The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is considered by many as one of the best RPGs ever developed for the seventh generation of consoles. Its vast open world and wide range of quests allow for near-infinite replayability.
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What Skyrim is not, though, is a hard game. Combat in Skyrim is dull for how easy it is, even on Legendary difficulty. Thankfully, the modding community has developed some fantastic mods to make Skyrim's combat much more exciting. Here are ten combat mods that make Skyrim more challenging. This list will only include mods that directly alter combat, so mods such as Frostfall are excluded from this list.
Updated January 27th, 2021 by Charles Burgar: Mods for Skyrim can turn this classic RPG into something nearly unrecognizable. Fans have morphed the game into a pseudo-Souls title, a survival game, and even used its modding tools to create an entirely new game. Most of these mods tweak the same aspect of Skyrim: its combat. For those looking to make Skyrim's combat more engaging or just plain brutal, check out these mods. Entries now have download links that should make finding these mods much easier. Links direct to the Special Edition of Skyrim unless otherwise noted.
10 No Killmoves - No Killcams - No Killbites SE
Killmoves were a new feature introduced in Skyrim that allows players to brutally execute someone when they are at low Health. It allows players to kill targets much sooner than normal, which is why the No Killmoves - No Killcams - No Killbites mod is a solid choice for players that wish to make the game harder. Instead of seeing an animation when a target's Health is critical, players will need to strike them a few more times before they die. Enemies can't use killmoves, either, so it puts everyone on an even playing field.
Download Link: No Killmoves - No Killcams - No Killbites SE (by DavidSid)
9 Immersive Movement
Does the Dragonborn seem too fast mid-combat for enemies to hit? That is where the Immersive Movement mod comes into play. While this mod is installed, humans move at a slower pace than before and move especially slower when using heavy weapons. Animals such as horses and bears move faster to make combat much more frantic than before. No longer is back peddling while swinging a sword a viable option. It also gives horses true value as a means of travel, but do note that Immersive Movement is incompatible with Skyrim 2011 and certain mods such as EnaiSiaion's Wintersun mod. Check for mod compatibility issues before giving this one a try.
Download Link: Immersive Movement (by Zana Daniel)
8 True Armor SE
True Armors aims to bridge the gap between different armor types by giving each armor set various strengths and weaknesses. The most notable change is how attacks can either pierce or deflect a piece of armor, either doing massive damage or dealing little respectively. Changes to blocking and how certain Alteration spells work alongside the armor changes make combat much more drawn out than before. Heavily armored opponents are now a threat, but wearing light armor now has a place within the sandbox.
Download Link: True Armor SE (by Anubis22)
7 Simply Balanced
Simply Balanced is a brilliant mod that allows players to tweak virtually all of Skryim's settings to their preference. Those that have used SkyTweaks for the original version of Skyrim will know what this mod entails. Unlike that mod, Simply Balanced also supports Skryim: Special Edition.
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Experience points, enemy damage, Health, potion usage, skills, virtually everything related to Skyrim's combat can be tweaked with this mod. While other mods might offer similar tweaks, Simply Balanced lets players change every detail of Skyrim's combat to match their mod setup. And yes, Simply Balanced is compatible with virtually every mod out there, even mods that tweak combat.
Download Link: Simply Balanced (by Anubis22)
6 Genesis Unleashed Unlevelled - Dungeon Spawns And Encounters
If players would rather fight dozens of foes instead of tweaking their damage, Genesis Unchained is the mod they should look into. Instead of increasing enemy lethality, this mod will dynamically change the spawn rate of certain enemies on the fly based on a multitude of factors. Chests might be guarded by tough NPCs, entrances might have more foes, and large arenas will have many more enemies to kill. For those who want to make every dungeon crawl a unique fight for survival, it's hard to beat Genesis Unchained.
Download Link: Genesis Unleashed Unlevelled - Dungeon Spawns and Encounters (by SOT Team)
5 Smilodon - Combat Of Skyrim
Taking the best parts of Wildcat and implementing them in a lighter package, Smilodon - Combat Of Skyrim is a great example of a simple combat mod that ramps up the difficulty in all the right ways.
This mod adds timed blocks, attacks of opportunity to exploit enemy openings, and global Stamina costs with attacks that make Skyrim's combat more lethal than ever before. Players will need to carefully choose when to attack or risk wasting Stamina or, worse, leaving an opening for an enemy to exploit. Enemies are more intelligent, group fights are more thrilling than ever before, and the entire experience is configurable. There's little reason not to use Smilodon.
Download Link: Smilodon - Combat of Skyrim (by EnaiSiaion)
4 Ultimate Combat SE
Ultimate Combat is not aimed at making Skyrim harder, yet a lot of the systems it introduces make the game much more intense than the vanilla experience.
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This mod introduces a stagger system that is similar to Dark Souls' Poise mechanic, implements timed blocks, incorporates momentum into attack damage, and adds new attacks to virtually all enemy types. Skyrim has never been more unpredictable yet exciting. Crank the game up to Expert or Legendary for a truly difficult experience.
Download Link: Ultimate Combat SE (by tktk)
3 Vigor - Combat And Injuries
Vigor - Combat and Injuries tries something different compared to other combat mods. Instead of adding new attacks or making enemies take hundreds of attacks, Vigor instead allows for wounds to be inflicted on targets that impose significant debuffs unless treated. Out of every combat mod, this is the only one that gives mistakes during combat a lasting negative that persists outside of fights. Masochists or fans of immersive playthroughs should check out Vigor.
Download Link: Vigor - Combat and Injuries (by Alex9ndre)
2 Skyrim Revamped - Complete Enemy Overhaul
Skyrim Revamped - Complete Enemy Overhaul introduces several radical changes to Skyrim's enemy roster to make them much more challenging. The main additions are the inclusion of more spells for casters and increased lethality across the board. Enemies now take full advantage of perks in the vanilla game and even modded perks from Ordinator. New enemy spells have also been included to make fights against Dragon Priests and high-level mages a sight to behold.
Download Link: Skyrim Revamped - Complete Enemy Overhaul (by Nightman0)
1 Requiem - The Roleplaying Overhaul
Requiem - The Roleplaying Overhaul is one of Skyrim's most ambitious mods that harkens back to the RPGs of old. Calling this mod an overhaul is understating just how much Requiem changes. At its core, this mod makes the game much more immersive and challenging by changing enemy AI, damage, armor behavior, skills, and so much more. While Requiem currently does not have proper support for Skyrim: Special Edition, it is a mod that is so challenging yet rewarding that it is worth installing the original version of Skyrim solely for this mod. It is possible to port this mod over to Special Edition with some technical know-how, although the developers have stated that the Special Edition will receive a Requiem port at some point down the road.
Download Link: Requiem - The Roleplaying Overhaul (by The Requiem Dungeon Masters)
