Volendrung in Skyrim: Complete Guide to Finding and Mastering This Legendary Warhammer

Volendrung stands out as one of Skyrim’s most satisfying weapons to swing. This massive Daedric warhammer doesn’t just deal devastating damage, it literally absorbs the stamina of your enemies with every hit, turning prolonged fights into one-sided beatdowns. Whether you’re a two-handed warrior looking for your signature weapon or a hybrid build seeking a reliable melee option, Volendrung delivers both power and utility in a way few other warhammers can match.

Finding this legendary weapon requires completing a specific Orc stronghold quest, but the payoff is immediate. Unlike many unique weapons that require extensive crafting or high-level perks to shine, Volendrung hits hard right out of the gate. Its unique enchantment can’t be disenchanted or replicated, making it a truly one-of-a-kind tool in your arsenal. This guide covers everything from the quest chain to optimal builds, combat strategies, and how it stacks up against other legendary two-handed weapons in the game.

What Is Volendrung?

Volendrung is a unique Daedric warhammer tied to the Daedric Prince Malacath. It’s one of the heaviest-hitting two-handed weapons available in Skyrim, combining raw damage output with a stamina-draining enchantment that makes it incredibly effective in extended combat situations.

Unlike standard Daedric warhammers you can craft or find as random loot, Volendrung comes with a fixed enchantment and can only be obtained through a specific quest. It’s available on all platforms, PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, and remains consistent across the base game and Special Edition.

The Lore Behind Volendrung

Volendrung translates roughly to “Hammer of Might” in the Dwemer language, and its history runs deep. Originally forged by the Dwemer (Dwarves) of Tamriel, this warhammer was a clan artifact before it was transformed into a Daedric artifact by Malacath. According to Elder Scrolls lore, the Rourken clan threw Volendrung across Tamriel to determine where they would settle, it landed in what became Hammerfell.

In Skyrim, Volendrung serves as Malacath’s artifact, and obtaining it requires proving your worth by helping an Orc tribe complete a pilgrimage. The weapon represents Malacath’s sphere of influence: the spurned, the ostracized, and the bloody code of the Orcish people. It’s not just a trophy, it’s a cultural relic with weight behind every swing.

Base Stats and Enchantment

Volendrung’s stats make it one of the strongest two-handed weapons in the game:

• Base Damage: 25 (tied with standard Daedric warhammers)
• Weight: 26
• Value: 1843 gold
• Enchantment: Absorb 50 points of Stamina

The stamina absorption is what sets Volendrung apart. Every successful hit drains 50 stamina from your target and adds it to your pool. This means power attacks become virtually free in most fights, and you can maintain offensive pressure without worrying about stamina management. The enchantment doesn’t consume charges like typical weapon enchantments, it’s permanent and never needs recharging.

For comparison, a standard Daedric warhammer deals the same base damage but lacks any enchantment unless you add one yourself. Volendrung’s built-in utility makes it immediately competitive without requiring soul gems or the Arcane Blacksmith perk.

How to Find Volendrung

Acquiring Volendrung requires completing The Cursed Tribe, a Daedric quest tied to Malacath. The quest can be started relatively early in the game and doesn’t have strict level requirements, though you’ll face some tough enemies along the way.

Starting the Cursed Tribe Quest

There are two primary ways to trigger this quest:

1. Visit Largashbur (the Orc stronghold southwest of Riften, near Lake Honrich). When you approach, you’ll find the stronghold under attack by a giant. Help the Orcs fend off the attack, and Chief Yamarz will reluctantly ask for your assistance.

2. Random encounter with an Orc who mentions trouble at Largashbur. This can happen on roads throughout the Rift.

Once you’re at Largashbur, speak with Chief Yamarz. He’ll explain that Malacath has cursed the tribe, and giants have been attacking relentlessly. Yamarz needs to perform a ritual to lift the curse but requires a Troll Fat and a Daedra Heart.

Troll Fat is easy, you can loot it from trolls or buy it from alchemists. The Daedra Heart is trickier if you’re early-game. Your best bets are:

• Purchase from Enthir at the College of Winterhold
• Loot from the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon
• Find one in Jorrvaskr’s kitchen area (Companions headquarters)
• Kill Dremora enemies (rare outside specific quests)

Once you have both ingredients, return them to the tribe’s wise woman, Atub, who performs the ritual.

Navigating the Giant’s Grove

After the ritual, Malacath commands Yamarz to travel to Giant’s Grove and place Volendrung (currently in the hands of the giant chief Gularzob) at the shrine. Yamarz insists you accompany him.

The trek to Giant’s Grove is southwest of Largashbur, deeper into the mountains. Along the way, Yamarz will engage enemies but struggles in combat. You’ll encounter:

• Bears or wolves (minor threats)
• Possibly additional giants (depending on your route)

When you arrive at Giant’s Grove, Yamarz will reveal his true plan: he wants you to kill the giant chief while he takes credit. You have two choices here:

1. Refuse his cowardly plan – Yamarz attacks you, and you’ll need to kill him. Then defeat the giant chief yourself.
2. Agree to help – Kill the giant chief. Once it’s dead, Yamarz attempts to betray you, and Malacath strikes him down for his cowardice.

Either way, Yamarz dies, and Malacath speaks to you directly.

Retrieving Volendrung from the Statue

After the giant chief falls and Yamarz is dealt with, approach the Shrine of Malacath in the grove. Malacath acknowledges your strength and commands you to return to Largashbur to inform the tribe of Yamarz’s death.

But before you leave, interact with the statue itself. Volendrung appears at the base of the shrine as your reward. Pick it up, it’s yours.

Return to Largashbur and speak with Gularzob (who becomes the new chief) or Atub to complete the quest. You’ll receive a small amount of gold and the tribe’s gratitude, but the real prize is already in your inventory.

Is Volendrung Worth Using?

Volendrung occupies a unique spot in Skyrim’s weapon meta. It’s not the absolute highest DPS option for min-maxed builds, but its utility and ease of acquisition make it a top-tier choice for most playthroughs.

Advantages of Volendrung

Permanent stamina sustain. The 50-point stamina absorption per hit is the weapon’s standout feature. Power attacks consume stamina quickly, but with Volendrung, you’re constantly refilling your pool. This is especially valuable in fights against multiple enemies or tanky bosses where stamina management would normally force you to play defensively. Many players using modding resources create entire builds around stamina-focused combat, and Volendrung is the vanilla game’s best tool for that approach.

High base damage. With 25 base damage, Volendrung matches Daedric warhammers, the strongest craftable two-handed weapons in the game. Combined with perks from the Two-Handed skill tree, you’re looking at massive damage per swing.

No maintenance required. Unlike enchanted weapons you craft yourself, Volendrung’s enchantment never runs out. You’ll never need to hunt for soul gems or visit an enchanting table. It’s ready to go, always.

Early-game accessible. You can complete The Cursed Tribe as soon as you can handle a giant and gather two relatively common ingredients. There’s no level gate, smithing requirement, or dungeon crawling through Draugr Deathlords. For players who want a powerful weapon without grinding crafting skills, Volendrung delivers.

Solid resale value. At 1843 gold, it’s worth keeping, but if you decide to move on to another weapon, you can sell it for a decent chunk of change.

Drawbacks and Limitations

Can’t be improved without Daedric Smithing. To upgrade Volendrung at a grindstone, you need the Daedric Smithing perk (level 90 Smithing). This is a significant investment if you’re not already planning a crafting-focused character. Without upgrades, its damage output eventually falls behind fully-upgraded alternatives.

Heavy weight. At 26 pounds, Volendrung is one of the heaviest weapons in the game. If you’re not investing in stamina or using the Steed Stone, it can eat into your carry capacity quickly.

Stamina absorption has diminishing returns against some enemies. Creatures with infinite stamina pools (like Dwemer automatons or undead) don’t benefit you as much, since they don’t rely on stamina for attacks. The enchantment still works mechanically, but the tactical advantage is reduced.

Two-handed warhammers are inherently slow. Compared to swords or axes, warhammers have longer swing animations. This makes them less effective against fast-moving enemies or in situations where you need to interrupt enemy casters quickly.

Not optimal for stealth builds. Obvious, but worth noting, if you’re running a sneak archer or assassin, Volendrung isn’t going to fit your playstyle. It’s loud, heavy, and demands face-to-face combat.

Best Character Builds for Volendrung

Volendrung excels in builds that prioritize sustained melee combat and stamina-based offense. Here are two optimized setups that maximize its potential.

Two-Handed Warrior Build

This is the classic Volendrung build, straightforward, brutal, and effective.

Primary Skills:

• Two-Handed (focus on warhammer perks)
• Heavy Armor
• Smithing (if you want to upgrade Volendrung)
• Enchanting (to further boost damage and stamina)

Race Recommendation: Orc is the obvious thematic choice and mechanically strong. The Orc racial ability, Berserk, doubles physical damage and halves incoming damage for 60 seconds. Combined with Volendrung’s stamina sustain, you become an unstoppable wrecking ball.

Key Perks:

• Champion’s Stance (Two-Handed, 100): Power attacks with warhammers have a 25% chance to decapitate
• Skull Crusher (Two-Handed, 50/70/90): Warhammer attacks do 3x critical damage
• Devastating Blow (Two-Handed, 50): Standing power attacks do 25% bonus damage with a chance to decapitate
• Juggernaut (Heavy Armor, 20/40/60/80/100): Increases armor rating
• Conditioning (Heavy Armor, 70): Heavy armor weighs nothing and doesn’t slow you down

Standing Stone: The Lord Stone (50 extra armor, 25% magic resistance) or The Warrior Stone (20% faster combat skill leveling).

Gameplay Loop: Rush into combat, unleash power attacks freely thanks to stamina absorption, tank damage with heavy armor, and use Berserk or potions when facing tough enemies. Against crowds, use sweeping power attacks to hit multiple targets while draining stamina from each.

Battlemage Hybrid Build

Volendrung can work surprisingly well in a hybrid build that mixes melee and magic.

Primary Skills:

• Two-Handed
• Destruction (or Conjuration)
• Alteration (for armor spells)
• Enchanting

Race Recommendation: Breton (magic resistance and Dragonskin ability) or Dark Elf (balanced stats, fire resistance).

Strategy: Use destruction magic or summoned creatures to soften enemies at range, then close distance with Volendrung for finishing blows. The stamina absorption compensates for lower stamina investment (since you’re splitting attribute points between magicka, health, and stamina).

Key Perks:

• Core Two-Handed perks (focus on damage multipliers)
• Mage Armor perks (Alteration) for protection without heavy armor weight
• Impact (Destruction, 40): Dual-cast stagger on hit
• Enchanting perks to boost both weapon damage and spell cost reduction

Gear Focus: Light or unarmored with Mage Armor spells active. Enchant gear for stamina regeneration, magicka cost reduction, and two-handed damage boosts.

This build shines in versatility. Use ranged magic for dragons, archers, and mages, then switch to Volendrung for draugr, bandits, and anything that gets close. Players exploring options like Skyrim Special Edition often experiment with hybrid builds that benefit from Volendrung’s no-maintenance enchantment.

Enchantments, Perks, and Gear to Pair with Volendrung

Maximizing Volendrung’s effectiveness requires supporting it with the right perks, enchantments, and gear synergies.

Recommended Perks

Invest heavily in the Two-Handed skill tree, prioritizing perks that boost warhammer damage and power attack effectiveness:

• Barbarian (5 ranks): +20% damage per rank (100% total increase)
• Champion’s Stance: Unlock devastating power attack finishers
• Limbsplitter (3 ranks): Bleeding damage for attacks and power attacks
• Deep Wounds (3 ranks): Critical hits do more damage
• Skull Crusher (3 ranks): Warhammers do up to 3x critical damage
• Devastating Blow: 25% bonus damage on standing power attacks with decapitation chance
• Great Critical Charge: Double critical damage on sprinting power attacks
• Sweep: Sideways power attacks hit all targets in front of you
• Warmaster: Backward power attacks have 25% chance to paralyze

In the Smithing tree, work toward Daedric Smithing if you want to upgrade Volendrung. Each improvement adds significant damage, especially when combined with Fortify Smithing potions and enchanted gear.

Complementary Armor and Enchantments

Your gear should focus on three areas: damage output, stamina management, and survivability.

Armor Enchantments:

• Fortify Two-Handed: Increases all two-handed weapon damage. Stack this on gauntlets, ring, necklace, and potentially boots.
• Fortify Stamina/Stamina Regeneration: More stamina means more power attacks between Volendrung hits. Useful for opening combos or if you miss swings.
• Fortify Heavy Armor: If running a heavy armor build, boost your armor rating to hit the damage reduction cap (567 displayed armor rating).
• Resist Magic: Since you’re a melee character, magic is your biggest threat. Stack resist magic to survive mage encounters.

Best-in-Slot Gear Pieces:

• Helmet: Daedric Helmet (enchanted with Fortify Two-Handed) or Krosis dragon priest mask (Fortify Archery, Lockpicking, Alchemy, less optimal but still strong)
• Armor: Daedric Armor (enchanted with Fortify Health or Resist Magic)
• Gauntlets: Daedric Gauntlets (enchanted with Fortify Two-Handed)
• Boots: Daedric Boots (enchanted with Fortify Two-Handed or Stamina)
• Ring: Enchant with Fortify Two-Handed
• Necklace: Enchant with Fortify Two-Handed

If you’re using the Aetherial Crown (from the Lost to the Ages quest), you can stack two Standing Stone effects, combine The Lord Stone with The Warrior Stone or The Lover Stone for even better efficiency.

Unique Armor Alternatives:

• Ebony Mail (Boethiah’s Calling quest): Muffle effect and poison cloak damage aura. Good for aggressive play.
• Ebony Blade synergy? No, Ebony Blade is a two-handed sword, so it’s not compatible with Volendrung builds.

For players interested in expanding their gear options, guides like how to add mods offer ways to introduce new enchantments and armor sets that complement heavy melee builds.

Combat Strategies and Tips

Volendrung’s stamina absorption fundamentally changes how you approach fights. Here’s how to exploit it.

Maximizing Stamina Absorption

Open with power attacks. Unlike typical two-handed builds where you conserve stamina for critical moments, Volendrung rewards aggression. Lead with a power attack, absorb stamina, then chain another. As long as you’re landing hits, you maintain near-infinite offensive pressure.

Use Sweep against groups. The Sweep perk (sideways power attacks hit all targets in front) turns Volendrung into a crowd-control monster. Each enemy hit restores stamina, so fighting multiple weaker enemies actually makes you more dangerous, not less.

Sprint power attacks for burst damage. The Great Critical Charge perk doubles critical damage on sprinting power attacks. Since Volendrung refunds stamina on hit, you can sprint, attack, absorb stamina, reposition, and repeat. This is especially effective in open areas against slower enemies like giants or mammoths.

Backwards power attacks for control. The Warmaster perk gives backward power attacks a 25% chance to paralyze. Use this defensively when surrounded or to lock down priority targets while you deal with adds.

Combine with Elemental Fury shout? No. Elemental Fury (increases attack speed by 30%/50%/100%) only works on unenchanted weapons. Volendrung’s permanent enchantment disqualifies it. Use Marked for Death instead to shred enemy armor, or Slow Time for survivability.

Ideal Enemy Types and Situations

Best Against:

• Humanoid enemies (bandits, Forsworn, soldiers): They rely on stamina for power attacks and blocking. Draining them makes them passive punching bags.
• Giants and trolls: High health pools mean extended fights where stamina sustain matters. Volendrung lets you maintain aggression without downtime.
• Dragons (grounded): Once a dragon lands, Volendrung’s raw damage and stamina sustain let you stunlock it with continuous power attacks.
• Dwemer automatons: While they don’t use stamina mechanically, their high armor and health make Volendrung’s consistent damage output valuable. Pair with Marked for Death shout.

Less Effective Against:

• Fast enemies (Frostbite Spiders, Wisps): Warhammer swing speed makes it hard to land hits on quick targets. Use sprinting attacks to close distance.
• Ranged enemies: Archers and mages force you to close distance, and warhammers don’t have reach tools. Carry a crossbow or bow for pulling enemies, or use cover to approach.
• Ethereal enemies: Ghosts and certain spectral foes take reduced physical damage. Enchanted weapons (which Volendrung is) still hit them, but magic or silver weapons are more efficient.

For additional combat tactics and build optimization, resources like Game8’s guide collection provide detailed breakdowns of enemy resistances and optimal damage rotations.

Volendrung vs. Other Legendary Warhammers

How does Volendrung stack up against Skyrim’s other unique two-handed weapons? Let’s compare.

Volendrung vs. Wuuthrad

Wuuthrad is the legendary battleaxe (not warhammer) you obtain by completing the Companions questline. It’s worth comparing because both are iconic two-handed weapons with unique enchantments.

Wuuthrad Stats:

• Base Damage: 25 (same as Volendrung)
• Enchantment: +1.2x damage multiplier against elves (all types: High Elf, Dark Elf, Wood Elf, Falmer)

Comparison:

Wuuthrad’s enchantment is situational. Against elves, it’s devastating, essentially a 20% damage boost. But against bandits, draugr, dragons, or any non-elf enemy, it’s just a standard Daedric-tier weapon.

Volendrung’s stamina absorption works against everything. The utility of infinite power attacks outweighs Wuuthrad’s niche bonus in most situations. But, if you’re specifically farming Falmer dungeons (Blackreach, Dwemer ruins), Wuuthrad edges ahead.

Weapon speed matters here: Wuuthrad is a battleaxe, which swings slightly faster than warhammers. If DPS is your only concern, Wuuthrad may parse higher in sustained damage tests, but Volendrung’s stamina sustain gives you more offensive options.

Verdict: Volendrung is more versatile. Wuuthrad is better if you know you’re fighting elves.

Volendrung vs. The Longhammer

The Longhammer is a unique Orcish warhammer found in Liar’s Retreat (a cave west of Solitude, near the Reach border). It’s often considered one of the best two-handed weapons in the game due to a hidden mechanic.

Longhammer Stats:

• Base Damage: 21 (4 points lower than Volendrung)
• Weight: 18
• Enchantment: None
• Hidden Property: Swings 30% faster than normal warhammers (coded as a greatsword in terms of attack speed)

Comparison:

The Longhammer’s speed advantage is significant. Its DPS actually exceeds Volendrung even though lower base damage, because you’re landing more hits per second. If you enchant it with Absorb Stamina or another offensive enchantment (and you should, since it has no built-in enchantment), it can outperform Volendrung in raw damage output.

But, The Longhammer requires Smithing investment to shine. To upgrade it, you need the Orcish Smithing perk (much easier to reach than Daedric Smithing). You also need to enchant it yourself, which requires leveling Enchanting and farming soul gems.

Verdict: The Longhammer has higher theoretical DPS if fully upgraded and enchanted. Volendrung requires less investment and works immediately. For players not focused on crafting, Volendrung is the better choice. For min-maxers, The Longhammer wins.

Other Notable Mentions:

• Tsun’s Axe: Technically unobtainable without console commands, so not a fair comparison.
• Daedric Warhammer (crafted): Same base damage as Volendrung, but you choose the enchantment. With maxed Smithing and Enchanting, a player-crafted warhammer can exceed Volendrung’s effectiveness. But that requires significant perk and resource investment.

For players looking to enhance their experience with additional unique weapons, exploring options on PS4 Skyrim mods can introduce even more legendary gear to compare against Volendrung.

Conclusion

Volendrung earns its place as one of Skyrim’s most satisfying weapons. The combination of top-tier base damage and permanent stamina absorption creates a playstyle that rewards aggression and sustains momentum in ways few other weapons can match. It’s accessible early, requires zero maintenance, and fits naturally into both pure warrior builds and hybrid approaches.

While it won’t break the game the way a fully min-maxed crafted weapon might, Volendrung delivers consistent, reliable performance throughout an entire playthrough. The Cursed Tribe quest is short, the reward is immediate, and the weapon itself carries thematic weight that makes it more than just a stat stick. For players who want a legendary warhammer without grinding crafting skills or hunting down obscure loot, Volendrung is the answer.

Whether you’re crushing giants in the name of Malacath or carving through bandit camps with infinite power attacks, this Daedric artifact proves that sometimes the best weapons are the ones that let you keep swinging. According to detailed breakdowns on Twinfinite, Volendrung consistently ranks among the top quest rewards for melee-focused characters across all Skyrim platforms.