What's this?Edit
This is a project that attempts to provide definitive answers to questions about the quality of weapons, such as:
- What's the best weapon in the game?
- Is x weapon better than y or z?
- How good is x weapon?
by providing objective data obtained from ingame tests. It's a work in progress, and more weapons are planned to be added in the future. The numbers here are for Morrowind only. OpenMW does not accurately emulate melee/ranged combat mechanics as of 2024.
How are these tests performed?Edit
A total of 14 different enemy types that are commonly encountered in endgame areas are spawned and fought, while the time to kill them is measured. Most enemies have their health increased via console command to make it easier to acquire accurate results. Every enemy type has 10 recorded kills to reduce RNG to a reasonable minimum. Before measurements are taken, some time is spent experimenting with each weapon trying to figure out how to achieve optimal DPS, for example what attacks to use or how long exactly you have to charge an attack for the best practical results.
Tests are performed on the PC version with MGE XE, MCP and no mods that alter gameplay. All MCP features that affect gameplay, such as changes to Absorb or Disintegrate, have been disabled. Questionable behaviours, such as the minimum damage, charging speed, animations or reflectable melee hits have been double-checked in a 100% vanilla install on Steam.
What are the rules?Edit
- Only premade equipment is used, for two reasons: First, self-enchanted items are way too powerful, and second, using them would increase the scope of this project to unreasonable levels.
- 120 Strength is used instead of 135 because it doesn't take too long to get and most characters should have this much for the majority of their playthroughs.
- Keening is used with 100 Strength instead of 120, because you need to downgrade the Fist of Randagulf Right Gauntlet to Wraithguard to wear it and Sunder safely, but Keening lacks Sunder's 20 Strength bonus to make up for that loss.
- Weapons are repaired at specific points to give meaning to durability. Weapons that failed the durability test are marked as such and should be considered a bit weaker than other weapons near them.
- Enchanted weapons always have charges, unless their maximum is very low (<50). Akatosh's Ring to reach 110 Enchant is used for those weapons that require it.
- For ranged weapons, the best projectiles that can be acquired in unlimited quantities are used.
ObservationsEdit
- The effective minimum damage of some weapons is higher than what is listed on the tooltip. I found it impossible to reach the listed numbers with the tested weapons, even when using a macro to hold down a click for the minimum possible time of 1ms. When clicking manually, as should be the case during normal gameplay, the lowest reachable numbers were quite a bit higher in some cases: Chrysamere - 11 (chop), Bound/Daedric Spear - 12 (thrust), Sunder - 18 (chop), Spear of Bitter Mercy - 24 (thrust), Mace of Aevar Stone-Singer - 37 (slash), Spear of the Hunter - 44 (thrust). Without actively trying, the lowest numbers are higher still, which can make spam-clicking minimum attacks against low health enemies extremely effective. The Bound Spear, for example, averages to around ~14 minimum damage while the Spear of Bitter Mercy goes up to ~30. With the damage modifier from strength, this is enough to one-shot many low level enemies.
- Animations do not accurately coincide with damage range. Some weapons (e.g. Mace of Aevar Stone-Singer, Trueflame, Spears, Bows) can hit for their maximum damage or close to it before the animation is complete, while others (e.g. Fang of Haynekhtnamet, japanese one-handed weapons including Gold-/Eltonbrand) haven't reached their maximum damage until a while after the animation is complete. This can make affected weapons significantly better or worse than paper numbers or animations suggest.
- Some weapons use animations that do not match the charging speed for their attacks. Sunder takes around 1 second to reach maximum damage (the same as Mace of Aevar Stone-Singer) but uses animations that grant its swings a much faster startup, release and lower delay. Frostgore is the opposite, with a charging speed on par with the fastest Short Blades, but uses very slow animations.
- Some weapons can have variable/inconsistent attack speed. Little is known about this mysterious behaviour. A theory is that player view direction and/or framerate can cause animation cancel during the recovery frames of the weapons' animation.
- Enchantments that are set "on Touch" will cast the corresponding spell, whose hitbox differs from those used by weapons. When hitting an enemy with a weapon, the spell is triggered but can still physically miss. Easily observable when using spears, but against certain creatures (e.g. Mudcrabs, Verminous Fabricants) the range of the enchantment is significantly shorter than even the shortest weapons.
- The melee attacks of weapons that have an "on Target" enchantment can be reflected as long as the weapon has enough charges to trigger the spell. Not only does this make using such weapons against anything with a significant amount of Reflect a miserable experience, it can also trigger what appears to be a variant of the Soultrap glitch if the weapon has other effects (e.g. Light of Day), which will permanently brick your character with effects that cannot be removed by any known means, including the console.
- Enemies can still be knocked down while they are paralyzed. Besides receiving 50% increased physical damage, knocked down enemies can be identified by the message box with their name above them. This message box can usually only be seen out of combat and is otherwise hidden, unless the enemy is knocked down.
- Winterwound Dagger and Mehrunes' Razor crash the game when they break a piece of armor, but the Daedric Crescent does not.
ResultsEdit
TTK = Time to kill in seconds, weighted average of 140 measured kills per weapon
| Rank | Weapon | TTK | Type | Grip | Enchantable | Attack | Charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dwarven Dart | 4.19 | Marksman | 1h | yes | best | max | Farmable in Bamz-Amschend |
| 2 | Mace of Aevar Stone-Singer | 6.63 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | no | best | max | Longer reach, max damage is early, deals double damage against werewolves |
| 3 | Hopesfire | 7.22 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | min | |
| 4 | Gravedigger | 7.30 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | |
| 5 | Spear of the Hunter | 7.34 | Spear | 2h | no | best | min | Charged attacks are almost equal, but much harder to reliably achieve max DPS with |
| 6 | Sunder | 8.31 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 7 | Nordic Silver Battleaxe (Heart-Fang) | 8.66 | Axe | 2h | no | best | max | Strongest weapon enchantment in the game, deals double damage against werewolves |
| 8 | Trueflame | 8.73 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is early, chop is slightly better (8.32) but not useful in practice |
| 9 | Spear of Bitter Mercy | 8.88 | Spear | 2h | no | best | max | Max damage is early |
| 10 | Eltonbrand | 9.03 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 11 | Bound / Daedric Battle Axe | 9.24 | Axe | 2h | no / yes | best | max | |
| 12 | Veloth's Judgement | 9.30 | Blunt Weapon | 2h | no | best | max | Knockdowns for days |
| 13 | Fang of Haynekhtnamet | 9.33 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 14 | King's Oath | 9.59 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | |
| 15 | Chrysamere | 10.13 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | |
| 16 | Stalhrim Longsword of Flame | 10.20 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 17 | Daedric Warhammer | 10.37 | Blunt Weapon | 2h | yes | best | max | |
| 18 | Goldbrand | 10.83 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 19 | Stalhrim Longsword | 11.04 | Long Blade | 1h | yes | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 20 | Daedric Dai-katana | 11.43 | Long Blade | 2h | yes | best | max | |
| 21 | BiPolar Blade | 11.47 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | Hitting calmed NPCs counts as a crime |
| 22 | Ice Blade of the Monarch | 11.55 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | |
| 23 | Daedric Claymore | 11.63 | Long Blade | 2h | yes | best | max | |
| 24 | Skull Crusher | 11.94 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | no | best | max | |
| 25 | Goblin Club* | 11.96 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | yes | best | max | Max damage is late, crippling low durability |
| 26 | Her Ebony Scimitar | 11.97 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | max | |
| 27 | Daedric Crescent | 12.14 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | |
| 28 | Silver Staff of Paralysis* | 12.21 | Blunt Weapon | 2h | no | best | max | Crippling low durability, deals double damage against werewolves |
| 29 | Shadowsting | 12.41 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | max | On Target enchantment - melee attacks can be reflected |
| 30 | Adamatium Axe | 12.88 | Axe | 2h | yes | best | max | Normal weapon - needs to be enchanted to bypass resistance |
| 31 | Umbra Sword | 13.42 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | |
| 32 | Stalhrim Mace | 14.11 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | yes | best | max | Slightly longer reach |
| 33 | Daedric Katana | 14.66 | Long Blade | 1h | yes | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 34 | Bound / Daedric Longsword | 14.75 | Long Blade | 1h | no / yes | best | max | |
| 35 | Nordic Silver Battleaxe | 15.02 | Axe | 2h | yes | best | max | Deals double damage against werewolves |
| 36 | Ebony Scimitar | 15.05 | Long Blade | 1h | yes | best | max | |
| 37 | Silver Sword of Paralysis* | 15.30 | Long Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Low durability, deals double damage against werewolves |
| 38 | Bound Spear | 15.34 | Spear | 2h | no | best | max | Max damage is early, relatively low durability |
| 39 | Stormforge | 15.35 | Spear | 2h | no | best | max | Max damage is early, relatively low durability |
| 40 | Sixth House Bell Hammer | 15.48 | Blunt Weapon | 2h | yes | best | max | Normal weapon - needs to be enchanted to bypass resistance |
| 41 | Daedric Spear | 15.81 | Spear | 2h | yes | best | max | Max damage is early, relatively low durability |
| 42 | Daedric War Axe | 15.85 | Axe | 1h | yes | best | max | |
| 43 | Nordic Axe of Paralysis | 16.20 | Axe | 1h | no | best | max | Deals double damage against werewolves |
| 44 | Ebony Shortsword | 16.68 | Short Blade | 1h | yes | best | min | Attack speed fluctuating between 1.35 and 2 (depending on view?), relatively low durability |
| 45 | Berserker Silver Battleaxe | 17.06 | Axe | 2h | no | best | max | On Target enchantment - melee attacks can be reflected, deals double damage against werewolves |
| 46 | Scourge | 17.32 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | no | best | max | |
| 47 | Last Rites | 17.70 | Axe | 2h | no | best | max | On Target enchantment - melee attacks can be reflected |
| 48 | Stalhrim War Axe | 18.15 | Axe | 1h | yes | best | max | Max damage is late |
| 49 | Silver Axe of Paralysis* | 18.22 | Axe | 1h | no | best | max | Low durability, deals double damage against werewolves |
| 50 | Mace of Molag Bal | 18.39 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | no | best | max | |
| 51 | Magebane / Glass Claymore | 18.59 | Long Blade | 2h | no / yes | best | max | Low Durability |
| 52 | Black Hands Dagger | 18.62 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is late, high charge usage (110 Enchant), relatively low durability |
| 53 | Cleaver of St. Felms / Ebony War Axe | 19.19 | Axe | 1h | no / yes | best | max | |
| 54 | Mehrunes' Razor* | 19.54 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | min | High charge usage (110 Enchant), low durability, crashes the game when breaking armor |
| 55 | Winterwound Dagger | 19.56 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | min | High charge usage (110 Enchant), low durability, crashes the game when breaking armor |
| 56 | Daedric Wakizashi | 19.81 | Short Blade | 1h | yes | best | max | Max damage is late, relatively low durability |
| 57 | Flawed Dwemer Jinksword | 21.11 | Short Blade | 1h | no | chop | min | Attack speed influenced by framerate?, low durability, higher attack speed than slash |
| 58 | Dagger of Symmachus | 21.32 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | min | Attack speed influenced by framerate? |
| 59 | Stormfang | 22.09 | Long Blade | 2h | no | best | max | Relatively low durability, on Target enchantment - melee attacks can be reflected |
| 60 | Daedric Mace | 22.11 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | yes | best | max | |
| 61 | Daedric Shortsword | 23.40 | Short Blade | 1h | yes | best | max | Max damage is late, relatively low durability |
| 62 | Trebonius' Staff | 23.88 | Blunt Weapon | 2h | no | best | max | On Target enchantment - melee attacks can be reflected, low durability, Real Life Blind 100% on Self |
| 63 | Frostgore* | 23.99 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | max | Max damage is early, high charge usage (110 Enchant), crippling low durability |
| 64 | Bound Dagger* | 24.29 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | min | Low durability |
| 65 | Daedric Tanto | 25.81 | Short Blade | 1h | yes | chop | min | Max damage is late, relatively low durability, higher attack speed than slash |
| 66 | Stalhrim Dagger | 26.33 | Short Blade | 1h | yes | chop | min | Low durability, higher attack speed than slash |
| 67 | Light of Day | 27.75 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | no | best | max | Triggers soultrap glitch - DO NOT USE AGAINST REFLECTIVE ENEMIES, max damage is late, on Target enchantment - melee attacks can be reflected, relatively low durability |
| 68 | Keening (100 str) | 28.71 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | min | Relatively low durability |
| 69 | Soul Drinker / Daedric Dagger* | 34.87 | Short Blade | 1h | no / yes | chop | min | Low durability, around 20% higher attack speed than slash |
| 70 | Daedric Club | 36.54 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | yes | best | min | Relatively low durability |
| 71 | Hand-to-hand (skill 120) | 197.65 | Hand-to-hand | 2h | no | best | max | Max damage is early, yes it's that bad, no it's not secretly OP, sorry |
| ? | Sunder (jury rig) | 7.54 | Blunt Weapon | 1h | no | best | max | Costs 200-something permanent max health and certain parts of the main quest, unless you want to be stuck lugging around a second Wraithguard that doesn't even work but needs to be carried anyway for the other one to do its job |
| ? | Keening (jury rig) | 25.26 | Short Blade | 1h | no | best | min |
* = failed durability test
ChartsEdit
Used EquipmentEdit
| Used Equipment | Possible Alternatives | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw | No competitor. | |
| Necromancer's Amulet | Hunter's Amulet of Strength | Hunter's Amulet is strictly better for combat but perhaps inferior for general gameplay, and acquired too late to be considered competitive. Also prevents you from getting the spear. |
| Glass Left Pauldron | Daedric Left Pauldron | Glass over Daedric because lower encumbrance feels more beneficial than higher armor rating. |
| Glass Right Pauldron | Daedric Right Pauldron | |
| Ebony Mail | No competitor. Cuirass of Savior's Hide may be considered for Altmer to be reflect-immune against Magicka. | |
| Fist of Randagulf Left Gauntlet | Her Hand's Left Gauntlet | 5 Strength is generally better than 20 Agility (above 100), but rarely lowers the number of hits required for a kill by itself. |
| Fist of Randagulf Right Gauntlet | Wraithguard (only if required) | Right Fist of Randagulf is hands down the best for everything. Nothing else can compete with 20 Strength. |
| Daedric Greaves (Therana) | Daedric Greaves with an effective weight of 4. No competitor. | |
| Boots of the Apostle | Glass Boots, Her Hand's Boots, Boots of Blinding Speed |
Saving even more encumbrance, minor boost to Agility doesn't seem worth the additional weight. The Boots of Blinding Speed are generally incredibly overpowered, but make it harder to move indoors and break quickly in combat. |
| (no shirt) | Saving encumbrance by not wearing a shirt. Royal Signet Ring makes Mara's Blouse redundant. | |
| Tailored Trousers | Only pants in the game with a constant effect enchantment. | |
| (no skirt) | No skirt with a useful enchantment in the game. Saving encumbrance by not wearing one. | |
| Ralen Family Belt | Belt of Orc Strength | Only belt in the game with a constant effect enchantment. |
| Redas Robe of Deeds | Whitewalker | Redas Robe is -47 encumbrance. Whitewalker's 50 Chameleon equals 40 Agility worth of evasion. Also a stylistic choice. |
| Ring of the Wind | Akatosh's Ring (if required) | Surprisingly there is no ring in the game with an offensive constant effect enchantment. |
| Royal Signet Ring | No competitor. It enables the use of Paralyze weapons and allows switching out multiple other pieces of equipment for more beneficial alternatives. | |
| Darksun Shield | Eleidon's Ward, Ward of Akavir | Darksun Shield is partially made redundant by the Royal Signet Ring, but Night Eye and Restore Fatigue (with very heavy weapons) can still be useful. Ward of Akavir can be considered for its minor enchantment when using two-handed weapons, but will break when used for blocking due to low durability. |
NotesEdit
- During regular gameplay, slow/hard hitting weapons should perform better than in these tests, because you can begin to charge your swing when you see an enemy, before they reach you. Releasing a fully charged swing when an enemy enters melee range grants you a "free" extra swing at time 0, minus the recovery animation.
- The DPS is measured in 1v1 combat. Weapons with long lasting damage enchantments (anything higher than the swing speed of the weapon, so basically anything above 1s) will perform better when fighting multiple enemies at once, as you can hit the next enemy while the enchantment keeps working on the previous one, without overwriting it as is the case when fighting a single enemy.