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Playing Skyrim in any difficulty above Adept would’ve probably taught you that combat isn’t as easy as you may think; but it also isn’t as varied.

Sure, back when Skyrim came out we absolutely loved the fighting system.

Shadow Spells do 75% more damage. (Requires Conjuration skill level of 60 or higher and the Tier 2 Enhanced Darkness perk.) Tier 4: Enhanced Darkness Shadow Spells do twice as much damage. (Requires Conjuration skill level of 80 or higher and the Tier 3 Enhanced Darkness perk.) Shadow Trap.REQUESTED. Shadow Spells have a Soul Trap effect. This mod adds new magic. Since Void Spell has the property of fire, damage rises like Fire bolt etc. Damage is reduced by Magic resist. Feb 12, 2015 Shadow Spells do 75% more damage. (Requires Conjuration skill level of 60 or higher and the Tier 2 Enhanced Darkness perk.) Tier 4: Enhanced Darkness Shadow Spells do twice as much damage. (Requires Conjuration skill level of 80 or higher and the Tier 3 Enhanced Darkness perk.) Shadow Trap.REQUESTED. Shadow Spells have a Soul Trap effect.

And how easy it was for you to mix attacks and create unique ways of playing the game.

But things change, and so do video games. Right now with the release of many quality fighting games, the combat in Skyrim can feel a bit too bleak for my current taste.

That’s why I’ve made this list of some amazing Skyrim combat mods that will do wonders to improve your game, and to make fights feel like they never have before.

I had a ton of fun writing this list and trying out these mods, and I know you’ll love some of them too!

25. Glamorous Combat

Glamorous Combat activates slow-motion movements in certain parts of fights to make combat feel more cinematic.

It’s a simple mod, which is why it’s ranked so low, but it’s still pretty cool nonetheless.

24. Sands of Time Sleeping Encounters

It truly makes no sense for us to be sleeping the middle of nowhere without fear.

This mod makes it so you might sometimes wake up in the middle of your little nap surrounded by foes, or being attacked by a bear, or whatever.

In any case, it makes you think a bit before sleeping in the middle of nowhere.

23. Genesis

This mod aims to rework NPC spawns and the quality of loot compared to the strength of your foes, and it does so in a fantastic manner.

It’s not easy to go into detail in regards to how many things this mod does, so I’d encourage you to check it out if you want more accuracy with NPC spawns and the location where they appear.

22. Fight or Fly

If you don’t want to play as a cold-blooded killer, this mod is for you.

It makes humanoid NPCs flee the scene when you’re about to kill them.

If you wish to keep their loot and not slay them, you can talk to them like a civilized warrior.

21. Battle Fatigue and Injuries

Battle Fatigue and Injuries deals with the way the game treats player damage.

Whenever you’re in a battle you might get hit on any of your limbs or your head, which will cause you to receive debuffs that affect your health in a specific way.

You will experience instant health loss and other unfortunate effects if you can’t properly block or dodge attacks.

Having low health will also mean you get battle fatigue, which is very difficult to shake. Be prepared to fight like never before and get your big boy pants on.

20. Attack Commitment

This is the first Dark Souls-like mod in my list; I’ve added two more as well, which you can download to make Skyrim feel more like one of the most frustrating games in existence.

Attack Commitment makes each of your attacks a decision to make, as you won’t be able to turn easily after hitting that attack button.

It really makes each strike go the way it was first intended to go – even if you want to change directions afterward.

Choose wisely and aim well or face an imminent death for your incompetence.

19. Horsemen – Mounted Combat Enhancement

It’s hard to tell why mounted combat wasn’t a proper thing in the vanilla game.

It needed many tweaks to make it useful, but this mod does just that.

It aims to improve the way mounted combat works. And it doesn’t only do it for the player but also for the NPCs.

You may see your followers ride horses and impose themselves upon your foes with the utmost quality of skills.

Mounted combat truly becomes something to consider as part of your arsenal when this mod is in the game. Riders, download it!

18. TK Recoil

TK Recoil makes the use of arrows, crossbows, and even staffs even more realistic (or at least it makes staff feel like they were real).

It adds a small recoil to the animation after you fire an arrow or cast a spell, alongside a small pause that you’ll have to wait out before casting or shooting again.

It doesn’t make spells feel more difficult or anything. But it does add an element of immersion that was missing from the vanilla game.

Simple yet effective. A full 10/10, would recommend.

17. Mortal Enemies

Do you know how unrealistic it is for you to miss attacks while fighting thieves while others land every single hit as if they were the reincarnation of Thor?

Well this mod removes that from the game.

Gone are the days where farmers have better accuracy than a man who was born to absorb the souls of dragons.

Mortal Enemies takes away the “aimbot” that seems to be embedded into every single humanoid NPC.

It enables them to miss attacks, and it allows the player to take advantage of their misses by seeing how they become more and more fatigued as time goes by.

This might be one of the most underappreciated mods that the Skyrim community has to offer.

16. TK Combat

If you’re looking for mods that feel like they could be in vanilla Skyrim, then look no further.

Well actually you should, because there are some fantastic mods further down in the list. But you get the point.

TK Combat is a mod that allows you to use special abilities with your sword, but they can only be triggered using magicka.

This mod truly takes battlemages to a whole new level of badassery, and it feels as vanilla as possible – the creator of the mod made sure to use effects and moves that were already in the vanilla game to ensure that players have the utmost realistic and lore-friendly experience possible.

15. Lock-On

I have to admit that I chuckled a bit when I read the description of this mod. The creator is a non-native English speaker and he kept it quite simple.

Leaving my non-xenophobic remark behind, this mod is actually fantastic. It adds a lock-on system to the game which truly takes combat to the next level by allowing you to rotate between foes in a fight, without struggling or losing sight of them in the heat of the moment.

The mod has been updated and now includes a kickass system which truly lets you see where you’re going to attack with a visual indicator and improved tracking.

14. Action Combat

Don’t be deceived by the comically unoriginal name of this mod.

Action Combat adds action to your combat by adding the ability to PARRY ATTACKS into the game.

Your foes (and yourself) will react to successful hits, as damage is no longer just a bar but also reflected on how you fight.

Make your foes vulnerable and slay them while they are weakest.

Take full advantage of the heat of combat and kill your enemies when they least expect it.

This is a truly fantastic mod that adds half of the Dark Souls combat mechanics into Skyrim, albeit in a not-so-professional manner.

13. Dodge Mod

Hey we’re able to dodge now, guys!

This mod literally adds the ability to dodge to the game, which means that you’ll get to roll around like a madman whenever you feel the slightest semblance of danger.

It’s Dark Souls all over again if you have the Action Combat mod installed. But with dragons and clunky movements.

The best thing about dodging in Skyrim is that this isn’t The Witcher III, so you’ll be able to roll down a small set of stairs without dying of fall damage.

The marvels of technology will never cease to amaze me.

12. Heart Breaker – A Killmove Mod

This gore-y mod makes it possible for you to rip apart the heart of your foes when they’re down on health.

It’s a super violent mod that truly makes the Dragonborn look like a blood-thirsty murderer whenever you activate the option to take a heart by force, but hey – it’s super fun to look at.

Besides, you get to decide how the Dragonborn lives his life. So you might as well go on a murderous rampage against the innocent.

All for the sake of heart-collecting, of course.

11. Wildcat

If you wish to feel truly like yourself while fighting foes in Skyrim, then Wildcat might as well be the mod of all mods for you.

It makes combat truly feel dangerous by increasing the damage that each attack does (both to you and to your foes).

However my favorite feature of this mod is the improved staggering.

You really need to be mindful of your stamina while in combat, as it doesn’t recharge as quickly and you will be severely punished by letting it deplete.

10. ACE Combat Skills

ACE is actually a compilation of mods that aims to break down combat and make it far better and enhanced by adding individual depth to the different skill trees that make up the Dragonborn’s abilities.

This mod lets you select which parts of combat you wish to improve by simply installing certain parts of it, although I do recommend getting all of it installed.

It’s really just a fantastic mod.

9. Dual Wield Parrying

Have you ever dreamed about parrying while wielding two swords at once?

There’s really no reason for that not to be an option in Skyrim.

Well, it does seem a bit overpowered if you think about it.

But it doesn’t make sense for you to be completely unable to put your damn swords in front of you two try and deflect an attack. If you think like me, then rejoice – this mod allows you to parry attacks while dual-wielding!

8. Combat Evolved

This mod is a sort of lightweight compilation of other fighting mods on this list, as it adds many of the features that you can expect to find on them but has the main objective of turning combat in Skyrim into a lethal and much less forgiving activity.

Be prepared to get absolutely slaughtered if you happen to miss a strike, as this mod makes foes much less forgiving than they are in the base game.

7. Deadly Combat

If you’ve ever felt that the pace of combat in Skyrim just didn’t feel right then this mod is for you.

I always hated how some things weren’t really affected by timing. Which I think make the game feel much less realistic than it should have been – especially when it comes to fighting, which is such a crucial part of the game.

Deadly Combat rewrites fights in Skyrim and modifies their pace, makes them more affected by the timing of your attacks, and reworks the damage system a bit to fit the changes made to combat.

6. Locational Damage

Location Damage allows you to deal damage to your enemies depending on where you hit them.

As such, you may deal more damage to your foes if you hit them on the torso than you would if you hit them to the legs.

It basically turns every enemy into a more “living” creature (or unliving, depending on what you’re fighting against). It truly complements other combat mods quite well.

Skyrim Dark Magic Mod

5. Warzones 2015 – Civil Unrest

This is by far the best encounter mod that you’ll find on this list.

And probably on the entire internet if you’re a person of war like me.

Now it doesn’t make much sense for Skyrim not to have epic conflicts all over the place when the region is at war, does it?

The creator of this mod thought exactly the same, so he created this mod to fix that.

With Warzones you will be able to walk into literal zones of war as you walk and roam the plains of Skyrim.

Never again will you feel safe, as ambushes and armed conflicts become a part of your daily life when this mod is installed.

4. Deadly Mutilation

If you’re into gore and violence my friend, you need to give this a try.

The Deadly Mutilation mod gives you the ability to chop your enemy’s limbs off, and you can even electrocute them with electricity or even burn them with fire.

Watch how their guts spill out after a devastating blow and rejoice in the pitiful acts of violence that probably happened in Skyrim but Bethesda wouldn’t like to show us.

3. Ultimate Combat

I love Ultimate Combat. And not exactly because it makes the game harder, as many of the mods on this list aim to do.

Ultimate Combat made me feel like Skyrim was a totally different game whenever I drew my sword on my enemies and starting swinging it towards them.

The pace of fights feels completely different, to the point where you start thinking that you’re playing a different game.

It’s super fun, and even though you could argue that it makes the game a bit easier, it makes it far more entertaining to play – especially if you’ve gone through Skyrim and its side quests for a handful of times like me!

2. Duel – Combat Realism

Fights in Skyrim can feel a bit outdated thanks to how much games have advanced since the game came out.

Let’s face it, most modern games offer in-depth combat that changes depending on the environment and other things that actually affected warriors back in the day, so why would Skyrim not have this?

Duel Combat Realism is a mod that aims to fix this issue.

It implements a whole new combat system that affects damage as well as resistance depending on the type of armor that you have, and even your own stamina too.

The physical state of those who play their roles in a right now plays a part on its own.

And it’s all thanks to this fantastic mod.

1. VioLens

We can all agree that kill moves are some of the best things in Skyrim combat.

I mean, there’s really nothing that sucks about seeing some quality slow-mo finishing move done in that annoying creature that was giving us a hard time.

VioLens allows you to make whatever you wish of finishing moves to be.

It literally lets you tweak which kill moves trigger and when they do it, and you can even choose animations for each individual weapon.

This mod makes combat so much more satisfying that I’ve decided to rank it as the number one mod on my list. Even when other mods work closer with combat itself.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for cinematic endings!

Practicing magic in Skyrim is easily one of the main reasons why so many people love the game.

Embarking on a journey across the cold region of northern Tamriel can be fun when you’re slaying foes left and right with the power of your spells. Mastering the various schools of magic also gives you enough variety to keep you entertained for hours.

But now that Skyrim has been a thing for almost a decade, it’s only natural that people are looking to add more spells and learn new magical goodies to keep the game fun and fresh.

That’s where magic mods come in! Many of the spells included in these mods are as balanced as you get from the ones included in the base game, so balance won’t be a thing to worry about.

In any case, not every mod in this list is about adding new spells to the game. Some of these add amazing mechanics that greatly improve magic in general, so be sure to check out everything here and download anything that catches your eye.

20. Colorful Magic

Colorful magic gives a new taste to the way spell casting works in Skyrim.

Firstly it aims to add a plethora of new unique spells and enchantments, all of which can be freely used depending on your school of preference.

It also adds many enemies to the game, amongst which you’ll find some very colorful foes that give you a magic vibe like no other creatures in the game.

In general, even though this mod isn’t the most balanced on this list, it does give you over 350 unique spells to add to your large arsenal.

19. Face Light

Face Light makes this list because of its magical principles, but not mainly because of how effective or powerful it is.

It simply makes the lighting of your character’s face much more realistic upon activation, which makes this one of the best mods for people that need to take close-up pictures of their characters for one reason or another.

Face Light is a custom spell that you can choose to activate during any time in the game, as long as you have it equipped. And as long as you get this mod installed.

18. Enchanted Arsenal

Sure enough, you’ll come across various enchantment mods during your search for magic mods online.

However out of all those mods that change the way enchantments look, the Enchanted Arsenal mod is a fan-favorite. Mainly because of how easily customizable it is.

The mod gives you access to a variety of animations that you can add to any of your weapons, giving them a unique feel that the base game fails to provide.

It’s awesome and the best enchantment mod for those who want full customization of their weaponry.

Although there are some better mods on this list when it comes to the quality of visual effects added to the game, this one is worth looking into.

17. Spell Crafting for Skyrim

One of the features that you might be missing the most is spell crafting.

This mod adds the ability back into the game so you can create your own spells and abilities based on powers that the mod has included.

I mean really, you can create your own spells however you want them to look. That’s pretty boss.

16. Animated Enchantments Overhaul

If you want unique-looking weapons and enchanted weaponry to look like no other in the game, then this is the mod for you.

It will make your weapons look unique depending on the type of enchantment that they have, whilst also projecting a different vibe while wielding them that no other mod in the game is capable of achieving.

Easy but definitely a noticeable difference.

15. The Way of The Force

Are you a Star Wars fan?

I’m gonna guess yes and say you’ll absolutely love this mod.

With this you’ll be able to learn the ways of the Force thanks to a series of quests that get added to the game, and you’ll also be able to choose whether you want to be a Sith Lord or a Jedi Master with the powers that you’ll learn.

The mod adds countless new abilities to the game as well as many weapons fitting of a Force user.

14. Spellmaking in Skyrim – The Last Altar

Spellmaking in Skyrim makes it a little bit better to craft spells than the first mod that we reviewed on this list.

For starters, this makes it for players to go to an altar if they are to craft spells, which means you won’t be able to make spells wherever you go.

Although that’s a bit more inconvenient, it does make it fairer and more balanced. Sometimes mods try to do that!

In any case, this mod will allow you to combine abilities and spells to enhance your powers and come up with unique abilities that only you will be able to use. So there are plenty of upsides to try it out.

13. Elemental Destruction Magic

Have you ever wondered why there are so few natural abilities to attack with?

Wouldn’t it be better if you could summon rocks and other natural elements to cast powerful spells of the School of Destruction?

The answer is most definitely, yes.

With this mod, you’ll be incorporating countless of new powers and abilities to the game based on some elements that the School of Destruction should be able to control in the base game.

That means that this mod is fully lore-friendly and really fun to play with.

12. Skyrim Spells and Powers

Made by the same author of the Bend Time mod, this one incorporates a ton of new spells to be used by mighty mages that have already reached higher levels in Skyrim.

As you might know, one of the main problems of vanilla magic is that some abilities get extremely repetitive and boring when you reach the higher levels.

So this mod is specifically meant to combat that little issue. Pros will love it.

11. Bend Time

Skyrim More Magic Mod

As its name suggests, this mod allows you to play with time and bend it at your will.

When you cast this spell you’ll be able to stop time(as the name kinda suggests).

This ability comes to be extremely useful in any type of combat situation as you’ll be able to freeze over your enemies and deal damage fast. And they only get hit once time resumes.

Furthermore, you aren’t affected by the time-bending itself. Which means that you can freely walk and shoot arrows and steal all while your enemies are frozen in time.

10. Bat Travel Power

This mod is ideal to be used by players who are working on a lore-friendly vampire character.

This is a special type of fast travel that is meant to be used by vampires, as it turns them into a cloud of bats and helps them traverse Skyrim much quicker without having to discover some locations first.

You can even set your own markers and decide where you want to go on the map!

9. Midas Magic Evolved

Summon new creatures, destroy foes with powerful beams of energy, and use new conjuration spells with the Midas Magic Evolved pack of over 250 new abilities.

Skyrim Se Triumvirate

You can even shoot magic arrows with the new powers that you’re given, but beware!

Some of them can be very strong if your mage is a highly leveled up being. Be sure to use the powers wisely and don’t let things get out of control.

8. No Enchantment Restrictions

This mod allows you to enchant and disenchant items that the base game wouldn’t naturally allow you to do.

Which is highly convenient as it unlocks many more features that you can work with when crafting new pieces of armor and magical weaponry.

This also removes restrictions regarding the type of armor or weapon that you’re enchanting.

With this mod you might create enchantments that would be exclusive to armor that matches your build. It’s highly convenient, although some might consider it a bit overpowered.

7. Lost Grimoire of Skyrim

Lost Grimoire of Skyrim is carefully created to allow players to add a plethora of new spells to the game, all of which you can use in a balanced environment without having to worry about the spells being broken or too overpowered.

In fact, this mod is one of the best at keeping things balanced and in check when adding new stuff to the game.

If you want to add a bunch of new mechanics to your magical repertoire and not having to worry about discarding the ones that are overpowered then this mod is exactly what you’re after.

6. Phenderix Magic Evolved

One of the largest additions of spells to the game, Phenderix Magic Evolved is a gigantic project that adds a lot of variety to the spells that come with base game Skyrim and introduces many new features.

One of the coolest features is spell combos that you can create with the many magical spells combined together.

You’ll be able to come across new spells by approaching magic vendor throughout Skyrim, and the best thing about this mod is that it also makes them appear as random loot too.

This means that you’ll be able to encounter new, powerful spells as you traverse the realm and slay foes with your magical prowess. Just play the game as normal and be pleasantly surprised along the way.

5. Forgotten Magic

Skyrim Shadow Magic Mod Map

Forgotten Magic isn’t made to introduce a lot of spells into the game as most other magic mods do.

In fact, it does the exact opposite.

The main purpose of Forgotten Magic is to provide the player with a small roster of new spells to cast, all of which feel like they belong in the game and complement each other surprisingly well.

4. Wintermyst – Enchantments of Skyrim

Sure, base game Skyrim does have its fair share of enchantments to make your weapons and armor as powerful as can be.

But how cool would it be for you to enchant your armor with Overbearing spells?

How about arrows that do piercing frost damage?

All of this can be done with the Wintermyst set of enchantments which add over 120 different enchantments to the game. Neat!

3. Flying Mod

Riding a dragon is cool and all, but you know what’s even cooler?

Blasting past dragons by flying like a demigod across the lands of Skyrim!

The Flying Mod, although it remains in beta, is currently the best option that you have to traverse the skies of Tamriel with the sheer power of magic – no mount required!

The mod provides you with a powerful spell that lets you lift off from the ground with ease.

And it has a ton of different animations included to make you feel more immersed in your newfound abilities.

2. Deadly Spell Impacts

Skyrim Shadow Magic Mod Wiki

One of the major flaws of Skyrim (which might limit your immersion level) is that all spells leave the same mark when you cast them toward something.

Deadly Spell Impacts changes the damage done to structures and items when a spell hits them, making it more accurate to the type of spell that was cast.

As such, frozen spells will leave an icy mark on the surface that they land. And fire spells will make it even more clear that a blaze of flame has passed through the targeted point.

Maybe not a required addition but certainly adds more realism to this already incredible game.

1. Apocalypse – Magic of Skyrim

I really don’t want to spoil the magnificence that is the Apocalypse magic mod. So I say download it and try it for yourself first.

But it adds over 100 spells, all of which are carefully crafted and balanced, and they include amazing textures that you won’t find anywhere else in the game.

The creators of the mod have also made sure to make it compatible with other spell mods on this list so feel free to install it with other mods if you like!