Part of the enduring charm of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is the freedom players have in crafting their characters. There are plenty of ways to experience Skyrim, but one of the most rewarding is playing as an assassin. Fortunately, there is no shortage of mods available that make playing as a shadowy cutthroat even more enjoyable.

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If focusing on a stealthy build has become tiresome over the years, this collection of stellar mods will certainly spice things up a bit. With these nifty add-ons in one's load order, it will be hard to go back to the familiar vanilla gameplay again.

Updated March 16, 2022 by Mark Hospodar: The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is one of those rare games that manages to be timeless. Part of Skyrim's enduring popularity is the game's massive modding community, filled to the brim with talented and dedicated mod authors.

Players who can't get enough of the Dark Brotherhood, and assassin gameplay in general, should definitely check out these mods. This list has been expanded with even more stellar add-ons that should spice up assassin gameplay quite a bit.

14 Truly Deadly Poisons

Left: player performing alchemy; right: several alchemical ingredients

In Skyrim, a true assassin should never be seen by his enemies. Fortunately, assassins have plenty of tools at their disposal to get the job done. The Alchemy skill, in particular, tends to be highly prioritized by stealthy builds due to the abundance of poisons that can be crafted. The vanilla game, however, can fall a bit short in this department, as poisons can often feel underpowered.

The Truly Deadly Poisons mod fixes this shortcoming. The mod, as the name suggests, vastly increases the potency of Skyrim's poisons, making them a significant force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Be warned, however, that this new potency goes both ways. Players that are poisoned will suffer much more damage, so stock up on plenty of potions!

13 Complete Alchemy And Cooking Overhaul

Complete Alchemy And Cooking Overhaul

Speaking of potions and poisons, Skyrim's vanilla Alchemy system has undoubtedly become woefully boring for longtime players. Much like other aspects of the gameplay, several mods exist that seek to improve this aspect of the experience.

For that, players can't go wrong with Complete Alchemy And Overhaul. The Alchemy system is reworked from the ground up with this mod. Along with the various tweaks, the mod also adds sixteen new alchemical effects and 100 unique ingredients. Any aspiring assassin looking to further hone their alchemical repertoire should give this mod a shot.

12 Crime Overhaul

Whiterun Guard From The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim

Obviously, being an assassin isn't a legal, nine-to-five job. As with the Thieves Guild, the Dark Brotherhood operates outside the bounds of the law. Luckily for the player, Skyrim's guards are woefully inept. Getting away with murder isn't nearly as hard as it sounds in the land of the Nords.

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Crime Overhaul, although a bit of an old mod now, adds a little more immersion for criminal builds like the assassin. Players won't get away with their ill-gotten gains quite so easily with this mod, although experienced fans still won't have too hard of a time. Accidental attacks on NPCs are also more forgiving when this mod is installed, so swing away with that sword!

11 Alternate Start – Live Another Life

Skyrim cart intro

Skyrim will always bring players back into the fold. Nevertheless, it's not a stretch to imagine that many longtime players probably roll their eyes at the thought of having to complete the Helgen sequence for the umpteenth time.

Alternate Start - Live Another Life is one of Skyrim's most popular mods. Fans who like roleplaying as someone other than the legendary Dragonborn should check out this mod. Players intending on becoming assassins can even start right off the bat at the Dark Brotherhood's doorstep. Don't suffer through that wagon sequence ever again!

10 Ordinator – Perks Of Skyrim

Ordinator - Perks Of Skyrim Mod Utilizing Smoke Curtain Ability

Perks play an important role in a character's overall progression in Skyrim. They unlock new abilities that aid the player in defeating steadily tougher foes. However, when focusing on a pure assassin build, the standard Sneak tree leaves much to be desired.

Enter Ordinator — Perks of Skyrim. This particular mod adds a wealth of new perks for every skill tree in the game, which allows for more detailed roleplaying mechanics. The perk tree for the Sneak skill with Ordinator installed contains plenty of useful abilities for an assassin, making the overall build far more diverse and layered.

9 Realistic AI Detection

Player Character Sneaking With Nightingale Armor In Skyrim

The AI in Skyrim, especially when sneaking is concerned, is comically underwhelming. It's common for enemies to be blithely unaware of the player's existence while only inches apart. When making an assassin build more feasible, the AI needs to be a little smarter to prevent the game from becoming too easy.

The Realistic AI Detection mod is a great place to start making Skyrim more challenging. Foes are upgraded with enhanced hearing capabilities and sharper lines of sight. They also won't give up as easily if they suspect the player is in their vicinity. It's definitely a must-have mod for stealthier playthroughs.

8 Locational Damage

Locational Damage Mod For Skyrim

There are a lot of comical moments that can result from Skyrim's gameplay. Nothing beats watching one's character get pierced through the eye with an arrow and seeing them shrug it off as if it were nothing. The same applies to enemies as well. For assassins wanting to pull off impressive sniper shots, this can be frustrating.

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Locational Damage is a handy mod that makes the game feel a tad more realistic. For example, a headshot will now deal more damage than a shot to the arm. Heavier weapons, such as warhammers, will cause foes to stagger more often due to the bulk of the item. All playstyles should benefit from this simple, yet practical mod.

7 The Brotherhood Of Old

The Brotherhood Of Old Mod For Skyrim

For assassin players, the Dark Brotherhood questline should be of obvious interest. Nevertheless, fans can conquer that particular quest line in a relatively short amount of time. Those who don't want the story or assassinations to stop should check out The Brotherhood of Old.

This mod adds 24 new quests for the Dark Brotherhood, which can be started after the conclusion of the original mission arc. As Skyrim's new Listener, the player character is tasked with strengthening the Dark Brotherhood's position in the region, thereby rebuilding the weakened guild. With 8-12 hours of additional gameplay, there should be plenty to occupy an assassin's time.

6 The Brotherhood Is Dark

The Brotherhood Is Dark Mod For Skyrim

From an immersion standpoint, it's a little odd that guilds in Skyrim don't really enforce their own strict rules. The worst players have to deal with is the paying of a fine. Furthermore, a player's conduct while performing a mission doesn't typically hold a lot of weight.

The Brotherhood is Dark mod adds a hardcore element to the proceedings. This mod actually requires the player to be an efficient assassin to make it in the Dark Brotherhood. Failing to execute contracts in a stealthy manner or disrespecting the guild too many times results in permanent expulsion. Talk about pressure!

5 Skyrim Sewers 4

Skyrim Sewers 4 Mod

Although it's certainly showing its age, Skyrim is still quite a large game. Mods that throw even more locations into the mix are common sights on places like Nexus. One interesting location mod that assassins may find intriguing is Skyrim Sewers 4.

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This mod, as its name suggests, incorporates a new sewer system underneath the existing cities of Solitude, Whiterun, and Windhelm. It can be a neat addition for assassin roleplayers, who can utilize the sewers for swift getaways or crafty infiltrations.

4 Wintersun – Faiths Of Skyrim

Wintersun - Faiths Of Skyrim Mod

Religion plays a conspicuous role in The Elder Scrolls, especially in Skyrim, where a conflict over worship has erupted into a civil war. From a gameplay perspective, however, Skyrim's belief system is almost nonexistent. Wintersun - Faiths of Skyrim fixes that problem.

Now, player characters have the option of adhering to and worshipping a deity. Assassins may be interested in worshiping the Dread Father himself, Sithis. Being a faithful follower of Sithis grants bonuses to one's assassination abilities, making for an all-around more effective cutthroat.

3 Sneak Tools

Sneak Tools Mod For Skyrim

There's no shortage of death-dealing implements at the player's disposal in Skyrim. Assassins can wield a variety of weapons composed of daggers, bows, poisons, and even magic. Mods that further add to that variety are worth some attention.

Sneak Tools incorporates new weapons into the game geared specifically toward stealthy characters. The mod also adds new interactions, such as knocking out unsuspecting enemies or slitting their throats. Items such as blackjacks, elemental arrows, and concealing masks all strive to make assassins even deadlier.

2 Your Choices Matter – A Dark Brotherhood Expansion

Your Choices Matter Mod For Skyrim Dark Brotherhood Questline

For all its fun and replayability, there's often a disappointing lack of freedom in Skyrim when quests are concerned. Part of the fun of playing Skyrim is roleplaying as a particular character/build. Establishing consequences for one's actions goes a long way towards building the kind of immersion that's crucial for roleplaying.

Making decisions is what Your Choices – A Dark Brotherhood Expansion is all about. The mod adds new quests while altering existing ones. As such, branching narrative paths are established. There's even an alternate ending to the Dark Brotherhood questline players might witness if certain choices are made throughout their journey.

1 Dark Brotherhood For Good Guys

Aventus Aretino Performing Black Sacrament In Elder Scrolls V Skyrim

There's not a tremendous amount of moral ambiguity when it comes to the Dark Brotherhood. Its members commit murder for gold while worshipping a primordial deity of chaos. Player characters know full well what they're getting into with the Dark Brotherhood.

The Dark Brotherhood for Good Guys mod, however, takes a unique take on the guild. Chief among its features is a revamped dialogue system that gives the player more options for roleplaying. Dossiers for the various contracts are provided, to establish some backstory for the guild's victims and let players know exactly who they're killing. Don't join the Dark Brotherhood again without this one!

Skyrim is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch.

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