Skyrim is a video game that needs no introduction. The date 11.11.2011 will remain seared in the minds of most open-world RPG fans, who enjoyed the privilege of playing through one of the richest and most engaging games in the genre to come out at that point. Skyrim took the world by storm, with its modding capabilities letting players augment the game to their heart’s content and enjoy one of the best versions of this Western RPG that is tailored to each player’s personal specifications and preferences.
With the three expansion packs and the base game, Skyrim players have access to a staggering number of powerful and useful weapons. Granted, with the enchanting skill, any weapon can become deadly and players will find that their own customized weapon beats a legendary sword or mythical bow any day. However, for those who want to find the most powerful weapon in Skyrim without putting in any work, there are a number of bows, blades, and axes that the player can use to become an unstoppable Dragonborn.
Updated October 24, 2024, by Hamza Haq: If there was an award for single-player games with the most longevity, it would one hundred percent belong to Skyrim. A game that is over 13 years old at this point and still going strong. Owing to its extremely dedicated player base, booting up another save file to start another adventure in Tamriel is practically a yearly ritual for those who still play the game. While this longevity can mostly be attributed to the active modding community that continues to breathe life into the game, it wouldn’t be possible without the extremely large canvas Bethesda handed to players to mess around with. A world with a dozen different races, a huge open map, different biomes, quests, unique armor pieces, and, of course, weapons.
30 Aetherial Staff
A Weapon From The Dawnguard DLC
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Staff |
N/A |
Summon a Dwarven Spider or Sphere for 60 seconds |
Can only be crafted in the Aetherium Forge during “Lost to the Ages” |
Summoning help is one of the best ways to shift enemy aggro onto other figures in Skyrim. It’s an easy way for players to manage their foes and take them out without incurring too much damage. However, mastering high-level summon spells is a huge ask. Players who have no interest in making the Dragonborn learn the ways of Conjuration can use unique items to fill this void instead.
The Aetherial Staff may not have any damage values to beat down enemies, but there’s a different reason why it’s considered by many to be one of Skyrim‘s best weapons. It summons a Dwarven Spider or Sphere for 60 seconds. Players can use this summon to make combat more manageable if they’re being swarmed by too many powerful enemies at once.
29 Staff Of Magnus
A Unique Staff That Absorbs Magicka And Health
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Staff |
N/A |
Absorbs 20 Magicka from the target |
If the target has no Magicka, Health is absorbed instead |
The Staff Of Magnus can be acquired during the course of the College of Winterhold questline, which begins atop the northeastern cliffs of Skyrim in Winterhold proper. Though it has a number of potent abilities and specialties in combat, it does not possess the usual characteristics of more traditional weapons in the game.
To get the most out of this weapon, players must be prepared to quickly drain an opponent’s Magicka. Otherwise, they need to be patient while the Staff of Magnus does that job. Once the target is drained of Magicka, the Staff of Magnus will drain health instead. Against traditional enemies, it’s not the greatest, but against Magicka users this thing is devastating.
28 Blade Of Sacrifice
A Dagger That Serves A Twisted Purpose
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Dagger |
10 |
Weighs less than a regular Ebony Dagger |
Used by the worshippers of Boethiah |
At a glance, some people may wonder why the Blade of Sacrifice is special. It may boast a unique appearance and patterns that make it different from a regular ebony dagger, but the lack of enchantments would indicate that this weapon’s usefulness will be limited.
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However, not only is this weapon obtained during one of the cooler and more twisted sidequests in the game, but the Blade of Sacrifice weighs slightly less than an ebony dagger while still maintaining the same level of attack power. This makes it a great backup weapon in Skyrim that players can carry without it being too much of a load on them.
27 Mehrunes’ Razor
A Dagger With The Ability To Instakill Foes
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Dagger |
11 |
Hits have a small chance to instantly kill |
One of the artifacts and namesakes of Mehrunes Dagon |
Most players don’t use daggers that much, unless they really want to hammer in their personal brand of role-playing. As a result, Mehrunes’ Razor ends up being ignored, which is a shame.
Not only is this weapon a blast to use, but it also has a chance to instantly kill a foe with a hit. This may be a rare occurrence, but it still doesn’t fail to wow the player regardless.
26 Okin
A Tough One-Handed Axe That Hits For Serious Damage
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
One-Handed Axe |
12 |
Deal 10 points of Frost Damage to health and stamina |
Found in the ruins of Volunruud after defeating Kvenel the Tongue |
One-handed weapons are a blast to use in Skyrim. The Dragonborn can wield two of these weapons at once, a first for the series. This may not seem all that fresh or engaging nowadays, but long-time fans of the series couldn’t believe how much fun it was to dual-wield weapons and slice enemies into ribbons.
Okin is a powerful axe found in one of Skyrim‘s most infamous dungeons, the crypt known as Volunruud. The trek to obtain this weapon is worthwhile. Frost Damage is a great way to tire out foes and force them to become a punching bag for the Dragonborn after a few attacks.
25 Grimsever
A Great Weapon To Shave Off Both Health And Stamina
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
One-Handed Sword |
12 |
Deal 15 points of Frost Damage to health and stamina |
Found at the very end of the Mzinchaleft Gatehouse |
The fact that glass is used to forge weapons and armor in the world of The Elder Scrolls is both awesome and hilarious at the same time. This idea may seem ridiculous, but players need only take a look at the amazing appearance of the glass armor and weapons to see why players love using this gear.
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Grimsever is a unique glass sword that hits like a truck and is enchanted with Frost Damage too. This means that players can whittle down an enemy’s health while also reducing their stamina, reducing the threat they pose to the Dragonborn.
24 Champion’s Cudgel
Combine Random Elemental Damage With Clubbing Blows
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Two-Handed Warhammer |
24 |
A chance for 25 points of either fire, frost, or shock damage |
Looted from General Falx Carius |
Two-handed weapons hit like a truck in The Elder Scrolls, but only players who don’t mind reducing their defenses should think of using these weapons to turn up the heat on their enemies in battle. Finding great two-handed weapons that are worth their weight is easier said than done. Thus, fans of this type of offense will be glad to know that the Champion’s Cudgel is an excellent weapon that hits like a truck — in more ways than one.
The randomized elemental damage can be a pain against certain enemies, but this situation won’t arise all that often. In this instance, players can just switch to a different weapon, saving the Champion’s Cudgel for enemies who have no protection against the combination of regular and elemental damage dished out by this powerful weapon.
23 Nightingale Blade
Perfect For Unleashing Combos In The Heat Of Battle
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
One-Handed Sword |
14 |
Absorb 25 points of health and stamina |
Obtained after completing the Thieves Guild quest “Hard Answers” |
The Nightingale Blade may be dwarfed by other blades when it comes to sheer damage, but don’t let that take away anything from this weapon. After all, its biggest advantage comes from how it absorbs both health and stamina with each hit.
This means that players can wail at enemies and unleash multiple strong attacks without a care in the world since their health and stamina would regenerate anyway. It’s certainly not a sword befitting a thief, since its special effect makes it more suited for full-on battles.
22 Glass Bow Of The Stag Prince
Perfect For Killing Animals
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Bow |
16 |
For every 20 animals killed, the user receives a blessing |
+5 to health and stamina for every blessing stack |
Bows are some of the best Skyrim weapons that players can use to make the Dragonborn’s life easier. Players can find so much sheer enjoyment players as they slink their way around dungeons and shoot down enemies from the dark.
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With bows, players can hunt down regular animals as well. The Glass Bow of the Stag Prince is the best way to rack up kills and buff the Dragonborn at the same time. While the bulk of Skyrim‘s combat involves players hunting down monsters and other hostile NPCs, this bow can always come in handy if regular Skyrim fauna is getting too hot to handle.
21 Volendrung
A Swift Warhammer Perfect At Lower Levels
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Warhammer |
25 |
Absorb 50 points of Stamina |
Swings as fast as a Greatsword |
Players who manage to get the Volendrung early on will be more than satisfied by the sheer power of this weapon. It’s pretty fast and its power attacks ensure that most enemies won’t be standing up anytime soon after a sundering blow.
While the lack of any upgrade potential does lead to the Volendrung becoming obsolete in the late-game, reaching this point will take many hours. Until then, there’s nothing more satisfying than smashing enemies to bits with this swift weapon.
20 The Pale Blade
Fears And Slows Enemies
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Unmodified Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Sword |
8-11 |
Deals 25 points of frost damage and fears for 30 seconds. |
Found in Frostmere Crypt |
The Pale Blade is a unique, powerful, early-game weapon in Skyrim that can be acquired by completing the quest ‘The Pale Lady’ in Frostmere Crypt, southwest of Dawnstar. In terms of base damage, The Pale Lady is no different from a Steel Sword; its strength lies in the unique enchantment, Ice Terror. Ice Terror allows this sword to deal an extra 25 Frost Damage per hit and forces people to flee for 30 seconds. Frost damage not only directly damages a character’s health but also decreases their stamina and slows them down.
One important thing to know about the Pale Blade is that it is a leveled weapon, which means the amount of damage it does is based on the power level of the character who picks it up for the first time. This is done in order to balance the game and prevent low-level players from obtaining a broken weapon right at the start of the game. If the player gets The Pale Blade at level 2, for example, its enchantment will only let the caster fear characters up to level 5, but if they wait until they’re at level 14 to pick it up, the fear effect will work on anyone below level 10.
19 Ebony Blade
Heals And Damages At The Same Time
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Two-Handed Katana |
11 |
Absorbs 10 Health on hit |
Killing friendly NPCs with the Ebony Blade increases the amount absorbed, to a maximum of 30 |
Obtained during the Daedric quest The Whispering Door, the Ebony Blade is a solid weapon after the player has reached level 20. It comes with a decent damage base and special effects.
The ability to deal solid damage to an enemy and heal the player by 30 points with each strike is an incredible edge in combat. The reason it isn’t the most powerful weapon is that there are others that outpace it in terms of damage. The Ebony Blade makes endgame battles achievable thanks to the healing, but these fights can take forever to complete.
18 Dragonbane
Perfect To Tackle Dragons
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
One-Handed Katana |
14 |
Deals 20 extra damage to Dragons |
Deals 10 extra Shock damage to non-Dragons |
The Dragonbane katana is obtained during the Alduin’s Wall quest. It’s the perfect weapon for the Dragonborn as it gives special benefits against dragons and decent base damage. When fighting Dragons, one could argue that this is the most powerful weapon in Skyrim.
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For facing anything else, it is one of the better weapons, but certainly not the best out there. Still, it’s highly advised that any player looking to beat Dragons as a warrior or complete the main quest should wield this blade.
17 Windshear
Interrupt Enemies Constantly With Successive Strikes
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
One-Handed Scimitar |
11 |
Attacks stagger more reliably than other One-Handed swords |
Bash Attacks can knock targets prone |
Players can acquire the Windshear scimitar during the Dark Brotherhood quest Hail Sithis. It comes with some clever perks that make it a fun and effective weapon to wield.
That brief paralysis translates to an enemy being incapacitated for several seconds, as they fall down and then get back up. The stagger with every attack is also brutal, as fast players can effectively stunlock all but the heartiest of foes. It’ll just take a while to whittle down their health if using Windshear on its own.
16 Wuuthrad
A Great Weapon To Fight Elves With
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Two-Handed Battleaxe |
25 |
Deadly against elves |
Can be obtained during the quest “Glory of the Dead” |
During a player’s adventures in Skyrim, they’re bound to encounter several elves throughout the land. Suffice it to say, any edge they can have against these powerful foes would be welcome.
This can be attained with the Wuuthrad, which hits for extra damage against Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, and Falmer. This makes the axe a must-have during a battle against any elf simply for the humiliation it can cause with each hit.
15 The Rueful Axe
Deplete Health And Stamina At The Same Time
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Two-Handed Battleaxe |
22 |
Does 20 points of Stamina damage |
Can be obtained during the Daedric quest “A Daedra’s Best Friend” |
Stamina management is a major part of Skyrim. Both enemies and players are limited by how much stamina they can use in any situation. So, it’s only a given that any weapon that debilitates stamina as well can be quite powerful.
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This is exactly the case with the Rueful Axe, which hits like a truck while also doing 20 points of stamina damage. Any regular enemy will be struggling to block and launch power attacks if they’re constantly being hit by this axe.
14 Miraak’s Staff
Creates A Poisonous Persistent Terrain Effect
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Staff |
0 |
Creates writhing tentacles that poison and stagger |
Stagger effect works better against smaller enemies |
When used, Miraak’s Staff creates a poisonous field of writhing vines in a large area in front of the player character. Any enemy that steps into these vines is poisoned and staggered. Additionally, the tentacles persist on the surface they are cast on for a long time, allowing players to reshape the terrain with a casual swing of the Staff, and making approaching them very difficult.
Control effects in Skyrim are rare and appropriately powerful. Instead of increasing the Dragonborn’s defenses or giving them more HP, Miraak’s Staff turns the terrain into a writhing mass of poisonous vines that can easily stagger-lock small enemies to death. Larger enemies and those immune to poison damage like automatons will still take some stagger damage but will not be poisoned. That still means that for all humanoid enemies like bandits, Miraak’s Staff is a meat grinder and a death sentence. For mage characters that use conjuration and destruction, this allows them to use all of their most damaging spells without worrying about being interrupted midway. It does need to be paired with something else in order to actually kill enemies, but for pure control, there is no equal. Miraak’s Staff can be obtained by killing Miraak, the final boss of the Dragonborn DLC, and looting his body.
13 Mace Of Molag Bal
Take Out Health, Stamina, And Magicka In One Go
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
One-Handed Mace |
16 |
Deals 25 damage to Stamina and Magicka |
If the target dies within 3 seconds, their soul is trapped in a gem |
Molag Bal is one of the most legendary Daedric gods in The Elder Scrolls. Getting to use any weapon belonging to him is bound to be a treat, and the Mace of Molag Bal certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard.
It takes out an enemy’s health, stamina, and magicka in one shot, which makes it pretty effective as is. On top of that, it also traps an enemy in a soul gem if they’re disposed of within three seconds!
12 Chillrend
A Powerful Sword That Chills Enemies To Their Bones
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
One-Handed Sword |
15 |
Deals 30 bonus Frost Damage on hit |
Small chance to Paralyze targets on hit |
Players can get their hands on Chillrend by prying it from the cold dead grasp of Mercer Frey, the former Thieves’ Guild leader. It has decent DPS potential and a very strong effect enchanted upon it. The DPS achieved with the base damage and the Frost make this weapon worth considering on its own.
But the paralyze for two seconds makes this a very capable weapon in the right hands. Under the right circumstances, the enemy will be helpless as the player attacks. This is a great weapon for beginners that carries long into the latter parts of the game unless the opponent can resist Frost damage.
11 Bloodskal Blade
A Unique Weapon That Launches Beams With A Strong Attack
Weapon Type |
Unmodified Damage |
Effects |
Other Details |
---|---|---|---|
Two-Handed Greatsword |
21 |
Strong Attacks launch beams of energy forward |
Each beam deals 30 regular damage |
Stats-wise, the two-handed Bloodskal Blade is the same as a glass greatsword, giving it a base damage of 21 and a weight of 16. While not exactly impressive on its own, what really makes this weapon shine is its special ability.
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With this weapon, the player can cast a wave of either vertical or horizontal energy that deals 30 damage. This wave can reach up to 15 feet, hit multiple enemies, and even go through walls. It’s great for surprising foes or softening up a group of enemies before wading into a melee battle.