| abstract
| - There is something a sword has that other weapons don't. It could be that it is an Elegant Weapon for a More Civilized Age, or perhaps it's because sword fights just look so impossibly cool. Often Heroes Prefer Swords.
* Longsword (two-handed): The quintessential knightly weapon. A late medieval weapon, with an average blade length of 90 cm (35 in). Sometimes used as a generic term referring to any sword that long or longer. This type of sword came into vogue in late 13th century, and remained in use until the 17th century. It is intended to be used two-handed, but is balanced well enough to be used single-handed. Both the German and Italian schools of swordsmanship deal with this sword.
* Zweihander (two-hander): With a blade length of 120-150 cm (4-5 ft), was longest known sword, the real life BFS. Bigger. Longer. Better. Used for intimidation, decapitation, and decimation. Especially good on lopping enemy pike tips off, not to say enemy heads.
* Claymore (two-handed): Scottish sword with a blade length of 100-115 cm (39-45 in). Sometimes used by hot blonde chicks to kill human eating monsters.
* Claymore, Basket-Hilted (one-handed): Descendant of the above with a blade length of 75-90 cm (30-35 in) long. Probably the longest ever one-handed sword.
* Transition Sword Category: typically has an average blade length of 70 cm (28 in).
* Katana (two-handed): The weapon of choice of the Samurai and certain Ninja (especially of the highly visible variety). Are considered the coolest swords of all by some people. Not all Japanese swords were katanas, but popular culture doesn't know that.
* Scimitar (one-handed): Includes all kinds of curved, non-katana swords, including the Pirate cutlass, the Indian talwar, the European falchion and sabre, and the Chinese dao. Usually wielded by heroes in the Arabian Nights Days, as well as good-hearted dark elves.
* Spatha (one-handed): Longer than a Gladius, but too short for a longsword, pattern-welded for greater strength. From late Roman days to the First Crusade, this was one of the most common sword types in Europe. King Arthur is likely to have historically used one, and any Viking that isn't swinging an axe or stabbing with a spear might have one of these. Also called a broadsword or broadblade, the literal meaning of Spatha, although modern use of "broadsword" refers to an Arming Sword or a basket-hilted sword. The other translation for 'Spatha' is 'spade' or 'shovel', because it was 'invented' by enlarging the Gladius in order to make it more useful for jobs around the camp. It is therefore the ancestor of not just most later medieval European straight swords, but also of the entrenching tool.
* Arming sword (one-handed): The classic, cross-shaped knightly weapon, descendant of the Spatha, and commonly paired with a shield. As such, this is usually found in the hands of the Knight in Shining Armor, though heroes of all kinds have made use of them. Often mistakenly called a "longsword," especially by Tabletop Gamers. The jian is the Chinese equivalent, with many of the same cultural associations.
* Falcata (one-handed): The incredibly badass pre-Roman Spanish machete. Iberians chopped the hell out of so many Roman soldiers with these babies, that the poor Romans had to redesign their shields and armor. Similar to a kukri or kopis, but independently evolved, these Roman-killing machines are curved downwards. Later gladius designs were influenced by it.
* Gladius (one-handed): Most variations are shorter than a transition sword, but not quite a knife, having an average blade length of 50 cm (20 in). The sword of choice for stories set in Rome. If it's not a gladius but about the same size, it's a likely Weapon of Choice for children or Hobbits. The Japanese equivalent is the wakizashi, which samurai often carried with the katana.
* Rapier (one-handed): Ho ho! Ha ha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust! Quip! About as long as a transition sword, but much thinner and lighter. The favorite weapon of The Cavalier Years, where swashbuckling heroes and Pirates roamed. Expect Implausible Fencing Powers and lots of Flynning.
* See also; foils (which are blunt and used in fencing).
* It's the villain's Achilles Heel.
* It's rare.
* It's on fire.
* It's made of Pure Energy.
* It's frickin' HUGE.
* It was made by a god.
* It can cut through (practically) anything.
* ... except another equally cool sword.
* It was owned by some important ancestor.
* Someone significant gave it to you.
* Especially when it's a token that you're his successor.
* It's famous.
* You've got to be special just to pick it up.
* Or at least pick it up/wield it under the right circumstances.
* It's got a mind of its own
* And it chose you, and you alone, to be its personal wielder.
* Or it talks!
* It's got a name of its own.
* It's under a Curse.
* It's Evil.
* You can't get rid of it.
* It's got two blades instead of one
* It's made of something strange and precious or even impossible.
* Bonus points if it's black.
* Or crafted by an Ultimate Blacksmith.
* It was broken and remade.
* It's attached to the wielder's arm instead of being held
* It's combined with another weapon
* Especially if it's a CHAINSAW.
* Or any and all possible combinations of the above.
* Even, no wait, especially the ones that seem to be mutually contradictory.
* But don't count its advertising the fact, just to keep you on your toes. This trope is Older Than Feudalism, because the sword is a very, very old weapon and there are tons of examples from mythology. Possibly the most iconic Cool Sword of all is Excalibur, the sword the Lady in the Lake gave to King Arthur (which supposedly wasn't the original Sword in the Stone). And no, having a sword is not (necessarily) Compensating for Something. Recording the sheer number of characters who use swords in media would make for a VERY long trope. Basically, name any hero from a Heroic Fantasy series or an RPG (of any genre), and chances are he'll be using a sword. Thus, this trope should be reserved for cool swords; those with some exceptional quality, name, or power. Not just any old sword will do (only exception would be Captain Carrot's sword from Discworld). Compare its Gun Counterpart, Cool Guns. For non-cool swords (YMMV), see our Useful Notes: Swords page. Oddly-Shaped Sword is the Sub-Trope for swords that have a really weird shape. Examples of Cool Sword include:
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