Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has easily become one of the most successful video games to date. Since its 2011 release, it has continued to be a fan favorite and has spread across numerous platforms. Six years later, it's still being remastered to look better on the PC and has been brought to the Nintendo Switch. Though fans wait anxiously for Elder Scrolls VI, they still adore the last installment. A lot of that has to do with the diverse, beautiful, and vast world that was created in this corner of Tamriel.
To this day, fans still discuss new things they've found across Skyrim or old favorites they've revisited. From the characters to locations and even items, the world is still tremendously fresh. One of the few complaints is the wonky combat system which more or less mandates ultra-powerful weapons and items. However, there's a fair amount of weapons that fans carry way too long that simply don't make the cut.
Updated on December 12th, 2021 by Tanner Fox: Not every weapon in Skyrim is the best and some are just downright useless when compared to other more useful weapons available in the game. Players should avoid them, even though they may seem like good choices at first.
Axe of Whiterun
When following Skyrim's main mission, the player is told to warn the Jarl of Whiterun about the dragons. After slaying the scaly beast on the edge of the hold, the leader is eager to dub the Dragonborn Thane of Whiterun. With the title comes the Axe of Whiterun, a two-handed battle-axe that does shock damage.
This weapon is the first named and enchanted weapon a player will get. However, that doesn't mean that they should hang on to it for long. Two-handed weapons are often very slow and don't deal enough damage to be worth using. As soon as players obtain a better weapon, it's a good idea to sell the Axe of Whiterun, allowing for some extra inventory space.
Wooden Sword
Carried by many merchants across the land of Skyrim, the Wooden Sword barely counts as a weapon. Intended as a children's toy, the wooden sword boasts a base damage stat of two and a reach stat of one, meaning that, more often than not, the Dragonborn won't be using it to hack up enemies; they'll be ineffectually waving it in their faces.
It can be both upgraded and enchanted, but this weapon simply isn't worth the effort. It may make an ideal tool for a masochistic challenge run, though.
Forsworn/Falmer Arrows
Any archer in Skyrim knows that the most frustrating part of the beginning of the game involves collecting arrows. Not only does the Dragonborn start off without any money, but they also don't have any archery skills yet, so direct hits can be a challenge. Arrows are key to becoming a skilled archer. Because of this, early archers tend to pick up any and all arrows they find and use them.
The downside of this is that some arrows are worse than the basic iron arrows that players can come across at the beginning of the game. The Dragonborn runs into a lot of Forsworn and Falmer during their travels. Though these enemies tend to have a lot of arrows, these arrows are actually some of the worst in the game.
Blades Sword
This one-handed sword looks impressive at first glance, especially since it looks like a katana. Any player who wants to look cool will probably instantly seek the Blades Sword. However, the base blade itself is not anything special. In fact, the Blades Sword is actually pretty worthless.
While some of its variations are extremely powerful weapons, the average version can only be found in certain places on the map and cannot be crafted. It can be upgraded at a grindstone, though. However, the several unique versions of the blade are so much better that the basic one isn't worthwhile. After all, there are definitely better options when it comes to upgrading basic swords.
Wuuthrad
During the main mission of Skyrim, the Dragonborn is quickly ushered towards Whiterun. There, the player can participate in many missions. One of the most interesting is Skyrim's version of The Fighter's Guild, The Companions. There's just one catch; these fighters are all werewolves.
After many missions with these canine heroes, the Dragonborn eventually discovers the tomb of the first Companion, Ysgramor, and a possible cure for lycanthropy. The reward for finishing this mission is Wuuthrad, Ysgramor's battle-axe. Though the axe does extra damage to elves, it is not special. The axe may be one of the first big weapon rewards that the player gets, but it's not really worth using.
Dragonbone Warhammer
Part of the Dawnguard expansion, the Dragonbone Warhammer certainly earns points for its unique use of dragon remains, but, in combat, it's not particularly stunning.
With relatively low base damage for a weapon of its class, the Dragonbone Warhammer doesn't do much to make up for its slow, clunky nature. When fighting more agile enemies, this thing can be an absolute pain to use, and, though it's not technically an issue in-game, wielding a bone like a warhammer seems like it simply wouldn't work in real life.
The Shiv
There are several opportunities in Skyrim for the Dragonborn to end up in jail. There, the player looses all of their items and must become very well acquainted with the only weapon available: the shiv. In such a dire situation, it can become the only option for freedom.
Because of this, fans can sometimes get attached to the crude, sharp stick of metal. However, without mods which can add in things like the Shiv of Destiny, shivs are pretty useless. Though some players find it amusing to stab the citizens of Tamriel with shivs, in the grand scheme of things, these pointy sticks are absolutely worthless.
All Iron Weapons
Early on in Skyrim, the most common type of weapon that players come across into are of the iron variety. However, when the Dragonborn's quest in Skyrim begins, these weapons become obsolete and useless almost immediately. Pretty early on in the game, players are able to craft far superior steel items. This is when the Dragonborn should leave iron weapons to rust.
Furthermore, early enemies drop a lot of iron loot, which is a shame, as players who travel to Riverwood and use the forge there will already have far superior weapons. Because of their low stats, iron weapons are absolutely worthless.
Wabbajack
At first glance, Sheogorath's Daedric Artifact, the Wabbajack, is fantastic. Though its attacks are random, it is powerful enough to take out many of the Dragonborn's enemies. The staff can spice up any battle. However, after further use, the staff become more and more useless.
The Wabbajack can shoot fireballs, transform the enemy into a weak creature, paralyze an enemy, or decapitate an enemy. However, it can also reanimate an enemy with twice its original health, heal the enemy, or do absolutely nothing. Though it may be fun to use, the Wabbajack is effectively worthless when it comes to consistent damage.
Harkon's Sword
If the Dragonborn has chosen to side with the Dawnguard in the Dawnguard DLC, the final mission involves facing off against the big vampire bad himself, Harkon. Harkon is powerful and dangerous, and the player must fight him in his strongest form. When defeated, Harkon will drop Harkon's Sword, a powerful blade that absorbs health, stamina, and magicka. However, there's a catch; the wielder must be a vampire.
Ignoring the fact that this goes against all of the principles of the Dawnguard, not many players have chosen to become vampires since they are shunned and put in constant danger. Though the sword is powerful, it's worthless when considering the hoops that the Dragonborn would have to go through to use it.
Woodcutter's Axe
Intended for lumber and little else, the Woodcutter's Axe is just about completely useless in combat. A biting critique of an enemy's fashion sense would yield more destructive results.
With a base damage of five and a carry weight of ten, the Woodcutter's Axe is essentially a detriment to a player's inventory. Beyond that, an abysmal reach stat of 0.7 mandates some uncomfortably intimate fights. Those caught in a pinch with only the Woodcutter's Axe with which to defend themselves would be better off reloading an older save file.
Knife and Fork
The most iconic—and least useful—weapons in Skyrim are easily the knife and fork. Players can discover weak weapons in many places in Tamriel, but, most commonly, they can be found in Riften. Regardless of whether they're used separately or together, they both do very little damage.
However, this hasn't stopped some fans from finding these weapons and using them whenever they can. Fights with the fork and/or knife tend to last an absurd amount of time. After all, the more powerful the Dragonborn becomes, the harder and longer the fights are. These pieces of cutlery are absolutely worthless.