It's been almost six years since Bethesda introduced players to the world of Skyrim. In that time we've seen multiple remasters and ports, as well as the culmination of work from a tremendous and extremely talented mod community. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim not only released to high critical praise it received countless game of the year awards and honors throughout the industry. The game was applauded for taking the open-world genre and expanding on it in ways we didn't expect.
Bethesda Game Studios has received criticism recently for the release of Fallout 4 in comparison to other current open-world games. Critics and fans alike felt that Bethesda Game Studios didn't do enough to justify it as a whole new entry in the series. It was regarded as a good game, doing everything right that Fallout 3 did, but didn't necessarily take the franchise to the next level. A lot of people credit this to their in-house engine and feel that a studio like Bethesda should have no excuses for upgrading when their games have such a long development cycle.
Either way, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was a great game for its time, and there are so many new things people are discovering to this day. Today, however, we're focusing solely on the armor sets in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and ranking the best and worst sets in the game. You'll definitely see some familiar favorites as well as a couple of obscure sets that take some patience and effort to acquire.
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15 Best: Dragonscale Armor (Light)
The Dragonscale Armor set is one that could have been placed literally anywhere on the best armor side of this list. It's one of the most cost effective light armors sets and gives players the ability to enchant it. The main reason why it's not higher on the list has to do with its lack of natural enchantments as well as a reliance on the user having high enchantment and smithing skills to take it to the next level. It also gets bonus points for being one of the cooler looking sets in Skyrim. It comes in with a defense of 82 without a shield which puts it as one of the more tanky sets for light armor wearers. That number boosts up to a respectable 111 with the inclusion of a shield. Dragonscale Armor provides a lot of protection and intimidation but is best used late game.
14 Worst: Imperial Armor (Heavy)
Now, Imperial Armor isn't necessarily terrible. Bethesda did a great job designing the armor sets in such a way that most of them do serve a specific purpose. The Imperial Armor set is going to be the first heavy armor set that 95% of players run into. It carries the same defensive statistics as iron armor but carries the advantage of being obtained both earlier and easier in the game. Imperial Armor also has the bonus of giving the player choices in terms of variety. There are 3 different helmets for this armor set, and each carries slightly different statistical variations. The Imperial Armor set isn't atrocious, it just isn't that good either. Don't be ashamed to rock it early in the game but don't be afraid to move on to bigger and better heavy armor sets.
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13 Best: Archmage's Robes (Light)
This set is the premier selection for anyone with an ounce of Magicka in their bones. The Archmage's Robes are excellent in terms of enchantments but don't provide a whole lot in terms of actual defense. That being said, wearers are treated to the following bonuses: All spells cost 15% less to cast, +50 Magicka, and Magicka regenerates 100% faster. These robes turn even the most novice of mages into a true threat that shouldn't be trifled with. The set itself isn't easy to obtain seeing as you'll have to complete the entire questline pertaining to the College of Winterhold. If you're serious about becoming a mage with absolute power be prepared to make this a priority in your next playthrough of Skyrim.
12 Worst: Iron Armor (Heavy)
Iron Armor is a set that doesn't really do much of anything. Its armor rating of 60 is about average, and the banded version of the armor doesn't offer much of an upgrade as it sits at an armor rating of 63. A huge and glaring problem with the Iron Armor set is that it doesn't benefit from smithing perks, and thus you won't receive double improvement. At first, I was willing to write off Iron Armor as a non-issue considering it's meant to be an early game set and help players get into the groove of things. However, Steel Armor can be obtained and used as early as level two so it seems like that whole case can be thrown out the window. Iron Armor should be nothing but an afterthought seeing as there are easy upgrades and better choices right at your fingertips.
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11 Best: Nightingale Armor (Light)
It was really tough deciding where on this list the Nightingale Armor set would land. It's a great set of armor with some decent full set bonuses as well as a pair of reasonable enchantments. The real issue is that the set isn't easy to obtain and it doesn't obtain the ability to enchant it any more than it already has been. The armor set is interesting and is a flavorful reward during the Thieves Guild questline, but it falls short in some areas. If you're looking for a stamina boost or protection from frost, then this set should be at the top of your list. It also provides the player with slight buffs to their lockpicking, muffling of boots, illusion spell cost, and one-handed weapon damage. Don't let the ranking fool you. The Nightingale Armor is a set worthy of acquiring.
10 Worst: Fur Armor (Light)
The Fur Armor set falls in the middle of this list in regards to the worst armor sets and it couldn't have been placed any better. It's a set of armor that doesn't provide a whole lot of protection and doesn't really scale in terms of improvement and smithing. It's an armor set that's bad, but not necessarily bad enough to be terrible — just forgotten. In any situation, the worst thing you can do is fall somewhere in the middle, and that's exactly where this set lands. Nothing good ever comes of it. Here's to Bethesda for giving the Fur Armor a higher armor rating than Hide Armor, even though it covers less of the character's body.
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9 Best: Miraak's Robes (Light)
Are you surprised to see another set of robes on this list? The reason that Miraak's Robes are higher on this list than the Archmage's is due to it providing protection from other mages, as well as a creating a chance for explosions on enemies whenever you hit them. When we're talking about armor effectiveness on its own, it's important to keep in mind how valuable a set is if it can boost your defense as well as your offense. That being said, you can easily swap Miraak's Robes with the Archmage's Robes on this list if you'd like. It really depends on what type of mage play you prefer. At the end of the day, you should at least know that these two sets are the absolute best in terms of providing benefits to any type of mage build.
8 Worst: Stormcloak Armor (Light)
This spot was either going to go to Stormcloak Armor or Light Imperial Armor. Upon inspection, it was clear to see that the Stormcloak Armor set was the inferior set out of the two. The Stormcloak Armor has an inferior armor rating and doesn't include a shield so based on those comparisons alone it loses the fight. It's depressing to see that an armor set designed for a group of brave and honorable men has a lower armor rating than a piece of fur that doesn't even cover a character's entire body. The Stormcloak Armor set suffers from being an early game item that doesn't really progress beyond its beginnings. There's no upside to investing in it early so when you're getting started you might want to head in a different armor set direction.
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7 Best: Ahzidal's Armor (Heavy)
Finally, the first heavy armor we've encountered on the best side of this list. Ahzidal's Armor set isn't necessarily eye-catching in terms of design, but man does it pack a punch. The armor rating isn't actually all that impressive with this set seeing as its numbers are the same as the Steel Plate set, but it's the bonuses you receive from the entire set that set it apart. The effects gifted to the player are as follows: enemies who melee attack you have a chance to be paralyzed, water-walking, allow you to cast spells ignite and freeze, and if a creature you summon were to die in combat it combusts while delivering frost damage. This set does a lot beyond just protecting the player from massive heaps of damage and can be acquired fairly easily.
6 Worst: Hide Armor (Light)
The Hide Armor set is a beginner's set of armor that isn't really found at the very beginning of the game. Which is, of course, a big problem. It offers an abysmal armor rating of 40, though you do have the option to craft a shield alongside the armor to boost your defense, unlike both the Imperial Light and Stormcloak Armor sets. It's not really even the best early game craftable set of armor. The Leather Armor set beats out multiple armor sets in the early game and is easily crafted with a little elbow grease. From an objective standpoint, this would be considered the worst armor set in the game if a couple of other sets didn't fall through so hard in regards to expectations and implementation.
While this is useful for stealth builds, I would not call it absolutely essential, since other augmentations can render you entirely silent and invisible. Additional investment will allow you to see the line-of-sight of opponents and/or mark opponents for easy tracking. Deus ex human revolution augmentation guide.
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5 Best: Deathbrand Armor (Light)
Though I'm not a fan of the name of the armor set, Deathbrand Armor is a solid set of protection. It's the best armor set in terms of pure protection for light armor characters. Wearing it as a full set provides the player with tons of cool buffs including an increased carrying capacity as well as water-breathing. Your stamina also sees a ton of improvement as it's increased by 15 for each piece of Deathbrand Armor worn. The armor set can be acquired through the side quest called Deathbrand. The armor itself has an interesting design. It's a frosty blue hue that seems to be built based on a Nordic set. If you're looking for the Daedric Armor equivalent for light armor you've come to the right set.
![Looking Looking](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123703793/732028983.jpg)
4 Worst: Skaal Armor (Light)
The Skaal Armor set is not only one of the worst sets in Skyrim but an odd addition to the Dragonborn DLC which added a slew of new and better items to the world around you. This seems like it was added as an aesthetic tone piece rather than something the designers felt would see heavy use rates. The armor rating for the Skaal set sits at 46, which isn't terrible, but the set lacks the ability to be crafted, upgraded, or boosted by smithing and smithing perks. With this fact alone that means that every other set in the game that can be boosted or upgraded will be more beneficial to players than the Skaal Armor set. In any case, the set itself does have the redeeming quality of being a cool design that allows your character to look like a disciple of Genghis Khan.
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3 Best: Ancient Shrouded Armor (Light)
Best Looking Skyrim Heavy Armor
Now, by this point in the list, you should see that I take into account what an armor set provides in terms of actual armor as well as aesthetic. Ancient Shrouded Armor does little outside of giving a stealth character suitable buffs, but pairing that with a sleek red and black design land it here on the list. The Ancient Shrouded Armor set provides players with the sneak attack, boot muffling, poison defense, and bow attack bonuses when the full set is equipped. Earlier we talked about how the Archmage's robes are an immediate area of focus for mage-based characters. It's the same here in terms of characters looking to place emphasis on stealth and sneaking. This armor set can be acquired by completing the Dark Brotherhood quest called The Feeble Fortune.
2 Worst: Worn Shrouded Armor (Light)
![Best Best](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123703793/428512414.jpeg)
The Worn Shrouded Armor set is the worst armor in the entire world of Skyrim. It has an armor rating of 35 which doesn't seem too bad until you consider the fact that it can't be upgraded. Now, you can alleviate some issues by simply enchanting each piece of the set, but why would you waste resources when you can upgrade a different set from a higher starting point? Luckily we've already talked about a really nifty set of Shrouded Armor — so if you really dig the red/black combo design then you're in luck. This armor set really doesn't benefit any type of player or character. It's intended for use by stealth type characters, but the inability to upgrade coupled with a very low starting point means that this set should be disposed of or sold as soon as possible.
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1 Best: Daedric Armor (Heavy)
One of the greatest parts about Skyrim --and there are many— is that the (arguably) best set of armor in the game is also the most badass in terms of aesthetic. The Daedric Armor set not only imbues the wearer with a sense of confidence and intimidation, but it also provides a generously beefy amount of protection. The icing on the cake is that the set can be upgraded and enchantment to the owner's content. Daedric Armor tops the list for its usefulness, customizability, and sheer aesthetic excellence. It's not often in games that the best-looking set of armor is also the best performing. Many times players are left wearing an embarrassing combination of items for ultimate effectiveness. Thanks to Skyrim we had our cake and eat it too.
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Essential for just about any playthrough, it's well worth keeping track of the best Light Armor, Heavy Armor, and Shields in Skyrim.
Generally, your armor of choice will be dependent on your playstyle. Classes which require a decent ability to sneak past enemies, and swiftly escape oncoming attackers will benefit from Light Armor. Those who expect to be getting up close and personal, taking plenty of hits but caring less for the stealthy approach will prefer Heavy Armor.
Shields, meanwhile, work as an option for those who prefer Light Armor's benefits, but still want to fight in open melee combat, and thus help to boost the defensive stats of Light Armor wearers, whilst being a tad superfluous for those already wearing a Heavy set.
Before we dive into the specifics of the best sets and individual pieces of kit, there are a couple points to bear in mind:
- If you're looking to craft or enchant your armor, be sure to check out our detailed guide to power-levelling Smithing and Enchanting skills to hit that level cap and craft the best gear in the game as quickly as possible.
- Whilst still an important factor for affecting movement speed, weight is generally less crucial for armor as it is for weaponry, particularly with the weight-removing Perks for the Light and Heavy armor skill trees unlocked. Generally, our rankings are based on the defenses provided, with weight a secondary factor.
- We've ordered the below by full set stats, rather than individual stats, with items that don't belong to a specific set being included in a separate list. Occasionally one item of a set might rank higher than another for defense, but we're only considering items from a set as part of that overall group.
- Unique sets are marked with an asterisk *, whereby we'll note where to find them. All other sets can be acquired through the standard measures of crafting or random loot in the wild.
- When the 'Upgraded With' colum contains 'N/A' for the required perk, this means that you must boost your Smithing Skill over 100 with potions of Fortify Smithing in order to improve the item beyond Flawless quality. If no upgrade material is noted however, (e.g. for the Masque of Clavicus Vile) then the item cannot be improved at all, regardless of Smithing skill boosts and Perks.
The best Heavy Armor sets in Skyrim ranked
Heavy Armor is your go-to for duel-wielding berserkers, two-handed tanks, and even battlemages who prefer to avoid the Alteration school's Stoneflesh and Ironflesh spells.
Below, we've ranked the best Heavy Armor sets in Skyrim, taking into account not only total defenses but also the sets' weight and their various enchantments and effects.
- Defense and weight values given below are without the shield, as with Heavy Armor you'll rarely be using a shield too.
- Ebony Armor below is listed with the alternative unique Cuirass, Ebony Mail. The Ebony Mail is acquired from the Daedric quest Boethiah's Calling, by looting the body of the Champion of Boethiah. Note that only this part of the standard Ebony Armor set carries the enchantments noted below.
Armor Set | Total Defense | Weight | Upgrade with | Effect | Enchantable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Daedric Armor | 108 | 96 | Ebony Ingot, Daedric Smithing | None | Yes |
Stalhrim Armor | 102 | 59 | Stalhrim, Ebony Smithing | 25% stronger Resist Frost enchantments | Yes |
Dragonplate Armor | 102 | 64 | Dragon Bone, Dragon Armor | None | Yes |
Ebony Armor* | 96 | 62 | Ebony Ingot, Ebony Smithing | 5 Poison damage per second to nearby enemies, Muffle - Ebony Mail part only | Yes, excluding Ebony Mail |
Falmer Heavy Armor | 96 | 55 | Chaurus Chitin, Advanced Armors | None | Yes |
The best Light Armor sets in Skyrim ranked
As we've mentioned, Light Armor functions best for sword 'n' shield players, archers, and stealthy players. That being said, the addition of Deathbrand Armor in the Dragonborn DLC has introduced the 'Deathbrand' playstyle for Light Armor wearers, meaning duel-wielding is finally a very valid option without requiring Heavy Armor for protection.
- Deathbrand Armor is arguably the best armor in the game - certainly if you don't have max-level Smithing and Enchanting skills. It can be found one piece at a time as part of the 'Deathbrand' Dragonborn quest.
- Guild Masters Armor is granted when you become the head of the Thieves Guild, during the quest 'Under New Management'.
- Nightingale Armor is acquired during the Thieves Guild quest 'Trinity Restored'.
Armor Set | Total Defense | Weight | Upgrade with | Effect | Enchantable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deathbrand Armor* | 78.5 | 13 | Stalhrim, Ebony Smithing | +100 Armor when full set worn; +15 Stamina (cuirass) and +10 Carrying Capacity (boots) for each Deathbrand item worn; Waterbreathing (Helmet); +10% damage from one-handed attacks for each Deathbrand item worn when dueal-wielding (gauntlets) | No |
Ancient Shrouded Armor | 72 | 7.5 | Leather, N/A | +25 Armor when full set worn; Immune to Poison (cuirass); Muffle (boots); +35% Bow damage (cowl); 2x Sneak attack damage from one-handed weapons (gloves) | No |
Dragonscale Armor | 82 (111 with shield) | 20 (26 with shield) | Dragon Sclaes, Dragon Armor | None | Yes |
Guild Master's Armor* | 76 | 17 | Leather, N/A | +50 Carrying capacity (cuirass); +35% Pickpocket success (boots); +35% Lockpicking (gloves); 20% better prices (hood) | No |
Nightingale Armor* | 69 | 18 | Void Salts, N/A | +25 Armor when full set worn; +20 Stamina, +15% Resist Frost (cuirass); Muffle (boots); 15% Lockpicking, +15% One-handed damage (gloves); -12% Illusion spell cost (hood) | No |
The best Shields in Skyrim
Shields are an entirely optional choice, and only suited to one-handed combatants, particularly those with Light Armor sets, or high-difficulty playthroughs. A couple points to note:
- Spellbreaker is acquired by completing the Daedric quest 'The Only Cure'.
- Auriel's Shield is acquired by killing the Falmer Warmonger inside the Forgotten Vale Forest location within the Forgotten Vale, in the Dawnguard questline.
- The Shield of Solitude is acquired by completing the quest 'The Wolf Queen Awakened'
- The Shield of Ysgramor is acquired from the final chest in Ysgramor's Tomb, as part of the Companions quest 'Glory of the Dead'.
- The Dawnguard Rune Shield is acquired from the radient Dawnguard quest 'Lost Relic'.
- The Aetherial Shield is acquired from crafting it at the Aetherium Forge as part of the quest 'Lost to the Ages'
Shield | Armor Type | Defense | Weight | Effect |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spellbreaker* | 38 | 12 | Dwarven Metal Ingot, N/A | Wards, protecting you from 50 Magic damage whilst blocking |
Auriel's Shield* | 32 | 14 | Refined Moonstone, Elven Smithing | Stores the energy of blocked attacks, releases the energy when power bashing |
Shield of Solitude* | 32 | 12 | N/A | +30% Magic resist, +35% damage blocked |
Shield of Ysgramor* | 30 | 12 | N/A | +20% Magic resist, +20 Health |
Dawnguard Rune Shield* | 27 | 6 | Steel Ingot, Advanced Armors | +10 Bash damage vs Vampires, blocking for a period of time creates a sun shield, causing 10 damage to nearby enemies |
Aetherial Shield* | 26 | 12 | Dwarven Metal Ingot, N/A | Bashing enemies causes thm to become ethereal for 15 seconds, and thus unable to attack or be attacked |
From visual upgrades, to console mods and levelling skills.
Want more help with Skyrim? Find out how to join every guild and faction, how to earn Gold fast, learning about XP and levelling to 100, max Crafting skills, max Warrior skills, max Thief skills and max Mage skills, how to get married, where to buy a house, how to start Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn DLC expansions. If you're on PC, we have a list of console commands and cheats, and you can learn about the remastered version and how to install mods with our Skyrim guide. Finally, with Switch owners, we have Skyrim amiibo support explained to help unlock special Zelda-themed items.
The best individual armor pieces in Skyrim
Funnily enough, because we've included the Ebony Mail in our Ebony Armor Set, all of the best unique, individual armor pieces are headwear of one kind or another, functioning in the same way as helmets. A couple points to bear in mind:
![Skyrim Skyrim](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123703793/704629299.jpg)
- All of the Dragon Piest Masks below (everything except the Masque of Clavicus Vile and the Helm of Yngol) are available from looting the Dragon Priests of the same name as the mask in question.
- The Masque of Clavicus Vile is acquired through the Daedric Quest 'A Daedra's Best Friend', but only if you refrain from killing Barbas.
- The Helm of Yngol is acquired from Yngol's skeleton in Yngol Barrow after defeating Yngol's Shade. It's significant due to the Frost Resistance spell, which is one of the only ones available on headgear in the game.
Name | Piece | Armor Type | Defense | Weight | Upgrade with | Effect |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Konahrik* | Mask | Heavy | 24 | 7 | Gold Ingot, Daedric Smithing | Randomly summons a Dragon Priest; chance to knock back enemies, heal you and nearby allies, and grant a fire cloak when on low health |
Hevnoraak* | Mask | Heavy | 23 | 9 | Iron Ingot, Daedric Smithing | Immune to disease and poison |
Otar* | Mask | Heavy | 23 | 9 | Refined Malachite, Daedric Smithing | 30% Resist Fire, Frost, and Shock |
Masque of Clavicus Vile* | Mask | Heavy | 23 | 7 | N/A | 20% better prices, +10 Speech, +5% Magicka regen |
Nakriin* | Mask | Heavy | 23 | 9 | Ebony Ingont, Daedric Smithing | +50 Magicka, Destruction and Restoration spells cost 20% less |
Rahgot* | Mask | Heavy | 23 | 9 | Orichalcum Ingont, Daedric Smithing | Fortify Stamina 70 points |
Vokun* | Mask | Heavy | 23 | 9 | Steel Ingot, Daedric Smithing | Conjuration, Illusion and Alteration spells cost 20% less |
Helm of Yngol* | Helmet | Heavy | 21 | 8 | Steel Ingot, Advanced Smithing | 30% Frost Resistance |
Krosis* | Mask | Light | 21 | 5 | Iron Ingot, Daedric Smithing | Lockpicking, Alchemy and Archery 20% better |
Volsung* | Mask | Light | 21 | 5 | Corundum Ingot, Daedric Smithing | Prices 20% better +20 Carry Capacity, Waterbreathing |
Best Looking Skyrim Armor Guide
This video showcases 10 mods
Warmth - Light Armor Replacer
This mod adds sleeves and pants to hide, studded, leather, and scaled armors.Warmth - Light Armor Replacer
This mod adds sleeves and pants to hide, studded, leather, and scaled armors.Artifacts - The Breton Paladin
Paladin armor set, including an extra helmet, sword, mace, warhammer and ring. Full race/gender/weight compatibility.5 new shrines: Sheor, Magnus, Y'ffre, Phynaster, Pelinal Whitestrake.High quality models and textures available at 4k and 2k.Lorefriendly quest for obtaining the items.Unique custom enchantments.Artifacts - The Breton Paladin
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Recreation of Morrigan's outfit from Dragon Age series.SC - Witch of the Wilds
Recreation of Morrigan's outfit from Dragon Age series.UNP Ranger Armor With UUNP UNBP 7Base Support
I made this for my character. I wanted a stylish and sexy armor set. Honestly it looks like a female witcher armor. Probably all those 300 hours of witcher influenced me :D. Please no requests. All these requests are draining me and tiring me. I don't owe you anything, this is free. I don't recall if I ever did a request or coUNP Ranger Armor With UUNP UNBP 7Base Support
I made this for my character. I wanted a stylish and sexy armor set. Honestly it looks like a female witcher armor. Probably all those 300 hours of witcher influenced me :D. Please no requests. All these requests are draining me and tiring me. I don't owe you anything, this is free. I don't recall if I ever did a request or coResplendent Armor and Greatsword
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v2.1.0 This armour is based off the Grandmaster Ursine armour from the Witcher 3: Blood and Wine. The armour is craftable and temperable at any forge throughout Skyrim - the armour has similar stats to Ebony gear (perhaps slightly higher) so all you need is the Ebony Smithing perk.. and obviously the required materials. Comes in 10 diGrandmaster Ursine Armour
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Skyrim Nightingale Armor
Below is a fine selection of armor, chosen mainly for potency in different situations. A few offer additional bonuses if a full set is worn. As you can see, for the very best armor around, you’re going to need to become supremely competent in Smithing and Enchanting, and craft your own equipment.
Learn more: read the Top 10 Inventory Items: Enchantments
10. Vampire Royal Armor (Light): Body
Enchantment: Magicka regenerates 125% faster.
Location: [DG.09] Castle Volkihar Ruins.
For the Battlemage with a penchant for the stylish (and blue-glowing) look of a Vampire’s most impressive armor, this helps recover magicka with increased haste.
9. Guild Master’s Armor (Light): Full Set
Enchantment: Carrying capacity increased by 50 points.
Location: Complete Thieves Guild Quest: Under New Management.
Carry off the look of a master thief along with the Guild Master’s Boots (better Pickpocketing), Gloves (better Lockpicking), and Hood (better prices). Stylish and sneaky!
8. Archmage’s Robes (Light): Body
Enchantment: All spells cost 15% less to cast, +50 magicka, and magicka regenerates 100% faster.
Location: Complete College of Winterhold Quest: The Eye of Magnus.
You won’t be happy with the armor rating (zero), but for true mages who utilize all schools of magic, there’s nothing better to wear into battle.
7. Ancient Shrouded Armor (Light): Full Set
Enchantment: Increases Poison Resistance by 100%.
Location: Complete Dark Brotherhood Quest: The Feeble Fortune.
For the assassin about town, wearing the Boots (Muffle), Cowl (better Archery) and Gloves (double Sneak damage) of the same type is an excellent reward.
6. Nightingale Armor (Light): Full Set
Enchantment: Increases your Stamina by 20, 30, or 40 points. Increases Frost Resistance by 15, 30, or 50%.
Location: During Thieves Guild Quest: Trinity Restored.
This leveled armor is most helpful to assassins; for additional boosts, wear a complete set of Nightingale Armor, along with Boots (Muffle), Gloves (better Lockpicking and One-Handed), and Hood (Illusion costs less magicka).
5. Deathbrand Armor (Light): Full Set
Enchantment: Increases your Stamina by 15 for each Deathbrand item you wear.
Location: Complete Solstheim Side Quest: Deathbrand.
Wear this as a set for better-than Daedric Armor, along with Boots (increased carry capacity), Gauntlets (better Dual-wielding), and Helm (Waterbreathing, +100 Armor when worn as a set).
4. Ahzidal’s Armor (Heavy): Full Set
Enchantment: Enemies who strike you with a melee attack have a small chance of being paralyzed.
Location: Complete Solstheim Side Quest: Unearthed.
Although rated the same as Steel Plate, there are some fine enchantments available if worn along with Ahzidal’s Boots (Waterwalking), Gauntlets (Wards), Helm (Conjuration and Rune), and Rings (Spells).
3. Miraak’s Robes (Light): Full Set
Enchantment: Absorb 15% of the magicka from Dragon Breath and spells. Chance on hit to spawn a tentacle explosion.
Location: Complete Dragonborn Main Quest: At the Summit of Apocrypha.
Another mage’s favorite when combined with Miraak’s Gloves and Boots, allowing your spell absorption to reach 25%. Don’t forget the bonus tentacle-writhing, too!
2. Dragonscale Armor (Light): Full Set
Enchantment: None. Armor 41, Weight 10.
Location: Randomly found, crafted, or bought.
If you’re using Light Armor, and you’re at the pinnacle of Smithing and Enchanting, the very best armor available to you is Dragonscale.
1. Daedric Armor (Heavy): Full Set
Enchantment: None. Armor 49, Weight 50.
Location: Randomly found, crafted, or bought.
If you’re using Heavy Armor, this is the stuff to aim for when creating the finest protection. Improve and augment it at the forge and arcane enchanter.
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Modders are an amazing bunch of folks. For nearly 25 years now, impassioned gamers have taken to the creative side of the spectrum, making custom content ranging from updated graphical overhauls, to new weapons, characters, and sometimes, a whole new game's worth of content. This is all well and good, modding can prolong the life of a game indefinitely — hence why more than a few people still play Skyrim pretty much exclusively six years after its release. Apart from upgraded textures and new weapons, there is another, seedier side to modding.
Skyrim is one of the games that has one of the most mods available for it, and a healthy number of those are related to the sensual shade of things. Naked characters, customizable bathing suit parts, and sizzlingly characters are just a few of what an interested gamer can expect to find in the annals of modding websites. Literally, anything you could think of has been done in multiple versions for every race, gender, and class. So hide the kids, lock your doors, and bring your stash of censor bars. We're about to get into the 'adult' underbelly of Skyrim modding.
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15 A Tempting New Race
Companions become a large part of Skyrim as soon as you start recruiting them, they can carry additional loot, help in the heat of battle, and offer some banter on the lonely trail. Plus, who else is going to annoyingly stand in the doorway when the Dovahkiin is trying to get through?
The Temptress Race mod allows the use of a custom race of Temptresses, females blessed by the goddess Dibella, able to use their seductively good looks to control the flow of combat. They’re able to use their own seductive brand of spells that can calm or frenzy all nearby foes. Interested players can play as one of the pre-made Temptresses, or find them around the game world hanging out in temples to recruit.
14 Why Won't It Load Slower!?
The load screens in Skyrim can become a constant companion, especially if you’re playing on consoles. Most of the loading screens offer helpful tips and a closer look at enemies or items in the game world, which are able to be observed in more detail while you’re waiting for the next dungeon to load. After awhile, these load screens can become seriously stale and an excuse to check text messages or take a bathroom break. Gamers may find it a bit harder to leave when all the loading screens have been replaced with 'adult' scenes inspired by the busty ladies of Skyrim.
There are multiple versions of this mod so once all these scenes get used up, gamers can download a new one and spend most of their playtime entering and exiting the same building over and over again to catch a glimpse of these expertly crafted 'mature' content.
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13 A Tale Of Two 'Mature' Sisters
Mods that add new followers to Skyrim number in the thousands; from magic wielding anime characters to arrow shooting Macho Man Randy Savages, there is no shortage of new and unique companions to choose from when adventuring across Skyrim. The hottest has to be the Sisters of Battle mod that drops two of the most professionally designed companions seen in a mod right into the game world.
Featuring two horned twin sisters, Dallas and Xevaria, they were both imbued with different types of creature blood that grant them unique abilities that aid in combat. Dallas is able to cast powerful frost and fire spells, while Xevaria possesses massive strength and the ability to summon spirit wolves. Worthy companions in battle, and not bad to look at either, these twin sisters should accompany every Dovahkiin at least once.
12 Chainmail Is So In This Year
The Obligatory Chainmail Bikini mod is one of the most well known Skyrim mods that adds a custom chainmail swimsuit for female characters. How much protection would a chainmail bikini really offer when fighting a frost troll? Not much, but the heroine wearing it is going to be a complete bombshell while she tries her best to ward off those incredibly powerful troll claws.
Although probably pretty basic compared to most of the other mods out there, the chainmail bikini is mandatory for any female adventurer in Skyrim. In a fantasy game filled with dragons, elves, and magic, there are a few things that can be as implied as a chainmail swimsuit. Don’t try and go swimming with this thing on though, chain mail tends to be a bit heavy when trying to stay buoyant.
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11 The One That Made It All Possible
Are you tired of the same old wooden looking women walking around Skyrim? The one that started it all, Calientes Beautiful Bodies Edition replaces the vanilla female body in Skyrim with more voluptuous options. The mod comes with three pre-made options, including slim, vanilla, and curvy.
A lot of love went into this mod, as the resolutions of the bodies included in CBBE are twice what they are in the regular Skyrim female body. This one really opened the door for every other naughty Skyrim mod out there and has been downloaded over eleven million times to date. CBBE is used in conjunction with a lot of the other mods on this list, so if you’re planning on having heavy chested Nords walking around Skyrim, and doing questionable things with them, CBBE is a must.
10 I Don't Know How They Don't Get Cold
Appearing just a couple months after Skyrim was released, modders were already making everybody get butt nekked.’ The female mod makes all the races nude, meaning that players have to be prepared to accept the horror of naked Argonians and Khajits, not to mention Orcs. Although, I’m sure there is a group of people out there who are really into that.
The nude female mod seems to have been part of some serious self-realization for modder Davven, as the first sentence in the description for the mod is, “I decided to accept I am a nude modder and finished the job.” Jesus, what happened to you Davven? The nude male mod buffs up and disrobes all male characters in the game world, and claims to make them “hairless and dirtless.” How dirty were they before? Some people have way too much time to think about these things.
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9 Slide To The Left, Slide To The Right!
The Body Slide mod is probably the most used in conjunction with CBBE, due to the fact that it lets gamers alter whatever physical attributes on their characters through the manipulation of sliders. This means that chests and rumps can be large to the point of handicapping a normal person, but this is the Dovahkiin dammit; toddler-sized breasts are not going to slow down the Dragonborn!
The really amazing thing about the Body Slide mod is that countless players have spent hours tinkering with the sliders to create preset body types that can be downloaded on their own, meaning that adventurers can make voluptuous Nord women populate every city, or petite, sporty Khajit ladies a reality. The only real handicap is your own imagination, meaning that whatever type of body you’re into it can be made with a little bit of tinkering, or a quick download.
8 Those Hips Could Sink Ships
The normal walk for female characters in the world of Skyrim is about as hot as a bag of cement. Stiff legs give way to a wooden gate that completely destroys the allure of any woman gamers may have had their eye on (to a point, at least). If you don’t want the females of Skyrim to walk like awkwardly animated mannequins anymore, this mod is for you.
The FNIS Sexy Move mod will randomly select 1 out of 9 different sexy walk or run animations for any female the Dovahkiin comes across in the game world. That is a seriously impressive piece of modding that must have taken some heartfelt work to get right. There is no limit to the dedication that modders will put into their work, especially when it comes to making female NPCs walk like their hips were both dislocated.
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7 Junk In The Trunk
Ever look around at the rumps in Skyrim and wonder how in the nine divines that every citizen was blessed with a serious pancake butt? Seriously, these people spend most of their days walking around, fighting monsters, and standing in one place, how can their posteriors be so inferior? Worry no more, as this butt bounce mod will add sufficient viscosity to both those cheeks.
Most players play Skyrim and marvel at the huge environment to explore, a deep world to get lost in, and masses of loot to collect. Others take a serious waist high look around and wonder how to make butts juggle like they were water balloons filled with Jell-O. Needless to say, the ingenuity of man will never cease, especially when it comes to butts.
6 Vampires You Can Sink Your Teeth Into
The vampires in the Elder Scrolls games have always offered a darker, more realistic take on the disease as opposed to other games and forms of media. No sparkle trails here —Vampirism twists and tortures the carrier, making them a nocturnal killing machine that needs to feed on the helpless sleeping citizens of Skyrim. With that morose view on vampires comes an adequately twisted physical component; any character that has contracted vampirism ages prematurely, turns pale, and is beset with glowing red eyes.
Unless you have the Seductress Serena mod, which changes Skyrim’s vampire NPCs from ghastly to gorgeous, all with a quick install. The mod adds vampire followers and tweaks Serena, the blood-sucking companion from the Dawnguard DLC, allowing her to be aesthetically customizable. In addition, it makes them all around easier to look at.
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5 The Dovahkiin Gets Freaky
This mod promises “intimacy, romance,' and 'adult activities' for any player that walks through the world of Skyrim disregarding the story, combat, and dragons, and simply wonders, “Why can’t I boink all these people?” Well, wonder no more Dovahkiin, now you can with nexusmods’ mod of the month for September 2015.
This mod allows multiple actions and options for the 'curious' adventurer, allowing most NPCs to be roped into promiscuous acts with a few simple menu commands or spells. The mod is so popular that a half hour movie was made to showcase all the glorious scenarios made possible with installation. This is one of hundreds of mods that allow this type of behavior in game, with some of the options in the 'mature' library leaning towards the extreme.
4 Wetter Is Better
With all the hot mods in the universe, the Dovahkiin is still going to be dry as a saltine. With the Sporty Sexy Sweat mod, female Skyrim heroes will be constantly sweating, dashing any comparisons to the dust bowl any sharp tongued Dwenmer may make.
The mod was made in order to, “enhance the realism .. and all the fine details of the skin.” Adding a glossy sheen of sweat to any female character definitely enhances the realism; anyone who could throw around an ebony war hammer without breaking a sweat is definitely not human. How it enhances the details and attractiveness of the skin remains to be seen, however — a chick sweating can be hot, but all the time? If you’re traversing the snowy peaks of Skyrim, it’d be a tad bit alarming to be pouring sweat the whole time.
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3 The Unmentionables Outlet
The Lingerie Shop, used in conjunction with the curvaceous character models of the CBBE mod, provides 40 different types of Lingerie to deck your female characters out in. Consisting of a storefront called Nikitaa’s Lingerie in Solitude, the shop comes with its own clerk and is adorned with several banners of real life ladies in lingerie. Apart from the extensive selection of ladies unmentionables, each piece of Lingerie has different effects on a models body, including a “push up” effect for larger chested Dovahkiin.
While it’s impressive to watch a beautiful woman decked out in heavy armor down a dragon or clear out an ancient crypt of pesky Draugr, it doesn’t compare to the complete chaos of a curvy sorceress casting devastating spells in her undergarments.
2 Daggers And Long Swords
Who said that the ladies don’t get a say in the modding community? SOS is a mod that allows gamers to adjust the size of male characters uh…”swords.” The mod also comes with its own shop front where a variety of different dongs that can be purchased.
To be clear, these are flaccid, so remember to pick up a “Mandrake potion” that will wake even the most stubborn Johnson to full attention at the new shop Morning Wood run by Bjorn LongSword. You’re able to buy potions that let you pick from three different load outs, and various types of bottled creature semen that will either enlarge or shrink your little Dovahkiin. 21 different package-accentuating pairs of undies are also available for purchase, meaning that no Nord is safe from your adventurer's bulge.
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1 Maids And Pretty Much A Whole Game's Worth Of Content
Maids II: Deception is a sequel to the Oblivion mod Maids I: Euphoria, bringing hot home cleaning services to Skyrim. The result of a convoluted backstory involving the enslaving of women in Oblivion by using enchanted Hist Tree’s Sap, the last two descendants of the enslaved maid family are hiding out in Skyrim, ready to clean the crap out of some houses. At first glance, it seems like a scantily clad maid simulator but it is so much more than that.
Maids II: Deception is packed full of game changing features, including 17 main quests with additional side quests, 13,000 new lines of dialogue, a tropical Dwarven island, two new houses, a manageable brothel with its own economy…the list goes on. Of course, it also involves attractive maids that can be dressed up and pursued romantically, but that seems to pale in comparison to the other amazing features in this outstanding mod.
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