Skyrim Blades Sword: Complete Guide to Finding, Upgrading & Mastering This Iconic Weapon

The Blades sword in Skyrim isn’t just another piece of loot, it’s a piece of Tamriel’s history. With its distinctive katana-like curve and ties to the legendary dragon-slaying order, this weapon has earned a special place in the hearts of Dragonborns everywhere. Whether you’re drawn to its sleek design, its lore-rich background, or simply want a reliable one-handed blade for your adventures, the Blades sword delivers on multiple fronts.

But here’s the thing: getting your hands on this weapon requires more than stumbling into a random dungeon. You’ll need to progress through a specific questline, make some tough choices about faction loyalties, and understand how to maximize its potential through proper upgrades and enchantments. This guide walks through everything from acquisition to optimization, ensuring you get the most out of this iconic blade.

What Is the Blades Sword in Skyrim?

The Blades Sword is a unique one-handed weapon styled after traditional katanas, featuring a curved blade and distinctive crossguard. It’s the signature weapon of the Blades faction, an ancient order dedicated to protecting the Dragonborn and hunting dragons across Tamriel.

History and Lore Behind the Blades

The Blades trace their origins back to the Akaviri Dragonguard, warriors who came to Tamriel from the continent of Akavir centuries ago. Originally dragon hunters, they eventually became the sworn protectors of the Septim dynasty and the Dragonborn lineage. By the time of Skyrim’s events, the Fourth Era, year 201, the Blades have been scattered and nearly destroyed following the Great War and the Aldmeri Dominion’s purge.

Only a handful survive, including Delphine and Esbern, who work to rebuild the order. Their weapons reflect their Akaviri heritage, with the curved blade design setting them apart from typical Nordic straight swords. For players invested in the main questline, joining the Blades represents a connection to this storied past and a commitment to dragon-hunting.

Base Stats and Damage Breakdown

The Blades Sword has the following base statistics:

• Base Damage: 11 (same as most Orcish weapons)
• Weight: 10
• Base Value: 1,000 gold
• Speed: 1.0 (standard for one-handed swords)
• Critical Damage: 5
• Weapon Type: One-handed sword

In terms of raw damage, it sits between Dwarven (base damage 10) and Elven (base damage 13) weapons in the progression curve. This places it firmly in the mid-tier category for base stats, though its true value comes from its unique design and the role it plays in the Blades questline. With proper smithing and enchantments, which we’ll cover later, it can compete with much higher-tier weapons throughout your playthrough.

How to Obtain the Blades Sword

Unlike most weapons in Skyrim, you can’t just buy or loot a Blades sword from random enemies. Acquisition is tied directly to the main quest and your relationship with the Blades faction.

Joining the Blades Faction

Your journey to obtaining the Blades sword begins with the main questline. After progressing through “A Blade in the Dark” and meeting Delphine in Riverwood, you’ll eventually advance to the quest “Alduin’s Wall.” This quest introduces you to Esbern and leads you to Sky Haven Temple, the hidden stronghold of the Blades.

Once you complete “Alduin’s Wall,” you’ll gain access to the temple and officially become associated with the Blades. But, full membership and access to all Blades equipment requires completing subsequent quests, particularly “Dragon Research” and bringing followers to join the reformed order.

Sky Haven Temple Location and Quest Line

Sky Haven Temple is located in the Reach, hidden within Karthspire at the base of the Forsworn-occupied ruins. The entrance is concealed behind a blood seal that only responds to Dragonborn blood, a dramatic moment that underscores your unique role.

Inside the temple, you’ll find:

• Alduin’s Wall: The massive relief that reveals dragon lore
• Blades armor sets: Several complete sets on display
• Blades swords: Multiple copies available once you’ve progressed far enough
• Dragonslayer’s Blessing: A unique shrine buff (10% damage to dragons for 5 days)

The temple contains at least three Blades swords that you can freely take once you’ve been accepted into the faction. They’re displayed on weapon racks and tables throughout the main hall.

Alternative Methods to Acquire the Blades Sword

While the Sky Haven Temple route is the intended method, a few alternatives exist:

1. Kill Delphine or Esbern (not recommended): Both NPCs carry Blades swords, but killing them breaks the main questline and locks you out of significant content. Unless you’re doing a completionist playthrough with console commands to fix quests, this isn’t viable.

2. Console commands (PC only): Use the command player.additem 0003AEB9 1 to spawn a Blades sword directly into your inventory. This bypasses all questlines but obviously defeats the purpose of an authentic playthrough.

3. Wait for the rebuild: If you recruit followers to join the Blades during the “Rebuilding the Blades” radiant quest, they’ll be equipped with Blades gear, though their swords aren’t freely available to take.

For most players, progressing through the main quest naturally provides the cleanest path to obtaining multiple Blades swords without breaking immersion or game mechanics.

Upgrading and Enchanting Your Blades Sword

A stock Blades sword is decent, but Skyrim’s crafting systems let you transform it into an endgame-worthy weapon. Here’s how to maximize its potential.

Smithing Requirements and Materials Needed

The Blades sword can be improved at any grindstone, but you’ll need the right perk and materials:

• Required Perk: Steel Smithing (the first smithing perk in the tree)
• Materials Needed: 1x Steel Ingot per improvement session
• Improvement Scaling: Scales with your Smithing skill level

This low perk requirement is actually a significant advantage. Unlike weapons that require Elven, Ebony, or Daedric smithing perks, you can start improving the Blades sword almost immediately after starting a character. The modding community has long appreciated community-created enhancements that further refine smithing mechanics and weapon balance.

To maximize your tempering results:

1. Level Smithing to 100 (or as high as possible)
2. Wear Fortify Smithing gear: Gauntlets, ring, necklace, and armor enchanted with Fortify Smithing
3. Use Fortify Smithing potions: Craft or buy the strongest available (30-40%+ improvement)
4. Combine buffs: Stack gear and potion for multiplicative effects

With Smithing at 100, all relevant perks, Fortify Smithing gear (4 pieces at 25% each), and a strong potion (40%), you can push the Blades sword well past its base damage into the 50+ range. This puts it on par with legendary-tier weapons even though its mid-tier base stats.

Best Enchantments for the Blades Sword

The Blades sword accepts all standard weapon enchantments. Here are the top choices depending on your build:

For Dragon Hunting (thematic choice):

• Soul Trap (5 seconds): Keeps your soul gems filled for recharging
• Since the Blades are dragon hunters, the weapon benefits from the Dragonslayer’s Blessing buff at Sky Haven Temple rather than a dragon-specific enchantment (which doesn’t exist in vanilla)

For General Combat:

• Absorb Health (25-30 points): Combines offense and healing, the most versatile option
• Chaos Damage (Dragonborn DLC): Randomly deals fire, frost, or shock damage, statistically the highest DPS enchantment when fully charged
• Fiery Soul Trap: Combines fire damage with soul trapping for efficiency

For Specific Enemy Types:

• Shock Damage: Best against mages and dragons (drains magicka)
• Fire Damage: Highest raw damage, good against most enemies
• Frost Damage: Slows targets, drains stamina

Pro tip: If you have maxed Enchanting (100) with all relevant perks and Fortify Enchanting gear/potions, you can apply two enchantments to the Blades sword using the Extra Effect perk. Pairing Absorb Health with Chaos Damage creates an incredibly powerful combination.

Tempering Tips for Maximum Damage Output

Here’s the optimal sequence for creating a god-tier Blades sword:

1. Don’t improve it yet: Temper the weapon AFTER enchanting for maximum results
2. Max your Enchanting first: Get Enchanting to 100 with perks
3. Enchant the weapon: Apply your chosen enchantment(s)
4. Prepare Smithing buffs: Equip all Fortify Smithing gear and craft/acquire the strongest Fortify Smithing potion you can make
5. Improve at grindstone: Use the buffed smithing session to temper the now-enchanted weapon

This order matters because the improvement percentage applies to the weapon’s total value after enchanting, yielding higher final damage numbers.

For reference, a fully optimized Blades sword (Smithing 100, all perks, stacked buffs) reaches approximately:

• Legendary quality: 55-65 base damage (before enchantments)
• With strong enchantments: 70-90+ effective DPS depending on enchantment choices and Enchanting skill

This puts it competitive with even Daedric weapons, proving that in Skyrim, smithing and enchanting skill matter far more than base weapon tier.

Combat Performance and Ideal Build Synergies

Now that you’ve got a properly upgraded Blades sword, let’s talk about how it performs in actual combat and which builds benefit most from wielding it.

Blades Sword vs. Other Katana-Style Weapons

The Blades sword is one of only a few katana-styled weapons in Skyrim. The comparison pool includes:

Blades Sword:

• Base damage: 11
• Availability: Multiple copies at Sky Haven Temple
• Aesthetic: Classic Akaviri curved blade design
• Upgrade requirement: Steel Smithing perk

Akaviri Katana (console command only):

• Not legitimately obtainable in-game
• Essentially identical stats to the Blades sword
• Exists in game files but unused

Scimitar:

• Base damage: 11 (identical to Blades sword)
• Same weight and speed
• Less distinctive design, more common
• Also requires Steel Smithing

In practical terms, the Blades sword and scimitar are mechanically identical. The choice comes down to aesthetic preference and lore considerations. The Blades sword wins on style and thematic relevance, especially for Dragonborn-focused playthroughs.

Compared to other one-handed swords in general:

• Faster than: Maces and axes (slightly)
• Same speed as: Other one-handed swords
• Lower base damage than: Ebony (14), Daedric (14), Dragonbone (15)
• Compensates through: Earlier upgrade access and lower perk investment

Best Character Builds for the Blades Sword

The Blades sword excels in builds that focus on speed, mobility, and consistent damage output. Here are the archetypes that benefit most:

1. Spellsword/Battlemage

One-handed weapon in the right hand, destruction spell or ward in the left. The Blades sword’s modest weight (10) doesn’t over-encumber you, and its one-handed classification synergizes perfectly with magic-focused perks.

• Key perks: One-Handed (all), Armsman, Enchanting (for weapon buffs)
• Complementary skills: Destruction, Alteration, Enchanting
• Armor choice: Light armor for mobility or Heavy for survivability

2. Dual-Wield Damage Dealer

Two Blades swords (yes, you can grab multiple from Sky Haven Temple) for maximum style points and DPS.

• Key perks: Dual Flurry (attack speed boost), Dual Savagery (dual power attack damage)
• Combat style: Aggressive, high-speed attacks
• Stamina management: Critical, dual power attacks drain stamina fast

Many players enjoy this approach when hunting dragons for their souls, as the aggressive playstyle complements the high-risk nature of dragon fights.

3. Traditional Samurai Build

Blades sword with light armor, emphasizing mobility and precision over tanking.

• Armor: Full Blades armor set (covered in the next section)
• Playstyle: Hit-and-run tactics, dodge-heavy combat
• Complementary perks: Light Armor tree, Sneak for opening strikes
• Roleplay factor: Maximum immersion as a member of the Blades order

4. Sword-and-Board Defender

Blades sword with a shield for balanced offense and defense.

• Key perks: Block tree (Shield Wall, Quick Reflexes, Shield Charge)
• Combat flow: Block enemy power attacks, counterattack during openings
• Survivability: Highest among Blades sword builds
• Ideal for: Players who prefer tactical, measured combat

Regardless of build choice, investing in Smithing and Enchanting remains non-negotiable for keeping the Blades sword competitive in late-game content. The weapon’s base stats simply can’t carry you without proper augmentation.

Blades Armor Set: Should You Use It Together?

The Blades sword looks distinctive on its own, but pairing it with the full Blades armor set creates one of the most visually cohesive looks in the game.

Complete Blades Armor Locations

The Blades armor set consists of five pieces, all found at Sky Haven Temple once you’ve gained access:

• Blades Helmet: Light armor, 17 base armor rating
• Blades Armor: Light armor, 38 base armor rating
• Blades Gauntlets: Light armor, 11 base armor rating
• Blades Boots: Light armor, 11 base armor rating
• Blades Shield: Heavy armor, 26 base armor rating (oddly categorized differently)

All pieces are displayed on mannequins and armor stands throughout the main temple hall. You can take multiple sets if you want to equip followers or simply hoard them for your collection.

Upgrade requirements:

• Perk needed: Steel Smithing (same as the sword)
• Materials per piece: 1-2 Steel Ingots depending on the piece
• Improvement potential: Scales with Smithing skill like all armor

The consistent Steel Smithing requirement across the entire set means you can upgrade everything with minimal perk investment, a significant advantage for builds that don’t plan to max out the Smithing tree.

Set Bonuses and Fashion Souls Appeal

Here’s the catch: Skyrim doesn’t have mechanical set bonuses for armor. Wearing the complete Blades set provides no statistical advantages beyond the sum of its individual pieces. This differs from games like ESO or modern RPGs where matching sets grant special effects.

So why wear it?

1. Aesthetic cohesion

The Blades set is one of the most distinctive armor designs in Skyrim. The Akaviri-influenced style with its red and black color scheme, curved design elements, and katana-wielding silhouette creates an immediately recognizable look. For players who value “fashion souls” (looking good while adventuring), it’s top-tier.

2. Light armor synergy

Four of the five pieces are light armor, making this an excellent choice for light armor builds. The armor rating isn’t the highest, it sits between Elven and Glass tier, but it’s perfectly serviceable for most content when properly upgraded.

3. Thematic roleplay

If you’re committed to the Blades questline and rebuilding the order, wearing their uniform reinforces your character’s identity. It’s especially fitting when hunting dragons, the Blades’ primary purpose.

4. Early-to-mid game viability

You typically access Sky Haven Temple around level 15-25, and the Blades armor performs well in that range. By the time you’re facing endgame threats, you’ll likely want to transition to higher-tier armor unless you’re heavily investing in smithing upgrades.

Practical verdict: Use the Blades armor if you’re running a light armor build and prioritize style, or if you’re doing a thematic Dragonborn playthrough. For min-maxing purposes, other armor sets like Daedric, Dragonplate, or properly enchanted light armor will eventually outperform it statistically.

That said, with maxed Smithing and good enchantments, you can make any armor set viable for all content. Skyrim’s systems reward player skill and build optimization over raw base stats, so don’t feel locked into meta choices if you prefer the Blades aesthetic.

Tips and Strategies for Maximizing the Blades Sword

You’ve got the sword, you’ve upgraded it, and you’ve chosen your build. Here are advanced strategies to squeeze every last bit of effectiveness from this weapon.

Perks That Complement the Blades Sword

Since the Blades sword is a one-handed weapon, your perk investments should focus on maximizing one-handed damage, attack speed, and critical hits.

One-Handed Skill Tree (priority perks):

1. Armsman (5 ranks): +100% total damage increase, absolute must-have
2. Fighting Stance: 25% more power attack damage, strong for burst
3. Savage Strike: Standing power attacks do 25% bonus damage and have a chance to decapitate
4. Critical Charge: Sprinting power attacks deal double critical damage, massive burst potential
5. Dual Flurry (if dual-wielding): +35% attack speed with dual weapons at rank 2, DPS multiplier
6. Paralyzing Strike: Backwards power attacks have a chance to paralyze, excellent crowd control

Smithing Tree:

• At minimum: Steel Smithing to improve the weapon
• Recommended: The entire left side up to Arcane Blacksmith (enchanted item improvements)
• Optimal: Full tree to 100 for maximum tempering effectiveness

Enchanting Tree:

• Enchanter (5 ranks): Stronger enchantments mean more damage
• Insightful Enchanter: Skill enchantments 25% stronger
• Extra Effect: Two enchantments per weapon, game-changer for the Blades sword

These three skill trees form the holy trinity of weapon optimization. Even moderate investment (50-70 in each) produces dramatic results.

Dragon Hunting with the Blades Sword

Given that the Blades are legendary dragon slayers, using their signature weapon against dragons is both thematically appropriate and mechanically sound.

Pre-fight preparation:

1. Visit Sky Haven Temple: Activate the Dragonslayer’s Blessing shrine for 10% extra damage against dragons (lasts 5 in-game days)
2. Enchant for shock damage: Dragons have no shock resistance, making it the most effective element
3. Bring strong healing: Potions or Restoration spells, dragon fights are wars of attrition
4. Stock up on stamina potions: Power attacks are your main damage source

During combat:

• Avoid head-on charges: Circle-strafe to avoid breath attacks
• Wait for landing: You can’t melee while they’re airborne (obviously), so use shouts or ranged backup
• Power attack when grounded: Stagger them with power attacks, especially if you have shield bash available
• Use Dragonrend: This shout (learned during the main quest) forces dragons to land, maximizing your melee uptime
• Stay mobile: Don’t stand still during breath attacks, even with high armor, you’ll take heavy damage

The Blades sword’s one-handed classification is actually an advantage here. You can keep a ward spell, healing spell, or shield in your off-hand for survivability while maintaining solid damage output.

Post-fight:

Don’t forget to absorb the dragon soul, that’s what the entire Dragonborn journey is built around. The souls unlock shouts, many of which synergize excellently with melee combat (Elemental Fury for attack speed, Marked for Death for armor reduction).

Players looking for deeper combat mechanics and dragon encounter strategies often reference detailed breakdowns of enemy resistances and optimal damage types, which can further inform your enchantment choices beyond the general recommendations here.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced players sometimes make suboptimal choices with the Blades sword. Here are the most frequent pitfalls and how to avoid them:

1. Not upgrading before mid-game

The Blades sword’s base damage (11) falls behind quickly if you don’t improve it. Some players grab it from Sky Haven Temple and never visit a grindstone. Bad move. At minimum, improve it to Fine or Superior quality immediately. The Steel Smithing requirement is trivial, and even without optimal buffs, a few improvements make a noticeable difference.

2. Choosing poor enchantments

Not all enchantments are created equal. Frost damage is statistically the weakest element (many enemies resist it, lowest DPS), yet some players pick it for aesthetic reasons. If you’re enchanting for effectiveness, stick to shock, fire, or utility enchantments like Absorb Health. Save the frost for a backup weapon.

3. Neglecting the Smithing/Enchanting loop

Skyrim’s crafting skills are synergistic. Smithing lets you improve weapons and craft enchanted gear. Enchanting lets you create Fortify Smithing gear to improve weapons further. Players who level these skills independently miss massive multiplicative benefits. Invest in both or neither, half-measures waste perk points.

4. Comparing it to endgame weapons too early

You typically get the Blades sword around level 15-25. At that point, comparing it to Daedric or Dragonbone weapons (which you won’t have access to yet) is pointless. The Blades sword is perfectly competitive for its acquisition point. By the time you’re drowning in ebony and daedra hearts, you’ll have the skills to keep it relevant or transition to something else.

5. Ignoring follower equipment

Sky Haven Temple has multiple Blades swords. Grab extras and equip your followers with them. Followers benefit from weapon improvements and enchantments too (though less effectively than you do). A well-equipped follower with a Blades sword can contribute meaningful DPS, especially against dragons.

6. Using it with a two-handed build

This seems obvious, but some players grab the Blades sword, realize they’ve been investing in two-handed perks, and try to use it anyway. The weapon is hard-coded as one-handed. It won’t benefit from two-handed perks, and you’ll be stuck with subpar damage. If you’re committed to a two-handed build, the Blades sword simply isn’t for you, stick to greatswords and battleaxes.

7. Skipping the Dragonslayer’s Blessing

If you’re hunting dragons with the Blades sword (which is the thematic point), always activate the shrine at Sky Haven Temple first. It’s a free 10% damage buff against dragons that lasts 5 in-game days. There’s zero reason not to use it before major dragon fights.

8. Over-focusing on base damage comparisons

New players often fixate on base damage numbers (“Daedric has 14 damage, Blades only has 11”). In practice, perks, smithing improvements, and enchantments contribute far more to actual DPS than those 3 base damage points. A fully upgraded Blades sword with optimal enchantments vastly outperforms an unimproved Daedric sword. Focus on the total package, not just the base stat.

9. Forgetting about attack speed

All one-handed swords share the same attack speed (1.0), but power attack stamina costs and recovery times vary slightly by animation. The Blades sword’s katana-style animations are marginally faster than some heavier sword types, though the difference is subtle. Pair it with Dual Flurry if dual-wielding to maximize this advantage.

10. Not considering it for collections

Even if you don’t plan to use the Blades sword in combat, it’s worth grabbing for completionist purposes. If you’re building a collection of rare items, the Blades sword qualifies as a unique, faction-specific weapon with lore significance. Display it on a weapon rack in your player home alongside other notable finds.

Conclusion

The Blades sword occupies a special niche in Skyrim’s vast weapon catalog. It’s not the highest base damage, not the rarest drop, and not mechanically unique in its effects. What it offers instead is a perfect blend of accessibility, upgradability, and thematic weight. For players invested in the main questline, dragon hunting, or the lore of the legendary Blades faction, this weapon represents more than just stats on a screen.

With proper investment in Smithing and Enchanting, the Blades sword can carry you from mid-game through Alduin’s defeat and beyond. Its low perk requirements (just Steel Smithing) make it remarkably resource-efficient compared to higher-tier alternatives that demand extensive skill tree progression. Pair it with the full Blades armor set for maximum style, or integrate it into a hybrid spellsword or dual-wield build for versatility.

Eventually, the Blades sword rewards players who engage with Skyrim’s crafting systems and questlines rather than simply chasing the highest base damage numbers. It’s a weapon that grows with you, from your first visit to Sky Haven Temple through your final confrontation with Alduin in Sovngarde. And really, isn’t that what makes a weapon memorable in a game like this?