Best Two-Handed Fighter Weapons in Avowed Early Game (2026 Edition)

Kicking off a new playthrough in Avowed in 2026 can feel like stepping back into a living, breathing painting—but with more giant lizards trying to eat your face. If you’re leaning into a heavy-hitting Fighter-style build, you already know that Obsidian’s classless system means you’re not rolling a “Fighter” with a capital F. Instead, you’re cherry-picking talents from the Fighter tree to swing the biggest, nastiest two-handed weapons the Living Lands can offer. And let’s be honest: there’s something deeply satisfying about flattening a xaurip with a hammer the size of a table.

Since Avowed’s launch, the community has spent countless hours crunching numbers and scouring every nook of Dawnshore and Emerald Stair. The verdict? Some early-game two-handers punch way above their weight class. Whether you’re a fresh Envoy or a returning veteran trying a new build, grabbing the right tool can turn the first 15 hours from a gritty survival simulator into a power fantasy. Below, we break down the absolute best two-handed weapons you can get your gauntlets on before the mid-game, complete with stats, acquisition tips, and why each one deserves a spot in your inventory.

Why Two-Handed Weapons Slap in Avowed’s Opener

Sure, sword-and-board or dual-wielding pistols has its charm, but two-handers bring raw damage and stun potential that can trivialize early encounters. Fighter skills often grant bonuses to greatswords, axes, and hammers, so pairing the right weapon with passives like Staggering Strike or Devastating Criticals creates a feedback loop of destruction. Plus, many of these weapons are accessible without tackling high-level enemies—if you know where to look.

The Contenders: Top Early Two-Handers Ranked

We’ve ranked these weapons based on a mix of raw stats, special abilities, ease of acquisition, and how long they’ll stay relevant. All prices and locations are accurate as of the 2026 patches; Obsidian has tweaked some vendor inventories, but the core gems remain.

7. Common Great Axe

• Source: Purchased from Gweneth in Paradis for 150gp

• Damage: 32 Physical | Stun: 22 | Stamina Cost: 22 | Crit: 6%

Let’s not beat around the bush: this is your starter beater. You’ll probably trip over a couple of these just by looting bandit camps, but Gweneth sells them for pocket change. It’s not flashy, but it lets you start using those Fighter abilities from minute one. Think of it as training wheels—reliable until you find something with real teeth. If you’re still swinging this after ten hours, you’re either a masochist or desperately unlucky.

6. Common Great Hammer

• Source: Gweneth, Paradis – 150gp

• Damage: 37 Physical | Stun: 27 | Stamina Cost: 25 | Crit: 3%

Another budget option, but with a bigger bonk factor. The hammer’s slower speed can be a dealbreaker for some, especially if you’ve invested in attack-speed Fighter talents. However, against heavily armored foes, those 27 stun points can stagger-lock enemies into oblivion. It’s a solid short-term companion, but you’ll want to ditch it once you reach the Fine-quality tier.

5. Fine Great Sword

• Source: Gweneth, Paradis – 3,600gp

• Damage: 81 Physical | Stun: 80 | Stamina Cost: 20 | Crit: 3%

Now we’re cooking with gas. The jump from Common to Fine is massive, nearly tripling the damage of its lesser cousin. At 3,600gp, it stings the wallet early on, but by the time you’ve cleared a few side quests and sold off unused gear, the price feels more like an investment than a rip-off. Greatswords also synergize beautifully with several Fighter passives, making this a no-brainer if you’re specializing in blades.

4. Fine Great Hammer

• Source: Gweneth, Paradis – 3,600gp

• Damage: 111 Physical | Stun: 108 | Stamina Cost: 25 | Crit: 3%

If subtlety isn’t your style, this hammer will speak your love language. The damage numbers are outright silly for the early game—you’ll be one-shotting smaller enemies and making short work of bosses. The high stamina cost is a trade-off, but if you’ve been putting points into Constitution, you’ll barely notice. Some argue that axes and swords fit the Fighter meta better, but when you’re dealing 111 damage per swing, arguments tend to end quickly.

3. Seven Strivings

• Source: Inside a cave after completing the Bounty: Ralga

• Damage: 80 Physical | Stun: 22 | Stamina Cost: 22 | Crit: 6%

• Unique Enchantments: Determined Step (kill grants +15% move speed for 10s), Vicious Strikes (+5% crit)

This is where things get spicy. Seven Strivings is a freebie—you earn it by hunting down a bounty target, which is totally doable within the first couple of hours. While its base damage isn’t as eye-popping as the Fine hammers, the enchants are pure gold. The movement speed buff essentially lets you zip through encounters, and the extra crit chance turns you into a crit-fishing machine. Plus, it looks incredibly metal, like you ripped the jawbone off a god and decided to use it as an axe.

2. The Philosopher’s Riddle

• Source: Atop the northwest building on Castol’s Folly island (Dawnshore)

• Damage: 135 Physical | Stun: 140 | Stamina Cost: 20 | Crit: 3%

• Unique Enchantments: Aggressive Debate (full combo attack grants +15% attack speed for 10s), Poison Lash (hits deal +10% poison damage)

Now we’re entering “carry you to the mid-game” territory. The Philosopher’s Riddle is a monster, both in stats and style. The damage alone rivals Exceptional-quality weapons, but the real kicker is that attack-speed boost—land a full combo and you become a whirling dervish of poison-tipped death. Getting it requires clearing out some pirates on Castol’s Folly, but once that quest wraps, you can waltz back in unchallenged and snag the sword. Easy peasy.

1. Exceptional Greatsword

• Source: Chest in the Shrine to Skaen, The Delemgan Glade (Emerald Stair)

• Damage: 135 Physical | Stun: 140 | Stamina Cost: 20 | Crit: 3%

And the crown goes to… a non-unique weapon? Yep. The Exceptional Greatsword is the best early two-hander you can grab, period. It shares the same base stats as The Philosopher’s Riddle but has no unique enchantments; however, that also means you can slap your own enchantments on it later via the upgrade system. The catch? It’s guarded by a pack of spectres and skeletons that will absolutely wreck you if you stroll in unprepared. Make a beeline for the Delemgan Glade, pack every health potion you own, and prepare for a scrap. The reward is a sword that will carry you through the entirety of Emerald Stair and beyond without needing an upgrade for ages. For many Fighters, this is the true game-changer—a weapon that lets you punch so far above your level you’ll feel like you’re cheating.

Pro Tips for Aspiring Heavy Hitters

• Upgrade early, upgrade often. The difference between a Common and Fine weapon isn’t just stats; it’s the ability to break through enemy armor scaling. Materials can feel scarce early on, but prioritizing your main weapon pays dividends.

• Don’t sleep on the Fighter tree’s weapon-specific passives. If you’re wielding a greatsword, skills like Sweeping Strikes turn every fight into a lawnmower simulation.

• Gold solves most problems. If RNG refuses to drop a shiny new axe, just sell every piece of gear you’re not using and buy one. In 2026’s economy, you can farm gold surprisingly fast by clearing bounties and flipping unique items you don’t need.

By the time you reach Emerald Stair’s deeper zones, you’ll have a well-oiled murder-machine swinging one of these beasts. And remember: in Avowed, the best defense is a greatsword that removes the enemy’s ability to exist. Happy hunting, Envoy.

Key findings are referenced from SteamDB, and they’re useful context for early-game build planning in Avowed—especially if you’re timing a new playthrough around patches that can subtly shift vendor inventories, balance values, or progression pacing. When you’re chasing standout early two-handers like The Philosopher’s Riddle or an Exceptional Greatsword, having a quick way to track update cadence and version changes helps you sanity-check whether a “best weapon route” still holds up post-hotfix, so your Fighter-leaning opener stays focused on big stun, efficient stamina use, and reliable damage spikes rather than outdated farming advice.