Skyrim Mod Lets Players Cast Magic with A Lute That Can Play Custom Music

It's fair to say that The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is making the most out of its time in the spotlight. However, many would agree that it's time to move on. But with Bethesda currently concentrating on Starfield, it could be a while before fans hear any more details about TES6. In the meantime, there are numerous ways to extend the playtime of the 2011 open-world epic. There are tons of mods out there that can make a difference to the world of Tamriel, sometimes involving music.

As spotted by PCGamer, a user known as Monitor144 has created an add-on for Skyrim for those who like to mix magic with music. Called "Bard Magic Overhaul - Cast Like a Bard," this mod will allow players to cast spells on their enemies through the power of their lute playing. A video by YouTuber Mern shows it in action, with the Dragonborn playing the instrument, which then emits a damaging spell on attackers. The most interesting thing about this is that it allows for custom music to be added. According to the mod description page, it should be as simple as replacing the sound file with something else.

Being a bard in Skyrim is not really something that's possible in the vanilla build of the game. However, via the might of the modding community, there are ways that players can bring out their inner musician. This one by Monitor144 is one example, but there was also another released last year called "Skyrim's Got Talent." Thanks to modder JaySpera, fans can now don a lute and show off their plucking prowess in Tamriel.

There are simply tons of incredible mods out there for Skyrim, which probably accounts for why the game is still going strong, despite releasing more than a decade ago. Some add-ons tweak the game in a number of ways, such as changing the UI or squashing some of the bugs the developer seemingly forgot about. Then there are those which add a lot more content to the game, expanding things even more.

As one of the most celebrated open-world games in recent history, Skyrim is something that many likely grew up with. However, it's true that many would prefer Bethesda to give further details about The Elder Scrolls 6. A teaser trailer was revealed in 2018, but since then, the studio has been quiet about what's happening with this long-awaited follow-up.

Skyrim Player Captures Moment Dragon Flies Off with Their Horse

After more than ten years, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has no doubt aged as time has gone on, but it still has its moments. In fact, many would consider it one of the most beautiful fantasy games around, and even if the vanilla experience looks a little dated now, there are a ton of mods that vastly improve the visuals. However, for all its stunning graphics and enormous gameplay, it isn't a game without its flaws, and players are still finding bugs to this day.

Take Reddit user UnreasonablyEdgy as an example. Recently, they posted a screenshot from their Skyrim playthrough which shows a dragon high in the sky. However, the player has stated that this dragon has managed to somehow kidnap their horse, with the image showing the equine on top of the winged beast. Some in the comments have been making jokes about how the dragon in question has joined the Thieves Guild. As glitches go, this is probably one of the least harmful, but it's still an inconvenience for the user.

Everyone who's played the game knows that dragons are an integral part of Skyrim, constituting the linchpin of the main storyline. Their history is quite long and complex, and despite them being antagonists in the world, they are quite magnificent beasts. However, players like UnreasonablyEdgy don't expect them to swoop down and steal their horse. It isn't mentioned whether or not they were able to retrieve the animal, but from such a great height, it's unlikely the horse will have survived the kidnapping.

As beloved as the game is, it's infamous for its huge amount of bugs that have somehow still not been patched out by the developer. Even the Anniversary Edition of Skyrim had game-breaking glitches when it came out late last year. Some modders have even taken to amending some of them, and while a lot are mainly harmless, perhaps even a little funny, there are those which ruin the overall experience for players.

However, issues with the game don't seem to have impeded its popularity, even after a decade. And with The Elder Scrolls 6 said to still be in pre-development, it's going to be a long time before fans get to see the next installment in the long-running series. Whether the follow-up, whenever that gets released, will suffer from a similar barrage of glitches remains to be seen, but hopefully Bethesda will take the time to make sure TES6 is as solid an entry as it can be.

Skyrim Fan Creates Dwarven War Axe With 3D Printer

A Skyrim player 3D prints a Dwarven Axe, adding to their growing collection of weapons from the game, including a full set of glass gear.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has a lot of outstanding features. There's the character creator that allows players to become anything from a typical human Imperial to a magic-wielding High Elf to a cat-like Khajit. There's also the builds players choose in Skyrim, which can have some turning to wizardry to blast their foes apart, while others simply charge in with a big weapon and heavy armor. Most, though, end up thinking they'll choose a new way to play but end up slinking to the back of a cave and sniping their enemies with Skyrim's stealth archer build.

Whatever way a player chooses to take on Skyrim, usually they'll need weapons in order to do it. Skyrim is known for having a vast array of equipment, from the intimidating Daedric gear to the more impractical weapons like the fork or the Wabbajack that feel more like jokes than anything else. However, in the range of weapons a player can equip themselves with, there are plenty of impressive tools, and one Skyrim player has taken to making some of them in real-life using a 3D printer.

Reddit user 3DPrintOrlando has so far created a full set of glass weapons from Skyrim, as well as some weapons from other IPs like the BFG900 from DOOM: Annihilation. Now, they have swapped the green crystal aesthetic of Skyrim's glass weapons for the brass look of the game's Dwarven gear. Specifically, they've created a realistic-looking Dwarven war axe. Shown off in the sunlight, the axe shines and appears to reflect the sun's rays, making the 3D printed weapon look even more like it was crafted from metal.

Skyrim fans were quick to praise 3DPrintOrlando's work. One fan said that they thought the video where 3DPrintOrlando shows off the axe was an Unreal Engine 5 demo, while another said that the real-life axe looks much better than its in-game counterpart. The top comment on the Reddit post made reference to Calcelmo, an NPC in Skyrim that will demand the player comes to meet him once they have acquired a piece of Dwarven gear.

With Skyrim players now able to see a shiny new rendition of the Dwarven axe from the game, some may reconsider their stance on the best-looking Skyrim weapon. Fans of the RPG debated that topic recently, with the rankings claiming that the glass weapons had the best fantasy aesthetic, with Daedric, Dragonbone, and Elven gear being identified as "looking cool."