Even today, Skyrim’s modding community has faithfully created new content for the game -both big and small- to the point that it is a wholly different game compared to the standard vanilla version.
These mods have come in all shapes and sizes with varying impacts on the game’s overall immersion. From smaller mods that make water more realistic to larger ones whereby the player can be accompanied by newly created followers or gain additional and unique spell abilities, modding has transformed PC gamers’ playing experience.
And nowhere is this more apparent than in the most extensive mods available, also known as “Quest Mods”“. In this overview, we are going to go over 5 Quest Mods that are so large, detailed, and in-depth that they rival (and in many cases, surpass) the legitimate DLC expansions like Dawnguard or Dragonborn.
Keep in mind that this is not a “Top 5” list that is objectively better than the others. These are all incredible questlines that all PC gamers should play at least once. This list is by no means a complete list of all the available DLC-sized Mods out there. These 5 are perfect starts for anyone looking to check out the more special quests that have been created and somewhat of a jumping-off point for anyone looking to go even further (which we highly recommend).
5. Wyrmstooth
Created by JonX0r, Wyrmstooth is the first on our list. This storyline surrounds a series of dragon attacks that have been reported around the Sea of Ghosts location north of Skyrim. Enlisting the Dragonborn’s aid, the East Empire Company seeks to kill the dragon and resume trade throughout the northern province.
After accepting, the player will be introduced to a wholly new island known as Wyrmstooth, where most of the quest will take place. There, you’ll have several additional side-quests, character interactions, and secret locations to discover.
The quest is entirely voice acted and fairly meaty in scope. While not the largest on this list, it can range between 4-7 hours and is easily on par with the Dawnguard or Dragonborn official DLCs.
4. Moonpath to Elsweyr
Created by MuppetPuppet, this is one of the legit classics of the modding world. Made in 2012 before Bethesda’s Creation Kit was even released, Moonpath to Elsweyr (MtE) sends the Dragonborn to the Khajiit homeland of Elsweyr. There, they will be sought after to help the Beastfolk push back the ever-encroaching Aldmeri Dominion.
Though certainly an older mod on this list, this fully voice-acted Quest Mod has tons of different side-quest and lore-friendly world-building for the Khajiit homeland.
3. Beyond Skyrim: Bruma
Made by the Beyond Skyrim Team, this massive mod expansion is one that every PC player needs to play, especially if you were a fan of the Bruma location in “Oblivion”.
Just south of Skyrim, and in the northern realm of Cyrodiil, Beyond Skyrim: Bruma takes place hundreds of years after the Oblivion Crisis in TES IV and shows how the land has evolved and progressed since.
Remember when I said that some mods even surpassed the official DLCs? Well, Beyond Skyrim: Bruma (BS:B) is 1.5x the size of “Dragonborn”‘s Solstheim and merges the tundra of Skyrim with the warm meadows of Cyrodiil.
While there isn’t a set main questline like in the other Quest Mods, BS:B instead is littered with world-building and immersive smaller side-quests for you to get lost in. Because of this, the incredible voice acting, the Oblivion references, and the fact that this is only the first inclusion into the greater Beyond Skyrim modding setup, it’s no wonder Beyond Skyrim: Bruma is on this list in a big way.
2. Enderal
Made by the modder, SureAI, Enderal is different from the rest of the mods that have been shown so far. Rather than being “DLC-sized”, Enderal is much more comparable to that of a literal game in terms of its overall size and scope. This mod is, by far, the biggest on this list and easily dwarfs the official DLCs given by Bethesda.
The storyline takes you to a world entirely independent and parallel to the Elder Scrolls Universe named Vin on a continent known as Enderal. The continent is roughly 2/3rds the size of Skyrim itself, with all of it being traversable.
The game is a slightly smaller version of vanilla Skyrim in terms of breadth, size, and scope. There are numerous side-quests, different monsters and spells, and a fully fleshed-out main quest, easily taking you around 50+ hours to complete.
Enderal has unique and detailed story lore that is wholly separate from The Elder Scrolls’ that easily rivals it, both in world-building and immersion. Not only that, but the game has recently gotten a DLC expansion of its own called “Forgotten Stories,” which will add another 10+ hours of gameplay.
While you’ll certainly need a pretty large-sized gaming PC to play this one, it is without a doubt a world worth playing and experiencing for yourself.
1. Forgotten City
Finally, Forgotten City, created by Nick Pearce, is a deep and fleshed out Quest Mod that, while not as large as some of the others on this list, is incredibly dense with a ton of replayability and immersive elements.
The game takes the Dragonborn into a Dwemer ruin before thrusting them thousands of years into the past while it was still populated. There, the story will take you through numerous morality questions whereby the Dragonborn can walk away as a hero or a villain.
Since its release a few years ago, Forgotten City has been highly praised for its incredible story and immersive atmosphere, actually being the first to ever win an award by the Australian Writer’s Guild. Without a doubt, it’s one that you should download and play.
