Skyrim has so many different ways to damage enemies that it can be hard to decide which method to use. When in doubt, you can always pull out one of your trusty and reliable swords to slice straight through your foes.

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There are so many unique swords in Skyrim that deciding which ones to search for first can be a daunting task. This list will guide you through which swords you need to collect right away and maybe show you a few swords you didn't even know existed. From paired sibling blades to a vampire's best friend, here are the best unique swords in all of Skyrim.

Updated March 8, 2023, by Branden Lizardi: Keeping true to its reputation, Skyrim has been released on quite a number of platforms at this point. Sometimes those rereleases and special editions come with new content. We've updated this list to include some of that new content to ensure you have quick access to all of the best swords in Skyrim, no matter what you're playing it on, be it console, PC, or refrigerator.

19 The Legend Of Zelda Master Sword

This is one of Skyrim's coolest but arguably most underwhelming unique swords. Having one of the most famous swords in gaming culture is nothing short of an honor, especially when paired with the equally famous shield. It's remarkably stronger than a standard steel sword, the only drawback being that it requires moonstone to upgrade.

That said, it's still surprisingly low-key for such a renowned weapon. It's out-damaged by an elven blade, which is pretty low by mid and late-game standards. It's also only available on the Nintendo Switch version of the game. While that seems fair, the limited accessibility ranks it lower on the list. You can get it instantly using an Amiibo. But if not, you need to make the terribly inconvenient trek to the top of the Throat of the World to find it.

18 Ghostblade

The Ghostblade doesn't deal a lot of damage, as its base damage is only eight. However, the Ghostblade has a unique spectral appearance and an effect that allows it to deal three extra points of damage that ignore the enemy's armor.

If you want a sword with a unique design and useful effect, the Ghostblade may be a great fit for your character. It may not be the strongest weapon in Skyrim, but the Ghostblade has its place among the most interesting swords that you can obtain in the base game.

17 Chillrend

Many weapons in Skyrim deal powerful frost damage; however, there aren't many swords better than Chillrend for this ability. Chillrend is a glass sword that deals 15 base damage along with 30 extra points of frost damage. You also have a chance to paralyze an enemy when you hit them with Chillrend.

Not only does Chillrend have a really great design since it's a glass sword, but it's also one of the strongest one-handed weapons you can acquire in Skyrim. One downside about Chillrend is that you have to join the Thieves Guild to eventually obtain it, which may not be preferable if you are role-playing a hero.

16 Drainheart Sword

Another spectral sword, the Drainheart Sword is a powerful weapon that appears ghostly in its design. The Drainheart Sword deals 11 base damage and absorbs 15 stamina from enemies it hits. It is particularly useful if you are playing as a warrior since stamina is essential for this character type.

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There are better options in Skyrim if you want the strongest unique sword in the entire land; however, the Drainheart Sword is a useful weapon perfect for stealing stamina from the enemies you encounter on your adventure.

15 Eduj

• Damage: 11
• Effect: Deals 10 Frost Damage
• Location: Volunruud

Eduj is perhaps the weakest of the bunch on this list, but it's a nice early-game sword. It has the Ancient Nordic appearance but comes with a generic Frost enchantment. Eduj deals 11 base damage and inflicts ten Frost damage to both health and stamina. Given how Frost is one of the best enchantments, it's a good pick for beginner warriors.

To get Eduj (and its twin Okin), head to Volunruud to begin the "Silenced Tongues" quest. You need to defeat Kvenel the Tongue, who wields these two weapons in combat. Once he's down, grab the sword from his corpse. If you're struggling to find this location, you might want to wait until a Dark Brotherhood quest that has you looking for Amaund Motierre leads you here.

14 Bolar's Oathblade

The Oathblade has been a highlight among unique swords due to its cool appearance. It looks like a katana, similar to the Blades swords. The Oathblade deals 11 points of base damage, and on top of that, it inflicts 25 Stamina damage as well. Any enemies level 12 or under will run away for 30 seconds when hit.

To get your hands on it, head over to the Bloated Man's Grotto, where Acilius Bolar placed his blade on the Shrine of Talos along with a written message before he was slain by Thalmor in combat.

13 Gauldur Blackblade

If you like the Ancient Nordic style of weapons, the Gauldur Blackblade is a decent choice. With 11 base damage, it also removes 25 health points from a target and transfers them to the wielder. The sword doesn't have a set level, so depending on how high a level you are when finding it, its stats might be lower or higher.

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To find this blade, you need to begin the quest "Forbidden Legend" by reading a book called Lost Legends or alternatively reading a Writ of Sealing found randomly in some Nordic ruins. The sword is wielded by Mikrul Gauldurson, and you must defeat him before you can loot the sword off his corpse.

12 Grimsever

There aren't that many unique Glass swords in Skyrim, which is why Grimsever is quite a rare item in the game. Sadly, due to the nature of the quest, you don't actually get to keep this sword unless you hire Mjoll the Lioness as a follower and access her inventory. To start the quest, head to Riften and speak with Mjoll, who will give you the quest to find her lost sword.

Grimsever deals 12 base damage, and it also inflicts decent Frost damage to both health and stamina. While many generic enchanted swords might be better than Grimsever, it can still be a powerful weapon early on in the game.

11 Dawnbreaker

Dawnbreaker is a very unique-looking sword and a Daedric artifact. As a weapon, it has split the opinions of fans on numerous occasions. However, there is a time and place for this sword to be incredibly useful, given how often you have to fight against hordes of undead Draugr.

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The Dawnbreaker is the reward for completing Meridia's quest "The Break of Dawn," which is started by randomly finding Meridia's Beacon as loot. It does 12 base damage and also burns enemies for ten seconds. If you perform a killing blow on an undead enemy, it has a chance of creating an area of effect explosion that affects any undead nearby. This is a warrior's go-to weapon when diving deep into Nordic ruins.

10 Bloodscythe

The scimitar known as Bloodscythe is one of Skyrim's strongest weapons. Haknir Death-Brand wielded this sword in life, and after his death, the sword was cursed and buried on Solstheim. This sword is inside of Gyldenhul Barrow.

When Bloodscythe is wielded by the Dragonborn with the Soulrender Sword, it gives the sword an effect that absorbs 15 of the enemy's health and gives it back to you, and it also has an effect that may lower the enemy's armor when hit. This is one sword that you will want to collect if you're creating a build based around one-handed weapons.

9 Soulrender

Soulrender is another scimitar with a special enchantment. While you use it alongside the Bloodscythe sword, it will have a tiny chance to lower an enemy's magical defense, and it will also steal 15 magicka per hit from the enemy. This is one magical sword.

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Soulrender and Bloodscythe are strong together, but they are also very interesting due to their connection and dependence on each other. This unique trait makes them very fascinating, and one must wonder what kind of spell Haknir Death-Brand cast onto these weapons to create such a powerful effect.

8 Lunar Iron Sword

The Lunar Sword is one of the Lunar weapons you can obtain from the Silent Moons bandit camp. The enchantment of these weapons makes it so that this sword deals 20 fire damage to enemies during the nighttime. It is an extremely unique enchantment and what makes it even better is the fact that you can disenchantment this sword and apply it to other weapons.

This is an especially useful enchantment if you play as a vampire and only go out at night. Since you can disenchantment it, and it deals a lot of fire damage to enemies, this sword will quickly become a welcome addition to your arsenal.

7 Miraak's Sword

Miraak's Sword is a unique-looking blade that Miraak owns in the Dragonborn DLC. It is a one-handed sword, and it has a high base damage — it also happens to be one of the lightest swords in Skyrim.

Miraak's sword is hard to miss if you complete the Dragonborn DLC because you can loot it off of Miraak's dead body once you defeat him. Its enchantment absorbs 15 points of stamina, making it very useful if you like to sprint around the map.

6 Nightingale Blade

You can acquire the Nightingale Blade towards the end of the Thieves Guild questline, and it is given to you by the character Karliah. It was originally the property of the previous Thieves Guild member and Nightingale Gallus Desidenius.

The enchantment on this blade absorbs 25 points of health and stamina from the enemy. Upgrading this blade requires ebony ingots, which are somewhat hard to come by in Skyrim. The only downside to this blade is that you cannot apply its enchantment to other weapons; however, that just makes this strong sword all the more unique.

5 The Pale Blade

The Pale Blade uses the design of the Ancient Nord Sword and is inside Frostmere Crypt. You can find it on the deceased Ra'jiir. You need to defeat The Pale Lady if you want to keep this sword. However, you can also choose to return it to her, and The Pale Lady will then be peaceful towards you. Its enchantment deals 25 damage to enemies and makes every undead enemy run from combat for 30 seconds if they are level 16 or lower.

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Elisa Blackthorn gives you a quest revolving around The Pale Lady, which prompts you to find The Pale Blade. Any collector of old Nordic trinkets needs to go find this sword right away.

4 Red Eagle's Bane

Yet another Ancient Nord Sword is hidden in the land of Skyrim — Red Eagle's Bane sets undead enemies on fire and forces them to run from the battle for 30 seconds if they are level 13 or lower. You can obtain it during "The Legend of the Red Eagle" quest, and there are only a few undead Enchantments that can rival the one on this blade.

Red Eagle's Bane was previously the property of a native Reachman named Red Eagle. The legend behind this blade states that Red Eagle used it to kill hundreds of invading Imperial soldiers before his defeat in battle. This sword has so much story behind it, and any collector will want to get their hands on it as soon as possible.

3 Windshear

Windshear is a sword with an incredibly unique mechanic. If you bash an enemy using this sword, then the enemy may fall down because of the sword's bash.

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You will have to work to acquire Windshear because you can only obtain it on the Emperor's ship, the Katariah, during the final Dark Brotherhood quest. So if you choose to destroy the Dark Brotherhood, then you can't obtain it in the base game.

2 Harkon's Sword

Harkon's Sword is a Katana that you get after defeating the vampire lord Harkon at the end of Dawnguard main questline. If you are a vampire and wield this blade, then it steals 15 health, stamina, and magicka from your opponent. Harkon's Sword features one of the strongest enchantments in Skyrim.

Harkon's Sword is a one-handed blade which means you can use it alongside another strong weapon or spell, which makes it even more powerful of a weapon. For any vampires out there, look no further for a weapon fit for a bloodsucker.

1 Dragonbane

Dragonbane is the ultimate dragon hunter's weapon. It's a one-handed sword, and you can obtain it while you are inside Sky Haven Temple during the main quest "Alduin's Wall."

​​​The enchantment on this sword deals 20 to 40 extra damage points to dragon enemies and an extra ten shock damage to every other enemy type in Skyrim.

Because of how prominent dragons are in Skyrim, Dragonbane is an essential weapon for defeating dragons, especially the stronger dragon variants you have to fight at higher levels. This relic of the Blades faction is a must-have for any swordmaster, and you should pick it up since it's so easy to obtain during the main story.

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