The Honed Ancient Nord Sword looks exactly like the regular Ancient Nord Sword, but someone in the crypt clearly spent a few centuries sharpening it. It hits for 11 base damage, weighs 15 and is worth more than its rusty cousin.
You’ll meet it in the hands of tougher draugr, which makes it a common mid-level pickup for anyone clearing tombs. It suits the Ancient Nord Armor style, though its value of 23 gold won’t make you rich.
Stats
| Type | Sword |
|---|---|
| Skill | One-handed |
| Material | Ancient Nord |
| Damage | 11 |
| Weight | 15 |
| Value | 23 gold |
| Speed | 1 |
| Reach | 1 |
| Stagger | 0.75 |
| Critical damage | 5 |
| Add-on | Base game |
| Item ID | 0005BF14 |
Where to find
Wielded by most higher-level draugr and skeletons, generally found inside ancient Nordic tombs and burial grounds. It cannot be crafted, so looting it is the only option.
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 swords
Base stats of all regular (unenchanted) swords in Skyrim, weakest first:
| Weapon | Damage | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Sword | 7 | 9 | 25 |
| Ancient Nord Sword | 8 | 12 | 13 |
| Imperial Sword | 8 | 10 | 23 |
| Silver Sword | 8 | 7 | 100 |
| Steel Sword | 8 | 10 | 23 |
| Orcish Sword | 9 | 11 | 75 |
| Dwarven Sword | 10 | 12 | 135 |
| Falmer Sword | 10 | 18 | 67 |
| Forsworn Sword | 10 | 13 | 70 |
| Blades Sword | 11 | 10 | 300 |
| Elven Sword | 11 | 13 | 235 |
| Honed Ancient Nord Sword | 11 | 15 | 23 |
| Nord Hero Sword | 11 | 9 | 135 |
| Nordic Sword | 11 | 12 | 290 |
| Scimitar | 11 | 10 | 5 |
| Skyforge Steel Sword | 11 | 10 | 70 |
| Glass Sword | 12 | 14 | 410 |
| Honed Falmer Sword | 12 | 18 | 205 |
| Ebony Sword | 13 | 15 | 720 |
| Stalhrim Sword | 13 | 14 | 985 |
| Daedric Sword | 14 | 16 | 1250 |
| Dragonbone Sword | 15 | 19 | 1500 |
Tips and notes
- Improve it with a steel ingot at a grindstone. Like other honed draugr weapons, the source says it benefits from the Dwarven Smithing perk.
- It cannot be used to forge a Nord Hero Sword; the Skyforge only accepts the regular Ancient Nord Sword.
Stats from the Skyrim LE 1.9 master files (Skyrim.esm, record DraugrSwordHoned). Values are base values before perks, smithing improvements and enchantments.