Skyrim Special Edition brought advanced support for modding with 64-bit on PC, meaning players can load up more heavy mods with fewer issues and instability. For all the mods listed in this round-up, we'll be using the Nexus platform and the Nexus Mod Manager to install them. Here are the best mods you should install for your next Skyrim playthrough.
About this mod. Forgotten Magic Redone SE brings you some of the most comprehensive and intriguing spells for Skyrim Special Edition to date! Following on from the Forgotten Magic mod, the arcane arts have now been mastered. 20 Best Skyrim Special Edition Mods for Steam, PS4, Xbox Last updated on August 27, 2018, By Dan Hodges Bethesda Game Studio’s iconic fantasy epic is a great game with a ton of content on its own, but with the hard work of a tirelessly hard-working modding community, Skyrim becomes something truly unique.
See where you're going: A Quality World Map
The map isn't necessarily bad in Skyrim, but there are a few improvements that A Quality World Map by IcePenguin brings to the table. The mod includes a set of highly-detailed world map textures, complete with roads. This is a must-have for anyone who enjoys walking (or riding) everywhere without the use of fast travel. This mod also adds a detailed Solsteim map. And there's even a paper-style map!
Healing Touch (Forgotten Magic Redone (FMR)): - Provides healing overtime. When you upgrade the spell, pick the options to restore mana, stamina, and health per tick. (big Skyrim YouTube personalities) just uploaded their first minimalist modded build using.
So, hopefully the start of this discussion can turn into something of a suggested build guide for various Mage types when using Forgotten Magic Redone and SkyRe together.-What I will do, is take builds that seem well thought out, not OP, and fun to use, and turn them into a Guide on the Guide page for Skyrim. Forgotten Magic specifically, I disabled its random distribution mechanism and set up a new leveled list so that those spells only appear at a low frequency in Draugr, Dwemer, and Vampire boss chests. That gives me huge variety for what can be found in game while making every playthrough different, and incentivizing me to use spell research more. Thoughts on Forgotten Magic Redone for a Vokrii playthrough? I just made the change from Ordinator to Vokrii, so I'm still trying to gauge what will or will not break the game. The additional bonuses to the spells seemed a little too strong given just how powerful Ordinator allows you to be.
Free at Mod NexusStart a new life: Alternate Start
When modding Skyrim, some bad things can happen, especially during the opening scene. This is a heavily scripted part of the game and one that can cause problems if you have mods that interfere with Bethesda's code. Alternate Start provides the option to skip the start of the game altogether, protecting against crashes, and can even allow for some interesting role-playing adventures.
Free at Mod NexusCall down the heavens: Apocalypse
Forgotten Magic Redone Skyrim Special Edition Walkthrough
This is an important mod for anyone looking to do a mage build. You get 155 new spells, all of which are added to existing vendors and loot lists, no script bloat for enhanced performance, compatibility with many other spell-related mods, and the ability for unique mage builds that do not focus on destruction or conjuration. You will need ASIS (Automatic Spells, Increased Spawns) for NPCs to be given new items and spells.
Free at Mod NexusMake torches useful: Darker Nights
As the name suggests, this mod makes the nights in Skyrim darker, depending on personal preference. For many, the evenings in Skyrim were far too bright, and Darker Nights provide the option of 6 different levels that can be set to create a more atmospheric experience during the late and early hours of each day.
Free at Mod NexusSkryim never looked so good: Enhanced Lights and FX
Enhanced Lights and FX is a sizeable mod that creates a more dynamic and realistic mood to the Skyrim landscape by adding actual lighting to all light sources and removing any light without a source, as well as the addition of numerous effects including smoke, volumic lights, and more. If you want dungeons, interiors, and Skyrim in general, to look better, you need to install ELFX. Just don't install the weather part of the mod if you plan to use True Storms.
Free at Mod NexusWalk-in wardrobe: Immersive Armors
Skyrim has a bunch of armors already available, but Immersive Amors is a mod that takes kitting out your characters (and NPCs) to the next level. 55 new sets are included, alongside 396 shields and various other miscellaneous apparel items. That's a lot of new items to play around with. Different sets and items have specific stats that are integrated into the game through quest rewards, placement in dungeons, and given to certain people.
Free at Mod NexusCountless ways for decapitation: Immersive Weapons
Much like the Immersive Armors mod, Skyrim has a number of weapons already available for you to use, but Immersive Weapons adds around 230 more, not to mention new weapon sets to make various new melee builds viable. Not only is it great to see and use the new weapons, but hothtrooper44 made sure that the mod doesn't have a negative impact on the lore, just in case you wish to play as close to vanilla as possible.
Free at Mod NexusChoose your starsign: Ordinator
The perk tree could do with some improvements to make each playthrough and build feel more interesting and unique. This is where Ordinator comes in, adding more than 400 perks to the game, completely overhauling each skill tree. You'll need to visit the Nexus page to see all the perks added, but it's a comprehensive list and Ordinator is a mod I simply cannot play without.
Free at Mod NexusFus-Ro-Dah: Realistic Ragdolls and Force
The ragdoll effect in Skyrim can lead to some hilarious situations, including those moments when a giant will send you to outer space with a whack of its club. That's no good for role-playing and immersion, which is where Realistic Ragdolls and Force can lend a hand. Bodies now react to gravity and force more realistically. It's a small, but effective, mod.
Free at Mod NexusShimmering splendar: Realistic Water Two
With the updated water flow system and more included in Skyrim Special Edition, mods that affect the natural liquid are now more important when the aim is to create a more realistic-looking environment. Realistic Water Two takes Bethesda's improved system and takes everything to the next level with higher quality effects and textures, not to mention more accurate water body movement depending on the location (sea, river, pond, etc.).
Free at Mod NexusSeriously. Run.: Run for your lives
Run for your lives is a package of two handy mods, developed and uploaded by the same author. Run for your lives and When vampires attack affects the way NPCs react to dragon and vampire attacks, namely those who are unable to fight back. Instead of witnessing absolute carnage due to citizens of Skyrim not fleeing to the safe indoors, installing these mods lets you fight off deadly beasts with guards by your side.
Free at Mod NexusMust-have tool: Skyrim Script Extender 64-bit
Finally, the extremely talented modders behind the exceptional Skyrim Script Extender has released a version in beta that works wonderfully with Skryim SE. What this tool allows you to do is install mods that require additional functionality that the base game engine simply cannot offer. I'm talking a better UI experience that wasn't designed for consoles, more feature-packed mods, and more.
Just make sure you download and install the version for SE and not the old Skyrim. Afterward, you need to launch the SKSE64 .exe and not the Skyrim executable through Steam.
Free at SKSEHow the UI should be by default: SkyUI
This is currently an early testing build of the excellent SkyUI mods, but it's well worth checking out now. What it does is revamps the entire UI, allowing you to more easily navigate your inventory and such, seeing more information at a glance.
Forgotten Magic Mod
Free at Mod NexusBetter looking ropes: Static Mesh Improvement Mod
SMIM is a huge mod. And by huge we mean massive in both scale and size of the download. Totaling nearly 1GB, this package contains a bunch of improved 3D models for various things like robs, chains, lanterns, and other objects. It's particularly effective if you're one to notice when things look slightly out of place or aren't high-quality assets.
Free at Mod NexusUncover hidden secrets: The Forgotten City
How does an expansion sound? The Forgotten City has you covered with an award-winning unofficial experience, backed by superb writing, original orchestral score, and voiced dialog that offers around eight hours of gameplay. You're tasked with entering an underground Dwarven city and uncover a mystery, and it's non-linear too with multiple endings.
If you've finished the main plot numerous times and are soon running out of things to do, give The Forgotten City a go.
Free at Mod NexusSkyrim Se Forgotten Magic Redone
Make Skyrim feel more alive: True Storms
The weather effects in Skyrim are pretty good, but since everything was compiled way back in 2011, there's definitely room for improvement. Cue True Storms. This is a must-have mod for anyone looking to create a more immersive Skyrim experience with the weather really adding to every outing. It brings fog, variable weather, high-quality sound effects, new textures, dust storms, and more.
Free at Mod Nexus
Fixes Bethesda never made: Unofficial Skyrim: SE Patch
This is a must-have download for anyone, even if you do not wish to get into modding your Skyrim install. As the name suggests, it's a compiled package of fixes, improvements, and additions to the title. Hundreds of gameplay, quest, NPC, object, item, text and placement bugs have been fixed. Seriously, there's no reason as to why you shouldn't install this patch.
Free at Mod NexusSkyrim Se Apocalypse Ordinator Patch
Choosing the best mods
The absolute must-have mods for Skyrim include SKSE, SkyUI, and Alternate Start. The rest depends on your system specifications, your desired playstyle and what type of content you want to add to the world of Skyrim.
But what are your favorite mods for Skyrim Special Edition? Are there any you have for Skyrim that have yet to be ported? Sound off in the comments. We'd also like to thank modders for their continued support in extending the enjoyment of games, particularly Skyrim. You guys are incredible.