7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked

Discover everything you need to know about the 7 best Great Axes in Avowed and what makes them the best and worst ones.

7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked
7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked (Source: Xbox Game Studios)

Avowed is a first-person RPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. Set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, the game occurs in the Living Lands, where you uncover a secret mystery. Great Axes are two-handed melee weapons dealing devastating massive damage in close-range fights. These weapons come with balanced damage, stun, and speed. Selecting the best Great Axe is necessary as your damage revolves around it when equipped on a battlefield. Unique Great Axes are the best choice for the late-game content as you’ll encounter high-level enemies. This weapon type allows you to stagger enemies and deal heavy damage in tough battles. In this guide, we’ll discuss the best Great Axes in Avowed along with their attributes and how to get them while exploring the world.

Top 7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked

Great Axes in Avowed are two-handed melee weapons with high damage output and stun capabilities. This weapon type is effective for breaking enemy guards. This makes them a good choice for those who seek robust, close-combat weaponry. They are not as powerful as the Great Hammers, but still, they make a huge difference in combat when used effectively. Great Axes consume less stamina and offer a faster swing speed, making them the best heavy-hitter weapon in the game. Emerald Splitter is the best Great Axe in our ranked list due to its capability to deal poison damage and provide a 20% damage boost against Primordial enemies. Upgrading the Great Axes is essential to increase their stats and effectiveness. Pair the Great Axes with Skills like Bleeding Cuts or Brawn to increase their damage potential in intense combat.

Below are the best Great Axes in Avowed ranked from worst to best:

  • 7. Common Great Axe– Basic two-handed axe with lower damage and stun.
  • 6. Fine Great Axe- Upgraded version offering increased damage and stun. This is best suitable for mid-game.
  • 5. Exceptional Great Axe- Enhanced Great Axe with significant damage and stun improvements.
  • 4. Superb Great Axe- This weapon delivers exceptional damage and stun, making it a perfect choice for end-game combat.
  • 3. Seven Strivings- A unique axe that enhances the movement speed upon foe elimination and boosts critical hit chance.
  • 2. Limb-Taker- It inflicts bleed damage, causing enemies to take damage over time.
  • 1. Emerald Splitter- A Great Axe that excels against Primordials, dealing additional poison damage.

7. Common Great Axe

  • Physical Damage: 32
  • Stun: 22
  • Stamina Cost: 22
  • Critical Hit Chance: 6%

The Common Great Axe is a basic Great Axe that deals mediocre damage in combat. You can purchase it from Gwyneth in the Market District of Paradis, Dawnshore. This Great Axe balances damage output and stun capability, making it a dependable choice in the early games. Upgrading the Common Great Axe at the workbench enhances its effectiveness. The materials required to upgrade it are Iron Chunk x6 and Paradisan Ladder x4.

Upgrading the Common Axe improves block and parry efficiency, making the weapon more versatile in combat. This is a good start for the players as you will be moving to the other rarity, Great Axes, by upgrading it. Regular upgrades will ensure it remains effective. We place Common Great Axe as decent for early-game combat, but it should be replaced quickly with a better Great Axe. We place this weapon in the lower tier due to its low base stats, special abilities, and stamina consumption.

6. Fine Great Axe

  • Physical Damage: 96
  • Stun: 88
  • Stamina Cost: 22
  • Critical Hit Chance: 6%

Fine Great Axe is a two-handed melee weapon that deals good damage and eliminates enemies during the initial few stages of the game. Upgrading the Common Great Axe allows you to get a Fine Great Axe. You can even enhance the capabilities of this weapon by upgrading it on the workbench. The ingredients required to upgrade Fine Great Axe are Steel Chunk x6 and Hylea’s Talon x4. This is an excellent weapon than the Common Great Axe due to its enhanced performance. However, this weapon drains stamina quickly in long fights and it swings slower than one-handed weapons. If you prefer a good, heavy weapon, this is a good option for early game but not for mid-game. Due to this damage potential and stun value, we place this weapon below the Exceptional Great Axe and below the Common Great Axe.

5. Exceptional Great Axe

  • Physical Damage: 160
  • Stun: 154
  • Stamina Cost: 22
  • Critical Hit Chance: 6%

Exceptional Great Axe is also a two-handed melee weapon with decent physical damage and stun capabilities. Upgrading the Fine Great Axe allows you to gain an Exceptional Great Axe. This weapon lacks special enchantments, making it a good option only for early stages. You can purchase it from Merchant Stephan, who is located at: Essence of War in Fior mes Iverno in Emerald Stair. It can also be bought from Kampeki, who is located at Leviathan Market, Thirdborn, Shatterscarp Region.

Exceptional Great Axe is a great option to utilize if you don’t have any unique Great Axes like Emerald Splitter or Limb-Taker. Make the Exceptional Great Axe more effective by pairing it with the Fighter skills. The materials required to upgrade this weapon are White Steel Chunk x6 and Admeth’s Wyrt x4. Upgrading your Great Axe allows you to increase your damage and stun value. Its high physical damage and good stun value make it a good option to use only in early game. Exceptional Great Axe is a good option for players who prefer a straightforward heavy-hitting weapon and raw power. We place this weapon below the Superb Great Axe and above the Fine Great Axe due to its overperformance in combat and attributes.

4. Superb Great Axe

  • Physical Damage: 224
  • Stun: 220
  • Stamina Cost: 22
  • Critical Hit Chance: 6%

Super Great Axe is a non-unique two-handed melee weapon that deals excellent damage but is lower than the unique Great Axes. The attributes of this weapon make it the best choice for players who love to balance high damage and stun potential. However, this weapon lacks unique enchantments. Upgrading an Exceptional Great Axe allows you to get a Superb Great Axe. This Great Axe can be purchased from Ihaka, who is located at: In a cave west of Deadfall Highlands, Shatterscarp Region. You can also get it from Forgemaster Dela who is located at: Main Hall, Solace Keep, Galawain’s Tusk Region.

Upgrading the Superb Great Axe requires Living Iron Chunk x6 and Cave Coral x4. Based on your playstyle and combat situation, it is a great choice for players. This Great Axe can be improved to Superb +3, making it even more powerful. You can use this weapon in the mid-game due to its decent damage potential. It can fit any build, regardless of whether it lacks special enchantments. The game offers better options than this Great Axe and its slow swing speed makes this weapon lower than the Seven Strivings in our ranked list.

3. Seven Strivings

seven strivings great axe avowed
7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked
  • Physical Damage: 336
  • Stun: 286
  • Stamina Cost: 22
  • Critical Hit Chance: 6%

Seven Strivings is a Unique Great Axe that is well known for its massive damage and high stun value. Its enchantment will boost your movement speed on an enemy kill, but this is not likely to overcome the deficits of this weapon type. Determined Step enchantment allows you to gain +15% move speed for 10 seconds when killing an enemy. The Vicious Strikes enchantment provides you +5% critical hit chance. Enchantments make your Great Axe more lethal by providing bonuses to your character. The physical damage of 336 makes it the best unique Great Axe to pick and attack the enemy.

Determined step is a base enchantment and you can upgrade it to Restoring Pause to restore your health after parrying. Upgrade to Victorious March to get a 30% enhancement in movement speed after eliminating the enemy. You can even pair the Seven Strivings with the Fighter skills to make it more effective in combat. Seven Strivings is looted at Ralga’s Den at Dawnshore. Make your way to the Ralga’s Den beneath The Falls, just north of Paradis in the Dawnshore region. You can track the Ralga through the bounty that you can get from the quest board in Paradis.

Location

You will find the axe available on the body of a dead Xaurip. Make sure to equip your best weapon to defeat the boss effectively. This Great Axe is the best option for players who prefer mobility and critical hits. However, it has a slower attack speed than the other weapons in the game. Seven Strivings also lacks elemental or status effects, making it an unsuitable choice for boss fights. We cannot place this weapon on the top of our ranked list due to its slow attacking speed and no elemental buffs.

2. Limb-Taker

limb taker great axe avowed
7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked
  • Physical Damage: 336
  • Stun: 286
  • Stamina Cost: 22
  • Critical Hit Chance: 6%

Limb-Taker is a unique Great Axe that has a Bleeding Last ability. This ability increases your bleed damage up to 10%, making your attacks more devastating. Severing Blow Enchantment allows your power attacks to deal with moderate Bleed Accumulation. Players can upgrade the Severing Blow into the Executioner’s Strike or Blood-Soaked Blade. The Executioner’s Strike allows you to deal with high Bleed Accumulation after power attacks. Blood Soaked Blade enhances your attack speed by 50% more for 8 seconds.

Limb-Taker is the best Great Axe for any player who loves aggressive and bleed-focused battle. The attributes of this weapon make it a perfect choice for the Bleed build. You need to complete the side quest “A Cure for Rage” in Galawain’s Tusks region to get your hands on Limb-Taker.  Upon reaching, you’ll find Warden Lerae. Talk to her, and she will inform you that a caravan from Solace hasn’t yet returned. After walking for a while, you will come across the debris of the caravan on the right side of the road, along with two stone beetles.

Location

Defeat them and continue following the caravan’s marks. Eventually, you’ll find a cart that has crashed into a wall. Next to the crashed cart, you’ll find a cave. Enter the cave, and you’ll find that Grakohr has held Gilyn hostage. It turns out that Grakohr is responsible for the cart’s crash. You can either fight Grakohr or bring him the cure. When you engage in a conversation with Grakohr, you have the option to attack him. Grakohr is an enormous giant, and defeating him will be challenging due to his powerful moves, including swinging a club, overhead slams, and AoE foot stomps. Defeating him will give you a hefty 8550 XP and a lethal weapon, Limb-Taker Two-Handed Melee.

Limb-Taking offers high damage output and bleeding effects. The bleeding effect slowly drains the enemy’s health, dealing damage over time. You can pair this weapon with the Bleeding Cuts ability to make this weapon even more effective, especially while fighting bosses. This effect provides you the opportunity for the final strike to kill the inflicted foe. However, this weapon has a slow attack speed that can leave you in trouble in many cases. Limb-Taker also lacks elemental effects like fire, frost, or shock, making this weapon second in our ranked list.

1. Emerald Splitter

emerald splitter great axe avowed
7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked
  • Physical Damage: 336
  • Stun: 286
  • Stamina Cost: 22
  • Critical Hit Chance: 6%

Emerald Splitter is the best Great Axe in Avowed that can inflict poison and stun damage during combat. This weapon comes with enhanced damage output against high-level enemies. The withering Strike enchantment makes your power attacks inflict poison accumulation. Primordial Slaying enchantment increases damage against Primordials by 20%. Poison the Roots is also an upgrade for the Emerald Splitter that inflicts poison and stun damage after completing a full combo. The Rotting Cloud upgrade allows you to deal with high poison accumulation to closer enemies after the power attacks. This Great Axe’s unique features make it effective against enemies or bosses.

Location

You can find the Emerald Splitter at the Emerald Stair. Make your way to the Pargrun Waystation in the Emerald Stair region to get your hands on this powerful Great Axe. The Pargrun Waystation is located in the center of the Rolling Crags, west of the Ranger Headquarters. Get inside the main building of the Waystation and climb the rocks on the right side to get to the high levels. You need to perform a series of jumps across cliffs. Maintain a significant momentum for the second jump as you need to cover more area. After entering the ruins, find the chest under the overgrown tree atop a broken building. Opening the chest allows you to get the Emerald Splitter.

Emerald Splitter is the best Great Axe due to its good stun potential and sustained damage. However, this weapon is tricky to get as it requires precise platforming and exploration to get to its location. This is the best choice for any player who prefers poison-based melee combat. It shines well in long fights where poison damage can stack up.

FAQs about 7 Best Great Axes in Avowed Ranked

What is Great Axe in Avowed?

Great Axes in Avowed are two-handed melee weapons that deal with high damage output along with stun capabilities.

Which is the best Great Axe in Avowed?

Emerald Splitter is the best Great Axe in Avowed that can inflict poison and stun damage as well during combat. This weapon comes with enhanced damage output against high-level enemies.

Can you upgrade the Great Axe in Avowed?

Yes, you can upgrade the Great Axe in Avowed, which allows you to increase its damage output, and stun capabilities, and gain a next rarity weapon.


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