Elder Scrolls: Arena.405Start date of The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall.

417The Numidium is rebuilt again. Something about this powerful artifact's use results in another brief Dragon Break, called The Warp in the West, during which the Numidium is seen in six different places at once, fulfilling the aims of different factions. (This conveniently makes all six potential endings of Daggerfall canon simultaneously.) 427Start date of The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. 433Start date of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.The Fourth Era 5In Vvardenfell the large rock containing the Ministry of Truth that hovers over Vivec falls, devastating the city and causes floods and landslides.

The Red Mountain erupts. 22The elven supremacist faction called the Thalmor take over Summerset Isle, and the high elves leave the Empire.

Within a decade they take Valenwood as well, beginning a new Aldmeri Dominion. 98During the 'Void Nights' both moons, Masser and Secunda, vanish from the sky. The Khajiit, who are bound to the Lunar Lattice and whose children have adult forms determined by the phase of the moons they're born under, are particularly distraught. When the Thalmor take credit for the moons' return, Elsweyr agrees to join the resurgent Aldmeri Dominion.171The Aldmeri Dominion demand tribute from the Empire, as well as the banning of Talos worship, the ceding of a significant portion of Hammerfell, and the disbanding of the Emperor's order of spies and bodyguards, the Blades. Emperor Titus II refuses all demands, and the Great War begins. (The singleplayer campaign of The Elder Scrolls: Legends takes place during this war.) 175The Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire sign a treaty called the White-Gold Concordat, agreeing to enforce a ban on Talos worship.

201Start date of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.If you managed to make it all the way through this, why not follow it up with? Modders have been hard at work updating Skyrim mods to work with its Special Edition re-release, and you will be—or at least should be—delighted to hear that Ravelen's has officially made the jump. Originally released in early 2015, the Sinister Seven adds seven powerful NPC assassins that hunt you down as you level up, injecting a little tension into the main story.' Each of the seven unique assassins is at least twice the player's level and will track them down across the map,' Mnikjom, who helped update the mod for Skyrim Special Edition, writes on Nexus Mods.

'They're also imbued with unique abilities outside your normal Skyrim bandit and thus may result in unusual battle tactics to win the fight. Some may be more challenging to particular player archetypes, others less so. They may show up when you're sleeping, when you're exploring a cave, or just on the road. You can try to fight them or run into the wilderness, which should buy you some time, but don't expect them to give up.' Normal assassins will also show up periodically, but the killer seven are the mod's main selling point. By default, the boss assassins will show up every two levels once you reach level 12, though you can tweak the mod's values to make them more aggressive. Defeating the assassins earns you custom masks with unique enchantments, as well as two armor sets.You can find download and installation instructions.

My favorite Skyrim mods are usually ones that alter the flow of the game, or add more character personalizing options. Every time I reinstall Skyrim, is at the top of the queue. I'm much pickier about quest mods. Adding new story to Skyrim means new writing and voice acting and those are hard things to get right— managed it, mostly, but it's a rare exception. One of my favorite narrative mods, gets around the problem by focusing on new locations that are empty, a string of spooky islands.The Forgotten City, however, does not shy away from new characters. It's a quest mod that adds an entire settlement full of new people, fully voiced, with their own stories all wrapped up in one overarching plot about time travel and human nature and the role of law in shaping a society.

It's ambitious is what I'm saying. It even has its own original score.As for why I'm playing a mod from 2015, a standalone version of The Forgotten City. It'll be a re-imagining, one that takes away all the specifics of the Elder Scrolls universe, changing the characters and the endings but leaving the basics of the structure in place.I feel pretty confident that having played the mod won't ruin the standalone version, because there's a lot about it that's specific to Skyrim. Once you enter the city (by traveling back in time to a point before its fall), you find that it's divided along familiar lines. The Imperials run things while the Nords do the work, and although there are a couple of non-humans the beast races aren't visible at all.

One of the inhabitants turns out to be a member of the Dark Brotherhood, and one's an Imperial soldier who wants to escape so he can get back to fighting Stormcloaks. It's a place entirely cut off from the rest of the country—once you enter it, jumping down a hole in a cave, you can't leave—but everybody's brought their existing prejudices with them.If you fail you can go back to the moment of your arrival, starting another time loop armed with everything you've learned.In spite of all that tension, The Forgotten City should be a place of peace. All the people here, whether they deliberately escaped Skyrim or just blundered down the hole, are under the jurisdiction of the 'Dwarves' Law'. This place was built by the Dwemer, and they left behind a safeguard for anyone who took up residence after them. If anyone in the settlement sins, the whole population will be punished for it.

Fatally.Having seen the city's future, you know that's about to happen. Something's going to set off the magical punishment left behind by the dwarves and you've only got a limited time to figure out what it was and prevent that from happening. Fortunately, you can make multiple attempts. If you fail you can go back to the moment of your arrival, starting another time loop armed with everything you've learned. There's even new dialogue to take this into account, including some funny stuff when you try to convince someone you know what they're going to say next.As well as getting to know the people, you get to know the location as well. It doesn't seem huge at first. There's a palace, a single district and a lakehouse, but there are other places to unlock and secrets to find.

The limits to the area mean that you learn your way around properly, and eventually figure out where everybody lives and how to navigate it at speed. It's the characters I keep thinking about, though. The two researchers happy to have this opportunity to dive into understanding the Dwemer, even if they can't share what they learn. The paranoiac who correctly believes they're all in danger, but responds to it by wandering around with an axe like a maniac. The self-declared jarl who sounds like someone doing an impersonation of Patrick Stewart, and the merchant who swears he's honest, and the cynical healer who hates being stuck in the Forgotten City but says it 'Could be worse, though. You could be living in bloody Skyrim.' It's maybe a bit ridiculous that all these people got here by just jumping down a hole (OK, one of them was pushed), but having them stuck together in one place where they all know each other makes for much more interesting interactions.

The Forgotten City feels like an argument in favor of constrained locations, for how great open-world games can be when they focus on depth rather than width. And that's why I'm looking forward to the game it eventually becomes, once it cuts the ties to Skyrim and transforms into something new.