Top 15 Best Skyrim Combat Mods [2024]

If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably spent countless hours battling dragons and exploring the vast open world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim from Bethesda.

But let’s face it; sometimes, the vanilla combat system can leave a little something to be desired. That’s where mods come in to save the day!

We’ve scoured the depths of the internet to bring you the top 15 Skyrim combat mods that will take your battles to the next level.

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The 15 Best Combat Mods for Skyrim

The 15 Best Combat Mods for Skyrim

Grab your sword, sharpen your arrows, and get ready to dive into the best of the best when it comes to Skyrim combat mods.

15. Simply Faster Arrows and Bolts

Being an archer in Skyrim can be a frustrating experience.

You carefully line up your shot, let go of your arrow or bolt, and watch it fly towards your target at a snail’s pace – only to miss because your enemy moved just a hair out of the way.

Well, fear not, fellow Dovahkiin, because Simply Faster Arrows and Bolts is here to save the day!

This nifty little mod doubles the projectile speed of your arrows and bolts, allowing you to rain down death on your foes like never before.

14. Bow Charge

If you’re a die-hard archer in Skyrim, you’re going to want to check this out.

Bow Charge allows you to charge up your bow shots for extra damage and impact, making you a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

With Bow Charge, you can accumulate up to three levels of charge on your shots, each level increasing the damage and knockback of your arrows.

Imagine shooting an arrow that sends your enemy flying across the room – that’s the kind of power you can wield with this mod.

You can even add a dodge shot to your arsenal.

13. No Follower Attack Collision

We’ve all been there – you’re charging into battle with your trusty follower by your side, only to accidentally hit them with a stray arrow or sword swing.

Suddenly, they’re down for the count, and you’re left fighting alone. It’s frustrating, it’s annoying, and it can ruin an otherwise epic battle.

The No Follower Collision combat mod is here to save the day!

This little add-on overrides hit functions if the target is a teammate or follower, meaning you can finally fight side by side without fear of accidentally hitting your friend.

With No Follower Collision, you can fight alongside your followers with ease, knowing that your attacks won’t harm them or your other NPCs.

12. Odin Spells For NPCs

The ODIN magic overhaul for Skyrim is great for the player, but what about their followers or other independent NPCs out in the world? Shouldn’t their magic get reworked, too, since they’re also part of Tamriel?

This combat mod gives NPCs, including followers and enemies, access to Odin Spells.

Now your followers are armed with the same powerful Odin spells as you, making them more effective in battle and making the world more consistent.

11. Wait Your Turn (Enemy Circling Behavior)

Getting immediately swarmed isn’t the most interesting or fun way to start combat, but it’s how most Skyrim encounters seem to go.

This lightweight combat add-on mod adds a new level of strategy to your fights by giving enemies a circling behavior that will add a more natural pace to combat.

That’s right, with Wait Your Turn, you no longer have to worry about getting attacked all at once without any pattern.

Instead, you can now take on enemies in a more fair and fun way, as they’ll actually take turns attacking you. It’s like musical chairs, but with swords and spells.

10. Smart NPC Potions

With Smart NPC Potions, intelligent enemies you meet on the road have a chance to carry and use some potions and poisons just like you do. And trust us, battles are more fun when they’re less predictable like this.

NPCs will only use them during battles, but they won’t drop a ton of them to ruin the economy. Enemies will have a small chance to drop a single unused potion; it’s a fun bonus but not too major.

When you fight enemies in Skyrim with this combat mod, you’ll never know if they will have a potion that can help them heal. Only 40% of the time will they carry a potion with them.

9. Sekiro Combat

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has a combat system that’s incredibly different from Skyrim, and some fans love it so much they decided to bring it into Bethesda’s beloved franchise.

The Sekiro Combat mod adds a new way of fighting to the game – one based on combos and parries. You’ll have to be swift, precise, and skillful if you want to make it through.

From the satisfying sword clashes to the thrilling deflects, you’ll feel like a true samurai in no time.

What’s great about this mod is that it doesn’t just add new animations, but it also changes the way you fight in Skyrim.

With Sekiro Combat, you’ll have to master the timing of your attacks and blocks, and you’ll have to think strategically about how to take down your enemies.

8. Dual Wield Blocking for Idiots

Are you a dual wielder who wishes they could block while using two weapons or with a spell in one hand?

With Dual Wield Blocking for Idiots, you no longer have to choose between attacking or blocking, as you can now do both at the same time; the future is now.

This means you can effectively defend yourself while unleashing a barrage of attacks on your enemies, all while looking like a total badass.

It’s called Dual Wield Blocking for Idiots for a reason, as it’s designed to be user-friendly and accessible to all players, regardless of their skill level.

7. True Armor

Armor should feel like more than a simple cosmetic change and a different defense number.

It’s time for a more immersive and realistic experience when it comes to armor and its effects on gameplay.

The True Armor combat mod makes the game more realistic by emphasizing the differences between armor types.

With True Armor, steel armor feels like real steel armor, and leather armor is easier to slice through, just like in real life.

6. Elder Souls – Sweep Attacks

We can’t help but crave the ability to strike multiple foes with a single sweeping attack, just like in Dark Souls.

With Elder Souls – Sweep Attacks, you’ll be able to hit several enemies at once with a single sweep attack, just like in your favorite Dark Souls game.

No longer will you have to take on your enemies one by one, as you can now strategically take them out in groups with ease.

5. Heart Breaker: A Killmove Mod

Do you want something more exciting and gruesome to add to your battles?

This amazing mod, Heart Breaker, adds a new kill move that lets you rip out the heart of your enemy, just like in the classic movie Temple of Doom.

That’s right, you’ll be able to channel your inner Indiana Jones villain and deliver the ultimate finishing move to your foes.

But be warned, this mod is not for the faint of heart. It’s definitely not for kids, either.

4. Blade and Blunt Combat Overhaul

Blade and Blunt is a complete combat overhaul of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim’s combat system.

It is designed to give players more of a challenge and add the need for active resource management.

By working with the base game combat system and focusing on tightening the gameplay, players are left with a more faithful, RPG-like character development.

Blade and Blunt also makes combat more dynamic with changes to playstyles.

Two-handed weapons swing faster while equipping a one-handed weapon in your right hand and leaving the left empty reduces the cost of power attacks by 25% and blocks 20% more damage.

3. Enhanced Enemy AI

Victories feel hollow when you win over NPCs that couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag.

Enhanced Enemy AI changes that by giving NPCs enhanced combat abilities and a better understanding of the environment around them.

This Skyrim combat mod improves the combat style of all enemies from the base game and DLC (except dragons).

Warriors now use power attacks more often, making them more formidable opponents.

Mages also will cast more magic, especially defensive spells, making them much harder to defeat.

And let’s not forget about the animals in Skyrim! The Enhanced Enemy AI mod makes them more or less aggressive based on their real-world counterparts.

2. WARZONES: Civil Unrest in Skyrim

Are you ready for the most hardcore ES5 experience around? Then look no further than WARZONES!

It adds sudden combat encounters throughout the world of Skyrim.

And we’re not talking about small-scale battles here, oh no. These battles span many acres of in-game ground, featuring many NPCs that will put your combat skills to the test.

The best part? Many of the battles are randomized, so in the course of normal play, you’ll never see every WARZONE.

Each time you play Skyrim, you’ll encounter new and exciting battles that will keep you engaged and on your toes.

1. Valhalla Combat

Prepare to enter the fray with the Valhalla Combat mod for Skyrim, a mod that transforms this classic title into a brand-new game.

If you’re an experience mod user, you knew this one would be the top pick.

Think of this mod as the lovechild of AC: Valhalla, God of War, and Elden Ring, seamlessly transforming Skyrim’s combat system to rival that of its modern brethren.

Get ready for some adrenaline-pumping action with script-free timed blocking, projectile parrying, stuns, and brutal executions, all wrapped up in a non-intrusive stamina management system that’ll have you asking, “How did I ever play without this?”

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