Skyrim: 25 Best Two-Handed Weapons [Hands-on Guide]

There is a vast array of weaponry in Skyrim, and they are all categorized into weapon types. You could find one-handed weapons or bows, and all can be used in combat effectively. The best two-handed weapons in Skyrim can be used to give those heavy blows in Skyrim. That gives the weapons an advantage over the enemy. It has a better and stronger swing.

First and foremost, make sure to check out the Best two-handed weapons in Skyrim comparison table below:

Battle Axes

This section will be talking about the Battle Axes, which of course, upon first sight, you can see are really cool. Along with looking cool, they give great damage to the many monstrous creatures. 

These Battle Axes are more forceful and sharper than a Warhammer. Thus giving an amazing amount of damage with an incredible swing power. All of the Battle Axes mentioned here are the best two-handed weapons you can probably acquire, especially in the early stages of the game. 

Drainblood 

When you look at the Drainblood Battle Axe, you can see how stunning it really is. Just judging visually is enough for any Skyrim player to want to get their hands on it. The weapon has a translucent blue hue to it making it a bit unique when compared to other Battle Axes. Drainblood is the type of two-handed weapon that can be considered best for close combat ranges in Skyrim. You can easily kill heavy beings with a single blow.

You cannot upgrade the weapon on the Grindstones, but to be honest, the weapon doesn’t really need one. Its enchantment and base damage are best used against Monsters earlier in Skyrim, which makes the Drainblood Axe a good choice for an early weapon.

• The Drainblood can be found while you’re on the “Staff Of Magnus” quest in Labyrinthian.
• You can give about 21 damage to the opponent, which is pretty good.
• The best thing about this two-handed weapon is its enchantment.
• There is particular recharging required for the weapon, and it gives about 15 points of health damage.
• Each swing will take 15 points, and it’ll be continuous without any charge plus, you will be able to absorb that health. 

The Rueful Axe 

The Rueful Axe is certainly a pretty-looking axe design-wise, as it looks more and more intimidating with its grim look. Rueful Axe is surely contending for the top spot of the best two-handed weapon in Skyrim, as it is also the anniversary edition weapon.

You can see how beautifully the axe is designed, with two howling wolves surrounding its main axe. That is an ode towards to continuation of the story of Sebastian’s daughter becoming one.

• Rueful Axe deals about 22 damage per swing, which is good enough to kill bigger opponents like dragons.
• The best part about the two-handed weapon is its enchantment, through which you can deal stamina damage of about 20 points.
• The two-handed weapon type can be best used in the early stages.
• There is only one way you can get the two-handed weapon, and that is by doing the mission known as “A Daedric’s Best Friend.” 

Steel Battle Axe Of Fiery Souls

The Axe we are talking about now is rather simple and elegant with the design of a runic axe. You could see how much thought was put into designing the battle axe.

Steel Battle Axe Of Fiery Souls is basically a steel battle axe which is a rather strong component to use with an axe. One of the main reasons why it is called the best two-handed weapon type axe is because of the enchantment it has.

There have been many speculations on Reddit as to why it is considered one of the best two-handed weapon-type battle axes in Skyrim. Most of the bosses, like the dragon priests, can be slayed easily with the help of the steel axe.  See, sometimes steel is better than making gold by transmute spell. Okay, these were the base facts about the weapon, but there is more!

• The base damage is just 18 points but wait for the extra bonuses it has.
• You get another 10 points of fire damage.
• Its enchantment allows you to fill up the soul gems for each kill, which, if you think about it, is pretty nifty.
• The weapon can be found towards the end of the Ironbind Barrow along the word wall. 

Dragonbone Battle Axe 

You can find the Dragonbone material in almost every category of weapons in Skyrim. Especially the heavy weaponry with strong and agile strikes like the Battle Axes. The Dragonbone material can be really hard to find, considering what you have to go through to get it.

The substance can be crafted into powerful two-handed weapons and is as rare as a Dragon Priest Mask. What you should craft with the material is the Dragonbone Battle Axe. The statistics of the two-handed weapon type are mind-boggling, considering it is best with raw power.

• The base damage of the Dragonbone Battle Axe is 26, which is amazingly high.
• The axe cannot be found at a specific location like the other weapons. If you kill even one of the keepers in Soul Cairn, you will be able to get it.
• The two-handed weapon type is not only retrieved from their killing, but you can craft the best version of it, even early in the game. 

Wuuthrad

Now onto more of the special kind of two-handed weapons in the game. The Wuuthrad is easily one of, if not the best two-handed weapon-type battle axes in Skyrim, as suggested and agreed upon by many users on Reddit. What’s special about the Wuuthrad is the in-game effect it has on the Elven community. 

The Wuuthrad is a pretty “rad” choice of a two-handed weapon type, and it is best if you have some sort of enchantment added to it, so it becomes the best of its potential. When it comes to Wuuthrad, you can see apart from the oh-so-good effect as you can add another enchantment to it.

• Wuuthrad has a base damage of 25 in Skyrim, which is plenty to kill bigger foes. 

Daedric 

As of now, the Daedric artifacts have been seriously powerful, especially seeing these two-handed Skyrim weapons. They have dominated each field of weaponry whilst competing with rare materials such as the Dragonbone and Skyforge Steel. 

Lookswise, the Daedric Battle Axe is a bit aggressive of the designers, but it is incredibly powerful. The Daedric Battle Axe is especially powerful in the hands of a two-handed weapon character type, so best use them. You can just simply wear light armor and let the powers of the Axe do their job. 

• You can easily get the two-handed weapon type early on in Skyrim, but it won’t be enchanted.
• Later in the game, the two-handed weapon type can be enchanted, so best do it to the core.
• Most of the chests in the world will start giving out the Daecric Battle Axe after you reach level 30.
• However, you can always just simply kill off a dragon to get the enchanted version.

Tsun’s Battle Axe 

Easily the best two-handed weapon is Tsun’s Battle Axe which is introduced in the game early on.  Tsun has been seen wielding this amazing axe, and it looks absolutely magnificent in his hands. Emphasis on “his hands” because you cannot wield the axe on your own in the game. The game has made it somewhat inaccessible for the players to wield the weapon on their own.

It was pretty much a drag until the game code and schematics were leaked so that various mods could be made. You can find various mods of Skyrim on Reddit and now wield the two-handed weapon type easily.  Normally you won’t go out of your way just to get a battle axe, but it is something interesting that the game can deliver. 

• The Interesting Lore of Tsun’s battle axe is why it is worth mentioning in the list.
• The base of damage of 27 makes the weapon the most powerful battle axe.
• In the world of Skyrim, you can pretty much use this weapon to defeat every mythical monster! 

Headman’s Axe 

Now onto the more normally obtainable weaponry, we have the Headman’s Axe. This unique Battle Axe proves that you need more than sheer base strength to kill foes. If you look at the design and structure of the weapon, you can see it is pretty long.

In order to get the weapon, you must either kill off Ahtar or make him a follower. You could kill him off and just take the weapon. It’ll be more humane of you to just take it from his inventory after making him a follower, just like Serena. You will have yourself a unique weapon at hand afterward, so either way, it makes it worth it.

The Paralyze or Decapitation are good enchantments to go with Headman’s Axe, plus the Nightingale Armor will provide a much-needed defense.  

• The length advantage also comes along to push away the close-ranged attackers of Skyrim, such as trolls.
• You can kill Ahtar to attain Headman’s Axe quicker. 
• Headman’s Axe has just damage of 17. 

The Woodman’s Friend 

Most of the weapons discussed can be a little hard for beginners to obtain right away. That is where Woodman’s Friend shines because it can be achieved and taken from any point in the game. With the help of Reddit, you can even modify the two-handed weapon type to your best liking in Skyrim.

As a collector of weapons, you should definitely at the weapon to your arsenal. If you’re not a beginner, of course, you won’t need it, but having one will improve your collection.

• The main base damage of the axe is about 17, which is more than a normal Iron Ore one.
• You cannot make enchantment over the two-handed weapon, so it’s best to stick to mods for it in Skyrim.
• There is only one way of finding the Woodman’s Friend, and its literal name hints at it.
• Just about moving towards the southeast side of Conjurer’s Altar, you will find it.
• It will be found lying on the dirt, ready to be picked up and used in battle. 

Stalhrim’s Battle Axe 

Now, who doesn’t like a Stalhrim-based weapon in their hands? The blue-stoned material can pretty much make any weapon type into the best version of itself, especially when it comes to the two-handed ones in Skyrim. While most Reddit users argue about using the material for the two-handed Greatsword weapon type, one could always choose the Battle Axe over it. 

The Greatsword version may be just a tad fast, but the incredible power that the axe provides is indomitable. You can pretty much dominate each opponent “double” handed with just its sheer strength. Stalhrim Battle Axe is strength-wise identical to that of a Dragonbone material which is famously gathered in the world of Skyrim. 

• The weapon can be enchanted with a Freezing-powered enchantment such as Frost Damage.
• It is 25% stronger when set on weapons crafted from Stalhrim material.
• So it is better you use it to increase your chances of survival in the cruel yet fun world of Skyrim.
• The main base damage of the weapon is 24, with a weight of 25.

Greatswords 

The famous Greatswords have been part of Skyrim and dominated the battlefield when held by the Dragonborn. When compared to the normal single-handed weapon, the Greatswords are much more powerful.

The damage done by the Greatswords is worth the slow swing it has. That occurs because of how heavy the Greatswords have been designed to be. In comparison to the other two-handed weapons, Greatswords are much faster. 

Bloodskal Blade 

This two-handed weapon is special at heart and has been considered one of the more preferred choices of weapon. Not only does the weapon look incredible, but it can also deal a massive amount of damage. The damage is in the form of an energy surge.

The two-handed weapon type has a ranged power attack enchantment which is best used against multiple projectiles in Skyrim. That is why Bloodskal Balde is considered one of the Best two-handed weapons in Skyrim by the users of Reddit. 

In order to find the Greatsword, you must do a certain quest. You will be able to find the quest in the Raven Rocks. When you just arrive at the place, you will find yourself a warrior named Crescius Caerellius. 

• You inflict damage of 30 with the blasts, and it destroys anything coming in its path.
• The Blood Red blade has damage of about 21.
• The weapon’s weight is just 16, which is why Bloodskal Blade is so fast with an outlandish swing.

Orcish 

Onto the more commonly used Greatsword, we have the Orcish. It is special not just because of its rugged look but its capabilities as a weapon. You can get the two-handed weapon type early on in Skyrim as it requires no such best fancy enchantment. The Orish is simply a weapon for the beginners of the game who are looking to find a nice Greatsword.

If you know how to keep a Greatsword well and intact, you can figure out a use for the Orcish Greatsword. It receives its spot in the list as many Reddit users agree upon how the two-handed weapon type was best known for its attack power early in Skyrim.

• The blade has a base damage of 18 which is better than most of the Greatswords available.
• We would say that the blade is pretty underrated, as you can get Orcish after just crossing level 6.
• Getting such a tool of chaos that early should be regarded as superior nonetheless.
• You can easily find the Greatsword around the world of Skyrim.
• Most of the time, you will just find it in some random chest lying around the town.
• Even some blacksmiths can help you craft it. 

Stormfang 

Well, for the most the Stormfang is quite a nifty weapon, especially when you first get it in the game. It has an extremely cool long sword-like design that somewhat resembles the structure of real-life old swords. When playing with the Greatsword, you will realize it has the potential to become one of, if not the best two-handed weapon type in Skyrim primarily because of its enchantment.

It is sort of unique in that way since the base damage isn’t quite impressive. Now with this hell of a combination, you are sure to defeat major trolls and priests in the game. In Skyrim, each weapon brings its own charm to each battle.

• You will get a base damage of 17 along with a weight of 17 as well.
• The enchantment helps deal 30 shock damage to the target.
• It also does 15 Magicka damage to just really finish off the smaller opponents you face. 
• If you want to have the weapon, just kill the Reaver Lord at Brodir Grove.

Ebony Blade 

If you are a gamer who researches well, you may know about the hype around this two-handed weapon type and how it is arguably the best.

The main reason for Ebony Blade is that this weapon has a special storyline connected to it. Apart from its famous lure, it is pretty fast, considering it is a Greatsword. Greatswords are meant to be heavy and damaging. Ebony Blade is amazing in that aspect, as it deals a good amount of damage as well.

• You can maximize the amount of power the weapon has by killing 10 of your friends.
• Upon killing your companions, your blade will now have the ability to take 30 HP from your opponents.
• The blade is actually retrieved from “The Whispering Door,” quest and yes, it is as spooky as it sounds.  

Dragonbone 

Ah, yes, the Dragonbone Greatsword. It is, without a doubt, a great two-handed weapon, even without any need for enchantment. This is a perfectly sleek-looking weapon that can intimidate even yourself. It looks amazing being hilt on the back of the Dragonborn.

But the Dragonbone Greatsword is not just a good-looking sword; in fact, it is extremely powerful. If you want to go the simple way, just eliminate Keepers in the Soul Cairn. If you want to craft the Dragonbone Greatsword instead, then it’s really up to you. You will need to go to a forge in order to make it. 

• The weapon does not hold back against pitiful enemies like Trolls.
• The sword has a base damage of a whopping 25.
• Adding one or two enchantments won’t do any harm either. 
• In order to craft it, you will need ebony ingots, leather strips, and of course, dragon bones. 

Silver Greatsword

Now towards the simpler design of the games and even simpler playstyle, we have the silver Greatsword. While the Silver might not look exactly very mythical like the others it sure can deal damage. The Silver Greatsword is made up of a silver alloy hence the name.

Silver Greatsword is also really easy to find the sword. If you are doing quests for companions, make sure to check out their strongholds. There you will find the sword with the followers of the Silver Hand. It is really that easy to get this wonderful weapon. 

• The ability it has helps you deal greater damage to the undead.
• These abilities are set apart from the enchantment so that you can add your other enchantments.

Stalhrim Greatsword 

Well, by now, you must understand that the Stalhrim weapons never fail to do the job. They can be incredibly powerful, especially when they are crafted to become a Greatsword.  The sword resembles every Stalhrim weapon with its icy blue shade stone. The Stalhrim Greatsword is quite pretty to look at and is strength-wise dominating.

This is just because of the Stalhrim material, making it an even better option to use in Skyrim. You can make an amazing build with the Greatsword if you manage to choose the right armor. It will not only look aesthetic in your character’s back hilt but serve you with good amounts of kills. 

• With a weight of 21, it is one of the lighter two-handed weapons in the game.
• Even the damage from the weapon is 23. That is definitely more than one should ask for.
• You can craft the Greatsword if you have 5 Stalhrims and about three leather strips.
• A smithing level of 80 is also required, so make sure you have your Alchemy skills right.

Warhammer

Now we definitely need to talk about this big hunky weaponry that should be kept away from your wives.  Not only does it have an advantage because of its sheer strength, but some have the ability to knock back enemies. Warhammers are definitely the strongest best two-handed weapons in Skyrim.

The base damages are some you’ve never seen. Look-wise, the Warhammers are, well, like Warhammer! These chunky, maybe blunt or spiky, ended weaponry with incredible weight. 

Dawnguard Rune Hammer 

Starting off with something big, we have the Dawnguard Rune Hammer. It is spelled with Destruction Magic which is used to create chaos on the battlefield. The enchantment can be compared to that of the Bloodskal Blade. Both have these unique enchantments to them that cannot be worn off each time it’s used.

Gamers on Reddit have described this two-handed weapon to be the best Warhammer they have used in Skyrim. If you want this weapon for yourself, you will find it whilst completing the DawnguardSide quest.

• It causes about 50 fire damage which, if you think about is insane.
• If you do, the other first one will disappear. 
• It will be found in one of the 17 locations in the quest.

Longhammer 

Now it is known about the war hammers that they are incredibly slow but have great damage. Quite the opposite can be said for the Longhammer. The Longhammer is a unique weapon to use in the open world of Skyrim. What’s unique about it is that the Longhammer is incredibly fast. When we say fast, we mean fast! Longhammer can even beat most of the Greatsword’s speed in the game. That is due to its ongoing effect, which is indefinite in the game.

You can further enchant the weapon and even upgrade it with Steel ingots. It’ll make the weapon more invincible. There is a simple way of finding out the location of the weapon. You can locate this weapon near the corpse of Rahd. His body is found during the ongoing quest known as the “Liar’s Retreat.” 

• The long hammer has a weight of 18 which is quite good on its own.
• When it’s topped off by the effect, which essentially reduces the weapon’s weight by 30%, you have yourself a weapon of mass destruction.
• When the Dragonborn uses the weapon, his reaction time will be increased due to the speed. 

Champion’s Cudgel 

Ah, the Champion’s Cudgel, a formidable two-handed weapon in the world of Skyrim. Its enchantment, with a 50% chance of fire, frost, and shock damage, truly makes it a force to be reckoned with. The flexibility of this enchantment, coupled with its raw power, has earned it acclaim among Skyrim players.

It’s fascinating how a seemingly simple quest and a defeated general lead in the “March Of The Dead” quest to the acquisition of such a powerful weapon. The world of Skyrim is full of these hidden gems, waiting for the Dragonborn to uncover them. 

• The 50% chance applies to each individual element damage. If you are lucky enough, you could stack up multiple elemental damages together.
• Each elemental damage will have 25 damage points.
• Meaning if you manage to draw a combination of frost, fire, and shock altogether, then the damage would be 75 points.
• Champion’s Cudgel has a base damage of 24, which is good enough.

Volendrung 

Up until the debate about the best two-handed weapon or Warhammer has been pretty rough. The competing warhammers have proved why they are worthy of being considered the best. The Volendrung can be expected to top the chart of this debate. First of all, the visual aesthetic of the weapon is mesmerizing. Volendrung truly has the look of a Warhammer.

Another bonus of the weapon is that the base damage can be improved upon. You just have to acquire some Ebony ingots in order to do that. Even the speed of the weapon is amazing, so what more could you want? Soul Gems are an amazing way to push the limits of the weapon. 

• You can drain the enemy of 50 points of stamina and use it yourself.
• You have to see the depth of this ability if you see how stamina-exhausting two-handed weapons are.
• Each strike of the weapon will earn you enough stamina to use the weapon almost indefinitely.
• The base damage of the Volendrung is 25 points.
• You will be able to retrieve the weapon by entirely completing the Cursed tribe quest.

Dragonbone Warhammer 

Yet again, the Dragonbone comes to make a weapon so incredibly powerful. Well, that was the real purpose of this material. To dominate every type of weapon in the game. The Daedric artifacts or The Stalhrim materials are always left pale in comparison.

This time around, we have the Dragonbone Warhammer. The Warhammer kind of resembles what the tibia of a Dragon would look like. The design is extremely realistic and cool to look at. Not only that, but the weapon has immense power.

There are two ways to get the Dragonbone Warhammer. Either you can just craft it yourself by using three dragon bones ebony ingots, and two leather strips, Or you can just defeat the keepers of the Soul Cairn but remember that this won’t be as easy as it sounds.

• Dragonbone Warhammer has a base damage of 28, so it can have that devastating impact on your opponents.
• Just make sure to enchant it with a good enchantment like Chaos damage. 

Stalhrim Warhammer 

Every Skyrim player knows that a Warhammer is supposed to be slow. This makes them not want to choose a Warhammer over a fast, two-handed weapon like a Greatsword. But never underestimate the damage caused by a Warhammer. They can wreck any opponent scaling from a troll to a dragon. That is primarily because of their sheer strength and power.

What you need to think about is the damage a Warhammer can cause if it’s made from the Stalhrim stone. The design alone is good enough to cop the weapon while going on a hunt for monsters. The blue hue always compliments the weapon well. 

• Stalhrim Warhammer does about 26 damage per swing.
• Apart from that, if you enchant it with frost damage-based enchantments, you will have an extra 25% damage rate. 
• In order to craft the weapon, you must have five Stalhrim and three Leather Strips. 

Aegisbane 

The lure attached to the Aesisbane is quite interesting and fascinating. Along the same lines, we have another reason to get this weapon which is its effectiveness in battle. If you are a beginner, then you should definitely try out the Aegsibane. Aegisbane is more agile than the standard used Warhammers like the glass one. Furthermore, you will be able to understand the schematics of a Warhammer from it.

In its lore, it is actually considered a family heirloom to a clan from Windhelm. They were known as the Shatter-Shield clan. You will have to do the “Mourning Never Comes” quest in order to get the Aegisbane. When you join the Dark Brotherhood, you will be sent to kill Alain. Alain will have your desired weapon, so take it off of his corpse.

• The best part about the weapon is not even its agility but its enchantment.
• You will be able to do 5 points worth of frost damage to your opponents because of it.
• Alongside that, you will be able to do five damage to their stamina.
• Aegisbane has very low damage of 18 but is faster than most hammers
• If your opponent’s power depends on their stamina, they will be no match for the Aegisbane. 

Trollsbane 

The next in line is Trollsbane, whose power is meant to be guided against the Trolls in the game. Visually Trollsbane is not that special; I mean, what do you really expect from a weapon named Trollsbane? But when it comes to situations where those pesky little trolls are messing with you, you pull it out.

In order to find the weapon, you may have to travel to the city of Markarth. Head on the east from there, and you will find yourself the Cradle stone tower. West from there, you will find two trolls guarding a corpse. Frofnir Trollsbane is a lying dead person, and you can retrieve the Trollsbane from his body.

• Its enchantment basically sets the Trolls on fire.
• As they are burning, they are dealt about 15 points of fire damage.
• Apart from that, Trollsbane has a base damage of 26.
• Plus, when compared to Aegisbane, Trollsbane has a higher damage output. 

Many Reddit users have confirmed that if you are an early player, using dual weapons is the best choice for you in Skyrim. They said it because you can literally wipe out enemies with a singular swing. In order to get the weapon, you won’t really have to do much.

Now you know about the Best two-handed weapons in Skyrim. There are no such honorable mentions because these are it. If you want to have the best two-handed weapons in your arsenal, these are the ones to go for. If you have trouble understanding quests such as In My Time of Need Quest or Blood On The Ice Quest, read out guides. We have also covered the places where you can find the Black Books in Skyrim. 

Also, make sure to check out our guides on How To Use A Bow and Fortify Enchanting. Do check out our guide over the ESO Necromancer Build if you haven’t already.