Paladins are a hallmark of fantasy literature, films, and video games.
These light-bearing warriors are devoted to righteous gods & see themselves as their tools on the mortal plane. In exchange, they’re granted power against darkness and evil – be it in the form of unholy monsters, vampires, werewolves, or the risen dead.
In the world of Skyrim, gods are mysterious and plentiful – and enough of them are aligned with the forces of good for any wannabe paladin to have their pick.
Be it Akatosh, Stendarr, or even Dibella – you can become an armed acolyte and worship them by spilling the blood of wretches and evildoers all around the province.
But first, you’re going to need some stuff. You know, armor, weapons, and trials to prove yourself.
So let’s take a look at what the Skyrim modding community has to offer for custom paladin builds.
Whenever I hear the word “paladin” two different types come to mind: the faithful believers, and the wielders of the light.
This armor belongs to the latter.
It’s easy to fight for the light when you’ve been blessed with magical armor as glossy and glorious as this one.
To make it even more over the top, creator KiraxSkyrim chose to include a pair of angelic wings. At this point, you’re not even a paladin – you’re a warrior saint.
On the other hand, you find the faithful believers – the kind of light-serving knight who fights darkness wherever he finds it with faith, steel, and maybe a couple healing spells.
The Vigilants of Stendarr belong in this group.
They’re an order of pious warriors fighting under the banner of Stendarr – God of Righteous Might and Mercy – against daedric forces and anything else that preys on humans.
Their numbers have dwindled since their founding after the Oblivion Crisis. But thanks to this mod by creator NordwarUA, you can take up the fight by donning their heavy armor.
Once you’ve clad yourself in God-serving armor, you need a worthy weapon capable of striking down Daedra and other hellspawn that threaten humanity.
Paladins aren’t known for their subtlety.
In general, you want a big shiny sword that’ll remind everyone of God’s fearsome might with every swing.
The Soulsborne series is known to feature a Moonlight Greatsword in every installment.
These glowing blades are the epitome of the “shiny holy sword” trope. And thanks to modder FunkyFandalfCat, you’ll get access to all of them.
On top of the swords featured in Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, and Bloodborne, you get a custom-made Moonlight Greatsword based on Lorkhan – the lost God who created Nirn.
Paladins and crusaders are much alike – sometimes they’re even one and the same.
And the Breton Paladin armor set certainly reflects that.
This Paladin armor’s helmet is shaped just like a stereotypical crusader’s (much like the famous Solaire in Dark Souls) and the rest of the armor’s golden decorations just remind you (and your enemies) that your character is a holy warrior.
Whereas the Stendarr Paladin armor was functional and subdued, this suit of gilded plate is more about projecting the image of a mighty champion.
It’s available in three colors, plus it comes with an alternate helmet and three glorious weapons fit for a paladin.
A great way to supercharge your demon fighting is through holy enhancements to protect you from dark forces and speed up their demise.
The New Day Rising mod by XunderXDosedX introduces seven paladin-themed enhancements belonging to an ancient paladin felled by a mighty dragon.
Slay it and claim this magic of old for your own order.
Two of my favorites are Champion’s Justice, which adds extra damage against undead, werewolves, and vampires, and Champion’s Resistance, which makes you more resistant to their attacks.
We’ve covered several unique paladin-themed armor sets already.
But I’m a fan of variety – and this Regal Paladin Armor is way too good not to share.
It’s a bit reminiscent of the Faraam set seen in Dark Souls 2’s promotional material – mainly thanks to the fur above the shoulders, which must be a godsend in the cold northern lands of Skyrim.
That said, the golden highlights and bright red fabric of the fauld give this set a brighter, more energetic look.
Very befitting of a glorious paladin hero on his way to slay yet another untold horror without looking goofy or cartoonish.
Now that you’re finally a full-fledged paladin with some suitable armor, great weapons, and custom abilities, it’s time to go on an adventure worthy of your lordly caliber.
The Grand Paladin mod by Kittytail is a tale of ancient heroes, unimaginable power, and the darkness that lurks beneath the surface in all things.
Over the course of two hours of playtime, you’ll enter an ancient paladin order’s corrupted fortress, face 5 challenging bosses, and claim the Blade of Akatosh that once sealed Alduin – if you can survive the dark arts that hide it.
The best part about this custom story mod is that this storyline fits neatly into the vanilla campaign, so it feels totally lore-friendly and you can retrieve the sword and go back to hunting Alduin, making the legend of the Dragonborn just a little more epic.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
