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Skyrim: Anniversary Editionmarks ten years of one of the most popular and praised RPGs ever released, and ten years of one of the most prolific and creative modding communities ever. It’s no wonder, then, that Bethesda worked with a variety ofSkyrimmod creators when coming up with 26 new additions to be included withAnniversary Edition.
WhileAnniversary Editioncomes with everything currently available in theSkyrim Special EditionCreation Club, it also introduces a variety of completely original mods too. Some mods serve ascallbacks to previous entries inThe Elder Scrollsseries, while others completely overhaul the way players experience the world ofSkyrim.
Updated Jul 16, 2025 by Erik Petrovich: Skyrim Anniversary Edition mods vary from small, quality-of-life or single-item additions to complete overhauls of the base game’s mechanics, leading to completely new experiences in the well-travelled world of the fifth Elder Scrolls game. This list of the best Skyrim Anniversary Edition mods provides a basic description for each of the most impactful mods included in Skyrim Anniversary Edition, but did not include several small mods in some sections that mentioned them. This list has been updated to include more details on the exact mods included in Skyrim Anniversary edition to help players learn what mods does Skyrim Anniversary Edition have that are actually worth engaging with.
1Rare Curios
The Rare Curios creation seems simple on the surface, but thanks to its sheer variety it’s one of the best mods forSkyrimAnniversary Edition. Several Khajiit merchants throughoutSkyrimwill offer a new selection of Rare Curios sourced from throughout Tamriel.
Many of these new ingredients were previously seen in otherElder Scrollsgames, andeach one comes with unique traitsfor Alchemists to use in making extremely powerful potions. In addition to dozens and dozens of new ingredients, the mod also adds Poisoned Apples fromOblivionwith a long-lasting damage health effect. Place it into NPC pockets to slowly (and secretly) kill them.
2Forgotten Seasons
The Forgotten Seasons creation is one of several included inAnniversary Editionthat adds an entirely new location for players to explore. The Dwemer ruins hidden behind Runoff Cave in the Reach houses a threat to all of Tamriel, and players must explore each of its four wings to put a stop to the Dwemer machines that threaten Skyrim.
Forgotten Seasons offers players four separate dungeons themed after the four seasons. Each has unique puzzles to figure out to progress through the ruin, and eventually, players come face-to-face with a Dwemer construct more dangerous than Centurions. Players can forge special Dwarven Crowns in this dungeon, each with season-themed Dragon Priest-like effects.
3New Armor Packs and Unique Weapons
New Skyrim Armor Sets in Anniversary Edition
There are no less than 15 alternative armor sets included inAnniversary Edition, not including armors included in non-standalone mods, each improving upon an armor set available in the base game and its DLCs. These sets put a new spin on everything from Leather and Iron to Daedric and Dragon Plate armors.
Many of these alternative armors originally appear in the mobile gameThe Elder Scrolls: Blades, which was particularly praised byElder Scrollsfans for its aesthetics. These mods aren’t game-changing, but they add a new level of customization to keep a character feeling fresh.
There are several completely new armor sets included in theSkyrim: Anniversary Editionmods, like Spell Knight Armor, Lord’s Mail, Divine Crusader, and even two Horse armors that referenceOblivion’s infamous DLC.
Dozens Of New And Unique Weapons
In addition to the huge variety of new alternative armor appearances come dozens and dozens of new weapons, many of which are named and unique. TheAnniversary Editioncompletes the Tools of Kagrenac with Wraithguard and Sunder becoming available, adds the Staff of Sheogorath (no, not the Wabbajack), as well as the Aedric artifact Stendarr’s Hammer.
Each of the new weapons isvastlymore powerful than thestandard fare in the base game ofSkyrim,offering players both aesthetically cool weapons that don’t pull any punches. Many of these weapons are tied to lengthy new questlines or other requirements, but the best things in life must be earned, right?
4Callback Questlines: Morrowind and Oblivion Addons
Ghosts of the Tribunal Follows From TES III: Morrowind
Speaking of the Tools of Kagrenac,Anniversary Editionallows players to learn about what happened to the Dark Elf Tribunal of Living Gods in the decades following the Red Year. While Sotha Sil was murdered by Almalexia inMorrowind, and Almalexia herself was killed by the Nerevarine, nobody knows what happened to Vivec - whether he was killed or simply disappeared is unknown.
The Ghosts of the Tribunal addon doesn’t just add a lore-heavy questline, though. It also adds highly-requestedMorrowind-themed armor, weapons, characters, and locations, as well as a promise to explain what happened in the years following the destruction of Vvardenfell.
The Cause Investigates What Happened After TES IV: Oblivion
While Ghosts of the Tribunal serves asAnniversary Edition’s callback toMorrowind, The Cause serves as a continuation of the events of the Oblivion Crisis. While Mehrunes Dagon was defeated during the final events ofOblivion, the Mythic Dawn cult never disappeared.
The Cause adds a questline exploring what Mehrunes Dagon’s followers are up to after the defeat of their master. It also addsOblivion-themed armor, weapons, and other items in addition to a explorable Ayleid Ruin (of course, with modernized visuals).
Saints and Seducers
Saints and Seducers is one ofseveral creations includedwithSkyrim Anniversary Editionthat calls back to the fourthElder Scrollsgame,Oblivion. The Saints and Seducers are, respectively, guardians of Mania and Dementia of the Daedric Prince Sheogorath’s Shivering Isles.
The questline included in Saints and Seducers takes players across Skyrim to discover who is directing Bandit attacks on Khajiit. Players find out that each bandit group has styled themselves after the Golden Saints and Dark Seducers, and must eventually face off against a cultist dedicated to a neglected Daedric Prince.
The Return of the Gray Cowl
The Gray Fox was the central figure of the Thieves' Guild quests inThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.The Gray Cowl is not just a means of covering one’s face, it’s actually a Daedric Artifact that was stolen from none other than the Daedric Prince Nocturnal - thus, the Cowl has becomeassociated with legendary thieves.
The Gray Cowl features Daedric script on its nose that reads “Shadow hide you”, a reference to its original owner. InSkyrim, the item gives its wearer the Detect Life effect, and is the only item in the entire game that provides this bonus passively.
5Arcane Accessories & The Necromantic Grimoire
The Arcane Accessories creation is one of the mostpopular options in the Creation Club, thanks to its very well-developed new spells and the variety of dual-type Mage Robes it adds. Additionally, the Necromantic Grimoire provides many similar additions - though instead of traditional magic, it adds 13 new Necromancy spells and a new armor set for raising the dead.
Both of these creations add a new layer toSkyrim’s magic system, and although none of the spells included are particularly game-breaking, they do serve as less costly alternatives to similar spells in the base game.
6Survival Mode & Camping
Two of the most popular mods in the Creation Club are perfectly suited for each other. Survival mode completely overhauls the way players get through the game by introducing factors like hunger, fatigue, the way resources regenerate, removal of fast travel, and environmentaleffects on the player’s well-beinglike cold and warmth.
Camping goes hand-in-hand with Survival Mode, offering players a way to rough it in the wilds without becoming overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be maintained. Camping Supplies can be created at a forge, and players are given a basic introduction to the system upon placing their first campsite.
7Pets of Skyrim & Wild Horses
The Pets of Skyrim mod adds a variety of cute and helpful creatures for players to bring with them on their adventures. Five pets areincluded with this creation, though other companions are found in several other mods included withSkyrim Anniversary Edition.
The pets include a Fox, who searches for loot, a goat that can carry items, a skeever that can find food (which works great in Survival Mode), a rabbit that can find Alchemy ingredients, and a spider that can trap enemies.
There is also a Wild Horses mod included in the fullSkyrim Anniversary Editionaddons list. This addon lets you locate special horses out in the wilds and tame them with a unique Horse Breaking system. Once tamed ,you can keep and customize your horses – and rumors are spreading throughout Skyrim that there’s even a Unicorn that you can tame.
8Fearsome Fists & Unarmed Improvements
Unarmed combat inSkyrimwas once regarded as a bit of a joke, something players only take on if they have explored every other means of taking down enemies. In fact, the Gloves of the Pugilist were one of the few Unarmed weapons available at all.
The Fearsome Fists addon, new withAnniversary Edition, changes this significantly. It improves Unarmed combat through the introduction of 15 new Gauntlets, some with blades, spikes, and other attachments to make your Unarmedattacks really pack a punch.
9Goblins Are Finally Back
While nobody in particular missed the Goblins ofOblivionand otherElder Scrollsentries, nobody is complaining about their return inAnniversary Edition. It’s kind of jarring to see these tiny green homunculi in theSkyrimengine, especially when compared to the Draugr, spiders, and other enemies thatSkyrimintroduced.
Goblins were introduced in the Creation Club before being brought toAnniversary Edition, and can be found in the Blue In The Face questline which revolves around the Goblin’s worship of a blue-faced Orc.
