Way of the Monk Special Edition Unarmed and Unarmored Skills
⚪ Last updated 2017⚠️ Install Order · 5 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
Preview

🔍 Analysis
- 👍 2.7% endorsement rate — high engagement, a strong quality signal
- 🏆 #18 of 44 Overhauls mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Mod will remain up as I do not believe in removing mods for archive purposes.
I did not make this mod. I am not talented, but I plan on being talented some day soon! The credit goes to Woverdude, who's original mod can be found here. https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/15725/?
Note from Woverdude:
Are you interested in working on this project? I had to drop out of Skyrim modding a while ago due to real life, but would still like to see WoM continue. Several people have asked me if I have considered opening up this project to become open-source. If you would like to put in the effort to organize this and continue development then please message me! Tell me what you would like to do, include your previous work, and I'll see if we can come to an arrangement for you to take over WoM. Please only consider this if you have created or contributed to other modding projects in the past. Thanks you!
-- Woverdude
I tried to reach out to him on twitter but it no longer exists... Im just gonna assume that he is okay with what I am doing, but if he isn't he still retains the rights to take this down at any time!
Now to the mod! - Quoted from Woverdude
DESCRIPTION:
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READ THE DESCRIPTION BEFORE COMMENTING
Way of the Monk adds two new skills, weapons, clothing and armor, perks, enchantments, enemies, and locations to the game to overhaul the unarmed combat system. Playing a monk-style character is now an option with the overhaul. The product of over 500 hours of work, this mod and its subsequent parts hope to add an entirely new style of gameplay. Future parts are hoped to include new factions, quests, animation, follwers, and more.
Unlike most of the previous unarmed mods, Way of the Monk does NOT REPLACE existing skills, but adds two new ones. They do not use the vanilla skill system, but instead run on a system of scripts that operate in the background as you play. Thousands of lines of script have been written to manage your skills and level them in a balanced manner.
NEW USERS READ BELOW
FOR NEW USERS: My advice is to first visit the Pillars of the Way. They are slightly up the road from the Guardian stones. They allow you to manage your skills and perks, and learn about the mod. Use the Pillar of the Way first. This will give you the Unarmed weapon. This weapon has no physical appearance, but is neccesary to level the Unarmed skill. You may hotkey it to use it quickly.
To level your Unarmored skill, you must simply take damage while not wearing armor. Note that I mean ANY armor. I do not mean that you have to be naked, however. You can still wear clothing and robes. But wearing anything that
Way of the Monk Special Edition brings unarmed and unarmored combat skills to Skyrim Special Edition, letting you punch enemies into submission. With 615 endorsements and over 22,000 downloads, this conversion is a solid choice for players who want a martial arts playstyle without heavy armor or weapons.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Community-approved with 615 endorsements and over 22k downloads.
- Fills a niche for martial arts fans who want to play without weapons or armor.
- Simple conversion that brings a classic mod to Special Edition.
⚠️ Cons
- Last updated in 2017, so it may not be fully compatible with the latest Skyrim SE patches.
- Potential conflicts with other overhaul mods that alter skill trees or combat mechanics.
- Limited to unarmed and unarmored skills, so it won't appeal to players who prefer traditional combat styles.
For Skyrim players who want to roleplay as a martial artist or anime-style brawler, punching dragons and bandits alike. Skip if you prefer traditional weapon-based combat or if you're looking for a more comprehensive overhaul.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Since this mod adds new skill trees, make sure to check your active effects after installing to see the new perks.
- If you're using other combat overhauls, load this mod after them to avoid conflicts.
- Test the unarmed combat on a low-level bandit first to get a feel for the damage output.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- Skyrim Mods
- Author
- SirTurdle
- Version
- 1.0
- Downloads
- 22,367
- Endorsements
- 615
- Category
- Overhauls
- Created
- 11/29/2017
- Updated
- 11/29/2017
🔧 How to Install Skyrim Mods
Download from Nexus.
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Visit the official mod page for specific installation instructions for this mod.
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