Tired of slow weapons or want to sneak up on enemies? Here’s the best daggers to look out for in Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim opens up a massive world for players to explore, one that is filled with fearsome monsters, including dragons, demons, vampires, draugr, trolls, etc.
Read More: Top 8 Best Items If You Are A Thief in Skyrim
To take on these foes, players have access to a wide arsenal of weapons, including Swords, Greatswords, Battleaxes, Maces, Bows, and even Katanas. Furthermore, you can use various destructive spells to take down your foes.
Therefore, the humble dagger seems to be only a starter weapon when compared to all these choices. While it is true that in terms of base damage, daggers are the weakest weapons. Their quickness makes them perfect for dual wielding, allowing the right setup to dish out very high damage and frequently dealing critical hits. Additionally, they are the weapons of choice for stealth builds.
Furthermore, daggers can be used as off-hand weapons, making other one-handed weapons even more dangerous.
This guide looks at the most powerful daggers in the game. Should you decide to build a character that utilizes quickness or stealth, you will want to consider these weapons.
Best Daggers
Before we get into the list, let’s look into the ranking criteria. Each weapon is ranked by their:
- Damage output, taking into account their base damage and speed.
- Utility, mostly provided by their enchantment.
- Their effectiveness relative to when you acquire them in the game.
Lastly, while unique weapons bring powerful effects to the table, the best weapons in Skyrim are ones that can be crafted and extensively upgraded, whether with enchantments or at the grindstone. Perfect examples of these are Daedric and Dragonbone Weapons.
10. Bloodthorn
- Base Damage: 5
- Weight: 2.5
- Enchantment: If the target dies within 3 seconds, it fills a soul gem. (Also has a health absorb enchantment not shown in the game description).
Pros:
- Great Burst Damage
- Great Utility
Cons:
- Weak Base Damage
Bloodthorn is a steel dagger that allows players to deal quick damage due to its low 2.5 weight. Though it only has a meager 5 base damage, players can use its quickness to dish out quick bursts of damage. Furthermore, it has great utility, as Bloodthorn produces a soul gem if its user kills a target within three seconds of being attacked.
How to Get Bloodthorn
It can be found on the balcony of Hag’s End, which is located to the Northeast of Markarth and to the west of Solitude.
9. Blade of Woe
- Base Damage: 12
- Weight: 7
- Enchantment: Absorb 10 points of health
Pros:
- Highest base damage for a dagger
- Quick
Cons:
- Weak Enchantment
- Enchantment only has six base charges,
The Blade of Woe’s high damage output and enchantment, which absorbs 10 points of health from the enemy with each hit, makes it an exceptionally strong weapon. However, the dagger’s enchantment has only six base charges. But you can reduce the amount of charge each strike uses by investing in the Destruction skill. Furthermore, it is possible to use the enchantment without losing any charge by equipping four items with a 25% Fortify Destruction effect for a total of 100% reduction.
How to Get Blade of Woe
The Blade can obtained as a reward for completing the quest “Death Incarnate.” Alternatively, you can loot it off Astrid in the Abandoned Shack.
8. Keening
- Base Damage: 8
- Weight: 4
- Enchantment: Has a chance to absorb 10 Points of Health, Magicka, and Stamina on strike.
Pros:
- Great Enchantment
- High damage for a dagger
- Great for leveling skills due to being able to absorb health, magicka, and stamina
Cons:
- Enchantment cannot be recharged
How to Get Keening
You can get the Keening during the quest “Arniel’s Endeavor” at one of these radiant locations:
- Autumnshade Clearing
- Broken Helm Hollow
- Cragslane Cavern
- Cragwallow Slope
- Cronvangr Cave
- Darklight Tower
- Darkwater Pass
- Faldar’s Tooth
- Gallows Rock
- Lost Knife Hideout
- Mara’s Eye Den
- Mistwatch
- Morvunskar
- Pinepeak Cavern
- Redwater Den
- Tolvald’s Cave
- Treva’s Watch
- Uttering Hills Cave
7. Mehrunes’ Razor
- Base Damage: 11
- Weight: 3
- Enchantment: Hits have a small chance to kill instantly
Pros:
- Second highest base damage for a dagger
- Very quick, allowing for a lot of chances for the enchantment to activate
- Useful for any kind of build
- Great as an off-hand weapon.
Cons:
- Enchantment can be reflected by the Ebony Warrior
- Cannot be improved past flawless quality without boosting the Smithing skill over 100.
One of the fastest weapons in the game, Mehrunes’ Razor dishes out damage very quickly. Though it has lower damage than the Dragonbone Dagger, it is significantly faster.
Furthermore, its enchantment sets it apart from other weapons. Each of its hits has 1.98% chance to kill almost any opponent instantly. Furthermore, the Razor has infinite charges, therefore it will never require recharging with a soul gem.
However, Mehrunes’ Razor does come with a unique effect. It has a 1.98-percent chance of killing the enemy in one hit. Unlike other daggers, Mehrunes’ Razor only comes with 3 Weight, making it much lighter than other powerhouse daggers. Using this weapon with the Dual Flurry Perk can make for some incredibly fast stabbing.
How to Get Mehrunes’ Razor
Mehrunes’ Razor is unlocked after completion of the quest “Pieces of the Past.” You can only get it if you choose to kill Silus Vesuius.
6. Skyforge Steel Dagger
- Base Damage: 8
- Weight: 2.5
Pros:
- High damage for a dagger
- Very quick
Cons:
- Cannot be upgraded at the grindstone due to a bug
- Very rare
How to Get Skyforge Steel Dagger
There are several ways to get this dagger.
First, it can be chosen as a reward for completing the quest “Proving Honor”
Second. it can be found on Skjor’s corpse during the quest “The Silver Hand”
Lastly, it can be acquired through Brill, Tilma the Haggard, Katria, and Aela the Huntress of the Companions. This dagger can be pickpocketed from all of them except Aela. To acquire the dagger from Aela, you must have her as a follower, after which you take it from her inventory.
5. Ebony Dagger
- Base Damage: 10
- Weight: 5
Pros:
- High damage for a dagger
- Can be extensively upgraded
- Can be crafted
- Can be found as common loot
Cons:
- Not quite as strong as other custom daggers such as Daedric and Dragonbone
How to Get Ebony Dagger
It can obtained relatively easily throughout the game. Once you reach level 36, the base weapon will start appearing as random loot in chests and as world items, wielded by various enemies, and can be bought from blacksmiths and general good merchants.
Enchanted Ebony Daggers will start appearing after you reach level 37.
Furthermore, with a high enough Smithing level, 80, and the Ebony Smithing perk, you can craft it by using these materials:
- 1 x Leather Strips
- 1 x Ebony Ingots
Furthermore. the following NPCs also carry it:
- Dark Brotherhood Initiates
- Cicero during “The Cure for Madness” quest.
- Neloth, who can be pickpocketed.
- Esbern, who can be pickpocketed.
4. Daedric Dagger
- Base Damage: 11
- Weight: 6
Pros:
- Second highest damage of all daggers
- Can be extensively upgraded
- Can be crafted
- Can be found as common loot
How to Get Daedric Dagger
While lore may suggest otherwise, Daedric Daggers can be found through means other than those that involve Dremora. Base Daedric Daggers appear at level 46, while Enchanted Daedric Daggers appear after level 47.
They can be bought from blacksmiths, general good merchants, random loot in chests, or dropped by Revered or Legendary Dragons.
Furthermore, with a high enough Smithing level, 90, and the Daedric Smithing perk, you can craft it at a blacksmith’s forge by using these materials:
- 1 x Daedra Heart
- 1 x Leather Strips
- 1 x Ebony Ingots
It can also be crafted at the Atronach Forge using these materials:
- 1 x Daedra Heart
- 1 x Ebony Dagger
- 1 x Centurion Dynamo Core
- 1 x Black Soul Gem
3. Stalhrim Dagger
- Base Damage: 10
- Weight: 4.5
Pros:
- High damage for a dagger
- Quick
- Can be extensively upgraded
- Can be found as common loot
- Can be crafted
- Stalhrim weapons boosts Frost Damage
Cons:
- Requires Stalhrim to upgrade, which can be rare.
How to Get
As it is not a unique weapon, the Stalhrim Mace can be obtained through various means.
It is sold by Baldor Iron-Shaper in the Skaal Village, by Glover Mallory in Raven Rock, and can even be found as random loot.
Furthermore, with a high enough Smithing level, 80, and the Ebony Smithing perk, you can craft it by using these materials:
- 1 × Stalhrim
- 1 × Leather Strip.
However, you’ll have to finish the quest “A New Source of Stalhrim” before you can forge anything made of Stalhrim.
2. Dragonbone Dagger
- Base Damage: 12
- Weight: 6.5
Pros:
- Highest base damage for a dagger
- Quick
- Can be extensively upgraded
- Can be crafted
Cons:
- Cannot be found as loot
- Requires a high smithing level to craft
- Requires rare resources to upgrade
Dragonbone gear is some of the strongest gear in the game, and this dagger is no exception. It boasts great damage and low weight, allowing it to deal very quick bursts of damage, giving it one of the highest DPS in the game.
How to Get Dragonbone Dagger
With a high enough Smithing level, 100, and the Dragon Armor perk, you can craft it by using these materials:
- 1 x Dragon Bone
- 1 x Leather Strip
1. Valdr’s Lucky Dagger
- Base Damage: 5
- Weight: 2.5
- Enchantment: 25% chance of a critical hit.
Pros:
- Great Burst Damage
- Crits very frequently
- Great as a backstab weapon for stealth builds
- Low requirements to upgrade at a grindstone
- The additional effect isn’t actually considered an enchantment in-game. So it works in tandem with the “Elemental Fury” shout.
- Relatively easy to acquire
Cons:
- Weak Base Damage
Another dagger that boasts quick damage and great utility. While sharing Bloodthorn’s 5 base damage and 2.5 weight, it has the added effect of a 25% chance of a critical hit. Combined with the speed with which the dagger attacks, that’s a lot of critical hits.
Moreover, critical hits also stagger the enemy. The damage output can be further increased by upgrading its base damage by improving it on the grindstone and having a high one-handed skill. Furthermore, it makes an excellent weapon for stealth, as its critical hit chance combined with the Backstab and the Assassin’s Blade perks makes it a near-instant kill weapon.
How to Get Valdr’s Lucky Dagger
Valdr’s Lucky Dagger can be found quite easily. You can get this from Valdr by finding him in Moss Mother Cavern, which is located southwest of Whiterun and north of Falkreath.
Read More: The Best Mods to Improve Combat in Skyrim Special Edition
