Daggers are a type of Weapon in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Daggers belong to the One-Handed weapon class, with their effectiveness in combat governed by the One-Handed Skill and Perk trees. This weapon type can be dual-wielded with other one-handed weapons, or used in tandem with Shields, Staves or Spells in the off-hand. The Dagger's main advantage is its incredibly fast attack speed compared to all other melee weapons. However, it also has the shortest reach and typically does lower damage, but with the right set-up, they can rival the strongest weapons in the game. In particular, Daggers receive great benefit from the Assassin's Blade perk from the Sneak skill line, allowing players to deal massive amounts of damage while playing stealthily.
- See the Weapons page for an overview of Weapon Mechanics pertaining to Daggers.
- See the Combat page for an indepth look at the combat mechanics and other gameplay features.
The Best Daggers in Skyrim
The following is a short list of some of the best Daggers in Skyrim:
- Mehrunes' Razor - Has a small chance to instantly kill any enemy when attacking.
- Blade of Woe - One of the highest damage daggers, obtained as a quest reward.
- Bloodthorn: Dagger that comes with a Soul Trap enchantment that can be found early in the game
- Dragonbone Dagger: One of the highest damage daggers that players can craft and enchant.
Skyrim Dagger Tips
Daggers give way to some very unique playstyles due to their juxtaposition of being the weakest overall damage dealers with the fastest swing speeds, coupled with plenty of options for specialization to greatly boost their damage potential.
- Benefits from the Sneak skill line's Backstab and Assassin's Blade perks, allowing them to do huge amounts of damage when playing stealthily.
- Dual wield attack speed is based on the weapon in the off-hand (left). Equip a fast dagger in your left hand for a faster overall attack speed and higher DPS.
- Dual wield power attacks while sneaking with daggers will apply sneak damage to all 3 dual wield hits for very high damage killing most enemies or gravely injuring them at the very least.
- Daggers are short ranged so players have to be careful not to alert their target when sneaking up close to attack.
All Daggers in Skyrim
Quick Search of All Skyrim Daggers
Click the header to sort the table.
| Name | Weight | Damage | Special Effects/Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Mehrunes' Razor |
3 | 11 | Hits have a small chance to instantly kill. |
 Alessandra's Dagger |
1 | 5 | Same damage as a Steel Dagger but lighter |
 Blade of Woe |
7 | 12 | Absorbs 10 Points of Health Fortify Destruction effects will reduce the cost of the Enchantment effect |
 Blade of Sacrifice |
4 | 10 | Will automatically kill the sacrificed follower during the Quest Boethiah's Calling |
 Bloodthorn |
2.5 | 5 | If the target dies within 3 seconds, it fills a soul gem Absorbs 10 points of Health |
 Borvir's Dagger |
4 | 8 | Same as an Elven Dagger but with a different name and price value |
 Daedric Dagger |
6 | 11 | Can be made with the Daedric Smithing perk and Smithing level 90 |
 Dragonbone Dagger |
6.5 | 12 | Can be made with the Dragon Armor perk and Smithing level 100 |
 Dragon Priest Dagger |
5 | 6 | Can be found mostly in the ancient Nordic Tombs and specific places |
 Dwarven Dagger |
3.5 | 7 | Can be forged with Dwarven Smithing perk and Smithing level 30 |
 Ebony Dagger |
5 | 10 | Can be made with the Ebony Smithing perk and Smithing level 90 |
 Elven Dagger |
4 | 8 | Can be made with the Elven Smithing perk and Smithing level 30 |
 Glass Dagger |
4.5 | 9 | Can be made with the Glass Smithing perk and Smithing level 70 |
 Iron Dagger |
2 | 4 | Can be made without Smithing perk |
 Kahvozein's Fang |
5 | 6 | Allows players to collect dragon heartscales |
 Keening |
4 | 8 | Absorb 10 Points of Health, Magicka, and Stamina on strike. |
 Nettlebane |
10 | 6 | Can be obtained during the Quest The blessings of Nature |
 Nordic Dagger |
3.5 | 8 | Can be made with the Advanced Armors perk and Smithing level 50 |
 Orcish Dagger |
3 | 6 | Can be made with the Orcish Smithing perk and Smithing level 50 |
 Rundi's Dagger |
2.5 | 5 | Same as a Steel Dagger but with a different name and price value |
 Shiv |
2 | 5 | Found on most prisoners in Cidhna Mine |
 Skyforge Steel Dagger |
2.5 | 8 | Can be found on several characters |
 Stalhrim Dagger |
4.5 | 10 | The Frost Damage enchantment is 25% stronger on this weapon. |
 Steel Dagger |
2.5 | 5 | Can be made with the Steel Smithing perk |
 Valdr's Lucky Dagger |
2.5 | 5 | 25% chance of a critical hit |
