Volendrung

Base Damage	25
Speed	0.6
Weight	26
Value	1843
Level	1+
Category	Warhammer
Class	Daedric Artifact
Variants	-
Skill	Two-Handed
Unique	Yes
Item ID	0002ACD2
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Volendrung, the Hammer of Might, is the Daedric artifact of Malacath. The Dwemer of Clan Rourken forged it long before their race vanished from Tamriel. Malacath grants it at Largashbur, an Orc stronghold in the south of The Rift, at the end of The Cursed Tribe, a quest that opens at level 9.

The hammer is one of the most popular two-handed weapons in the game. Its damage matches the best warhammers of its tier, and it swings as fast as a greatsword or a battleaxe. Each hit takes Stamina from the target and gives it to the wielder. The head is shaped like dragon scales, with a glowing orange jewel set in its centre.

Weapon Enchantment

Each hit absorbs 50 points of Stamina from the target.

The Enchantment Effects page lists every weapon enchantment.

Enchantment
Absorb 50 points of Stamina

How to Get Volendrung in Skyrim

Volendrung Map Location and Quest Guide

Volendrung map location:

Volendrung is Malacath's reward for The Cursed Tribe at Largashbur. The quest opens at level 9.

Help the Orcs of Largashbur fight off a giant.
Bring troll fat and a daedra heart to Atub.
Meet Chief Yamarz at Fallowstone Cave.
Protect Yamarz on the way to Giant's Grove.
Defeat the giant and take Shagrol's Warhammer.
Place Shagrol's Warhammer on the shrine in Largashbur.
Collect Volendrung as the reward.

Map credit by Map Genie.

Gameplay Tips and Tricks

Temper it at a grindstone with an Ebony Ingot.
Its fast swing gives it more damage per second than most other warhammers.

Smithing Guide

Enchanted weapons require the Arcane Blacksmith Perk to upgrade.

Upgrades

Volendrung 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.

Volendrung has the same damage at every character level.

Level	Damage	Weight	Value	Enchantment	Level ID
1+	25	26	1843	Absorb 50 points of Stamina	0002ACD2

How It Plays

Volendrung rewards a fighter who keeps swinging. Two-handed power attacks burn through Stamina very quickly. Every hit with Volendrung puts a large share of that Stamina back. Power attacks can therefore follow one another far more often than with an ordinary hammer.

The same enchantment wears the enemy down. A few hits empty the Stamina bar of most humanoid foes. A foe with no Stamina cannot shield bash and cannot land a power attack. Bandit chiefs and other tough melee leaders lose their most dangerous moves this way.

The hammer also pairs well with frost magic. Ice mages, necromancers and frost dragons drain Stamina with their frost spells. Volendrung takes it straight back from them, so a melee fighter can keep up the pressure.

Volendrung swings faster than every warhammer except The Longhammer. That speed makes the enchantment fire more often than it would on a slower weapon. The enchantment uses charge like any other, so carry filled soul gems on long trips.

Perks and Builds

Volendrung belongs in a heavy Two-Handed skill build. Barbarian raises the damage of every two-handed weapon. Skull Crusher lets warhammer blows ignore a large part of the target's armor. Armored bosses and high level camp leaders take far more damage once Skull Crusher is in place. Champion's Stance lowers the Stamina cost of two-handed power attacks. Together with the absorb effect, it keeps the Stamina bar close to full in a long fight.

Smithing does less for Volendrung than for crafted hammers. A high Smithing build can temper an Ebony Warhammer or Daedric Warhammer with the matching perk. Such a hammer passes Volendrung in raw damage late in the game. Volendrung is strongest in the early and middle game, before such a weapon is ready.

Compared with Other Warhammers

The Longhammer is the closest rival among unique warhammers. It is the fastest two-handed weapon outside the artifacts, and its speed gives it high damage over time. Its base damage is lower, though, and its only gift is speed. Volendrung hits harder per blow while still swinging faster than any ordinary hammer.

The Champion's Cudgel from the Dragonborn DLC is the other strong contender. Its chaos enchantment can add fire, frost and shock to the same blow, but it cannot be tempered at a grindstone. Guide rankings usually place Volendrung and the Cudgel at the top of the unique hammers. One ranking of the strongest Daedric weapons puts Volendrung in second place overall.

Compared with Wuuthrad

Wuuthrad is the other famous two-handed artifact, the battleaxe of Ysgramor. Both weapons swing at the same speed, and their base damage is equal. Wuuthrad hits harder against High Elves, Wood Elves, Dark Elves and Falmer. Its bonus is a built-in effect and never runs out of charge.

Volendrung helps against every enemy, while Wuuthrad's edge only shows against elves. Wuuthrad cannot be tempered at a grindstone, while Volendrung takes an Ebony Ingot.

Quest Background

The Orcs of Largashbur are under a curse from Malacath, their patron god. Giants attack the stronghold, and the tribe may not leave its walls. On the first visit, a giant is already attacking the gate. Help the Orcs quickly, since the giant can kill Ugor, who later becomes a follower. Atub, the wise woman of the tribe, asks for Troll Fat and a Daedra Heart. She needs them for a ritual to reach Malacath. Both offerings can be found in the living quarters of Jorrvaskr in Whiterun.

During the ritual, Malacath scorns Chief Yamarz for his weakness. Giants have taken over the god's shrine at Giant's Grove. Malacath orders Yamarz to kill their leader and bring back his club as an offering. Yamarz asks for help and promises gold in return.

Yamarz leads the way through Fallowstone Cave, where bears, trolls and giants live. At Giant's Grove, he offers more gold if the Dragonborn kills the giant and lets him take the credit. Taking the deal makes Yamarz turn on the Dragonborn after the giant dies. He wears full Orcish armor and blocks well, but his blows are weak. Refusing it sends Yamarz against the giant alone, and he dies almost at once. Either way, the giant must fall.

Back at Largashbur, Malacath names Gularzob the new chief. He calls the Dragonborn his champion and orders Shagrol's Warhammer placed on his shrine. The giant's club then changes into Volendrung. The Dragonborn also becomes Blood-Kin to the Orcs, and three tribe members can join as followers if they survived.

Lore

A Dwemer legend tells how the hammer got its name. The chief of Clan Rourken led his people out of Morrowind. He threw his hammer westward and swore to settle wherever it landed. The land where it fell became Volenfell, the name later turned into Hammerfell.

Malacath is the Daedric Prince of outcasts and of those shunned by society. The Orcs worship him as their patron, and the Nords call him Mauloch. In the old myths, he was once the elven god Trinimac. Boethiah defeated Trinimac, and he emerged as Malacath, while his followers became the Orcs. His realm in Oblivion is the Ashpit, a barren and smoky waste.

Volendrung is said to vanish suddenly and turn up again in unexpected places. Hold guards notice the huge weapon too. One of their lines is short and plain: "That is one big hammer."

Volendrung is the one Daedric artifact that never has to be carried for the Oblivion Walker achievement. The quest counts toward the total while the hammer is still taking shape on the altar.

Bugs

Volendrung takes an Ebony Ingot at the grindstone, but no Smithing perk improves it. The Ebony Smithing perk does not double its improvement. Without a Fortify Smithing potion or enchanted gear, it stops at Flawless quality.

The hammer may fail to appear after Shagrol's Warhammer is placed on the shrine. Loading an earlier save and placing the club again fixes it. Save before the last talk with Malacath.

Notes

Guards may ask whether the hammer is meant to knock down a house.

Two-Handed Weapon Categories

All Unique Warhammers

Name	Damage	Speed	Weight	Value	Enchantment	Item ID	Level	Upgrade Material	Crafting Perk	Skill	DLC
Aegisbane	18	0.6	24	180	Target takes 5 points of Frost damage to Health and Stamina	000D2AFE	1+	Iron Ingot	None	Two-Handed	Skyrim
Champion's Cudgel	24	0.6	27	1767	50% chance for each element of fire, frost and shock to do 25 points of damage	XX01A578	1+	Cannot be Upgraded	None	Two-Handed	Dragonborn
Shagrol's Warhammer	21	0.6	26	200	Cannot be enchanted	000223FB	1+	Orichalcum Ingot	Orcish Smithing	Two-Handed	Skyrim
The Longhammer	21	0.6	18	90	Can be swung 30% Faster than a regular warhammer	000AE085	1+	Orichalcum Ingot	Orcish Smithing	Two-Handed	Skyrim
Trollsbane	20	0.6	25	121	Burns Trolls for 15 points	0006AF63	1+	Steel Ingot	Steel Smithing	Two-Handed	Skyrim
Volendrung	25	0.6	26	1843	Absorb 50 points of Stamina	0002ACD2	1+	Ebony Ingot	None	Two-Handed	Skyrim
Ancient Nord Warhammer	20	0.6	26	42	Enchantable	XX000E47	1+	Steel Ingot	Steel Smithing	Two-Handed	Creation Club
Honed Ancient Nord Warhammer	23	0.6	29	76	Enchantable	XX08A1EF	1+	Steel Ingot	Steel Smithing	Two-Handed	Creation Club
Nord Hero Warhammer	23	0.6	24	350	Enchantable	XX08A1E6	1+	Steel Ingot	Steel Smithing	Two-Handed	Creation Club
Stendarr's Hammer	28	0.6	100	4575	Damages the target for 22 points. Depletes 20 Stamina from wielder per hit	FEXXXD62	1+	Ebony Ingot, Flawless Sapphire	Ebony Smithing	Two-Handed	Creation Club
Akatosh's Talon	27	0.6	31	4832	Burns the target for 50 points. Targets on fire take extra damage	FEXXXD62	1+	Steel Ingot	Steel Smithing	Two-Handed	Creation Club