Combat Skills: The Path of Might – Two-Handed

The Two-Handed skill governs the use of large weapons such as greatswords, battle-axes, and warhammers. Those trained in this skill deliver more lethal and powerful blows. To improve this skill, damage enemies with a Two-Handed weapon. The skill improves based on the amount of damage you do (minus any enchantments), not the number of swings you take, so you get the same increase regardless of how many hits it takes to fell your foe.

A number of perks in the Two-Handed constellation improve a specific type of Two-Handed weapon. If you generally use the best weapon you can find (no matter what type it is), it’s wiser to invest your perks elsewhere: better to have a bonus you can rely on than one you see only occasionally.

• Constellation: Path of Might
• Available Perks: 19

Available Two-Handed Perks

1–5. Barbarian (5 ranks) ★

• Rank 1: Two-Handed weapons do 20% more damage.
• Requires: None
• Rank 2: Two-Handed weapons do 40% more damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 20, Barbarian 1
• Rank 3: Two-Handed weapons do 60% more damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 40, Barbarian 2
• Rank 4: Two-Handed weapons do 80% more damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 60, Barbarian 3
• Rank 5: Two-Handed weapons do twice as much damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 80, Barbarian 4

This perk provides a massive +20% bonus to your Two-Handed weapon damage with each rank. This is a huge boost; make this perk your top priority whenever your skill level permits.

6. Champion’s Stance ★

• Power attacks with Two-Handed weapons cost 25% less stamina.
• Requires: Two-Handed 20, Barbarian 1

In effect, this perk allows you to power attack more often. Two-Handed weapons excel at devastating power attacks, so this is a solid choice.

7–9. Deep Wounds (3 ranks)

• Rank 1: Attacks with greatswords have a 10% chance of doing critical damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 30, Barbarian 1
• Rank 2: Attacks with greatswords have a 15% chance of doing even more critical damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 60, Deep Wounds 1
• Rank 3: Attacks with greatswords have a 20% chance of doing even more critical damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 90, Deep Wounds 2

When a weapon scores a critical hit, it deals 50% more damage, more for Ranks 2 and 3. Statistically, this perk works out to a 5% boost in your average damage over time at Rank 1 and a 15% boost by Rank 3. That’s not nothing, but Barbarian is still better.

10–12. Limbsplitter (3 ranks)

• Rank 1: Attacks with battle-axes cause extra bleeding damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 30
• Rank 2: Attacks with battle-axes cause more bleeding damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 60, Limbsplitter 1
• Rank 3: Attacks with battle-axes cause even more bleeding damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 90, Limbsplitter 2

The exact amount of bleeding damage depends on the axe, but in general, this perk causes each hit to do 1 to 3 points of damage each second for 3 to 6 seconds, with the higher ranks pushing higher into that range, making this roughly equivalent to a short-lived lingering poison.

13–15. Skullcrusher (3 ranks)

• Rank 1: Attacks with warhammers ignore 25% of armor.
• Requires: Two-Handed 30
• Rank 2: Attacks with warhammers ignore 50% of armor.
• Requires: Two-Handed 60, Skullcrusher 1
• Rank 3: Attacks with warhammers ignore 75% of armor.
• Requires: Two-Handed 90, Skullcrusher 2

This perk has no effect against unarmored enemies, but it can make it significantly easier to take down a heavily armored foe, such as many bosses.

16. Devastating Blow

• Standing power attacks do 25% bonus damage with a chance to decapitate your enemies.
• Requires: Two-Handed 50, Champion’s Stance

This is a strong, reliable damage bonus. The decapitation adds a grotesquely satisfying visual touch but applies only if your attack already killed the enemy (this perk doesn’t give you a chance of an instant kill).

17. Great Critical Charge

• You can do a Two-Handed power attack while sprinting that does double critical damage.
• Requires: Two-Handed 50, Champion’s Stance

Less powerful than it might appear, the “double critical damage” bonus applies only if you land a critical hit in the first place. More importantly, you have to remember to use it for it to be effective. Take this if you find yourself making “berserker rushes” on your own.

18. Sweep

• Sideways power attacks with Two-Handed weapons hit all targets in front of you.
• Requires: Two-Handed 70, Devastating Blow OR Great Critical Charge

Great at clearing out swaths of enemies in a single blow.

19. Warmaster

• Backward power attacks have a 25% chance to paralyze the target.
• Requires: Two-Handed 100, Sweep

Racial Benefits

• +10 Two-Handed
• Nord
• +5 Two-Handed
• Orc

Trainers

• Expert: Torbjorn Shatter-Shield, Candlehearth Hall and the streets of Windhelm.
• Master: Fura Bloodmouth, Castle Volkihar, in Haafingar Hold (Sea of Ghosts).
• Master: Vilkas, the Companions of Jorrvaskr, in Whiterun.
• Master: Wulf Wild-Blood, of Skaal Village, in Solstheim.

Other Resources

• The following quests can also increase this skill:
• Other Factions Quest: Rjorn’s Drum.
• Daedric Quest: Discerning the Transmundane.
• Favor: A Good Talking To*.