Mastering the Fastest Two-Handed Weapons in Skyrim

My friend, few feelings compare to landing a perfectly-timed power attack with a legendary greatsword and watching that smug bandit chief‘s head go flying. As a hardcore fan of Skyrim, I LIVE for that moment! And I want to help you discover it too by mastering the fastest, most hard-hitting two-handed weapons that will transform you into a whirlwind of destruction.

Now, you may be thinking – won‘t a big ol‘ warhammer crush enemies faster thanks to all that heavy damage? Not so fast! Without speed, mighty blows only count if they CONNECT. To truly unleash havoc, we need pace AND power.

Let‘s dive into all the ins and outs so you can shred through Skyrim‘s baddies like Alduin through a village. Stick with me and you‘ll have the skills to tackle anything the game throws at you, from a lowly Skeever to the Ebony Warrior himself.

Ebony Blade: The Undisputed Fastest Two-Handed Weapon

Let‘s start with the weapon boasting the fastest swing speed of any two-hander in Skyrim, the sinister Daedric artifact Ebony Blade. Now I know this katana-like greatsword only deals 14 base damage – pathetic compared to endgame gear. But check out its attack speed – a crazy fast 1.3! That‘s almost TWICE the speed of standard two-handed weapons.

When combined with its solid Absorb Health enchantment, you can land hits incredibly fast to keep your health bar topped up. The Ebony Blade lacks the raw crushing power of Volendrung or Wuuthrad, but in skilled hands its speed is nearly unrivaled. If you crave rapid strikes over hard hits, you can‘t top the Ebony Blade‘s dizzying flurries.

Greatswords: The Best Balance of Speed and Damage

Alright, say raw speed isn‘t your ONLY goal. You still want those meaty crashes you can only get from a serious two-handed implement of destruction. In that case, look no further than the mighty greatsword class.

Despite what Skyrim‘s loading screens claim, greatswords and battleaxes share identical attack speeds of 0.7. But greatswords‘ longer reach gives them superior versatility compared to axes. And with base damages approaching 20, their power is nothing to scoff at.

For the ultimate greatsword, you can‘t beat the Daedric Greatsword tempered to Legendary status. Its ominous jagged edges combined with a blood red glow strike fear into hearts throughout Tamriel. Once you augment it with Chaos or Absorb Health enchantments, this bad boy can cripple Ancient Dragons.

Nothing enhances greatswords more than maxing out those Two-Handed perks. Barbarian, Skull Crusher, Sweep – go for it, you won‘t regret the carnage!

Comparng Legendary Two-Handed Weapon Stats

To help visualize the key differences, check out this table comparing the base stats of Skyrim‘s top-tier two-handed weapons when smithed to Legendary quality:

As you can see, greatswords have the fastest speed among high-end gear while still packing substantial damage. Wuuthrad is the slowest here, but makes up for it with armor piercing against elves. Volendrung is faster than average warhammers too.

Dual Wielding Daggers: Ludicrous Speeds Albeit Brittle

Say you REALLY want to chase maximum attack speed. Like, enough strikes per second to churn that Draugr Overlord into bone meal. In that case, you want dual-wielded daggers.

Clocking in at a baseline speed of 1.3 (matching the Ebony Blade), daggers are the fastest one-handed weapons in Skyrim. With the Dual Flurry perk, your off-hand dagger gets the same insane speed as your main hand while doubling attack rate. Pair this with backstabs, elemental Fury shouts, invisibility, Slow Time shouts…you get the idea.

With a high enough Sneak skill, you can drive Dark Brotherhood-inspired terror into the hearts of corrupted Nord nobles and Thalmor Justiciars alike!

Now granted, daggers lack punch against high-armor foes. But dodging and weaving to expose weaknesses while unleashing a blur of strikes fulfills that lethal assassin fantasy like nothing else. Try it out!

Augmenting Damage and Speed Through Enchanting

Your weapon‘s base damage only starts the story. With a high Enchanting skill, you can add powerful effects that multiply damage in dramatic ways.

For greatswords and warhammers, I recommend Absorb Health or Chaos Damage enchantments. There‘s nothing more satisfying than seeing that smug necromancer get disintegrated by chaotic energies!

For daggers, go with Paralysis plus a damage-over-time effect like Fiery Soul Trap. Frost is also excellent to sap enemy stamina so they can‘t escape your dizzying flurries!

Do some experiments with black soul gems and high-level enchanting potions to determine your perfect damage-boosting combo.

Smithing and Potions: Pump Up Your Damage to Godly Levels

Even flawlessly enchanted weapons need supreme smithing to reach their peak killing potential. Max out your Smithing, snag the relevant perks (Armsman, Bone Breaker, etc.), and forge yourself some Dragonbone or Daedric menaces.

But why stop there? A Potion of the Blacksmith enables crafting beyond the skill‘s limits. Pair it with a Potion of Fortify Smithing and you can boost weapon damage astronomically.

I once created a Legendary Ebony Battleaxe exceeding 1,000 base damage! It could one-shot a Revered Dragon on Legendary difficulty. Smithing is BEYOND vital for utter devastation.

Don‘t Forget Fortify Two-Handed and Potion stacking!

Shouts and Magic: Bend Time Itself to Your Will

We‘ve covered gear and skills. But what about magic? Expertly timed shouts and spells add even more options for dominating enemies.

My favorite is Elemental Fury. Its speed enhancement works on any weapon, eliminating differences. Shout it before drawn-out boss fights so every strike pummels like a jackhammer!

Slow Time is similarly invaluable against rooms of foes. Watch in glee as that charging bandit helplessly crawls through molasses while you carve up his buddies in real time.

alteration spells like Paralyze and Ash Shell are perfect supplements to your weapons‘ Disarm and Stagger perks too. Turn the tables on frustrating mages and let THEM taste helplessness for once!

Choosing Your Ideal Two-Handed Weapon Type

We‘ve covered the key factors that determine weapon effectiveness in Skyrim. But what matters most is YOUR preferences and style. Let‘s recap the core playstyles:

Greatswords offer the best balance of damage and speed for standard two-handers. Their long reach and graceful animations enable fine control. Pair with frost or paralysis enchantments to control enemy movements.

Battleaxes hit harder at the cost of reach. Their chopping arcs are perfect for whirlwinds through tightly packed foes. Pair with shock or stamina drain enchantments to exploit openings.

Slow but earth-shaking warhammers excel at interrupting attacks via massive stagger potential. Use mobility and timed strikes to devastate. Pair with fire damage to maximize each hit.

The Ebony Blade rewards ultra-aggression and combos thanks to unmatched attack speed. Healing effects help you weather the counter blows.

Dual daggers enable non-stop flurries of attacks to annihilate isolated targets swiftly. Rely on sneak attacks and avoidance rather than raw damage soak.

See what excites YOU! There are no wrong answers, only weapons and styles that align with your temperament and flair.

The most lethal warrior is the one having the most FUN. So get out there, Dragonborn, and unleash hell however you see fit. But if you need more tips, you know where to find me. Now get stomping!