The Ancient Nord War Axe is what happens when a good axe spends a few thousand years in a barrow. The steel blade has darkened with age and the wooden handle has faded to a pale green, giving it a properly haunted look. It deals 9 base damage and weighs 14.
This axe is the everyday weapon of the draugr, so most adventurers collect a small pile of them in their first few tombs. It cannot be forged, but it can be reworked into a Nord Hero War Axe at the Skyforge, and a honed draugr variant also exists. It goes well with Ancient Nord Armor for a full tomb-raider look.
Stats
| Type | War Axe |
|---|---|
| Skill | One-handed |
| Material | Ancient Nord |
| Damage | 9 |
| Weight | 14 |
| Value | 15 gold |
| Speed | 0.9 |
| Reach | 1 |
| Stagger | 0.85 |
| Critical damage | 6 |
| Add-on | Base game |
| Item ID | 0002C672 |
Where to find
Most draugr and skeletons carry one, so look in ancient Nordic tombs and burial grounds. Kill, loot, repeat – they are rarely in short supply.
Crafting and upgrading
This weapon cannot be crafted at a forge – you have to find, loot or buy it.
Improving at a grindstone: 1 × 
Steel Ingot. The Arcane Blacksmith perk doubles the improvement.
Compared with other war axes
Base stats of all regular (unenchanted) war axes in Skyrim, weakest first:
| Weapon | Damage | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron War Axe | 8 | 11 | 30 |
| Ancient Nord War Axe | 9 | 14 | 15 |
| Steel War Axe | 9 | 12 | 55 |
| Orcish War Axe | 10 | 13 | 90 |
| Dawnguard War Axe | 11 | 13 | 55 |
| Dwarven War Axe | 11 | 14 | 165 |
| Falmer War Axe | 11 | 21 | 82 |
| Forsworn Axe | 11 | 15 | 90 |
| Elven War Axe | 12 | 15 | 280 |
| Honed Draugr War Axe | 12 | 16 | 27 |
| Nord Hero War Axe | 12 | 11 | 165 |
| Nordic War Axe | 12 | 14 | 350 |
| Skyforge Steel War Axe | 12 | 12 | 80 |
| Glass War Axe | 13 | 16 | 490 |
| Honed Falmer War Axe | 13 | 21 | 245 |
| Daedric War Axe | 15 | 18 | 1500 |
| Ebony War Axe | 15 | 17 | 865 |
| Stalhrim War Axe | 15 | 16 | 1180 |
| Dragonbone War Axe | 16 | 21 | 1700 |
Tips and notes
- Temper with a Steel Ingot; Steel Smithing doubles the improvement.
- After Glory of the Dead you can turn one into a Nord Hero War Axe at the Skyforge.
- Related: the Honed Draugr War Axe, the unique Okin and the quest item Ceremonial Axe.
Stats from the Skyrim LE 1.9 master files (Skyrim.esm, record DraugrWarAxe). Values are base values before perks, smithing improvements and enchantments.