Mods can help you turn Skyrim into your own perfect medieval fantasy playground, allowing you to shake up the gameplay to your liking. They’re also available on console, so here are the best mods in Skyrim on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC to download in 2023.
Bethesda’s games like Skyrim and Fallout, often make use of mods and the modding community for Skyrim is one of the most active in all of gaming. Mods help tailor the gameplay of Skyrim to your preferences by making adjustments to the world and its mechanics to make the game more fun, convenient, or straight-up bizarre. Mods are community driven and created by other players, for other players, so they cans sometimes be buggy – but they can also be a lot of fun.
While the game will go down in history as a classic adventure RPG, and one that changed open-world games forever, some of its elements won’t suit every player — for example, not everyone cares about crafting or alchemy, but may still wait to reap the rewards. Or some of us may want to play as a vampire but without some of the restrictions. Perhaps you’re sick of your followers dying or want to check out the legendary Cheat Room?
Luckily, Skyrim features an impressive number of mods to change how you explore and interact with the titular region, so we’ve compiled a list of the best mods in Skyrim for Xbox One, PS4, and PC as of 2023. Of course, this also includes PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Remember though, mods aren’t available on the Nintendo Switch version of the game.
Contents
- How to install Skyrim mods on PC
- Are Skyrim mods available on Xbox & PlayStation?
- Best Skyrim mods on PC
- Best Skyrim mods on Xbox & PlayStation
How to install Skyrim mods on PC
Players can download and install Skyrim mods on PC by following the below steps:
- Open Skyrim and select ‘Mods’ from the main menu.
- Select the mod you wish to install and then select ‘Download’.
- Install the mod once it has been downloaded and activate it in the same menu.
- Once activated, load an existing game or start a new one to play.
You should now be able to use the mods you downloaded when you start the game. Remember, you can also add mods from the Bethesda.net site and select the Add to Library option.
Additional mods can also be downloaded from Nexus mods for Skyrim on PC.
Are Skyrim mods available on Xbox & PlayStation?
Yes, both PS4 and Xbox One have access to Skyrim mods. Bethesda is one of the few companies that make mods available to console players, and they’re also simple to use. To activate Skyrim mods on console, simply follow these steps:
- Select the ‘Mods’ option on the main menu, this will then bring up a list of mods you can download.
- Download the mods you’d like to try.
- Select and activate that mod once it has been downloaded.
Be aware though, that Skyrim has a limited number of mods available on Xbox and PlayStation when compared to PC. Some Skyrim mods on console also don’t work that well with others, therefore try not to use too many at once. If your game crashes or runs slowly when using a certain mod, try to avoid it in the future.
Remember, these mods are made by the community, not Bethesda themselves, therefore each works, but is not officially supported.
Best Skyrim mods on PC
Here are six of the best Skyrim mods you can download on PC:
Tame the Beasts of Skyrim 2
This mod essentially lets you turn Skyrim into something that resembles Pokemon. Not only can you tame wild beasts and have them follow you around, but you can also command them to battle and protect you from the dangers that lurk throughout the land. The patch also adds more variety when it comes to wildlife, even adding some new animals to battle and tame.
Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch
As beloved as Bethesda’s games are, they’re also known for their high volume of bugs and glitches. This sort of thing was seen as quirky back in 2011, but in 2022, the world is less forgiving when it comes to unfinished games. This mod mops up most of the remaining bugs in Skyrim and lets PC users have the smoothest possible experience.
Ultimate Skyrim
This mod is actually 16 different mods rolled into one, although you don’t need to have all 16 active at once. You can cherry-pick the changes you’d like to use for each playthrough. However, the main draw of the Ultimate Skyrim mod is the realism adjustments it makes to the game, for example, your character can be made to suffer from the cold or hunger, adding a new element to the game. The mod also adds a more realistic combat system. This raises the stakes of battles, making them so much more deadly.
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Become High King of Skyrim
If you decide to side with the Stormcloaks and remove Skyrim from the Empire then you ultimately end up making Ulfric Stormcloak the High King of Skyrim. The only issue is you’re the Dragonborn – not him. And you’re the one that did all the work. Also, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll see that Skyrim has simply traded one dictator for another. So why not take on the job yourself? With this mod, you can be Skyrim’s benevolent leader – or you can rule with an iron fist. The choice is yours.
Skyrim HD – 4K Textures
Skyrim is one of the most stunning-looking open worlds ever created, but the game is over a decade old now and this is starting to show. While the remasters and re-releases do a competent job in updating Skyrim’s visuals, it’s clear more work is needed to bring it up to date with games in 2022. This mod does an amazing job of giving Skyrim a 4K glow-up. While the game still looks slightly dated, the 4K Textures mod helps it stand shoulder-to-shoulder with most modern titles.
Multiple Followers
Followers are super handy in Skyrim, not only can they carry things for you and keep you company on your journey, they can also fight at your side. While it is possible to have multiple followers in the base game of Skyrim by some sneaky means, this mod lets you do so anytime you like without falling foul of the game’s mechanics. This lets you put a balanced squad together before you go and explore Skyrim together as a group. It also prevents followers from accidentally hitting and fighting each other.
Best Skyrim mods on Xbox & PlayStation
Below, we’ve compiled a list of five of the best Skyrim mods you can download on console:
Wolf follower (Buck)
Wolves are scary-looking beasts in Skyrim, even the huskies you can recruit don’t look as mean. However, you can never recruit one as a follower – until now. This mod lets you rescue Buck from a witch who’s keeping him in a cage. Once you do, Buck will become your loyal wolf companion. He’ll follow you, fight at your side, and even carry some items for you. He’s an all-around good boy. Buck also doesn’t count as your animal companion, so you can recruit another dog too if you like.
Faster Leveling
If you’re looking to get into the endgame aspects of Skyrim quickly then the Faster Leveling mod is an ideal one to install on console. It does exactly what the name suggests and halves the time it takes to get a level up, allowing you to rank up your skills quickly. This is a mod that’s designed for veteran players to create their ideal Dragonborn, without spending over 40 hours doing so.
The Cheat Room
The Cheat Room is one of the best Skyrim console mods as it allows you access to pretty much anything from the start of the game. You can equip any armor, weapon, or spell and even tailor the game in various other ways by leveling fast and making Skyrim work to your pace. This is an especially useful mod for those who’ve completed Skyrim before, and just want to jump back into their favorite bits without piling hours and hours into the game again.
FPS Boost
On console, Skyrim doesn’t have some of the amazing graphics mods that PC players have access to. Luckily, the FPS Boost mod really helps the game run smoothly when played on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Of course, you’ll also need a TV capable of running a high frame rate, but if you do, then this is the perfect mod to help Skyrim feel like a much more modern game.
No more dead followers
This is a very useful mod if you like using multiple followers and kitting them our with some of your best gear. It essentially makes all followers immortal and prevents them from being killed by enemies, the environment, or even you. Followers will still take a knee when injured but eventually heal and get back up to join your side. The mod also works on animals like dogs, trolls, and wolves. So, if you’ve ever wanted an indestructible Meeko to follow you on your adventures, now you can!
So, there you have it, that’s 11 of the best Skyrim mods you can download on Xbox One, PS4, and PC in 2023.
If you’re looking for more mods lists, make sure to check out our other guides:
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