Bethesda shipped Skyrim on 11 November 2011, and app 72850 is that original 32-bit release rather than Special Edition or Anniversary Edition. The last official patch was 1.9.32.0.8 in March 2013, which added Legendary skills and then stopped; Creation Club, Survival Mode and the later fishing content never touched this build. Mods here run on the 32-bit Skyrim Script Extender and inherit the memory ceiling a 32-bit process carries, so advice written for Special Edition does not transfer file for file. What you do get is a finished, heavily patched 2011 game with Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn sold as separate add-ons.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daedric Greatsword | S | Two-Handed builds that have already taken Daedric Smithing and want raw damage per swing | The heaviest base damage two-handed weapon in the 2011 game, craftable at Smithing 90 with the Daedric Smithing perk from ebony ingots and a daedra heart. |
| Dragonbone Bow | A | Archers past Smithing 100 who open every fight from stealth rather than trading shots | Added by Dawnguard and craftable at Smithing 100 with the Dragon Armor perk. |
| Mehrunes' Razor | A | Dagger assassins who want a lottery ticket on every hit against high health targets | Reward for Pieces of the Past, reassembled at the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon. |
| Dawnbreaker | B | One-Handed characters clearing Nordic barrows and anyone doing the Dawnguard vampire content | Meridia's reward from The Break of Dawn at Kilkreath Ruins. |
| Chillrend | B | Thieves Guild players who delay Mercer Frey's house until they are high level | A glass sword found in Riftweald Manor during the Thieves Guild questline, and one of the few artefacts whose stats lock to your level when you first see it. |
S-Tier: Daedric Greatsword
The heaviest base damage two-handed weapon in the 2011 game, craftable at Smithing 90 with the Daedric Smithing perk from ebony ingots and a daedra heart. Improved at a grindstone with the crafting loop behind it, it outdamages every named artefact in the game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Two-Handed builds that have already taken Daedric Smithing and want raw damage per swing |
| Key Mechanic | Skill use levelling across 18 skills |
| Recommended Build | Stealth Archer |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Daedric Greatsword: Pairs naturally with Stealth Archer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Dragonbone Bow
Added by Dawnguard and craftable at Smithing 100 with the Dragon Armor perk. It has the highest base damage of any bow in this version, at the cost of the slowest draw, which matters far less than it sounds when every shot is a sneak attack anyway.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Archers past Smithing 100 who open every fight from stealth rather than trading shots |
| Key Mechanic | Dragon Shouts and Words of Power |
| Recommended Build | Two-Handed Berserker |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Dragonbone Bow: Pairs naturally with Two-Handed Berserker thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Mehrunes' Razor
Reward for Pieces of the Past, reassembled at the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon. Its enchantment is a flat chance to instantly kill any target regardless of health, which does not scale and does not need to, and the base dagger speed means you roll that chance often.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Dagger assassins who want a lottery ticket on every hit against high health targets |
| Key Mechanic | The thirteen Standing Stones |
| Recommended Build | Destruction Mage |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Mehrunes' Razor: Pairs naturally with Destruction Mage thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Dawnbreaker
Meridia's reward from The Break of Dawn at Kilkreath Ruins. It burns for fire damage and, on killing an undead target, triggers an explosion that can chain through a room. Draugr crypts are most of Skyrim's dungeon count, which makes this the most situationally useful artefact in the game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | One-Handed characters clearing Nordic barrows and anyone doing the Dawnguard vampire content |
| Key Mechanic | The Smithing, Enchanting and Alchemy loop |
| Recommended Build | Conjuration Battlemage |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Dawnbreaker: Pairs naturally with Conjuration Battlemage thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Chillrend
A glass sword found in Riftweald Manor during the Thieves Guild questline, and one of the few artefacts whose stats lock to your level when you first see it. Pick it up at level 46 or above and it is a genuinely competitive one-handed weapon with frost damage and a paralysis chance.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Thieves Guild players who delay Mercer Frey's house until they are high level |
| Key Mechanic | Legendary skills and endless scaling |
| Recommended Build | Illusion Assassin |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Chillrend: Pairs naturally with Illusion Assassin 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
- Dragonbone Bow → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Mehrunes' Razor → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Daedric Greatsword → 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. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- The nine holds are Whiterun, Eastmarch, The Rift, Haafingar, The Reach, Falkreath, Hjaalmarch, The Pale and Winterhold, and every one of them has a Jarl who becomes a housecarl and a house sale once you complete a favour chain. Doing the Whiterun and Riften favours early gives you two storage points before you own a horse.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Guides
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Overview
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Best Builds
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Tier List
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Walkthrough
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Beginner's Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Tips & Tricks
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Combat Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Boss Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Maps & Locations
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Crafting Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Classes & Characters
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