21 Best Battle Axes in Skyrim

To carry a battleaxe across the plains of Skyrim takes a lot of power, strength, and will.

When these weapons are used, the warrior who wields them puts all of his or her strength into each blow. This means that anyone who dares to stand in the way of this power will take a lot of damage.

It doesn’t matter if you want to buy a unique, enchanted battle axe or if you want to do it yourself. This list shows you where to find the best battleaxes in the game.

It’s up to you to choose which of these powerful weapons fits your play style and who you’ll use it to kill!

And as I always say, as you play the game, some of these weapons might become less useful.

But the best battleaxes will last you a long time, and you might still be able to use them after you finish the story and level up past 60.

21. The Woodsman’s Friend

The Woodsman’s Friend is a uniqueiron battleaxe found in Falkreath Hold. It does slightly more damage than a normal iron battleaxe, but takes longer to swing. Because of this, it actually loses damage points overall. 

The axe is located just southwest of the Conjurer’s Altar and north of Pinewatch, near the body of a dead woodcutter.

There are two sets of felled trees, it is located near the set of trees closest to Lake Ilinalta (on the southeastern side of the lake).

20. Headsman’s Axe

It’s only natural to awesome that most battleaxes are heavy weapons that take a long time to swing around.

For the most part, you’d be right to imagine that.

However the Headman’s Battleax begs to differ and defies the traditional definition of a battle axe with a weight of just 11 points and a base damage of 17.

This is the axe used in the execution of Roggvir, and you must obtain it from Ahtar if you wish to get your hands on it.

He usually roams Solitude so be sure to keep an eye out for the man whenever you’re paying a visit to the capital city of Skyrim.

19. Steel Battleaxe

The Steel Battleaxe is a basic weapon that can be found almost anywhere in the game.

In fact, this is probably one of the first axes that you’ll come across during your journey throughout Skyrim.

It has a high base damage of 18, but it does weigh 21 points which makes it far heavier than most other options.

It’s not a unique weapon though, so you’ll be able to find it being wielded by almost any enemy NPC that carries heavy weapons in the early game.

You may also craft it, but considering how easy it is to find you might want to save those materials for crafting or upgrading higher tier stuff later on.

18. Ancient Nord Battle Axe

The Ancient Nord Battle Axe is usually wielded by the undead bodies of fallen Nords. So you’ll likely be attacked by it when visiting a Draugr dungeon or any location where skeletons roam.

This bad boy packs a punch with a base damage of 18, but it takes this spot in our list mainly because of how beautiful it is.

If you care for the aesthetic part of your adventures then you might want to consider carrying this war axe during the early stages of the game.

You’ll find some amazing weapons later on, so be sure to keep an eye out for them too.

17. Orcish Battle Axe

Made with the semi-rare Orichalcum ore, this battleax tends to be found before the player hits level 10.

Most enemies that wield heavy weapons will usually carry an Orcish Battle Axe after hitting level 7.

And with a base damage of 19 points it provides you with quite a trusty companion to slice through almost any enemy in the game.

It has a low value but you can collect some of these battleaxes and sell them to make some quick cash in the early game.

They’re quite heavy, though! Be sure to keep your inventory clear if you intend to hold many of these weapons at once.

16. Dwarven Battle Axe

The Dwarven Battle Axe is the first weapon on this list that has a minimum of 20 points of base damage.

It’s only to be expected, though, as most Dwarven weapons or pieces of equipment tend to be quite well made.

It has a typical hole between the sharp blade and the staff that holds the weapon, which is part of the design of most Dwarven equipment.

They start spawning when you hit level 12, at which point you might also find them being sold by most merchants and blacksmiths in the game.

15. Nord Hero Battle Axe

The Nord Hero Battle Axe is a “newer” version of the Ancient Nord battleax.

Thus this weapon is far more sophisticated and looks cleaner in appearance.

It also hits for more damage than its older counterpart with 21 base damage and just 20 points of weight to its name.

It can be crafted at the Skyforge but you must complete the entire Companion’s questline before being able to do so.

14. Skyforge Steel Battle Axe

This beautiful weapon is similar to the Nord Hero Battle Axe, but it weighs a single additional point than the previous ax.

In fact, it looks exactly like a steel axe (you might not be able to tell which weapon is which if you look at them from a distance).

However the Skyforge version does far more damage than its regular counterpart. It’s also obtained by completing a quest in the Companions questline so it’s a lot harder to get your hands on.

13. Nordic Battle Axe

Used by the Nords in the Dragonborn DLC, this is one of the most beautifully designed weapons in any update to Skyrim.

It takes this spot on our list because it benefits from the Advanced Armors perk which improves the way you work with it at the blacksmith.

It hits for 21 points, although it weighs a couple of extra points at 23 so fairly balanced but still heavy.

12. Honed Ancient Nord Battle Axe

The Honed Ancient Nord Axe is an improved version of the traditional Ancient Nord version that you find in most ancient dungeons.

However the honed version does more points of damage than its regular counterpart, thus making it a much better option for you to carry around.

The weapon is mostly wielded by the various Draugr that you find in dungeons or anywhere in Skyrim.

However, unlike the regular Ancient Nord Battle Axe the honed variation of this amazing weapon is usually only wielded by the most respected of the undead.

The overlords tend to carry honed versions with them too so be prepared to fight if you intend to obtain one of these!

11. Elven Battle Axe

Elven crafts are always associated with high quality. And there’s a good reason for it.

The Elves have always created some of the finest materials in Tamriel and their pieces of equipment have armed the warriors of the realm for many Eras.

The Battle Axe used by the Elven hits for 21 points of base damage and it can be found after reaching level 30.

It’s one of the most fearsome weapons in the game with a design that suits the brave warrior that is willing to go out of his way to find it.

10. Glass Battle Axe

Glass weapons have always been crafted using Malachite, and the Glass Battle Axe is no exception.

They start spawning when you hit level 28 and they provide you with 22 points of base damage and a weight of 25 points.

You’ll be able to encounter these weapons after reaching the level requirement in various dungeons throughout the region.

They will also be sold by many merchants across the land shortly before level 30.

9. Steel Battleaxe of Fiery Souls

The Steel Battle Axe of Fiery Souls is a unique weapon that only hits for 18 points and looks exactly like a Steel Battle Axe.

So what makes it so good, you wonder?

It has a powerful enchantment(for which it earns its nickname) that fills your soul gems with the souls of your enemies if you slay them with this weapon.

Furthermore it burns any foe that it hits for 10 points.

As a bonus, if your target is vulnerable to fire this axe will hit them for even more damage than it would to a regular enemy. Score!

8. Rueful Battle Axe

This mighty axe was created by the Daedric Lord Clavicus Vile who spawned it to a father that was begging him to cure his daughter of Lycanthropy.

The evil lord did it just to spite the man, but his action created quite a mighty and fine piece of equipment.

The Rueful Battle Axe has a unique design and it is impossible to replicate in a forge.

The weapon has a high base damage of 22 points and hits an extra 20 points with each hit, but it only does so to the stamina of your targets.

It’s great to use when fighting multiple foes so if you’re going to storm a bandit den you might want to have this weapon with you.

It can be found during the quest called A Daedra’s Best Friend.

7. Ebony Battle Axe

The Ebony Battle Axe isn’t too rare, as it spawns after you reach level 36.

But it is powerful.

It has a cool design and a unique pattern that evokes gothic vibes too.

You’ll be able to find it across the region being wielded by the Draugr if you roam around a bit.

6. Drainblood Battle Axe

The Drainblood Battle Axe is a unique weapon which looks exactly like an Ancient Nord Battleax but with a blue tone spread throughout its entire surface.

The weapon is extremely powerful and only weighs 5 points. It has a base damage of 21 and an enchantment that absorbs 15 points of health per hit, making it a scary weapon for any foe and a damn lightweight one for you.

You can find this weapon while completing the Staff of Magnus quest so be sure to keep an eye out for it when slaying the many Draugr that you encounter in the dungeon during the quest.

It’s a worthy weapon to carry throughout the game too.

5. Stalhrim Battle Axe

Added with the Dragonborn update, the Stalhrim battleax is crafted using the rare Stalhrim material.

It has a high base damage of 24 points and you need to complete the quest called “A New Source of Stalhrim” if you wish to obtain it, just like the requirement for any other Stalhrim piece of weaponry or armor.

4. Tsun’s Battle Axe

Tsun’s Battle Axe is the strongest in the game when it comes to base damage.

It doesn’t hold a higher place in this list because it cannot be obtained unless you use console commands. So it’s kind of like a hidden addition, but also feels a bit cheaty to use.

You can see it during the quest called Sovngarde and since it’s being wielded by a Nordic god, it’s quite a unique weapon.

Despite the fact it looks like a regular Ancient Nord Battle Axe but let’s assume that’s just laziness on the developer’s part.

3. Daedric Battle Axe

Daedric weapons can always be crafted with the hearts of Daedras and Ebony ingots, but they usually require you to be at a relatively high level.

The Daedric Battle Axe is no exception to this rule. But its design alone makes it worthy for you to try and get your hands on this awesome weapon.

It looks rather diabolic, as most Daedric weapons in the game. But its appearance makes it incredible to keep around and scare off enemies.

Its damage is not too shabby either! It hits for 25 points and weighs just 27 which is rather low for such an incredible weapon.

The problem is that you need to be at least level 35 to find them wielded by your enemies out in the wild.

2. Dragonbone Battle Axe

Crafted with dragon bones, this powerful axe is the only uncommon battleax that outdoes the Daedric weapon in terms of damage.

It hits for 26 points and weighs 30.

Also it is said that its power befalls on the dragon bone that forms the edge of this weapon, which can cut through even the thickest of steels and destroy the mightiest of foes!

You need to be level 100 in smithing if you wish to craft it at the forge, though. So you better get practicing!

1. Wuuthrad

The Wuuthrad is the battleax that used to be worn by the founder of the Companions.

You must complete the Glory of the Dead quest, in which you obtain all the shards of this now-shattered weapon.

After doing so you’ll be able to speak to Eorlund Gray-Mane and he will re-forge the weapon for you.

It weighs 25 points and deals the same amount in base damage. It does a ton of extra damage if you hit an Elf with it so be sure to use it when fighting any sort of Elven foe.