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1. Skyrim Black Knight Armor Mod
2. Skyrim Black Leather Armor Mod
3. Skyrim Blackguard Armor Mod

I have a female vampire mage character that I'd like to have good dark/evil mage themed armors/clothing, but I can't seem to really find any good ones. The only ones that I know of is the Lustmord Vampire Armor, Witch of the Wild, Black Mage Armor, and Tribunal Robes and Masks.

Article #4 in a 10-part series.

• 1 - Skyrim Special Edition Released
• 2 - Convert Old Skyrim Mods for SE
• 3 - How to Disable Random Dragons in Skyrim
• 4 - this article
• 5 - How to Update Meshes for Skyrim SE
• 6 - Werewolf Meter Papyrus Script Overview
• 7 - Skyrim SE - XPMSSE: Modify Weapon Positions
• 8 - Show Your Tail With Campfire Cloak In Skyrim
• 9 - Skyrim Frostfall and Survival Armor Edit for Warmth
• 10 - Frostfall SE with SKSE64

This tutorial example converts “Arise - Chapter 1 - Black Sacrament Armor” by AmethystDeceiver for use with Skyrim Special Edition. The same steps apply to basic mods that only require converting ESP and BSA files. Loose files may be included, and this example contains several. This article assumes understanding of file manipulation and manual mod installation.

(Updated 2018 to cover new sofware)

Remember: For personal use only. Please do not repost or re-distribute converted mods without the author’s consent.

Keep in mind that modding your game comes with risks, so backup your saves and the files you’re working on. This tutorial shows a complete step-by-step conversion of “Black Sacrament Armor” for use with Skyrim SE. Mods like this that include new meshes should be scanned to ensure 64-bit compatibility. If a mod includes custom NPCs then Creation Kit will generate the new FaceGenData for you, but be aware customized faces may require extra handling.

prerequisites

It’s assumed you have experience working with mods including managing load order, checking for conflicts, and working with files.

• download zip-archive of “Black Sacrament Armor” from Nexus (I’m using “Black Sacrament Armor v4-1 - High Def-5696-4-1.7z”)
• BSABrowser to open and extract BSA-file
• (optional) SSE Nif Optimizer to scan and optimize meshes for 64-bit compatibility
• Creation Kit 64-bit for SE obtained using Bethesda.net launcher

For installation of Creation Kit 64-bit, see “Convert Old Skyrim Mods to SE” (article #2).

important notes

• BSA-file must be spelled exactly like the ESP-file (you may have extra BSA files for textures).
• BSA archive follows the same folder structure beneath the “Data” folder (meshes, textures, scripts, etc).

outline

Goal: create ESP-file(s) and BSA-file(s) compatible with Skyrim SE then install for play.

These steps will work in general for a mod archive containing ESP and BSA files without new animations or NPCs. Review “Convert Old Skyrim Mods to SE” (article #2) to see what to watch out for when converting a mod in general.

1. Unpack the zipped archive to an empty folder for inspection.
2. Use BSABrowser to Unpack the BSA-file to an empty data-folder, I refer to as the out-folder.
3. Check files that may need extra tools to update.
4. Load the ESP-file in Creation Kit and save.
5. Pack new BSA-file using Archive (included with CK) from your out-folder.
6. Place all necessary files in your Skyrim Special Edition Data folder including any loose files in appropriate sub-folders.

Step 1: unzip or install

Unpack the downloaded archive, or if already in your original Skyrim data folder then you may work from there. You may also use your mod manager to install into Skyrim SE. Organization is up to you. This mod includes optional ESP-file for armor replacement and loose script files. Note these for later.

Copy the ESP, BlackSacramentArmor.esp to your Skryim SE Data folder.

If using the outfit replacer then also ensure your choice of BlackSacramentDBReplacer.esp is in your Skyrim SE Data folder (easiest using mod manager to install to old Skyrim or SE).

Step 2: Unpack BSA with BSABrowser

The old archive files (BSA) for 32-bit Skyrim are not compatible with Skyrim Special Edition, so we must unpack the old and use the contents to make a new archive.

Create a new folder to hold your extracted files. My folder is on my F-drive, and I created F:skyrimOutData to put my extracted files into. I call this the out-folder and named it similarily, and included the sub-folder Data to make it easier when using the Archive tool.

Launch BSABrowser and load the BlackSacramentArmor.bsa BSA-file. On the right-side pane select all the files (Ctrl+A) then right-click and choose “Extract Folders” option (or use the “Extract all” button at bottom). This option will keep the files in correct folders. Choose your out-folder created above (F:skyrimOutData). See the screenshot below. Your unpacked files should now be organized beneath the Data folder including meshes and textures sub-folders just like your normal game Data folder.

Step 3: Check files (optional for this example)

Here it’s a good idea to look through the files to see if we need to do extra work such as updating meshes or animations. Check loose files and files unpacked from the BSA.

This mod includes weapons and armor meshes to check. These mesh files have the extension .nif and reside beneath the “meshes” folder structure. Ousnius created a handy tool to check and convert meshes automatically: SSE Nif Optimizer. This tool scans an entire folder you’ve selected and automatically optimizes the meshes. I’ve scanned them using Nifscan and found all meshes are 64-bit compatible, so you may skip this step if you wish. Optimizing is always nice, though.

For other mods review “Convert Old Skyrim Mods to SE” to see what files might need updating. Also see my “How to Update Meshes for Skyrim SE” guide on using Nifscan and NifSkope.

Step 4

Launch Creation Kit (64-bit). Select File -> Data from the menu. We want to be sure Update.esm is a master, so double-click the checkbox beside it to check it. Do the same for Skryim.esm (optional–CK will check it for you).

Find BlackSacramentArmor.esp in the list (ordered by date) and double-click the checkbox next to it to X-it.

Click Set As Active File and note that the Status column changes.

Click OK to load. There’ll be warnings. Just click the Yes to All button for each.

Once the ESP is finished loading, click the save-icon to save it.

Close CK. (Note if ESP includes NPCs then CK generates FaceGen data that you may leave as loose files or pack into new BSA.)

Skyrim Black Knight Armor Mod

If using BlackSacramentDBReplacer then repeat.

(Note: CK automatically makes certain changes that may not apply to some plugins, but better safe than sorry. Also be aware that some NPC mods with custom faces may lose their faces, so you may need to copy those faces back.)

Step 5

Let’s pack a new BSA that’s compatible with Skyrim SE using the Archive tool which comes with CK.

Launch Skyrim Special EditionToolsArchiveArchive.exe.

Check the boxes corresponding to the types of files in the archive to compress. If your archived file includes sounds then check the box for sounds. This armor mod only includes meshes and textures. Check the boxes: Compress Archive, Meshes, and Textures.

Before adding your files, go down to Root Dir: and change it to your out-folder (F:skyrimOutData).

From menu, select Edit -> Add Directory and choose the same out-folder. The box should show your sub-folder structure as if inside the game’s Data folder (meshes, scripts, etc).

Important: Ensure your folder structure is correct organized the same as your game beneath the data folder such as seen in the screen capture below. If “Data” folder appears at the top level, check your selection for Root Dir and try again.

From menu, select Edit -> Check All Items.

Select File -> Save As and name the file exactly the same as the ESP, BlackSacramentArmor.

Step 6:

Copy the new BSA(s) to your Skyrim Special Edition Data folder, and ensure your ESP(s) are there as well. Optionally, you may create a new zip-archive to add to your mod manager.

Don’t forget the loose files

There should be 17 script files, all prefixed with DCVR, which go in the Datascripts folder. Optionally, you may pack these scripts into the same BSA in step 5. If using a custom body option, there may be files located in Datameshesdcvrworksblacksacrament.

You may copy the loose files manually from your old Skyrim installation, or from the un-zipped folder in step 1.

(optional) create a new zip-archive for mod manager

Copy your new BSA and ESP files to overwrite the old ones in the folder you unzipped in the first step. Zip and add to your mod manager.

test

Your files, BlackSacramentArmor.bsa and BlackSacramentArmor.esp (and BlackSacramentDBReplacer.esp) should be in your Skryim Special EditionData folder as normal. Check the spelling of your BSA-file. Use WyreBash, NMM, or the game itself to adjust your load order and enable the ESP(s). Make sure all your loose files are installed in correct sub-folders.

Play.

If loading your save freezes or crashes immediately:

• Are you using the old BSA for 32-bit Skyrim? See step 5
• Did you accidently make changes to the plugin in Creation Kit? Try loading with the original BlackSacramentArmor.esp.

If you get purple textures or invisible armor pieces, review:

• Is your BSA-file spelled correctly?
• Is your BSA folder structure correct? Compare new BSA using Archive tool (or BSAManager) side-by-side with old BSA.

If you can’t dig the grave:

• Did you remember to include the script files in the Datascripts folder? See step 6 – “Don’t forget the loose files”

Questions or suggestions?

You may contact me using the form, on Nexusmods, or dracotorre gmail.

Article #4 in a 10-part series.

• 1 - Skyrim Special Edition Released
• 2 - Convert Old Skyrim Mods for SE
• 3 - How to Disable Random Dragons in Skyrim
• 4 - this article
• 5 - How to Update Meshes for Skyrim SE
• 6 - Werewolf Meter Papyrus Script Overview
• 7 - Skyrim SE - XPMSSE: Modify Weapon Positions
• 8 - Show Your Tail With Campfire Cloak In Skyrim
• 9 - Skyrim Frostfall and Survival Armor Edit for Warmth
• 10 - Frostfall SE with SKSE64

It's been almost six years since Bethesda introduced players to the world of Skyrim. In that time we've seen multiple remasters and ports, as well as the culmination of work from a tremendous and extremely talented mod community. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim not only released to high critical praise it received countless game of the year awards and honors throughout the industry. The game was applauded for taking the open-world genre and expanding on it in ways we didn't expect.

Bethesda Game Studios has received criticism recently for the release of Fallout 4 in comparison to other current open-world games. Critics and fans alike felt that Bethesda Game Studios didn't do enough to justify it as a whole new entry in the series. It was regarded as a good game, doing everything right that Fallout 3 did, but didn't necessarily take the franchise to the next level. A lot of people credit this to their in-house engine and feel that a studio like Bethesda should have no excuses for upgrading when their games have such a long development cycle.

Either way, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was a great game for its time, and there are so many new things people are discovering to this day. Today, however, we're focusing solely on the armor sets in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and ranking the best and worst sets in the game. You'll definitely see some familiar favorites as well as a couple of obscure sets that take some patience and effort to acquire.

Click the button below to start this article in quick view

15 Best: Dragonscale Armor (Light)

The Dragonscale Armor set is one that could have been placed literally anywhere on the best armor side of this list. It's one of the most cost effective light armors sets and gives players the ability to enchant it. The main reason why it's not higher on the list has to do with its lack of natural enchantments as well as a reliance on the user having high enchantment and smithing skills to take it to the next level. It also gets bonus points for being one of the cooler looking sets in Skyrim. It comes in with a defense of 82 without a shield which puts it as one of the more tanky sets for light armor wearers. That number boosts up to a respectable 111 with the inclusion of a shield. Dragonscale Armor provides a lot of protection and intimidation but is best used late game.

14 Worst: Imperial Armor (Heavy)

Now, Imperial Armor isn't necessarily terrible. Bethesda did a great job designing the armor sets in such a way that most of them do serve a specific purpose. The Imperial Armor set is going to be the first heavy armor set that 95% of players run into. It carries the same defensive statistics as iron armor but carries the advantage of being obtained both earlier and easier in the game. Imperial Armor also has the bonus of giving the player choices in terms of variety. There are 3 different helmets for this armor set, and each carries slightly different statistical variations. The Imperial Armor set isn't atrocious, it just isn't that good either. Don't be ashamed to rock it early in the game but don't be afraid to move on to bigger and better heavy armor sets.

13 Best: Archmage's Robes (Light)

This set is the premier selection for anyone with an ounce of Magicka in their bones. The Archmage's Robes are excellent in terms of enchantments but don't provide a whole lot in terms of actual defense. That being said, wearers are treated to the following bonuses: All spells cost 15% less to cast, +50 Magicka, and Magicka regenerates 100% faster. These robes turn even the most novice of mages into a true threat that shouldn't be trifled with. The set itself isn't easy to obtain seeing as you'll have to complete the entire questline pertaining to the College of Winterhold. If you're serious about becoming a mage with absolute power be prepared to make this a priority in your next playthrough of Skyrim.

12 Worst: Iron Armor (Heavy)

Iron Armor is a set that doesn't really do much of anything. Its armor rating of 60 is about average, and the banded version of the armor doesn't offer much of an upgrade as it sits at an armor rating of 63. A huge and glaring problem with the Iron Armor set is that it doesn't benefit from smithing perks, and thus you won't receive double improvement. At first, I was willing to write off Iron Armor as a non-issue considering it's meant to be an early game set and help players get into the groove of things. However, Steel Armor can be obtained and used as early as level two so it seems like that whole case can be thrown out the window. Iron Armor should be nothing but an afterthought seeing as there are easy upgrades and better choices right at your fingertips.

11 Best: Nightingale Armor (Light)

It was really tough deciding where on this list the Nightingale Armor set would land. It's a great set of armor with some decent full set bonuses as well as a pair of reasonable enchantments. The real issue is that the set isn't easy to obtain and it doesn't obtain the ability to enchant it any more than it already has been. The armor set is interesting and is a flavorful reward during the Thieves Guild questline, but it falls short in some areas. If you're looking for a stamina boost or protection from frost, then this set should be at the top of your list. It also provides the player with slight buffs to their lockpicking, muffling of boots, illusion spell cost, and one-handed weapon damage. Don't let the ranking fool you. The Nightingale Armor is a set worthy of acquiring.

10 Worst: Fur Armor (Light)

The Fur Armor set falls in the middle of this list in regards to the worst armor sets and it couldn't have been placed any better. It's a set of armor that doesn't provide a whole lot of protection and doesn't really scale in terms of improvement and smithing. It's an armor set that's bad, but not necessarily bad enough to be terrible — just forgotten. In any situation, the worst thing you can do is fall somewhere in the middle, and that's exactly where this set lands. Nothing good ever comes of it. Here's to Bethesda for giving the Fur Armor a higher armor rating than Hide Armor, even though it covers less of the character's body.

9 Best: Miraak's Robes (Light)

Are you surprised to see another set of robes on this list? The reason that Miraak's Robes are higher on this list than the Archmage's is due to it providing protection from other mages, as well as a creating a chance for explosions on enemies whenever you hit them. When we're talking about armor effectiveness on its own, it's important to keep in mind how valuable a set is if it can boost your defense as well as your offense. That being said, you can easily swap Miraak's Robes with the Archmage's Robes on this list if you'd like. It really depends on what type of mage play you prefer. At the end of the day, you should at least know that these two sets are the absolute best in terms of providing benefits to any type of mage build.

8 Worst: Stormcloak Armor (Light)

This spot was either going to go to Stormcloak Armor or Light Imperial Armor. Upon inspection, it was clear to see that the Stormcloak Armor set was the inferior set out of the two. The Stormcloak Armor has an inferior armor rating and doesn't include a shield so based on those comparisons alone it loses the fight. It's depressing to see that an armor set designed for a group of brave and honorable men has a lower armor rating than a piece of fur that doesn't even cover a character's entire body. The Stormcloak Armor set suffers from being an early game item that doesn't really progress beyond its beginnings. There's no upside to investing in it early so when you're getting started you might want to head in a different armor set direction.

7 Best: Ahzidal's Armor (Heavy)

Finally, the first heavy armor we've encountered on the best side of this list. Ahzidal's Armor set isn't necessarily eye-catching in terms of design, but man does it pack a punch. The armor rating isn't actually all that impressive with this set seeing as its numbers are the same as the Steel Plate set, but it's the bonuses you receive from the entire set that set it apart. The effects gifted to the player are as follows: enemies who melee attack you have a chance to be paralyzed, water-walking, allow you to cast spells ignite and freeze, and if a creature you summon were to die in combat it combusts while delivering frost damage. This set does a lot beyond just protecting the player from massive heaps of damage and can be acquired fairly easily.

6 Worst: Hide Armor (Light)

The Hide Armor set is a beginner's set of armor that isn't really found at the very beginning of the game. Which is, of course, a big problem. It offers an abysmal armor rating of 40, though you do have the option to craft a shield alongside the armor to boost your defense, unlike both the Imperial Light and Stormcloak Armor sets. It's not really even the best early game craftable set of armor. The Leather Armor set beats out multiple armor sets in the early game and is easily crafted with a little elbow grease. From an objective standpoint, this would be considered the worst armor set in the game if a couple of other sets didn't fall through so hard in regards to expectations and implementation.

5 Best: Deathbrand Armor (Light)

Though I'm not a fan of the name of the armor set, Deathbrand Armor is a solid set of protection. It's the best armor set in terms of pure protection for light armor characters. Wearing it as a full set provides the player with tons of cool buffs including an increased carrying capacity as well as water-breathing. Your stamina also sees a ton of improvement as it's increased by 15 for each piece of Deathbrand Armor worn. The armor set can be acquired through the side quest called Deathbrand. The armor itself has an interesting design. It's a frosty blue hue that seems to be built based on a Nordic set. If you're looking for the Daedric Armor equivalent for light armor you've come to the right set.

4 Worst: Skaal Armor (Light)

The Skaal Armor set is not only one of the worst sets in Skyrim but an odd addition to the Dragonborn DLC which added a slew of new and better items to the world around you. This seems like it was added as an aesthetic tone piece rather than something the designers felt would see heavy use rates. The armor rating for the Skaal set sits at 46, which isn't terrible, but the set lacks the ability to be crafted, upgraded, or boosted by smithing and smithing perks. With this fact alone that means that every other set in the game that can be boosted or upgraded will be more beneficial to players than the Skaal Armor set. In any case, the set itself does have the redeeming quality of being a cool design that allows your character to look like a disciple of Genghis Khan.

3 Best: Ancient Shrouded Armor (Light)

Skyrim Black Leather Armor Mod

Now, by this point in the list, you should see that I take into account what an armor set provides in terms of actual armor as well as aesthetic. Ancient Shrouded Armor does little outside of giving a stealth character suitable buffs, but pairing that with a sleek red and black design land it here on the list. The Ancient Shrouded Armor set provides players with the sneak attack, boot muffling, poison defense, and bow attack bonuses when the full set is equipped. Earlier we talked about how the Archmage's robes are an immediate area of focus for mage-based characters. It's the same here in terms of characters looking to place emphasis on stealth and sneaking. This armor set can be acquired by completing the Dark Brotherhood quest called The Feeble Fortune.

2 Worst: Worn Shrouded Armor (Light)

The Worn Shrouded Armor set is the worst armor in the entire world of Skyrim. It has an armor rating of 35 which doesn't seem too bad until you consider the fact that it can't be upgraded. Now, you can alleviate some issues by simply enchanting each piece of the set, but why would you waste resources when you can upgrade a different set from a higher starting point? Luckily we've already talked about a really nifty set of Shrouded Armor — so if you really dig the red/black combo design then you're in luck. This armor set really doesn't benefit any type of player or character. It's intended for use by stealth type characters, but the inability to upgrade coupled with a very low starting point means that this set should be disposed of or sold as soon as possible.

1 Best: Daedric Armor (Heavy)

One of the greatest parts about Skyrim —and there are many— is that the (arguably) best set of armor in the game is also the most badass in terms of aesthetic. The Daedric Armor set not only imbues the wearer with a sense of confidence and intimidation, but it also provides a generously beefy amount of protection. The icing on the cake is that the set can be upgraded and enchantment to the owner's content. Daedric Armor tops the list for its usefulness, customizability, and sheer aesthetic excellence. It's not often in games that the best-looking set of armor is also the best performing. Many times players are left wearing an embarrassing combination of items for ultimate effectiveness. Thanks to Skyrim we had our cake and eat it too.

Skyrim Blackguard Armor Mod