Without suitable Samurai armor, you’re just another rando with a sword.
The Samurai Akechi Armor Pack includes everything your Dragonborn needs to call himself a Ronin.
This includes a Katana, a Nodachi, extra blades to hang from your hips and back, and a full suit of Samurai armor with a skull mask and an overall sinister look.
And we’ll be taking a look at several Katana mods before we’re done with this ranking.
This Samurai Way Weapon Set includes three unique Japanese-style blades of varying sizes. There’s the one-handed Dragon Katana, the shorter Dragon Tanto, and a long two-handed Dragon Dai-Katana.
Much like traditional Katanas, you’ll only need iron to craft these weapons, along with some leather strips and a tiny bit of gold for the handle.
It’s a great way to use those skills honed by weeks of painstakingly acquiring metal ingots and carrying them to the nearest forge for a session of hardcore power-leveling.
If you’ve ever played Team Ninja’s Nioh, you know the Odachi – a colossal Samurai blade only the strongest, most skilled warriors know how to use correctly.
These blades are so long, they need an extra-curved edge reminiscent of a crescent moon. This makes them hard to wield – but a hero like the Dragonborn should have no issue getting used to it.
I have trouble picturing anything cooler than a Samurai-clad Dragonborn laying waste to scores of bandits and monsters with this.
It’s big enough to even out the playing field against trolls and giants.
But it’s also a little bit sinister and not so accurate to the image most of us have of these legendary Eastern swordsmen.
Those of you hunting for a more traditional look will love the Reiko Samurai Armor – a high-quality armor made of layered plates of black-lacquered iron tied together just like historical Japanese armor.
The included Wa Mask is perfect for intimidating your enemies with the face of a demon, and the horns on the Kabuto helmets give these a tiny bit of Skyrim flavor.
I love immersive mods that weave their additions into Skyrim’s gameplay rather than just making them pop out of thin air.
Haladon’s Samurai Sword Collection achieves this by introducing remarkably powerful unique Katanas that’ll give you an edge in battle – if you’re willing to put in the time and effort needed to forge them.
I mean, how many Daedra Hearts do you have just laying around?
But don’t worry – once you do craft them, you’ll be delighted with the result.
There are sinister black blades, shiny silver ones, and some that seem impossible in real life, like a jade-cut edge.
Historical Samurai warriors were known to wear masks of demons and other fearsome creatures to intimidate their foes. In a world like Skyrim’s, they might have gone the extra mile and actually made a pact with Daedra.
The Crimson Samurai is a somewhat overpowered armor that’ll make the wearer nigh-invulnerable to regular combat methods.
A giant may still bounce you off the ground and far into the skies, but you’re almost indestructible otherwise.
The armor is dark and sinister looking, with ominous red runes and intricate ornaments shining bright on the black iron plates and leather.
With it, you’ll be some sort of Akaviri Daedric Prince.
The Hattori Hanzo name is linked to Samurai swords thanks to a 16th-century Samurai & Ninja who made a name for himself fighting under Ieyasu Tokugawa.
His tactical brilliance and combat prowess made him a legend – and perhaps these Hattori Hanzo blades will help your Dragonborn achieve the same.
What I love so much about these Katanas (other than their high-quality detailed blades) are the handles and sheaths, which look quite traditional and almost ceremonial – precisely the kind a high-ranking Samurai would have worn while out on official business.
Once you’ve chosen the blades that best fit your Tamrielic Samurai, they’ll need to learn the correct way to wield them.
Katanas are fine blades capable of cutting a man in half in a single swing – but they’re also brittle.
Wield them incorrectly, and you’ll find yourself with a fruit knife.
The Akaviri Martial Arts mod adds all-new one-handed weapon animations that’ll help your character wield their Eastern blades the right way – and look utterly badass in the process.
This will make your character look skilled and lightning-fast like a boss in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
We’ve taken a look at many ways you can bring some Samurai flavor to your character’s skillset and looks, but how about the environment?
After all, it would be weird if you were the only Samurai in the entire province.
Did you come from another dimension or something?
The Samurai City Guard mod will make every hold’s capital look like Japan during the Tokugawa Shogunate, by replacing the guards’ boring old medieval gear for stylish Eastern garb.
And one thing I love about this mod is how the less wealthy holds and low-ranking soldiers wear footsoldier armor, while more affluent holds and higher-ranking officers have full-fledged Samurai armor.
And I always favor mods that give you a lot to discover with just a single download.
Blades Samurai Armor & Kimonos is an excellent add-on for Skyrim that goes above and beyond just giving you one or two suits of armor.
With this installed you get a whole wardrobe of Samurai period clothing and equipment, including Kimonos, regular footsoldier armor, and more.
There are even flags to show your lord’s allegiance and all-new Akaviri weapons ranging from Katanas to Japanese-style longbows.
Of course, there are also badass suits of Samurai armor – including one made exclusively for the Dovahkiin you’ll have to earn by completing a challenging quest.
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.
