The Best FOV In Skyrim [Expert’s Opinion + Experience]

Learn from the expert about the best FOV settings according to the weapons in Skyrim.

Tweaking your FOV can help you improve your combat capabilities a lot. Player highly tweak their FOV because it helps a lot with landing hits and knowing enemy position. Knowing how to change FOV is a little tricky. So, today we are going to show you the best FOV in Skyrim and exactly how you can change it.

Key Takeaways
  • To change the FOV on PC, you will need to use console commands by pressing the “`” key. Changing the FOV to a personal, adaptable number can make using the best swords even better.
  • 100 FOV is amazing for making proper use of some of the best bows
  • The best two-handed melee weapons become even better when you play with them at 115 FOV.
  • For the best one-handed weapons, we recommend that you use 110 FOV
  • After you know about the best race for Mage, you can change the FOV to 90 to make spellcasting even more natural and devastating.
  • To change the FOV on consoles, you will need to browse through the select number of mods present on your platform through Bethesda’s modding service. 

How To Change FOV In Skyrim? 

how to change fov in skyrim guide
Setting the FOV to your desired number through console commands | Image Credit: eXputer

Switching to the best FOV in the game is much simpler than one might think. All you need to know is to use the console commands, which are turned on by default. You don’t need to go through any extra files or stuff to turn the console on. It is on by default in most Bethesda games.

Below, I will mention the steps to tweak FOV settings:

  1. Start by pressing “`” when you are in the game.
  2. It is the one that lies below the “Esc” key.
  3. Now that you have the console open, all you need to do is type “FOV #.”
  4. Type your desired number instead of #.
  5. For instance, in the screenshot above, we have our FOV set to 120.

Moreover, it is as simple as that. Now you can personally go ahead and experiment with whatever FOV you think suits you and your playstyle best. Still, after countless hours in Skyrim, we have some recommendations for each weapon that will surely help you a lot as you lay waste to the countless foes that you will be facing. 

Best FOV In Skyrim 

You might not realize it at first, but having the best possible FOV for a weapon can make a huge difference.

  • By default, the FOV is set to 80, and it makes everything feel like it’s in your face. Makes the entire experience feel claustrophobic.
  • I regularly switch up the FOV depending on whichever weapon I use in the game.
  • After doing this across the board on multiple different systems, we have come to the conclusion that the following FOVs are best for each of the weapons in the game. 

One-Handed Melee Weapons 

one handed weapons best guide
Playing at 110 Field of View makes using One-Handed weapons feel heavenly | Screenshot grab: eXputer
  • In the screenshot above, I am using the Mace Of Molag Bal, which is among the elitist one-handed weapons in the game.
  • If you happen to own some of the best houses, you will have no trouble defending them with this beast set to 110 FOV

Furthermore, what sets these weapons apart from their two-handed counterpart is their speed. They are shorter and less powerful, but their speed is what allows them to deal extra DPS depending on which weapon you use. Picking out the best weapon that suits you is all up to you.

  • All I ask from you is that if it is a one-handed weapon, you should use it at 110 FOV.
  • It feels like the one that these weapons should’ve had by default.
  • It fits in naturally and allows for better combat situations as you can now see an enemy who might have been hidden.

Two-Handed Melee Weapons

two handed weapons guide
Playing at 115 Field of View makes two-handed weapons feel extra deadly | Credit: eXputer
  • Two-handed weapons are excellent in damage, but they lack fast mobility.
  • You need to make each swing count. If you miss, chances are you will be punished harshly for it.
  • As most enemies attack far faster than you, this is where the 115 FOV comes in clutch.

Moreover, the FOV increases the overall view that you have over the area. It will help you swing your weapon more effectively as now you will be certain that there isn’t another enemy hidden on your right or left. It is a very popular playstyle that is mainly loved by veterans and fans of old RPGs.

Overall, these weapons are excellent, as even if you have set the FOV to 115, you will need to master them. They have a bigger learning curve as opposed to all the other ones, as they deal extra damage and are overall really strong. Once you have mastered them, you will turn into an unstoppable force. 

Bows 

all best bows in skyrim
100 is the perfect FOV for Bows | By eXputer

Bows are an excellent choice. They exist for players who like to keep their distance and assassinate their foes tactically. What makes them extra cool is that they feel really good to use, even in their default FOV. Bows also have some really unique skills out of all the weapons.

You can make some wild builds with these.

  • Moreover, most of the bows in the game feel great, and you can use them with 100 FOV and the best arrows to make them even better.
  • We personally really love to use various Bows. They are some of the best weapons in Skyrim, and the only reason one might dislike them is because of their speed.

I believe 100 FOV is excellent for Bows as it opens up the screen a lot. It feels natural that a master bowman would be accustomed to a large field of view. You can now pick out targets even more conveniently, and the overall shooting also feels really fresh and modern with this minor tweak of FOV. 

Mage 

best spells in skyrim
Become a deadlier Mage by setting your FOV to 90 | Screenshot by eXputer
  • Skyrim, by default, has good mage combat.
  • As it should, considering your entire main goal is to master your magicka to find all the dragon locations and slay them.
  • What makes using Magic even more natural and honestly far better is that if you set the FOV to 90.

Out of all these weapons, bows and magic spells benefit the most when you utilize the best FOV in the game. 90 FOV is the best one for Mages because it feels just right, not too far apart nor too close. Out of all of these we have tested, this was the sweet spot.

Throwing spells feels far better, and now you can see the enemies and pin them more accurately as well. There is no reason as to why you shouldn’t switch up your FOV as a Mage the first chance you get. It modernizes the experience better than any port of the game has ever done. 

My Take On Best FOV

Changing FOV and finding the most suitable one is a regular discussion. Most PC players are used to having their FOV sliders almost at max, so it feels unnatural playing Skyrim in a FOV that feels in your face and cluttered. 

Most of Skyrim’s best quests require you to use weapons regularly. Having the FOV set to your sweet spot makes these battle arenas infinitely more fun. Acquire some of the best armor sets in Skyrim alongside the best shouts, and you will have no trouble even finding All the dragon priest mask locations.

Skyrim also has a VR port which you can play for maximum immersion. Akin to the base game, Skyrim’s best VR mods are amazing. You should give it a try if you love the original game. Now we want to hear your thoughts. What FOV do you use? Which weapon is your favorite? Let us know all about it in the comments below.

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Hammad Ijaz is a Guides Writer on eXputer who is into various gaming genres. He has this pure passion for enjoying games and then reflecting that passion back into his writing. Along with a gaming experience of 10+ years, he also has many years of writing experience. Hammad further solidifies his status as a true gamer by showcasing hundreds of hours of game time on Warframe, Witcher 3, and Elden Ring. Feel free to explore his extensive gaming library on Steam.

Experience: 3+ Years || Education: Bachelors in Computer Sciences.

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