As all good RPGs should, Skyrim has a ton of weapons and armor sets for the player to find throughout their journey, and with 11-years' worth of discussion, fans have come to a general consensus on what weapons and armors are considered the best in Skyrim. Still, some fans do have personal favorites, regardless of how powerful those items actually are.
The Orcish armor and weapon sets are not often considered to be one of the best types in the game, but they do hold a special place in many fans' hearts since they are some of the first unique types of weapons that a player will likely come across. In terms of weaponry, Orcish weapons are easily beaten out by their Dwarven counterparts, but when it comes to armor, an enchanted Orcish set can easily take a player through the majority of the game.
S-Tier
- Orcish Armor Set: The Orcish Armor is one of Skyrim's best heavy sets for a player in their mid-game, beginning to spawn in the overworld after the player hits level 20. With a base armor stat of 90 when all pieced together, the Orcish Armor is actually better than the Dwarven set, which is the opposite with the two races' weapons.
- Orcish Shield: Offering a base protection of 30 points, the Orcish Shield can tank quite a bit of damage, even from some of Skyrim's more lethal foes. With enchantments, this shield can easily carry the player to game's more difficult areas.
- Orcish Longhammer: A unique Orcish Warhammer found on Rahd's corpse in the Liar's Retreat, the Orcish Longhammer has a hefty base damage of 21. The Longhammer's most powerful trait, however, is that it can swing 30% faster than a standard Warhammer, with the Elemental Fury Shout being able to increase this speed even further.
A-Tier
- Orcish Warhammer: While it doesn't offer the same inherent benefits as the Longhammer, the standard Orcish Warhammer is still an absolutely solid Skyrim weapon, being one of the best options for a player starting out on their two-handed adventure. A base damage of 21 should keep most of Skyrim's enemies at bay.
- Orcish Battleaxe: With a slightly lower base damage stat of 19, the Orcish Battleaxe might not be quite as good as the Warhammer, but it does offer players a two-handed weapon with a very slightly faster swing.
- Orcish Bow: It doesn't often make any top 10 lists, but the Orcish Bow is a pretty great starter bow, appearing in the world once the player hits level 6. A base damage stat of 10 along with some easy to obtain enchantments makes this a worthwhile weapon.
B-Tier
- Orcish Greatsword: What many consider to be the worst two-handed Orcish weapon, the Orcish Greatsword really isn't all that bad. With a base damage output of 18, the Greatsword functions pretty similarly to the Battleaxe and Warhammer, but just isn't as powerful.
- Orcish War Axe: Often considered to be the best of the one-handed Orcish weapons, the Orcish War Axe is fast and hard-hitting, dishing out 10 points of damage at a base level. The speed of the War Axe is what puts it slightly above its other one-handed Orcish siblings.
C-Tier
- Orcish Mace: Coming in at the bottom of the Orcish tier list, the Orcish Mace technically does one more point of damage than the War Axe, but its slower speed puts it low on the list.
- Orcish Sword: A dime a dozen in Skyrim's early-game, the Orcish Sword is a step-up from the Iron sets that come before it, but arrives at the end of the Orcish tier list due to its lack of damage, coming in at just 9 points.
- Orcish Dagger: It may be fast, but the Orcish Dagger can't hold a candle to Skyrim's other Dagger options, offering a measly 6 points of damage at the weapon's base level. Though, again, in Skyrim's early-game, this weapon does have its uses.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Series X|S.