The weapon type in Assassin's Creed Valhalla that possesses the fastest attack speed is the Daggers. They can allow Eivor to unleash lightning-fast stabs and slashes that can shred unarmored foes in only a few moments. To offset this rapid assault potential, Daggers also have the least reach out of any melee weapon as well as middling damage.
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Due to this interesting mix of traits, Daggers fill a niche in combat for players who have the need for speed and don't mind getting up close and personal with their adversaries. To fully maximize the use of this short and swift breed of armament, gamers should take note of what it does and how to best apply its strengths while avoiding its weaknesses.
While equipped in the main hand, players will have access to some solid maneuvers that can be used in a variety of situations. Whether in the open or in confined spaces, the moveset grants potential to hit-and-run tactics that can lay waste to common foes and be used to almost cheese tougher ones.
The light attack combo, which is the longest out of any one-handed weapon, chains together a flurry of 8 stabs and slashes faster than most weapons can deliver half that number of strikes. Players can mash the light attack button to decimate the health of foes at close range or use a few here and there amidst constant dashes to dance about the battlefield like a cyclone of steel.
Disappointingly, the heavy attack combo is merely 2 slow stabs that don't even do a useful amount of health or stamina damage. It is recommended to stick with the light attacks, as the poor range of the heavy attacks also makes them not worth the stamina or time to attempt unless facing an impaired foe.
If pairing a main hand Dagger with another weapon in the secondary hand, is it advised to use another one-handed weapon, even if the player has the ability from the Way of the Bear skill tree that lets them dual-wield two-handed weapons, as both kinds of combos with the Dagger in the main hand don't utilize two-handed weapons in their attack animations.
The Bearded Axe is arguably the best partner in battle for the Dagger, as it possesses longer range than the Dagger and can help catch foes who would otherwise be slightly out of reach. With the light attack combo of the Dagger, the secondary hand weapon will be used alongside the last 2 slashes of the max 8-hit chain, granting some extra range and damage to these final blows.
Similarly, the heavy attack combo benefits from additions to range and damage, making them more usable by a large degree, though still not better than light attacks.
Definitely designed to be a secondary hand weapon, this is where a Dagger's true potential can be found. Despite there only being one kind of attack capable when equipped in this hand, there is a lot to it that makes a Dagger very viable in battle.
The special attack, that can be unleashed by holding down the corresponding button, will cause Eivor to lunge forward like a hungry wolf and will repeatedly bury their blade into the flesh of their foe until the button is released or interrupted by an attack from the main hand weapon. This series of stabs is very quick, and each thrust doesn't drain much stamina, so this can be used liberally.
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As this string of strikes can be interrupted by an attack from the main hand weapon, one can hit the light or heavy attack input while stabbing. The special secondary hand attack of the Dagger can be used as a lead-up for weapons that possess much longer attack start-ups. This makes entering combat very low-risk and fluid for players equipped with slower and more powerful weapons.
Finally, there's the attack exit, which occurs if the player releases the special attack button without interrupting themself with a main hand attack. Upon releasing the button, Eivor will perform a quick horizontal slash and jump backward. This provides a nice bit of bonus damage as well as a way to evade without manually doing so, saving some time and button-pressing.
Dual-wielding, regardless of weapon type, decreases damage output while providing notably faster attacks for both kinds of combos. Usually, this trade-off does not benefit most one-handed weapons, though Daggers are certainly an exception here.
The light attack combo gets a massive boost in strikes, going from a fast 8-hit chain to a ridiculous 16-strikes that are unleashed in approximately the same timeframe, which will cause Eivor to appear like a blur of blood and death to all enemies upon the battlefield. The high speed and number of blows easily make up for the drop in damage and is one of the best combos in the entire game.
Sadly, the heavy attack combo does not receive many benefits in this regard, as the secondary hand Dagger simply acts like any other one-handed weapon in the bland 2-hit maneuver. Stick with the light attacks for dual-wielding Daggers and one will be the bringer of many deaths; one few can keep pace with or best.