The Best Mods to Improve Combat in Skyrim Special Edition (2024)

Ashraful Abedin
By Ashraful Abedin
13 Min Read
Best mods to improve combat in Skyrim

Breathe new life to the timeless RPG with our picks of the Best mods to improve Combat in Skyrim in 2024.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been out for over a decade now, with its original release in 2011 and a major remaster in 2016, Skyrim: Special Edition. Even today, it is one of the best RPGs out there and has a huge active player base.

Skyrim’s combat was undoubtedly impressive for its time, despite the clunky mechanics and occasional bugs. However, the combat mechanics in the game have started to show their age, especially compared to the fluid and exhilarating combat offered by modern titles.

Thankfully, the vast modding community has been hard at work with a staggering 130,000 mods on NexusMods and another 28,000 mods on steam workshop released, with a significant portion of them revamping the combat of Skyrim.

Read More: The Best Graphical Mods for Skyrim Special Edition

Top 10 Best Mods to Improve Combat in Skyrim Special Edition

Skyrim’s combat mechanics include Melee Combat, Bow and Arrow ranged gameplay, and Magical spells. It also features bullet time, slow motion, kill moves, and much more. Mods aim to add, alter, and introduce balancing to each and every one of these mechanics.

Let’s start with the top 10 combat mods for Skyrim Special Edition. We will focus on NexusMods and Steam Workshop as they are trusted sites with the biggest collection of mods for Skyrim.

You can install these mods via Vortex for NexusMods or subscribe to them in the workshop for Steam, along with installing them manually. Most mods are compatible with Skyrim Special Edition (SE), Anniversary Edition (AE), and Skyrim VR.

So without further ado, let us dive right in.

10. No Spinning Death Animation SE

FIXED RAGDOLL PHYSICS. IMAGE CREDIT: DDEFINDER ON NEXUSMODS.
fixed ragdoll physics. image credit: ddefinder on nexusmods.

Download Link: Nexus Mods, Steam Workshop

Whether you’re dying to a Skeleton while exploring ruins or getting tossed around by Giants into the stratosphere, one of the most annoying things to experience is to see your Dragonborn spinning like a Beyblade upon being killed or falling. The mod No Spinning Death Animation SE aims to fix the ragdoll death animation of Skyrim: Special Edition. This is a simple yet much-needed mod for Skyrim with 1.8 Million downloads and 29k endorsements on NexusMods and 51k subscribers, and 5k favorites on the Steam Workshop.

9. TK Dodge SE

tk dodge se. image credit: tktk1
tk dodge se. image credit: tktk1

Download Link: Nexus Mods

TK Dodge SE is another simple yet effective mod to enhance your Skyrim combat experience. It adds a fully customizable dodge feature in the game which features smooth animations and transitions. You can select between step dodge, dodge roll, and forward roll, along with customizable keybindings for each. This mod adds the ability to dodge while unarmed or with your weapons/staff/spell out. TK Dodge SE has over 2.3 Million downloads and 31k endorsements.

8. TK HitStop SE

YouTube video
TK hitstop se mod demo by tktk1

Download Link: Nexus Mods

Another mod by modder tktk1 coming in 8th in our list is TK Hitstop SE. This simple animation mod adds a slight time delay and screen shake after each of your hits. Although it might not be as impressive on paper, your Skyrim combat experience will never be the same after experiencing this mod.

Hits feel more solid and give a better impression that a powerful strike has been made. You can fine-tune the hit-stop duration, power attack time, blur effect, screen shake, controller vibration, and the option to turn on the effect when an enemy blocks your attack. With over 270k downloads and 7k endorsements on the Nexus, this mod will be a fine addition to your collection.

7. Archery Gameplay Overhaul SE

Image Credit: Dservant on Nexus mods.
Image Credit: Dservant on Nexus mods.

Download Link: Nexus Mods

For those pursuing Archery as their main mode of combat, you will love this mod from our list. Archery Gameplay Overhaul SE adds multiple new features, including new animations with nocked arrows (placing an arrow on the bowstring), bleeding, persistent arrows, and arrow enchanting. This mod adds 1st and 3rd person animations for drawn arrows, replaces walking, running, sprinting, equipping, unequip, firing, drawn movement, and reduces the bow drawn time to half. Archery Gameplay Overhaul SE is a must-have for the aspiring Hawkeyes and Legolases out there, with over 1.7 Million downloads and 22k endorsements on Nexus mods.

6. Mysticism – A Magic Overhaul

image credit: simonmagus616 on Nexus mods.
image credit: simonmagus616 on Nexus mods.

Download Link: Nexus Mods

At #6, we have the first mods to improve gameplay for the would-be sorcerers and sorceresses out there named Mysticism – A Magic Overhaul. As the name suggests, this mod aims to fully overhaul all the mechanics related to spellcraft, balancing the existing spells and adding powerful new magical effects to the game.

This mod features hundreds of bug fixes to the Vanilla spells, expanded lore-friendly archetypes such as Poison and Sun spells, introduces one-handed Master spells, and adjusted cast times along with 200+ new spells added in Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion, and Restoration. With over 1.6 Million downloads and 13k endorsements on the Nexus, this mod is a must-have if you enjoy being a Mage in Skyrim.

5. Apocalypse – Magic of Skyrim

IMAGE credit: enaisiaion on nexus mods.
IMAGE credit: enaisiaion on nexus mods.

Download Link: Nexus Mods, Steam Workshop

Next on our list is the most popular spell pack, Apocalypse – Magic of Skyrim, which adds 155 new spells (31 per school) that are original, balanced, lore friendly, employ high-quality custom visuals, and merge perfectly into the vanilla magic system. Scrolls and staves are also included for the new spells. The spells can be bought and looted like vanilla spells and are also balanced with the rest of the game.

If you had to pick just one mod from our list for enhancing magic combat, then this would definitely be it. This mod has over 7.9 Million downloads and 110k endorsements on the NexusMods as well as 250k subscribers and 22k favorites on the Steam workshop.

4. Maximum Carnage

image credit: dwon410 on nexus mods
image credit: dwon410 on nexus mods

Download Link: Nexus Mods

Maximum Carnage is an exceptional mod that adds brutal carnage to Skyrim for those seeking a bloodier and more intense combat experience. With this mod, you have the power to unleash a whole new level of carnage on your enemies, whether it be chopping off limbs, burning opponents to a crisp, beheading, slashing, shredding, you name it!

Adorn the battlefield with the blood of your enemies as you carve your way through Skyrim with ruthless savagery. This mod has over 1 Million downloads and 10k endorsements on Nexus Mods, making it ideal if you want a bloody combat experience.

3. Mortal Enemies SE

image credit: bethesda softworks.
image credit: bethesda softworks.

Download Link: Nexus Mods

Ever stroll around the roads of Skyrim and come across bandits and other enemies tracking you like they have an aimbot? Well, this mod aims to fix just that. The mod Mortal Enemies SE aims to do just what it says; making your enemies mortal rather than aimbots. This mod tunes the turn rate and attack cone of enemies and tweaks the attack range for 1H and 2H weapons to make it more realistic and immersive. Melee combat is no longer about who can land the most hits but about spacing, reflexes, tactics, and positioning.

This mod has over 19k Endorsements and 700k Downloads on Nexusmods, earning it the 3rd spot on our list.

2. Wildcat – Combat of Skyrim

Image credit: enaisiaion on nexus mods.
Image credit: enaisiaion on nexus mods.

Download Link: Nexus Mods, Steam Workshop

The second best mod on the list to improve combat in Skyrim is Wildcat – Combat of Skyrim by EnaiSiaion. This mod focuses on making Skyrim’s combat more streamlined and dangerous by increasing lethality, adding injuries, and context-sensitive stagger. It also makes combat AI more responsive and aggressive. It adds features like timed blocking, increases damage dealt and taken, and is also fully customizable.

Fight for your life as Wildcat aims to improve enemy combat AI, costs you Stamina to perform attack actions, adds timed blocking, adds a feature called attacks of opportunity, movement penalties, and much more! This mod has over 2 Million downloads with 38k endorsements on Nexus mods and 27k subscribers with 3.5k favorites on the Steam workshop and will be a fine addition if you are a fan of high-risk, high-reward gameplay.

1. VioLens – A Killmove Mod SE

Image via reko on nexusmods
Image via reko on nexusmods

Download Link: Nexus Mods, Steam Workshop

Dependencies: SkyUI & SKSE64 Required for this mod

At the top of our list, we have VioLens – A Killmove Mod SE, claiming the number one spot. This incredible mod grants you unprecedented in-game control over your Ranged and Melee Killmoves. To properly utilize this mod, you must install two essential prerequisites: SkyUI and SKSE64, to ensure seamless interaction with the customizable menu.

The mod VioLens will allow you to customize finishers and kill move chances for melee combat, archery, and magic, as well as tweak camera angles, player kill move immunity, kill moves on dragons, decapitation requirements, decapitation chance, last enemy restrictions, and much more. With this mod at your disposal, you can truly tailor your Skyrim combat experience to suit your preferences.

Not only that, but this mod also tweaks Stealth combat and its kill moves and enables custom animations for assassinations on seated NPCs. On top of that, it also introduces kill moves for your werewolf form and performing kill moves on creatures. This mod has 1.2 Million downloads with 57 thousand endorsements, making it the most popular combat mod on NexusMods.

Bonus: Enhanced Blood Textures

Enhanced Blood Textures
image credit: dDefinder, Nexus mods

Download Link: Nexus Mods, Steam Workshop

Whether you’re swinging a greatsword or dual-wielding daggers, have you ever thought that there is not enough bloodshed? Look no further because this bonus mod is the perfect addition to complement any other mod from our list to make your combat experience even more immersive.

This overhaul enhances all the blood and gore textures in the game so you can bask in the glory of all your kills. This mod adds 4k blood textures along with additional features such as kill-move animation spasms, low-health blood trails, damage-based blood spatters, blood pools, and green blood for spiders and oil for machines.

This mod has 6.5 Million Downloads with 120,000+ Endorsements on Nexus Mods and 88,000+ subscribers, and 6000 favorites on the Steam Workshop. If you want more gruesome combat, this mod is for you.

Download Link: Nexus Mods

By Ashraful Abedin FPS Writer
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Ashraful "Sparta" Abedin is a Esports writer at GameRiv. He has a rich background as a former professional CS:GO and Overwatch player. Transitioning from the competitive arena to the world of content creation, Sparta has become a pivotal source for gaming enthusiasts seeking the latest FPS news, comprehensive guides, and in-depth coverage of major tournaments, particularly focusing on Valorant and CS:GO. Not confined to FPS titles, Sparta delves into trending single-player AAA games, ensuring a well-rounded perspective on the gaming landscape. Join Ashraful "Sparta" Abedin on the exciting journey through gaming as he crafts informative and engaging content for GameRiv, connecting gamers to the heart of the industry.