Worked out · Valheim 1.0.17

Best claws and knucklechains

All Valheim claws and knucklechains ranked by damage at max level, damage per stamina over a full combo and the secondary attack, and the best one you can make in each biome.

Strongest fist weapon
Frostfire KnucklechainsFist weapon
222damage
Most damage per stamina
Frostfire Knucklechains2-hit combo
23.8per stamina
Hardest secondary attack
Frostfire Knucklechains× 1 for 20 stamina
222damage
First you can make
Paws of the Bear37 damage at max level
Black Forest

Best fist weapon in each biome

Of the fist weapons you can make by then, the one that kills the biome's hostile creatures in the fewest hits, their weaknesses and resistances applied (every weapon by biome).

Biome	Best fist weapon	Hits	Creatures
Black Forest	Paws of the BearSlash	55	5
Swamp	Paws of the BearSlash	83	9
Mountains	Flesh RippersSlash	42	4
Plains	Vilebone MaulclawsSlash + Pierce	74	5
Mistlands	Vilebone MaulclawsSlash + Pierce	86	6
Ashlands	Vilebone MaulclawsSlash + Pierce	140	9
Deep North	Thunderblood KnucklechainsBlunt + Slash + Lightning	97	9

All 6 ranked

Fist weapon	From	Damage	Per stamina	Secondary	Stamina	Block
Frostfire Knucklechains80 Blunt24 Slash21 Fire97 Frost	Deep North	222	23.8	222×1	14	8
Thunderblood Knucklechains122 Blunt24 Slash60 Lightning	Deep North	206	22.1	206×1	14	8
Nord Knucklechains114 Blunt24 Slash	Deep North	138	14.8	138×1	14	8
Vilebone Maulclaws32 Slash60 Pierce	Plains	92	11.5	92×1	12	8
Flesh Rippers72 Slash	Mountains	72	10.8	72×1	10	8
Paws of the Bear37 Slash	Black Forest	37	9.3	37×1	6	8

Formula

Damage at max level = base + per level × (max level − 1), each damage type apart; chop and pickaxe left out of the rating (almost every creature ignores them).

Full combo = (combo hits − 1) × hit + hit × the last swing's multiplier; per stamina = combo damage ÷ (stamina × combo hits). Secondary attack = hit × its multiplier.

Stamina and eitr per attack are at skill 0; skill 100 takes a third off (× 0.67) for every weapon alike, so the order doesn't change.

ItemData.GetDamage, Attack.DoMeleeAttack / FireProjectileBurst, Attack.GetAttackStamina, HitData.ApplyResistance in the code of Valheim 1.0.17.

Assumptions

Skill 50 in the weapon's skill, weapons at their max normal level, no stars on the creatures (a star doubles health, two stars triple it).
Every hit lands and only the primary attack is used; no backstab, no stagger bonus, no armor set or mead bonuses.
Area hits (staffs, sledges, atgeirs) are counted against one creature at a time.
Bows and crossbows fire the best arrow or bolt for the target you can make by then, at full draw.