Skyrim drops you into a frozen province on the brink of civil war, then hands you the soul of a dragon and lets you go anywhere. The Special Edition adds 64-bit support, better lighting, and full mod compatibility on top of the 2011 base game. You can play 200 hours and still trip over a quest you never saw.
This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Daedric Bow | Stealth archers who want raw sneak-shot numbers | The highest base-damage bow in the unmodded game, craftable at the Atronach Forge or smithed with Daedra Hearts. |
| Mehrunes' Razor | Assassins finishing the Pieces of the Past quest | A dagger with a flat chance to instantly kill any target, scaling beautifully with sneak multipliers. |
| Chillrend | One-handed builds wanting crowd control | A leveled glass sword that frost-damages and has a chance to paralyze, best grabbed at high level for the strongest version. |
| Dragonbane | Players hunting dragons on higher difficulty | A katana from the Blades questline that shocks targets and deals bonus damage to dragons. |
| Auriel's Bow | Vampire-hunting archers in the DLC | A Dawnguard bow that fires sun damage and, with Sunhallowed arrows, can stagger most enemies in daylight. |
S-Tier: Daedric Bow
The highest base-damage bow in the unmodded game, craftable at the Atronach Forge or smithed with Daedra Hearts.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Stealth archers who want raw sneak-shot numbers |
| Key Mechanic | shout system |
| Recommended Build | Stealth Archer |
See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Daedric Bow: Pairs naturally with Stealth Archer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Mehrunes' Razor
A dagger with a flat chance to instantly kill any target, scaling beautifully with sneak multipliers.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Assassins finishing the Pieces of the Past quest |
| Key Mechanic | skill perk trees |
| Recommended Build | Two-Handed Berserker |
Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Mehrunes' Razor: Pairs naturally with Two-Handed Berserker thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Chillrend
A leveled glass sword that frost-damages and has a chance to paralyze, best grabbed at high level for the strongest version.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | One-handed builds wanting crowd control |
| Key Mechanic | smithing and enchanting |
| Recommended Build | Destruction Mage |
Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Chillrend: Pairs naturally with Destruction Mage thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Dragonbane
A katana from the Blades questline that shocks targets and deals bonus damage to dragons.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Players hunting dragons on higher difficulty |
| Key Mechanic | standing stones |
| Recommended Build | Conjuration Summoner |
Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Dragonbane: Pairs naturally with Conjuration Summoner thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Auriel's Bow
A Dawnguard bow that fires sun damage and, with Sunhallowed arrows, can stagger most enemies in daylight.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best For | Vampire-hunting archers in the DLC |
| Key Mechanic | alchemy crafting |
| Recommended Build | Sword and Board Paladin |
Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Auriel's Bow: Pairs naturally with Sword and Board Paladin thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Whiterun
- Mehrunes' Razor → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Chillrend → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Daedric Bow → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Rush The Lover Stone near Markarth at low level for 15% faster skill gains across the board.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
Similar Games
If you enjoy The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, check out these related guides:
- Elden Ring Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Baldur's Gate 3 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Cyberpunk 2077 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
