Top 5 Mods in Skyrim you need to Install

Introduction

The best Skyrim mods can be tough to find when there are over 72,000 of them on Nexus Mods and more than 27,000 on the Steam Workshop. There are so many that at this point if you can imagine it there's probably a mod for it—as well as plenty of things you would rather not imagine. From interface tweaks to entirely new campaigns, fully voiced companions, and of course ridiculous memes, it's all out there. Some of it is very out there.

Let's get this list started, shall we?

1. Unofficial Skyrim Patch

Our lad chilling out in the morning of Skyrim

Download: Nexus Mods

This one is really a no-brainer. Created by the same modders as the Unofficial Oblivion patch, the Unofficial Skyrim patch catches a huge amount of bugs the official patches don't. A lot of them are things you might never notice, like objects that were placed slightly wrong so they clip through each other, or quests that break if you do something unusual, but it's still better to have them than not. There's one for the Legendary Edition, but you might need the one for the official High Resolution textures patch if you're using the High Resolution DLC.  

2. SkyUI

User Interface overhaul for the Inventory

Download: Nexus Mods

Skyrim's original UI is rough. SkyUI makes it easier to use, letting you sort your loot by value or weight, and your weapons by damage rating. Most importantly, SkyUI adds a mod configuration menu, letting you tweak and adjust compatible mods (including many on this list). A lot of mods don't require SkyUI and will run just fine without it, but you'll get much more out of your mods if you have it.

In other words, it's highly recommended.

3. A Quality World Map

Roads on the map!

Download: Nexus Mods

Skyrim's map is functional but boring. A Quality World Map offers multiple ways to fix it. You can replace the map with a much more detailed world texture, with colors that help delineate the separate areas much more obviously, but there's also an option to have a paper map with a more Oblivion look if that's your thing. 

4. Alternate Start - Live another Life

The beginning of a new life - a different life in Skyrim

Download: Nexus Mods

If you want to begin a new game of Skyrim as someone other than the Dragonborn, this is one of several mods that give you a fresh start. Skip the opening sequence and start life as someone arriving by boat, locked in a jail cell, a visitor at an inn, an outlaw in the wilderness, and many more. Expand the options even further with New Beginnings, which adds over a dozen choices, including the option to start as a vampire, a werewolf, or even a skooma addict.  Just like the original mod, there’s a good mix of safe options along with some that are downright deadly.    

5. Static Mesh Improvement

From PS1 Graphics to High-end PC

Download: Nexus Mods

This mod edits a number of 3D models in the game, and with over 700 meshes placed in over 15,000 locations in the world, it's a welcome difference. You'll notice better-looking architectural elements, furniture, objects in the landscape, and all sorts of other models that didn't get much attention from Bethesda.