The best weapons in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are necessary to help you perform at your best during various combat scenarios. Due to their stats and perks, some of these items can be quite difficult to obtain, but the detour will be worth it. From two-handed swords to elegant, silent bows, any Dragonborn can find a powerful Skyrim weapon to suit your personal play style.
For those who wish to become incredibly powerful, a number of available weapons can help you achieve the build of your dreams. Experimenting with different types of weapons can be a great way to spice up your RPG experience until you find one that fits, making you nearly unstoppable on the battlefield.
25
Wuuthrad Battle Ax
Effective against Elves
Many of the game's battle axes are powerful, featuring high damage stats and enchantments for taking on powerful enemies, and Wuuthrad is no exception. It has a base damage of 25, which is enough to single-handedly kill most low-health enemies. However, it deserves extra praise because of its passive ability to deal 1.2x damage for each of the Ancient Scrolls Types of Elves.
To get Wuuthrad, you must ccomplete the 'Glory of the Dead' search. You can pick up and use one of Skyrim's best weapons by simply traveling back to the tomb after the quest is complete.
24
The Regretful Ax
Complete a morbid mission
The Rueful Ax is an artifact of the Daedric Prince Clavicus Vile, originally given to a wizard to cure his daughter of lycanthropy, but the battle ax is also available to the Dragonborn. That's it base damage output of 22 It rivals some of the best two-handed weapons, but can also be enchanted or upgraded like regular weapons to improve their usefulness.
To find the Rueful Axe, you must complete the mission called 'A Daedra's best friend. The hardest part of this mission is that you will need to fulfill Clavicus Vile's request to kill Barbas in Skyrim - but those willing to set their morality aside will receive one of the Skyrimthe most powerful weapons as a reward.
23
Champion's Staff
Inflict elemental damage to increase damage
Defeat General Falx Carius during the "March of the Dead" mission will allow you to loot the Champion's Staffa unique two-handed hammer. This weapon already deals great physical damage, dealing around 24 damage per hit. However, this hammer is also imbued with an effect called Chaos Magicwhich adds even more damage to your enemies.
The Chaos Magic skill Randomly deals 25 extra fire, ice, or shock damage with some of the blows you inflict with the club. While you can't predict which elemental damage will trigger, the large increase in your damage will help you take on tougher enemies or bosses. Many enemies have protection from the elements, so this weapon's effect may not always be effective.
22
Mehrunes' Razor
Can kill enemies in one hit
Mehrune's Razor has a 2% chance to knock down any enemy instantlywhich may seem a little low, but it's important to note that this includes even the most powerful enemies in the game (like dragons). This makes it a fantastic secondary weapon for any dual-wielding character build.
When completing 'Pieces of the Past,' you can get one of the best daggers in Skyrim and try your luck. However, it will be necessary to sacrifice Silus Vesuius in cold blood, as sparing him will allow him to return home, and Mehrune's Razor will become unobtainable for the rest of the game.
21
Nightingale Blade
Drains Health and Stamina
The Nightingale Blade is a leveled sword that deals 10-14 points of damage and simultaneously absorbs 5-25 points of health and stamina. It's a less invasive alternative to becoming a vampire in Skyrim and one of the most powerful weapons in the game.
Finding the Nightingale Blade involves completing the Thieves Guild quest, 'Difficult answers', and obtain the sword from Karliah, one of the three Nightingales. Those who wear the Nightingale Armor may be especially interested in completing their look with this weapon.
20
Nightingale Arc
Choose to attack from afar
Those whose builds do not complement the Nightingale Blade can also choose to obtain the Nightingale Arc from the same Thieves Guild mission. This bow scales with you, constantly growing in power until its damage reaches 19 when you reach level 45. However, this weapon also deals 30 Cold damage with each arrow that hits its target, making them slow enough for you to guarantee death.
When you reach the damage limit, the Nightingale Bow will also starts dealing 15 extra shock damage with your arrows, further increasing the damage. This bow is perfect for those committed to a stealth bow build, where critical attacks while hidden can hit almost anyone in one shot. Even when you are spotted, this bow deals around 64 overall damage with each shot, which will quickly tear through enemy health bars.
19
The Pale Blade
Make enemies fear the cold of death
THE Pale Blade is another one handed sword you can get inside the Frostmere Crypt area at the beginning of your adventures. One of the strongest weapons found in SkyrimAt first, The Pale Blade's base damage is 8-11, which seems a bit small compared to other tools. However, the Sword's special ability inflicts even more punishment on those who stand in its way.
Whenever you hit an enemy with The Pale Blade, you also inflict an enchantment called Ice Terror. This skill deals an extra 25 points of Cold damage with each hit and causes fear for 30 seconds against enemies who are likely to get scared. The ice damage reduces enemy health and stamina, but the Fear effect is what really makes this weapon useful.
Icy Terror's Fear effect varies depending on your level, so you can only make enemies flee if they are at a certain level. However, just the extra Ice damage is enough to make this weapon extremely strong at low levels for your Dragonborn.
18
Volendrung
Drain resistance to keep swinging
Another early game weapon you can get is Volendrunga two-handed Warhammer that swings as fast as any broadsword. Unlike other hammers, Volendrung appears to attack its enemies faster, causing a surprising impact. 25 damage per hit. Those who invest points in the Two-Handed skill tree can have even greater skills with this weapon, especially if they invest in this characteristic from the beginning of the adventure.
Volendrung can be found when you complete "The Cursed Tribe" quest, which asks you to work with an NPC named Atub to complete a ritual.
Volendrung too drains 50 Stamina from an enemy with each hitallowing you to greatly deplete your opponents' energy. This not only reduces your attacks, but also gives you energy to hit harder or use the weapon more. Each swing of a physical weapon requires Stamina, but with Volendrung, each strike nearly regenerates the Stamina needed to wield it in the first place.
17
Zephyr
Speed-Based Dwarven Bow
Zephyr, a unique dwarf bow, comes with a base damage output of 14, but your drawing stat 30% faster gives him one of the highest DPS values โโof all bows in Skyrim. The Dragonborn will never need to look for another ranged weapon again, especially when combined with the Quick Shot Archery perk, which offers an additional 30% draw speed.
The quest required to get the Zephyr is a bit difficult to find as it is triggered by reading a game book called 'The Aetherium Wars and then encounter a ghost named Katria in The Reach. However, ultimately it is one of the Skyrim side quests with the best rewards, as few bows in the game can match it in terms of power.
16
Blade of Doom
Astrid's Dark Brotherhood Dagger
The Blade of Woe is owned by Astrid, the leader of the infamous organization of assassins known as the Dark Brotherhood. Common base damage output of 12 and ability to absorb 10 health pointsis one of the most powerful weapons in the Skyrimdagger category.
Conveniently, there are several ways to obtain the Blade of Woe. Since Astrid is not an essential NPC, there is always the option of simply killing her and looting her corpse. Less murderous players can get their hands on him at the end of the Skyrim'Black Brotherhood'Death Incarnate' search. Finally, can also be stolen from Astridalthough you will need the Misdirection perk in the Stealth skill tree to succeed.
15
Dawnbreaker
Kill undead enemies
Dawnbreaker is a one-handed sword that deals 12 base damagebut shines against undead enemies and SkyrimIt's Draugr. In addition to the substantial burning damage it deals, it also triggers an AoE blast when fighting enemies from beyond the grave. This sword is a reward from Meridia for completing 'The dawn' mission, which may be a pain, but will grant you one of the Skyrimthe best weapons in the end.
However, those who became vampires in Skyrim you should avoid using Dawnbreaker as its special perks against the undead do not discriminate and will harm your character.
14
Chillrend
Freezes Enemies
Chillrend is a leveled weapon โ meaning the intensity of its power only increases with each level โ making it one of the best Skyrim weapons for new and veteran players. In its most powerful form, this one-handed sword cannot 30 points of ice damage to health and stamina against all enemies while activating a chance to paralyze them.
You can find the sword at the end of the Riftweald Manor tunnels during 'The chase.' Once you enter this area, it will permanently determine the level of the sword, so it's best to wait until level 46 to unlock the best possible version of Chillrend.
13
Mace of Molag Bal
Dominate and dominate enemies
Being the God of Destruction and a Daedric Prince of Oblivion, Molag Bal detests mortals and wishes to subjugate them. The Mace of Molag Bal is his artifact and, true to its name, is a powerful Skyrim weapon to acquire.
In addition to a base 25 damage to resistance and magic, the mace also fills any empty Soul Gems in your inventory if the target is defeated within 3 seconds. To obtain Molag Bal's Mace, the Dragonborn must complete the Daedric quest.The House of Horrors,' which hides an obscure Skyrim Easter egg that most players missed.
12
Bound Bow
Weapon Conjuration Spell
Although not a physical weapon, the Bound Bow is one of the best ranged weapons in the world. Skyrimclassified under the Conjuration spell category. You need the Adept skillwhich must be specified at level 50 to use this magical weapon. However, doing so allows you to quickly conjure a majestic ethereal version of the Daedric Bow and ethereal arrows at the expense of Magicka.
This weapon stands out from all other bows Skyrimas you won't have to worry about running out of ammo and having to craft or buy arrows. Although there is a limited amount you can cast in a specific period of time, you can simply use your mana to recast it. Put increasing the level of Magicka and Conjuration skills, you can summon Bound Bow whenever possibleensuring you're never left empty-handed in combat.
What's more, utilizing this as your main magical weapon will allow you to have a physical blade or sword in your possession. Skyrim in the other hand. This is an excellent measure for emergencies, such as if your mana runs out and the conjured bow disappears.
Additionally, using the Bound Bow offers many advantages beyond combat, such as if you are thrown into prison with all your items confiscated, you will have your bow. Using this weapon increases Conjuration and Archery skillsallowing you to simultaneously hone several unique proficiencies in Skyrim.
FudgeMuppet demonstrates how to find the Bound Bow early in the game and how you can quickly summon it. The YouTuber suggests leveling up to level 4, giving you +30 Magicka to meet casting requirements. See the table below for its basic stats and effects:
Linked Arc Features |
Statistics and effects |
School of Magic |
Conjuration |
Skill Level |
Adept (50) |
Basic Damage |
|
Effect |
|
Magic cost |
206 |
Tome of Spell |
Hiding under a lantern in a bucket in the northwest corner of Fort Amol prison |
With the Mystic Binding perk, the Bound Bow's base damage increases by +6 to 24. Use the Quiet Casting perk to summon it silently, so as not to reveal your position in a stealth run. These advantages make it the strongest bow in the world SkyrimUseful for both magic and ranged weapon users.
11
Wind shear
A unique scimitar
Scimitars are hard to find in general, and as they tend to be underpowered, most Dragonborn will have few qualms with them. The only exception to this rule, however, is Windshear, who has a unique enchantment that makes him worth finding (as opposed to using alchemy on Skyrim, which is not worth it).
Slashing with this one-handed sword can paralyze the enemy, but hacking and slashing with it regularly will also deal a significant amount of damage.
You must look around to get this powerful Skyrim weapon on the Katariah, a ship that can will only be accessed during the 'Hail Sithis! search for the Black Brotherhood. Windshear can be found on the front bow, embedded deep into the wooden beam.
10
Magnus's Staff
Effective against sorcerers
'The Staff of Magnus' is one of the most challenging missions in Skyrim, but it allows you to get an immensely strong team with the same name. This absorbs 20 magicka per secondbut if the target is out of magicka, it will begin draining 20 life points per second. This makes it especially advantageous against mages. During the quest, you must defeat a highly capable Dragon Priest in Skyrim.
To even the odds, it is advisable to take one or two followers. After all, those who win will discover that they are an absolute threat against sorcerers with the Staff of Magnus.
9
Blood Blade
Fire beams of energy for massive damage
The two-handed broadsword known as Blood Blade deals a modest 21 damage per hit, but this weapon has one of the most unique abilities in Skyrim. Each time you launch a strong attack with this weapon, a beam of energy is generated as a lethal projectile. You can choose to create a horizontal or vertical beam based on your movements.
The Bloodskal Blade is similar to the Moonlight Greatsword in Dark Souls titles, but the blade has the same stats as a Glass Greatsword at the start. Each energy beam you cast deals 30 extra damagegreatly improving the Broadsword's overall effectiveness. With the right Smithing and Two-Handed perks, you can make these beams even stronger to destroy enemies anywhere within 15 feet of your character.
8
Auriel's Arc
Effective against undead enemies
Auriel's Bow is an artifact belonging to the elven god Auriel and has some pretty cool features. For one, its base damage of 13 is quite high for a bow, making it an excellent choice for ranged fights. Also applies 20 points of solar damage to the targetwhich is equivalent to the base game's fire damage.
Thanks to its tripled effectiveness against undead enemies and its low draw time, Auriel's Bow is one of the Skyrimthe best weapons. You can receive it at end of 'Touching the sky' search, which requires the Dawnguard DLC.
7
Soul Surrender and Blood Scythe
The best duo
Soulrender and Bloodscythe form a harmonious but underrated combination, as do Skyrimthe most perfect armor combos. When used together, scimitars will deal 15 points of damage for both health and magicka, and they also have a chance to reduce the effectiveness of an enemy's armor, making them a well-rounded choice for just about any battle.
Soulrender and Bloodscythe can be found in Dragonborn DLC through 'Mark of Death' search. In this, these powerful Skyrim weapons will be found near the remains of their previous owner, a pirate named Haknir Death-Brand.
Surrender of Souls |
Statistics and effects |
Blood Scythe |
Statistics and effects |
Classroom |
One-handed sword |
Classroom |
One-handed sword |
Basic Damage |
13 |
Basic Damage |
13 |
Effects |
When wielded with Bloodscythe, it absorbs 15 magicka and has a chance to lower the target's magical defenses. |
Effects |
When wielded with Soulrender, it absorbs 15 health and can lower the target's armor. |
Update material |
Ebony Ingot |
Update material |
Ebony Ingot |
Advantage |
Daedric Metallurgy |
Advantage |
Daedric Metallurgy |
6
The Dragonbone Mace
Craftable one-handed weapon
The Dragonbone line of weapons, which is available in Dawnguard expansion, features some of the most versatile weaponry in the game. The Dragonbone Mace is an excellent example, as it has the highest base damage of any craftable one-handed weapon.
It can be created in a forge, but you can also get it defeating one of the three Keepers in the Soul CairnWhere do souls go after being captured in Skyrim. While they will need a Smithing level of 100 and the Dragon Armor perk to craft this weapon, they will only need to have a character level of 45 to find it on a Guardian's body during the "Chasing Echoes"search.