Skyrim Two-handed perks
Fighting with greatswords, battleaxes and warhammers. Two-handed is a warrior skill with 9 perks and 19 perk ranks.
- Perks
- 9 perks, 19 perk points to complete
- Skill type
- Warrior (Combat)
- Race bonus
- Nord +10; Orc +5
- XP 15 → 100
- 528,804 skill XP
- Training 15 → 90
- 120,450 gold (75 sessions)
Two-handed perk tree
| Perk | Rank | Skill | Requires | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbarian | 1/5 | 0 | — | +20% two-handed weapon damage |
| 2/5 | 20 | Barbarian 1 | +40% two-handed weapon damage | |
| 3/5 | 40 | Barbarian 2 | +60% two-handed weapon damage | |
| 4/5 | 60 | Barbarian 3 | +80% two-handed weapon damage | |
| 5/5 | 80 | Barbarian 4 | Two-handed weapons deal double damage | |
| Champion's Stance | — | 20 | Barbarian | Two-handed power attacks cost 25% less stamina |
| Deep Wounds | 1/3 | 30 | Barbarian | Greatswords: 10% chance of a critical hit |
| 2/3 | 60 | Deep Wounds 1 | Greatswords: 15% critical chance, more critical damage | |
| 3/3 | 90 | Deep Wounds 2 | Greatswords: 20% critical chance, even more critical damage | |
| Limbsplitter | 1/3 | 30 | Barbarian | Battleaxes cause extra bleeding damage |
| 2/3 | 60 | Limbsplitter 1 | Battleaxes cause more bleeding damage | |
| 3/3 | 90 | Limbsplitter 2 | Battleaxes cause even more bleeding damage | |
| Skullcrusher | 1/3 | 30 | Barbarian | Warhammers ignore 25% of armor |
| 2/3 | 60 | Skullcrusher 1 | Warhammers ignore 50% of armor | |
| 3/3 | 90 | Skullcrusher 2 | Warhammers ignore 75% of armor | |
| Devastating Blow | — | 50 | Champion's Stance | Standing power attacks deal 25% bonus damage and can decapitate |
| Great Critical Charge | — | 50 | Champion's Stance | Sprinting power attacks deal double critical damage |
| Sweep | — | 70 | Devastating Blow or Great Critical Charge | Sideways power attacks hit everyone in front of you |
| Warmaster | — | 100 | Sweep | Backwards power attacks have a 25% chance to paralyze |
When a perk lists two prerequisites, you need only one of them.
Planning your Two-handed perks
Completing the whole Two-handed tree costs 19 of the roughly 80 perk points you get by level 81, so most builds take only the perks they will really use. Start with the perks at the bottom of the tree, then follow the branch that suits your play style up to its top perk.
The highest perks in the tree need a skill of 90 or 100: Deep Wounds (90), Limbsplitter (90), Skullcrusher (90), Warmaster (100).
How to level Two-handed
Every time Two-handed goes up, your character earns experience equal to the new skill level, so a high Two-handed skill also helps you level up quickly. Raising it from 15 to 100 takes about 528,804 skill experience in total. Trainers can take it to 90 for about 120,450 gold, five sessions per character level. Use the skill XP calculator for exact numbers between any two levels.