Skyrim's Daedric artifacts contain some of the most formidable enchantments in the game, but they aren't the only ones that can pack a unique punch. Buried treasures, relics of gods and long-dead wizards, sinister magics perhaps best forgotten — Skyrim's nooks and crannies are home to all sorts of powerful artifacts that bear no connection to the denizens of Oblivion.
Power, style, and flair can be found in a number of sources. From quest rewards to cleverly hidden weapons, these ten one-of-a-kind pieces of gear prove there's no need to bargain with a Daedric lord to gain an extra edge in battle.
Updated December 13th, 2021 by Russ Boswell: The release of the Skyrim Anniversary Edition has sent players back into the world of Skyrim for yet another playthrough of its epic tale but this time there is much more for the Dragonborn to discover. The Skyrim Anniversary Edition added a slew of weapons (that aren't Daedric Artifacts) to the game to give players even more choices on how to take down their many foes. To shine a better light on some of the best weapons available in Skyrim as well as the new weapons added in the Skyrim Anniversary Edition, the following list has been updated and now includes even more entries.
13 Staff Of Hasedoki
The Staff of Hasedoki is a great weapon for players the enjoy using staves and comes with some interesting perks. For one, it's capable of automatically sealing an enemy's soul if they're killed within 60 seconds of engagement. It's also capable of knocking them back with a force that's similar to the Dragonborn's Unrelenting Force shout, allowing players to put distance between themselves and any enemies that may venture too close. It simultaneously protects against spells slung from other magic users thanks to its 40 point ward.
To get the Staff of Hasedoki, players will need to head to an unmarked Bandit Camp west of Dragonsreach. There, they can find Smuggler's Trade Notes, which will set them out on a quest to locate and secure the staff for themselves.
12 Stendarr's Hammer
Those looking to get their hands on a powerful weapon fairly early in the game can consider the two-handed beast that is Stendarr's Hammer. By traveling to the Dwemer Museum in Markarth and gaining entry, players can simply locate the hammer and pick it up. Unfortunately, gaining entry via picking the lock and entering is illegal, but it's entirely possible for players to sneak past the guards inside and snag the hammer for themselves. Those looking to do so legally will need to work through the Hard Answers questline first.
Stendarr's Hammer weighs a whopping 100 pounds, making it detrimentally heavy to carry around and it does drain 20 stamina per hit when used against enemies but this trades off for its Smite ability which deals 22 points of damage to those struck. It's rather powerful if players can get past its heavy weight and somehow fortify against its immense stamina drain.
11 Ruin's Edge
Although players will need to use a Daedra Heart to Temper this particular bow, it's not considered a Daedric Artifact, but rather, a legendary weapon. The Ruin's Edge is one of the most entertaining bows in the game and ridiculously strong thanks to its array of random debuffs. Each shot from the Ruin's Edge has a chance to debuff an enemy with one of the following afflictions:
- Frenzy (100 magnitude, 30% chance)
- Frost Damage (25 points, 30% chance)
- Demoralize (100 magnitude, 20% chance)
- Drain Magicka (1000 magnitude, 10% chance)
- Paralyze (9% chance to stun for 1 second, 1% chance to stun for 15 seconds)
Those that want to get their hands on this amazingly powerful bow will need to take on the boss Bandit of Stony Creek Cave.
10 Gloves of the Pugilist
These humble-looking fur gauntlets are found in the possession of a hostile lowlife named Gian the Fist, who makes his home in Riften's Ratway. Claim them by looting his body, and equip them to gain 10 additional points of damage to unarmed attacks.
Unlike most items on this list, the Gloves of the Pugilist can be disenchanted, allowing the player to apply Fortify Unarmed to other items. This enchantment is incredibly useful for Khajiit, whose claws give them a racial bonus to unarmed attacks.
9 Dragonbane
This one-of-a-kind Akaviri katana deals 20-40 extra points of damage to dragons and shock damage to others. Available early on in the Blades' Sky Haven Temple, it's a godsend for players looking for an extra edge against the game's main monsters.
Considering how frequently dragons spawn and the benefits of slaying them, Dragonbane is indispensable. Be warned, however, that once Delphine asks the player to kill Paarthunax, all items in Sky Haven Temple will be considered stolen until the deed is done.
8 Staff of Magnus
This mysterious staff remains useful long after finishing the College of Winterhold questline. Its enchantment drains targets of Magicka and, when they're out of that, health. It's a powerful tool for fighting high-level mages, incapacitating them quickly.
The Staff of Magnus is found in Labyrinthian during its titular quest and requires the defeat of Dragon Priest Morokei. The fight is especially tough for mages since the Staff is weaponized against the player. However, it's worth it to foil the Thalmor plot and obtain the Staff of Magnus.
7 Auriel's Shield
Deep within the Forgotten Vale, this long-lost shield has been picked up by a Falmer Warmonger. Defeat him, and the enchantment that once belonged to a god is in the player's hands.
Reaching the shield's location requires the Ruby Paragon, which is guarded by a Frost Giant; however, the reward is worth the bruises. Auriel's shield stores the energy of each attack it blocks, which the player can release with a Power Bash. At maximum charge, this effect sends enemies flying just like a three-word Unrelenting Force shout.
6 Zephyr
A unique Dwarven bow found in the ruin of Arkngthamz, Zephyr's innate enchantment allows it to fire arrows faster than any other bow in the game. It's one of the best tools an archer can have in their arsenal and is especially formidable when used with high-damage or poisoned arrows.
The only real downside is how quickly the player can run out of arrows. However, the Archery perk Hunter's Discipline helps offset this, allowing players to reclaim twice as many arrows from their kills.
5 Ahzidal's Armor
Found during the quest "Unearthed," Ahzidal's relics boast fearsome enchantments. The chest piece can paralyze attackers; the boots grant waterwalking. The gauntlets allow wards to absorb Magicka (though they decrease the wards' efficacy); the helm allows Conjuration and Rune spells to be cast at greater range. The Ring of Arcana grants two new Destruction spells, and the Ring of Necromancy causes reanimated thralls to explode like icy grenades when they take damage.
In addition to their unique effects, wearing any four of the relics at once grants a 10-point increase to Enchanting.
4 The Aetherial Crown
Deep beneath the Ruins of Bthalft lies the Aetherium Forge, a mysterious Dwemer site used to craft magical items out of the aetherium crystals. During the quest "Lost to the Ages," the player can choose to craft one of three items here; of the available options, this circlet is arguably the most useful.
It allows the player to retain two Standing Stone effects at once. From lightning-fast leveling to invisibility to long-range damaging paralysis, this ability has the potential to be absolutely game-breaking.
3 Deathbrand
Individually, the pieces of this set grant waterbreathing, extra stamina, carrying capacity, and duel-wielding damage — each of which increases with each Deathbrand piece worn. When the entire set is worn together, it grants a massive armor bonus, making it a must-have for rogues or other light-armored characters.
Finding the set is a bit of a scavenger hunt, as it requires the player to roam all over Solstheim following treasure maps. However, it's a fun way to explore, and the reward is well worth it.
2 Auriel's Bow
Central to Dawnguard's main quest, this hallowed bow inflicts sun damage on all enemies and triples this effect on undead targets. Sun damage itself is not a unique effect; however, the true power of Auriel's Bow comes from Sunhallowed or Bloodcursed arrows.
Fired at the undead, Sunhallowed arrows not only cause direct sun damage but also a small blast; when fired at the sun, beams of burning sunlight to rain down on foes. Bloodcursed arrows, meanwhile, blot out the sun for a day, an invaluable effect for vampires.
1 Windshear
This unique scimitar can be tricky to find, but it's worth it. Lodged into the tip of the Katariah ship's bow, Windshear can only be found during and after the final Dark Brotherhood quest, "Hail Sithis!"
Windshear's enchantment is incredibly useful for buying time in a tough battle. Its bashing attacks have a chance to knock down enemies, who take several seconds to get up; additionally, normal attacks are guaranteed to stagger their targets. These effects give players a window to heal themselves, or simply wail on enemies.