One-Handed (Skyrim)

"The art of combat using one-handed weapons such as daggers, swords, maces, and war axes. Those trained in this skill deliver deadlier blows."

One-Handed is a skill in Skyrim.

One-Handed directly affects the damage you deal with one-handed weapons. The perks obtained in this skill tree only affect one-handed weapons (including Ebony Blade & Headsman's Axe).

One-Handed also gives you the opportunity to increase your damage output when wielding two one-handed weapons. While this potentially doubles damage output, it also removes the ability to block any attacks.

Despite not adding towards the One-Handed skill, unarmed attacks do benefit from some One-Handed perks, including the Dual Wielding perks.

One-Handed Weapons
The following are the weapons that benefit from this skill:
 * Dagger - Iron, Steel, Dwarvish, Orcish, Elven, Glass, Ebony, Daedric.
 * Sword - Iron, Ancient Nordic, Steel, Imperial, Blades, Silver, Dwarven, Orcish, Falmer, Elven, Glass, Ebony, Daedric, Bound Sword.
 * War Axe - Iron, Ancient Nordic, Steel, Dwarven, Orcish, Falmer, Elven, Glass, Ebony, Daedric.
 * Mace - Iron, Steel, Dwarven, Orcish, Elven, Glass, Ebony, Daedric.

Perks
The following are the perks that become available to select as the skill is leveled up.

Damage
The one-handed skill directly increases the damage dealt with one-handed weapons. For each skill level, the damage increases by 0.5%. This increase is multiplicative with damage increase from the armsman perk and weapon improvements.

One-handed enchantments
One-handed weapons get increased attack power from armor pieces (boots and bracers) or rings enchanted with Fortify One-Handed enchantment. However, daggers are uniquely not affected by these enchantments. Whether this is an oversight, a glitch or an intended decision is not clear.

Training

 * Amren (Adept): Whiterun
 * Athis of The Companions (Expert): Jorrvaskr
 * Chief Burguk (Master): Dushnikh Yal in The Reach

Books and Quests
The following books also increase your skill: The following Miscellaneous Quests increase the One-handed Skill:
 * 2920, Morning Star, v1
 * Fire and Darkness
 * Mace Etiquette
 * Night Falls on Sentinel
 * The Importance of Where
 * Retreive Amren's family sword for Amren in Whiterun (note:completing this also increases Block skill)
 * Retreive Hjalti's sword for The Ghost of Old Hroldan at Old Hroldan Inn (note: also increases block skill)
 * Retrieve Rjorn's Drum for Giraud Gemane in The Bard College in Solitude ( note: also increases Block, Two-handed, Smithing, Heavy Armor and Archery)

Notes and Tips

 * Gaining progress towards the next skill up is determined by the base weapon damage and not the number of hits or the damage done. Thus, the best weapon to use for leveling is a base Daedric Dagger, due to its damage and speed. Drinking Fortify One-handed by %75 potions, or using Fortify One-handed enchantments, or smithing your weapons to legendary and multiplying their damage by 5x, or sneak attacking by 15x does not benefit the leveling. Also as these methods damage your target faster, using these are not advised while leveling One-handed. These findings are b ased on extensive controlled environment testing and are accurate.
 * Leveling from 94 to 95 is done in 170 hits with Daedric Dagger and takes approximately 3 minutes if you are hitting Frost or Shadowmere, and much more if you are hitting an enemy. Thus it is advised to put this hard to level skill on your training priority list.
 * When you come across the bear while escaping Helgen at the beginning of the game your companion (Hadvar or Ralof) will not progress forward so an easy way to rank your one handed skill is to attack him. He will never die in this way. Doing this while crouched behind him will also rank your sneak skill as well. You can also do this in the first room in Helgen Keep if you went with Ralof. Right as the heavily armored Imperial dies, loot the key and Ralof is stuck until you decide to open the gate.
 * Hitting immortal characters when they kneel due to near death condition, doesn't count against leveling. It's better to let them to recover, or even heal them if you are planning to level by this method.
 * Shadowmere, the horse you receive during the Dark Brotherhood quests is also a good way to level up your one handed skill due to the horse's large health pool, though the horse may die if abused without healing.
 * Becoming Harbinger of The Companions will allow training to expert level with Athis, the player can also have him as a follower which allows all the gold spent training to be returned (take it from his inventory).'
 * Arguably, the most important perk is Armsman, for it increases your damage by 20%.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Skills
See: Skill (Skyrim)