The Best Daggers in Skyrim (& Where to Unlock Them)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is now over a decade old, yet players continue to enjoy it in significant part due to its vast world and variety. An example of that variety lies in the many weapons players can choose to focus on, such as heavy two-handed swords or long-ranged bows. Although not as imponent as the previous examples, daggers can be some of the deadliest and cooler-looking weapons in the game. For players that wish to drop their bow and use their stealth to get up close and personal, daggers can be a powerful choice.

Although being a stealth archer is a staple of Skyrim, players that choose to fight up close may find the lack of range can be greatly compensated by the increased damage. This is because of the sneak talents, Backstab and Assassins Blade, which increases the damage multiplier of dagger attacks from stealth to 15. Coupled with the Shrouded Gloves from the Darkbrotherhood Set, a dagger sneak attack can inflict up to 30 times its base damage, resulting in some of the highest burst players can inflict in the game.

However, the true strength of daggers lies not in their sneak attack damage but also their speed and weight. Daggers will often be much lighter than other weapons, allowing players to stealthily maneuver in dungeons more easily. More importantly, because they are the fastest weapons in Skyrim, daggers that possess unique debuffs that trigger on a hit will be more effective in applying those debuffs than any other weapon.

How To Get The Best Daggers in Skyrim

Bloodthorn Dagger

This dagger is visually identical to the Steel Dagger but is far more powerful. It possesses a unique enchantment that will fill a Soul Gem whenever an enemy dies within three seconds of being hit by it. It also absorbs health, a hidden effect not mentioned in the game’s tooltips. The Bloodthorn has a base damage of eight, which is not great but can be upgraded at a grindstone with Steel Ingots.

This dagger can be found in Hag’s End, which can be seen in Skyrim’s map, in the snowy mountains to the northeast of Markath. To access it, players will have to go through Deepwood Redoubt found to the west of it. After reaching the main structure, players can climb to the top, where a sacrificial table is located. A witch’s body will be on the table, and next to her right hand, players will find the Bloodthorn.

Blade of Sacrifice

This blade is a lighter variant of the Ebony Dagger that cannot be enchanted but will provide exceptional damage at around level 30. What makes this dagger special is that it is obtainable six levels before other ebony blades in Skyrim begin appearing in chests. The Blade of Sacrifice has a base damage of 10 and can be upgraded at grindstones with Ebony Ingots.

Getting this blade is relatively easy as players will only need to start the ‘Boethiah’s Calling’ quest. To get it, players must reach level 30 and either find and read a book entitled Boethiah’s Proving, which can spawn at random or be looted from a follower of Boethiah, or travel straight to the Sacellum of Boethiah, southeast of Windhelm. There, find and speak with the priestess to obtain the quest and the Blade of Sacrifice.

Mehrune’s Razor

This dagger is a Draedic artifact with a powerful enchantment which gives it a 2% chance to instantly kill enemies on a hit. Even the most powerful enemies in Skyrim can fall to this effect, the only two exceptions being Miraak and Kastaag. This blade has a base damage of 11 and can be upgraded at a grindstone in Skyrim with Ebony Ingots.

To acquire Mehrune’s Razor, players will have to complete the ‘Pieces of the Past’ quest, which becomes available at level 20. First, they will need to assemble it by acquiring three pieces, one in Morthal, one in Dead Crone Rock, and another in Cracked Tusk Keep. Then, after getting the three pieces, players will need to renew the dagger at Mehrune’s Shrine and make sure the quest giver, Silus, does not survive the encounter or the blade will become inaccessible.

Blade of Woe

Although this blade does not possess any extraordinary effect, it has good debuff and high base damage. This blade will absorb 10 points of health per hit, but its charges also scale with the player’s level in Skyrim’s Destruction tree. Sporting 12 base damage, the Blade of Woe is incredibly easy to upgrade at a grindstone as it does not require ingots, making it a solid and well-rounded dagger that will work with most builds.

This blade is wielded by Astrid, the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, and it is possible to obtain two in the game. Players will first need to be initiated into the Brotherhood by heading to Windhelm and starting the ‘Innocence Lost’ quest. Next, complete the contract and go to sleep to meet the leader of the Brotherhood, Astrid. At this point, players can kill her to obtain one dagger or pickpocket her, which requires the Misdirection feat, and follow Skyrim‘s Dark Brotherhood questline until she gifts them their very own Blade of Woe.

Keening Dagger

This dagger is by far the most unique in the game due to its appearance and the amount of setup it requires to be worth using. Keening’s unique effect is a powerful chance to absorb 10 points of health, Magicka, and stamina on hit; however, it possesses only one charge and cannot be recharged. Therefore, to effectively use Keening, players must use mods or stack Fortify Destruction enchantments to 100 to make sure the charge is not lost when used. Additionally, this dagger has a base damage of eight and cannot be upgraded in any way.

To acquire this blade, players will need to complete the ‘Arniel’s Endeavor‘ quest, which also requires players to complete the ‘Eye of Magnus’ questline in Skyrim’s Mage’s College of Winterhold. ‘Arniel’s Endeavor‘ is a long, four-part quest, culminating with Arniel using the dagger at the College of Winterhold and disappearing. Picking up the Keening of the floor after it happens will also reward players with the Arniel’s Shade conjuration spell.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

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