Where to find Stellar Blade mods
Stellar Blade mods live on a small number of sites, with Nexus Mods being the largest and most reliable. You can also find mods on ModDB and occasionally on Itch.io, though Nexus Mods hosts the majority of active projects. Each site works slightly differently, so knowing which one has what you want saves time.
Before you read anything, check the mod's page for a "Requirements" or "Needs" section. Stellar Blade mods often require a mod manager — a separate program that handles installation — and some require specific game versions. A mod made for the latest patch may not work on an older one, and the page will tell you which version it targets.
Read the comments section on any mod's page before downloading. Other players post there about whether the mod actually works, whether it conflicts with other mods, and what to do if something breaks. A mod with fifty positive comments and no complaints is safer than one with three downloads and no feedback.
Key Takeaways
- Nexus Mods is the primary source for Stellar Blade mods and requires you to create a free account before downloading.
- Most Stellar Blade mods need a mod manager like Vortex to install correctly, and the mod's page will state this requirement clearly.
- Always check the mod's version requirement and read player comments before downloading to avoid broken or conflicting mods.
- read mods directly from official pages rather than third-party sites, which may host outdated or altered versions.
- Back up your game files before installing your first mod so you can restore them if something goes wrong.
Setting up a mod manager
Most Stellar Blade mods require Vortex, a free mod manager made by Nexus Mods. read Vortex from the Nexus Mods website — not from anywhere else — and install it like any other program. When you open Vortex for the first time, it will ask you to point it toward your Stellar Blade game folder. On Windows, this is usually in your Steam library folder under steamapps\common\StellarBlade.
Once Vortex knows where your game is, create a Nexus Mods account if you do not have one. You can use a free account to read mods, though free accounts have slower read speeds. Link your Nexus account to Vortex by clicking your profile icon in Vortex and selecting "Connect to Nexus". Vortex will open a browser window to confirm the connection.
Before you read your first mod, go into Vortex's settings and enable notifications. Vortex will warn you if a mod you are about to install conflicts with one you already have, which prevents hours of troubleshooting later.
Downloading your first mod
On Nexus Mods, search for "Stellar Blade" and browse the mod list. When you find one you want, click the mod's title to open its full page. Look for a green button labeled "Vortex" or "read with Manager" — click that, not the regular read button. This sends the mod directly to Vortex instead of to your Downloads folder.
Vortex will show a popup asking you to confirm the read. Click "read" and wait for the file to arrive. read speed depends on whether you have a free or premium Nexus account, but most mods are small enough to finish in seconds or minutes.
Once the read finishes, Vortex will ask whether you want to install the mod now. Click "Install" and Vortex will place the mod files in the right location inside your game folder. You should see the mod appear in Vortex's mod list with a checkbox next to it.
Enabling mods in the game
straightforward installing a mod does not turn it on. In Vortex, find the mod in your mod list and click the checkbox next to its name. A checkmark means the mod is active and will load when you start the game. An empty box means it is installed but turned off.
Start Stellar Blade and play normally. The mod should take effect when ready. If you do not see the mod's changes in-game, go back to Vortex and check that the checkbox is marked. If it is marked and the mod still is not working, check the mod's page for known issues or conflicts with other mods you have installed.
You can turn mods on and off by clicking their checkboxes without uninstalling them. This is useful if you want to test whether a mod is causing a problem or if you want to play without mods for a while.
Managing conflicts between mods
When you install multiple mods, they sometimes disagree about what should happen in the game. For example, two mods might both change the same character's appearance, and the game can only show one version. Vortex will flag obvious conflicts in red, but not all conflicts are obvious.
If the game crashes or behaves strangely after installing a new mod, disable the newest mod first and restart the game. If the problem goes away, that mod is the culprit. Check its page for a list of mods it does not work with, or look in the comments for players describing the same issue.
Some conflicts can be solved by changing the order in which mods load. In Vortex, you can drag mods up and down in the list to change their priority. Mods lower in the list load last and override mods above them. If two mods conflict, try moving one above the other and restarting the game.
Backing up your game before modding
Before you install your first mod, copy your entire Stellar Blade game folder to another location on your computer. This takes a few minutes but saves you from having to reinstall the entire game if something goes wrong. Right-click the game folder in your Steam library, select "Browse", then copy the StellarBlade folder to your Documents or an external drive.
If a mod breaks your game and you cannot fix it by disabling mods, you can restore the backup and start over. This is much faster than reinstalling from Steam, which can take an hour or more depending on your internet speed.
After you have modded the game successfully and confirmed everything works, you can delete the backup to save space. But keep it while you are still experimenting with new mods.
Removing mods safely
To remove a mod completely, right-click it in Vortex and select "Uninstall". Vortex will delete the mod's files from your game folder. The mod will disappear from your mod list and will no longer affect the game.
If you want to keep the mod installed but turn it off temporarily, just uncheck its box instead of uninstalling it. The mod files stay on your computer and you can turn it back on later without downloading again.
After uninstalling a mod, restart the game once to make sure the change takes effect. Some mods leave behind small files that do not affect gameplay, but restarting clears them from the game's memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Vortex to install Stellar Blade mods?
Most mods require it, though some older or very straightforward mods can be installed manually by copying files into the game folder. The mod's page will state whether Vortex is needed. Using Vortex is safer because it keeps track of what you have installed and makes it straightforward to remove mods without leaving broken files behind.
Can I use mods from other websites besides Nexus Mods?
You can, but Nexus Mods is the safest source because the site scans uploads for malware and the community reports problems quickly. Other sites may host outdated versions or altered files. If you read from elsewhere, scan the file with antivirus software before installing.
What should I do if a mod crashes my game?
Disable the mod in Vortex and restart the game. If the crash stops, the mod is the problem. Check its page for known issues or conflicts, or try moving it higher or lower in the load order. If disabling the newest mod does not help, disable mods one at a time until the crash stops.
Will using mods get me banned from online play?
Stellar Blade does not have competitive online play, so mods do not affect multiplayer. However, some games ban players for using mods in online modes. Check Stellar Blade's official rules before using mods if you play any online features, though the game is primarily single-player.
Can I update a mod without losing my settings?
Usually yes. In Vortex, right-click the mod and select "Check for updates". If an update is available, Vortex will read and install it while keeping your configuration. Some mods reset their settings during updates, so check the mod's page for notes about what changes in the new version.