Skyrim: 30 Best Weapons [Expert Recommendations]

There is a variety of weapons available in Skyrim. The sheer number of weapons and how difficult some of them are to obtain makes it impossible for the players to test out all of them. Often the players use a weapon that might seem strong on paper but is weak in reality. That is why you should know what are the best Weapons in all of Skyrim.

Best Skyrim Weapons

Auriel’s Bow

The first enchantment deals fire damage, and the second inflicts Sun damage on undead thrice, making it a potent bow. Upon acquiring it, special arrows become available: Sunhallowed Arrows emit damaging beams of light and cause AoE sun damage on direct hits. Bloodcursed Arrows obscure the sun, creating a false night where Vampires can attack towns for a day.

How To Get

From my experience, it is acquired in the Touching The Sky quest. You will have to go to the Darkfall Cave. There, at the end of the Cave, you kill the Arch-Curate Vyrthur. Then Gelebor will reward you with the Auriel’s Bow.

Blade Of Woe

The Blade of Woe features high base damage and absorbs 10 Health per hit, making it effective against armored foes. Dagger users can benefit from the Stealth tree’s perks, dealing up to 15x damage with one strike, offering potent damage potential for stealthy players.

How To Get

Personally, I’ve discovered that you can obtain the Blade of Woe through a few different methods. First, pickpocket it from Astrid, preferably at higher levels. Alternatively, acquire it in the quest ‘With Friends Like These’ by killing Astrid and looting the blade. Lastly, it becomes available for you to collect near the end of the ‘Death Incarnate’ quest.

Bloodscythe & Soulrender

For players who favor dual-wielding weapons and seek an edge against Magicka users, the next best weapon in Skyrim Special Edition offers a compelling option. This weapon not only deals damage but also absorbs Health and Magicka while reducing the target’s defenses, making it an effective choice for quickly dispatching magical foes.

Stats: Soulrender

• Base Damage: 13
• Weight: 10
• Base Value: 1,000 Gold
• Enchantment: When wielded with Bloodscythe, absorb 15 Magicka has a chance to lower the target’s magic defense.
• Location: Looted from Haknir Death-Brand’s skeleton in Gyldenhul Barrow.

How To Get

Bloodscythe and Soulrender are found in Gyldenhul Barrow during the Deathbrand quest. Bloodscythe is obtained before facing Haknir Death-Brand’s ghost, while Soulrender is acquired after defeating him. These one-handed swords have 13 base damage and weigh 10, completing the Pirate King armor set upon quest completion.

Bloodskal Blade

If you are going with a swordsman build then from my experience the Bloodskal Blade is one of the best Two-Handed Greatswords for you. It can deal quite high damage in close combat with enemies. But, there is an additional benefit to its enchantment. It will throw out an arc of red energy in your desired direction.

How To Get

It becomes available in The Final Descent quest. You’ll find it in the Bloodskal Barrow when you find Gratian Caerellius’ corpse. While acquiring it, you’ll have to use it in one of the puzzles to finish the quest. That in my opinion will be a great introduction to the weapon’s ability.

Bow Of Shadows

The Bow of Shadows is a top choice for stealth archers in Skyrim. Its enchantment grants invisibility for 30 seconds when drawn, allowing for sneaky maneuvers. Additionally, its 20% faster draw speed can be handy in tight situations. You acquire this bow by defeating an assassin.

How To Get

You come across it in the quest ‘In The Shadows’. In that quest, the Steward of Whiterun tells you of a plot to uncover the potential assassination of Jarl Balgruuf. As you go through the quest, you end up in Whiterun, where you must find the Assassin. You can loot the bow from his body when the assassin is killed.

Champion’s Cudgel

The Champion’s Cudgel has quite a good base damage for a Warhammer, which shows it doesn’t lack in that section. With each strike you perform with it, there is a 50 percent chance it will do 25 points of any or all three elemental attacks. Remember, that is all on top of the Cudgel’s base damage. All in all, from my experience, even one hit will have your opponents running on their heels.

How To Get

You’ll get the Champion’s Cudgel in the ‘March of the Dead’ quest. When you progress through the quest and get to Fort Frostmoth, you’ll come across General Falx Carius. He’ll be wielding the Champion’s Cudgel so be wary when fighting him to defeat him to loot the Warhammer.

Chillrend

Chillrend is one of the most powerful one-handed swords in Skyrim, boasting the highest base damage when obtained at player level 46 or higher. Its base damage scales with the player’s level, making it essential to acquire it at a higher level for maximum effectiveness. Waiting until level 46 or above ensures optimal damage output from both the sword and its enchantment.

How To Get

During The Pursuit quest in Riften, head into Mercer Frey’s house and steal his plans. Inside, you’ll discover a secret office with Mercer’s belongings, including the potent Chillrend sword. Pick it up.

Dawnbreaker

For those who enjoy exploring crypts and battling undead in dungeons, I discovered that there’s no superior weapon than the Dawnbreaker.

This rare one-handed sword is acquired after aiding a Daedric Prince in the game. While its base damage may not be exceptionally high, its enchantment sets it apart. It inflicts burning damage on enemies and detonates upon striking the undead, making it the ideal sword for hunting vampires or defeating draugrs.

How To Get

To obtain this sword, complete Skyrim’s quest, “The Break of Dawn,” featuring Meridia’s Beacon. After defeating the necromancer Malkoran, Meridia will instruct you to claim the Dawnbreaker and then this sword becomes yours.

Dawnguard Rune Axe

If you don’t feel that the Dawnbreaker is the best one-handed weapon in the game to hunt down Vampires or Undead, the next one definitely is. That is the Dawnguard Rune Axe with a unique enchantment. It is not designed to deal damage traditionally. Its enchantment is the main damage-dealing part of the Axe.

The TL:DR version of the Enchantment is that it is capped at 100, and in our testing, the number counter didn’t reset. Now, it might be different for you as several different bug fixes are available for the game. Do let me know how it went with you.

How To Get

The Dawnguard Rune Axe becomes available in a rather rare quest. It is named the Lost Relic, which becomes available after you have completed several different Radiant side quests. Then, Florentuis Baenius will give you the Lost Relic quest, and in the end, you will get the Axe as the reward.

Dragonbane

The Dragonbane, as the name suggests, is a Dragon killer. It is a Katana that the Blades used in the past to assist the Dragonborn. From my experience, the enchantment on the Sword is the real deal.

It can deal high damage to the dragons. But it doesn’t become useless when you’ve dealt with all the dragons, and it will also deal 10 damage to others. To get the highest base damage of the sword and the highest extra damage from the enchantment, you must ensure you’re at least level 46.

How To Get

You’ll get it in the main questline “Alduin’s Wall”. You’ll find it in the main chamber in the Sky Haven Temple. At that time, you can pick it up with the Blade Armor because it will be considered stealing after the quest ends. Pick up both the Sword and the Armor to become the true Dragonborn.

Dragonbone Dagger

The Dragonbone Dagger has high base damage among all daggers. And it surely is a powerful one in the game. Only the Blade of Woe has as high damage as it. But it takes the edge on attack speed. As it has no built-in enchantment, you can get any enchantment you want on the Dagger. 

How To Get

If you want to make the Dragonbone Dagger, you must get into it. You’ll have to level up your smithing to level 100 for that. Then you’ll unlock the Dragon Armor perk, allowing you to make the said Dagger. Once you have acquired the perk, you will then need the following components.

• 1x Dragon Bone
• 1x Leather Strip

Dragonbone War Axe

Another item from the Dragon Armor set has made it to our list of Best Weapons available in Skyrim, even in 2023. We’re talking about the Dragonbone War Axe.

You’ll find that it is the highest base damage of War Axes in the game. But, there is a slight catch; it is also the heaviest of them all. But we’re sure that weight will be secondary by the time you acquire it. With all that, you can get a custom enchantment, in my opinion making it a deadly War Axe.

How To Get

As mentioned, the Dragon Armor perk becomes available later in the game. You’ll need 100 Smithing to unlock the Dragon Armor perk.  With the Perk ready, make sure you have these components ready.

• 1x Dragon Bone
• 1x Ebony Ingot
• 2x Leather Strips

With all that, you can move on to crafting it. As I mentioned a while ago, you can acquire it from an NPC, too. That is if you are completing the Beyond Death quest. In it, you’ll come across 3 Keepers in Soul Cairn. One of which wields the Dragonbone War Axe.

Drainblood Battleaxe

The Drainblood Battleaxe, a Ghost Weapon, is one of four with unique enchantments. Unlike Ancient Nord weapons, these are lighter and deadlier. The Drainblood Battleaxe has excellent damage for its weight of just 5 points. It boasts a superb enchantment, but there’s a catch we’ll explain shortly.

How To Get 

This unique Battleaxe is not a random find. To obtain it, complete the special quest ‘The Staff of Magnus’ in Labyrinthian, where it’s easy to miss.

The catch: the Battleaxe has just one charge, requiring a soul gem for a refill. Despite this, it’s a powerful weapon, providing a satisfying feel. Some players report the enchantment may not require a Soul Gem to recharge, depending on the game version.

Dwarven Black Bow Of Fate

Obtain the Dwarven Black Bow of Fate, a unique and powerful bow, by completing a challenging puzzle. It boasts a deadly enchantment, potentially eliminating enemies in one shot. A must-have for Archer builds. While its base damage is surpassed by some bows, its enchantment shines a chance to absorb 25 points of any or all attributes with each hit, albeit rarely.

How To Get

It is acquired in The Kagrumez Gauntlet quest. In the quest, you’ll have to go to Kagrumez, the Dwarven ruins. There, you’ll have to complete a few puzzles, and then after defeating waves of enemies, you’ll get to a treasure room. There will be the Dwarven Black Bow of Fate, among many other treasures, in the Treasure Room.

Ebony Blade

The Ebony Blade absorbs 10 Health from opponents, but you must kill a few friendly characters to unlock this ability. Ensure they aren’t important NPCs; it’s best to target completed quest characters or less vital NPCs like Farmers. You’ll need to eliminate 10 NPCs to achieve 30 points of Health Absorption.

While its base damage is modest, comparable to an Iron Greatsword’s 16 base damage, the Ebony Blade’s primary feature lies in its enchantment.

How To Get

The Blade is acquired in the quest The Whispering Door. It becomes available after you have completed the Dragon Rising quest and are of level 20. Once you have completed the quest, you will get the last object to retrieve the Ebony Blade. Retrieve it, and you will have a deadly weapon with you.

Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow

In Skyrim, you’ll discover numerous potent weapons, some originating from the Dwarves. Although the Dwarves are long gone, their technology and ruins have left remarkable items, like the Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow. Crossbows, introduced in the Dawnguard DLC, are not part of the vanilla game. The Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow is one of the game’s most powerful weapons due to its high base damage and enchantment.

With its significant base damage, a single shot can severely wound opponents. The enchantment is even more devastating, as it bypasses half of the most powerful opponents’ defenses.

How To Get

Obtain the Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow during the Ancient Technology quest by collecting schematics for Sorine Jurard. She’ll craft it after you retrieve schematics for six different items.

Additionally, if you didn’t side with Harkon in the ‘Bloodline’ quest, you can later learn to craft it yourself. To do so, visit Fort Dawnguard’s Blacksmith’s forge and gather the following components:

• 1x Dwarven Crossbow
• 2x Quicksilver Ingots

Glass Bow Of The Stag Prince

If you ask me, the Glass Bow of the Stag Prince suits hunters and alchemy enthusiasts. With relatively high base damage and a fortifying enchantment, it allows for substantial damage with one shot.

Its enchantment, the Blessing of the Stag Prince, grants you 5 Health and Stamina points for every 20 animals you kill, maxing out at 80 animals killed for a total of 25 points in both attributes.

How To Get

The Glass Bow of the Stag Prince, considered one of the game’s most challenging weapons to obtain, is wielded by Falas Selvayn. He can be found at Ramshackle Trading Post between 12 AM and 5 PM, but you can’t buy it from him or loot it.

To acquire it, you can use exploits such as the Misdirection Perk to pickpocket the equipped item or give him a better weapon to make him unequip it. From my experience, there are various other exploits that can be used to obtain the bow.

Harkon’s Sword

Harkon’s Sword is a one-handed sword with 8 base damage but becomes highly effective for vampires due to its unique enchantment. This enchantment absorbs 15 points each of Health, Magicka, and Stamina, but only works if wielded by a vampire. While its base damage may not be impressive compared to other weapons, its ability to cripple opponents with a single hit makes it a valuable weapon for vampire characters.

How To Get

To obtain Harkon’s Sword in the Dawnguard DLC, progress through the main questline until you reach the “Kindred Judgment” quest where you’ll encounter Harkon. You can acquire the sword by either killing Harkon and looting it from his body or pickpocketing it from him, although this requires a higher level due to its stats and value. Once obtained, it’s ideal for use in a Vampire build and can even be dual-wielded with other weapons to amplify damage.

Mace Of Molag Bal

Our next weapon, the Mace of Molag Bal, belongs to a sinister Daedric Prince known for causing chaos. It’s a black mace with a green enchantment, adorned with numerous spikes. Despite its lower base damage compared to the Dragonbone Mace’s 17, the Mace of Molag Bal weighs 6 points less and boasts a potent built-in enchantment.

How To Get

You’ll acquire the Mace of Molag Bal once you have finished The House of Horrors quest. It is the same quest that starts once you enter the Abandoned House in Markarth. In the quest, if you follow Molag Bal’s instructions and kill Logrolf with the Rusted Mace, you will get the Mace of Molag Bal. And with that, the quest will end.

Miraak’s Sword

Miraak’s Sword, belonging to the antagonist of the Dragonborn DLC, boasts the game’s highest base damage and weighs just 3 points. It’s arguably Skyrim’s best sword, and it grows tentacles with each hit without altering the sword’s range.

The sword’s base damage varies from 12 to 16, depending on your character’s level. For maximum damage (16), undertake the quest when your character is above level 60, while its enchantment remains consistent.

How To Get

To obtain the sword, complete the Dragonborn DLC by finishing the quest ‘At the Summit of Apocrypha’ and defeating Miraak, a Dragonborn who misused his powers and returned from the Realm of Apocrypha to cause havoc. Along with the sword, you’ll obtain Miraak’s Staff and his outfit.

Nightingale Bow

The Nightingale Bow scales with the player’s level, making it a powerful early-game weapon. However, for maximum damage and enchantment benefits, wait until you reach level 46 or higher. At lower levels, its base damage is 12, but it increases to 19 at level 46. Similarly, its enchantment grows from 10 points Frost and 5 points Shock to 30 points Frost and 15 points Shock at level 46+.

How To Get

The Nightingale Bow, as the name suggests, belongs to the Thieves Guild. And you acquire the bow once you have completed the quest Blindsighted. In the quest, you have to retrieve the Skeleton Key from Mercer Frey, who uses it for his personal gains. Once you have retrieved the key, you can talk to Karliah, who will then reward you with the Bow. 

Okin

One of the weapons that belong to the Ancient Nord Legends is the Okin. You can call Okin’s damage the average Base Damage for a War Axe as it is not special. But remember, it has the lowest weight in War Axes. Its enchantment is a powerful one. That can damage both Health and Stamina.

How To Get

You can acquire the Okin War Axe in the quest Silenced Tongues. In that quest, you will have to enter Volunruud. There you’ll have to go through several different objectives and then open the Elder’s Cairn. After that, you’ll have to defeat Kvenel, who will then drop the Okin.

Sanguine Rose

The Sanguine Rose is a unique Daedric Artifact in Skyrim, conjuring a Dremora ally for a short duration. While it may be less useful for Master Conjurers, its enchantment remains potent. The summoned Dremora’s strength scales with your level, with the most powerful Dremora, the Dremora Valkynaz, summoned at level 46 or higher. When considering staves, prioritize enchantments over base damage.

How To Get

You can get the Staff in the quest ‘A Night to Remember’. In the quest, Sam Guevenne will ask you for a drinking contest, later on, through a series of objectives, where you will have to find Sam after going through several different locations. You’ll finally find Sam in Morvunskar. There he will reveal that he was the Daedrick Prince Sanguine. He will then give you the Daedric Artifact, the Sanguine Rose.

Staff Of Magnus

Mages in Skyrim have limited weapon options, but one standout choice is The Staff of Magnus, obtained through a series of quests. While it has no physical damage like other staves, its enchantment is exceptionally potent. This enchantment absorbs the targeted opponent’s health and, once depleted, transfers to the staff wielder.

How To Get

You’ll get the Staff of Magnus during the College of WIinterhold’s quests. There, you’ll have to go through a series of quests until you get to the Staff of Magnus quest. In the Quest, your goal is to retrieve the Staff of Magnus in Labyrinthian. During that time, you’ll also acquire the Drainblood Battleaxe, among other Ghost Weapons. The Dragon Priest Morokei carries the Staff. You’ll have to defeat him and then loot it from his body.

The Longhammer

Orcish weapons, renowned for their lethality, represent the warrior race well. The Longhammer, a unique Orcish weapon, stands out. From my experience, while it may not be as powerful as a typical Orcish Warhammer, it offers distinct advantages. It maintains the same damage while being significantly lighter.

The base damage may not excel for a Warhammer, but it aligns with typical Orcish Warhammer values. What sets the Longhammer apart is its unique enchantment: it boasts the fastest swing speed among all Warhammers.

How To Get

You’ll find the Longhammer in a quest named Lair’s Retreat. In the quest, you’ll have to investigate what happened at the said Lair. When you’re investigating, you’ll find that the Lair got attacked by Falmers. You’ll then have to defeat all of the Falmers and then locate Rahd. You’ll find that he was attacked by Falmers and used as a sacrifice. Claim his Longhammer.

The Rueful Axe

The Rueful Axe is a powerful Battleaxe in Skyrim, offering above-average base damage and a relatively low weight. Its enchantment, which drains 20 points of the enemy’s stamina with each hit, is highly effective in hindering opponents’ mobility and defensive capabilities. Utilized strategically, this axe can greatly enhance combat effectiveness.

How To Get

To obtain The Rueful Axe, explore the Falkreath region, where you’ll learn of a talking dog named Barbas. Complete the quest “A Daedra’s Best Friend,” which involves killing the dog, as instructed by Clavicus Vile, to receive the axe. Despite its low weight, it’s slower than most other weapons in the game, unlike the faster Longhammer.

Volendrung

The Volendrung, which is also known as the Hammer of Might, is a powerful Daedric Artifact. You’ll find that the Volendrung has appeared throughout the Elder Scroll series. It is a powerful legacy weapon.

Volendrung has the fourth-highest Base Damage among all Warhammer. Also, it is the second fastest Warhammer in Skyrim, only behind The Longhammer. But that isn’t the highlight of it. Its enchantment is what makes it unique. It has quite a high value of absorption, and with a few hits, your opponents’ stamina will deplete.

How To Get

To obtain the Volendrung Warhammer, complete “The Cursed Tribe” quest by aiding the orc tribe in Largashbur and summoning a Daedric lord. During the quest, retrieve a specific hammer and place it at the Daedric Prince’s shrine. It will transform into Volendrung, which you must pick up immediately, as it cannot be retrieved later.

Windshear

One of Skyrim’s most elusive weapons is the Windshear, hidden in a seemingly random location. It’s a Scimitar with a unique, potent enchantment that immobilizes your opponents, rendering them unable to attack you for as long as you desire.

While the base damage isn’t particularly high, the Scimitar’s enchantment sets it apart. It provides a 39% chance to paralyze your enemies for 0.1 seconds, causing them to repeatedly stagger and struggle to regain their footing if timed correctly.

How To Get

The Windshear is obtained during the “Hail Sithis!” quest in the Dark Brotherhood storyline, where your objective is to assassinate the Emperor. This quest marks the final contract-based task for the Dark Brotherhood. On The Katariah, the Emperor’s ship, you’ll find the Windshear on the main deck, near the ship’s bow, where it is embedded in the wood.

Wuuthrad

How To Get

In the quest Glory to the Dead, you’ll get the Wuuthrad crafted from the Eorlund Gray-Mane. For that, you’ll have to collect the shards of the Battleaxe. Now the last shard was with Kodlak Whitemane, which you’ll have to retrieve from his room. Then you will get the Wuuthrad crafted by Eorlund.

Zephyr

One of the fastest bows in Skyrim is the Zephyr Bow. It has a very short draw time which is faster than almost all bows in the game except for the Long Bow. It is a unique dwarven bow that belonged to Katria. The enchantment that you get with the bow ensures that it is quite useful for you. Its faster draw speed makes it quite useful if there is a gap between you and the enemy.

Stats

• Base Damage: 12
• Weight: 10
• Base Value: 670 Gold
• Enchantment: Fires 30% faster than a standard bow.
• Location: Dwemer Ruins of Arkngthamz

How To Get

Zephyr is acquired in a quest in the Dawnguard DLC. The Quest’s name is Lost to the Ages. In the quest, you’ll have to travel to the Dwarven ruins of Arkngthamz. There, you’ll encounter the ghost of Katria, which will tell you that she once explored these ruins. As you progress through the ruins, you’ll find her bow on a Log by a huge drop. You’ll have to pick up the bow carefully.

Alternative Picks

Here are some other weapons in Skyrim that I didn’t mention in my list due to specific reasons.

• Rueful Axe: Higher base damage than most of the weapons but it’s very slow.
• Ghostblade: Has an armor piercing effect but it is outclassed by other weapons.
• Glass Sword: A good weapon for light-armor builds but has a slightly lower critical damage.
• Staff of Paralysis: Has the spell of paralyzing the enemies for 10 seconds but the staff itself doesn’t do any damage.

With that, we conclude our list of Best Weapons of Skyrim Special Edition in 2023. A few of these allow you to make anyone your Wife, such as Serana. These mods can also alter the Armor Cap. Not only that, there are a lot of different methods to earn money. Using the Transmute Spell is one of the best methods for that.

A lot of these weapons have unique enchantments. One will turn you invisible, whereas the other will make literal sun strike the enemy and many more. Now whichever suits you will depend on your needs if you find any great weapon that we have missed let us know.