What makes a Good Fantasy Sword?

[@marty2129]

Funnily enough, there is also the special sword for powerful characters in realistic settings. Ser Gregor Clegane a.k.a. the Mountain Who Rides, one of antagonists in Game of Thrones books and TV show and a character infamous for his "bare-handed mellon crushing skills", uses a rather large longsword/greatsword in one hand as it was a "hand and half" or one handed sword. And while it is to show how overly strong and huge this scum of a knight is, his enormous size is confirmed to be due to him suffering the medical condition of gigantism that not only allows him to wield overly large weapons way too easily but also forms his foul character as he suffers from chronic head pain that he can only mittigate by agression and sadism...

[@manticorephoenix]

@@marty2129 Angron himself would approve

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

The sad thing in the show at least, they have Gregor fight switching between one or two hands. If you going to one hand a huge sword, why not use a huge shield in off hand to?

[@nickmartin5294]

@@PJDAltamirus0425 I'm not overly sure, but don't shields sometimes weigh more than a sword? For someone of the Mountain's size and strength, he would need to use a tower shield and from what I've read, those things are freaking heavy! Plus Gregor is wearing armour adding more weight to his person, so having a shield would just add unneccessary weight for him to carry around.

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

Yeah, but his weak points would also be larger than a normal man’s armor and he has huge reach so he just doesn’t need to move than much. You have the longer of the huge sword, the shield covering most of the weakpoints in his armor and acting as a bludgeon, then his armor

[@destruction6124]

​@@PJDAltamirus0425 Let's see here...shields were phased out of use when plate armor became a thing. Why is that? Well, it's because huge shields are inconvenient, a bit clumsy, and will protect you against little more than what your cuirass can. It is not worth its mass or volume. In addition, he's really strong. Just have him wield a longer sword. The only case where longer sword isn't synonymous with better is armored fighting, where a shield will just get in the way, and primarily of the person using it. Effects of a shield: Inconvenience Cannot use an ultra-greatsword (according to Dark Souls definition, where this is the Montante/Zweihander or larger) Slight clumsiness Added protection against unarmored foes Gets in the way in armored fighting Effects of an ultra-greatsword: More reach More handle (higher delivery of power when needed) Protection by nature of reach; when combined with plate armor, this is vastly superior to any shield's protection Adaptability (Montante and Zweihander, real ultra-greatswords, have secondary hand guards which can be used to turn the section of blade into a grip for closer range, provide safe half-swording, and increase delivery of power) Cannot use a shield I'd like to see what effects I'm missing that the shield becomes even remotely favorable.

[@angel-ry9mb]

Bro "wielding a giant piece of masonry" cracked me up.

[@melniboneanmenschklavier9965]

Stormbringer? Extremly unrealistic but also extremly disturbing because of it

[@balsamon69]

God i love Stormbringer, and Moorcock's stuff in general. Though the impracticality of the design varies depending on the artist. The books describe it as a massive, two handed sword, made of jet black steel, with undecipherable red runes engraved on the blade. That leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Some artists, like the ones who made the art for the 2014 french comic, made it look like something of a typical fantasy greatsword. In James Cawthorn's comic it's surprisingly compact, around the size if a standard longsword. My favourite one is from the Elric The Balance Lost comic. Now that's a great design

[@Bean-boi]

One thing to remember when considering the weapon of a protagonist or someone like that is how do the differences from our world impact swordfighting. For example, in a setting where pretty much anyone can conjure magical walls and floating shields, you get a disadvantage when using a spear because your opponent can shrug off your attack while closing the distance. Things like a Messer or the Dune knife become much more effective instead.

[@rgdgfd2281]

3:12 yes i am that guy, both of swords are for monsters. Some are scared of silver, some is scared of cold iron(i don't actually remember the material but i assume it's cold iron because a lot of fey creatures are typically scared of it because - mythology).

[@shaun4772]

I've always been a big fan of weapons looking more practical and conventional. Geralt's swords are awesome - they look cool, they look like they'd work well, and they're realistic.

[@notmaifox]

Honestly a big fan of this kid of take. A lost of people ignore narrative and rule of cool for their idea of a good sword.

[@ElementalForge-h5l]

If it's cool and works in the context of the media, nothing else really matters.

[@Edyremoh]

I'm really enjoying what you guys bring as a team. Your content keeps getting better

[@jesterjake36]

This has been my favorite video you guys have made in awhile. Not to say the other stuff is bad at all, but I love film and shows, sp breaking down why certain weapons are the way they are in film is awesome! Keep it up.

[@NevTheDeranged]

One of my OCs is part spriggan, and can expand to double his normal size, so his huge anime sword (which looks similar to Siegfried's Requiem sword in SoulCalibur) is a two-hander in his normal form, but he can wield it one handed in his giant form.

[@CosmicDuskWolf]

I think a good fantasy sword is what fits the setting. When I clicked on this, I thought it was going to be one of those channels bashing oversized swords from anime and games, but I was definitely wrong. I do hate it when a channel thinks all swords in faction have to be a particular kind of size (meaning realistic).

[@vinniesmiles667]

Id argue that the big katana is a counter argument to how powerful ichigo is. In bleach terms the giant katana is his sealed state, and even his father says the bigger the blade the LESS control over their power they have. Raw power will only get you so far unless you hone that edge

[@Lune2Tijger]

The sky's the limit huh? *Creates a giant sword reaching from the center of the earth to 'the sky'. Btw I don't know any of the characters you mentioned except for the Witcher. I still liked the video tho.

[@eniarekul]

Cool video guys. Really enjoyed hearing your take on this.

[@Ghibli-Dude]

Sci-fi fantasy weapons should be different from our world but wieldable. I want to fell like, "yeah that could work". Depending on how far they are from our reality, it needs to feel like a part of that world rather than ours. The lightsaber is a perfect example of that.

[@hyperdreamer9483]

In terms of Asta it also makes sense for his sword to be massive because of Anti-Magic giving Asta more surface area to nullify Magic. And as for Kirito I think it’s less that he can use two swords but he can do of effectively since he can use Sword Skills with both blades, this was later explained in the Excalibur Arc where Kirito could wield two swords but just couldn’t use simultaneous Sword Skills

[@baziworld]

What makes a Good Fantasy Sword? Throwing Swords : UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS (and throwing Black Keys)

[@JAMMStudioss]

Id love to hear y'all's thoughts on shardblades from the Stormlight Archive. Theyre a great example of making an oversized "fantasy" sword semi-reasonable, as they only weigh as much as a standard greatsword despite their size, and can cut theough any inanimate material with barely any resistance

[@sylvestertwo4152]

Video idea: You two sword fight to see who is better. Maybe like fencing or something to the pretend death.

[@SellswordArts]

We have tons of videos of us fencing

[@onbevreesdproject176]

I personally love Asta's swords, they're unreasonably heavy and wide, but for good reason within the world. And everyone else who even tries picking them up can't budge them an inch

[@SMorales851]

I like how in FromSoft games there's always a broad array of "normal" weapons that serve to contrast against thos that require godly strength. Though sometimes they over- or underestimate the strength required by some e.g. greatswords and ultra-greatswords. Though at some point the wepons get so big and heavy that it becomes impossible to animate them nicely without breaking the animation framework. Some lf them probably weigh roughly as much as your character! If you can swing them hard enough, you can probably launch yourself forward with the inertia of the swing. Imo, an underdeveloped aspect of very-big-weapons

[@phrogglin117]

good means it works

[@blaziard683]

fax

[@phrogglin117]

@blaziard683 THATS WHAT IM SAYIN BROTHER

[@LifeEnjoyer-jo6yb]

3:04 bro forgot yuno also has a massive ass sword, but it takes the shape of a more realistic Greatsword.

[@PandaTheFunky216]

Fun fact! I believe in-world Guts was essentially trained to use more reasonable (but still heavy) swords from a much younger age, making it comparatively oversized so as he grew so did his weapon, till we got dragon slayer

[@kitsune-klan]

I agree it comes down to the question of what is good. For many people it seems that a good fantasy sword is at least derived from a real sword as possible. So I guess taking a not so well known real sword (maybe from Africa or India) would to the job for most. Marketing wise good means unique, He-man's sword is a good example.

[@Circeiscool]

Can you guys make a video about greek swords. I'm trying to learn more about specificly greek warfare. Thank you!

[@balsamon69]

Greek swords were pretty much short swords, from what i've seen. Maybe there's a longer variant for the cavalry like in the Roman Empire, but i haven't seen it. Thracia (Ancient Romania) and China have some really cool swords as well. Some of China's look like something straight out of an anime

[@Circeiscool]

@balsamon69 omg ty

[@AgeDrain]

You guys need to do a real life “dynasty warriors orgins” dog pile. Would like to see how effective it would be IRL.

[@Aturnum0]

Random question Is there any way you could swordsmanship techniques if you are without a sword or similar weapon?

[@מעייןחברון-ט9י]

Small correction Kenpachi only unlocked his shikai (first form ) in the latest arc. The picture 1:57 that's the shikai , He's just that busted. The bankai is the one vs Gerald.

[@christianboehlefeld5168]

I particularly like how when Kenpachi does achieve bankai, he has a normal sized katana again but he looks like a red skinned oni. And Ichigo got bigger blades when he finally got an actual zanpakto in the Thousand Year Blood War arc. Both his primary and secondary blades are ridiculously large and impractical at that point but he is at least using a "real" sword (for a given value of real in the setting) instead of what is arguably an arrow.

[@augustokusterfelipe3835]

how do someone fence with an zweihander? I just... Caught myself wondering.

[@zoro115-s6b]

Another thing about Asta's swords that makes them work narratively is that he's basically using them wrong. The guy who Asta's grimoire originally belonged to wielded them using magic that made them effectively weightless in his hands. They're impractically designed because they weren't originally supposed to be wielded like a physical sword. However since Asta has the corrupted anti-magic version of the grimoire, his swords behave like actual physical objects made of metal and as such it requires enormous strength to wield them. It doesn't just work because it shows how strong he is, it works because it shows how he's able to make something that shouldn't work work through his determination and effort, despite enormous inherent disadvantages.

[@philipmocny6768]

Where dod you get yours silver witcher sword? It looks like from Kaer morhen forge or krieger weapones 😃

[@keegz5750]

You can get them from kaer morhen Forge, who have official permission from CDPR to make them. They are more expensive than a regular sword, but they can be used for practising, if you just want a wallhanger/replica then you can find a witcher sword for around £100

[@ItamarKatz]

Kirito has 2 swords "l'm special" Zoro and killer bee "amateur" Bayakuya: 🗿

[@yangnicol5726]

Guys guys! I have a quastion: Why don't people don't use two swords at the same time? Like I get it for long swords and even katanas, but what about rapiers? And didn't Miyamoto Musahsi use the two swords tehnice agianst 10 oponents at once? And won, so the two swords style must be good, right!?

[@Leonhart_93]

Because we don't have two brains to control both at the same type, it's each individual one per strike. And so you use 2 weaker weapons because you can't hold one with two hands. Musashi used a shorter 2nd sword primarily for parrying, like you would use a shield. And also a shield is also dual wielding, because you are using the shield like a mace and can attack with both.

[@Crimsonlupus]

Question, how realistic do you guys think the momentum of a slash in a souls game is compared to real life? Aside from the obvious problems with how they treat great swords, what about standard bastard swords, curved swords, katanas etc? Do you think it would be enough force to effectively hurt a target, or is it just fantasy and not enough momentum to do real damage?

[@drosan8568]

May you perchance, converse about the yoru from one piece?

[@phivoinh3176]

are sword fight scenes in mushoku tensei realistic?

[@markmatherne7322]

Alot of fantasy characters do have extreme near superhuman strength like an orc or even a human that can bench 609 and deadlift 1000 could easily use a huge heavy battle axe like normal guy can use a hatchet

[@klausernstthalheim9642]

Well how about taking a close look on dune.....i like the lynch version because of his inherited weirdness and music. While the mini series was much closer to the book i kinda dislike the teen movie optics and too bright color scheme, which made it looks more like a video game cutscene and kinda cartoonish. But i really love the last dune movies, some changes needed to be made, but overall i really love the optics, pacing, story telling and also the fight scenes. And its also explained why they use swords/knifes as weapon since using a laser weapon is catastrophic for everyone and normal firearms are ineffective against shields.........would you analyze and rate the duels/melee fight there? I mean in hte last years there are several sci fi movie released maybe you could analyze the melee fighting there too?

[@Average-Strix]

Good means good 🤍

[@tristanrussell448]

Quick kenpachi correction that is a shikai that you showed.

[@jenkohr]

Black clover referenced!!

[@TBCN69]

Most realistic setting so far is the mediaval period

[@AmazingMrMe123]

In there examples yes but Dune also has a much more realistic vibe (compared to 40k for example) and their swords are generally within the realm of reason. Whether their shield tech really makes sense or not is another conversation

[@SolarMothOfficial]

Sephiroth and clould in the corner😭😫

[@zRdmixr_Ax]

Imagine making A glowing curve sci fi sword, ofc really dosent make seanse

[@tomvhresvelg9286]

Seems that Azerothian steels are quite oversized.

[@Zoronark]

What about the swords from devil may cry?

[@JNAB0212]

@@Zoronark in my profession opinion (I’m not a sword expert but I love devil may cry) they seem fairly good, nothing too big or strange, just a bit fancy, other then Nero having an engine in his sword, the massive chainsaws that are also a motorbike and Sparda (the sword) being fleshy and all that, but that is a sword for a demon so I think it works.

[@NeoCrazyBoy97]

How about a flaming bastared sword that the teenage MC in the book I'm writing uses?

[@kenwan1235]

Fantasy = no rules

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

.....Something creative but respects the law of physics and our human limitations and/or consistent with worldbuilding and setting.

[@lisocampos8080]

Tatoos only look good when you are young

[@SellswordArts]

You know, I can see all of your comments when I click on your profile. You're kind of obsessed with me, aren't you?

[@sobbles6242]

pre-watch guess: to me their is only one answer to this and its does it look cool. at the end of the day, its a fantasy world with magic and monsters, it doesnt matter if the sword would be practicle in our world.

[@dragosmahuev4686]

The problem with fantasies that focus on giant fighting is that weapon design looks cheap. Guts' sword being a generic tunk of iron is an example of bad look especially when he's wearing that gothic style black armor, some actual 15-16th century greatsword inspired fantasy blade with black/dark colors would fit better cuz rn that "dragonslayer" tunk of iron he wields looks ridiculous and funny, also added with fact that it's not revealed that Guts is some kind of demi-godlike creature, so seeing him with that over the edge bigass sword with no design (engravings, runes, any other distinctive design features like blade shape) feels awkward and lame. Better example here is Dante's devil sword he acquires in DMC5, which is big but is of completely infernal origin, wielded by one of the most powerful characters in fiction and has some good effort put in the design, looking both huge and stylish. The best example of big sword imo is Blade of Olympus in God of War series, especially remade model in Valhalla that looks insanely well detailed with sculptures and relief and (obviously) is wielded by a damn God, not just some human. Also, I don't see any problems with portraying characters that fight some crazy monsters/demons with realistic blades if those are granted extraordinary abilities/magic, choreography and etc (Batman fought shitton of crazy powerful beings with sheer tactic and preparations and that made him look menacing and cool for example). Guy Ritchie's Excalibur from 2017 movie is a good example how to make longsword an OP magical weapon. Also Gandalf who fought and stroke Balrog with realistically designed Glamdring blade simply imbued with lightning looked way cooler than those "bigass sword" characters. You don't need to go for easy "big monster needs insane big sword" type solution to make your character look cool, you can do both cool and semi-realistic. Warcraft is perfectly balanced between big and semi-realistic, having both Doomhammer type stuff for Orcs and Shalamayne/Frostmourne type swords for humans. This is added with fact that humans in WoW are descendants of Titans so their armor and weaponry both looks cool AND makes sense which imo is more valuable when comparing to Final fantasy, MH and other primarily japanese franchises in terms of design/style.

[@-Daidalos]

This video is fake. Why are you using a blue lightsaber? You're always the sith!

[@SellswordArts]

You're correct! The only reason I used a blue lightsaber is because it showed up better with the lights on 😭

[@dominiclapinta8537]

The only good fantasy sword is one that can cut through space and time so that the main character can always go back and fix any mistakes they have made