Energy +5 only available as inscription for axes?

I've run into a few traders claiming that Energy +5 only comes as an inscription for axes. I own a few old school axes with Energy +5 and no "I have have the power!" denoting the mod as an inscription.

Am I misinterpreting their info or are they just misinformed? Just wondering because I'd like to avoid any misunderstandings during future trades.

Afaik everything that can be done with an inscription can be done without one. Whoever told you that you can't have uninscribable +5 energy axes was wrong.

+5 energy inscriptions can be equiped to any martial weapon, swords, scythes, daggers, bows etc..

either they were lying or you misunderstood them.
they might have meant that the only way to get +5e on an axe is through the inscription slot (or the inherent mod in uninsc weapons) becasue that can be read in more than one way to mean different things.

+5 enrgy can drop in cantha and tyria, EOTN and nightfall got inscriptions
above pic is a celestial sword dropd in cantha

+5en bonus on martial weapons was added with factions, Before the release of inscriptions.

Any non-insc rare martial weapon that drops in proph or factions and has a chance to drop with a random bonus modifier (for example NOT the IDS) has a chance to drop with the +5 energy bonus.

Yea, the issue I had with the information was that the item of interest was a Sephis Axe. In a past trade the same topic arose over a Gothic Dual Axe.

I know they come in non-inscribable and inscribable variants so the inscription exclusivity for axes kinda had me wondering if there were new terms being thrown around (or grey areas) lately.

"I Have The Power" (+5e unconditional) inscription is for any martial weapon - sword, axe, hammer, bow, scythe, spear, daggers.

[It doesn't matter if you use your staff, wand, offhand or shield to beat on foes, you still cannot use the inscription on those items.]

"i have the power" seems to be most often found on axe drops in my experience
this could just be due to what i farm tho