Mace of Molag Bal
| Mace of Molag Bal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Base Damage | 16 |
| Speed | 0.8 |
| Weight | 18 |
| Value | 1257 |
| Level | 1+ |
| Category | Mace |
| Class | Daedric Artifact |
| Variants | Rusty Mace |
| Skill | One-Handed |
| Unique | Yes |
| Item ID | 000233E3 |
| Game/DLC | Skyrim |
The Mace of Molag Bal, also called the Vampire's Mace, is the Daedric artifact of Molag Bal, the Lord of Domination. It is an early game prize, won in the Abandoned House in Markarth at the end of the Daedric quest The House of Horrors.
The mace is one of the most feared weapons in Skyrim. Curved spikes cover its head, built to stick and tear rather than simply crush. It also makes its own sound when drawn, a little like a fire enchanted weapon with a harder metal ring. Its power is fixed from the moment it is won, so it carries an early character for many levels.
Weapon Enchantment
Each hit deals 25 points of damage to the target's Stamina and Magicka. It also casts Soul Trap for 3 seconds, so a target that dies quickly fills a soul gem.
The Enchantment Effects page lists every weapon enchantment.
| Enchantment |
|---|
| Deals 25 damage to Stamina and Magicka. If target dies within 3 seconds, fills a soul gem |
How to Get Mace of Molag Bal Guide
Mace of Molag Bal Map Location and Quest Guide
Mace of Molag Bal map location:
The Mace of Molag Bal is the reward for The House of Horrors, which begins at the Abandoned House in Markarth.
- Enter the Abandoned House in Markarth.
- Kill Vigilant Tyranus when Molag Bal demands it.
- Speak to Molag Bal at the altar.
- Free Logrolf the Willful.
- Make Logrolf submit to Molag Bal, then kill him.
- Receive the Mace of Molag Bal at the altar.
Map credit by Map Genie.
The mace first sits on the altar as the Rusty Mace.
How It Plays
The mace wears enemies down with every swing. Each hit drains stamina and magicka as well as health. A warrior with no stamina cannot power attack, and a mage with no magicka cannot cast. Guides rank it as the strongest mace in the game for this reason.
Mages suffer most. A few quick hits empty a spellcaster's magicka, and the fight turns into plain melee. The old book Tamrielic Lore says the same thing in its own words: the mace drains its victims of magicka.
The soul trap on each hit makes the mace a quiet partner for Enchanting. Any enemy that dies within a few seconds of a hit fills an empty soul gem. A mace user collects souls while fighting, with no need to cast Soul Trap first. That keeps a steady supply of filled gems for recharging and for enchanting new gear.
Because the mace does not scale with level, its strength is front loaded. Taken early, it outclasses most weapons for a long stretch of the game. Later, a crafted and tempered Daedric Mace catches up, but the drain and the soul trap keep the artifact useful.
Perks and Builds
The One-Handed Skill carries the mace. Armsman raises its damage at every rank. A shield in the off hand suits its slow, heavy swing.
The Destruction Skill tree has a hidden link to the mace. A fault in the game marks its stamina drain as a fire effect. The Augmented Flames perk therefore raises the drain on stamina and magicka, even though the mace deals no fire damage at all. A spellsword who already takes Augmented Flames for fire spells gets a stronger mace for free.
The mace also fits a vampire build. Its other name is the Vampire's Mace, and its dark look suits a Vampire Lord from the Dawnguard DLC.
An enchanter build gets the most from the soul trap. Fighting with the mace fills soul gems in the field, so time at the Arcane Enchanter goes further.
Compared with Other Maces
The Mace of Molag Bal matches the damage of a Daedric Mace while weighing a little less. Few other unique maces compete with it. Horksbane only shines against horkers, and the Lunar maces only burn at night.
Its weak point is tempering. A crafted Daedric Mace gains from the Daedric Smithing perk, while the artifact gains from no Smithing perk. A high Smithing build can push a crafted mace further. Even then, the artifact's drain and soul trap give it a role the plain mace cannot fill.
Quest Background
The House of Horrors starts outside an abandoned house in Markarth. Vigilant Tyranus, a Vigilant of Stendarr, believes the house was once a place of Daedric worship. He asks for help and unlocks the door.
A voice soon fills the house and orders Tyranus crushed. "Weak. He's weak." Furniture floats in the air, the doors lock, and Tyranus panics. In the end he attacks, and only one of the two leaves the room alive. In the cellar, a tunnel leads to an altar with a rusted mace lying on it.
Spikes rise from the floor and trap the Dragonborn as soon as the mace is touched. The altar speaks with the voice of Molag Bal. He explains that his rival Boethiah had her priest desecrate the altar and leave the mace to rot. He wants that priest, Logrolf the Willful, to bend his knee and give up his soul.
Logrolf has been taken prisoner by the Forsworn somewhere in the Reach. He can be freed by persuasion, a bribe or intimidation. He then hurries back to Markarth to perform his rite at the altar again. Molag Bal traps him at once and hands the Dragonborn the rusty mace to break his spirit.
Logrolf dies and is brought back until he finally gives in. He pledges his soul and forsakes Boethiah. Molag Bal then orders his death and restores the mace to its true power. His parting words are a grim joke: "Take care of the house while I'm gone."
Lore
The mace has passed through many hands. Molag Bal grants it freely to mortals he finds useful. One champion earned it by killing the Daedroth Menta Na. Another earned it by driving the honourable Melus Petilius to murder.
One legend tells how the mace was made. Molag Bal tricked an Orcish blacksmith and trapped him in Coldharbour, his realm of Oblivion. There the smith became a Soul Shriven and was forced to forge the mace for his master.
On handing over the mace, Molag Bal says that when enemies lie "broken and bloody", he "will be watching". A champion who calls the mace a poor reward gets a sharper answer. Molag Bal suggests he may send another champion to take it back from a broken corpse.
Bugs
The mace is tempered with an Ebony Ingot, but the game does not count it as an ebony or Daedric weapon. No Smithing perk doubles its improvement. Without Fortify Smithing gear or potions, it stops at Flawless quality.
The same fault that ties the mace to Augmented Flames also confuses the townsfolk. They treat it as a fire enchanted weapon and comment on fire.
Gameplay Tips
- Temper it at a grindstone with an Ebony Ingot.
- Its 16 base damage matches the Daedric Mace.
Smithing Guide
Enchanted weapons require the Arcane Blacksmith Perk to upgrade.
Upgrades
Mace of Molag Bal is improved at a grindstone with one Ebony Ingot per improvement. An enchanted copy can only be improved with the Arcane Blacksmith perk.
| Quality | Smithing | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 14 | +1 |
| Superior | 31 | +3 |
| Exquisite | 65 | +5 |
| Flawless | 100 | +7 |
| Epic | 134 | +8 to +9 |
| Legendary | 168 | +10 |
| Crafting Materials | Upgrade Materials | Smithing Level | Smithing Perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannot be crafted | Ebony Ingot | - | None |
Weapon Levels
Some weapons in Skyrim are Levelled. The power of a levelled weapon is based on your charcters level when you get them. Some get stronger in both physical and magical aspects, while others only improve their enchantments. These items don't get better as your character levels up.
Mace of Molag Bal has the same damage at every character level.
| Level | Damage | Weight | Value | Enchantment | Level ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1+ | 16 | 18 | 1257 | Deals 25 damage to Stamina and Magicka. If target dies within 3 seconds, fills a soul gem | 000233E3 |
Notes
- NPCs may recoil at it with lines such as "That mace... get it away from me."
- Townsfolk sometimes warn about fire near it, as if it carried a fire enchantment.
One-Handed Weapon Categories
All Unique Maces
| Name | Image | Damage | Speed | Weight | Value | Enchantment | Item ID | Level | Upgrade Material | Crafting Perk | Skill | DLC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horksbane | 
|
10 | 0.8 | 14 | 250 | Especially effective against horkers | XX026490 | 1+ | Steel Ingot | Steel Smithing | One-Handed | Dragonborn |
| Mace of Molag Bal | 
|
16 | 0.8 | 18 | 1257 | Deals 25 damage to Stamina and Magicka. If target dies within 3 seconds, fills a soul gem | 000233E3 | 1+ | Ebony Ingot | None | One-Handed | Skyrim |
| Prelate's Mace | 
|
13 | 0.8 | 7 | 330 | Cannot be enchanted | 00013990 | 1+ | Refined Moonstone | Elven Smithing | One-Handed | Dawnguard |
| Rusty Mace | 
|
7 | 0.8 | 13 | 5 | Cannot be enchanted | 0022F0F | 1+ | Cannot be Upgraded | None | One-Handed | Skyrim |
| Ancient Nord Mace | 
|
10 | 0.9 | 16 | 17 | Enchantable | XX000E46 | 1+ | Steel Ingot | Steel Smithing | One-Handed | Creation Club |
| Honed Ancient Nord Mace | 
|
13 | 0.9 | 18 | 31 | Enchantable | XX08A1EE | 1+ | Steel Ingot | Steel Smithing | One-Handed | Creation Club |
| Light of Day | 
|
16 | 0.9 | 20 | 1614 | 30 points of sun damage, undead targets take triple damage | XX13101E | 1+ | Iron Ingot | None | One-Handed | Creation Club |
| Sunder | 
|
15 | 0.9 | 18 | 1720 | Does 5 points of frost, fire, and shock damage each. Does 15 points of damage to stamina and magicka | FEXXX801 | 1+ | Dwarven Metal Ingot | Dwarven Smithing | One-Handed | Creation Club |
| Scourge | 
|
18 | 0.8 | 22 | 6569 | Summoned Daedra up to level 36 are sent back to Oblivion | XX000B5E | 1+ | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | One-Handed | Creation Club |
| Mace of the Crusader | 
|
16 | 0.8 | 18 | 2501 | Burns the target for 15 points. Targets on fire take extra damage | FEXXX80d | 1+ | Steel Ingot | Steel Smithing | One-Handed | Creation Club |