Of the many different weapons that are found in Skyrim, the one-handed axe is among the most common and underrated. However, passing them up for a sword (or bow, looking at you stealth archery aficionados) is a mistake.
War axes are fun to use, they look great, and there's no shortage of unique and powerful variants to be found across the breadth of Skyrim. We've compiled a selection of the best and most unique axes to be collected for your perusal.
Updated on September 10, 2021, by Michael Caruso: Weapons in Skyrim are found everywhere, and there's no shortage of each type to find and equip for combat. With all of the different axes to obtain, you may wonder which is the best to use at the start of a new playthrough or the best enchantments. Here's some more information about the best one-handed axes Skyrim has to offer.
The Best Enchantments For A War Axe
The best war axe enchantments in Skyrim will vary based on your preferences, but there are a few that are universally the most powerful. The elemental enchantments deal fire, frost, or shock damage to enemies, and each has a unique effect, so it may be worth enchanting your war axe with them if you're using a one-handed axe paired with destruction magic.
However, the strongest weapon enchantment in Skyrim is Absorb Health, which deals extra damage towards enemies and heals you with the health that was subtracted from the enemy.
Ancient Nord War Axe - Best War Axe For Beginners
- Damage: 9
- Effect: None
- Location: Found In Nordic Ruins
There are a few war axes that are worth using at the beginning of a new Skyrim playthrough. However, one of the easiest to obtain is the Ancient Nord War Axe.
The Ancient Nord War Axe only deals nine damage, but that's more than iron axes, and you can find one quickly after leaving Helgen. This axe also has an appearance that's much more unique than iron and steel axes. You can find Ancient Nord War Axes inside of Nordic Ruins, such as Bleak Falls Barrow, so you can find a few by completing the first few quests in the main storyline.
Glass War Axe
- Damage: 13
- Effect: None
- Location: Crafted At A Forge
Glass War Axes aren't the strongest axes in Skyrim, but they are one of the most beautiful. You can find glass equipment as random item drops inside containers; however, the easiest way to obtain them is through smithing.
Even though the Glass War Axe isn't the best weapon in Skyrim, it's still worth using because it deals 13 base damage, which is perfect for a character during the middle stages of Skyrim.
Poacher's Axe
- Damage: 5
- Effect: Deals 3 Points Of Extra Damage Towards Animals
- Location: Halted Stream Camp
The Poacher's Axe isn't a particularly powerful weapon because it doesn't deal a lot of base damage, and its enchantment isn't very powerful compared to most of the other unique axes in Skyrim.
However, the Poacher's Axe has one of the most unique enchantments in Skyrim — it deals three points of extra damage against all animals. Although the Poacher's Axe definitely isn't a viable weapon for the end game of Skyrim, it is worth using for beginners, and you can easily obtain it at Halted Stream Camp.
Lunar Steel War Axe
- Damage: 9
- Effect: Deals 25 Fire Damage At Night
- Location: Silent Moons Camp
The Lunar Steel War Axe has the Lunar weapon enchantment, which deals 25 points of fire damage to enemies — but only during the night. This effect is great for vampire hunter builds.
Though the base weapons aren't particularly amazing, you can disenchant Lunar weapons, and you can place their unique effects on other weapons. You can find all of the Lunar weapons at Silent Moons Camp, a bandit camp near Whiterun City.
Nordic War Axe
- Damage: 12
- Effect: None
- Location: Random Item Drop On Solstheim
There aren't a lot of war axes that were added in the Dragonborn DLC. However, the war axes that were added with this expansion pack are some of the best in the game. The Nordic War Axe deals 12 base damage and is encountered on the island of Solstheim.
What truly sets the Nordic War Axe apart from other war axes is its distinct appearance, which looks very different from most of the axes that are found in the base game of Skyrim and the Dawnguard DLC.
Dawnguard War Axe
- Damage: 11
- Effect: Deals 5 Extra Damage Towards Vampires
- Location: Fort Dawnguard
The Dawnguard War Axe is first encountered at Fort Dawnguard. However, many members of the Dawnguard faction wield this unique weapon as well. Although there are other war axes in Skyrim that deal more damage, this axe deals five extra points of damage against vampires.
The extra five points of damage may not seem like much at first glance, but it's actually a major asset while fighting the vampiric enemies that are encountered in the Dawnguard storyline.
Ebony War Axe
- Damage: 15
- Effect: None
- Location: Crafted At A Forge
Ebony is one of the strongest ores found in Skyrim, and items forged from it are incredibly powerful. The Ebony War Axe can be obtained either by smithing it or by randomly encountering it as dungeon loot at higher levels.
The Ebony War Axe deals 15 base damage, and when paired with a powerful enchantment, it can quickly become a weapon that doesn't leave your hands for the majority of the game.
Stalhrim War Axe
- Damage: 15
- Effect: None
- Location: Crafted At A Forge
Similar to the Ebony War Axe, the Stalhrim War Axe deals 15 base damage. What sets the Stahlrim War Axe apart from the Ebony War Axe is its beautiful blue appearance and reduced carry weight.
Stalhrim was added into Skyrim with the Dragonborn DLC, and as such, you can only obtain it on the island of Solstheim. Players that want to obtain this weapon have to reach a high smithing level before it can be crafted.
Okin
- Damage: 12
- Effect: Deals 10 Frost Damage
- Location: Ruins Of Volunruud
Okin is a unique variant of the Nord Hero War Axe, and it's found in the base game of Skyrim by traveling to the Ruins of Volunruud. Kvenel must be defeated before you can acquire this axe.
Although it may not be easy to obtain Okin, it's well worth it since this one-handed axe deals ten extra points of frost damage against enemies — in terms of both health and stamina. Okin doesn't have a unique appearance, which is one of its major downsides compared to other unique swords and axes in Skyrim.
Daedric War Axe
- Damage: 15
- Effect: None
- Location: Crafted At A Smithing Forge And The Atronach Forge
Daedric weapons are some of the strongest weapons in The Elder Scrolls franchise, and their appearance matches their strength as they tend to be incredibly unique and sinister-looking weapons. The Daedric War Axe is no exception to this rule, and obtaining one requires either a high smithing skill or a lucky find while adventuring at high levels.
Daedric War Axes deal 15 base damage, which is a lot compared to most of the other one-handed weapons encountered throughout the base game, the Dawnguard DLC or the Dragonborn DLC.
Dawnguard Rune Axe
- Damage: 11
- Effect: Deals 10 More Points Of Sun Damage After Defeating Each Undead Enemy Until Sunrise
- Location: Acquired By Completing The "A Lost Relic" Quest
Dawnguard weapons are incredibly useful while fighting vampires, and the Dawnguard Rune Axe is even more powerful than the Dawnguard War Axe. Instead of simply dealing more damage against vampires, the Dawnguard Rune Axe deals ten points of sun damage for every undead enemy killed before the next sunrise.
This effect is powerful since it can be increased multiple times, and it makes killing undead enemies very easy. One-handed weapon builds that side with the Dawnguard will find the Dawnguard Rune Axe to be a massive help against the vampire menace of Skyrim. This axe is obtained during the side quest "A Lost Relic," a quest that is only given out by the Dawnguard faction.
Dragonbone War Axe
- Damage: 16
- Effect: None
- Location: Crafted At A Forge
Dragon bone is a tough material, and it requires a master blacksmith to make use of it at a forge. If the Dragonborn manages to craft a Dragonbone War Axe, then they will have the best possible war axe in Skyrim. Pair it with a strong enchantment, and you'll be hard-pressed to find anything better.
The Dragonbone War Axe deals 16 base damage, which is higher than all of the other one-handed axes found in Skyrim. Although the Dragonbone War Axe is useful, crafting it is very difficult, and its 100 Smithing Skill requirement is much higher than all of the other weapons in the base game. You can also rarely find the Dragonbone War Axe while adventuring at high levels.