Few games can match the sheer number of mods that Skyrim has. Thanks to a set of powerful mod tools and a burning passion from mod authors, Skyrim is still relevant nearly a decade after its release.

The mod scene for Skyrim has been so impactful that Bethesda released the Special Edition of Skyrim that allows console players to mod their game. Needless to say, the mods that exist for Skyrim are excellent. Falskaar, Ordinator, and the Unofficial Patches are just a few iconic mods that the community has made. For those new to the modding scene, here are ten excellent mods that are worth your attention.

This list is in no particular order.

10 Essential Stability Mods

We’re going to cheat with this entry and list multiple must-have stability mods. Skyrim is a large game filled with hundreds of unique NPCs, quests, and scripts working in unison. This can cause some bugs that range from hysterical to game-breaking.

The Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch is downright mandatory for any modded playthrough. This mod fixes thousands of bugs that range from small inconsistencies to game-breaking issues. Even if you don’t plan to mod Skyrim much, this mod should be in your load order.

SSE Fixes is another mandatory Skyrim mod that fixes a core engine issue where multiple .ESP and .ESM files would make Skyrim run much worse than it should. Installing this mod will most likely boost your FPS.

Bug Fixes SSE fixes a few bugs that relate to perks or skills not working as they should. Examples include ability conditions not working as time passes and Speech XP not being properly multiplied when you sell stacks of items.

  • Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch (by the Unofficial Patch Project Team)
  • SSE Fixes (by meh321)
  • Bug Fixes SSE (by meh321)

9 Audio Overhaul for Skyrim SE

Audio Overhaul for Skyrim makes sweeping changes to Skyrim’s sounds. Ambient noises, weapons, spells, and footsteps have seen some changes with this mod.

Footstep noises change based on the surface you’re walking on, weapons have different impact noises for flesh and metal, spells have a proper impact sound when they hit something, all of which are accompanied by a reverb overhaul that is much more immersive than what vanilla Skyrim used.

Download link: Audio Overhaul for Skyrim SE (by David Jegutidse)

8 Vokrii - Minimalistic Perks of Skyrim

Skyrim’s perk trees were an excellent deviation from the skill and attribute system previous Elder Scrolls games utilized, yet it had a few issues. The biggest issue was how insignificant most of the perks were. This has been addressed in Vokrii - Minimalistic Perks of Skyrim.

Created by the same mod author who’s made Ordinator and Wintersun, EnaiSiaion has focused on making the overhauled perks as impactful as possible without adding bloat. Every skill tree has been overhauled without alienating fans of the original Skyrim skill trees. New perks include the ability to lift humans with Telekinesis, scaling unarmed damage through Light Armor, and buffing Shouts through the Speech skill tree. The number of build options that this mod enables is simply staggering.

Download link: Vokrii - Minimalistic Perks of Skyrim (by EnaiSiaion)

7 Alternate Start - Live Another Life - SSE

There are only so many times someone can hear “Hey you, you’re finally awake” before going insane. Rather than play through Skyrim’s lengthy and buggy opening sequence, players should install Alternate Start - Live Another Life.

Instead of taking a carriage to Helgen, players will be thrown into character creation immediately before choosing how they want their game to start. Options include starting as a bandit, a Warlock’s personal Thrall, or starting in Solstheim. Certain fan-made add-ons have implemented additional openings that support other mods, such as Beyond Skyrim - Bruma. For some of the mod’s most interesting additions, check out this article.

Download link: Alternate Start - Live Another Life - SSE (by Arthmoor)

6 Interesting NPCs SE

Interesting NPCs is a hybrid between being a quest mod and immersion mod. Over 250 NPCs are added to Skyrim’s landscape, each with fully voiced dialogue. Some NPCs come with quests, can be married, or even recruited as followers.

Calling this mod a massive addition would be an understatement. Most NPCs added provide dialogue options that let the Dragonborn truly roleplay, something missing from the main game. If you’re looking to spice up Skyrim or add a plethora of new quests, Interesting NPCs is sure to impress.

Download link: Interesting NPCs SE (by Kris Takahashi and the Interesting NPCs’ team)

5 Legacy Of The Dragonborn SSE

Solitude has a new museum opening that needs special artifacts to attract business. Every artifact the player finds can be shown in this museum, giving players a reason to collect everything the game has to offer.

Yet Legacy of the Dragonborn is so much more than a simple collectible hunt. This mod includes multiple professionally-made quests that include artifacts and references from past Elder Scrolls games. Legacy of the Dragonborn is closer to an official piece of DLC than a simple quest mod. If you haven’t played this mod before, you’re in for a treat.

Download link: Legacy of the Dragonborn SSE (by icecreamassassin)

4 Combat Gameplay Overhaul SE

Combat Gameplay Overhaul manages what many thought to be impossible for years: making Skyrim’s combat good. Instead of modifying enemy AI or tweaking numbers, mod author DServant fundamentally changed how your character behaves in combat.

Your character can now:

This mod also tweaks most of the game’s animations to mesh better with the more freeflow combat system. If any of the above changes sound out of place, they are all configurable from a Mod Configuration Menu. Once you’ve played with this mod for a few hours, it’s hard to go back to vanilla Skyrim. Combine this mod with a combat overhaul such as Smilodon to radically change Skyrim’s combat for the better.

Download link:Combat Gameplay Overhaul SE (by DServant)

3 Smilodon - Combat of Skyrim

Smilodon takes a minimalist approach to overhauling Skyrim’s combat, altering as little as possible while still providing impactful changes. Unlike most combat overhauls, Smilodon doesn’t rely on injury or positional damage to enhance Skyrim’s combat. Instead, mod author EnaiSiaion made some intelligent tweaks to Skyrim’s AI and Stamina system.

Some of the mod’s combat changes include:

All of these changes culminate into a combat system that is much faster, less forgiving, and encourages proper Stamina management. As with most combat overhauls, nearly every setting is configurable through a Mod Configuration Menu. Give this mod a try if Skyrim’s combat is becoming dull.

Download link: Smilodon - Combat of Skyrim (by EnaiSiaion)

2 Mysticism - A Magic Overhaul

Mysticism is a proper magic overhaul for Skyrim. This mod changes virtually every aspect of Skyrim’s spell system, ranging from spell balance to new additions. Over 200 spells have been added in Mysticism, each enhancing the identity of Skyrim’s five distinct schools of magic.

Restoration now supports diseases and poison spells, Alteration includes fan-favorite Mysticism spells from past Elder Scrolls titles, and Destruction spells have seen some much-needed variety. If you dabble with spells at all, this mod should be in your load order.

Download link: Mysticism - A Magic Overhaul (by Simon Magus)

1 Beyond Skyrim - Bruma SE

As a sneak peek of the Beyond Skyrim - Cyrodiil project, Beyond Skyrim - Bruma is one of the most impressive mods for Skyrim. This mod brings Cyrodiil’s Bruma district to Skyrim, allowing players to travel to the snowy province.

Professional voice acting and well-written quests are the stars of the show here. While there isn’t a true main quest in Bruma, what is on offer matches and, at times, exceeds what Bethesda has delivered. This is a must-play.

Download link: Beyond Skyrim - Bruma SE (by the Beyond Skyrim - Cyrodiil Development Team)