The Imperials are one of the races of Man in Skyrim who have had plenty of attention given to them in the past. An Imperial is not necessarily just a denizen of the Empire – the Imperial race is tied to the history of Cyrodiil and early Tamrielic Man as much as it is tied to its titular faction in modern times.
Imperials hail from south of the Skyrim border, and as such are not used to the harsh environments of Skyrim's frozen north. Mods that bring Imperial players back to Cyrodiil, improve Imperial armor, or simply offer a Cyrodiilic home can make the Nordic homeland feel much more hospitable for this cosmopolitan race.
Beyond Skyrim - Bruma
Of the many addons that have been created for Skyrim over the years one stands out for its impressive scale, narrative direction, stylistic choices, and overall design. The Beyond Skyrim series aims to recreate areas of Tamriel that weren't featured in Skyrim. Beyond Skyrim - Bruma adds the northeast portion of Cyrodiil to Skyrim complete with fully voiced dialogue, countless quests and dungeons, and several other locations that diehard Oblivion players will recognize instantly despite the visual upgrade.
Imperials of course hail from Cyrodiil, and while the rest of the Heartland is yet to be included in the Beyond Skyrim series, Beyond Skyrim - Bruma is a great place to roleplay as an Imperial and learn what the Imperial Province has been up to since the Oblivion Crisis. It doesn't just add Oblivion to Skyrim, it takes place concurrently with Skyrim and shows how the region has developed over time, albeit non-canonically.
Perfect Legionnaire
Imperial armor in Skyrim is considered by many fans to be the worst iteration of the style in any Elder Scrolls game. The Imperial sets from Oblivion are iconic (despite the potato-like appearance of their wearers) and Imperial armor in Morrowind is as varied as Vvardenfell is hostile. Skyrim armor just doesn't stack up, as the Light armor is one of the worst-looking sets in the game and the Heavy armor is just lightly modified Roman armor.
The Perfect Legionnaire mod adds a set of Imperial armor that really stands out from the rest. Now players don't have to wear the muddy red-brown leather-and-steel garments thrust onto them by the Imperial blacksmith. This set is a shining example of Imperial Excellence, and the perfect armor to wear while decapitating the traitorous Ulfric Stormcloak.
Skyland - Imperial Forts and Dungeons
Skyrim is an old game. Released in the tail end of 2011, Skyrim is well past the point of showing its age in 2022. There are lots of mods that change this with shaders, 4k textures, and other graphical improvements, but when it comes to Imperial-specific graphics mods, look no further than the Imperial Forts and Dungeons addon, part of the Skyland overhaul series.
Imperial Forts and Dungeons in Skyrim are a bit bland, little more than stonework walls and perhaps a tower with few decorations (not to mention the very obvious low textures of the stone). This mod replaces every single Imperial Fort and Dungeon throughout Skyrim, making the process of quelling the Stormcloak Rebellion from these outposts a lot easier on the eyes.
Sleeved Imperials
One reason players dislike Imperial armor in Skyrim is its lack of realism. Soldiers in the Imperial Legion come from all over Tamriel, not just Skyrim, and therefore it's kind of silly that Imperial armor doesn't have sleeves. How is someone who calls Anvil home supposed to tolerate Skyrim's harsh cold without any sleeves, after all.
The Sleeved Imperials mod is a very simple mod that adds sleeves to the cutoff jerkins that most Imperial soldiers wear. It helps to build immersion by subtly showing players how an Imperial's clothing in the cold is different than your average Nord's. Sure, Nords make up the ranks of the Legion too, but having sleeves just seems like common sense when it's below 0. Just how do the Forsworn survive the winter with nothing but barbarian vests and loincloths, anyway?
Imperial Officer's Villa
The Empire is very kind to its members and soldiers in its Legion, rewarding soldiers who pull off fantastic feats and promoting those who have the merit, not the money. It's a wonder, then, why the player doesn't get anything significant for fighting the Stormcloaks so effectively. The Imperial Officer's Villa is just the thing a hero of the Empire deserves.
Located just outside Ivarstead on its own private island, the Imperial Officer's Villa is a taste of Cyrodiil a short distance from the border itself. In addition to serene vistas, the home has multiple rooms, four mannequins, an altar to the Eight divines (not Nine) and a ton of other useful features for a soldier of the Empire.
Skyrim Special Edition is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
