The Daedric Sword is one of Skyrim’s most coveted late-game weapons, delivering brutal damage output that punches well above its weight. Whether you’re hunting legendary dragons or clearing high-level dungeons filled with dangerous foes, this one-handed blade stands as a top-tier choice for melee combat. With its impressive base damage of 14 and unique demonic aesthetic, the Daedric Sword represents everything dark and powerful about Daedric craftsmanship. This guide covers everything you need to know: how to get one, how to make it even deadlier with enchantments, and how to maximize its damage potential in combat.
Key Takeaways
- The Daedric Sword is a high-tier one-handed weapon in Skyrim with 14 base damage and scales excellently with the One-Handed skill and Bladesman perk for devastating critical hits.
- You can obtain a Daedric Sword three ways: find it as rare loot above level 46, craft it at a forge with 90 Smithing and Daedric Smithing perk (requiring 1 Daedra Heart and 2 Ebony Ingots), or use the Atronach Forge method via the College of Winterhold.
- Enchanting your Daedric Sword with Absorb Health, Absorb Stamina, or Paralyze dramatically increases its damage potential, especially when paired with Fortify Enchanting potions and perks.
- Maximizing Daedric Sword damage requires tempering it to Legendary status, pushing One-Handed skill to 100, and using power attacks combined with armor-reducing shouts like Marked for Death.
- Dual-wielding two Daedric Swords or pairing one with another high-damage blade, combined with Dual Flurry perks, significantly multiplies your DPS and attack speed for endgame melee dominance.
What Is a Daedric Sword and Why You Should Wield It
The Daedric Sword is a high-tier one-handed sword in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, crafted from infernal materials and designed for warriors who’ve mastered their craft. Its core stats are nothing to sneeze at: it deals 14 base damage, weighs 16 units, and sells for 1,250 gold, metrics that place it among the strongest one-handed swords in the game before any enchantments.
What makes the Daedric Sword especially effective is how it scales with your skills and perks. It benefits from the One-Handed skill line, meaning every point you invest matters. The Bladesman perk amplifies its lethality by boosting critical damage, turning those lucky strikes into devastating blows. For players focused on becoming a master swordsman, the Daedric Sword is the endgame weapon that rewards your dedication.
Unlike the more ornate samurai sword Skyrim offers or the raw power of a Skyrim Daedric Weapons guide, the Daedric Sword strikes a perfect balance between damage, weight, and visual impact. Its intimidating demonic design signals to enemies that they’re facing a seasoned warrior.
How to Obtain a Daedric Sword in Skyrim
Finding It in the World
If you’re past level 46, Daedric Swords begin appearing in the game’s leveled loot system, though they’re rare drops before level 47. High-level enemies like Dremora are your best bet for loot, they frequently carry enchanted variants. You’ll also find unenchanted versions in boss chests scattered throughout Skyrim‘s dungeons, particularly in Daedric-themed locations or endgame strongholds.
Blacksmiths at high player levels occasionally stock them, though prices are steep at 1,250 gold. Random encounters with powerful warriors and mages may also yield one if you’re lucky. Patience and thorough looting at level 46+ will eventually net you one.
Crafting Your Own Daedric Sword
Standard Forge Method requires serious investment but gives you complete control:
- Smithing skill: 90
- Daedric Smithing perk: Required (unlocks the recipe)
- Materials: 1 Daedra Heart, 2 Ebony Ingots, 1 Leather Strip
- Tempering: Use 1 Ebony Ingot at a grindstone: the Daedric Smithing perk increases improvement effectiveness
The bottleneck is usually Daedra Hearts. Farm them from Dremora lords, hunt conjurers, or purchase from alchemists. Once you have the materials, you’re golden.
Atronach Forge Method (College of Winterhold Midden) offers an alternative if you’re deep in the College questline. After hitting Conjuration 90, you unlock the Sigil Stone quest. Once you obtain the stone, the Atronach Forge lets you craft a Daedric Sword using:
- 1 Daedra Heart
- 1 Ebony Sword
- 1 Centurion Dynamo Core
- 1 Black Soul Gem
This method bypasses the Smithing requirement entirely.
PC Console Method (if you just want to skip ahead):
- Item ID:
000139B9 - Command:
player.AddItem 000139B9 1
Optimizing Your Daedric Sword With Enchantments
A raw Daedric Sword is powerful, but enchanting transforms it into a nightmare for your enemies. The arcane enchanter is your workshop here, visit any mage’s college or major city.
Top Enchantment Choices:
- Absorb Health: Steals enemy health and heals you. The Daedric Sword of the Vampire variant exists in leveled loot, but crafting your own lets you stack this with other effects.
- Absorb Stamina: Cripples enemy power attacks while boosting your own stamina pool, perfect for aggressive combat.
- Elemental Damage (Fire/Frost/Shock): Stacking multiple elements amplifies damage output and can proc status effects.
- Paralyze: Locks enemies in place for guaranteed follow-up damage. High-level and high-cost, but devastatingly effective.
Boosting Enchantment Power:
Drink Fortify Enchanting potions before applying enchantments to increase their magnitude. Max out your Enchanting skill and grab the Enchanter, Insightful Enchanter, and Corpus Enchanter perks. For crafting improvements, use Fortify One-Handed gear and Fortify Smithing potions when tempering at the grindstone. This combination multiplies your damage gains significantly.
Combat Tips for Maximum Daedric Sword Damage
Wielding a Daedric Sword effectively requires strategy beyond just swinging wildly. Here’s how to maximize your damage output.
Skill and Perk Investment:
Push your One-Handed skill to 100 and grab the Armsman perk (25% damage boost per rank). Bladesman is essential for critical damage scaling. The Savage Strike perk synergizes well, adding armor penetration to heavy attacks.
Smithing Matters:
Temper your Daedric Sword to Legendary status at a grindstone using the Daedric Smithing perk and Fortify Smithing potions. Each improvement level increases base damage, Legendary increases it significantly. This isn’t optional if you want endgame performance.
Dual-Wielding Strategy:
If you wield two one-handed weapons, your DPS scales dramatically. Two Daedric Swords or a Daedric paired with another high-damage blade increases attack speed and total damage output. This works especially well with the Dual Flurry perks.
Power Attacks and Shouts:
Power attacks deal bonus damage and can trigger special effects from enchantments. Use them when stamina allows. Shouts like Marked for Death reduce enemy armor, amplifying your sword’s effectiveness. Elemental shouts (like Unrelenting Force for staggers) create openings for follow-ups.
Potions and Buffs:
Drink Fortify Damage potions (Deathbell, River Betty, Imp Stool combinations) before tough fights. Paralysis poisons immobilize enemies, guaranteeing critical hits. The “Notched Pickaxe” strategy, leveraging crafting buffs, multiplies your sword’s stats beyond normal limits if you’re optimizing hard.
Conclusion
The Daedric Sword earns its reputation as one of Skyrim’s premier late-game weapons through raw power and exceptional scaling. Whether you hunt it as rare loot, craft it at a forge with Daedric Smithing, or summon it via the Atronach Forge, obtaining one marks a milestone in your warrior’s journey. Enchanting it strategically and pairing it with smart combat tactics turns it into an absolute killing machine. For players seeking serious one-handed melee dominance, the Daedric Sword delivers on every front.
