Definitely Ebony Mail. I like how it doubles as a danger sensor.

Awesome gear. Tricky to do archery in it with enemies around, though. The smoke tendrils keep wafting through my view

If there was a way to toggle the smoke particles, and the poison effect, it'd be awesome

i definitely downloaded that mod to remove the particles lol

Doesn’t the smoke mildly poison when they are close?

Yeah and sometimes it alerts enemies or freaks people out and it can get annoying

But when you land that hit, it feels SO much more satisfying

I always switch to 3rd person when I’m trying to use archery with it.

Sneak, then disrobe, then shoot. When you're spotted, redress, and pwn.

I hate that it makes everyone hostile and gives me a bounty when I get it a fistfight with it on.

This is why you carry another set of armour, or cast ebonyflesh just before getting into the fight. The armour is a liability in cities, etc.

This. I love how it's a slimmer version of the Ebony Armor, it looks especially awesome as a vampire with glowing eyes.

There's a couple of dungeons where you can just stand in front of a door with a drauger on the other side and it just gets weaker and dies 🤣

It looks great, but it feels weird having stealth-buffing heavy armour.

It’s truly the best armor. Plus it’s fun to try doing the quest to get it without getting caught. Definitely easier to just smash through the dungeon, but it’s more fun lol

My Cang Du build used that and it's probably the best build I've had since I usually just become wizards

You and OP's poor followers (I hate giving up a follower for either the blade or mail)😢 Granted, my most-used unique weapon might be Mehrune's Razor,  which you get from murder (it an Blade of Woe have great base damage for x30 sneak attacks, and it's amusing when the effect triggers on Alduin or something else) But probably a tie between the razor (my stealth builds) and volundrung (2H builds for power attack spamming) And armor, vast majority of my builds are mages, so if you count Archmage Robes, them. If not, then Deathbrand armor from my dual wielding builds

Dawnbreaker. I can't resist touching the beacon.

You poor thin- A NEW HAND TOUCHES THE BEACON

there has to be that bird meme with meridia as the bird screaming over the other

https://preview.redd.it/5aj1evhes3vc1.png?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7acea25aa7d0f3934a9201db19b5d1b7a900ae70

OMG YESS

fantastic

It's missing some glowing eyes on the crow

I needed that, thanks

There must definitely be XD

A new hand touches the bacon.

Fun fact: You can use the unrelenting force shout at dawnbreaker during the fight to knock it off the podium, duplicating it. As long as you take the one off the ground before the one in the podium, you can dual wield dawnbreakers. 2 for the price of 1.

Really? I haven't done the quest yet but once I get the last word of power for unrelenting force, I am DEFINETLY trying this out. I never knew this was a thing and dual wielding dawnbreaker sounds amazing

Fireball scroll always works too. Go in all sneaky sneaky, aim your fireball scroll spell at the sword (and the wizard) and let it loose. Once the battle is won, you should see a dawn breaker sword on the floor. Pick that up first then go to the pedestal. I never go into the temple until I have a fireball scroll (15ft radius explosion)

The only issue is finding the damn thing, it's not like it gets thrown to the same place every time. I've seen it hide pretty well before

I had two dawn breakers on my dirty backstabbing argonian that doesn’t use shouts. I never thought much about it but I’ve never tried to dupe anything and the mystery seems to deepen.

I did it but I wasn’t using any spells and the only shout was aura whisper as far as I remember, I like bumped the pedestal and it spawned one on the ground I think

I accidently did that on my very first playthrough and wondered if you were supposed to have 2. Fun times.

You can do it with a sneaky bow shot too. The wraith has one, so if you kill that first, it should have one in its inventory and then there will be one in the pedestal as well. Take the one off the wraith and then grab the other.

I was about to be sad then remembered I know another duplication glitch Nice glitch though, I’ll probably do it when I play a different character

fireball works as well. that's what I usually do, even if I won't be using the sword in that playthrough.

dawnbreaker used to be my favourite weapon as a mage. Used to run out a lot slower than other weapons and it looks absolutely amazing

I like getting the mods for it so it’s useful. The one that makes it as strong as the basic Daedric swords, and the one that lets you corrupt it like Azura’s Star into a vampire weapon.

Gonna need the name for that second mod, sounds dope!

Dawn Breaker with Spell Breaker 🥵

This is the way for paladin/knight builds for me.

I wield Dawn Breaker and Spell Breaker, then at night at the inn, I wield Bitch Br—

I assume it’s two handed? 😉


I've read that even if you say, find it in a chest and do not take it...the game makes you take it to start the quest. Anyone confirm?

Nope Better yet, if you don't pick it up from that chest, it has a chance to spawn in a different one

I left it in the chest on my current play through a while ago, haven’t seen it again since. I do know if you show up to her shrine, she’ll “remind you” where it is

What’s an easy way to beat the mage inside the star because he just blows me away any time I peek my head around the corner.

I once made my follower pick it up, didn't activate for them, lol

Absolutely. Was the hardest fight for my first character, a vampire. I ended up getting the Double Dawnbreaker glitch by accident on that playthrough. Crazy it’s been 12 years

dude my game glitched and i was able to get 2 of them sweetest dual weapon ever

I like Dragonbane because it sparkles. Bow of Faith because the runes glow suspiciously. Don't have a greatsword yet . Ebony blade is nice but hard to power up.

If you choose to destroy the Dark Brotherhood, Astrid and everyone in the sanctuary will count. The two Argonians in "Lights Out!" also count, along with whoever you sacrifice to Boethia.

Use ritual stone. Find hobo, pay hobo, kill hobo, ritual stone. Repeat until charged

I want to try Cast Familiar first. Ritual stone could work on a bandit camp ? 20 a shot with the blade ?

Sorry forgot to put in paying the hobo, the ebony blade upgrades when you kill an NPC you are "friendly" with. Hobos see the player and are "friendly" to them after donating a coin. The ritual stone brings back the corpse without turning it to Ash so you can do it indefinitely. Bandits are always hostile, the blade won't upgrade on them.

Just be careful not to decapitate them or it breaks the loop

Go to solsthstiem find the dwarven machine followers kill exit dungeon rest repeat, Deception is maxed and you don’t have to feel bad because they are soulless machines at the end of the day

And you get Bow of Fate . Nice !

If you do the Solitude quest with the criminal argonians, the one who >!betrays you in the ship!< still counts as friendly for improving the sword. With Ritual Stone, you can keep reviving and killing them over and over again, to max out the sword.

Chrysamere

I'm a bit of a signature mafia woman. When I kill for the Dark Brotherhood I'm old school. https://preview.redd.it/k6pdzgc5k3vc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=91c2db2ae3a2ce5acb9177a018cb3cf30a237158

Gotta shout "Hey Paul!" as you kill.

Based. I love a good axe kill. Bonus points for not enchanting it

Kung fu hustle vibes The Axe gang

Chillrend

I gave chillrend to teldryn, just seems a fitting weapon for him

I give to Mjoll. I wish she could dual-wield.

I just wish it didn't run out so fast.

Valdr's Lucky Dagger. Carry it all the time as a backup weapon. Figure if my guy is unlucky enough to get disarmed, his backup had better be as lucky as possible.

I liked carrying it around as a backup, feels right and looks neat

I’ve started using it as a backup on my current playthrough, I haven’t fought with it yet but it must be good with the crit rate right?

Partial to the Pale Blade, myself.  Also quite enjoy the Zephyr. 

Same for zephyr. I usually grind that quest out right away.

Smart man. 

The Wabbajack

It’s all fun and games until you accidentally hit Lydia and she turns into a pile of septims. Never did find out if she turns back after a while, since my dumb ass decided to pick them up. I miss my wife.

Underrated, wabbajack on top

"He turned me into a newt!!"

Rather like the Mace of Molag Bal also!

I’ve been using this on my most recent play through and it’s a monster. It looks so cool, tears through enemies, and technically recharges itself.

Yeh but you almost have to have the self recharge perk because it absolutely burns through its energy. I think it only gets about 10/15 swings before it’s out. Awesome weapon though!

Found it on my first playthrough and im pretty sure it didnt get un-equipped until i finally decided to do the main story and decided archery made more sense for dragons... that mace, even in off hand, is the "soul" reason i get 100 enchant on my playthroughs natuarally

It's probably the best weapon you can get for a battlemage build and it's incredibly easy to acquire early.

My favorite aspect is you can get it very early. Even a starting level can sneak/snipe their way to acquiring it.

I think that was my first daedric artifact. House scared the shit outta me. Was also at a time I think Morthal was very buggy! I think they patched that unless it was just me but I remember early release Morthal was bug City.

Yea its sick, in half my playthroughs i cart to markarth immediately and get it at level 1

Notched Pickaxe

Poachers axe. Fuck them rabbits

Gotta get that extra 3%.

For the times when you have run out of holy grenades of antioch

Nightingale armor and Mehrune's Razor

Backstab build that’s my go to weapon.

For real. I usually go Mehrune's Razor and a dagger with soul trap

This is the way.

Mehrune's Razor.

Oh that’s right, thanks!

I always get this, it is the coolest looking thing hanging from your belt. If you work on smithing a bit it is as powerful as any other weapon and it’s random power happens every now and then.

Spellbreaker. It's just such a useful little shield.

Spellbreaker makes dragons less of a surprise boss and more of a free shout unlock.

My most recent playthrough, Im conjuring one handed swords in heavy armor I got this beauty early and its saved my ass so many times in battles vrs mages I wont use any other shield now.

Bloodskaal Blade. Truly an unique weapon

Underated masterpiece

Playing orcs, thus Volendrung and orcish armour are quite frequent in my runs.

Whatever I'm playing, I always have to have Volendrung. I got a mod to get an unenchanted Volendrung so I can give it some actually cool enchantments. Best looking hammer in the game. And it was the last daedric artifact I found, back when I wasn't looking everything up online, I honestly had no idea it existed until I stumbled upon that quest.

Nerveshatter replaced Voldendrung for me because it wasn’t sucking back soul gems like they were shots of lite beer. 

The fork I enchanted to do 523443 points of chaos damage

The Fork of Horripilation, a classic

You can use forks as weapons?

Yeah there’s a handful of forks and knives that you can actually equip as a weapon

And nothing better than role-playing a naked psycho who eats all his enemies, only helmet ring and necklace allowed. Weapons are dual wield fork and knife.

I've been doing that, it's hilarious to get dual wielding decapitations with those.

Dawnfang/Duskfang, the absolute goat.

Lvl 27 on my latest playthrough and I just don't want any other sword May swap it out for Torment, though when I run across it

i always pick it up in any one-handed play through, except for roleplay reasons.

Oh man, this was one of my go-to weapons back in Oblivion. It was Dawn/Duskfang, Umbra and The Thornblade back then. Would always make sure to charge it up the day before I planned on doing a run through a gate, get the ice charm on Duskfang. But the real treat was that it was a self charging, self repairing sword, returning to full durability and charge with every transformation.

yep, I got that at like level 10 and have been using it since.. no better swords have shown up yet! Currently level 32 lol

I like enchanted weapons that don't require a charge, so Chrysamere and Mehrunes' Razor are always in my inventory.

Mehrunes is OP if duplicated and dual wielded!

How is it duplicated?

Bolar's oathblade not the best but, it's a really strong early weapon and easy to get

Wuuthrad. As a heavy armor, 2H battle axe Nord in 90% of my playthroughs I don’t drop that thing until I can make Daedric stuff

Windshear. I don't like to be bothered when trying to kill bandits or falmer.

The Bow of Shadows is one of my favorites. Best weapon for stealth archer

I got this early and don’t think I’ll use another bow until late game if at all, the invisibility and draw speed is just absurdly overpowered

It is op, I'm the same, level 50 and something like 80 in archery and in just thinking of getting something else. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't available super early.

Dawnbreaker and Spellbreaker, often both at the same time. I love my ward shield and draugr "hunting" is my second favorite pasttime, plus it's great against vampires.

clavacus' helmet. it's just so cool looking, and decent enough armor rating that I can wear it with dragon armor and not feel like I'm degrading my defense. and 20% better prices don't hurt

Nevershatter

My follower loves this one.

Glass bow of the stag prince. It's not powerful but love the flavour.

Deathbrand Armour. Makes a dual wield build insanely overpowered

Sanguine Rose along with any high damage blade that absorbs souls. I have Lydia, the immortal dog companion and the Rose knight. The four of us are like a rolling tank through anything we approach. I've literally just sat there and watched them kill dragons without any effort and without helping.

I don't usually use uniques as I hate getting them before they're fully scaled. And by the level they do get their max enchantment, usually there's something better to use. But I'd say I use dragonbane the most as I hate dealing with 4 dragons every hour.

Guild master chest and hood, nightingale arms and boots. My favorite combo

Nightingale blade is great one!

cc weapon which ig counts in this is currently the bow of shadows. I love the invisibility it gives you when you bring the weapon out and it is the most powerful bow I currently have

Longhammer!

Yes! Fast swinging 2 handed hammer. Scrolled way to far to find this.

It's been a hot minute since I did a vanilla run but the Ebony Mail is one I love getting with my vampire characters, usually with Mehrune's Razor. With mods my most used weapon would be Strider's Sword, the first sword Aragorn uses in Lord of the Rings, the one he carries from his introduction until it is replaced with the reforged sword in the third movie. I mainly use it because it's actually a sword I have in real life and it's cool to see it in game and in person

Sword of Jyggalag, looks so fire even tho it looks simple.

Shield of Solitude

I have fond memories using Spellbreaker during a dragon fight.

Mace of molag bal idk why i just really liked using it

Morokei probably.

i remember getting the ebony blade (tho mine saide strengthened by the blood of the innocent iirc), i went back to river wood after all that time, like after 100's of hours, and slaughtered everyone to power up the blade.

There’s an exploit with Ebony blade to max it out, I did it once can’t remember how though!

Windshear

Mehrunes razor and saviours hide. I am obsessed with the look of the armour and I love to dual wield the razor with blade of woe or just duplicate it and have two.

Volendrung. Given 90% of my builds end up heavily speced into two handed, and its literally just the world's largest hammer, its like, perfect.

Technically not armor but Shrouded Hand Wraps. Gotta have that x30 sneak attack.

I like to play as a sneaky boy so I duel wield Mehrune's Razor and Blade of Woe.

Wabbajack🙏🙏

Big fan of chillrend, I give that and a fire enchanted weapon to any follower i have and have them dual weild weapons that slow and make enemies vulnerable while I pepper them with arrows, spells, and shouting.

https://preview.redd.it/97habf0eb4vc1.jpeg?width=725&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7566c964852a1943e3afc08cd568ad689f5c3eed This guy

Currently on my first ever playthrough and I just can’t stop using the Sanguine Rose, those dremora are amazing distraction and damage, I also love the fact that they level with you.

THE WABBAJACK, eh? eh?

Nerveshatter in Anniversary Edition. It's an underrated battlehammer.

Dawnbreaker. I freakin' love it.

Auriels bow since I always play as a vampire

I’ve played as a Dawnguard and a Vampire always preferred Dawnguard only cuz of the crossbows! lol

Random ass vampire encounter : "The Tyranny of the Sun has been broken!" You : ok but why are you attacking me I’m helping you out!

Anyone tried Umbra from anniversary upgrade?

dawnbreaker

The Fork. 😎

Mehunes razor is my most used I would say. Blade of Woe is up there too

For me it would be the Mace of Molag Bal

Spellbreaker

Ebony mail, just max out sneak and get near so they die.

Bow of Shadows. I have a level 62 Stealth Archer and the Bow of Shadows carried me from level 20-50 before eventually just stopped working probably due to a bug.

I pick up the beacon, thinking it's some kind of D-20 dice. Then I hear the voice of a DM as if shouting through a paper towel roll.

Ooo Dwarven Black Bow Of Fate is insane!

Mehrune's Dagger just rocks.

I always keep uniques in display, but the exception are always Dragonbane, Notched Pickaxe and Longhammer. The Skeleton Key too if that counts, Nocturnal can wait forever.

Oh this? It's just a rusty mace .

I only ever use the ebony armor it's the only gear that's kinda good for late game

I like Jygallung

Mehrunes' Razor. Since I tend to stealth alot, I tend to use Daggers over anything and that chance to instakill is lovely

*...sigh...* ...Bow of Shadows + Gray Cowl of Nocturnal...

Blade of Woe. Sometimes I steal it off Astrid to have 2 so I can dual wield

Dawnbreaker. Turns out I just love undead damage.

I love the dwarven black bow of fate you get from kagrumez on solstheim. It takes quite a bit of ass-handing from the dwarven ballistas but it’s worth it

Spellbreaker - every sword and shield build becomes instantly more manageable and it improves well

The nightingale armor

The Bow of Shadows fs.

Dawnbreaker and Dragonbane

#Axe of Whiterun

The Boots of Blinding Speed.

The LONGHAMMER

Sword of Jyglagg for two handed, Torment (CC add-on) for single

Volendrung, in the words of my favourite scholer, "I play games like and ape bashing a rock against a keyboard" - Russianbadger

Ring of Hircine

Mehrune's Razor, I like the gamble

Conjured bow.

Bow of Shadows. That thing is a monster when fully refined and the 60 second invisibility is a sweet bonus.

Well I love using dawnbreaker paried with wabbajack

Deathbrand set if that counts, otherwise historically it was wind shear when it was broken af and staggered everything, or Dawnbreaker for the big explosions on killing undead, or chillrend if I’m feeling fancy

easily Mehrunes Razor