Best Total Conversion Mods For Skyrim

It would be an understatement to describe The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim as a long game. Hundreds of hours are required to witness every last bit of content, and that’s not even taking into account all the DLC. Even veteran players can find something new to do in the vanilla game, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

A neat collection of total conversion mods awaits to be experienced. These types of mods radically change either the gameplay or setting to such an extent that it almost feels like playing a different game altogether. Although some of these mods may still need some polish, they’re worth checking out sooner rather than later.

Updated December 16, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: The release of Starfield was something that many Bethesda fans were anticipating with bated breath, so to see this spacefaring adventure boil down to nothing more than a truckload of loading screens and dated mechanics was extremely disappointing. The hype for Starfield died down as soon as it was released, with many people unable to comprehend that The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was still miles ahead of a title that should’ve been the next evolutionary step for Bethesda’s formula.

As a result, more and more people are going back to Skyrim to experience Bethesda at the heights of its powers, with many total conversion mods doing a great job of letting veterans enjoy a relatively new and fresh experience with this amazing open-world RPG.

1 The Republic Of Maslea

Downloads: 58,588

An ambitious mod that has only launched its first episode for now, players who want to enjoy a tropical adventure in Skyrim will love what The Republic Of Maslea brings to the table. The size of this new area is roughly the size of the Dragonborn DLC, which is pretty impressive and goes to show how much love and care was put into this mod.

With a great main quest and many side quests scattered across the world, The Republic of Maslea will keep players occupied for many hours as they appreciate the tropical vistas crafted by the mod author. It’s an impressive title that shows the power of total conversion mods that don’t play it safe.

2 Shumer And The Fall Of Allagard

Downloads: 26,554

This mod may be currently in development, but the sheer amount of things already on display here is quite impressive and has left many players hyped for what the final release will bring to the table. The realm of Shumer is packed with content, compelling players to explore these vast worlds and see what’s on offer.

Along with the mainland of Shumer, players can also explore the islands of Barbella and Althira which are also part of this WIP mod. To add the cherry on top of this loaded cake, most of the NPCs in this mod are fully voiced too, adding to the authenticity of this new adventure that the Dragonborn can get lost in. Sure, saving the world from Alduin is important, but there are so many things to accomplish in Shumer that they can’t be blamed for getting sidetracked.

3 Legacy Of The Dragonborn

Downloads: 4,060,449

As one of the most popular Skyrim mods on Nexus, Legacy of the Dragonborn adds such an immense amount of content that it can’t help but change the way players experience the game. If fans are ready to sink a few hundred more hours into Skyrim, then this is the quintessential mod to do so.

Legacy of the Dragonborn allows the player the opportunity to become a museum curator. With room for over 3,500 items to be displayed, almost anything can be showcased as a museum piece. In addition, a plethora of new items and quests are also incorporated in the mod that promises to keep the Dragonborn busy for a long time.

4 Beyond Reach

Downloads: 820,564

Skyrim modders tend to be pretty talented when it comes to introducing new lands for players to explore. Beyond Reach is one such example, taking place east of High Rock in a land that the mod authors describe as spanning 3 Skyrim Holds. Unsurprisingly, the Breton homeland turns out to be a dangerous place all its own.

Related

Skyrim: 10 Tips For Building A Dream House

The Elder Scrolls V: Hearthfire added homesteads to Skyrim, enabling the Dragonborn to build their ideal house. These tips will actualize that dream.

Like other total conversion/overhaul mods that drastically alter the setting, the attention to detail in Beyond Reach is impressive. Fans can expect to encounter brand-new factions, collect unique weapons, armor, and spells, and explore dozens of outlandish dungeons to occupy their time.

5 Vigilant

Downloads: 3,495,892

The Vigilants of Stendarr are a common sight in Skyrim as they patrol the length and breadth of the land, on the hunt for anything undead or Daedric. Players can join a lot of factions in the game, but the Vigilants of Stendarr isn’t one of them. Luckily, the aptly named Vigilant mod fixes that problem.

Fans who are keen on making a career out of ridding the world of foul creatures in the name of Stendarr should definitely check out Vigilant. A wild and intriguing series of main quests await those brave enough to be a Vigilant. There are also side quests and new, craftable weapons/armor for players to experience alongside the primary slew of content.

6 Middle-Earth Redone

Downloads: 32,808

Perhaps exploring Tamriel has become tiresome? Maybe a completely different fantasy setting would do the trick. Few fantasy worlds come close to matching the splendor and beauty of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. The Middle-Earth Redone mod allows players to explore various famous locations from Tolkien’s universe with Skyrim‘s game engine.

The Shire, Moria, Rohan, Bree, and several other destinations are available for fans to visit. Although there are no quests, important events from the books and films can be reenacted, such as the Battle of Helm’s Deep. New spells can also be crafted that better reflect the setting. Skyrim plus The Lord of the Rings? What could be better?

7 Beyond Skyrim: Bruma

Downloads: 6,522,626

• Creator: The Beyond Skyrim – Cyrodiil Development Team
• Download Link

Fans who wish to relive the glories of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion should check out Beyond Skyrim: Bruma. Although there is a massive ongoing project to port Oblivion using Skyrim‘s game engine, known as Skyblivion, it hasn’t been released yet.

Beyond Skyrim: Bruma recreates the county seen in Oblivion with stunning detail. With over 24,000 lines of unique dialogue, players can take part in new quests, explore additional dungeons, and discover distinct locations. New weapons and armor are included as well. Best of all, traveling to Bruma is as simple as crossing the border to Cyrodiil!

8 Wyrmstooth

Downloads: 1,921,230

Wyrmstooth is a rather old mod, but one that’s experienced a bit of a revival. The premise is simple enough: The East Empire Company commissions the player to hunt down a dangerous dragon that’s been plaguing the trade routes.

Related

Skyrim: The 24 Best Merchants, Ranked

Where should you spend your hard-earned gold in Skyrim? These are the best merchants to shop with in the whole province.

Nevertheless, the task proves to be anything but simple. The mod adds the land of Wyrmstooth, an island to the north of Skyrim. A new home can be purchased in the form of a castle, which periodically needs defending from pesky enemies. Additional weapons, armor, and spells are also included to help meet this new threat.

9 Skyrim Redone

Downloads: 107,387

Not every total conversion mod necessarily has to incorporate new, fantastical lands. Skyrim Redone keeps the experience grounded within the franchise’s lore. However, almost every aspect of the vanilla gameplay is altered in some way, resulting in a truly impressive enterprise.

Skyrim Redone turns the game into an RPG lover’s dream. Perks, combat, racial bonuses, enemy scaling, and almost everything in between are all given attention to some extent. One must visit the mod page and peruse the guide that goes along with it to get a full breakdown of its extensive features.

10 Enderal: The Shards Of Order

Downloads: N/A

No list regarding total conversion mods for Skyrim would be complete without mentioning Enderal: The Shards of Order. This mod, in terms of quality, scope, and attention to detail, tends to stand out from the rest.

The mod, also known as Enderal: Forgotten Stories, incorporates its unique lore. The gameplay is given a total revamp, utilizing more RPG elements and a steeper learning curve. Players can expect about 125 hours of additional content with this steller mod. Check out this helpful guide for a complete rundown on Enderal: Forgotten Stories.

Honorable Mention: Apotheosis

Apotheosis can’t be installed yet because it hasn’t been released at present. Nevertheless, this mod looks to be an absolute beast in terms of scale. When completed, the mod will allow the player to travel through the 16 realms of Oblivion as part of the questline. Along the way, fans will tangle with the malevolent Daedric Princes inside their domains.

Besides new locations and quests, fans can also expect to make use of unique equipment to aid them in their dangerous travels. The whole experience promises to drip with eldritch horror. It’s certainly not a mod you want to miss. Keep an eye on the Apotheosis mod website and YouTube channel for further updates.

Skyrim

Released

November 11, 2011