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So I was just thinking to myself and was wondering, of all the daedric artifacts which one rises above the rest. Clearly I wouldn't have enough room to do a full poll and run the risk of forgetting something. I am only including those that are artifacts from either daedric origin or embedded with their power, so no elder artifacts or mere objects of great power>_>
I decided to split them into three categories:
~the one that is universally the most powerful
~ the one that has the most potential power
~ the one that is surely the most useful
I already have my opinions, and I am sure each of you will too. Remember that there is no wrong answer to this so long as you know your stuff=_=

for me it's Umbra. Number 1 across all three categories

the soul trap and solid damage across incarnations was remarkably consistent considering each game was stand alone so different artifacts often did different things. Umbra was more than a trinket of the gods , it was a Force of Nature - and the only artifact a Daedric prince actually wanted back? That made me stop and think about the sword..

so I suppose the soul trap was useful if that's what you wanted but I loved Umbra because of what it was more than what it did.

It summoned up visions of the eternal champion and stealer of souls, you had to win it in combat from the previous champion (and gameplay wise the lack of umbra has forced Beth to invent this ebony warrior to try and fill the void) - and how you won Umbra often defined your character. Were you chivalrous, or did you bow him/her from out of reach

bad call, allowing them (warrior and sword) to be written out

i hope they bring Umbra back soon

Umbra isn't coming back, it got destroyed.

i know, i know

but the beauty of elder scrolls is anything can happen

reality can be changed, time can be travelled - Umbra goes missing for centuries at a time, perhaps it was spending some months in the future being wielded by my hero in TES6

they seem to listen to us when adding kids and marriage to games, maybe they can do this for me

^Actually it is accepted that it is destroyed, but it doesn't mean its not impossible to survive. It did after all possess a large portion of a daedric prince after all Also just to clarify, I was mainly focusing on the lore and lore based powers of the artifacts, not just what is seen in the game itself

yes, we have to move on from Umbra

Personally I still follow my three
1~ I have to say the most powerful in general and in my opinion is umbra. Its more than a black sword that steal souls, it's a weapon that even immortals fear. Mr Vile hates this artifact, not because it simply tore a section of his power for itself, but TWICE and ripped a section from his realm later on. If you think about it, its the only weapon that can make gods powerless while feeding its own desires.
2~ The one I say with the most potential for power, hands down Azura's Star and to a greater extent the Black Star. It is literally the key midpoint for most enchantments. But as we saw in Skyrim, you can use it to obtain immortality if perfected. Think, you can become a full lich with your vessel being an indestructible vessel of daedric power.
3~ I would normally say that I have a tie in this, but I wanna be different>_> So I would go with the first.. all hail the Wabbajack!! Its random nature is both a blessing and a curse. Oh look a bandit, now you are a sweetroll. Look a wolf, now you be bear. Ah a daedra.. crap much bigger daedra0.o it is undeniably the funnest. The power to turn one thing into the unpredictable is an amazing power

Sheogoraths staff from the shivering isles, its got the power of a god.

That or nocturnals cowl, it took an elder scroll to remove its curse

Mace of Molag Bal

There are so, so many runner-ups, but here's where I fall on it:

Most powerful: Wabbajack - I don't use it all that often, but it's power is often underestimated. If "power" is the ability to change, for better or for worse, then surely the Wabbajack fits the bill in any given fight.

Highest potential: Mehrunes' Razor - I mean, you can hypothetically kill almost any opponent instantly. That's about the highest potential you can get.

Most useful: Azura's Star - it's the one artifact everyone should get as soon as possible and keep in their inventory for the rest of their games.

Most powerful - Volendrung. drain 50 stamina? Unlimited power attacks on a war hammer? Count me in.

Highest potential - Staff of Corruption, before Skyrim, has the potential to create clones of anything effectively removing them from battles. Plus you can clone yourself with a few tricks.

Most useful - Black Star. Black souls are just so much more common than grand souls, so this is more useful.