18 Best Daggers & Knife in Skyrim

It’s not very satisfying to sink steel into a foe’s flesh if they don’t go down quickly, which is why every skilled killer carries a strong dagger.

And the ones who are really smart keep it ready to use when needed.

Assassins hide in the shadows and wait… But what kind of dagger would they wear on their belts?

Here are the best daggers I think you should think about carrying in Skyrim.

18. Dragon Priest Dagger

The Dragon Priest Dagger is a unique weapon that was once used by Dragon Priests in their rituals and sacrifices.

The dagger is pretty hard to find and can only be found in a few places. The dagger can be found at Forelhost, where several Dragon Cultists are carrying it.

It can also be found in Ysgrammor’s Tomb, Volunrund, Colette Marence’s room in the College of Winterhold, Harkon’s Room in Castle Volkihar, and the Soul Cairn.

The Dragon Priest Dagger can’t be made or changed, just like the silver weapons used by the Silver Hand. But just because of how it looks, a lot of players want one in their inventory.

17. Shiv

The Shiv is the fourth weakest weapon in the game. It does just a little more damage than forks and wooden swords.

It can’t be made better at grindstones, but at least it can be made magical! Only by doing the quest No One Escapes Cidhna Mine can you get a shiv.

The Dragonborn may not find the Shiv to be a very useful weapon, but players can use the dagger to make almost unlimited money.

The player must enchant a shiv and put it on a rack for daggers. The Dragonborn will still have the one that has been changed, but a new one will be on the rack.

Players can keep doing this until they have enough gold to meet their needs.

16. Kahvozein’s Fang

The Kahvozein’s Fang is useful, but only in a very narrow way.

It’s the only way to get the dragon heart scales needed to finish the Alteration Ritual Spell quest, so any real mage will need this dagger.

Note: This is a weird bug that only works if it is in the Dragonborn’s right hand.

For players to be able to get this dagger, they will have to kill a Dragon Priest.

After they use it for the quest, it’s the same as any other dagger the Dragon Priests use. At least it looks cool on a shelf!

15. Orcish Dagger

The Orcish dagger is one of the simplest weapons in Skyrim, but it is a very reliable friend that will make many enemies afraid.

Orcish daggers are some of the most common weapons used by new thieves and assassins because they can be found in many places and do a good amount of damage.

Now, you can find this dagger in different parts of Skyrim, and you can also buy it from one of the many merchants who walk around the snowy region.

The story goes that somewhere in Labyrinthian, an Orcish dagger is stuck in a skeleton, but trolls keep watch over the spot.

The easiest way to get one is to buy it from a blacksmith or a general merchandise store. Easy peasy!

14. Elven Dagger

Next is the Elven dagger, which was made by the blacksmiths of the Summerset Isles.

The history books say that the design of this blade was made in Alinor, which is the capital city of the Isles.

This dagger is the Thalmor’s favourite weapon, and it is also the High Elves’ most-used shot weapon.

It can be found in many places in Skyrim where high elves live, but it can also be made or bought from general goods merchants and blacksmiths, just like the Orcish dagger.

As a sign of honour, bandit bosses often carry Elven daggers.

This means that you can find them by storming bandit dens and killing their bosses. It’s easier to say than to do, but you signed up for this trip.

13. Valdr’s Lucky Dagger

Even though Valdr’s Lucky Dagger isn’t the strongest steel blade, the Dragonborn can show Valdr, the hunter, how kind he is by using this short sword.

You can get the Lucky Dagger by helping Valdr, a hunter who is stuck in the Moss Moth Cavern, get rid of the monsters that live in the cave.

The hunter and two of his friends got stuck in the cave and were killed by the spriggans who lived there.

Before they went on the trip, Ari, one of his friends, gave him the blade. Once the cave is cleaned out so the hunter’s friends can be buried properly, Valdr will gladly give it to you as a way of saying “thank you.”

12. Borvir’s Dagger

The Borvir’s dagger is just what an adventurer needs if they aren’t high enough level to get a normal Elf dagger.

Borvir’s dagger is exactly the same as any other Elven dagger. It just has a different name and one key difference that makes it a great blade for the early game: you can get it almost as soon as the game starts.

To get the dagger, you just have to finish the Missing Apprentices quest, which you can get by talking to Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold.

The quest is short because it was supposed to be part of a longer chain of quests, but Skyrim’s developers scrapped those plans.

Borvir’s dagger is on one side of his dead body, so if you find his missing apprentice, you can keep the dagger.

11. Skyforge Steel Dagger

The Skyforge steel dagger is a rare sharp weapon that does the same amount of base damage as the Elven dagger. It can be hard to get.

Skyforge weapons are rare and can only be found or bought from certain merchants. Experienced adventurers may come across a wide range of them.

The Skyforge steel dagger can be gotten as a random reward from a quest, but the most certain way to get this valuable weapon is to find Eourlund Gray-Mane and buy it from him.

He has a lot of these blades for sale and is ready to sell them. And because it has a low base value, it’s easy to get even early on.

10. Bloodthorn

With a name like this, you know we’re getting down to business. The Bloodthorn blade is the first unique blade on this list, and it may be one of the most useful small weapons you can get in Skyrim.

Bloodthorn has a pretty unique effect: if an enemy dies within three seconds of being hit with it, its soul will fill any empty Soul Gem in your inventory.

The Bloodthorn blade also has a unique effect that isn’t mentioned in its description. When it cuts an enemy, it takes some of their health, which makes up for the fact that it doesn’t do much damage by itself.

But the blade is not at all easy to get.

You have to go to the Nordic tomb of Hag’s End and get past any problems that might try to stop you.

Bloodthorn is right on top of the altar. Once you’ve cleared Hag’s End, shake off any blood on your clothes and pick it up.

9. Nordic Dagger

When you reach level 26, you can find the elegant Nordic dagger all over Skyrim. It has a strong blade and can be found in many places.

It will only show up if the Dragonborn DLC is installed, because the weapon wasn’t in the original game.

Even though the blade’s base damage is similar to that of other weapons, its unique and beautiful design makes it one of the weapons that skilled assassins want the most.

The only place you can always find the Nordic dagger is in Hrodulf’s House.

You can also find the weapon on the dead bodies of enemies, but you must be level 26 or higher to do this. You can also find the Nordic dagger at level 25, but it won’t be enchanted.

8. Alessandra’s Dagger

So, this dagger is a lot like a regular steel dagger in many ways, but it’s a lot lighter.

Given that it only weighs one point, Alessandra’s dagger is one of the best weapons for an assassin. Especially for players who like to feel quick on their feet.

The person who owns this blade is an Arkay priest named Alessandra. Her father gave it to her as a reward for finishing her training.

It’s also a quest item, which means you can’t get rid of it.

Many Skyrim veterans choose not to finish the quest so they can keep the weapon, which is very useful if they end up in jail.

Quest items can’t be taken away, so you can keep it even if you’re locked up.

7. Mehrunes’ Razor

This scary blade is a Daedric artefact that can only be gotten by completing the quest that Mehrunes Dagon gives.

Once the Dragonborn helps the Daedric Prince get what he wants, he will give you his blade.

It’s one of the best blades in the game because it has a hidden effect that gives you almost a 2% chance to kill any creature instantly, no matter where it is.

Even better, this amazing blade has a base damage of 11, making it the strongest blade on this list so far.

To get this cute little guy, you’ll need to finish Pieces of the Past and kill Silus. The Daedric Prince will be happy if you kill Silus and don’t spare him.

If you don’t kill the guy, Dagon won’t give you his razor. If you ever want to get this weapon, you should start making up for your mistakes right away.

6. Keening Dagger

Kagrenac, a famous Dwemer genius, made Keening a long time before the events of Skyrim.

The weapon has been around since the First Era, and it is one of the rarest and most expensive daggers in the game.

It has a unique enchantment that drains 10 points of magicka, health, and stamina, but it can’t be refilled.

The only way to keep the Keening dagger from losing its enchantment is for the player to carry equipment that strengthens Destruction.

This will keep the charm of the spell from wearing off.

During the Arniel’s Endeavor quest, you can get it by going to a certain place, like the Broken Helm Hollow, Mara’s Eye Den, or Gallows Rock.

5. Daedric Dagger

The Daedric dagger is one of the many weapons that Daedra use, but it is also a great tool for people who want to kill someone without being seen.

The Daedric dagger is one of the most powerful short blades in the game, with a base damage of 11. (among a handful of others at this level).

It looks very evil and has a curve that can cut through any kind of flesh in Tamriel.

When you reach level 46, the Dremora Merchant will sell you these blades. It can also be randomly dropped by dragons or found in some high-level thief dens.

The Daedric dagger is a strong weapon and one of the best end-game daggers for an assassin to carry, especially if you put a powerful spell on it.

4. Stalhrim Dagger

The Stalhrim dagger is pretty unique, but if you know where to look, you can find it all over Skyrim.

But it is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, and if you put an enchantment on it, it will be even more powerful.

Once the quest “A new source of Stalhrim” is done, it can be bought from certain vendors. The quest must also be done before the dagger can be made.

Glover Mallory and Baldor Iron-Shaper are the main players who sell this rare blade in the game. It can also be found randomly in chests.

3. Blade of Sacrifice

Most of the people who use this rare Ebony dagger are followers of Boethiah, the Daedric Prince of lies and betrayal.

It usually works like a normal Ebony blade, but it is one of the most beautiful and eye-catching weapons of this size.

With a base damage of 10, this blade can be used in battle or to kill someone without being seen.

During the quest “Boethiah’s Calling,” you can get it by looting the bodies of Boethiah’s followers.

You must kill all of the Daedric Prince’s followers to finish this quest. This means that you can get more than one copy of this dagger if you want to.

Remember that each of your followers is carrying one of these powerful blades.

2. Dragonbone Dagger

The Dragonbone dagger is hard to make because you need to have a dragon bone and a leather strip in your inventory, as well as a Smithing skill of 100.

It has a strong base damage level of 12, making it the strongest dagger weapon in the game, along with the Blade of Woe (which is coming up next, hint hint!).

But the Dragonbone dagger isn’t enchanted, and it can’t share the Blade of Woe’s powerful enchantment.

The main difference between these two daggers is that the Dragonbone blade can be used much faster and lets a Dragonborn hit much more often than the other.

This blade is great for assassins and warriors who would rather carry a smaller weapon on their quests.

1. Blade of Woe

The Blade of Woe is the most well-known short blade in The Elder Scrolls.

It has also been in Oblivion and TES Online, and it is the Dark Brotherhood’s most iconic item.

The Night Mother herself put a spell on the Blade of Woe during the story of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Before that, it was just a normal sword.

This fearsome blade is the only weapon in the game that can be upgraded without using ingots in the grinder.

It does so much damage that most assassins would rather use it than any other weapon if they could.

In Skyrim, the leader of The Dark Brotherhood owns the Blade of Woe. But you won’t get it until you’ve finished some of The Dark Brotherhood’s main quests.

A reward that fits for a skilled killer.