Dangers lurk around every nook and cranny of Skyrim, and fighting is unavoidable. When it's time to battle, the vanilla game's combat mechanics sometimes feel too old and outdated to go the distance. That's where the modding community comes in, as they have created add-ons that completely reshape how combat works in Skyrim.
Whether it's a mod that overhauls the lethality of combat, enhances enemy AI, or adds glorious and stylish finishing moves into the mix, there's something for every warrior to enjoy. There are a ton of Skyrim mods focused on building a great character, but they're nothing without the right combat mods to go alongside.
Violens - A Killmove Mod
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
Finishing enemies off in style is one of the high points in Skyrim, but the base vanilla animations don't always cut it. Those who are looking for the ultimate in up-close deathblows will want to install Violens to their load order, which completely overhauls how enemies (and the player) are killed in the game.
A menu system allows players to tailor how ranged and melee kill moves work, as well as the frequency of certain death animations per weapon type. It's brutal, grisly, and more than a little grotesque, but it does add a lot to the visceral nature of combat in Skyrim.
Way Of The Monk - Unarmed Combat Extended
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
The original Way of the Monk mod debuted in 2012, but it has undergone quite a few updates over the years. The latest version continues the work of the original, culminating in the extended version of the mod. Unarmed combat is the main focus here, with several perks and skills designed to turn players into the ultimate kung fu master.
The mod also adds new items, enemies, and add-on features, such as elemental fists, which is quite a package. It caters to a specific subset of gamers who love the idea of becoming a martial arts master in Skyrim, but it's worth adding to the load order in the rare instance that there are no weapons around to use.
Super Fast Get Up Animation
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
One of the most irritating combat mechanics in Skyrim is standing up after a character has been knocked down. For enemies, it feels completely unrealistic to be able to slash at them continuously as they take forever to rise to their feet. For players, it's maddening having to get beaten for the same reason.
This mod fixes that by altering the speed at which characters stand up. Default is around 1.5 seconds, which is twice as fast as the vanilla animation when face down, and nearly four times as fast when flat on the back. This makes combat far less frustrating, and far more realistic.
Wildcat - Combat Of Skyrim
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
The entire combat system gets a major overhaul when Wildcat is installed, and that goes a long way towards making battles feel more fluid and dynamic. The mod tries to balance realism as much as possible, which means certain strikes are much more lethal, while others can cause debilitating injuries.
Other elements include opportunity attacks, timed blocking mechanics, and better enemy AI during a fight. Wildcat prevents players from simply hacking away at an opponent without thinking twice about it. Caution is the order of the day to keep from being pulverized by a well-placed axe swing.
Ultimate Combat
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
While other combat mods seek to increase the challenge or add more realism into the mix, Ultimate Combat prefers another route. This mod focuses on making combat more enjoyable by turning its combat mechanics into something resembling a typical action game.
The mod offers dash attacks, combos, dodge maneuvers and more, without amping up the difficulty to any high degree. This is best for players who aren't into a hardcore Skyrim experience, and merely want to have some fun in the world.
Smilodon - Combat Of Skyrim
Smilodon takes its cues from the Wildcat combat overhaul mod but strives for something a bit closer to the vanilla combat experience. As such, it strips out a few elements while keeping basic mechanics like timed blocking, better enemy AI, and faster striking.
This is best for players who don't mind Skyrim's base experience but would prefer to juice it up a bit. It also increases the lethality of weapon strikes, makes changes to stamina, and takes into account attacks of opportunity, such as when enemies are asleep, drawing a bow, or are struck from behind.
Deadly Combat
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
Deadly Combat has been around since 2012, and subsequent updates have turned it into one of the most reputable and established combat mods in the Skyrim community. The premise of Deadly Combat is simply to jazz up the combat by making it faster, more engaging, and proactive. Players might want to bring a likable Skyrim companion or two along unless they're prepared.
Players will need to have sharp reflexes to handle themselves in a fight, lest they be forced into a stagger, or hit full force with a charged attack. Timed blocking is present, as is timed warding using magical spells. This is one of the coolest aspects of Deadly Combat, as magic can be used more effectively against melee fighters.
Archery Gameplay Overhaul
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
Archery is one of the coolest of Skyrim's combat mechanics, but it could do with a little sprucing up. Archery Gameplay Overhaul does exactly as the name suggests, and transforms the entire concept of archery into something that feels fresh, balanced, and completely brand new.
The mod changes animations to look much more stylish, including nocking the arrow while moving about. It also includes bleeding effects, forcing the player to physically remove arrows from their body, lest they bleed out. Arrows can be enchanted, and special rings can be worn that grant elemental effects to them in exchange for magicka. Even for those who aren't big into archery, this mod should be a must-have.
Magic Duel - Reborn
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
It's hard to overstate just how cool Magic Duel - Reborn is, and what it does for magic-based combat in Skyrim. This goes far beyond adding a few new spells to the game or changing up the animations. The very mechanics of spellcasting in a combat situation have been completely rewritten from the ground up.
Players can now use magic to duel their enemies, which is a massive combat change. For instance, the player can go up against another wizard and engage in a tug of war-style magic duel to see who's magic is stronger. There are even finishing moves to top everything off. Similarly, players can engage in Shout duels with dragons, which is a first. It's this particular mechanic that will benefit players, even if they aren't interested in becoming a sorcerer.
More Dangerous Enemies 3.2
• Legendary version | Special Edition version
One of the best tips for new Skyrim players is never to rush headfirst into a fight when starting. However, veteran players find that combat in Skyrim tends to get easier and easier as the player levels up, especially after they've tacked on a few perks. More Dangerous Enemies 3.2 tries to rebalance the equation by keeping players on their toes, regardless of whether they're high in level or not.
The mod adds new enemies into the game with different abilities and strengths, all of which present a major challenge for the player. High-level enemies are also present, and they represent a very real threat, even for seasoned players. There's more to the mod than that, so it's best to check out the official page and see what else it brings to Skyrim's combat.