Skyrim modders have brought Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system to Tamriel

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Shadow of Skyrim adds "emergent stories of revenge" to the beloved action RPG

Skyrim
(Image credit: Bethesda)

Skyrim now has Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system, thanks to modders.

In May, Syclonix revealed that they were working on a mod to bring the Nemesis system from Shadow of Mordor to Bethesda's expansive RPG. In a post on the Skyrim Mods subreddit, the Skyrim modder has revealed that the ambitious mod is now available, allowing you to build your own unique narrative involving "emergent stories of revenge".

shadow_of_skyrim_is_out_now from r/skyrimmods

For those unaware, the system was first introduced in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and was again used by developer Monolith in the 2017 follow-up Middle-earth: Shadow of War. This system means that enemies remember previous encounters with you and can be promoted if they manage to kill you. Not only do you face a tougher battle the second time around, but you also have to put up with hearing them brag about how they bested you. It's a unique and inspired system that makes battles in both games much more immersive.  

The mod, known as Shadow of Skyrim, Nemesis and Alternative Death System, aims to add that personal touch to your adventures in Tamriel. According to its creator, every enemy who defeats you will be turned into a nemesis with a unique name and increased stats, and given a special buff. For instance, an Argonian Vampire may be given the title "Breaks-Many-Shields" and have the Shield Breaker buff. If defeated, you are given a debuff such as an inability to use shields and, to add insult to injury, your adversary can take your gear and use it. When defeated, you spawn in a random area, and so begins your revenge quest. 

Syclonix seemingly has more content in the works. "I'm excited to continue working on this mod and pushing new content updates later," wrote the modder. Perhaps after I take a short break to recoup." You can try Shadow of Skyrim for yourself, as it's available to download right now on NexusMods.

Over the years, we've seen all sorts of Skyrim mods ranging from brilliant to downright bizarre. Recently, one modder replaced each and every one of the action RPG's dragons with the state of Ohio. Yes, really. Additionally, there's a mod that adds a bard progression system, allowing you to improve your musical skills and effectively transforming the game into an episode of America's Got Talent. Last but certainly not least, there's a mod that adds a whole new level of immersion to Skyrim by allowing you to place rugs and later trip over them. 

Expand your adventure as a Dragonborn even further with our pick of the best Skyrim mods. 

Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.