Best Axes In Baldur's Gate 3

Summary

Greataxes deal massive damage in Baldur's Gate 3 and have unique effects like Gargantuan Cleave and Hellflame Cleave.
Battleaxes and Handaxes offer different playstyles and requirements compared to Greataxes, with varying damage output.
Axes like Dragon's Grasp and The Undead Bane provide specialized bonuses against specific enemy types, making them strategic choices.

There are three types of Axes in Baldur's Gate 3, these being Handaxes, Battleaxes, and Greataxes. While they all deal Slashing damage and share some other qualities, they are all rather different, with Greataxes and Battleaxes requiring Martial Proficiency from their wielder, while Handaxes only require Simple Proficiency.

Lae'zel standing next to a series of Rapiers in Baldur's Gate 3

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By Joe Grantham

Greataxes are also Two-Handed weapons as opposed to Handaxes, and Battleaxes can be used with one or two hands, depending on the player's build preference. The best Axes in Baldur's Gate 3 also have unique effects that often help players deal more damage or provide other bonuses to them.

Updated May 17, 2024 by Joe Grantham: Unsurprisingly, Baldur's Gate 3's popularity continues to grow, and whether players are jumping into their first adventure or their tenth, having all the facts and stats of the best BG3 Axes is always good to have.

Although there are three kinds of Axes in BG3, most of the Handaxes are relatively weak, especially in comparison to Greataxes, which do colossal amounts of damage. As such, this list has been updated to include even more Greataxes and a few more Battleaxes, especially those that can be picked up in the earlier stages of the game.

11 Very Heavy Greataxe

Base Damage: 2~13

Type

Damage

Rarity

Weapon Skills

Greataxe

1d12 + 1 Slashing

Uncommon

Gargantuan Cleave: The wielder swings with all their might. Multiple targets can be attacked, dealing 1d6 bonus Slashing damage, but the attacker becomes Off Balanced for 1 turn (Once per Short Rest).

Location: Looted from Fezzerk at the Blighted Village, Act 1.

While the Very Heavy Greataxe is mostly just a standard BG3 Greataxe, once per Short Rest, the wielder is able to use a massive AOE attack that can take multiple enemies out at once. It should also be noted that the axe's name is no lie, as it weighs nearly 3x as much as other Greataxes, coming in at 9kg/18lb. This can certainly be a drawback at times.

To get both of their hands on the Very Heavy Greataxe, players will need to loot it from a goblin leader by the name of Fezzerk. He is found tormenting a poor gnome at the windmill of the Blighted Village in Act 1, although if players spare him, he will be seen at Moonrise Towers in the second Act.

10 Exterminator's Axe

Base Damage: 2~13

Baldur's Gate 3 Exterminator's Axe Greataxe

Type

Damage

Rarity

Weapon Skills

Greataxe

1d12 + 1 Slashing

Uncommon

Scourge of Pests: Deals an additional 1d6 Fire damage to Plants, Insects, and Small creatures.

Location: Looted from Gekh Coal in the Decrepit Village, Act 1.

As soon as players realize that Small creatures include halflings, gnomes, and goblins, the Exterminator's Axe becomes very strong, as it deals an extra 1d6 Fire damage to them, as well as Plants and Insects. If players know they are going against one of these enemy types, it's certainly not a bad option to take into the fray.

To find the Exterminator's Axe and start laying waste to all kinds of critters, players will first need to locate the Decrepit Village in the Underdark. This is an Act 1 location on the way to Act 2. Here, players will be able to loot the axe from the Duergar slaver, Gekh Coal.

9 Thermodynamo Axe

Base Damage: 2~9 or 2~11

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Battleaxe	1d8 + 1 Slashing (One-Handed) or 1d10 + 1 Slashing (Two-Handed)	Rare	Thermodynamo: Whenever the wielder deals damage with this weapon, they gain 2 turns of Heat.

Location: Bought from Dammon at the Last Light Inn, Act 2.

For any players creating a build around dealing Fire damage, the Thermodynamo Axe is a great option to pick up, even as a backup weapon to use alongside spells. This is because the Battleaxe generates Heat, which can be used to deal bonus Fire damage on the next attack or spell.

Fittingly, the Thermodynamo Axe can be purchased from Dammon the Infernal Mechanic, while he is at the Last Light Inn. Players will want to do so early before the inn is attacked, as Dammon's safety is not guaranteed.

8 Dragon's Grasp

Base Damage: 1~6

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Handaxe: Simple Proficiency, One-Handed	1d6 Slashing	Uncommon	Burned Alive: Deals an additional 1d4 Slashing to Burning targets.

Location: Bought from Arron in the Emerald Grove, Act 1.

When it comes to Handaxes in Baldur's Gate 3, which are generally weaker than other axes, the Dragon's Grasp is arguably the best in class. This is because, on top of the standard 1d6 Slashing damage of all Handaxes, this weapon can deal extra damage to targets who are already burning, making it great when paired with the best fire spells in BG3.

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By Nyah Payne

As a Handaxe, Dragon's Grasp can be dual-wielded and also thrown at enemies, but the best thing about it is that it can be bought very early on in the game from the merchant Arron in the Emerald Grove.

7 The Undead Bane

Base Damage: 2~13

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Greataxe: Martial Proficiency, Two-Handed	1d12 + 1 Slashing	Uncommon	Slay the Wicked: This weapon deals an additional 1d6 Slashing damage against Fiends and Undead. Profane Scourge: Strike with subjugating fury, adding a proficiency bonus to the damage roll. If hitting a Fiend or Undead creature, deal an additional 2d6 Slashing damage and possibly Bane it. Once per Short Rest.

Location: Looted from the Gur Camp in Rivington, Act 3.

Against most enemies, The Undead Bane is pretty much a standard weapon, but against Fiends and the Undead, it quickly becomes one of the best options. Not only does it deal extra damage against these creatures, but the Profane Scourge action is capable of destroying them in one clean strike.

The Undead Bane Greataxe can be found at the start of Act 3, wielded by the leader of the Gur, Ulma. She is located in the Gur Camp in Rivington.

6 Defender Greataxe

Base Damage: 3~14

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Greataxe: Martial Proficiency, Two-Handed	1d12 + 2 Slashing	Rare	Defensive Attack: When the wielder makes their first attack of the round, they can reduce this weapon's enchantment by 1 to increase their Armour Class and Saving Throw bonus by 1.

Location: Bought from Quartermaster Talli at the Last Light Inn, Act 2.

As its name implies, the Defender Greataxe is all about defense. At the start of combat, players have the option to sacrifice a small amount of damage and hit chance to improve their AC by 1 and have a better chance at surviving Saving Throws. While these defensive buffs aren't anything to get too excited about, they will come in very handy in certain fights.

This is all on top of the Defender Greataxe having fantastic base damage, which, in the hands of a character with a high Strength stat, can easily topple many foes. This versatile weapon can be found early on in Act 2 at the Last Light Inn, where it is sold by Quartermaster Talli.

5 Witchbreaker

Base Damage: 2~9 or 2~11

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Battleaxe: Martial Proficiency, Versatile	1d8 + 1 Slashing (One-Handed) or 1d10 + 1 Slashing (Two-Handed)	Uncommon	Witchbreaker: The wielder gains Advantage on Attack Rolls against concentrating creatures. Hush You!: Slash a target and possibly Silence it.

Location: Bought from A'jak'nir Jeera at Creche Y'llek, Act 1.

Gaining Advantage in Baldur's Gate 3's tough combat can be the difference between success, as two d20 dice are rolled instead of one, with the highest number being taken. Against concentrating enemies, wielders of the Witchbreaker Battleaxe will always have Advantage.

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By Joe Grantham

Thankfully, unlike some of the other top Axes in BG3, the Witchbreaker can be found at the end of Act 1 in Creche Y'llek, sold by A'jak'nir Jeera, a Githyanki quartermaster.

4 Blooded Greataxe

Base Damage: 2~13

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Greataxe: Martial Proficiency, Two-Handed	1d12 + 1 Slashing	Rare	Relentless Revenge: When the wielder has 50% hit points or less, they deal an additional 1d6 Slashing damage.

Location: Bought from Dammon at the Emerald Grove or Roah Moonglow at the Shattered Sanctum, Act 1.

The Blooded Greataxe is a great addition to the best Barbarian builds in Baldur's Gate 3, as with their Reckless Attacks, Barbarians often end up with low health and thus would benefit from Relentless Revenge. Dealing an extra 1d6 damage on multiple turns can swing the tides of battle immensely.

To get the Blooded Greataxe, players can either purchase it from Dammon at the Emerald Grove or from Roah Moonglow at the Goblin Camp. The fact that such a great weapon is available so early should not be overlooked.

3 Sethan

Base Damage: 3~14

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Greataxe: Martial Proficiency, Two-Handed	1d12 + 2 Slashing	Very Rare	Sethan: Spiritual Greataxe: Summon a spiritual twin of Sethan, dealing 3d8 + Spellcasting Modifier Force damage on a hit. Sethan: Reduce: Make a creature smaller. Its weapons deal 1d4 less damage (minimum of 1 damage). It has Disadvantage on Strength Checks and Saving Throws.

Location: Bought from Ferg Drogher in Rivington, Act 3.

While the Greataxe Sethan deals great damage by itself, its main strength lies in the Evocation Spell Sethan: Spiritual Greataxe. By summoning a twin of Sethan, players will be able to deal more damage to foes and soak damage even when it isn't their turn.

The Reduce Spell is also great for bringing down large and powerful enemies to a more manageable size. Both of these Spells can be used once per Long Rest. Sethan can be purchased from Ferg Drogher in Rivington during Act 3, but only if they can pass a Persuasion Check, which also relies on Shadowheart not being present or having embraced Shar.

2 Vicious Battleaxe

Base Damage: 3~10 or 3~12

Type	Damage	Rarity	Weapon Skills
Battleaxe: Martial Proficiency, Versatile	1d8 + 2 Slashing (One-Handed) or 1d10 + 2 Slashing (Two-Handed)	Rare	Dolor Amarus: When you land a Critical hit with this weapon, it deals an additional 7 damage.

Location: Bought in the Murder Tribunal, Act 3.

The Vicious Battleaxe is aptly named given its high damage and the fact that if players manage to roll a Critical Hit, they will deal an extra 7 damage, which could finish off a target completely.

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By Skylar Grace

However, to purchase the Vicious Battleaxe in the first place, players must not only reach Act 3, but they must accept Bhaal and become an Unholy Assassin. After this, it can be bought from Echo of Abazigal in the Murder Tribunal.