Summary
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has a thriving modding community that has elevated the game to new heights of popularity and replayability.
- Mods for Skyrim can vastly improve the game's armor options, offering stunning reskins and custom sets that enhance both protection and style.
- Some of the best armor mods for Skyrim include Demon Hunter Armor, Perfect Legionnaire - Imperial Armor Reforged, and Silver Dragon Armor, which offer unique and impressive designs.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is an almost perfect game in its own right, but its thriving modding community elevated it to one of the most replayed and popular games of all time. Players can find a mod to suit just about any need, from adding in a few extra items to completely overhauling the game's systems.
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Armor will be a crucial part of any player's journey through Skyrim, as it offers not just protection but also some serious style points as late-game options are unlocked. Mods can certainly help buff armor if needed, but where they really shine is bringing the game's armor sets into the 2020s, with stunning reskins and spectacular custom sets. Here are some of the best armor mods to try out that can suit any player's needs, from feeling like a Spartan warrior to looking like a Met Gala attendee.
Updated on February 19, 2025, by Gerardo Molina: Skyrim is arguably one of the most complete and complex games of the last 20 years. The base game already features many NPCs, main and side quests, and a broad range of weapons and armor sets for players to choose from as they explore the land of Skyrim. However, even with such a large variety, there are never enough armor sets, so using mods to add more to the base game is always welcome. Some of the mods on this list add new armor sets to the game, whereas others give a few existing ones a better look, adding more detail.
23 Witcher 3 Female Armors
Downloads: 88,881
- Mod Creator: Kevin843
- Mod Link
If there's another game besides Skyrim that has a lot of variety regarding the armor sets available for players to take advantage of, it's The Witcher 3. The Behemoth, developed by CD Projekt RED, allows players to combine many different silver and steel swords with the armor sets of their choosing to create the ultimate Monster Hunter for hire.
This is why combining the variety of The Witcher 3 with the outstanding game that is Skyrim is a great idea. Being able to use many of the female armors available in The Witcher 3 while exploring the vast land of Skyrim is a unique experience that only the Witcher 3 Female Armors mod can provide.
22 Carved Nordic Armors and Weapons Retexture SE
Downloads: 976,360
- Mod Creator: xavbio
- Mod Link
Skyrim is an outstanding game. However, it could be argued that it was held back by its time in terms of graphics. Although exploring the land of Skyrim is still entertaining with subpar graphics in comparison to what is available today, being able to re-texture some armors is always welcome.
This is why the Carved Nordic Armors And Weapons Retexture SE mod is a great thing to have, as it adds more depth to the Carved Nordic armor set, as well as the Bloodskal blade, Hrothmund’s axe, and the Nordic Crossbow, giving them a much more modern look.
21 Gryphonknight Regalia - Breton Noble Armor
Downloads: 735,654
- Mod Creator: GVLT
- Mod Link
The Gryphonknight Regalia brings forth some new knightly armor to Skyrim, but that's not all. This greatly crafted armor set comes with its own quest to obtain it, and those who venture to Dead Crone Rock will see themselves involved in a quest with a crestfallen knight to fulfill their last wish and take their armor.
The armor itself is beautiful, and comes with variations to its design like the animated helmet and visor that provides further detail. It's great for those who want to roleplay as a lost knight from a far away land.
20 Armors of the Velothi PT.1
Downloads: 896,884
- Mod Creator: Pulcharmsolis
- Mod Link
Modder Pulcharmsolis brings forth 8 incredible Dunmer-themed armor sets for players to enjoy. All of these sets have been created from scratch, and still take a lore-friendly approach to their deigns. It's a loving mod dedicated to the lore of The Elder Scrolls and the Dunmer, so those who want to immerse themselves into the Dunmer culture can do so with this mod.
All of the sets look great in-game, and they really stand out among the metallic armors of the Nords and Imperials. The modded Dunmer armor provides new sets to experience the lands of Skyrim as an outlander, with roots in thievery, merchants, and mages to find a home within Skyrim.
19 Armor Variants Expansion
Downloads: 2,056,615
- Mod Creator: darkgondul
- Mod Link
ARmor Variants Expansion won't exactly add new sets for players to enjoy outside of a few tweaks, but instead, the mod itself will seek to enrich the world with further immersion through new variants of vanilla armors. These armors will heighten the sense of fun thanks to level-scaling and the lore-friendly tweaks to their design.
While most of the armors might be too subtle to notice for some players, it's nice to know that not every bandit will wear the same rags, and not every warrior will have the same design, and this much-needed variety is great for immersive playthroughs.
18 Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes
Downloads: 3,236,472
- Mod Creator: kryptopyr
- Mod Link
It wouldn't be a Bethesda game without a few bugs, but that's all part of the charm and to be expected of a game this size. Whilst fans have worked to get rid of most of the bugs, there are a few harmless cosmetic ones that can be found cured with Weapons Armor Clothing and Clutter Fixes, the mod that will provide accessories and other cosmetics with fixed consistencies.
There are a multitude of immersive features for this mod that will basically allow players to use weapons, armor, clothing, and jewelry without things clipping into each other. There is more freedom in what players can wear, and customization as well as different balances can help to make the game feel new yet familiar.
17 Armor and Clothing Extension
Downloads: 2,088,335
- Mod Creator: kryptopyr and Gamwich
- Mod Link
Every NPC that players come across in Skyrim feels somewhat familiar, and that's probably due to the fact that they all share a handful of voice actors and clothing. The fact that the library of clothes isn't the most diverse in Skyrim can sometimes take away from its incredible immersion, so downloading Armor and Clothing Extension might help the process somewhat.
This mod will provide the citizens and NPCs of Skyrim with more lore-friendly clothing options that they can wear based on where they are and what rank they are. Players also have access to these lore-friendly outfits, allowing the world to feel more lived-in and unique than it already is.
16 Conditional Armor Type Animations
Downloads: 1,137,458
- Mod Creator: Verolevi
- Mod Link
Immersion is important to Skyrim, and whilst the vanilla experience aids immersion so well, there are some mods that just enrich it further. Conditional Armor Type Animations might not add any new armors to the game, but it will definitely make players feel powerful or vulnerable, depending on what they are wearing due to the interesting detail of this mod.
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Conditional Armor Type Animations focuses on more animations for Skyrim, a game that shares the same for moving around. With these new animations, which require Open Animation Replacer, players will move differently depending on the armor they are wearing to further influence and feel what they are wearing.
15 Warmonger Armory
Downloads: 692,135
- Mod Creator: Batmanna
- Mod Link
It's time to add even more immersion to Skyrim with the Warmonger Armory mod, which will add even more lore-friendly armors to the base game. Through armor, weapons, and clothes, Skyrim will see an influx of designs influenced and inspired by The Elder Scrolls series, no matter the harshness of Tamriel's climates and eras.
There is an impressive amount of armor found with this mod, so players who are looking to stand out from the crowd and don't involve being overpowered by wearing Daedric Hearts or Dragon Bones will certainly want to check this one out and venture through the harsh and cold lands with plenty of choice in attire.
14 Improved Closefaced Helmets
Downloads: 1,390,981
- Mod Creator: navida1
- Mod Link
Bring further immersion to Tamriel with Improved Closefaced Helmets, a mod that makes minor improvements to the helmets so that players can see the eyes from the outside. Most helmets are included, and every race is able to have its own mesh revealed.
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This helps make it so that not every armor is the same, as players will be able to see the eyes of NPCs and even their own characters through the faceplates of helmets, instead of just a solid black line to hide the textures underneath.