One-Handed | Skills TES V: Skyrim Guide
Last update: 05 December 2019
This TES V: Skyrim World Atlas page describes One-Handed Weapons. These skills are associated with the warrior and Archer archetypes. Our tutorial in addition to describing the skills will tell you how to develop them, and what related best features are worth unlocking.
How to increase skill: This skill can be increased by performing successful attacks with a one-handed weapon (in one or two hands). The growth of the skill depends on how much damage the hero has dealt with each hit.
Main purpose of developing this skill: Increasing the damage value of one-handed weapons.
Available perks: 21.
Best perks: Armsman, Fighting Stance, Critical Charge.
Comments:
- One of the most important decisions you'll have to make is whether you want to use all types of weapons or focus only on certain types (for example, only on war axes). My recommendation is to find a favorite category of weapons and stick with it, especially because there are certain perks that improve their damage. Besides thanks to smithing and enchanting you may transform even less powerful weapons into something much better.
- If you want to use one-handed weapons frequently you'll have to make an additional decision whether it's going to be one weapon or maybe two. If you prefer to have two weapons at the same time you should examine the right side of the constellation, because there are some useful perks there prepared for that style of play. If you prefer to have one weapon, then you may use the other hand to carry a shield or to have a magical spell ready (shield is obviously a better choice if your character is supposed to be a full-blooded warrior).
- ARMSMAN
- HACK AND SLASH
- BONE BREAKER
- BLADESMAN
- FIGHTING STANCE
- SAVAGE STRIKE
- CRITICAL CHARGE
- PARALYZING STRIKE
- DUAL FLURRY
- DUAL SAVAGERY
ARMSMAN
This perk has five ranks and each time you unlock a new rank it gets better.
Requirements (rank 1): None.
Requirements (rank 2): One-handed skill increased to at least 20 points.
Requirements (rank 3): One-handed skill increased to at least 40 points.
Requirements (rank 4): One-handed skill increased to at least 60 points.
Requirements (rank 5): One-handed skill increased to at least 80 points.
Description (rank 1): 20% more damage dealt with one-handed weapons.
Description (rank 2): 40% more damage dealt in total with one-handed weapons.
Description (rank 3): 60% more damage dealt in total with one-handed weapons.
Description (rank 4): 80% more damage dealt in total with one-handed weapons.
Description (rank 5): 100% more damage dealt in total with one-handed weapons.
Comments: It's a good idea to regularly unlock new perks from this group, increasing the effectiveness of your attacks.
HACK AND SLASH
This perk has three ranks and each time you unlock a new rank it gets better.
Requirements (rank 1): One-handed skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Armsman perk (rank 1).
Requirements (rank 2): One-handed skill increased to at least 60 points.
Requirements (rank 3): One-handed skill increased to at least 90 points.
Description (rank 1): Possibility of causing additional bleeding damage while using one-handed war axes.
Description (rank 2): Possibility of causing additional bleeding damage while using one-handed war axes.
Description (rank 3): Possibility of causing additional bleeding damage while using one-handed war axes.
Comments: Unlock perks from this group only if you're planning on using war axes on a daily basis. The bleeding damage doesn't make a huge difference, but it's always good to have a free and passive damage bonus.
BONE BREAKER
This perk has three ranks and each time you unlock a new rank it gets better.
Requirements (rank 1): One-handed skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Armsman perk (rank 1).
Requirements (rank 2): One-handed skill increased to at least 60 points.
Requirements (rank 3): One-handed skill increased to at least 90 points.
Description (rank 1): Possibility of ignoring 25% of enemy's armor while using one-handed maces.
Description (rank 2): Possibility of ignoring a total of 50% of enemy's armor while using one-handed maces.
Description (rank 3): Possibility of ignoring a total of 75% of enemy's armor while using one-handed maces.
Comments: Unlock perks from this group only if you're planning on using maces on a daily basis. In my opinion these perks are the most useful ones out of all perks connected to certain types of weaponry. You'll be going against a lot of enemies in armors during the game and having even the lowest 25% bonus will make a big difference.
BLADESMAN
This perk has three ranks and each time you unlock a new rank it gets better.
Requirements (rank 1): One-handed skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Armsman perk (rank 1).
Requirements (rank 2): One-handed skill increased to at least 60 points.
Requirements (rank 3): One-handed skill increased to at least 90 points.
Description (rank 1): 10% chance of inflicting critical damage while using one-handed swords.
Description (rank 2): 15% chance of inflicting critical damage while using one-handed swords.
Description (rank 3): 20% chance of inflicting critical damage while using one-handed swords.
Comments: Unlock perks from this group only if you're planning on using swords on a daily basis. 20% after unlocking rank 3 is not a lot, but it's also not a minimal chance, so sooner or later you should purchase all three perks.
FIGHTING STANCE
Requirements: One-handed skill increased to at least 20 points. Unlocked Armsman perk (rank 1).
Description: 25% less stamina needed to perform one-handed power attacks.
Comments: It's important that you unlock this perk early in the game, because frequent use of one-handed power attacks results in a quick drain of stamina.
SAVAGE STRIKE
Requirements: One-handed skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Fighting Stance perk.
Description: 25% more damage dealt with one-handed power attacks if the main character is standing in one place.
Comments: This is definitely something for you if you prefer not to move while activating power attacks. If you prefer to move around a lot you should consider unlocking Critical Charge and since both perks have the same goal it's all really up to you to decide which one's more useful. The game informs you that a successful attack may end in a decipitation, but it's nothing special, because this occurs ONLY if the target was supposed to die after that hit (and the hit itself doesn't cause extra damage).
CRITICAL CHARGE
Requirements: One-handed skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Fighting Stance perk.
Description: Possibility of performing one-handed power attacks when running, which can inflict double critical damage.
Comments: This is something you should consider, especially since as a warrior you must approach your targets either way to start attacking them. If you prefer to stay in one place, however, choose Savage Strike over this one. It's worth mentioning that not every charge ends with double critical damage, but thankfully it happens often enough to fully justify purchasing this perk (chances are increased when you're dual wielding, because they're counted separately for each weapon).
PARALYZING STRIKE
Requirements: One-handed skill increased to 100 points. Unlocked Savage Strike perk or Critical Charge perk.
Description: 25% chance of paralyzing targets with backwards one-handed power attacks.
Comments: This isn't something useful so you should focus on unlocking other perks from this category instead (preferably those with ranks).
DUAL FLURRY
This perk has two ranks and unlocking the second rank makes it better.
Requirements (rank 1): One-handed skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Armsman perk (rank 1).
Requirements (rank 2): One-handed skill increased to at least 50 points.
Description (rank 1): 20% increase in speed when dual wielding (using two weapons at the same time).
Description (rank 1): 35% increase in speed in total when dual wielding (using two weapons at the same time).
Comments: Both perks from this group improve your capabilities on the battlefield when your character is using two weapons (it doesn't matter in this case whether you rely on normal or power attacks).
DUAL SAVAGERY
Requirements: One-handed skill increased to at least 70 points. Unlocked Dual Flurry perk (rank 1).
Description: 50% more damage dealt when performing power attacks with two weapons.
Comments: This is a very useful perk, of course as long as you plan on using two weapons for most of the game. The additional advantage of having this perk is that its effects can be combined with Savage Strike (main character is standing) and/or Critical Charge (main character is running).