The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim made such a splash in the video game scene back in 2011 that its ripples are still being felt today. Despite the game being ten years old, players are lining up to purchase the Skyrim Anniversary Edition, complete with some of its best combat mods.
Those mods are part of something that represents a huge part of Skyrim Anniversary Edition's appeal: the Creator Club DLC mods. These are a series of mods that add or change things about Skyrim, all designed by the game's dedicated modding community. One in particular provides a huge potential boost for players: the Vile Whispers quest and its boss/reward: Umbra.
The Mod
Vile Whispers adds a quest that players will hear about almost immediately, and the rewards are grand. So grand in fact that it arguably makes Vile Whispers one of Skyrim Anniversary Edition's best mods. As such, it is worth taking on the quest as soon as possible. Players will be directed to an abandoned ruin east of Shor's Stone called Champion's Rest. After descending through its foes and its puzzles, players will come face to face with the dungeon's boss, Umbra.
The Boss
This is where the meat and potatoes of the challenge is. Umbra is not an easy enemy, and this modded update of the sword and its host is no joke. Umbra is invincible while glowing purple, but that glow subsides when he summons three soul spirits to attack the player. Eventually, these get re-absorbed and Umbra unleashes a massive fire and ice AOE spell, then summons the souls again. It's best to have companions or summons to keep the souls occupied while tackling Umbra, and when the spell gets prepared, ready defenses and healing. Some of the best new spells and abilities of Skyrim Anniversary Edition can be put to good use here, like Conjure Bone Colossus or Summoning Skeletons.
After death, Umbra can be looted for some seriously good Ebony Armor, but the true prize is the sword, also called Umbra. It's the sword that was possessing the Imperial wielding it, and it's a powerful Daedric Artifact akin to something like the Staff of Sheogorath.
With Umbra, players will have a particularly powerful sword at their disposal that also possesses a built-in soul-trap enchantment. This can auto-acquire the souls of defeated foes, granting players even more power. It's one of the best additions to Skyrim Anniversary Edition for players looking to advance in power quickly.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.