Sorry Edward Bulwer-Lytton but the sword is far mightier than any pen in Conan Exiles. One-handed blades are particularly useful as they leave one hand open for potential shield use. It's hard to turn down a strong sword when trying to survive and thrive in Conan's rough and tumble world.
While it can be hard to pick the perfect weapon, some one-handed swords stand out above the rest. Some deal more damage while others can pierce even the thickest armor. Those that can track down the best blades will find their enemies lying at defeated far more easily than ever before.
10 Sword of N'Ruka
- Damage: 56
- Armor Penetration: 9.45%
It's more of a kopis or a large cutting knife than a sword but it decapitates and dismembers just as well. The Sword of N'Ruka is a pretty weapon that can double as a luxury item due to its gold hue.
On top of the decent stabbing and slashing stats, this sword also grants the wielder a +5 to Grit, making them extra resilient to fatigue. It won't let wielders kill their enemies the fastest but the weapon is easy to acquire so the modest late game damage is excused.
Found in:
- Shamalla The Pirate Queen for 100 Pearl
9 Argossean Short Sword (Epic)
- Damage: 56
- Armor Penetration: 15.3%
Size is never indicative of the performance, which is why those who judged the Argossean Short Sword are probably either dead or enslaved by now. Despite having the same conservative damage numbers as the Sword of N'Ruka, the Argossean Short Sword has way higher penetration.
That's a fitting stat for it as the sword was made to be an equivalent of the Roman Empire's Gladius, which was made for quick jabbing actions from behind a shield. It's also light and quite durable. Players will need the Architects of Argos Pack DLC for this one.
Crafted with:
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 30 Star Metal Bar
8 Sword of the Grey Ones
- Damage: 62
- Armor Penetration: 9%
Whoever the Grey Ones are in Conan Exiles, players ought to thank them for giving inspiration to one of the most competitive swords in the game. They're apparently, the discreet aliens of the game's lore and thus, the weapon derived from their materials is weird.
For one, the Sword of the Grey Ones, lore-wise, has strange markings and growths in its blade. Do note that this one is just an imitation of the actual stuff that the Grey Ones used and is made with human hands. The damage is high but the penetration is modest.
Crafted with:
- 30 Composite Obsidian
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 5 Alchemical Base
- 1 Blackened Heart
7 Titan's Fingernail (Epic)
- Damage: 62
- Armor Penetration: 17.84%
The Titan's Fingernail stays true to its name when it comes to stats as the weapon is powerful enough to deal with most enemies that wear heavy armor. Despite the less-than-classy name though, the Titan's Fingernail is actually a pretty weapon and doesn't look like a behemoth's overgrown talons.
The armor penetration comes in a whopping 17.87 percent-- one of the highest in the game and the damage isn't too far off from the game's top blades either. The weapon does only come from the Isle of Siptah DLC.
Crafted with:
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 63 Eldarium
6 Sword of the Reaver (Epic)
- Damage: 62
- Armor Penetration: 17.84%
If players don't like the moniker given to the Titan's Fingernail or find its stats a little wanting, then the Sword of the Reaver might be a better choice. It has the same damage and armor penetration as the Titan's Fingernail but comes in with a dizzying number of player stat bonuses.
These are +2 to Strength, +2 to Agility, +2 to Survival, +2 to Vitality, +2 to Accuracy, +2 to Encumbrance, and +2 to Grit. They might not be high enough to feel significantly advantageous but this sword is perfect for an all-rounder exile.
Crafted with:
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 63 Eldarium
5 Guardsman's Sword
- Damage: 65
- Armor Penetration: 17.84%
Then again, all those bonus stat boosts from the Sword of the Reaver might be unwarranted. Some players simply want big damage with no gimmicks and additional clutter that might as well be empty promises.
The Guardsman's Sword is better than the Sword of the Reaver in that regard. It has slightly higher damage (by about 3) and has the same armor penetration. In a game with combat as precarious as Conan Exile's, these extra three points of damage can add up well to a life-saving amount.
Crafted with:
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 63 Eldarium
4 Black Ice Broadsword
- Damage: 67
- Armor Penetration: 9%
Speaking of higher damage, then the Black Ice Broadsword might also be a better choice than any previous items. It's a sword made out of ice, thus making it an apt weapon for a cold-blooded killer, figuratively speaking.
Black Ice Broadsword's damage is slightly higher than that of Guardsman's Sword. It does come with a tradeoff of having significantly lower armor penetration. But hey, it's a sword made out of ice, that's only fair.
Crafted with:
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 17 Eldarium
3 Voidforge Gladius
- Damage: 73
- Armor Penetration: 17.84%
If damage is all a player wants, then they shouldn't lower their standards if those standards are anything close to the Voidforge Gladius. It's also a DLC weapon from the Isle of Siptah, like the Guardsman's Sword and the Sword of the Reaver.
The difference is that it has a whopping 73 damage but the same second-highest armor penetration as the abovementioned swords. That already makes it the most appealing weapon requiring Eldarium to craft.
Crafted with:
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 17 Eldarium
2 Shortsword of the Grey Ones
- Damage: 78
- Armor Penetration: 18%
The Shortsword of the Grey Ones is more valuable and more powerful than the normal Sword of the Grey Ones. It has double the amount of that sword's armor penetration at 18 percent, making it more ideal for heavily shielded or armored enemies.
That makes it the sharpest weapon in this game as the one with the highest penetration. Moreover, the damage is insane at 78, making it preferable to the regular sword version. The range might be a problem though as it's shorter.
Crafted with:
- 30 Composite Obsidian
- 1 Weapon Handle
- 5 Alchemical Base
- 1 Blackened Heart
1 The Predatory Blade
- Damage: 97
- Armor Penetration: 9%
If players want the cream-of-the-crop, then that would be the Predatory Blade. Out of all the swords in the game, it offers the highest damage available at three points shy of a hundred.
The armor penetration leaves much to be desired compared to shortswords but adding more to that kind of damage would be overkill at that point. Obtaining this blade is a tall order, however, as it's guarded by a big red dragon boss monster.
Found in:
- The Unnamed City, Red Mother drop