Sword Art Online
I was originally going to write something similar to Monday’s post with a list of swords and some info about them. Then I remembered how many different types of swords have existed. Shortswords, longswords, flamberge, cutlass, rapier, saber, daggers, dirks, katanas, ninjato, hook swords, shotel, talwar, kampilan, gladius, claymore, broadsword, foil, epee, and the list keeps going. Some are categories while others are types, but it’s a massive list. Swords seem to have appeared in nearly every culture just like dragons and fearing your neighbors. Instead, I’ll do a few tips on adding swords into your story.
- It isn’t always the pointy end that goes into the other man. While there are plenty of swords for stabbing, it isn’t the only way to hurt someone. Anything with a sharp edge can be used for slashing. Certain hilts like the basket hilt can deliver a blunt shot to the face for stunning and breaking bones. This also means that not every injury is a simple puncture wound and a character dying of a slash across the belly will be treated differently than a stabbed one.
- Not every swordsman starts off a fight with the bellowing charge, especially if they see range fighters. I don’t know why some people think holding a sword turns a character into an idiot. Since the weapon requires that you find and possibly create an opening, a frontal assault isn’t very useful. In a big battle, it’s because everyone is charging, but one-on-one can start off slow as the two combatants size each other up. If the enemy has a bow then a smart swordsman takes cover and tries to sneak around or get the archer to run out of arrows.
- The type of sword that a character uses can determine the rest of their equipment and tactics. If you wield a two-handed weapon then you won’t have a shield. If your weapon is a rapier that depends on flexibility and speed then platemail might not be the best choice. You also can’t have a speed fighter using a weapon that is bigger than they are unless you establish that as a thing for the world. I mean, Final Fantasy does it all the time, so I assume it’s part of the universe.
- If you pick a unique sword shape then know what the use of it was or give some reasoning for it. Hook swords are a perfect example. Dagger-like pommels, crescent-shaped guards for blocking and slashing, and hooked ends to put the two blades together or trip an enemy. It’s a complicated weapon that needs a lot of training, so a novice shouldn’t be using one very well unless there is a really good reason given. I’m talking reincarnation of the inventor or they can imitate a fighting style by watching it and his father used them. By the way, the Flamberge’s design is to sound vibrations along a parried blade and slow contact. For so long, I thought it was done just to look like a flame.
- Not every sword is created equal in terms of durability and quality. Consider this when arming a hero with a non-magical weapon. Weapon breakage typically only happens for the plot, but you can have it happen to enemies and supporting cast. This can also show that the warrior is more than the weapon because you really need to think on your feet if you only have a foot of broken blade left.
- If you do use non-European blades in a fantasy world that is very European then explain the difference in style. Perhaps there’s another country that is more Asian, which is why katanas are around. Somebody could have recently created the blade after a lifetime of design. At the very least, explain why that weapon was designed. For example, Kira Grasdon uses a kusari-gama, which is a Japanese weapon. Yet, she comes from a Middle Eastern desert people. I explained the weapon’s existence there by pointing out that it helps in defeating giant scorpions. They can strike out of pincer range and get the chain around the stinger to have some control over its movements. Now, this isn’t a necessity, but people do get twitchy when you mix up cultures in a fictional world where those cultures and countries never existed in the first place.
- Don’t forget the scabbard. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but most swordsmen don’t walk around with a naked blade. The scabbard protects against the elements and prevent the character from looking like he’s about to stab someone. If the weapon is sheathed then it won’t hurt anyone by accident and there’s less chance of a fight breaking out over a misunderstanding.
Legends of Windemere 
Oh my goodness! This is so helpful! Great tips! I don’t know anything about swords. I’ve never handled one (except for the ones that friends have). I didn’t want to fake knowledge that I didn’t have, so my characters use knives (which I at least have used).
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It’s amazing how many different blades are out there. I’ve found it’s best to search by region and culture.
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You took fencing in school, right? I wanted to take it in high school, but couldn’t get in the class.
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I did it in high school and college. It was fun and led to a little sword collecting.
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That’s why I don’t usually mention swords. I don’t have your history with them. Though I love when authors use an iconic sword in a story.
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It’s easier than you think. You can get away with saying a generic ‘sword’ more than gun or pistol these days. Just remember a pointy end, edges, and the handle.
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We won’t even mention the urumi – those things are as dangerous to the user as to the opponent 😱
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You have to wonder how that one came about much less got mastered.
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They were trying to make a steel whip? 😄
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Well, I guess they accomplished that.
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😄😄😄
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So many choices. Your knowledge is amazing.
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Not really. I did a lot of research as I went.
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Now your knowledge is amazing.
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Wow, what a list of swords! I’ll have to read up about some of those, they sound interesting.
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Yeah. I’d have to give up a whole month to sword posts to do the subject justice.
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I bet, swords are very complex things. I tried to research them once upon a time, but I got too side tracked and didn’t get anything else done. I always meant to get back to it…
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I started the post, but the Wikipedia list alone was insane. It’s a weapon that shows up in every culture, which is an odd curiosity. The tech didn’t necessarily travel, so I wonder if edged metal blade is just a natural progression.
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I think it is a natural progression, after you have a knife, it’s just obvious to make it longer.
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There’s a phallic joke in there somewhere.
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I love how you mention choice of weapon deciding a lot of the rest of the equipment. Sometimes the weapon conjures a strong image, like an epee being so associated with the Three Musketeers and their world of 17th-Century France.
You could also use tidbits about weapons to suggest more about the world. For instance, if they’re made of steel vs. iron that tells both the resources available and the technical development of the smiths.
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True. Weapon advancement can show a lot about social structure, smithing level, and also what they focus on. A society of strength would have larger weapons than one that focuses more on stealth and speed.
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Bookmarking! Thank you for that great piece of research.
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Geez. Last week might have been my best posts of the year.
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I’m planning to share those on my blog, if you don’t mind. I keep sharing your new releases, but I think I’ll be able to send more people over to you if I do a special feature on you.
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Interesting. Curious to see how that turns out for both our blogs. 👍
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